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Trail Mix
In the tradition of Wild by Cheryl Strayed, comes a novel of two suburban women who decide to hike the Appalachian Trail, escaping their lives as moms and wives in search of nature, adventure, and the ultimate diet plan. How does a woman know what she wants after spending 20 years thinking about her husband and children? Sometimes it takes a distraction from everyday life, time to examine the forest before the trees become clear. With no previous camping experience, Andi and Jess begin the 2100-mile odyssey from Georgia to Maine. The friends figure life on the trail can't possibly be worse than dealing with disgruntled husbands, sullen teens home from college, and a general malaise that has crept up in their daily lives. At the very least, the women are bound to return home thin.
- GenresFiction
222 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 7, 2014
Jess and Andi had met years before when their daughters were taking ballet classes. Something clicked between them, and their friendship had continued, even as now their children are entering adulthood. The teenage years have presented challenges for them, and the empty nest is looming.
Andi has always exercised, while Jess avoids it, but counts calories and watches carbs. But neither woman feels good about her physical condition. Each would love to lose weight and tone up her body.
So when Andi finds out about a hike up the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine, she is determined to do it. But first she has to persuade Jess.
Not at all interested, Jess finally wavers and agrees. She wants to leave her troublesome daughter Meaghan for a while, and her younger daughter Sydney is going to France on a trip.
Andi is proud of her son Liam, but reluctant to discuss Taylor, who is behaving like a spoiled brat. Getting away now seems like perfect timing.
Leaving behind their children and husbands, they begin a journey that will change their lives in unimaginable ways. Jess's husband Mike is opposed and not at all supportive; Andi's husband Rex is more amenable. None of the children seem at all interested, being typically self-absorbed.
What will Jess and Andi learn about themselves as they challenge their bodies? Will they discover that their friendship is tested by their very different goals? How will they overcome the conflicts between them? And how will their journey end?
At times, I really could not stand Andi, often sprinting ahead and leaving Jess behind to struggle. Sometimes it seemed as though Andi only cared about her own needs. Her competitive nature seemed to dictate her choices.
However, as some issues were resolved between them and as they realized what the other could contribute, they learned a lot about how to overcome challenges. A delightful read that was so much more than a story about hiking, "Trail Mix" was a book I could not put down. 5.0 stars.
Andi has always exercised, while Jess avoids it, but counts calories and watches carbs. But neither woman feels good about her physical condition. Each would love to lose weight and tone up her body.
So when Andi finds out about a hike up the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine, she is determined to do it. But first she has to persuade Jess.
Not at all interested, Jess finally wavers and agrees. She wants to leave her troublesome daughter Meaghan for a while, and her younger daughter Sydney is going to France on a trip.
Andi is proud of her son Liam, but reluctant to discuss Taylor, who is behaving like a spoiled brat. Getting away now seems like perfect timing.
Leaving behind their children and husbands, they begin a journey that will change their lives in unimaginable ways. Jess's husband Mike is opposed and not at all supportive; Andi's husband Rex is more amenable. None of the children seem at all interested, being typically self-absorbed.
What will Jess and Andi learn about themselves as they challenge their bodies? Will they discover that their friendship is tested by their very different goals? How will they overcome the conflicts between them? And how will their journey end?
At times, I really could not stand Andi, often sprinting ahead and leaving Jess behind to struggle. Sometimes it seemed as though Andi only cared about her own needs. Her competitive nature seemed to dictate her choices.
However, as some issues were resolved between them and as they realized what the other could contribute, they learned a lot about how to overcome challenges. A delightful read that was so much more than a story about hiking, "Trail Mix" was a book I could not put down. 5.0 stars.
September 28, 2015
" Don't you think that was kind of superficial, wanting to come out here just to diet?" She asked. "I mean look around. This is a cathedral and we get to wake up in it every morning. That's just...awe-inspiring." Why, yes. I do think it is superficial and naive to hike the Appalachian Trail as a diet. And I was relieved to find one of the characters reach this epiphany. But this probably does happen. And that is the strength of Kincer's novel, that it is so relatable. I am a forty-Something wife and mother. I could be one of these women. I even know which one I could be.
Andi is a type A runner who is on the trail to finish the trail as fast as she can. Jess is a literature professor who is out of shape and wants to enjoy the trail and not die. The best friends are both escaping their relationships with their daughters but find their friendship in jeopardy. The husband-wife dynamic is explored as well as the husband's react to the five month going absence of their partners. Kincer is a realist and portrays her characters with crisp dialogue and action that I found familiar and relevant.
I am reminded of a fictionalized female short version of Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson minus the history and description. Do Andi and Jess make it? Together? You will have to read Trail Mix to find out. And you will want to. And then you just might want to go hiking.
Andi is a type A runner who is on the trail to finish the trail as fast as she can. Jess is a literature professor who is out of shape and wants to enjoy the trail and not die. The best friends are both escaping their relationships with their daughters but find their friendship in jeopardy. The husband-wife dynamic is explored as well as the husband's react to the five month going absence of their partners. Kincer is a realist and portrays her characters with crisp dialogue and action that I found familiar and relevant.
I am reminded of a fictionalized female short version of Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson minus the history and description. Do Andi and Jess make it? Together? You will have to read Trail Mix to find out. And you will want to. And then you just might want to go hiking.
November 23, 2015
I wrote a quick review on Amazon as I finished this book on my Kindle. This book felt very real to me. I will never hike the Appalachian Trail. I have never even been near the Appalachian Trail. But I could identify with the friendship of the women in this story. Women who became friends through their children and then discovered that they were very different, and yet still friends. Paulita writes from the heart. She is honest in the story of the trials and the joys of marriage and motherhood, the story of developing friendships, new and not so new. And she told of the importance of the support of a "tribe of women" in our lives.
Whether your tribe hikes with you, or exercises with you. quilts with you, or blogs with you, or worships with you, your tribe is an important part of your identity. Don't let your tribe down.
Whether your tribe hikes with you, or exercises with you. quilts with you, or blogs with you, or worships with you, your tribe is an important part of your identity. Don't let your tribe down.
November 16, 2014
Fiction that reads like a memoir. The author has obviously experienced what she describes and it makes for a vivid read. The introspection of both mothers is also so true to life that it is easy to bond with them. I loved it!
ps. The similarities with a trek I took (on a different trail) were so numerous in the first 3rd that it was uncanny (down to the pink Crocs that clashed with the vegetation and the soldiers accounter) and I wondered if the author had been in my head. This shows how true to life Trail mix reads!
ps. The similarities with a trek I took (on a different trail) were so numerous in the first 3rd that it was uncanny (down to the pink Crocs that clashed with the vegetation and the soldiers accounter) and I wondered if the author had been in my head. This shows how true to life Trail mix reads!
February 21, 2015
Girl Power
I love any reads of the trail and this didn't disappoint. I found myself worried, proud, and laughing hysterically throughout this inspiring story.
I love any reads of the trail and this didn't disappoint. I found myself worried, proud, and laughing hysterically throughout this inspiring story.
March 10, 2019
In the tradition of Wild by Cheryl Strayed, the description says. And I'll pretty happily read anything (fiction or nonfiction) about thru-hiking (or incomplete thru-hiking)—someday I will hike the AT, and until then I can whet my appetite with the written word.
But this...isn't really like Wild. At all. To start with, when Strayed set off to hike part of the PCT, she was trying to escape trauma. The narrators here...their sole motivation is to escape the pesky pounds they can't seem to lose. They also have some mild disenchantment with their respective teenage daughters. And...that's it. Which is just fine for light fiction, don't get me wrong, but the only similarity to Wild is the idea of a long hike.
It's all fine, I guess. There's lots of head-hopping. I had some trouble believing Andi and Jess as best friends when they didn't want to talk about personal struggles with each other, lest the other one judge them, and most of the time didn't even seem to like each other. At the end of the day it just feels kind of sad, both their relationship and their obsession with hiking to lose weight. They repair the relationship eventually, of course, and realise that there's more to life than the number on the scales...but not without lots and lots of sniping, and food-choice-shaming, and judgement, and, at the end, significant weight loss for both of them. (Because it's all good and well to accept your body, but even better if you can lose the weight you wanted to lose! Ugh.) Like, one character has a significant, hike-ending injury, and the other character is just, like, "You look great, [Name 1]," [Name 2] said. "You're really thin. This hike, this plan. It worked" (170). This while the injured character is literally crying over her injury.
Aside #1: Call it two and a half stars, or three stars if I'm in a generous mood. I knocked it down to two stars because Jess tells this story, without any suggestion that either Jess or the author knows that this...isn't an original story. I would have found it very funny if one of the other characters had called Jess out for swiping the story from the Internet (or a women's magazine...I think I saw some version of this in Seventeen, or something like that, when I was a teenager), but I don't think much of trying to pass the story off as original/true.
Aside #2: I think I need to start a Best Typo collection. Here's the Trail Mix entry: "You continue to horde those maps like I'm going to run off down the trail without you." (130)
But this...isn't really like Wild. At all. To start with, when Strayed set off to hike part of the PCT, she was trying to escape trauma. The narrators here...their sole motivation is to escape the pesky pounds they can't seem to lose. They also have some mild disenchantment with their respective teenage daughters. And...that's it. Which is just fine for light fiction, don't get me wrong, but the only similarity to Wild is the idea of a long hike.
It's all fine, I guess. There's lots of head-hopping. I had some trouble believing Andi and Jess as best friends when they didn't want to talk about personal struggles with each other, lest the other one judge them, and most of the time didn't even seem to like each other. At the end of the day it just feels kind of sad, both their relationship and their obsession with hiking to lose weight. They repair the relationship eventually, of course, and realise that there's more to life than the number on the scales...but not without lots and lots of sniping, and food-choice-shaming, and judgement, and, at the end, significant weight loss for both of them. (Because it's all good and well to accept your body, but even better if you can lose the weight you wanted to lose! Ugh.) Like, one character has a significant, hike-ending injury, and the other character is just, like, "You look great, [Name 1]," [Name 2] said. "You're really thin. This hike, this plan. It worked" (170). This while the injured character is literally crying over her injury.
Aside #1: Call it two and a half stars, or three stars if I'm in a generous mood. I knocked it down to two stars because Jess tells this story, without any suggestion that either Jess or the author knows that this...isn't an original story. I would have found it very funny if one of the other characters had called Jess out for swiping the story from the Internet (or a women's magazine...I think I saw some version of this in Seventeen, or something like that, when I was a teenager), but I don't think much of trying to pass the story off as original/true.
Aside #2: I think I need to start a Best Typo collection. Here's the Trail Mix entry: "You continue to horde those maps like I'm going to run off down the trail without you." (130)
September 14, 2015
Full review to be posted on The Cubicle Escapee
For starters this book was AMAZING I read it while sunbathing on a cruise ship and while I resting and relaxing on the ship I couldn't help but think I really should do this. The book was a fantastically paced book that brought me insight into the challenges that come with everyday life while planning a trip of this magnitude.
It is not everyday that I find a book touches all of my emotions, this one did that. I found the book thrilling & inspiring, seriously who wants to train with me and hike this trail?
As a girl that loves to travel and inspires to have adventures on a daily basis I think this book is one that is worth reading if you have an adventurous spirit like me. This book is both thrilling and exhilarating and yes there were moments that were touching and heartwarming.
Also can I just say I personally want to be these ladies friends, so if you EVER come to Dallas tweet me? I would love to sit down and chat with you.
This book is a worthy read for anyone with a touch of an adventurous spirit. It was a very fast read that I enjoyed every minute of. Plus the whole return thin thing made me laugh out loud, it makes me think of the reason my mom wanted to go to Ecuador. :)
Solid 4 stars.
For starters this book was AMAZING I read it while sunbathing on a cruise ship and while I resting and relaxing on the ship I couldn't help but think I really should do this. The book was a fantastically paced book that brought me insight into the challenges that come with everyday life while planning a trip of this magnitude.
It is not everyday that I find a book touches all of my emotions, this one did that. I found the book thrilling & inspiring, seriously who wants to train with me and hike this trail?
As a girl that loves to travel and inspires to have adventures on a daily basis I think this book is one that is worth reading if you have an adventurous spirit like me. This book is both thrilling and exhilarating and yes there were moments that were touching and heartwarming.
Also can I just say I personally want to be these ladies friends, so if you EVER come to Dallas tweet me? I would love to sit down and chat with you.
This book is a worthy read for anyone with a touch of an adventurous spirit. It was a very fast read that I enjoyed every minute of. Plus the whole return thin thing made me laugh out loud, it makes me think of the reason my mom wanted to go to Ecuador. :)
Solid 4 stars.
June 22, 2019
I don't appreciate the comparison of this title to a popular one as it sets the reader up for particular expectations. This story was its own, unlike Wild by Cheryl Strayed, with different motivations and needs of the characters. I loved this story after choosing to read it for its use to complete a reading challenge; lucky me. I wouldn't mind partaking on a hike like theirs as long as I had a valet to carry my pack. Wow, I sound like one of these characters. One more thing; this is a novel, not a memoir.
November 2, 2020
This fiction novel reads so real one would think it was a memoir. Such a great and REAL look at what it feels like to be a women in the modern world mixed with a fun adventure that results in deep connections between characters and the reader. Despite the fact that I have very little in common on the surface level with these women (besides being a woman myself), I found myself relating deeply to their stories, struggles, and emotion not often found expressed in novels such as these. This book was such an amazing read and I would recommend reading it 100 times over.
March 20, 2019
I loved this book! The day to day of backpacking seemed very real to me, though my experience is limited to some 3-day ventures. I found all the interpersonal relationships and dialogues to be absorbing. The story had a lot of interesting events with the characters working though it all, not being perfect or extraordinary, but growing through their difficulties and their joy of discovery.
October 1, 2015
My most-often sought books, either on Goodreads or elsewhere, are mysteries, thrillers and legal fiction. But I also happen to very much enjoy mainstream novels, which aren't nearly as available as genre fiction. That's too bad, and yet now and then I run into one with an intriguing premise by a relatively new author. That was how I stumbled on Paulita Kincer's Trail Mix, which I purchased as a download from Amazon onto my iPad.
The novel suggested something of a "Thelma and Louise" kind of story, or at least one of two women facing an adventure that very likely almost no one would attempt. I'm talking about Andi and Jess, the protagonists who decide (for all the wrong reasons, really) to tackle a 2,100-mile hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail. Mind you, these two suburban moms, both of whom are struggling with their marriages and teen-age kids who aren't exactly warm and cuddly anymore, never did anything even remotely like hiking over rugged land from Georgia to Maine. I can tell you with certainty that I'd never attempt it (although I did go skydiving once — the thrill of a lifetime.
But I digress. You can imagine that a hike of that nature would take just about forever and be arduous. Clearly, it was. It was the author's writing style, though, that grabbed me. Here are two passages I bookmarked to share so you can see why.
And another. This occurs after the two women unexpectedly run into soldiers involved in a training exercise:
Get a sense of the adventure? The potential for change in the women? The possibility of change in their lives? I like that kind of story, and I tore through this book in about four days. (Would've been one day if not for work obligations. I hate how work gets in the way of reading.)
I'm not going to tell you how the women fared on their journey. And I'm certainly not going to spoil things by telling you what motivated them to go in the first place. I will only tell you I enjoyed it and recommend it. It's good to break out the routine with mainstream every now and then. This is one of those times.
The novel suggested something of a "Thelma and Louise" kind of story, or at least one of two women facing an adventure that very likely almost no one would attempt. I'm talking about Andi and Jess, the protagonists who decide (for all the wrong reasons, really) to tackle a 2,100-mile hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail. Mind you, these two suburban moms, both of whom are struggling with their marriages and teen-age kids who aren't exactly warm and cuddly anymore, never did anything even remotely like hiking over rugged land from Georgia to Maine. I can tell you with certainty that I'd never attempt it (although I did go skydiving once — the thrill of a lifetime.
But I digress. You can imagine that a hike of that nature would take just about forever and be arduous. Clearly, it was. It was the author's writing style, though, that grabbed me. Here are two passages I bookmarked to share so you can see why.
"As Jess walked, Andi continued her tour guide role. She read from the pages she had copied out of the Appalachian Trail Guide. Jess laughed at the specificity of passages, even pointing out where the author saw deer, as if deer would still be there waiting like a Wal-Mart greeter when all the other hikers filed past."
And another. This occurs after the two women unexpectedly run into soldiers involved in a training exercise:
"Look," Jess turned on Andi. "I'm not the one covered with dirt because I dove to the ground like a dog under the bed during a thunderstorm, so don't use that tone of voice with me. As if I'm not miserable enough already with all this weight on my back and walking about 50 miles today and my knees aching, I need soldiers shooting blanks at me?
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Jess giggled.
"What Andi asked.
"Suppose I was going to have my first off-trail bathroom experience. So I gather my orange shovel and go off into the woods looking for a likely spot. I dig my shovel in and kaboom, I hit a fake mine. I'm pretty certain I would never go again.
Get a sense of the adventure? The potential for change in the women? The possibility of change in their lives? I like that kind of story, and I tore through this book in about four days. (Would've been one day if not for work obligations. I hate how work gets in the way of reading.)
I'm not going to tell you how the women fared on their journey. And I'm certainly not going to spoil things by telling you what motivated them to go in the first place. I will only tell you I enjoyed it and recommend it. It's good to break out the routine with mainstream every now and then. This is one of those times.
September 30, 2015
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hike the 2,100 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine?
In Trail Mix by author Paulita Kincer, best friends Andi and Jess leave their family issues behind and embark on an arduous hiking adventure that will turn into a personal journey of self discovery that will change their friendship and lives!
Trail Mix is an inspirational women's fiction tale about two best friends and recent empty nesters, who embark on an adventure to hike the Appalachian Trail in a pursuit of weight loss and a new sense of purpose in their lives. As their adventure commences, the women encounter daily challenges to overcome, and a personal journey of self discovery that will test and redefine their friendship, while gaining a sense of personal inner growth.
I was so intrigued that two middle aged women would consider embarking on the difficult challenge of hiking the Appalachian Trail, that I easily found myself captivated as their adventure unfolded. Author Paulita Kincer weaves a delightful tale that interweaves the women's family issues with their decision to embark on the daunting hiking adventure under the guise of losing weight. I found myself feeling the gamut of emotions as I read their story, from "are they nuts" to cheering them on, these ladies sure kept me engaged and in awe as they dealt with the emotional and physical trials and tribulations during their adventure, I know I couldn't see myself doing that hike! The author provides the reader with an accurate and realistic portrayal of the daily rigor of undertaking the challenge of hiking the scenic trail. This is a riveting tale that has enough drama, tension, humor, obstacles, and personal growth that will easily keep the reader turning the pages.
Trail Mix has a breathtakingly rich description of the Appalachian Trail setting, complex and realistic characters, witty dialogue, and a wonderful storyline that explores friendships and family relationships, self-discovery, and an inspirational hiking experience that will leave a smile on your face.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
In Trail Mix by author Paulita Kincer, best friends Andi and Jess leave their family issues behind and embark on an arduous hiking adventure that will turn into a personal journey of self discovery that will change their friendship and lives!
Trail Mix is an inspirational women's fiction tale about two best friends and recent empty nesters, who embark on an adventure to hike the Appalachian Trail in a pursuit of weight loss and a new sense of purpose in their lives. As their adventure commences, the women encounter daily challenges to overcome, and a personal journey of self discovery that will test and redefine their friendship, while gaining a sense of personal inner growth.
I was so intrigued that two middle aged women would consider embarking on the difficult challenge of hiking the Appalachian Trail, that I easily found myself captivated as their adventure unfolded. Author Paulita Kincer weaves a delightful tale that interweaves the women's family issues with their decision to embark on the daunting hiking adventure under the guise of losing weight. I found myself feeling the gamut of emotions as I read their story, from "are they nuts" to cheering them on, these ladies sure kept me engaged and in awe as they dealt with the emotional and physical trials and tribulations during their adventure, I know I couldn't see myself doing that hike! The author provides the reader with an accurate and realistic portrayal of the daily rigor of undertaking the challenge of hiking the scenic trail. This is a riveting tale that has enough drama, tension, humor, obstacles, and personal growth that will easily keep the reader turning the pages.
Trail Mix has a breathtakingly rich description of the Appalachian Trail setting, complex and realistic characters, witty dialogue, and a wonderful storyline that explores friendships and family relationships, self-discovery, and an inspirational hiking experience that will leave a smile on your face.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
September 11, 2015
Not what I expected
I enjoyed the change of person accounts so to speak. The balance of character stories and trail stories drove the book along with a nice balance. It was a bit superficial in places focusing on weight and carbs and what they ate which athletes don't usually discuss in such in-depth but, it was a good read.
I enjoyed the change of person accounts so to speak. The balance of character stories and trail stories drove the book along with a nice balance. It was a bit superficial in places focusing on weight and carbs and what they ate which athletes don't usually discuss in such in-depth but, it was a good read.
March 12, 2016
Okay fast read
I like my non-fiction AT books much better but it was still a good quick read. Good friends hiking through the trail of life!
I like my non-fiction AT books much better but it was still a good quick read. Good friends hiking through the trail of life!
April 10, 2017
Loved it! The characters were so relatable to me - both struggling with young adult and teen children, aging bodies, good but at times challenging marriages. Their decision to hike the Appalachian Trail as a way to lose weight and then finding that it changed them in so many more important ways than BMI, while not a surprise, made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I was rooting for the characters to be successful despite the many challenges they ran into along the way and find the change they were looking for, which we all know was more than physical. Now after reading this, I'm in search of my next great hike!
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