The Wanderer

by Josie Williams

We're just two lonely souls, destined to be apart. For the last few months I've been content just watching her from afar, but one rainy night changes everything. Saving her from being roadkill wasn't something I thought about for more than a passing heartbeat. The girl I love wasn't going to die on my watch. One moment of action alters our destiny. Because now I know how it feels to be close to her, I'm addicted and breaking the rules at every turn. I don't know how to stop the path I've put us both on. She'll walk away if I tell her the boy she's fallen for doesn't exist. Teenage love is epic. But falling in love with a human girl when you're dead? Yeah, that blows.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Audiobook, Grief, Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2021

About the author

Author of Young Adult novel The Wanderer. Lives in the UK. Lover of dogs, donkeys and guinea pigs. Coffee addict. Hopeless romantic. Reader of all the things.

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Reviews

[Ania (literackie_serce) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ta książka... 💔💔💔

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

tak wiec daje 3.75 gwiazdki, ponieważ ksiazka byla bardzo przewidywalna. od początku spodziewalam sie takiego zakonczenia, co nie zmienia faktu ze bardzo dobrze sie bawilam. podobala mi sie, tak samo jak podobalo mi sie podejscie rydera do maggie no poprostu zloty chlopak. nie przywiązałam sie bardzo do ksiazki, ale zapewniła mi duzo rozrywki.

[julka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Ann (Literary Lust) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had to take a long moment in order to cry all the tears before writing this review. The Wanderer is a beautiful and thought-provoking story. One that I know will stay with me forever.

I’m struggling to find the right words to express my feelings without giving any of the storyline away. I never read a synopsis, as I prefer to read books without any inkling as to what the story will be about. I only knew that this was a Young Adult paranormal novel and I absolutely loved discovering everything for myself. I found myself lost in the story almost immediately, and I cherished feeling the many different emotions that this narrative brought out in me.

My heart hurt for Maggie. At the age of 15 she has already experienced so much in her short life and I could understand why she found herself struggling socially with others - especially forming relationships with those who are there to support and be there for her. I couldn't stop myself from worrying about her because I feared how much learning the truth about Ryder would affect her, and the last thing I wanted was for her to experience more heartache.

I love Ryder. His selfless actions at the beginning of the story finds him in a position that he truly regrets being in, and oh how my heart broke for him too. I completely understood the reasons behind his actions throughout the story, even though at times, as I’ve already mentioned, I was anxious about how some of his decisions would affect Maggie and also, I found myself concerned about how they were affecting Charlie too.

The Wanderer is so much more than just a paranormal romance narrative. It is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, emotional and unique story that touched me in many ways. I loved that my mind considered all the possibilities of how this storyline may possibly unfold, however I never imagined the wonderful conclusion that the author gave us. I would love to read Jade's story one day, but if it never happens then I am happy with my own thoughts regarding what happens next for her.

This is Josie Williams’ debut novel and I award The Wanderer 5 must-read stars. I’m already looking forward to her next novel being published and, in the meantime, I will certainly be reading this superb story again.

[Kirsty Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I loved this. The characters of Maggie and Ryder are so compelling and it makes you really root for them. Maggie has certainly been through a lot in life and Ryder hasn’t had the easiest ride in the afterlife.

Giving me echoes of films Casper, Ghost and Everyday (by David Levithan) this book is perfect for this time of year and I challenge you not to fall for Maggie as hard as Ryder does.

I liked that the ethics of lots of aspects were explored too – stalking, body snatching, consent and so on – That’s not to say our two lovebirds act perfectly- they are teens falling in first love after all but there is a real humanity to both of them.

The side characters also feel super real and part of me hopes we might get more in this ‘world’ from author Josie Williams.

Dealing with love, loss, grief and ghosts this is a perfect read for the season and now I want to go and watch a whole load of spooky films. I can’t believe I don’t own Casper in proper DVD so will be rectifying that asap! If you want to know why I picked Die Hard for the background and see if Maggie and Ryder’s 5 year plan comes true then you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

A huge thanks to Karen, Firefly and the author for the gifted book for the purposes of an honest review. Do check out my blog Books, Occupation… Magic! at http://www.Kirstyes.co.uk for a character Q&A and the other spots on the tour – some fab fellow bloggers and superb humans taking part in this one.

[houskaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heh, tak já už nevím. Smíšené pocity zas mám. Bylo to hezké, smutné a tak, ale hrozně předvídatelné.
Šla jsem do knihy naslepo a tak jsem neměla žádná očekávání. A bylo to úplně něco jiného, než co mě podle obálky napadlo.
Co musím uznat, dost originální nápad (nevyhledávám smutné knížky takže nevím, jestli něco podobného již neexistuje).
Postavy mi přišli fajn, hlavně Maggie. Jade mi bylo strašně líto.

[Louise Bookmac82 Mackin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Have you ever wondered what happens when you die, well The Wanderer definitely gives an interesting theory as to what might.
This book was so imaginative and full of wonder, such a page turner.
I love reading something a bit different and it always amazes me how people think these things up.
This story was very engaging and the characters very likeable. I'd high recommend it.

[Kim Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I knew it was a paranormal romance but other than that I went into it blindly. Let me tell you it blew me away. I picked the book up to read a chapter or two before tea time and didn’t put it down until I was finished.

My heart broke for Ryder. He made a selfless decision when he passed away out of his love for his family and lost his chance to move into the light. Now he’s wandering around in the world and no living person can see him.

Maggie is alive but she’s also wondering through life alone. Her only family being her Nan that is now having to live in a care home.

When Maggie is in danger Ryder makes a last minute split decision and saves her life. Only Maggie doesn’t know it’s actually Ryder and she doesn’t even know who Ryder is.

The Wanderer is such a touching, heartfelt romance that you won’t want to put down. Josie Williams has penned this novel with so much emotion it just jumps off the pages and pulls you in. I felt how the story ended was utter perfection. I spent a lot of time thinking of possible outcomes but I would not have guessed how it actually panned out.

This book is aimed at young adults but I really feel adults of all ages would love it too as it’s so unique. Cannot recommend this book enough I so hope we see more like this from Josie Williams. Five stars!

[Dani (Dani Reviews Things) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: loss of family, growing up in care, attempted suicide, cancer, dementia, death of children

THE WANDERER is a hard book to categorise. The main characters are teenagers, and they go to school and fall in love, so technically this is a YA romance. But there's also a weight to this book, and bittersweet quality, that puts it in a grey area if you follow the definition of a romance.

A quick premise: Ryder dies but ends up "wandering" instead of passing on to whatever comes next. He comes across Maggie in a hospital and takes an interest in her, though unable to interact with her. That is, until an event teaches him how to enter someone else's body for short periods of time, during which he spends time with Maggie and falls in love. But he's dead, and she's got other things to worry about. So how can this possibly work out???

The story is (mostly) told from dual perspectives. Williams offers a very interesting idea of the "afterlife" through Ryder's chapters, while also giving us the inside scoop on his crazy ideas. From Maggie's side, we learn about her struggles in school, how lonely she is, how great of a granddaughter she is to her sick grandmother who she visits multiple times a week in a care home. Like I said before... heavy stuff.

This story is particularly for those of you who enjoy those tales you just can't see working out, until somehow the author pulls it off. It was almost torture reading the whole book and not looking ahead; I genuinely could not figure out how things could possibly work out for Maggie and Ryder! In fact, for a lot of the book, I was very much being a Jade about things (oooh "jaded" maybe?) because I wanted to shake Ryder and tell him he was being cruel to both Charlie and Maggie, stealing time away from Charlie's life while also stringing Maggie along. I was so glad Jade was there to hold Ryder to account throughout his silliness.

I loved that the book was set in a part of England I don't really know anything about (yet). I now want to visit Norwich, where I plan on being a wanderer myself, doing some people watching and making up crazy stories about people in cafes, just like Ryder and Maggie.

For some reason, this book kept making me think of the movie Casper, which was a life-altering moment for me. I remember shipping Casper and Kat during that scene at the dance, wishing Casper could come back to life for real and be with Kat. I should have known then I'd be a sucker for romance novels. But in the movie, Casper goes off with Kat's mom into the light, leaving Kat alone, while this isn't an option for Ryder.

Anyway, all that's to say, if you're looking for a YA romance that's a bit on the sad side, with ghosts to get you in the mood for Spooky Season, Josie Williams has you sorted. PLUS, she's put together a whole playlist to accompany the book. Click here for the playlist and some insights into her song choices!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

SOME SPOILER STUFF BELOW, TALKING ABOUT THE ENDING
Ok, I can't post this without speaking about the ending itself. It's taken a while for me to process it, because I couldn't figure out how I felt about it. On the one hand, I don't like that it required Maggie to die, which sort of goes against the whole HEA aspect of romance? Maybe? I couldn't think of any other way they could end up together.

Also, maybe Jade was right. Ryder messed with the way of things by saving Maggie, and the universe had to set things 'right'. Because if you have ghosts and warm, white light to take your soul away, then it's not a stretch to believe in fate. So I've accepted the sadness and am at least happy that Ryder got his HEA by going into the light with Maggie.

[Pamela Lilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a wonderfully sweet paranormal romance following Ryder Edmonds, who for want of a word is a ghost, quite possibly stuck in between heaven and earth. Having missed his slot to ‘follow the light’ he’s stuck wandering the world unable to interact with humans, interacting only with a handful of other wanderers. Whilst going about his business he comes across lone book worm Maggie, herein starts his obsession. He’ll never be able to be with her, he won’t even be able to communicate with her. Or just maybe?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. A little high school drama, a little emotional drama, and a whole lot of afterlife drama as Ryder navigates the ‘real world’. I loved him. Maggie though, had so many teenage problems, I really felt for her. She was very much lost. A sweet and addictive young adult paranormal romance. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
I found the general idea of the story intriguing but sadly this book wasn’t for me. I thought it was entertaining and I read through it pretty quickly, but it didn’t have the emotional impact I was expecting.

Stuck between life and death, Ryder spends his days wandering around unseen by the living. Alone in the world, Maggie only has her visits to her nan to look forward to. When Maggie walks into danger, Ryder breaks the number one Wanderer’s rule: he saves her life. But how can a Wanderer and a living girl ever reach their happily ever after?

The main thing which I didn’t like was that the „she‘s not like other girls“ trope is used to describe Maggie and so I was annoyed pretty early on. Maggie is portrayed as a shy, awkward, clumsy, introverted, nerdy girl who’s not conventionally pretty and doesn’t have any friends. However, Ryder ends up falling for her despite her awkwardness and clumsiness, which is seen as something special - as if „normal“ girls are never awkward and always look perfect. I wish authors would stop using the „not like other girls“ trope because it just puts girls against each other in terms of what is seen as normal behaviour. Especially since the popular girl is the stereotypical, beautiful, mean girl who laughs at Maggie because of her awkwardness and unpopularity.

Since that trope annoyed me, I didn’t really connect with the characters. I thought Ryder was rather annoying and the fact that he stalks Maggie before they officially meet made me uncomfortable. My favourite character is Jade, who is Ryder’s best friend, because she’s fierce and doesn’t shy away from telling Ryder uncomfortable truths. I liked when Jade calls Ryder „some stalker-ghost using someone else‘s body to cop a feel“.

Overall, I would say that the book has an interesting concept and I get why other people like it, but it just wasn’t for me.

My review will be posted to my Instagram account www.instagram.com/annikareads_ on Sunday.

[Josie Williams]

“The Wanderer is a gut-wrenching, epic love story that I could not put down. I was addicted and rooting for Ryder and Maggie from the start.” ~ Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Cellar and The Lake

Teenage love is epic. But falling in love with a human girl when you’re dead? Yeah, that blows.

For the last few months, Ryder has been content just to watch Maggie from afar, but one rainy night changes everything. When the girl he’s in love with is in danger, he doesn’t hesitate to save her life.

That one moment alters their destiny, and now anything is a possibility.

As the pair grow closer, Ryder struggles to keep his dark secret hidden, because there’s something Maggie doesn’t know… Ryder died five years ago.

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[Martha Dunlop]

The Wanderer is a bitter-sweet romance with wonderful characters and a fresh story that kept me turning the pages.

Ryder is a wanderer, a ghost, who has admired Maggie from afar for a long time. He is only able to interact directly with her, when he jumps into a body to stop her being run over. Having been through extraordinary experiences himself, he brings a level of care and gentleness to Maggie, that she doesn’t find anywhere else in her traumatic life.

The Wanderer explores the confusion of adolescance, and explores a common issue in a new way. The guy Maggie believes herself to be in love with appears to act one way in private, and be completely different in front of his friends. But this real-life theme is taken to a new level since the boy is really two different people: Ryder, and the body he inhabits.

We see Maggie deal with being misunderstood by everyone, and then being truly seen for the first time by someone she can never truly reach. This is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching as we continually root for the two of them to be together.

I loved this story. I really fell for both Ryder and Maggie and loved their sweet interactions, as well as their yearning for something that was continually beyond reach.

[Yu Xuan · Rating 2 out of 5]

maybe I just have high standards for the sort of books im looking for🙏 this book started off interesting, but halfway in it got so draggy. it's written in the fml and ml pov so it switches between them every chapter. so for example I'll read about a day whr ml goes out with fml in the ml pov then I'LL HAVE TO READ THE SAME THING AGAIN IN THE NEXT CHAPT BUT IN THE FML POV. this writing style is not for me. lastly, the way the fml is described by the ml is giving stalker vibes. technically he is one. idk how to say this in words but yk when you read a book and you get butterflies from the interaction the fml and ml have. I don't really get that from this book. it's really 😭 idk

[Diz Reads 4TLOReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect before reading this story, so I went in blind. What I found was a bittersweet (emphasis on the sweet) love story that is as unique as it genuine !

Ever wanted to know what happens when you die and don’t follow the light ! The Wanderer goes through the emotions and pitfalls of trusting and falling in love !

The story deals with a mirage of emotions and there was moments I felt for Maggi, especially with the confusion she had with the boy she loved.

I want to say so much, but you too need to read it to understand. A lovely story and a great read

3.5 stars

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book on Netgalley quite some time ago already. I'm not entirely sure why it took me this long to get started, but at least I'm in time for the release of this book next week. Luckily, because I think there are really a lot of people who're gonna love this book, especially the people who grew up with the more old fashioned YA stories. Not that the story is old fashioned, far from it, but it has kind of the same vibe.

The plot of the book is actually quite simple and also quite predictable. I know that not everyone sees that as a compliment or a positive thing, but in this case it fits and works. This is not a mystery, this is not an action packed story. This is the story of two people falling in love and not being able to be together. It's about the characters, about their struggles, about their lives and about the impossible future they can never share.

And because these characters are interesting and realistic the story is gripping. Of course, we mostly get to know the main two characters and their stories. We're spending quite some time in their heads and therefore we get to know them quite well. Not every detail is spelled out, there are no long info-dumps telling their entire history, but by the end of the book both of these characters feel like friends and have found their way into our hearts.

On top of that Williams lets her characters ask the right questions considering the body stealing thing. Of course, since we started caring about these characters and want them to be together, it's easy to cross a few lines here and there. After all, it's "just" a book. But Williams refuses to let us and I love that. Especially because it's one of the many details she thought about. Even though the concept seems simple, the mythology works and is very well thought out.

If there is every gonna be another story set in this "world", I'd love to read it!

[Books, Booze & Bon Voyage (Krista Webster) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wanderer is a beautiful and well written debut novel from Josie Williams. It is a young adult romance about first love, with a paranormal twist that I think any age will find immensely moving. An interesting take on what happens after we die, the author gives us an emotional, compelling and heart wrenching story which is also passionate and heart warming, I absolutely adored Maggie and Ryder who are both a bit lost and lonely. They are struggling and grieving a life that has been taken away from them.
Maggie has been brought up by her Nan after her mother died when she was younger, however, the horrible disease of dementia has now taken her. At only fifteen Maggie finds herself all alone and experiencing the foster care system, when her Nan moves into a care home. She is struggling to trust those apparently there to help her while she settles into yet another family. She is shy, clumsy and socially awkward but protects her Nan fiercely.
Ryder has been a wanderer for five years since he died aged seventeen. He made a mistake and been regretting it ever since. No-one can see him as he spends his days wandering around. He has been following Maggie for the last few months and finds her charming and quirky. He has slowly fallen in love with her but has no way of communicating with her until a situation to save her life arises and he suddenly finds a way.
Ryder knew his actions were wrong but his love for her blinded him to the consequences.
His heart was in the right place to start with and you could understand why he did what he did. Ryder showed his compassion and selflessness in his decisions and my heart went out to him as he regretted them but just couldn’t stop. As they got to know each other Maggie does become confused when it seems the guy who saved her life appears to have a split personality. I did start to worry how she would cope when she learnt the truth about Ryder as it was going to cause more heartache for her.
Will saving her life affect her future? Can the love between them ever be a possible?
The school drama was very realistic and how their relationship slowly developed was so innocent and delightful.I liked how the author gave us many possibilities for where the story would go and what would happen. Hopefully we will get Jade’s story as she was as affected by all Ryder did as much as Maggie was. For what was essentially a sad story the author interwove such warmth and happiness into it that it felt like somebody was giving me a great big hug after telling me everything is going to be alright. It left me with a smile on my face and feeling very contented with the ending. Absolutely loved it, a sweet and enjoyable book about young love.

Merged review:

The Wanderer is a beautiful and well written debut novel from Josie Williams. It is a young adult romance about first love, with a paranormal twist that I think any age will find immensely moving. An interesting take on what happens after we die, the author gives us an emotional, compelling and heart wrenching story which is also passionate and heart warming, I absolutely adored Maggie and Ryder who are both a bit lost and lonely. They are struggling and grieving a life that has been taken away from them.
Maggie has been brought up by her Nan after her mother died when she was younger, however, the horrible disease of dementia has now taken her. At only fifteen Maggie finds herself all alone and experiencing the foster care system, when her Nan moves into a care home. She is struggling to trust those apparently there to help her while she settles into yet another family. She is shy, clumsy and socially awkward but protects her Nan fiercely.
Ryder has been a wanderer for five years since he died aged seventeen. He made a mistake and been regretting it ever since. No-one can see him as he spends his days wandering around. He has been following Maggie for the last few months and finds her charming and quirky. He has slowly fallen in love with her but has no way of communicating with her until a situation to save her life arises and he suddenly finds a way.
Ryder knew his actions were wrong but his love for her blinded him to the consequences.
His heart was in the right place to start with and you could understand why he did what he did. Ryder showed his compassion and selflessness in his decisions and my heart went out to him as he regretted them but just couldn’t stop. As they got to know each other Maggie does become confused when it seems the guy who saved her life appears to have a split personality. I did start to worry how she would cope when she learnt the truth about Ryder as it was going to cause more heartache for her.
The school drama was very realistic and how their relationship slowly developed was so innocent and delightful.I liked how the author gave us many possibilities for where the story would go and what would happen. Hopefully we will get Jade’s story as she was as affected by all Ryder did as much as Maggie was. For what was essentially a sad story the author interwove such warmth and happiness into it that it felt like somebody was giving me a great big hug after telling me everything is going to be alright. It left me with a smile on my face and feeling very contented with the ending. Absolutely loved it, a sweet and enjoyable book.

[Agnieszka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sama historia dosyć ciekawa.
Zakończenia się spodziewałam poniekąd, jednak i tak łezka się w oku zakręciła. Lubię takie zakończenia, ale mimo wszytko wkurzyła mnie postawa głównego bohatera wobec przyjaciółki.
4/5 to lekko zawyżona ocena.

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starsznie trzymała w napięciu.
Nie wierze, w to zakończenie
Nie wierze

[Laura Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book out of my usual genre,but thoroughly enjoyed it. I read it because of the author. Definitely worth a read

[Shonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Wanderer” is Josie Williams debut novel and it was absolutely fantastic! This book is aimed at a younger audience but I believe it’s a book that can be enjoyed by all ages. “The wanderer” is a heart warming love story between two souls that simply cannot be. I fell completely in love with Ryder and Maggie’s story and I was hooked right from the very first page. Josie Williams did an outstanding job with this phenomenal story and I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. If you enjoy heart warming love story with a PNR twist that will give you ALL THE FEELS then I highly recommend you pick this book up now! This is an absolute MUST READ

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
FIVE STARS ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Leebecki Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book, I was gripped from the start. Joise you made me hold my breath and even cry. I can’t wait to read more of your books.

[Juliann Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody likes feeling alone, which is why it's so important to find someone you can confide in and enjoy being around. However, that can be tough when one of you is a dead wanderer possessing a body of a boy while the other has no idea and thinks the boy has some type of duel personality because he only talks to her when they're alone.

That's what happens in this book. Ryder has been dead for five years wandering around. He sees Maggie for the first time when she brings her grandmother into the hospital and is immediately intrigued. When an incident happens where he figures out that he can possess the body of her classmate, Charlie, and get to talk to Maggie, he does it whenever he can. But Maggie deserves more than a dead boyfriend and Charlie, even though he's a jerk, deserves to not have his body taken over every day.

It's impossible for them to truly be together, but that doesn't take away from the relationship that they form. They're finally seen by one another, but how long can it last? Watching them navigate the limitations of each of their worlds was heartbreaking because I just wanted them to be together. Mostly I wanted Ryder to be able to give Maggie the biggest hug as himself instead of as Charlie.

This book is a highly entertaining YA paranormal romance that kept me wondering, How is this going to work out? The ending made my jaw drop. I'm still processing as you read this.

[Donna Darcey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, what a sweet, beautiful story. Maggie a gorgeous soul over looked by everyone around her apart from her Nan and Ryder. He sees the special person she is inside and out, growing more in love with her every day. Ryder looks out for Maggie in his own way, borrowing and begging when needed!
Josie, you had me laughing with them, smiling with them through the cute moments and crying with them through the struggles. This is simply a beautiful book, written beautifully, the love story that flows is both beautiful and heart breaking. I just adore Maggie and Ryder.

[Charlotte Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written love story, I was totally gripped. I just wanted to see what would happen and how it would play out. If you like Young Adult stories that are very well written with characters you can't help but love then this is totally the story you need. Ryder will steal your heart ❤

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rzadko sięgam po literaturę młodzieżową. Wychodzę z założenia, że mając kilkadziesiąt lat na karku to trochę już nie wypada, że nie przystoi łapać się za tytuły przeznaczone wiekowo dla mojej córki. Czasami jednak coś mnie podkusi, jakiś chochlik przekona, że tym razem warto odszukać w sobie wewnętrzne dziecko albo chociaż romantyczną nastolatkę, marzącą o wielkiej miłości.

Kiedy zatem nadarzyła się okazja do zapoznania się z tekstem Josie Williams „Zagubiony” pomyślałam sobie: „a co mi szkodzi”. Uzbrojona zatem w dużą dozę tolerancji i mierząc siły na zamiary dałam się ponieść opowieści o nastoletnim uczuciu przez duże U.

Od samego początku było wiadomo, że nie będzie to zwykła, przyziemna historia w stylu licealnego love story. Z prostego powodu - główny bohater – Ryder, ma wprawdzie naście lat i wydawać by się mogło całe życie przed sobą, gdyby nie fakt, że w chwili, gdy poznajemy jego postać szybko wychodzi na jaw, że owo życie właśnie mu się zakończyło w wyniku nieszczęśliwego wypadku z jego udziałem. Kilka niedokończonych kwestii sprawia jednak, że choć opuścił on ziemski padół i miał szansę podążyć w stronę mistycznego światła, coś go jedną nogą wciąż ciągnęło do ziemskich spraw, a tym samym utknął w przestrzeni między dwoma wymiarami. A że w próżni nikt nie lubi bezczynnie siedzieć to on, jak i jemu podobni otrzymali doniosłe zadanie do wykonania – mają pomóc tym, których świeczka życia już wygasa, aby oni spokojnie mogli opuścić dotychczasowe, często nieszczęśliwe życie.

W ten oto sposób Ryder, choć niewidoczny dla ludzi, gro czasu spędza w hospicjach i domach spokojnej starości ujawniając swą obecność na chwilę przed śmiercią swych podopiecznych. W ten oto sposób poznaje piętnastoletnią Maggie. Rudowłosa, uroczo niezdarna dziewczyna staje się jego skrytą miłością i choć los nigdy miał ich nie połączyć kilka zbiegów okoliczności i nieprzewidziane sytuacje, a zwłaszcza konieczność uratowania dziewczynie życia, w literalnym tego słowa znaczeniu, sprawiają, że Ryder musi pokonać brak swej fizyczności, a tym samym…

Tu niestety bieg dalszej akcji zawieszę, żeby nie zdradzać dalszych szczegółów, żeby nie psuć przyjemności wszystkim tym, którzy chcieli by jednak przenieść się w świat tej odrobinę magicznej, nieco nadprzyrodzonej opowieści. Nie ma bowiem co ukrywać, że jest to bardzo przyjemna i lekka lektura, która nie tylko daje dużo wytchnienia od codziennej rzeczywistości, ale budzi też taką romantyczną nutę, przypominając o pięknie młodzieńczych porywów serca zwanych zakochaniem. Tych chwil kiedy to motyle w brzuchu łaskoczą skrzydłami równie intensywnie co spływające z oczu potoki łez, kiedy choćby drobne rysy pojawiają się na miłosnym szkle. Te emocje pięknie oddaje autorka, podobnie jak z równą gracją traktuje o ostateczności, o kresie istnienia, o nieuchronności śmierci, o bólu, który wiąże się ze stratą i konieczności pogodzenia się z brakiem.

Opowiadając historię Rydera i Maggie autorka zatem nie tylko wprowadza czytelnika w ciepłe i chwytające za serce young adult, ale te dodaje do tej opowieści pierwiastek edukacyjny w postaci uwrażliwienia na ważne życiowe kwestie, które pieczętują życie każdego człowieka. W końcu nie od dziś wiadomo, że śmierć i podatki to jedyne stałe. Polecam zatem lekturę tej książki, zaświadczając, że bez obaw, bez względu na wiek można po nią sięgnąć, a czas spędzony na jej czytaniu nie będzie czasem straconym.

[ksiazkolub.pospolity · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5
Historia siedemnastoletniego Rydera, który nie żyje od pięciu lat i błąka się po świecie niewidzialny, gdyż utknął między życiem, a śmiercią i piętnastoletniej Maggie, która po tym jak została sama - nigdy nie poznała ojca, matka zmarła, a babcia cierpi na demencję - z trudem odnajduje się w kolejnej rodzinie zastępczej była boleśnie rozczarowująca. Potencjał był ogromny. Autorka pokusiła się o niezwykle ciekawy temat. Bo kto nigdy nie zastanawiał się nad tym, co czeka nas po śmierci? Liczyłam na fabułę, która wciągnie mnie bez reszty, o której nie będę mogła przestać myśleć, która będzie ciekawa, przejmująca, poruszająca... Dostałam coś odwrotnego, a wszystko dopełniał słaby i prosty (aż za bardzo) styl. Brakuje rozbudowania, naprawdę niewiele dowiadujemy się o bohaterach, przez co trudno było mi poczuć względem nich cokolwiek. Byli mi obojętni. Do samego końca.

Ryder poznaje Maggie przypadkiem, gdy odwiedza szpital. Bez zdradzania szczegółów mogę powiedzieć, że to jego sposób na to, by znów chociaż na chwilę poczuć się widzialny. Babcia Maggie trafiła tam po udarze. Dziewczyna jest cicha, samotna i określana inną niż wszystkie (niemal zazgrzytałam zębami, gdy przeczytałam ten fragment. Nie obyło się też od przewrócenia oczami). Od tego czasu Ryder towarzyszy jej spotkaniom z babcią, odprowadza dziewczynę do domu, generalnie zawsze, kiedy może, jest obok niej. Choć Maggie oczywiście nie jest tego świadoma. Pewnego dnia Maggie omal nie ginie pod kołami samochodu, gdy nieuważnie wchodzi na drogę. Jednak Ryder przejmuje ciało przechodzącego chłopaka i ratuje dziewczynę. Nagina tym wszelkie zasady. I po raz pierwszy ma rzeczywisty kontakt z dziewczyną, w której się zakochał. Szybko się okazuje, że gdy już zaznaje tej znajomość naprawdę, nie łatwo będzie mu z niej zrezygnować. Nie kiedy poczuł jej zapach, dotyk. Kiedy może z nią rozmawiać...

Akcja płynie bardzo powoli, niewiele się dzieje, skupiamy się na kolejnych spotkaniach Maggie z Ryderem, a właściwie chłopakiem, który ją uratował przed śmiercią. Mam wrażenie, że najważniejszy wątek, czyli ten duchów, czy ogólniej mówiąc życia po śmierci został potraktowany trochę po macoszemu. Niby cały czas czytamy o Ryderze, który jest ucieleśnieniem tego wątku, ale równocześnie nie uważam, by autorka przedstawiła to w sposób satysfakcjonujący. Kreacja bohaterów, w szczególności właśnie Rydera jako ducha jest bardzo słaba. A pole do popisu było ogromne. Niestety nie zostało wykorzystane. Historia porusza trudne tematy (śmierć, żałobę, samotność, chorobę). To na plus. Szkoda tylko, że temat rodziny zastępczej nie został trochę bardziej rozwinięty.

To bardzo niewinna i delikatna historia pierwszej miłości. W moim odczuciu nudna. Rozumiem młody wiek bohaterów, pierwsze zauroczenie, ale ta dwójka niewiele sobą reprezentowała. On był samotnym duchem, ona była szarą myszką, również samotną. Byli nijacy. Maggie może nie tak bardzo, jak Ryder, ale wciąż to słabo rozbudowana postać.
Zakończenie... Ech, szkoda mi już słów. Pojawiło się trochę konkretniejszej akcji, ale rozwiązanie jakie wybrała autorka bardzo mi się nie podobało.

"Zagubiony" może być fajną książką dla kogoś kto zaczyna przygodę z podobną tematyką albo po prostu z młodzieżówkami. Generalnie jednak nie polecam. Nie warto. Lepiej od razu sięgać po lepsze historie.

[book_matula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dziś jedna z wyjątkowych książek, jakie przyszło mi czytać, ale zanim przejdę do kornetu pytanie do was?! Mamy tutaj fanów filmu „Uwierz w ducha” ja podnoszę rękę i uprzedzam, że będzie uczuciowo. Książka nie tylko dla młodzieży, lecz i dorosły przypomni sobie jak bardzo nasze życie jest kruche. Muszę być szczera, bo miałam dwa podejścia do tej książki. Staram się nie odrzucać książki, tylko dlatego, że danego dnia nie miałam klimatu na czytanie jej, a innego niby coś chciałam przeczytać, ale to nie to. W niczym nie ujmuje to książce po prostu od czasu do czasu mam takie wahania co do zdecydowania się na kontentą pozycją.
Kto z was, choć raz w życiu nie zastanawiał się co dzieje się z nami po śmierci? Czy istnieje jakieś życie po życiu? Ja cały czas tak mam i jestem „team wierząca w kolejne coś po śmierci”, ale mamy jeszcze sporo czasu, żeby się przekonać. Przedstawiam wam piętnastoletnią Maggie, która straciła rodziców, a jedyna babcia, jaka jeszcze życie ma demencję i jest w szpitalu, który odwiedza tak często, jak to możliwe. Uwaga jest i On, czyli Ryder, który pewnego dnia ratuje dziewczynie życie. Podkochuje się w niej i tutaj ktoś powie/napisze, że taka historia jak ich wiele aleee… Wszystko byłoby ok, gdyby pewien szkopuł?! Nasz bohater nie żyje od 5 lat. Na pytanie, jak to możliwe odpowiecie sobie sami, bo nie pozbawię was tego zaszczytu.
Książka z gatunku tych romantycznych, paranormalnych, jak i takich życiowych, bo w pewnym momencie jak przychodzi co do czego, to nagle okazuje się, że ktoś naszych bliskich umiera, a my zadręczamy się tym, że przez całe życie goniliśmy za czymś, co jest niedoścignione. Jutro zawsze będzie, ale wczoraj już nigdy. Zanim powiesz mamie, tacie, komuś ok to zgadamy się z czasem, jutro będę, dziś nie mam czasu powiedź ok za chwilę będę.
Co jesteś w stanie zrobić, żeby tylko przybliżyć się do ukochanej osoby? Ile poświęcisz dla jeden minuty patrzenia sobie w oczy? Czy miłość pokona życie, jak i zawieszenie między światami? (czy jak ten stan unieruchomienia między życiem a śmiercią nazwać) Tę książkę zostawię na „kiedyś” dla mojej córki. Teraz mamy ten czas, w którym bardziej zastanawiamy się nad tym, jak szybko tracimy tych, których kochamy! Doceniajmy każdą sekundę życie, każdy kontakt, dotyk, bliskość z kimś, kto jest nam bliski. Jestem pod mega wrażeniem, mimo że takich książek jest już trochę na rynku wydawniczym to uważam, że warto mieć tę pozycję.

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

I try not to be too critical in my reviews because I understand that authors have poured their heart out into their books but honestly, this book did not do it for me at all. I do think other people will like it but it just wasnt my cup of tea.

The pros-
- Williams is a good writer; for a debut novel she shows off skill however I think the problem lay with the plot itself
- the premise was really interesting
- I liked the relationship between Maggie and her gran

And the cons -
- I didn't connect to any of the characters. I thought ryder was so selfish from beginning to end and I didn't like how he justified his actions and I wasn't a fan of "I'm not like other girls" mentality that both Maggie and ryder had
- the writing itself felt similar to that of early percy jackson books in that it was aimed at slightly younger audiences but there was a fair amount of swearing?? I don't know but It just felt off.
- the idea of being a Wanderer is so interesting and could ha e been explored more deeply but it felt pushed to the side for the romance
- the love story aspect also just felt weird.... ryder bordered on obsessed and possessive and also I get that he stays the same age when he dies but he's still 5 years older than her? It just felt a bit dodgy
- there was a really strange dynamic between Maggie and her Foster parents and I understood where it was coming from but it was just frustrating and unsatisfying without a conclusion
- the ending felt really rushed and unsatisfying
- and there were parts of the book that just genuinely felt painful to read.

I do think there is an audience for this book but I am not one of them.

[✨️ Kim ✨️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first ebook I've borrowed from the library since getting my library card last year, and it was a bit of a random choice for me. I went onto the Libby app and looked at recently added books, the cover of The Wanderer stood out to me and after reading the synopsis I decided to give it a go - though I was a little apprehensive about the death theme after unexpectedly losing an Auntie last October and knowing my Nanny has incurable cancer (f*ck that disease).
I found The Wanderer to be an interesting take on death and the afterlife, I'm unsure if I believe in it myself, I'd like to think there's something after death and not just nothing, but I'd never thought about it in the way it's presented by the author.
I was very torn about Ryder's character, on the one hand he's very clearly in love with Maggie and I felt sorry for him that he was unable to let her know, but on the other hand some of his behaviour was quite creepy despite the fact that he was dead, if he'd been alive he'd never have gotten away with it. Maggie I also felt sorry for, she was pining after another boy, and the events of the book led her to believe he was falling for her too but ultimately it wasn't really him.
It has been a long time since a book made me cry real tears, but this one did it, the scenes towards the end with Maggie and her Grandmother were heartwrenching.
Overall The Wanderer was wonderfully written, and gave a different perspective on what may happen after death, I thoroughly enjoyed it!