Gone Wild

by Jodi Lundgren

Bullied in foster care and then by his adoptive mother's boyfriend, Seth decides to head out on his own. Brooke thinks she might be pregnant, and instead of facing her controlling mother, she runs. The strangers meet in a wilderness park on Vancouver Island, where basic survival is a challenge. As they work together to find food, water, and shelter, they find the strength to take control of their own lives.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

176 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2015

About the author

Jodi Lundgren is a West coast fiction writer, dancer, and educator.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a hard book to rate, on the one hand I think that it had a positive message and that a lot of teens can relate to the situations that the main characters are in. On the other hand I feel that a couple moments took a turn for the dramatic that ended up taking me out of the moment due to the strained believability.

I didn't really care for Seth, I felt that he was too immature for my liking. I think that if the author had made him younger he would have been able to stay more of a sympathetic character. I did like Brooke, she was a kind and thoughtful character and much easier to relate to. I would have liked more of a conclusion for her story but overall I didn't mind how the book ended. At the very least, this short story will hopefully highlight the importance of being honest with those close to you. 2.5.5

Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Borrow

Check out more of my reviews here


Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Joshua Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you James Lorimer & Company for sending me an ARC of this book (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.*

This piece of literature is actually more like a short story than a novel. It's less than 200 pages long, so it's logically a quick read. I am normally fond of fast-paced stories because they are usually hard to put down. However, in the case of this "novel," the latter description cannot be applied. Because of its length, many aspects of the plot were left unexplored, and the development of the characters was so abrupt, it was practically MAGIC. I was completely caught off-guard by the ending, but it was not in a positive way; I was utterly rendered confused and distraught.

Nevertheless, I don't want my review to be completely pessimistic, so I shall try to look at the glass half full. If anything, Gone Wild features a heartwarming discourse on relevant issues like foster care, pregnancy/abortion, and parental estrangement. The protagonists, Seth and Brooke, suddenly have a mountain escapade, yearning for a "break" from their respective families whom they deem as abusive, controlling, or neglectful. Yes, it is typical for teens to entertain such feelings (which are sometimes delusional), but I was still moved by the circumstances which made these characters feel unloved. Believe me, their reasons were 100 percent, tug-at-your-heartstrings legit. Now, although the ending was indeed unsatisfactory, I'm quite happy that Seth and Brooke were at least able to attain a sense of closure and personal empowerment.

In the end, I would not recommend Gone Wild to readers who are searching for great samples of YA literature. As signified by my 2-star rating, it was just "okay," and I don't see myself remembering the story for a very long time. However, if you are currently in a reading slump, then I think this book might be perfect for you. I'm sure its unconventional abruptness would do the trick. ;)

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an eARC from the publisher through Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I feel quite weird for giving a book one star, but I didn't enjoy it at all. Sorry Jodi, but I can't help it.

The main characters are Seth and Brooke, both are written from third person. I prefer first person, but I can roll with third person if the characters actually have characters. And I feel like Seth and Brooke are written quite flat, while reading I didn't acknowledged their personalities at all.

I also think the concept is weird. Seth escapes for being adopted and Brooke runs away for a possible pregnancy. Okay, I get Seth's point, being adopted can be very hard. But what I think of both of the characters: why did you have to run away? Life can be hard and I totally understand the circumstances they're in (I don't want to sound like a bitch) but running away doesn't solve anything.

Some parts were just weird.. I should give credit to Jodi for making the book realistic but now I get why authors never include the bathroom scenes. Sure, we all have to pee.. but to actually put that into your book? It felt weird. Especially when Seth got diarrhea..

I'm asking myself why?

The only part I liked about the book was that it was short, so I could read through it pretty fast.

I don't know what else to say about this book and I'm still shocked I gave a book just one star, but I can't help it. I feel like a bitch doing this to the author, to Jodi, but the important thing about being a reviewer is to be honest. And this is my honest opinion.

[Cassandra (Thebookishcrypt) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
This book follows Seth, who is bullied by some adoptive families, and Brooke, who is struggling with a pregnancy scare. They both run away from home and this story follows as their different journeys lead them to meet in the wild.
I absolutely loved reading about the scenery in this book. It was my favorite part, I believe.
Other than that, I am sad to say that this book was not for me. It left a lot to be desired and I couldn't form an attachment to the characters no matter how hard I tried. A part of me definitely felt for them and their situations, but it was a faint feeling at most. The sentences felt choppy and there were some random stuff thrown in that I couldn't find a reason to. I think the shortness of this story was its downfall but I did like how everything tied up at the end.
2.5/5 stars.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher.*

I didn't love this, it was an insanely fast read--like, I read it in about five hours, but nothing really happened. The characters were in the same place emotionally and mentally at the end, and there wasn't any growth at all. The premise was a great one, but it read like a short story.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gone Wild!!! First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.
 
This is another book where I'm not really sure about the raiting. Is it a two star raiting. A three star raiting. Two and a half star. I don't know. I really don't.
 
Summary: Bullied in foster care and then by his adoptive mother's boyfriend, Seth decides to head out on his own. Brooke thinks she might be pregnant, and instead of facing her controlling mother, she runs. The strangers meet in a wilderness park on Vancouver Island, where basic survival is a challenge. As they work together to find food, water, and shelter, they find the strength to take control of their own lives.
 
Let's talk about the things I liked. The writing. I really liked how fast and easy of a read that was. The book has under 200 pages, so for me this is more of a short story than an actual fleshed out novel.
 
And that's kinda where the flaws come in. I think when it came to the characters we just scratched the surface. I think we could have gone so much deeper, if the story would have been longer. I think that there was a little bit of character growth but not much, because it was just a few days we got to spend with the characters.
 
Both, Seth and Brooke where pretty likeable. Seth had a few more moments that annoyed the heck out of me. So I mainly focused on Brooke. I think that Brooke made more of an effort to better her situation, realizing that she can't always do the opposite of what her mother tells her, that she has to break up with her boyfriend and that she has to get more active with her job search.
 
I would have liked to get more closure. Was Brooke really pregnant? Did she loose the baby or was it just a false alarm? What happend? Is Seth living with his father now? Did he revisit the search for his real mother when he was the right age? WHAT HAPPENED?!

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gone Wild is a nice enough read for its size. It's also a very quick read. But I feel there could have been so much more to the story.

Gone Wild is set in what I can only describe as a nature reserve. An odd location for teen runaways if you ask me, but I don't know Vancouver Island. I'm not too sure how it relates to Seth and Brooke, but at least Brooke has hiking experience.

I'm not sure how I feel about Seth. He's pretty unrelatable (to me anyway) and quite immature. I can sort of understand his reasons for running away, but at the same time, there are better ways to deal with the problems he was having.

I did sort of like Brooke. She's quite rebellious and knows what she wants which I quite liked. However, her rebellious streak did make her quite immature at times and, like Seth, she makes some questionable choices.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Seth and Brooke which is great in helping the reader understand why they run away. And the story isn't too predictable, but there were a few odd twists added to the mix. The story doesn't end quite how I expected it to, but it was still a nice ending. I just wish Brooke's story was tied up a bit more.

Gone Wild is a fast read to the extent that I wish there was a bit more detail to the story. It's not a book I would go out of my way to recommend as I've read better books about teen runaways. But if you're looking for a YA book with no romance then maybe give it a go.

I received a copy of Gone Wild via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review and many more can be found at My Expanding Bookshelf.

[Kat(ja) · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I was provided with an eArc by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book is extremely difficult to review in my opinion. I read it together with Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much and we honestly finished this within a couple of hours, it was so short! Definitely watch out for her review in the next couple of days!

Both main characters are relatable in terms of their lives being tough and you feeling bad for them almost immediately. However, that does not excuse for some of their stupidity. They had their reasons for running away from home, but they went so utterly unprepared. You cannot simply go into the woods without food, water or proper attire. Brooke was a little more prepared than Seth, but it took them forever to meet and there were some really dangerous situations they couldn’t even handle together.

My mediocre rating is not based on me not enjoying the story, but more on the fact that there was little to no development. Of course the characters had some epiphanies and knew that they had to change their lives, but I am not really sure they made the right conclusions.

This was a short review for a short book. If you are up for something like a novella about two teens trying to figure out their lives in the woods, this might be for you, but don’t expect too much of a conclusion. I preferred Seth’s ending to Brooke’s, simply because he got something, while we just left her wherever and did not get to see how she dealt with her family and her boyfriend.

Fazit: 2.5/5 stars! I did not hate it, but it was too short to really treat the topics with the attention they deserved.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this book to read and review.

Gone Wild is a Young Adult (YA) contemporary set for publication on the 1st of September 2016. The storyline encompasses the story of two teenagers each struggling with family dynamics and relationships, trying to escape their troubles.

I really enjoyed the inclusion of wilderness and survival in this novel. It was interesting seeing the juxtaposition of having almost nothing at all to not being happy with what you have.

The low rating is not based on me not enjoying this book, as I did. But because I thought the storyline was missing a lot of depth and the writing was quite bland (What happened to 'show not tell'?). This novel was cut too short in my opinion. It would of been nicer if we got more back story into both the character's pasts.

I would of liked to be more alluded into what happens next, as the ending left me unsatisfied with so many loose ends. There was a lot of potential for this book but it just fell flat for me, unfortunately.

[Maia · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5~2 stars

two teens run away from home and eventually meet in the forest and they talk for a while and then they go back to their previous lives.

i was so attracted to the synopsis! i picked up this book on netgalley because both the description and the cover were great and i was truly let down when i noticed this book wasn't for me. it felt rushed and the plot/characters lacked depth. there is almost no backstory, no development, no further information on both characters and their lives. i also felt like so little happened throughout the book when i finished it.

plus, seth was a douchebag with brooke near the end and that kind of threw me off the mood like it felt so out of character? it really startled me

this book, for me, is the definition of a great premise that falls flat. if it was rewritten with deeper story, characters and relationships i'd surely read it, though.

[Keep Calm Novel On · Rating 3 out of 5]

NetGalley provided a copy of the ePub in exchange for an honest review.

Seth is living in a dysfunctional environment. Brooke is struggling with her relationship with her mother. They both independently decide to escape and runaway. They meet on their journey in the wilderness where survival skills are essential and an unlikely friendship follows.

Gone Wild by Jodi Lundgren will appeal to a young adult reader as their hopes and fears are relatable. It is simply written and a reluctant reader will easily be able to follow Seth and Brooke’s journey. The short chapters are written via Seth and Brooke’s points of view, which give insight into each character. Will they find the answers they are looking for?

[Hristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gone Wild is a book about teenagers who feel lost or unappreciated, so they run away and find each other, then they find the solutions to their problems.

Mrs. Lundgren's writing is stellar, I thoroughly enjoyed her style, as well as the voice she uses. The characters were quite believable, though I can point out small glitches in their behavior that had me confused for a second. However, the plot comes in and saves the day, Mrs. Lundgren proves that a million things don't have to happen for there to be a story. All in all, it's a great, fast read with a wonderful message that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I did.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was generally okay. the plot was okay, the characters were generally okay. my problem with this book was the fact that it offered no excitement at all. I mean it was on the boring side of okay. i like an author who can describe things well, but sometimes it became too much.
***thanks to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book***

[BookNerdBellah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a review on my blog, go check it out if your interested.

http://booknerdbellah456.blogspot.com...

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

To me this read more like a long short story than a full length novel. It's written from the third person perspective. These two factors made it hard for me to get a sense of who the two main characters (Brooke & Seth) really are, so I had a hard time understanding why they decided to run away. There are reason's given in the story, but they didn't seem like motivation for wither character to run away and because I didn't really feel like I knew either Seth or Brooke I couldn't fully understand their choices.

I liked that in the end both Seth and Brooke decide to face their problems, and how Broke decides she has to make some changes in her life to better her situation. The ending does't offer too much in terms of resolution and I was left wanting a bit more of an inkling as to what happens with thee two main characters after the story ends. All things considered this book felt like more of a first draft that had potential than a fully formed full length novel.

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion in the form of a review.

[Ellen Arrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jodi Lundgren’s Gone Wild is an exciting survival adventure – both the magic and the danger of the west coast wilderness are confronted by two teens trying to escape, separately and alone, their problems at home. The delicate transitions between each of the characters, the fluidity between the inner voice and the outer story, the hints of magic realism and the descriptions of the powerful and awe-invoking landscape seem easy at first. But one soon realizes they only seem easy because it is a masterful writer at work who lets us feel, effortlessly and with the sparseness of words a Young Adult novel requires, for the two young people who already feel doomed and makes us want so much for them to realize they might just make it both out of the woods and into a life they can embrace. I highly recommend it!
Ellen Arrand, author of Hotel Abundancia

[Lynn Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley, James Lorimer & Company, and Jodi Lundgren for an advanced copy of Gone Wild for an honest review.

Two teenagers running away into the forest on Vancouver Island each for their own reasons find each other. The details of the wilderness trails are beautiful. Being a short story there are only so many pages to fit Sean and Brooke's stories into but I felt the author did a pretty good job of it. I did need to remind myself that this is a YA book when the characters acted like the young immature teenagers they are. I recommend this book.

[Meaghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book description totally oversold this one, sadly.

[Fruitcakeemma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this copy from James Lorimer & Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

​Alternate title choice: Disappointment

​I'm not totally sure what I expected this book to be but it sure wasn't this.
​The cover and description make it seem like it's going to be this fun, romantic, dramatic book but it's not. Literally nothing happens! But it's nothing disguised as confusingness and questions. I never truly understood what was happening.

The book description says:
"The strangers meet in a wilderness park on Vancouver Island, where basic survival is a challenge. As they work together to find food, water, and shelter, they find the strength to take control of their own lives. "

But that's not true. It's a wilderness park. That place is teeming with other campers, forest rangers, and CLEARLY MARKED TRAILS! It's literally just a park! One with real campgrounds and bath-house. There's no struggle to survive. And, it wasn't really very clear, but, I'm pretty sure they were only out there for a few days anyhow. At one point, Seth is so hungry he eats kelp. KELP! He obviously had no idea whether or not it was edible and he'd only been in the park for 1 1/2 days at most. He'd never be that desperate!

​Seth was my least favorite of the 2 characters because he was completely irrational and stupid in his decisions of "survival" and just stupid overall (yeah, go ahead, pee in the stream, that's much easier than turning your body away. And walking around in the wilderness half naked seems like a great idea! Good job guy!). Also, his "backstory" was just weird. Why is he so attached to his dog? I mean I love my dog but.....I don't know. He seemed kind of obsessed with Patches (?). I just hated reading anything from his POV.

​During the first half of the book I actually enjoyed reading Brooke's POV. But then she got her period and met Seth an she just started being stupid too. After a while I just hated the everything about both characters, but at least she knew what the heck she was doing out in the park.

​The prologue was weird. I'm pretty sure I found that moment in the story, but it was written so differently I couldn't tell. Also, the ending sucked. Yay, Seth gets to go live with his dog and absentee father whom he hates, whoo hoo! WHO CARES!?! At least Brooke's story was somewhat entertaining and left you wondering what had happened to her, but there's co conclusion for her! We have exactly no idea what happened to her physically or in her love life or familiar life. It....just.....UGH!

​There were a few good (ish) parts to this book though. It's short. I finished it in the time it took for the rest of my family to watch Batman vs Superman (which, by the way, is the weirdest, most confusing superhero movie there is. Why is it a thing? Lex Luther was the only redeeming quality. Great hair.) and, even considering everything I've listed that sucks, I was still able to get through the whole thing. And I have absolutely no problem not finishing a horrible book (cough, cough, Hatred Day) so it's not the worst book to read. But I don't recommend it unless you're bored out of your mind and it's the only thing available to you.

​Sorry Jodi Lundgren. Please don't hate me!

More reviews at http://mybookscrapbook.weebly.com/boo...

[Izzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book intrigued me when I first saw it; I loved the font on the cover and I haven't really read a book set in the wild before. For these reasons I decided to give the book a go. However, I was not that impressed. Both Seth and Brooke were some of the most under-developed main characters I've seen in a while. It seemed as though their whole personalities were based around this one thing that led them to "go wild" and happen to meet each other. That in itself was hard to read, no believable romance anywhere.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. Seth is a 16-year-old boy who is bullied at home by his mom's live in boyfriend. He has lot of hostility to deal with because of his past and current state of affairs and no one at all he feels he can talk to. Brook is an 18-year-old girl who is tired of her mother's nagging about finding a job and thinking about her future. She also suspects she may be pregnant. Independently, the two decide to take off and hike in a nearby wilderness part on Vancouver Island. Unfortunately for Seth, he went out less prepared than he should have been and ends up starving, getting soaked, and nearly freezing to death. His salvation comes when he meets up with Brooke, while stealing her food. The two join forces, which leads to the many dramatic incidents in the book. This very short novel reminds me very much of the Bluford Series from Townsend Press, which is a high interest, low vocabulary series that my middle schoolers love. However, this novel is definitely more for the high school set due to use of profanity and the situations revealed. Gone Wild would have wide appeal for those students who find it hard to settle in to a longer novel and perhaps fall into that high/low interest group. Others, looking for meatier fare, will find this novel lacking.

[Flavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

BEING CANADIAN MYSELF, I WAS VERY EXCITED TO FIND A BOOK WHICH IS SET IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (CANADA) ON NETGALLEY.

I scrambled to request the title, and I really looked forward to getting to this book on my TBR list. By the time I was able to open this book on my Kobo (my very Canadian e-reader, haha), I had already stumbled across a few ratings and reviews for this book…and things were not looking good. Even so, I tried to forget about these other impressions, so that my own impression would not be coloured by them. I really wanted those other reviewers to be wrong…

I REALLY WANTED TO LOVE AND RAVE ABOUT THIS BOOK!

When I worked up the courage to start reading, I found the writing to be okay, although not in the least impressive. There were no grammatical errors, or strange phrasing, but the writing was just mediocre. Gone Wild is written in the present tense, third person, and I find that I don’t entirely like this combination. Mind you, I never like writing which is present tense, as it tends to make me disconnect from the story.

I do like third person though! But even so, I found the story to be bland overall, and I think that the only reason why I finished the book, is because it’s 95 pages long (or my e-book version was, anyway), and because I wanted to know what happens. I connected to the two main characters only a little, but I suppose it was enough for me to continue reading in order to find out whether they would be okay or not.

When I got to the end of the book, I was relieved, not so much because of the story ended, but rather because I had finished the book. It sounds terrible, but it’s the truth. While there was some satisfaction for me in how the story wrapped up, I think that it could have been entirely more satisfying.

The setting and how it was described was the only part of this book for which I have no negative comment. I loved that this book was set in Canada, and that its main focus was the trail on which the majority of the story takes place. It really made me want to fly over to BC, and hike the trail myself!

OVERALL, I WOULD SAY THAT I LIKED IT (BARELY), BUT THAT I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AND I ALSO THINK THAT I’M BEING GENEROUS WITH THE RATING WHICH I’VE GIVEN IT.

[Cátia · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more reviews click HERE

Actual Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

*I was provided a copy by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I don’t even know how to review this book. To be honest this was more like a novella than a full length novel and that really affected my reading experience because nothing really happened and I wasn’t able to even connect with the characters. This book was so short that I finished it in around 2 or 3 hours without reading the full 3 hours.

I can see where Seth, one of the main characters was coming. The guy had a shitty life and I kind of understand why he ran away but he was so dumb. Who runs away to the forest without taking food, water and warm clothes?? Brooke’s life wasn’t a shitty but I also see why she needed a few days away from her family and boyfriend. She needed to re-evaluate her life and she was more prepared than Seth to go camping. I can definitely say that I felt bad for these two right from the beginning because they didn’t have an easy life, especially Seth. I liked that by the end they really re-evaluated their lives but while I enjoyed the conclusion of Seth’s story I still think I wanted to know what would happen to Brooke because she didn’t had a proper ending. You just know what she’s planning to do and that’s it. It was kind of weird. What I can’t really understand was why it took Seth and Brooke so long to meet. Until the moment they met the book had a weird pacing and because of that it wasn’t as enjoyable as I wanted.

The book itself and the writing is not bad. I liked it but it was so short that there wasn’t a connection with the characters and I think there was a lot that was left out that could make this book way better.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book. My only real problem with this book was the size and the weird pacing. There was also a few WTF moments but I think that if the book was more substantial these moments wouldn’t make me like this book less, I just think this book is missing a lot and it wasn’t as deep as it could have been.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a digital copy of Gone Wild via NetGalley in return for an honest review)

I did enjoy Gone Wild - I liked the characters and, despite the shortness of the book, they did actually have depth. You could understand their feelings and more or less imagine them as real people, even if some parts of them weren't as developed as they would have been with a longer book. I'm also a nature girl so reading about their journey in the 'wild' really appealed to me. If anything, the way they dealt with the problems they found themselves in out on their trail really made the book feel more imaginable which is impressive (I always struggle with shorter stories and can never really find myself believing in them so this is, like, MAJOR amazing that this has happened).

Another major 'yes' for this book comes from how relatable this book would be for its readers. I mean, I'm probably a little too old for it now but, when I was a bit younger, this would have definitely spoken to me. Being a younger reader would have probably meant I'd give it more stars, its probably just my overactive brain wanting to know all the answers that dragged its rating down from me.

I found the storyline slightly too obvious, who wouldn't have guessed that those two meet in the woods and all their problems would get worked out? And I didn't have to guess anything or anticipate things. Granted, it was a great for a light read but there was room for some tension/excitement. Its also been killing me since I finished the book to find out what happened to Brooke afterwards. Its nice that Seth got a happy ending but I would have loved to see where Brooke ended up. Or even if they ever spoken again after she gave him his number? I WANT ANSWERS PEOPLE.

[Isis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Lorimer & NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book to review. Though I received this e-book for free, that has no impact upon the honesty of my review.


Goodreads Teaser: "Bullied in foster care and then by his adoptive mother's boyfriend, Seth decides to head out on his own. Brooke thinks she might be pregnant and, instead of facing her controlling mother, she runs. The strangers meet in a wilderness park on Vancouver Island, where basic survival is a challenge. As they work together to find food, water, and shelter, they find the strength to take control of their own lives."


This book runs with themes of self discovery as well as coming of age, though it's different for both Seth and Brooke. Their stories are quite different, yet at the same time their responses are pretty typical for teens. The description sounds as if these two are completely isolated and living off the land, but that's not really the whole story.

Their time on the trail allows for introspection, as well as sharing personal truths that they wouldn't have been able to share with someone already close to them. Sometimes it's easier to open up to a stranger than to a loved one. But between their time alone, and sharing their stories they each come to see their situations in a new light, one that shows growth for each. The lessons contained in their stories can readily be applied to numerous situations, and are certainly useful, especially during the volatile, emotionally charged teenage years. As its a short book it could be a good choice for classroom reading in middle school and or high school, and hopefully the messages of will be easily absorbed.

[Sophie Marsden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cover Rating: I think I can do better photo shopping
Overall Thoughts: What did I just read?!

This had an interesting premise but was ultimately a flop. The characters were hard to connect to and extremely annoying (Seth).

The story follows Brooke, a 18-year-old who believes she might be pregnant. Seth is a younger teen who was bullied in foster care and runs away. While Brooke is smart and brings supplies with her, Seth doesn't bring anything, not even food. They meet and camp together, blah blah blah. Literally nothing interesting happens.

It took me under thirty minutes to complete the whole book. It read less like a novel and more like a short story.

Spoilers have been removed.
When Brooke admits to Seth that she thinks she may have had a miscarriage, he treats her horribly. I don't care if he is dying from lack of food, you just can't go around saying these things to her!

"I can't believe I ever felt sorry for you!" He kicks sand on the fire and stamps on the burning logs. "Baby-killer!"

WTF? I thought his disgusting attitude was a joke at first, but it was 100% real.
Another extremely annoying thing about this book was the ending. Everyone lives happily ever after. Seth's dad suddenly treats him well...

I did not enjoy this book, especially not after the "baby-killer" incident with Seth and I wish I hadn't wasted twenty five minutes reading it.

(I received a copy from James Lorimer & Company @ NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

[Kendice Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.


There were things I liked and disliked about this book.

Likes:
As unlikely as it is, I liked how their stories leant themselves to one another. Brooke's story upset Seth, but it made him come to terms with a potential side of his adoption he wasn't willing to face before then. Similarly, his adoption story was what she needed to hear in order to put her life and relationships into perspective.

I liked that adoption and teen pregnancy were addressed in such a raw way because I do believe it's relevant to the age group who would read this.

I also appreciated that this was just based on friendship and helping people when they're in need. No romance.

Dislikes:

I found the plot a bit far-fetched. Both teens running to the woods to escape for days without family involvement is just too unlikely.

When Brooke told him why she lit the candle, I hated out he lost it on her. It was so uncalled for and dramatic.

Overall, I think this would be a good book for upper middle schoolers into high school. It would appeal to struggling or unmotivated readers especIlly because of the length and vocabulary.

While I wouldn't recommend for my personal students due to maturity levels, I would recommend for a high school or middle school teacher for their classroom.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going Wild by Jodi Lungren is a new book from Lorimer. The book is listed as a young adult and teen book. It is an easily readable book that is designed to catch reluctant readers. I feel that the books easy access to the story, two main characters and modern issues will capture interest for many students. The story is told in alternate voices allowing readers to connect with either character. The setting is in the Canadian wilderness with camping and hiking outdoors, which also is a high interest catch for many.

There are two main characters who run away for different reasons from different places. They find each other in the wilderness and help each other. For them, this chance meeting is an important as they both need help and someone to listen. Seth has been bullied in foster care and now by his mother’s boyfriend. He misses his dad and dog. He misses being cared about. Brooke realizes that she may be pregnant; something she did not want to be. Lately Brooke feels like she is fighting with her mother all the time and her older sister never did anything wrong, but Brook is always wrong. Both will need each other before the adventure is over.

Going Wild is a good read with mature subjects written in an easily readable format. This would be a good fit for many students.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

James Lorimer & Company and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Seth is almost 16 and is profoundly unhappy with his living situation, as his adoptive mother's boyfriend is a bully. His hopes of finding his birth mother are dashed when he receives a letter stating that he cannot inquire about her until he turns 19.

Brooke has an overbearing mother and has a strong desire to explore her options for a career in adventure studies. Suspecting an unexpected pregnancy, Brooke decides to take a multiday hike, in order to clear her head and make plans for her future.

Unprepared for being outdoors, as he does not have a tent or food, Seth crosses paths with Brooke, who tries to help him by sharing her food and shelter.

Gone Wild is exceedingly short and does not feel like a complete story. I felt no emotional connection to either character and thought the author missed an opportunity to create a great survival novel. The story is basically just two teenagers who meet on a trail, but it could be much more than that if the plot was fleshed out. As my version of Gone Wild is an advanced readers copy, it is my hope that the author will add more to the story before the publishing date.

[Mrs. Kenyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seth has just found out that he won’t be able to discover the identity of his birth mother until he is nineteen years old. Those three years seem like an unachievable obstacle when presented alongside his adoptive mother’s mean spirited boyfriend. Brooke has been rebelling against everything her mother is trying to control and her rebellion has led her to the realization that it has been six weeks since her last period. Both teens decide to hike into the wilderness on Vancouver Island and due to complications neither person planned for, they find themselves needing to work together in order to make it out alive.

Gone Wild is a rapid read jammed packed with wilderness survival and teen turmoil. Both characters will be tasked with setting aside what they feel is their problem in order to assist the other with a more pressing issue. Although the book itself does not have much substance (I read it in two hours), for teens that are reluctant to pick up a lengthy book, this just might be what the librarian will recommend. Gone Wild was a pleasant escape with a slight tear jerking moment at the end.