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The Wilde Trials: A Dark Academia YA Thriller of Deadly Competition and Forbidden Love
From the acclaimed author of The Rosewood Hunt comes a thrilling new mystery about a high-stakes competition packed with shocking twists, second chances, and deadly deceit, where allies—and enemies—are the people you’d least expect.
Chloe Gatti will do whatever it takes to win her elite boarding school’s annual competition, the Wilde Trials. In the two weeks leading up to graduation from Wilde Academy, a dozen seniors are chosen to compete in a series of seven ultimate physical and mental tests, and the winner will take home over half a million dollars—money that Chloe needs to help her sick sister.
But the competition is fierce and includes her brooding ex-boyfriend, Hayes Stratford, whose brother was the only student to die during the trials a few years ago. When someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the competition, she’s forced to strike a deal with Hayes—if he helps her discover who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind.
Following clues from Hayes’s brother, the unlikely allies discover that something isn’t right about the Wilde Trials. With a life-changing prize looming over her head and her buried feelings for Hayes rising to the surface, Chloe will have to decide what’s really worth fighting for, and if the cost of competing outweighs the potential consequences, even if that includes ending up like Hayes’s brother—dead.
Fans of Jessica Goodman and Maureen Johnson will love this dark academia thriller with a romantic twist!
Chloe Gatti will do whatever it takes to win her elite boarding school’s annual competition, the Wilde Trials. In the two weeks leading up to graduation from Wilde Academy, a dozen seniors are chosen to compete in a series of seven ultimate physical and mental tests, and the winner will take home over half a million dollars—money that Chloe needs to help her sick sister.
But the competition is fierce and includes her brooding ex-boyfriend, Hayes Stratford, whose brother was the only student to die during the trials a few years ago. When someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the competition, she’s forced to strike a deal with Hayes—if he helps her discover who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind.
Following clues from Hayes’s brother, the unlikely allies discover that something isn’t right about the Wilde Trials. With a life-changing prize looming over her head and her buried feelings for Hayes rising to the surface, Chloe will have to decide what’s really worth fighting for, and if the cost of competing outweighs the potential consequences, even if that includes ending up like Hayes’s brother—dead.
Fans of Jessica Goodman and Maureen Johnson will love this dark academia thriller with a romantic twist!
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2025
73 people are currently reading
12291 people want to read
About the author
Mackenzie Reed
4 books265 followersMackenzie Reed is the author of young adult fiction, THE ROSEWOOD HUNT and THE WILDE TRIALS, and her forthcoming adult debut, I HOPE THIS EMAIL FINDS YOU IN HELL. She cultivated her love of storytelling at Nazareth College, where she graduated with a BA in Communication and Media. A native and resident of Rochester, New York, she loves going for brainstorming walks when the weather’s behaving and spending time with her family. In the sparse moments she’s not writing or daydreaming about her next book, she’s usually winging her eyeliner and hunting for the best slice of pizza in town.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
January 8, 2025
okay i actually really liked this book and had such a fun time reading!
𓍢⊹ 🍀 𖧧 ࣪ thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
summary: 12 students are chosen to compete in a cut throat competition featuring trials for a cash prize, and only one will win. when someone starts threatening and blackmailing our fmc, she is forced to strike a deal with her brooding ex boyfriend; if he helps her find out who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind…
— this book kept me hooked from the very beginning! i loved following along our fmc as the competition went on and it was so unputdownable! i will say, some things were very predictable BUT that didn’t take away the fun form this!
— my absolute favorite thing about this book was the romance between chloe and hayes; exes who hate that they can’t hate eachother? ate it up! the flashbacks to them before *that day* were EVERYTHING! the start of the clover nickname was so cute AND THE RING? oh i loved!
quotes:
𓍢⊹ 🍀 𖧧 ࣪ thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
summary: 12 students are chosen to compete in a cut throat competition featuring trials for a cash prize, and only one will win. when someone starts threatening and blackmailing our fmc, she is forced to strike a deal with her brooding ex boyfriend; if he helps her find out who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind…
— this book kept me hooked from the very beginning! i loved following along our fmc as the competition went on and it was so unputdownable! i will say, some things were very predictable BUT that didn’t take away the fun form this!
“It was as if I had to relearn how to exist without him by my side, his presence not loud but constantly felt. People say that breakups feel like losing a limb. But I felt like the lost limb, discarded and useless.”
“My fingers itch to reach out, to brush his arm in some sort of acknowledgment of his flash of grief, but I think better of it. It’s not my job to comfort him anymore.”
— my absolute favorite thing about this book was the romance between chloe and hayes; exes who hate that they can’t hate eachother? ate it up! the flashbacks to them before *that day* were EVERYTHING! the start of the clover nickname was so cute AND THE RING? oh i loved!
quotes:
“At first, you’re just the girl he has to tutor. Then the girl we have to do a group project with. But suddenly, he starts becoming Hayes again. Laughing, joking, being sarcastic. Playing piano. Things I thought were dead and buried with Hunter. You brought them back. You brought him back.”
“When is it going to click that he’s trying to protect you?”
“No, he’s not.”
“Of course he is. It’s the same reason he didn’t sleep the night before this trial started. He was up all night making sure whatever shit head is messing with you didn’t come back through your window during the night.”
“We sat on the piano bench in the band pit, and you played for me. For hours.”
“And what did I play?”
“Taylor Swift. I begged you to play me her songs for months, but that day you finally caved.”
“What albums?”
“Evermore. Red. Midnights.”
“Everyone loved him. Everyone needed him. I needed him. Nobody needs me.”
“That’s not true, I need you. And I—I love you.”
“I need you for other reasons, too. You make me feel like I’m someone deserving of being protected and defended. I’ve never felt that before because—I’ve never felt like I’m enough. Like i have to keep proving myself and being perfect and getting amazing grades. But with you, I never felt that pressure.”
“You’re always enough for me.”
February 5, 2025
I think my expectations for what this book would be were too off. I saw another review comparing this to Panic (which I think had one of the most thrilling concepts in YA) and maybe having that comparison in mind shaped my expectations of this book too much into something it isn’t. The Wilde Trials is about a competition consisting of seven trials in the wilderness, with one winner taking $600,000 and bragging rights. To top it all off, all contestants will spend 2 weeks living in a decrepit and partially collapsed estate in the middle of the woods. When I first started this, I was like, why are these already rich kids scrambling to enter this competition and putting themselves in this much danger just for prides sake when none of them actually need the money? Keep in mind, I was picturing dangerous tasks that were at least somewhat on the level of what I read in Panic. I got my answer once the trials started; it’s because this competition isn’t actually deadly or dangerous at all. That’s not at all what I was expecting and was a bummer.
I can see how this can be compared to Panic, but boarding school edition, and with lower stakes as the competition itself isn’t dangerous. I found the trials themselves a total snore, since they were mainly just riddles and brain teasers, while I was expecting actual dangerous, death defying trials. I kid you not, one of the trials was literally rowing across the lake and the first people who get there wins. What is this, a relay race? I was expecting something so high stakes that people died from it, when this was just teenagers running around the woods solving riddles and answering history questions on paper? I guess I was just expecting something more thrilling than this.
The Wilde Trials did have the added subplot of discovering a mystery about the trials and the manor, which added some much needed substance to the plot. This is less about the competition itself and more about the people competing in it, and the mystery behind the blackmailing of the contestants. I couldn’t care less about the blackmailing plot for most of it but it picked up at the end and I did become invested by the end.
I think that the right reader will enjoy this book more than I did if they keep their expectations in check. Do not go into this expecting a book consisting of terrifying, or even interesting trials. It’s not going to be thrilling in that kind of way. If you go into this expecting this to be more about the mystery behind the trials and more of a whodunnit sort of thing, rather than the events of the trials themselves, you’ll likely enjoy this more. As a reader who likes my books intense, high stakes, and gripping, this was a disappointment to me personally, but not every reader will have the same preferences as me.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
I can see how this can be compared to Panic, but boarding school edition, and with lower stakes as the competition itself isn’t dangerous. I found the trials themselves a total snore, since they were mainly just riddles and brain teasers, while I was expecting actual dangerous, death defying trials. I kid you not, one of the trials was literally rowing across the lake and the first people who get there wins. What is this, a relay race? I was expecting something so high stakes that people died from it, when this was just teenagers running around the woods solving riddles and answering history questions on paper? I guess I was just expecting something more thrilling than this.
The Wilde Trials did have the added subplot of discovering a mystery about the trials and the manor, which added some much needed substance to the plot. This is less about the competition itself and more about the people competing in it, and the mystery behind the blackmailing of the contestants. I couldn’t care less about the blackmailing plot for most of it but it picked up at the end and I did become invested by the end.
I think that the right reader will enjoy this book more than I did if they keep their expectations in check. Do not go into this expecting a book consisting of terrifying, or even interesting trials. It’s not going to be thrilling in that kind of way. If you go into this expecting this to be more about the mystery behind the trials and more of a whodunnit sort of thing, rather than the events of the trials themselves, you’ll likely enjoy this more. As a reader who likes my books intense, high stakes, and gripping, this was a disappointment to me personally, but not every reader will have the same preferences as me.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
August 5, 2025
If Mackenzie Reed isn’t an autobuy author for you after The Wilde Trials, then you simply haven’t read her books.
The Wilde Trials improved upon everything that was already great about Reed’s debut novel The Rosewood Hunt. Wilde Academy and its competition is so interesting and I pictured the trials and estate so vividly and effortlessly in my head. The characters and their motivations are very compelling. I particularly loved Chloe and found her flaws and strengths very relatable and real for a girl her age. The twists unraveled at the perfect time and I found myself staying up wayyy too late multiple nights reading. Finally, the trials themselves had me on the edge of my seat, and as a reader of a lot of competition based books due to a childhood obsession with The Hunger Games and The Goblet of Fire, I found them refreshing and not predictable.
I highly recommend this book for lovers of YA thrillers, and even for people who normally read outside that genre. It is such a fun time and Reed is such a promising young author with (I’m sure) a great career ahead of her.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC!
The Wilde Trials improved upon everything that was already great about Reed’s debut novel The Rosewood Hunt. Wilde Academy and its competition is so interesting and I pictured the trials and estate so vividly and effortlessly in my head. The characters and their motivations are very compelling. I particularly loved Chloe and found her flaws and strengths very relatable and real for a girl her age. The twists unraveled at the perfect time and I found myself staying up wayyy too late multiple nights reading. Finally, the trials themselves had me on the edge of my seat, and as a reader of a lot of competition based books due to a childhood obsession with The Hunger Games and The Goblet of Fire, I found them refreshing and not predictable.
I highly recommend this book for lovers of YA thrillers, and even for people who normally read outside that genre. It is such a fun time and Reed is such a promising young author with (I’m sure) a great career ahead of her.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this ARC!
September 17, 2025
2.5
Myślałam że będzie tutaj jakiś element magiczny by ten absurd sytuacyjny miał sens XD ktoś umarł przy ostatnich 'trials - próbach' i nie zostało to zamknięte? zwłaszcza że był to uczeń? ma to sens.
Tempo akcji też najpierw było powolne przez 70% a potem leciało na łeb na szyje.
Jedyne co trzymało mnie przy tej książce to romans - a i tak było go tyle co kot napłakał - postacie poboczne nie zapadające w pamięć.
Myślałam że będzie tutaj jakiś element magiczny by ten absurd sytuacyjny miał sens XD ktoś umarł przy ostatnich 'trials - próbach' i nie zostało to zamknięte? zwłaszcza że był to uczeń? ma to sens.
Tempo akcji też najpierw było powolne przez 70% a potem leciało na łeb na szyje.
Jedyne co trzymało mnie przy tej książce to romans - a i tak było go tyle co kot napłakał - postacie poboczne nie zapadające w pamięć.
September 7, 2025
Pretty solid and entertaining book. Honestly my main problem is that the trials weren’t intense or high stakes enough. But still pretty good.
January 14, 2026
2026 page turners book club pick #1
a fun YA thriller where the trials/stakes felt realistic but were still entertaining
a fun YA thriller where the trials/stakes felt realistic but were still entertaining
October 4, 2024
3.5 stars - I had such a blast reading this book. Wealthy academia and a contest with different trials - I couldn’t get enough. Although this read as very YA, the characters were well-rounded and the story line was interesting. Not my favorite game/trial book, but I did enjoy this and appreciate that it was a fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2024
4 Stars
This book usually isn't the type that I love. It's a high melodrama type of YA read, and I've got a pretty low tolerance for melodrama when I'm reading. But this book does a really great job of balancing the melodrama with characters, with plot, and with atmospheric setting and overall intrigue. I wanted to know what would happen next, and I had a really fun time going along for the ride.
Overall, a great start to my 2025 reads, which feels like a good omen for the year to come! But a deeper dive into this book will have to wait until the new year, when my review will go live at Gateway Reviews on January 10, 2025.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
This book usually isn't the type that I love. It's a high melodrama type of YA read, and I've got a pretty low tolerance for melodrama when I'm reading. But this book does a really great job of balancing the melodrama with characters, with plot, and with atmospheric setting and overall intrigue. I wanted to know what would happen next, and I had a really fun time going along for the ride.
Overall, a great start to my 2025 reads, which feels like a good omen for the year to come! But a deeper dive into this book will have to wait until the new year, when my review will go live at Gateway Reviews on January 10, 2025.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
July 18, 2025
(4.25/5) it’s official I’m entertained by just about anything. Rich boarding school kids all fighting in an old creepy estate for some huge amount of prize money? Sign me tf upppppp!!! The pacing in this was so good and the reveal at the end acc shocked me (don’t take my word for it tho I’m terrible at guessing the culprit in mystery books) but regardless of that I had a fun time reading this and the romance side plot…chloehayes you will be loved by me💕💕 (love to see academic overachievers)
March 15, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC.
The Wilde Trials is a dark academia with a touch of romance. Each year, the Wilde Trials are hosted to award one teen with $600K and Chloe is determined to compete and win to support her sick sister. Of course, there are many obstacles and secrets in the way.
I would say this story has a fairly predictable plot with a lot of common YA tropes. However, it was still a fun and engaging story. The plot had a quick pace and it was easy to keep up with the many characters. There were a lot of twists and turns along the way, but the ending was satisfying. The narrator did a great job as well.
The Wilde Trials is a dark academia with a touch of romance. Each year, the Wilde Trials are hosted to award one teen with $600K and Chloe is determined to compete and win to support her sick sister. Of course, there are many obstacles and secrets in the way.
I would say this story has a fairly predictable plot with a lot of common YA tropes. However, it was still a fun and engaging story. The plot had a quick pace and it was easy to keep up with the many characters. There were a lot of twists and turns along the way, but the ending was satisfying. The narrator did a great job as well.
September 17, 2024
4.5 rounded up.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!
Mackenzie Reed really knows how to make a well-paced and exhilarating story! I really thoroughly enjoyed this book, from start to finish. There was such a strong pull of plot mixed with character development that just hit in the right spots. And I love her writing style SO MUCH. I swear, just reading that first page made me smile.
So this time, my favorite character was Woolf. What? How? Right? It's so weird but I'm over here like "Yes, give me that silly brutish guy who is such a fiercely loyal best friend." I laughed at almost everything he said and then some. He was so interesting as a character and I'm glad he ended up getting more screen time than I originally thought he would!
The two main characters in this one were also delightful: we get an ambitious and unlikeable FMC (my favorite kind!) in Chloe who just... gosh, Reed knew what she was doing when she made her the protagonist. The perfect protagonist for this book. If you've read One of Us is Lying, she reminds me SO much of Bronwyn (who I also love dearly). Then we get such a refreshing and unusual MMC in Hayes. He's not easy to pinpoint - and I can't think of a comparable character either. He's like... one of those internal silent brooding types but also intense when it comes to those he loves. I thought the two of them worked splendidly together.
I think why I give this a 4.5 instead of a perfect 5... is just because I don't think it was quite on par with The Rosewood Hunt. There was something about the found family in that book that didn't get an equal in this one... It was there but not as prevalent.
I did guess the ending but Reed was very good at foreshadowing just enough that it wasn't super obvious! I really enjoyed sleuthing it out.
Oh, one other thing is I can only think of one other book that sort of feels similar - and that's Lauren Oliver's Panic. I will say though that this book was WAY better. (For reference, I’m comparing them as “teenager based competitions for money”. Panic is not school-sanctioned and thus is violent by nature and more likely to get people killed. Wilde Trials is more of a survival / brain teaser competition where people are NOT supposed to die.)
All in all, a must read for any mystery fans and for anyone looking for a fun and intriguing YA.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!
Mackenzie Reed really knows how to make a well-paced and exhilarating story! I really thoroughly enjoyed this book, from start to finish. There was such a strong pull of plot mixed with character development that just hit in the right spots. And I love her writing style SO MUCH. I swear, just reading that first page made me smile.
So this time, my favorite character was Woolf. What? How? Right? It's so weird but I'm over here like "Yes, give me that silly brutish guy who is such a fiercely loyal best friend." I laughed at almost everything he said and then some. He was so interesting as a character and I'm glad he ended up getting more screen time than I originally thought he would!
The two main characters in this one were also delightful: we get an ambitious and unlikeable FMC (my favorite kind!) in Chloe who just... gosh, Reed knew what she was doing when she made her the protagonist. The perfect protagonist for this book. If you've read One of Us is Lying, she reminds me SO much of Bronwyn (who I also love dearly). Then we get such a refreshing and unusual MMC in Hayes. He's not easy to pinpoint - and I can't think of a comparable character either. He's like... one of those internal silent brooding types but also intense when it comes to those he loves. I thought the two of them worked splendidly together.
I think why I give this a 4.5 instead of a perfect 5... is just because I don't think it was quite on par with The Rosewood Hunt. There was something about the found family in that book that didn't get an equal in this one... It was there but not as prevalent.
I did guess the ending but Reed was very good at foreshadowing just enough that it wasn't super obvious! I really enjoyed sleuthing it out.
Oh, one other thing is I can only think of one other book that sort of feels similar - and that's Lauren Oliver's Panic. I will say though that this book was WAY better. (For reference, I’m comparing them as “teenager based competitions for money”. Panic is not school-sanctioned and thus is violent by nature and more likely to get people killed. Wilde Trials is more of a survival / brain teaser competition where people are NOT supposed to die.)
All in all, a must read for any mystery fans and for anyone looking for a fun and intriguing YA.
July 25, 2024
Oh, yeah, this was such a fantastic read, loved watching these characters navigate the trials, I had to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next!
January 20, 2025
Special thanks to Storytide for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars
TL;DR: It's been a while since I read a YA mystery but I enjoyed this so much more than even I anticipated. It was a great romp and while not entirely unpredictable, the lead up to the twists and turns had me on my toes and eagerly anticipating what would happen next! Would recommend if you're looking for an entertaining YA mystery set in a boarding school ft. beautiful creepy vibes and more than a little teenage drama. 😉
I enjoyed The Wilde Trials more than I expected to and it reminded me of why I enjoy YA mysteries so much. They’re easy to devour in one sitting and have just enough stakes to be intense and intriguing without being too dark or drawn out. For all the danger our protagonists may find themselves in, these books are simply “good time” popcorn reads and I love them! While it was easy to see how things would unfold, I still enjoyed the twists and turns this took. I found it to be a great story about sibling bonds and the age-old lessons of learning where you fit in and accepting who you are. You can expect there to be teenage drama and angst, but thankfully, it wasn’t too over-the-top and neither did it take over the overall story.
I loved the setting and thought the overgrown and falling-apart Wilde Manor was perfect for creating a dark and creepy atmospheric read. With the looming forest along the manor’s periphery, decaying buildings spread across the manor grounds, and potential hidden passageways behind thin walls, everything about this perfectly fit the ‘mysterious’ vibe. Despite knowing that the manor is a short bus ride away from the school grounds, it still felt completely isolated and exactly like the kind of place where just about anything can go wrong! 🫣 But also, that library… It sounded as creepy as it was beautiful and I could picture it vividly in my mind.
Chloe was an interesting protagonist but I’m honestly still not sure how I felt about her. She’s portrayed as so many things by different people—selfish, self-serving, kind-hearted, and brave. Unfortunately, I didn’t think those traits shone particularly well in the writing. Yes, she has grit, is determined, and doesn’t cower in the face of school bullies, but we are told all of that and not shown it, which made it feel like something was missing. She does have a wonderful bond with her sister though and I’m glad that the reason behind why she’s participating in the Wilde Trials was consistent throughout. I will say that Chloe’s arc perfectly captures the teenage angst and confusion about fitting in, finding your place, etc., and I think the author did a great job of also bringing that through in all of the characters we meet.
An element that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did was the romance between Chloe and her ex, Hayes. Despite them professing to hate each other’s guts, it’s clear to the reader that there are many unresolved feelings. Chloe and Hayes might’ve been completely oblivious to each other’s true feelings—lost as they were in their anger and confusion, but appreciated the frank conversation they had about how they ended up where they are. This romance was surprisingly sweet and I enjoyed seeing the flashbacks of their relationship before it fractured.
That all being said, the Wilde Trials does require a great deal of suspension of disbelief because I don’t know where or when this type of “game” would be allowed IRL. I can’t believe there’s any school that would send a bunch of teenagers to live in a crumbling manor for a week without proper adult supervision—and I’m not talking about college kid supervision either. Not to mention that a student has previously died on the same grounds where they’re being made to do potentially life-threatening challenges to win $600,000… 👀 Other than that, there were also some moments when the logic didn’t logic and Chloe made questionable decisions and hasty judgements that didn’t make sense! I was also admittedly a bit let down by the resolution of the mystery. It felt slightly anticlimactic although I don’t think the motive was unrealistic because sadly, it’s not something we haven’t seen before. It’s rather depressing to think about because it speaks to the toxicity of the system we’re raised to participate in and yet, nothing changes. 😮💨
Overall, despite certain (minor) things that didn’t work for me, I thought this was a solid read and I’m glad to count it as one of the first books I read at the start of a new year!
TL;DR: It's been a while since I read a YA mystery but I enjoyed this so much more than even I anticipated. It was a great romp and while not entirely unpredictable, the lead up to the twists and turns had me on my toes and eagerly anticipating what would happen next! Would recommend if you're looking for an entertaining YA mystery set in a boarding school ft. beautiful creepy vibes and more than a little teenage drama. 😉
I enjoyed The Wilde Trials more than I expected to and it reminded me of why I enjoy YA mysteries so much. They’re easy to devour in one sitting and have just enough stakes to be intense and intriguing without being too dark or drawn out. For all the danger our protagonists may find themselves in, these books are simply “good time” popcorn reads and I love them! While it was easy to see how things would unfold, I still enjoyed the twists and turns this took. I found it to be a great story about sibling bonds and the age-old lessons of learning where you fit in and accepting who you are. You can expect there to be teenage drama and angst, but thankfully, it wasn’t too over-the-top and neither did it take over the overall story.
I loved the setting and thought the overgrown and falling-apart Wilde Manor was perfect for creating a dark and creepy atmospheric read. With the looming forest along the manor’s periphery, decaying buildings spread across the manor grounds, and potential hidden passageways behind thin walls, everything about this perfectly fit the ‘mysterious’ vibe. Despite knowing that the manor is a short bus ride away from the school grounds, it still felt completely isolated and exactly like the kind of place where just about anything can go wrong! 🫣 But also, that library… It sounded as creepy as it was beautiful and I could picture it vividly in my mind.
Chloe was an interesting protagonist but I’m honestly still not sure how I felt about her. She’s portrayed as so many things by different people—selfish, self-serving, kind-hearted, and brave. Unfortunately, I didn’t think those traits shone particularly well in the writing. Yes, she has grit, is determined, and doesn’t cower in the face of school bullies, but we are told all of that and not shown it, which made it feel like something was missing. She does have a wonderful bond with her sister though and I’m glad that the reason behind why she’s participating in the Wilde Trials was consistent throughout. I will say that Chloe’s arc perfectly captures the teenage angst and confusion about fitting in, finding your place, etc., and I think the author did a great job of also bringing that through in all of the characters we meet.
An element that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did was the romance between Chloe and her ex, Hayes. Despite them professing to hate each other’s guts, it’s clear to the reader that there are many unresolved feelings. Chloe and Hayes might’ve been completely oblivious to each other’s true feelings—lost as they were in their anger and confusion, but appreciated the frank conversation they had about how they ended up where they are. This romance was surprisingly sweet and I enjoyed seeing the flashbacks of their relationship before it fractured.
That all being said, the Wilde Trials does require a great deal of suspension of disbelief because I don’t know where or when this type of “game” would be allowed IRL. I can’t believe there’s any school that would send a bunch of teenagers to live in a crumbling manor for a week without proper adult supervision—and I’m not talking about college kid supervision either. Not to mention that a student has previously died on the same grounds where they’re being made to do potentially life-threatening challenges to win $600,000… 👀 Other than that, there were also some moments when the logic didn’t logic and Chloe made questionable decisions and hasty judgements that didn’t make sense! I was also admittedly a bit let down by the resolution of the mystery. It felt slightly anticlimactic although I don’t think the motive was unrealistic because sadly, it’s not something we haven’t seen before. It’s rather depressing to think about because it speaks to the toxicity of the system we’re raised to participate in and yet, nothing changes. 😮💨
Overall, despite certain (minor) things that didn’t work for me, I thought this was a solid read and I’m glad to count it as one of the first books I read at the start of a new year!
June 26, 2024
ARC for review. To be published January 25, 2025.
Hear ye, hear ye! Tis time for the annual Tri Wizard Tournament, oops, I mean, The Wilde Trials! (RIP Cedric, we will never forget).
So, that’s kind of what you’ve got here; in the two weeks leading to graduation was Wilde Academy twelve outstanding seniors are chosen to compete in seven trials, comprised of both physical and mental tasks. The winner gets more than a half million dollars.
Our erstwhile heroine Chloe Gatti is a scholarship student and her younger sister is sick. She really needs that money to help pay for her treatments. But it won’t be easy. Her competition includes her ex-boyfriend Hayes Stratford (a name that sounds like every private school douche you can imagine. Many apologies if your name is, in fact, “Hayes Stratford,” but I’m guessing you already knew about your dickish name, right?) whose older brother was the only student ever to die during the trials (but the school continues to have them? In the real world we have this little thing called “insurance” which, apparently, does not exist in the world of YA.
And if that wasn’t bad enough someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the trials, so she’s forced to work with Hayes to try to win and see what really happened to his brother.
This wasn’t a bad book, just definitely YA for YA in that none of this could ever actually happen. Because, you know, adults.
Hear ye, hear ye! Tis time for the annual Tri Wizard Tournament, oops, I mean, The Wilde Trials! (RIP Cedric, we will never forget).
So, that’s kind of what you’ve got here; in the two weeks leading to graduation was Wilde Academy twelve outstanding seniors are chosen to compete in seven trials, comprised of both physical and mental tasks. The winner gets more than a half million dollars.
Our erstwhile heroine Chloe Gatti is a scholarship student and her younger sister is sick. She really needs that money to help pay for her treatments. But it won’t be easy. Her competition includes her ex-boyfriend Hayes Stratford (a name that sounds like every private school douche you can imagine. Many apologies if your name is, in fact, “Hayes Stratford,” but I’m guessing you already knew about your dickish name, right?) whose older brother was the only student ever to die during the trials (but the school continues to have them? In the real world we have this little thing called “insurance” which, apparently, does not exist in the world of YA.
And if that wasn’t bad enough someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the trials, so she’s forced to work with Hayes to try to win and see what really happened to his brother.
This wasn’t a bad book, just definitely YA for YA in that none of this could ever actually happen. Because, you know, adults.
October 20, 2024
“Welcome to the Wilde Trials.”
🏕️
Chloe Gatti needs money for her sister, who is sick. She will do anything to win her school’s annual survival competiton that gives the last person standing $600,000. Too bad she’s going to the competition with her ex-boyfriend and his best friend. The whole reason they broke up was because Hayes’ brother died three years’ prior in the competition and he didn’t want the same thing to happen to her so Chloe has no idea why he’s even in the trials at all. Once there, Chloe receives a blackmail note and they begin sabotaging each trial in the hopes that Chloe will drop out, but as the trials continue Chloe’s life is put in danger each time. Will she make it to the end or will her blackmailer kill her before that?
🪵
This YA book was equal parts adventure, dark academia, thrillers & romance! I enjoyed the suspense throughout the novel. Fans who loved Their Vicious Games, The Inheritance Games and Truly Devious will also enjoy this title when it releases January 21!
CW: blood, death, blackmail, long term illness, death of a sibling (recounted), emesis, violence, physical assault
🏕️
Chloe Gatti needs money for her sister, who is sick. She will do anything to win her school’s annual survival competiton that gives the last person standing $600,000. Too bad she’s going to the competition with her ex-boyfriend and his best friend. The whole reason they broke up was because Hayes’ brother died three years’ prior in the competition and he didn’t want the same thing to happen to her so Chloe has no idea why he’s even in the trials at all. Once there, Chloe receives a blackmail note and they begin sabotaging each trial in the hopes that Chloe will drop out, but as the trials continue Chloe’s life is put in danger each time. Will she make it to the end or will her blackmailer kill her before that?
🪵
This YA book was equal parts adventure, dark academia, thrillers & romance! I enjoyed the suspense throughout the novel. Fans who loved Their Vicious Games, The Inheritance Games and Truly Devious will also enjoy this title when it releases January 21!
CW: blood, death, blackmail, long term illness, death of a sibling (recounted), emesis, violence, physical assault
December 28, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, author Mackenzie Reed, and HarperCollins Children's Books: Storytide for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
A fun read!! I love any YA challenge mysteries, especially ones set at boarding school. I thought this was an addictive read that kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed Chloe as a protagonist, and I thought the side characters were great as well. Everyone felt like actual teenagers, and the pacing of the story worked well for the events that were happening. I liked the romance/ex-romance between Chloe and Hayes and rooted for them the entire read. I do think everything progressed a little too neatly and wrapped up way too cleanly for this to be a believable mystery, but there were a couple of good twists throughout. I also wish a bit more time would have been spent developing the history of Wilde Academy beyond what was stated because it seemed like that was going to play a role in the overall story when instead it fell to the background. If readers are a fan of The Inheritance Games or Truly Devious, I think they will enjoy The Wilde Trials; I look forward to reading more of Reed's work!
A fun read!! I love any YA challenge mysteries, especially ones set at boarding school. I thought this was an addictive read that kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed Chloe as a protagonist, and I thought the side characters were great as well. Everyone felt like actual teenagers, and the pacing of the story worked well for the events that were happening. I liked the romance/ex-romance between Chloe and Hayes and rooted for them the entire read. I do think everything progressed a little too neatly and wrapped up way too cleanly for this to be a believable mystery, but there were a couple of good twists throughout. I also wish a bit more time would have been spent developing the history of Wilde Academy beyond what was stated because it seemed like that was going to play a role in the overall story when instead it fell to the background. If readers are a fan of The Inheritance Games or Truly Devious, I think they will enjoy The Wilde Trials; I look forward to reading more of Reed's work!
December 11, 2025
I work in news and we’re doing a “book club” style interview with the author(she’s local to Rochester, NY!) and this was our botm and I loved it!
I liked the different trial aspects, that’s not something I typically read about but it was cool to see. The conflict between Chloe and basically everyone in her life added to the story- that basically she was on her own until she was able to build those relationships back up.
Overall I really recommend this book and I will be reading more Mackenzie Reed books in the future!
I liked the different trial aspects, that’s not something I typically read about but it was cool to see. The conflict between Chloe and basically everyone in her life added to the story- that basically she was on her own until she was able to build those relationships back up.
Overall I really recommend this book and I will be reading more Mackenzie Reed books in the future!
September 11, 2024
4.5
the cutest friendships and relationships coming out of a mystery thriller..yeah I wanna know what's with this genre authors somehow managing to write either the best relationships or the best characters???
all the ensemble cast of the wild trails have an air about them that feels like a flipped version of highschool romance cliche. we have the resident asshole, the beloved prince, the violent jockester, the nerd and basically everyone you've hated or loved in those hs romances but mackenzie reed adds a grounded feel to them without taking away their quirk, and I came out honestly unable to hate anybody. I kind of liked how the author was mindful of these characters ages and didn't treat their mistakes as world ending.
all in all, this is a book that should be in your tbr for 2025 if you used to love those high school romances with tight knit friendship groups who ruled the campus😂🫶 I'm so obsessed with the relationships in this book🥹🥹 it's not enough I NEED MORE
the cutest friendships and relationships coming out of a mystery thriller..yeah I wanna know what's with this genre authors somehow managing to write either the best relationships or the best characters???
all the ensemble cast of the wild trails have an air about them that feels like a flipped version of highschool romance cliche. we have the resident asshole, the beloved prince, the violent jockester, the nerd and basically everyone you've hated or loved in those hs romances but mackenzie reed adds a grounded feel to them without taking away their quirk, and I came out honestly unable to hate anybody. I kind of liked how the author was mindful of these characters ages and didn't treat their mistakes as world ending.
all in all, this is a book that should be in your tbr for 2025 if you used to love those high school romances with tight knit friendship groups who ruled the campus😂🫶 I'm so obsessed with the relationships in this book🥹🥹 it's not enough I NEED MORE
January 16, 2025
This was an action-packed, survival competition that sees a group of seniors competing against each other for a big cash reward. There's tons of Hunger Games vibes with twists you don't see coming, betrayals, a second chance romance, grief and more. Good on audio and recommended for fans of the Inheritance games series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 30, 2025
⭐3.8/5
Had so much fun reading this book other than the fact that the character sabotaging the trials has the same name as my best friend. I have full confidence in her to know that she can't pull off all these elaborate blackmailing techniques that her namesake did in the book. She would have done something much easier. Like unaliving someone.
Had so much fun reading this book other than the fact that the character sabotaging the trials has the same name as my best friend. I have full confidence in her to know that she can't pull off all these elaborate blackmailing techniques that her namesake did in the book. She would have done something much easier. Like unaliving someone.
November 16, 2025
It took a while for this book to get going, but the middle part of the book was really engaging with Chloe and Hayes teaming up and working through the mystery. The beginning and end were a bit weak, and I didn't care much for the setting, but I had a decent time. Finally, FINALLY read and finished a book since June so yay!
May 12, 2025
This was insane. Why is this school allowing these trials to happen after a kid literally died the last time? Why is there nobody supervising from the school? There are no checks? This is insane? The plot was crazy?
The love story was great though, A+.
The love story was great though, A+.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2025
YA, dark academia, mystery. Yes please.
I loved Rosewood Hunt, her debut, so was very keen to read her latest. It did not disappoint. It has intrigue, a challenge, complicated relationships, lies, mystery and 600k on the line.
I loved Rosewood Hunt, her debut, so was very keen to read her latest. It did not disappoint. It has intrigue, a challenge, complicated relationships, lies, mystery and 600k on the line.
September 2, 2025
Overall, I enjoyed this . The trials were just more calm than I was expecting and the ending didn’t surprise me. I did like to see what was motivating each person to do what they did but it still didn’t feel super dangerous.
December 23, 2025
4.5
I actually really liked this book! It’s a murder mystery with romance and a lot of adventure
I could also really appreciate that the main characters are uniquely written, and not the typical way
🤫🥀🔑📜
I actually really liked this book! It’s a murder mystery with romance and a lot of adventure
I could also really appreciate that the main characters are uniquely written, and not the typical way
🤫🥀🔑📜
February 3, 2025
3/5 Stars
(Audiobook)
The Wilde Trials was the right choice to listen to today while working. It was mindless, predictable, and kept me focusing on working.
(Audiobook)
The Wilde Trials was the right choice to listen to today while working. It was mindless, predictable, and kept me focusing on working.
March 5, 2025
My two favorite lines from this book are “After I pulled the “my sister has cancer” card,” and “Dude, that’s basically like drunk texting your ex, but make it Shakespeare.”
March 14, 2025
Great YA mystery. Surprisingly enjoyed the romance aspect of the story. Great setting that is like a character. If you like Inheritance Games puzzling type mystery with a little Lord of the Flies character challenges this is the book for you! Recommend to HS students.
May 12, 2025
a fun mystery with a competition element!
would recommend if you like the inheritence games.
would recommend if you like the inheritence games.
August 1, 2025
Started out strong but became generic and predictable towards the middle. More middle grade than YA.
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