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Some Kind of Animal
For fans of Wilder Girls and Sadie comes a new story about two girls with a secret no one would ever believe, and the wild, desperate lengths they will go to protect each other from the outside world.
Jo lives in the same Appalachian town where her mother disappeared fifteen years ago. Everyone knows what happened to Jo's mom. She was wild, and bad things happen to girls like that.
Now people are starting to talk about Jo. She's barely passing her classes and falls asleep at her desk every day. She's following in her mom's footsteps.
Jo does have a secret. It's not what people think, though. Not a boy or a drug habit. Jo has a twin sister.
Jo's sister is not like most people. She lives in the woods--catches rabbits with her bare hands and eats them raw. Night after night, Jo slips out of her bedroom window and meets her sister in the trees. And together they run, fearlessly.
The thing is, no one's ever seen Jo's sister. So when her twin attacks a boy from town, everyone assumes that it was Jo. Which means Jo has to decide--does she tell the world about her sister, or does she run?
Jo lives in the same Appalachian town where her mother disappeared fifteen years ago. Everyone knows what happened to Jo's mom. She was wild, and bad things happen to girls like that.
Now people are starting to talk about Jo. She's barely passing her classes and falls asleep at her desk every day. She's following in her mom's footsteps.
Jo does have a secret. It's not what people think, though. Not a boy or a drug habit. Jo has a twin sister.
Jo's sister is not like most people. She lives in the woods--catches rabbits with her bare hands and eats them raw. Night after night, Jo slips out of her bedroom window and meets her sister in the trees. And together they run, fearlessly.
The thing is, no one's ever seen Jo's sister. So when her twin attacks a boy from town, everyone assumes that it was Jo. Which means Jo has to decide--does she tell the world about her sister, or does she run?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
February 19, 2020
This is surprising, unconventional, interesting, haunting supernatural thriller. But it also repetitive, nonsensical, awkward reading! At some parts you question the author’s motives to write this book because I definitely had some hard time connect with the characters and twin sister in the woods part of the story, well so sorry but I didn’t buy it and ending is also haphazard, not quite satisfying with so many unanswered or not so well answered questions, too many blank spots. But I still acknowledge the efforts of the author build something from scratch and telling us something unique, dazzling, twisty. And writing style, pacing was also good. Problematic parts are story’s direction and irritating characters you may not connect with their stories or you may have no reason to care for them.
This is story of Jolene, whose mother disappeared into thin air fourteen years ago, suffering from sleep deprivation, barely keeping her eyes open at her classes, feeling the burden of secret she carries. She has a twin living in the woods, running wild and free (Hmmm really?) and Jolene starts to meet with her at the nigh time. At some parts I wondered maybe Jolene is delusional and she created her sister on her mind kind of explanation will be presented to save the story’s sake but spoiler free: it didn’t happen.
So I’m stopping right now not to give more clues or spilling more beans. I could be snappy, irritating reviewer who gives more clues and ruins the spirit of the book.
Overall: I didn’t like the progression of the story but I appreciate the author’s trying and some parts of the book picked my curiosity as well. I wanted to learn more. So 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for these moments!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sharing this original ARC in exchange my honest review.
This is story of Jolene, whose mother disappeared into thin air fourteen years ago, suffering from sleep deprivation, barely keeping her eyes open at her classes, feeling the burden of secret she carries. She has a twin living in the woods, running wild and free (Hmmm really?) and Jolene starts to meet with her at the nigh time. At some parts I wondered maybe Jolene is delusional and she created her sister on her mind kind of explanation will be presented to save the story’s sake but spoiler free: it didn’t happen.
So I’m stopping right now not to give more clues or spilling more beans. I could be snappy, irritating reviewer who gives more clues and ruins the spirit of the book.
Overall: I didn’t like the progression of the story but I appreciate the author’s trying and some parts of the book picked my curiosity as well. I wanted to learn more. So 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for these moments!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sharing this original ARC in exchange my honest review.
November 16, 2025
Ever since Jolene "Jo" was five, she told her aunt and her grandmother (who raised her) that she had a twin sister living in the woods.
My sister, Lee, and I don't live in the same house. My sister doesn't live in a house at all. She lives in the forest. She sleeps during the day and runs at night.
They never believed her, but whenever Jo could she would sneak out at night to run in the woods with her sister (Lee).
The normal rules don't apply here. Tonight is magic.Lee is becoming more and more insistent that Jo joins her in the woods...but something is holding Jo back. And when Lee finds out what that is...she attacks.
Isolated and in danger, Jo must make the biggest decision of her life - one that could make (or break) her forever.
She steps closer, holds out a thin dirty hand.So, for the most part I liked the book.
The beginning was solid - I LOVED not knowing whether Lee was real or not.
I also loved the way she interwove in the story of the two girls.
However, as time went on and Lee became more solid in life the more I felt pity towards her. She wasn't some brave spirit like her sister made her out to be, she was a kid who was abandoned. A feral child.
I also felt like Jo was a bit too naive here - her sister was very, very thin and not by choice. As a freshman in high school, I feel like she should've known more/better.
In addition, the ending of the book (~last third) felt very circle-y and didn't have that BOOM that I was expecting.
With thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte Press and Maria Romasco Moore for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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February 5, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Some Kind of Animal was an okay book for me. At first, I didn't really have any expectations for this thing.. I just wanted to like it. Which I di.. I just wanted to like it more than I actually did. Ya know?
No idea if that makes sense, but when you meet Jolene you feel bad for her. Not going to lie, her life was completely messed up. Yet, she ends up meeting her twin during the book. Again, it was interesting but it was also really weird at the same time. I just feel like I wasn't truly connecting with the characters in this book.
Heck, even the entire plot of this book was hard to understand. Or maybe it was the lack of coffee/sleep for me? Don't really know but it was just a weird book overall.
Some Kind of Animal was an okay book for me. At first, I didn't really have any expectations for this thing.. I just wanted to like it. Which I di.. I just wanted to like it more than I actually did. Ya know?
No idea if that makes sense, but when you meet Jolene you feel bad for her. Not going to lie, her life was completely messed up. Yet, she ends up meeting her twin during the book. Again, it was interesting but it was also really weird at the same time. I just feel like I wasn't truly connecting with the characters in this book.
Heck, even the entire plot of this book was hard to understand. Or maybe it was the lack of coffee/sleep for me? Don't really know but it was just a weird book overall.
May 27, 2020
This had a really great premise, but the execution fell short for me. The repetitive narrative, mixed with the ending that left much to be desired just outweighed the atmospheric writing. I would certainly give this author another try in the future, and perhaps teens and sporadic readers of the genre will find this one riveting and unique.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
February 22, 2020
Thanks NetGalley for the chance to review this title ahead of the release date.
SOME KIND OF ANIMALS delivers on its premise. We have a girl who's secret sister Lee who lives in the woods, eats animals and talks with one-word sentences, and whom she sneaks out with nightly to run and play with. I mean, how creepy is that? Nobody believes her when things go awry and Lee makes a rare appearance in a public setting and attacks one of Jo's friends. This brings a downward spiral for Jo when she runs away with Lee, and her friend Savannah, planning on living int the words and protecting her sister forever and ever. A pipe dream that goes terribly wrong.
I love me a good mystery and a good wilding sister living in the woods and being all cryptic and crazy. I live for these types of books. This book packs all the punches. It's heartfelt and gritty and depressing AF yet there's still a glimmer of hope when it comes to Jo and Lee that maybe all can be forgiven and all can be all right in the end. I mean, this is a strange book and I roll over for strange books. Now, part of me wanted to believe that Lee wasn't really real and Jo was having some sort of mental breakdown, but when I was wrong, it made it all the more terrifying.
Looking back at these reviews it looks like I am in the minority here. But it does go to show you that you have to be a certain type of reader for a certain type of book. So, Maria, please do not fret. A book like this is a risk for debut authors and many won't understand it. I do. Bring me all the creepy and all the weird and add me on Insta or something, yea?
SOME KIND OF ANIMALS delivers on its premise. We have a girl who's secret sister Lee who lives in the woods, eats animals and talks with one-word sentences, and whom she sneaks out with nightly to run and play with. I mean, how creepy is that? Nobody believes her when things go awry and Lee makes a rare appearance in a public setting and attacks one of Jo's friends. This brings a downward spiral for Jo when she runs away with Lee, and her friend Savannah, planning on living int the words and protecting her sister forever and ever. A pipe dream that goes terribly wrong.
I love me a good mystery and a good wilding sister living in the woods and being all cryptic and crazy. I live for these types of books. This book packs all the punches. It's heartfelt and gritty and depressing AF yet there's still a glimmer of hope when it comes to Jo and Lee that maybe all can be forgiven and all can be all right in the end. I mean, this is a strange book and I roll over for strange books. Now, part of me wanted to believe that Lee wasn't really real and Jo was having some sort of mental breakdown, but when I was wrong, it made it all the more terrifying.
Looking back at these reviews it looks like I am in the minority here. But it does go to show you that you have to be a certain type of reader for a certain type of book. So, Maria, please do not fret. A book like this is a risk for debut authors and many won't understand it. I do. Bring me all the creepy and all the weird and add me on Insta or something, yea?
February 2, 2020
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
So, I don’t really know what I just read. Am I okay what that? Sure. This follows a fifteen-year-old girl named Jolene who has had a seriously messed up life so far. Her mother went missing when she was born and her grandmother and aunt have been raising her all her life. Jolene sees a girl one night out by the woods and realizes this girl looks just like her. She goes out and realizes it’s her feral, wild twin sister. Ever since that night, Jo goes out and runs with her sister at night in the woods.
I really didn’t get the point of this story and the characters all fell flat for me, not to mention it was very unbelievable. Jo just sees this girl out in the woods and is like oh okay that must be my twin sister? Some Kind of Animal was a wild ride because I literally had no idea where the storyline was going. I thought it would be focused on mental health and maybe Jo was making up this “twin sister”because of how awful Jo's life has been but I was wrong. I just felt as though it was kind of all over the place, so many things happened with no consequences as well. Maybe, it’s just me and I didn’t get what the author was trying to do when writing this, but for me it just was very out there and kind of weird.
So, I don’t really know what I just read. Am I okay what that? Sure. This follows a fifteen-year-old girl named Jolene who has had a seriously messed up life so far. Her mother went missing when she was born and her grandmother and aunt have been raising her all her life. Jolene sees a girl one night out by the woods and realizes this girl looks just like her. She goes out and realizes it’s her feral, wild twin sister. Ever since that night, Jo goes out and runs with her sister at night in the woods.
I really didn’t get the point of this story and the characters all fell flat for me, not to mention it was very unbelievable. Jo just sees this girl out in the woods and is like oh okay that must be my twin sister? Some Kind of Animal was a wild ride because I literally had no idea where the storyline was going. I thought it would be focused on mental health and maybe Jo was making up this “twin sister”because of how awful Jo's life has been but I was wrong. I just felt as though it was kind of all over the place, so many things happened with no consequences as well. Maybe, it’s just me and I didn’t get what the author was trying to do when writing this, but for me it just was very out there and kind of weird.
January 8, 2020
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of SOME KIND OF ANIMAL by Maria Romasco Moore in exchange for my honest review.***
3.5 STARS
Instead of sleeping, Jolene spends her nights running through the woods with her feral twin sister. No one else knows about Lee’s existence. She lives among the flora and fauna, clad in Jo’s old dress, eating wild animals.
What did I just read? I’m not 100% sure.
I spend a good part of SOME KIND OF ANIMAL assuming Lee was a figment of Jo’s delusional mind. Jo checked many boxes for vulnerability to mental illness, abandoned by her fifteen-year-old mentally ill mother, unstable home life, social isolation, family upheaval, school problems. Several cases of feral children have been documented throughout the years, I’ve seen documentaries, so I knew the possibility of Lee’s existence could also be real.
Maria Romasco Moore delivers a dark, atmospheric YA debut with Jo’s melodic voice. The young teen dreams of being eighteen so she can get paid for her work in her aunt’s bar, now considered “chores” hoping to get enough money to more to another town to bartend broke my heart into pieces as I envisioned a girl with such little hope for more.
The relationships between Jo and Lee and Jo and her best friend Savannah illustrate the indomitable strength of love against even the most difficult circumstances. I’m still uncertain about several aspects of the story, but the reading experience though pleasant, wasn’t compelling enough to make me want to reread for further clarity, which is why I didn’t rate SOME KIND OF ANIMAL higher.
3.5 STARS
Instead of sleeping, Jolene spends her nights running through the woods with her feral twin sister. No one else knows about Lee’s existence. She lives among the flora and fauna, clad in Jo’s old dress, eating wild animals.
What did I just read? I’m not 100% sure.
I spend a good part of SOME KIND OF ANIMAL assuming Lee was a figment of Jo’s delusional mind. Jo checked many boxes for vulnerability to mental illness, abandoned by her fifteen-year-old mentally ill mother, unstable home life, social isolation, family upheaval, school problems. Several cases of feral children have been documented throughout the years, I’ve seen documentaries, so I knew the possibility of Lee’s existence could also be real.
Maria Romasco Moore delivers a dark, atmospheric YA debut with Jo’s melodic voice. The young teen dreams of being eighteen so she can get paid for her work in her aunt’s bar, now considered “chores” hoping to get enough money to more to another town to bartend broke my heart into pieces as I envisioned a girl with such little hope for more.
The relationships between Jo and Lee and Jo and her best friend Savannah illustrate the indomitable strength of love against even the most difficult circumstances. I’m still uncertain about several aspects of the story, but the reading experience though pleasant, wasn’t compelling enough to make me want to reread for further clarity, which is why I didn’t rate SOME KIND OF ANIMAL higher.
March 6, 2020
>Friendly advice: Don't waste your time or money on this book! But if you have an arc for review... Good luck! ;)
Some kind of animal drew me in with its cover and I wanted to immerse myself in a YA thriller. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me at all. The only words that comes to my mind to describe this book are ODD and WEIRD. Sooo yeah, I'm not really sure what the point of this book was and I can't say I'm glad I read it. Halfway through, I just wanted it to end and the longer I had to spend reading this book, the more I hated it.
(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an arc via Netgalley)
Some kind of animal drew me in with its cover and I wanted to immerse myself in a YA thriller. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me at all. The only words that comes to my mind to describe this book are ODD and WEIRD. Sooo yeah, I'm not really sure what the point of this book was and I can't say I'm glad I read it. Halfway through, I just wanted it to end and the longer I had to spend reading this book, the more I hated it.
(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an arc via Netgalley)
July 23, 2020
Jolene has a secret she keeps from everyone in town: she has a twin sister, Lee, who lives in the woods. As a child, she tried to tell people about her, but no one believed her, and she gradually stopped trying. But Lee is as real as it gets. When her twin sister attacks a boy from town, everyone assumes that Jo did it, and she’s suddenly forced to choose between outing her sister and letting people think the worst of her. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Random House/Delacorte Press. Trigger warnings: death, parent death, animal death, guns, underage drug/alcohol use, addiction, overdose, severe injury, violence, some gore, blood, sexism, slut-shaming.
This pretty much does what it says on the tin, though I might hesitate to call it overtly feminist. Most of the main characters are female, but they spend at least as much time tearing each other down (both in the plot and in Jo’s internal monologue) as they do supporting each other. The book does spend a good deal of time interrogating the false assumptions people make about wayward girls, the ones who drink and party, sleep around, and come to a bad end just as everyone expected they would. I don’t know how much the story does to overturn that narrative by making its girls near-feral beings who retreat from civilization to live in the woods, but it tries. If intentions count, then it gets points for that.
Probably my biggest issue with the book is how inconsistent Jo is as a main character, which extends a little to her aunt, Aggie, as well. I never felt that I understood them, and most of the time, Jo’s actions made absolutely no sense. It seems like an effort to align her with her wilder twin and mother. I’m strongly reminded of Kaye in Holly Black’s Modern Faerie Tales series, where characters do random things just to make them seem quirky and wild, and all the while I’m thinking, “Why are you making this worse for yourself?” Jo is a difficult character to like, regardless, and I’m not sure we’re supposed to like her. She’s hugely critical of Aggie and Savannah for having boyfriends (or wanting them), and her allegiance changes depending on who’s paying her the most attention. Really, she demonizes pretty much every other character at some point.
In terms of plot, it’s a fun change from the usual thriller. Jo’s twin sister, Lee, is a fascinating character of the “raised by wolves” persuasion, and the mystery of how she’s managed to survive in the woods on her own is enough to keep at least half the novel spinning. Midway through, it seems to lose the plot though, and I didn’t have the slightest idea where the characters would go from there. Neither do they, come to that, and there’s a weird and misguided attempt to live in a forest preserve (because people can actually do that?). It’s entertaining, but whatever Some Kind of Animal was trying to do, I don’t think it quite pulled it off.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
This pretty much does what it says on the tin, though I might hesitate to call it overtly feminist. Most of the main characters are female, but they spend at least as much time tearing each other down (both in the plot and in Jo’s internal monologue) as they do supporting each other. The book does spend a good deal of time interrogating the false assumptions people make about wayward girls, the ones who drink and party, sleep around, and come to a bad end just as everyone expected they would. I don’t know how much the story does to overturn that narrative by making its girls near-feral beings who retreat from civilization to live in the woods, but it tries. If intentions count, then it gets points for that.
Probably my biggest issue with the book is how inconsistent Jo is as a main character, which extends a little to her aunt, Aggie, as well. I never felt that I understood them, and most of the time, Jo’s actions made absolutely no sense. It seems like an effort to align her with her wilder twin and mother. I’m strongly reminded of Kaye in Holly Black’s Modern Faerie Tales series, where characters do random things just to make them seem quirky and wild, and all the while I’m thinking, “Why are you making this worse for yourself?” Jo is a difficult character to like, regardless, and I’m not sure we’re supposed to like her. She’s hugely critical of Aggie and Savannah for having boyfriends (or wanting them), and her allegiance changes depending on who’s paying her the most attention. Really, she demonizes pretty much every other character at some point.
In terms of plot, it’s a fun change from the usual thriller. Jo’s twin sister, Lee, is a fascinating character of the “raised by wolves” persuasion, and the mystery of how she’s managed to survive in the woods on her own is enough to keep at least half the novel spinning. Midway through, it seems to lose the plot though, and I didn’t have the slightest idea where the characters would go from there. Neither do they, come to that, and there’s a weird and misguided attempt to live in a forest preserve (because people can actually do that?). It’s entertaining, but whatever Some Kind of Animal was trying to do, I don’t think it quite pulled it off.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
March 6, 2020
The premise of this is crazy! How would it be to have this secret twin sister who lives in the woods? That sounds so unbelievable, it's no wonder people in town thought Jo was lying or had some sort of mental breakdown. Jo is a complicated character, she was raised by a very religious and abusive grandmother for part of her life, then her aunt took her and treated her like a grown up. Having Lee is the one thing Jo clings to so I understand why she'd do anything for her, but it led to some pretty terrible choices. The adult in me was dying when Jo got deeper into trouble and I wanted to tell her to just find a responsible adult already lol.
The mystery of Jo's mom disappearing was interesting, but it resolved too fast and the second half of the story was mostly chaos. If there had been more to Jo's mom and Lee, I think it would have been more engaging. The ending wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it wrapped up well enough.
The mystery of Jo's mom disappearing was interesting, but it resolved too fast and the second half of the story was mostly chaos. If there had been more to Jo's mom and Lee, I think it would have been more engaging. The ending wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it wrapped up well enough.
November 5, 2020
What started out as a 4-star read for me fell short of my expectations in the second half. While I flew through the first half, it took me twice the time to get through the second. It went from a creepy small-town mystery type book to almost a survival story. And it wasn't even a great survival story; I found it pretty boring, and it dragged on for too long. At times I also had a hard time sympathizing with the main character because of how slut-shamey she acted toward her best friend. Disappointing.
May 20, 2021
DNF around 50%.
The plot to this book isn't clear. I thought it was building up to a question of whether or not Lee was real, a little bit of a cliche but that's okay, sometimes a fresh take on a cliche can be interesting! However, it quickly became clear that wasn't what the story was... which would have been fine, if the story were something else. Anything else.
I think maybe it was supposed to be about Jo trying to find out what happened to her mother, which also could be compelling, except that she pretty much immediately has access to the answers. So I'm not sure what it was supposed to be. And I don't care enough to find out.
Another thing this book suffered from was a lack of stakes. There was some drama over Jo not wanting to go back to her grandma's house, but that was secondary, it wasn't the main problem--honestly, it felt like the main problem was Jo being upset about being grounded.
The real nail in the coffin, though, is that Jo is mean and dumb. Because she doesn't really have a driving goal (she didn't even seem to want to clear her name, just get her friend back on her side), there's no consistent sense to her actions. That just leaves personality, and Jo's is... not a pleasant one. Cruel characters can work, but part of what people love about villains is how they drive the plot. There wasn't a plot, so Jo didn't drive anything so much as jump about impulsively while going on about how much she hates everyone.
Reading this book was an unpleasant experience.
The plot to this book isn't clear. I thought it was building up to a question of whether or not Lee was real, a little bit of a cliche but that's okay, sometimes a fresh take on a cliche can be interesting! However, it quickly became clear that wasn't what the story was... which would have been fine, if the story were something else. Anything else.
I think maybe it was supposed to be about Jo trying to find out what happened to her mother, which also could be compelling, except that she pretty much immediately has access to the answers. So I'm not sure what it was supposed to be. And I don't care enough to find out.
Another thing this book suffered from was a lack of stakes. There was some drama over Jo not wanting to go back to her grandma's house, but that was secondary, it wasn't the main problem--honestly, it felt like the main problem was Jo being upset about being grounded.
The real nail in the coffin, though, is that Jo is mean and dumb. Because she doesn't really have a driving goal (she didn't even seem to want to clear her name, just get her friend back on her side), there's no consistent sense to her actions. That just leaves personality, and Jo's is... not a pleasant one. Cruel characters can work, but part of what people love about villains is how they drive the plot. There wasn't a plot, so Jo didn't drive anything so much as jump about impulsively while going on about how much she hates everyone.
Reading this book was an unpleasant experience.
July 28, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children for sending me a copy of Some Kind of Animal for an honest review.
Some kind of Animal is about Jo who's mother disappeared 15 years ago. Jo who lives with her aunt truly believes she has a twin sister who lives in the woods. Every night 🌙 Jo meets her sister for a run which causes her to be really tired and suffer in her grades. One day things go really wrong and Jo and her twin are on the run.
Some kind of Animal is about Jo who's mother disappeared 15 years ago. Jo who lives with her aunt truly believes she has a twin sister who lives in the woods. Every night 🌙 Jo meets her sister for a run which causes her to be really tired and suffer in her grades. One day things go really wrong and Jo and her twin are on the run.
October 25, 2024
I was very excited to read this book when I read the blurb: "for Wilder Girls and Sadie fans." I mostly find the topic of feral children fascinating, but unfortunately, it was disappointing. It was repetitive, and the plot felt rushed and inconsistent.
February 18, 2021
I wanted to like it but it was disappointed to say the least. Half way through the book i wanted to give up and DNF it
April 21, 2021
Fun! Definitely not supernatural whatsoever and I'm baffled by the 'horror' tag. Unless you find the woods scary by default, I guess? Anyway I really wish I could properly rate this as 3.5 so just pretend.
I was super into this until the last third-ish of the book when Certain things aren't wrapped up or talked about to the extent that I wanted, mostly because I was just curious. Like, the pastor? I wanted to be a fly on the wall during that conversation, lol, and Also how, exactly, will
Surviving alone in the wild? Sure. That's simple. Easy not to ask too many questions about and just accept. But everything else added at the end complicates things and needs more solid reasoning. I would have preferred that over the swaths of meandering at wal-mart, the junk yard, and playing in the leaves.
I also wish Henry had a bigger role. Technically, most of what happens is triggered by him, but he's just kinda removed from the story early on and that's the last we see of him.
Good book though, I liked it. Everyone is pretty terrible except for Henry, who was just totally willing to believe he was jumped by a ghost and left it at that.
I was super into this until the last third-ish of the book when Certain things aren't wrapped up or talked about to the extent that I wanted, mostly because I was just curious. Like, the pastor? I wanted to be a fly on the wall during that conversation, lol, and Also how, exactly, will
Surviving alone in the wild? Sure. That's simple. Easy not to ask too many questions about and just accept. But everything else added at the end complicates things and needs more solid reasoning. I would have preferred that over the swaths of meandering at wal-mart, the junk yard, and playing in the leaves.
I also wish Henry had a bigger role. Technically, most of what happens is triggered by him, but he's just kinda removed from the story early on and that's the last we see of him.
Good book though, I liked it. Everyone is pretty terrible except for Henry, who was just totally willing to believe he was jumped by a ghost and left it at that.
January 21, 2020
**I received a copy of via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Maria Romasco Moore does an excellent job introducing the characters and showing us this dysfunctional family Jo is apart of. The forest and atmosphere that’s created is really fun to read. I liked the relationship Jo had with her strange sister Lee. Jo has a pretty typical teenage relationship with her aunt Aggie, lots of tension. I liked the character that ended up telling Jo the truth about her mother.
There were a few things that didn’t make sense in the second half. The first was, Jo kisses a certain character (to piss her grandma off) and after that things got less believable. Savannah (Jo’s best friend) interacts with a character towards the end and it doesn’t make sense at all. Lastly there are zero consequences for a death that happens, it’s barely talked about and again, doesn’t make sense.
3 stars for me, the first part was a solid 4.5 stars but the second was 2 stars.
Maria Romasco Moore does an excellent job introducing the characters and showing us this dysfunctional family Jo is apart of. The forest and atmosphere that’s created is really fun to read. I liked the relationship Jo had with her strange sister Lee. Jo has a pretty typical teenage relationship with her aunt Aggie, lots of tension. I liked the character that ended up telling Jo the truth about her mother.
There were a few things that didn’t make sense in the second half. The first was, Jo kisses a certain character (to piss her grandma off) and after that things got less believable. Savannah (Jo’s best friend) interacts with a character towards the end and it doesn’t make sense at all. Lastly there are zero consequences for a death that happens, it’s barely talked about and again, doesn’t make sense.
3 stars for me, the first part was a solid 4.5 stars but the second was 2 stars.
January 28, 2020
What an odd, captivating YA!
Jo's parents have never been in her life, gone by suspected gruesome, mysterious circumstances. She has a twin sister (Lee) who lives in the woods that no one, not even her aunt and grandmother, knows exist. After Lee attacks a local boy, Jo's own life is turned upside down, and she embarks on an epic journey that changes everything.
I really, really liked this book. There are so many interesting, strange characters in this small town without its own grocery store. I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit about Lee, but the story of why she ended up in the woods was really interesting. Jo was a strong, conflicted main character, struggling to find herself in the grim legacies of her parents. And oh, how I loved the ending!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Jo's parents have never been in her life, gone by suspected gruesome, mysterious circumstances. She has a twin sister (Lee) who lives in the woods that no one, not even her aunt and grandmother, knows exist. After Lee attacks a local boy, Jo's own life is turned upside down, and she embarks on an epic journey that changes everything.
I really, really liked this book. There are so many interesting, strange characters in this small town without its own grocery store. I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit about Lee, but the story of why she ended up in the woods was really interesting. Jo was a strong, conflicted main character, struggling to find herself in the grim legacies of her parents. And oh, how I loved the ending!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
August 5, 2020
This is a stunning book. It is, perhaps, the best book I’ve ever read about Appalachian girlhood, and is important addition to the canon of Appalachian literature. Subtle and with great depth, it explores the possibilities of wildness tempered with the dangers of abandonement, and asks important questions about what it means to grow up female in the decimated parts of “the heartland.”
June 16, 2024
Such a creative book and story, I really felt myself cheering on our protaganist and getting empathetic to her choices. The ending could have hit a little harder but a page turning read.
July 21, 2020
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
This was a wild ride. On one hand, the sheer implausibility of it (a girl with a twin no one knows about who somehow has managed to survive in the wilderness, on her own, for 10 years?) makes it a hard sell. But then, as you start to read it, you get sucked in to the story and it becomes something you can't really look away from. There are themes of feminism, striking out on your own, religion vs morality, etc that make it compelling at times, but they also complicate things. This is a book that struggles under the own weight of itself. Instead of just being a horror/noir book about a girl who has become feral, it tries to become a commentary on society in general. And there aren't really any redeeming characters.
Final verdict: this is a second purchase type of book for large collections. It will have niche readers and that type of following, but it will not be a beloved book by all.
This was a wild ride. On one hand, the sheer implausibility of it (a girl with a twin no one knows about who somehow has managed to survive in the wilderness, on her own, for 10 years?) makes it a hard sell. But then, as you start to read it, you get sucked in to the story and it becomes something you can't really look away from. There are themes of feminism, striking out on your own, religion vs morality, etc that make it compelling at times, but they also complicate things. This is a book that struggles under the own weight of itself. Instead of just being a horror/noir book about a girl who has become feral, it tries to become a commentary on society in general. And there aren't really any redeeming characters.
Final verdict: this is a second purchase type of book for large collections. It will have niche readers and that type of following, but it will not be a beloved book by all.
August 3, 2020
Thought this was along the lines of the typical genres I usually read when I read the blurb but once I started reading the book itself I learned that it definitely was not like the thrillers & suspense that I am used to reading. There was plenty of interesting mini plots within the larger one to keep my mind wanting to know what was going to happen and the characters were definitely interesting as they were developed and there was some stereotyping within the story about small towns and the people within them but it helped to build up the story.
February 28, 2020
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The concept for Some Kind of Animal is intriguing, but sadly doesn't deliver. Jolene meets her twin sister randomly in the woods, and has to keep her a secret from everyone. My biggest issue with this book is how unrealistically irresponsible ALL of the adults are. No one believes Jo about anything, no one really cares about her or any of the other characters, and even the ending is unrealistic. I wanted to like this, but was let down with confusing plot points and no real solutions.
The concept for Some Kind of Animal is intriguing, but sadly doesn't deliver. Jolene meets her twin sister randomly in the woods, and has to keep her a secret from everyone. My biggest issue with this book is how unrealistically irresponsible ALL of the adults are. No one believes Jo about anything, no one really cares about her or any of the other characters, and even the ending is unrealistic. I wanted to like this, but was let down with confusing plot points and no real solutions.
August 30, 2020
2.5/5 stars
I thought this was an okay book until about the second half. I didn't really enjoy where the plot ended up going. Some good sex positive messages for teens though.
I thought this was an okay book until about the second half. I didn't really enjoy where the plot ended up going. Some good sex positive messages for teens though.
August 10, 2024
this was like 4 books in 1 and not in a good way
January 21, 2020
**received a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review**
First of all, I want to say that I got a clear feeling for the setting in this book - FINALLY! I'm getting tired of these books saying they're set in some specific area and then giving me no feel for that area whatsoever. I did get a good sense in this book.
Automatically 5/5* for readability. I blew through this one and was very eager to know if this "twin sister" was real or a figment of Jo's imagination. I also wanted to know what happened to Jo's mom??? Thankfully both of these questions are answered to my satisfaction. That's the plot so I won't bother to recap it in my review.
This book had strong writing and relatable characters.
The familial relationships are very well done. I sympathized with Jo when no one believed her and when she kept having to sneak out or betray trust to do what she thought was the right thing. I wanted to know more about Jo's mom and more about her and Aggie's relationship with Margaret.
I pulled back a star because I had a hard time believing everything involving the twin. Yes, a lot of it is explained. But just because you can explain it doesn't mean it's realistic. I also didn't buy ANY of the romantic relationships/feelings - not one. I would go so far as it say they were unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story. The plotline with the pastor was also...strange? Hard to pick a word for that. He was bad, he was good, he was bad again...he kept cropping up and I didn't need him as a filler character. I definitely thought he was ____ (don't want to give spoilers), but that didn't end up being the case. Once I found that out, he was useless.
The ending was resolved too quickly for my taste. Everyone just drives off into the sunset even though there are TWO dead people?? I don't consider that a spoiler since it's out of context.
Bottom line: an excellent read, might even reread, and I look forward to Moore's next.
First of all, I want to say that I got a clear feeling for the setting in this book - FINALLY! I'm getting tired of these books saying they're set in some specific area and then giving me no feel for that area whatsoever. I did get a good sense in this book.
Automatically 5/5* for readability. I blew through this one and was very eager to know if this "twin sister" was real or a figment of Jo's imagination. I also wanted to know what happened to Jo's mom??? Thankfully both of these questions are answered to my satisfaction. That's the plot so I won't bother to recap it in my review.
This book had strong writing and relatable characters.
The familial relationships are very well done. I sympathized with Jo when no one believed her and when she kept having to sneak out or betray trust to do what she thought was the right thing. I wanted to know more about Jo's mom and more about her and Aggie's relationship with Margaret.
I pulled back a star because I had a hard time believing everything involving the twin. Yes, a lot of it is explained. But just because you can explain it doesn't mean it's realistic. I also didn't buy ANY of the romantic relationships/feelings - not one. I would go so far as it say they were unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story. The plotline with the pastor was also...strange? Hard to pick a word for that. He was bad, he was good, he was bad again...he kept cropping up and I didn't need him as a filler character. I definitely thought he was ____ (don't want to give spoilers), but that didn't end up being the case. Once I found that out, he was useless.
The ending was resolved too quickly for my taste. Everyone just drives off into the sunset even though there are TWO dead people?? I don't consider that a spoiler since it's out of context.
Bottom line: an excellent read, might even reread, and I look forward to Moore's next.
January 17, 2020
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
Jo lives in a small Appalachian town with her aunt, Aggie, in the same place where her mother, whom she never knew, disappeared. Everyone in the city knew her story. Her mother was wild, she "went bad", disappeared, maybe killed by her violent boyfriend, but now people are talking about Jo. Jo, who is always tired, who's falling her grades, who runs alone at night. But Jo isn't her mother, even though she has a secret: a twin sister, Lee, a sister who lives in the wood, who's wild, savage and hate strangers. All the time torn between two existence, two Jos, one normal, the other wild and free, Jo is struggling with her life. When Lee attacks one boy from city and everyone blames Jo, Jo decides to do anything to protect herself and her sister's existence.
I liked how the author write about Jo's conflict about her identity, how she felt trapped in the city, how she looked for answers about her past and her mother's and I could feel the city's sanctimony, its retrograde ideas about women and what they should or shouldn't do. How Savannah tries to find her escape into boys, Jo into woods and her secrets, escaping the town's hearsay, her grandmother and pastor's religion, their need to save "the lost lamb".
Still I couldn't relate so much to the main character and I wish Lee would have been written more extensively. I get Jo's need of freedom, but I found her too impulsive and unrealistic, in some parts. The deahts (in particular the second one) I found...lacking, somehow. Without consequences and I didn't like that. I liked Brandon and his role in the story (both in Jolene's and Jo's) and I found interesting the pastor, but I wish they could have been more developed.
Notwithstanding Some kind of animal is a particular book, a thriller, a mystery and I liked it.
3.5 stars
Jo lives in a small Appalachian town with her aunt, Aggie, in the same place where her mother, whom she never knew, disappeared. Everyone in the city knew her story. Her mother was wild, she "went bad", disappeared, maybe killed by her violent boyfriend, but now people are talking about Jo. Jo, who is always tired, who's falling her grades, who runs alone at night. But Jo isn't her mother, even though she has a secret: a twin sister, Lee, a sister who lives in the wood, who's wild, savage and hate strangers. All the time torn between two existence, two Jos, one normal, the other wild and free, Jo is struggling with her life. When Lee attacks one boy from city and everyone blames Jo, Jo decides to do anything to protect herself and her sister's existence.
I liked how the author write about Jo's conflict about her identity, how she felt trapped in the city, how she looked for answers about her past and her mother's and I could feel the city's sanctimony, its retrograde ideas about women and what they should or shouldn't do. How Savannah tries to find her escape into boys, Jo into woods and her secrets, escaping the town's hearsay, her grandmother and pastor's religion, their need to save "the lost lamb".
Still I couldn't relate so much to the main character and I wish Lee would have been written more extensively. I get Jo's need of freedom, but I found her too impulsive and unrealistic, in some parts. The deahts (in particular the second one) I found...lacking, somehow. Without consequences and I didn't like that. I liked Brandon and his role in the story (both in Jolene's and Jo's) and I found interesting the pastor, but I wish they could have been more developed.
Notwithstanding Some kind of animal is a particular book, a thriller, a mystery and I liked it.
3.5 stars
January 16, 2021
It gets off to a good start but the last quarter of it just seems to drone on and is quite repetitive. Plus, I know it’s fiction, I know it’s just a book, but even before the end im wondering how they intent on getting away with some of the insanely illegal stuff they do through out.
April 17, 2020
After Jo’s forest-raised twin sister attacks a boy, everything in Jo’s life changes. She is thrown into having to make a decision that no one, let alone a 15-year old, should have to make: reveal her secret sister to the world or take the heat for the attack.
I found that I was unable to connect with the characters. So many times I felt like I understood Jo, then she would do something so odd that I’d just think, ‘nope, guess not!’
This book is very different than anything else I have read. I found it enjoyable but it dragged at times. In multiple places I kept wondering where the story could go from here and thinking the author had written herself into a corner, but there was a way out each time!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.
I found that I was unable to connect with the characters. So many times I felt like I understood Jo, then she would do something so odd that I’d just think, ‘nope, guess not!’
This book is very different than anything else I have read. I found it enjoyable but it dragged at times. In multiple places I kept wondering where the story could go from here and thinking the author had written herself into a corner, but there was a way out each time!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2020
A different kind of plot line for a YA. I enjoyed it, though the ending didn’t feel quite as solid as the rest. Keep an eye out for this one coming August 2020!
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