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The Wild Dark
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Raleigh has lost everything: her job as a police detective, her partner, her fiancé, and her peace of mind. After a month of solitude at a cabin in the woods, she finally feels as though she’s ready to move on.
But in one terrifying night, everything changes. Liz's partner, Brody, appears in the form of a ghost. He's one of millions that have returned to haunt their loved ones. Brody can't remember how he died and Liz is determined to keep the secret of it buried, for it means dredging up crushing memories. Along with him comes an unearthly forest purgatory that swallows up every sign of human civilization across the world. The woods are fraught with disturbing architecture and monstrous wolves hungry for human souls. Brody says he escaped from them and that the wolves are trying to drag him and others ghosts back.
As winter closes in and chaos erupts across New England, Liz fights desolation, resurfacing guilt, and absolute terror as she tries to survive one of the most brutal winters she's ever seen.
But in one terrifying night, everything changes. Liz's partner, Brody, appears in the form of a ghost. He's one of millions that have returned to haunt their loved ones. Brody can't remember how he died and Liz is determined to keep the secret of it buried, for it means dredging up crushing memories. Along with him comes an unearthly forest purgatory that swallows up every sign of human civilization across the world. The woods are fraught with disturbing architecture and monstrous wolves hungry for human souls. Brody says he escaped from them and that the wolves are trying to drag him and others ghosts back.
As winter closes in and chaos erupts across New England, Liz fights desolation, resurfacing guilt, and absolute terror as she tries to survive one of the most brutal winters she's ever seen.
363 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2021
19 people are currently reading
3635 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Silva
22 books173 followersKatherine Silva is an ace Maine horror author, a connoisseur of coffee, and victim of cat shenanigans. Her favorite flavors of the genre mix grief and existentialism which she combines with her love of the New England wilderness in her works. She is a three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction. Katherine is also editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. You can find out all about her work at katherinesilvaauthor.com.
For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com
For event booking or questions, please email Katherine at kasilva@katherinesilvaauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 17, 2023
This was a solid book all the way through. The characters were imperfect in their flaws yet relatable. The story had so many layers it was gripping from beginning to end. It was an apocalyptic, creature feature with believable relationships. The author's writing style is superb, detailed and descriptive, yet not bogged down by excessive prose. Extremely well done.
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May 6, 2022Please note, I do not rate on Goodreads.
The Wild Dark drew me in from the outset and sustained my interest throughout. At first it read more like crime/suspense fiction than horror, and those elements felt authentic due to the MC (Liz) being a law enforcement officer. Liz's character was very believable, a blend of toughness and attitude but with caring qualities, too. The whole story blends genres and that's all right by me. I enjoy genre-blending.
I thought the relationship between Liz and Brody was very well portrayed and touching...the grief, the guilt, and the inevitable self-destruction it causes.
I also enjoyed the forest wilderness setting and the mood created by the creeping dread. The dual timeline worked well, too, and kept me guessing about what led to Brody's death.
Original and thoroughly enjoyable!
The Wild Dark drew me in from the outset and sustained my interest throughout. At first it read more like crime/suspense fiction than horror, and those elements felt authentic due to the MC (Liz) being a law enforcement officer. Liz's character was very believable, a blend of toughness and attitude but with caring qualities, too. The whole story blends genres and that's all right by me. I enjoy genre-blending.
I thought the relationship between Liz and Brody was very well portrayed and touching...the grief, the guilt, and the inevitable self-destruction it causes.
I also enjoyed the forest wilderness setting and the mood created by the creeping dread. The dual timeline worked well, too, and kept me guessing about what led to Brody's death.
Original and thoroughly enjoyable!
February 3, 2023
“Souls are no longer recycled. They’ve escaped. Existence is at a standstill. Death is meaningless. Life is meaningless.”
Wild is the right adjective for this book, there is a lot going on. This is an intricate story with a lot of depth and every time you think that something crazy is happening, something new comes along and cranks up the WTF meter. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor so many times.
What makes this such a good read is Katherine’s writing style. It is so easy going, you quickly become lost in the flow and the pages just melt away.
The Wild Dark is nothing like you expected, nothing like what you could imagine. It is filled with more than can be labeled in one horror sub genre. Eco, isolation, ghosts, monsters, cosmic/religious, and even a friendship romance defying all odds and boundaries.
Emotions drip off every page. Shocking heart ache, unbelievable happiness, dread, tension, loneliness, curiosity, and a fear of trusting anyone
There are so many fantastic visual images and descriptions that I can’t help but think of what a great illustrated special edition this would make.
Wild is the right adjective for this book, there is a lot going on. This is an intricate story with a lot of depth and every time you think that something crazy is happening, something new comes along and cranks up the WTF meter. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor so many times.
What makes this such a good read is Katherine’s writing style. It is so easy going, you quickly become lost in the flow and the pages just melt away.
The Wild Dark is nothing like you expected, nothing like what you could imagine. It is filled with more than can be labeled in one horror sub genre. Eco, isolation, ghosts, monsters, cosmic/religious, and even a friendship romance defying all odds and boundaries.
Emotions drip off every page. Shocking heart ache, unbelievable happiness, dread, tension, loneliness, curiosity, and a fear of trusting anyone
There are so many fantastic visual images and descriptions that I can’t help but think of what a great illustrated special edition this would make.
May 10, 2023
A Haunting Read
What would you do if you found yourself in a purgatory of sorts? That’s the question Katherine Silva invites us to explore in her fantastic novel, “The Wild Dark.” This is my first book by Katherine but it won’t be my last, especially since I’ve snapped up all of her other books in the series. Katherine packs a lot into “The Wild Dark.” A strange, haunting forest which appears out of nowhere and continues to expand menacingly. Ghosts who may or may not be friendly. A world gone mad, and a relationship triangle, you won’t believe, that pulls at all your emotions. Who will survive “The Wild Dark?” You’ll have to read it to find out. Highly recommended.
What would you do if you found yourself in a purgatory of sorts? That’s the question Katherine Silva invites us to explore in her fantastic novel, “The Wild Dark.” This is my first book by Katherine but it won’t be my last, especially since I’ve snapped up all of her other books in the series. Katherine packs a lot into “The Wild Dark.” A strange, haunting forest which appears out of nowhere and continues to expand menacingly. Ghosts who may or may not be friendly. A world gone mad, and a relationship triangle, you won’t believe, that pulls at all your emotions. Who will survive “The Wild Dark?” You’ll have to read it to find out. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2021
Wow! The Wild Dark is an action packed page turner. Silva has created quite a crazy ride in this apocalyptic tale of soul-eating wolves and forests coming to life in ways you won't want to miss. Scene after scene will keep you guessing what insanity is coming next, what dangers lurk around the next dark corner of this savage new world. Join Liz, the strong female protagonist of The Wild Dark, as she faces every life-threatening challenge with a fierce will to survive and a heart driven to protect others no matter what the cost.
July 14, 2023
Review originally on JamReads
The Wild Dark is a horror novel, the first in the Wild Oblivion series, written by Katherine Silva. A novel that treats an end-of-the-world situation in two levels, following Liz, a main character whose whole life was ruined a month before, and that will have to deal with the consequences of a cataclysm that will change the world when she was almost ready to come back to civilization.
After a month of solitude at a cabin in the woods, Liz feels she's ready to pass the page, and to try to rebuild her life, but in one terrifying night everything changes. Her former partner, Brody, appears in the form of a ghost, unable to remember how he died; Liz is determined to not tell him.
Millions of ghosts have returned and are haunting their beloved ones. And with this, the forest has become a purgatory, plagued by monstrous wolves hunting for human souls, destroying the civilization with its expansion.
In this situation, Liz will be forced to fight not only with those literal demons, but also with her inner ones, as the guilt and fear she's feeling. Using a dual timeline, Silva manages to make the reader a participant in rebuilding what happened in Liz's past, and why she's experiencing all those conflicting feelings with the apparition of Brody.
To add more spice to the mix, humans will also show their true faces in this extreme situation; Liz will have to move carefully and plan each new step if she wants to know what happened to her beloved ones. In the middle of the worst winter New England has experienced.
Using Maine as a setting seems a logical decision looking at Katherine Silva's origins, and she makes great use of it. While the novel starts being closer to a thriller/crime story, partly due to Liz's past as police, the horror atmosphere slowly wraps you, becoming really oppressive at some points. Tension never abandons you, from the start to the end, making this a great experience. Action scenes are written in a really clear way, making you able to visualize perfectly what's happening in those moments.
In a style that somehow remembers me of King's books, Silva has created a really deep character in the figure of Liz, and, by extension, on Brody. A big chunk of the book is spent digging into the mind of our characters, helping us to understand their decisions; and all of this work in some characters ends up creating a big payoff when the story progresses.
The Wild Dark is a great horror novel, blending post-apocalyptic horror with crime/thriller at some points. A perfect entry that only leaves me wanting to read The Wild Fall as soon as possible!
The Wild Dark is a horror novel, the first in the Wild Oblivion series, written by Katherine Silva. A novel that treats an end-of-the-world situation in two levels, following Liz, a main character whose whole life was ruined a month before, and that will have to deal with the consequences of a cataclysm that will change the world when she was almost ready to come back to civilization.
After a month of solitude at a cabin in the woods, Liz feels she's ready to pass the page, and to try to rebuild her life, but in one terrifying night everything changes. Her former partner, Brody, appears in the form of a ghost, unable to remember how he died; Liz is determined to not tell him.
Millions of ghosts have returned and are haunting their beloved ones. And with this, the forest has become a purgatory, plagued by monstrous wolves hunting for human souls, destroying the civilization with its expansion.
In this situation, Liz will be forced to fight not only with those literal demons, but also with her inner ones, as the guilt and fear she's feeling. Using a dual timeline, Silva manages to make the reader a participant in rebuilding what happened in Liz's past, and why she's experiencing all those conflicting feelings with the apparition of Brody.
To add more spice to the mix, humans will also show their true faces in this extreme situation; Liz will have to move carefully and plan each new step if she wants to know what happened to her beloved ones. In the middle of the worst winter New England has experienced.
Using Maine as a setting seems a logical decision looking at Katherine Silva's origins, and she makes great use of it. While the novel starts being closer to a thriller/crime story, partly due to Liz's past as police, the horror atmosphere slowly wraps you, becoming really oppressive at some points. Tension never abandons you, from the start to the end, making this a great experience. Action scenes are written in a really clear way, making you able to visualize perfectly what's happening in those moments.
In a style that somehow remembers me of King's books, Silva has created a really deep character in the figure of Liz, and, by extension, on Brody. A big chunk of the book is spent digging into the mind of our characters, helping us to understand their decisions; and all of this work in some characters ends up creating a big payoff when the story progresses.
The Wild Dark is a great horror novel, blending post-apocalyptic horror with crime/thriller at some points. A perfect entry that only leaves me wanting to read The Wild Fall as soon as possible!
June 26, 2023
The Wild Dark by Katherine Silva is a supernatural horror tale where the forest is overtaking the land, bringing darkness along with it. And within that darkness, there are more horrors than just the wolves that have been spotted.
There wasn’t a minute of this read that I relaxed back and just enjoyed the calm. Even in lighter moments, you could feel the shadows closing in on you, ready to sink their claws back in with another terrifying moment.
Horror fans and supernatural fans alike are sure to love this!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-w...
There wasn’t a minute of this read that I relaxed back and just enjoyed the calm. Even in lighter moments, you could feel the shadows closing in on you, ready to sink their claws back in with another terrifying moment.
Horror fans and supernatural fans alike are sure to love this!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-w...
October 24, 2021
I want to thank the author for gift of this ARC when it was one (it’s since been released). My review is my own.
Purgatory has been unleashed and the ghosts are coming back into the world, bound to the with the people who means the most to them. Only they can see the ghostly soul that’s come back into their lives. For good or bad. This triggers an end of the world scenario where most of the worlds population are driven to madness, murder, suicide or capture by a thin government agency studying the “Illness”.
Elizabeth “Liz” Raleigh holes up in a rustic cabin in back woods in remote New Hampshire to be alone after the death of her police partner Brody. Already stung by the break up with her fiancé Josh. Liz removes herself from contact from the world before she returns home to Maine.
Soon she begins seeing someone around her cabin.
No spoilers as the world begins to end and Liz is faced with almost impossible task of getting back to her home town and come to grips to what is happening, not only to her but by everyone she meets.
At first, I was mildly annoyed but how much love story vibes I was getting here. The action is amazing, characters you care about, terrifying monsters but it seemed the story stayed so focused on these complicated internal relationships (especially if a ghost has become bound to you). You don’t know the WHY it’s happening. The Forest, ever edging closer, holds the answers.
You don’t get these answers because book 2 is in the works. What you have is the framework and back story for a longer adventure. So when you’re reading, enjoy the ride your on for now and know more answers are coming.
Add to your TBR, it’s worth it to take the time to leap into this journey . Enjoy!
Purgatory has been unleashed and the ghosts are coming back into the world, bound to the with the people who means the most to them. Only they can see the ghostly soul that’s come back into their lives. For good or bad. This triggers an end of the world scenario where most of the worlds population are driven to madness, murder, suicide or capture by a thin government agency studying the “Illness”.
Elizabeth “Liz” Raleigh holes up in a rustic cabin in back woods in remote New Hampshire to be alone after the death of her police partner Brody. Already stung by the break up with her fiancé Josh. Liz removes herself from contact from the world before she returns home to Maine.
Soon she begins seeing someone around her cabin.
No spoilers as the world begins to end and Liz is faced with almost impossible task of getting back to her home town and come to grips to what is happening, not only to her but by everyone she meets.
At first, I was mildly annoyed but how much love story vibes I was getting here. The action is amazing, characters you care about, terrifying monsters but it seemed the story stayed so focused on these complicated internal relationships (especially if a ghost has become bound to you). You don’t know the WHY it’s happening. The Forest, ever edging closer, holds the answers.
You don’t get these answers because book 2 is in the works. What you have is the framework and back story for a longer adventure. So when you’re reading, enjoy the ride your on for now and know more answers are coming.
Add to your TBR, it’s worth it to take the time to leap into this journey . Enjoy!
August 11, 2021
Imagine this: you're hanging out alone in a cabin in the woods, trying to forget the truly awful events of your recent life, when out of nowhere comes:
1) a blizzard of Biblical proportions,
2) the ghost of your dead partner,
3) creepy Woods that take over the normal woods and creep across the country,
4) massive wolves seeking the souls of the dead but happy to snack on fhe flesh of the living, and
5) Oh yeah, hell has literally come to earth and society crumbles.
.
That's what you get in this massive story, and it is crazy and intense and weird and brutal and Liz, the main character, goes through enough trauma, mentally, emotionally and GOOD LORD physically to kill a T-Rex ten times over and somehow she keeps going.
.
From the snow-buried woods of Maine to the bizarre monoliths of The Woods, through deserted towns and horrific secret government facilities, this story starts out with a bang and then snowballs in to a truly original post-apocalyptic tale in which absolutely nothing and no one can be trusted and then...leaves the reader hungry for more because IT'S THE FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES and there are so many questions still unanswered.
.
Ok, sorry, have to calm myself down now.
.
Anyway, this was a great story, horror and fantasy and a bit of sci-fi all rolled together into one great big ball of painful, bizarre, unbelievable goodness. I definitely will be reading the next one ASAP.
1) a blizzard of Biblical proportions,
2) the ghost of your dead partner,
3) creepy Woods that take over the normal woods and creep across the country,
4) massive wolves seeking the souls of the dead but happy to snack on fhe flesh of the living, and
5) Oh yeah, hell has literally come to earth and society crumbles.
.
That's what you get in this massive story, and it is crazy and intense and weird and brutal and Liz, the main character, goes through enough trauma, mentally, emotionally and GOOD LORD physically to kill a T-Rex ten times over and somehow she keeps going.
.
From the snow-buried woods of Maine to the bizarre monoliths of The Woods, through deserted towns and horrific secret government facilities, this story starts out with a bang and then snowballs in to a truly original post-apocalyptic tale in which absolutely nothing and no one can be trusted and then...leaves the reader hungry for more because IT'S THE FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES and there are so many questions still unanswered.
.
Ok, sorry, have to calm myself down now.
.
Anyway, this was a great story, horror and fantasy and a bit of sci-fi all rolled together into one great big ball of painful, bizarre, unbelievable goodness. I definitely will be reading the next one ASAP.
June 20, 2023
I can be "short attention span" when it comes to reading, but this book pulled me IN. Forests teeming with wolves are bursting through highways and slowly devouring civilization, and human survivors must navigate a way through it all, but the true horror lies with the deceased, who return to haunt the loved ones they left behind. The world building here is second to none and the characters are three dimensional. Katherine Silva sets up her "Wild Oblivion" trilogy nicely. Highly recommended. Best book I've read in a while.
September 1, 2021
The Wild Dark is a wild ride! Kate Silva has written a page turner with echoes of King and Barker. A dark fairy tale in reverse, this story features a phantasmagoria of creepy beasts, haunted forests, all experienced by believable characters fighting their own personal demons. Curl up with this one on a cold autumn or winter night.
June 28, 2023
The Wild Dark by Katherine Silva
"One more night, I told myself. Then, I go home."
Genre: Apocalyptic Ghost Story
Overall (out of 5)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prose ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pacing(1=slow 5=fast)⭐⭐⭐
Character Development ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scary (1-mild 5=terrifying) ⭐⭐
Gore (1=no violence 5= gratuitous violence)⭐⭐
Atmosphere ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Library or Buy-worthy: Buy-Worthy
***Caution Spoilers Follow***
This is the most unique possession tale I've ever read and I absolutely loved it. Everybody needs to read this book. What author Katherine Silva has managed to do here is really amazing. She merged a domestic drama, survival story, dark fantasy with underworld mythology and love story together in a post apocalyptic setting SUCCESSFULLY. Her use of the uncanny to create this warped atmosphere had me enthralled from page 1.
Small-town Flintland policewoman Liz Raleigh and her partner Brody Aritza are the main characters. Through flashbacks we learn about the the characters previous life and what drove Liz to be renting a backwoods cabin alone. Ghosts, the underworld, thinning of the veil and monstrous Guardians for the dead all make this character drama so much more than expected. The timeline shifts start out easily defined. As the weirdness around Liz's vacation cabin erupts author Katherine Silva skillfully bleeds both timelines together into one unique story. It really sets the bizarre atmosphere off perfectly. I identified with Liz's character a lot and Brody's mysterious demise kept me intrigued throughout. This dystopian, paranormal mystery is not one to be overlooked.
My only criticism is that it needs some additional editing. There were a few "spellcheck inserted" errors here and there that did not affect the plotline. It's easily fixed. After finishing this book I can absolutely recommend following this author's future work. Outstanding job on this book @katherine.silva.author Now I'm on to read Hallowed Oblivion. Watch out for The Wild Fall which releases Aug 3rd.
Similar Vibe: The Strange Nighttime Journey of Father Stephen Marlowe by Ambrose Stolliker, Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer, Pines by Blake Crouch, The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon, The Hollow Places by T Kingfisher, Year One by Nora Roberts
Playlist: Across the Universe by Rufus Wainwright, Because the Night by Shirley Manson and Marissa Paternoster, I'm Not the Only One by Sam Smith, Intergalatic by Beastie Boys, Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode, I Think I'm Paranoid by Garbage, Harvest Moon by Neil Young
"Embrace the dark, it called. The wild, hungry, lonely dark."
"One more night, I told myself. Then, I go home."
Genre: Apocalyptic Ghost Story
Overall (out of 5)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Prose ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pacing(1=slow 5=fast)⭐⭐⭐
Character Development ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scary (1-mild 5=terrifying) ⭐⭐
Gore (1=no violence 5= gratuitous violence)⭐⭐
Atmosphere ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Library or Buy-worthy: Buy-Worthy
***Caution Spoilers Follow***
This is the most unique possession tale I've ever read and I absolutely loved it. Everybody needs to read this book. What author Katherine Silva has managed to do here is really amazing. She merged a domestic drama, survival story, dark fantasy with underworld mythology and love story together in a post apocalyptic setting SUCCESSFULLY. Her use of the uncanny to create this warped atmosphere had me enthralled from page 1.
Small-town Flintland policewoman Liz Raleigh and her partner Brody Aritza are the main characters. Through flashbacks we learn about the the characters previous life and what drove Liz to be renting a backwoods cabin alone. Ghosts, the underworld, thinning of the veil and monstrous Guardians for the dead all make this character drama so much more than expected. The timeline shifts start out easily defined. As the weirdness around Liz's vacation cabin erupts author Katherine Silva skillfully bleeds both timelines together into one unique story. It really sets the bizarre atmosphere off perfectly. I identified with Liz's character a lot and Brody's mysterious demise kept me intrigued throughout. This dystopian, paranormal mystery is not one to be overlooked.
My only criticism is that it needs some additional editing. There were a few "spellcheck inserted" errors here and there that did not affect the plotline. It's easily fixed. After finishing this book I can absolutely recommend following this author's future work. Outstanding job on this book @katherine.silva.author Now I'm on to read Hallowed Oblivion. Watch out for The Wild Fall which releases Aug 3rd.
Similar Vibe: The Strange Nighttime Journey of Father Stephen Marlowe by Ambrose Stolliker, Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer, Pines by Blake Crouch, The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon, The Hollow Places by T Kingfisher, Year One by Nora Roberts
Playlist: Across the Universe by Rufus Wainwright, Because the Night by Shirley Manson and Marissa Paternoster, I'm Not the Only One by Sam Smith, Intergalatic by Beastie Boys, Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode, I Think I'm Paranoid by Garbage, Harvest Moon by Neil Young
"Embrace the dark, it called. The wild, hungry, lonely dark."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2023
This was such a fabulous book, you really can’t go wrong by picking it up!
There’s fantasy, horror, a worldwide apocalyptic event, and even a bit of romance.
I loved recognizing a few characters from one of the the author’s other stories “Hallowed Oblivion” (which I also loved).
We get the narrator Liz’s story in segments; the author seamlessly ties together “Then” and “Now”. Liz has demons in her past, and now she’s fighting demon like wolves in her present. Oh, and her dead partner’s ghost is now following her around….
The writing is immersive, and you’ll find yourself trapped in snow bound cabins, running through an alien-esque forest, fighting a doctor that wants a closer look at your brain, and so much more. I truly couldn’t stop reading this book once I started. Even when I had to take a break (AKA sleep and work), it was on my mind.
I really CANNOT wait to dive into the next story in the series!!! What will happen to my fav characters!?!? I loved the end of The Wild Dark and am going to jump right into The Wild Fall!!
There’s fantasy, horror, a worldwide apocalyptic event, and even a bit of romance.
I loved recognizing a few characters from one of the the author’s other stories “Hallowed Oblivion” (which I also loved).
We get the narrator Liz’s story in segments; the author seamlessly ties together “Then” and “Now”. Liz has demons in her past, and now she’s fighting demon like wolves in her present. Oh, and her dead partner’s ghost is now following her around….
The writing is immersive, and you’ll find yourself trapped in snow bound cabins, running through an alien-esque forest, fighting a doctor that wants a closer look at your brain, and so much more. I truly couldn’t stop reading this book once I started. Even when I had to take a break (AKA sleep and work), it was on my mind.
I really CANNOT wait to dive into the next story in the series!!! What will happen to my fav characters!?!? I loved the end of The Wild Dark and am going to jump right into The Wild Fall!!
April 16, 2022
Thrilling, Epic, Apocalyptic
This story is huge; not the book's length, but the scope of the story itself. I'm talking vast. It's a fast-paced novel that grabbed me at the beginning, and only accelerated from there. This was my first read by Silva, and will not be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. Highly recommended!
This story is huge; not the book's length, but the scope of the story itself. I'm talking vast. It's a fast-paced novel that grabbed me at the beginning, and only accelerated from there. This was my first read by Silva, and will not be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. Highly recommended!
May 8, 2023
Huge thanks to Katherine for sending me a digital copy of this and the upcoming sequel, ‘The Wild Fall,’ which will be released on August 3rd, 2023. When Katherine reached out, I asked if I had to have read this before the sequel and she said it was a must, so I dove into book one, to prepare for book two.
Honestly, I’d seen this one promoted a lot and people had been raving about it, but it remained on my ‘to buy list’ for some time. I’ve got book two preordered now and will be snagging book one shortly as a thanks to her kindness.
What I liked: I went into this one fairly blind. I’d read the synopsis a while back, but I couldn’t completely remember what it was about. I knew that it involved a former cop and a sudden change in life as we know it, but other than that I didn’t re-read the synopsis beforehand, deciding to let the story take me where it wanted.
The novel follows Liz, former police officer who has isolated herself from the world following the death of her partner, Brody. As a snowstorm hits the cabin she’s at, she begins to see odd shadows in the trees and hears strange sounds.
From there, Silva does a wonderful job of creating a new type of apocalypse. Some people can see their dead loved ones. The woods begin to overtake everything and massive, blood-thirsty wolves prowl the trees. Those who can’t see their loved ones believe the others are infected, and the world’s infrastructure crumbles as nature overtakes the cities.
Liz is a damaged character, one who not only recently broke up with her long-time fiancée, but is also struggling with the death of her partner, a man she loved, and blames herself for his demise. This haunting lingers, this sorrow threatens to drag her down, but it also dictates her decisions and this makes for a great protagonist, someone who we want to root for and want to see succeed, all the while they’re making decisions that can be frustrating and head-scratching.
The ending was great. It was filled with an emotional explosion of events but also does a nice job of setting up where the sequel may very well go. It’s also a cathartic ending and taken as a singular novel, you could very well read this and consider it done and wrapped up.
What I didn’t like: The novel jumps back and forth between ‘Now’ and ‘Then.’ While it works really well to fill us in on how Liz got to where she is now and the various relationship dynamics at play between her, Josh and Brody, I found that as the novel went on, it worked to slow the pace and dampen the anxiety and tension that the ‘Now’ chapters were building. I think a lot of it could’ve been condensed and the later quarter would’ve been phenomenally paced if it was purely made up of ‘Now’ chapters.
Why you should buy this: Silva has created a really great character with Liz. You love her, you loathe her and you can’t not follow her story. The setting is fantastic and while I would’ve loved to learn more about the wolves, they worked so well to keep tension high, especially anytime the characters were outside or in the wilderness.
This was a fun take on the ‘end of the world’ trope and I’m excited to see where Silva goes in the sequel.
Honestly, I’d seen this one promoted a lot and people had been raving about it, but it remained on my ‘to buy list’ for some time. I’ve got book two preordered now and will be snagging book one shortly as a thanks to her kindness.
What I liked: I went into this one fairly blind. I’d read the synopsis a while back, but I couldn’t completely remember what it was about. I knew that it involved a former cop and a sudden change in life as we know it, but other than that I didn’t re-read the synopsis beforehand, deciding to let the story take me where it wanted.
The novel follows Liz, former police officer who has isolated herself from the world following the death of her partner, Brody. As a snowstorm hits the cabin she’s at, she begins to see odd shadows in the trees and hears strange sounds.
From there, Silva does a wonderful job of creating a new type of apocalypse. Some people can see their dead loved ones. The woods begin to overtake everything and massive, blood-thirsty wolves prowl the trees. Those who can’t see their loved ones believe the others are infected, and the world’s infrastructure crumbles as nature overtakes the cities.
Liz is a damaged character, one who not only recently broke up with her long-time fiancée, but is also struggling with the death of her partner, a man she loved, and blames herself for his demise. This haunting lingers, this sorrow threatens to drag her down, but it also dictates her decisions and this makes for a great protagonist, someone who we want to root for and want to see succeed, all the while they’re making decisions that can be frustrating and head-scratching.
The ending was great. It was filled with an emotional explosion of events but also does a nice job of setting up where the sequel may very well go. It’s also a cathartic ending and taken as a singular novel, you could very well read this and consider it done and wrapped up.
What I didn’t like: The novel jumps back and forth between ‘Now’ and ‘Then.’ While it works really well to fill us in on how Liz got to where she is now and the various relationship dynamics at play between her, Josh and Brody, I found that as the novel went on, it worked to slow the pace and dampen the anxiety and tension that the ‘Now’ chapters were building. I think a lot of it could’ve been condensed and the later quarter would’ve been phenomenally paced if it was purely made up of ‘Now’ chapters.
Why you should buy this: Silva has created a really great character with Liz. You love her, you loathe her and you can’t not follow her story. The setting is fantastic and while I would’ve loved to learn more about the wolves, they worked so well to keep tension high, especially anytime the characters were outside or in the wilderness.
This was a fun take on the ‘end of the world’ trope and I’m excited to see where Silva goes in the sequel.
Read
December 10, 2021With an endless forest purgatory arrived on earth, filled with fearsome guardians and disturbing secrets--with the ghosts of the dead walking among the living, fracturing civilization into groups fighting for survival--one woman must face her past and herself to find safety and decide how far she is willing to go to protect those she cares about.
January 7, 2022
"Purgatory was slowly taking over The Earth"
Can I wildly rant about this book? Told in two time frames "Then & Now". I gave them my own name "Before Brody Died & After Brody Died".
Where do I begin with this horror, fantasy, apocalyptic, sci-fi, thriller and a sprinkle of romance read?
Let's start with a main character who has the most calamities ever dumped on one character that I have ever read about. (Many times throughout you could hear me cry out at what befalls her) Liz is a cop who needs to regroup and needs some down time after her close friend and partner Brody dies. A month away at a rented cabin in NH seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Until, something is on the porch!
From there it's non stop action as we get the back story and the present day where a virus or something is causing people to hallucinate their dead relatives/friends.
I just loved the main character Liz! She is written so well into this story and any woman who goes through:
1...Her law enforcement partner passing
2...Her fiancee leaving and moving and their relationship ending
3...Gets into two car wrecks
4...Falls off a dam into a river
5...Gets stuck in a blizzard
6...Gets lost in a blizzard
7...Gets shot twice
8...Gets knocked out
9...Gets pistol whipped
10...Gets chased by enormous human eating wolves
Oh there's more there's lots more but any woman who can go through that and still holds her head up at the end of the day... well I'm a fan and I'm sold!
If I could describe this book in 10 words or less.....Haunted Forest, Ghosts, Wolves, Virus, Friendship, Cabins, a WILD ride!
Katherine Silva it was an adventure (one I won't forget) and I hope you write a lot more!
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Can I wildly rant about this book? Told in two time frames "Then & Now". I gave them my own name "Before Brody Died & After Brody Died".
Where do I begin with this horror, fantasy, apocalyptic, sci-fi, thriller and a sprinkle of romance read?
Let's start with a main character who has the most calamities ever dumped on one character that I have ever read about. (Many times throughout you could hear me cry out at what befalls her) Liz is a cop who needs to regroup and needs some down time after her close friend and partner Brody dies. A month away at a rented cabin in NH seems to be just what the doctor ordered. Until, something is on the porch!
From there it's non stop action as we get the back story and the present day where a virus or something is causing people to hallucinate their dead relatives/friends.
I just loved the main character Liz! She is written so well into this story and any woman who goes through:
1...Her law enforcement partner passing
2...Her fiancee leaving and moving and their relationship ending
3...Gets into two car wrecks
4...Falls off a dam into a river
5...Gets stuck in a blizzard
6...Gets lost in a blizzard
7...Gets shot twice
8...Gets knocked out
9...Gets pistol whipped
10...Gets chased by enormous human eating wolves
Oh there's more there's lots more but any woman who can go through that and still holds her head up at the end of the day... well I'm a fan and I'm sold!
If I could describe this book in 10 words or less.....Haunted Forest, Ghosts, Wolves, Virus, Friendship, Cabins, a WILD ride!
Katherine Silva it was an adventure (one I won't forget) and I hope you write a lot more!
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 3, 2023
I knew going into this book that Katherine Silva can write. I read the related novella Hallowed Oblivion and it really showcases her ability BUT in The Wild Dark we really get to experience how masterfully she writes.
We're taken on this epic adventure, with a memorable cast of characters, across genres ranging from thriller to romance to horror to fantasy, and everything in between. Silva creates such real, flawed and multi-dimensional characters that we cannot help but root for them, mostly because we're placed right alongside them as the story unfolds. The horror elements, though infrequent, were sufficiently horrific and relied on psychological terror just as much as physical fear. There were much more non-horror elements on display than I would usually tolerate but that being said, I'm now invested in Liz's journey and cannot wait to read the next installment. Silva is absolutely one to watch going forward. Amazingly talented writer!
We're taken on this epic adventure, with a memorable cast of characters, across genres ranging from thriller to romance to horror to fantasy, and everything in between. Silva creates such real, flawed and multi-dimensional characters that we cannot help but root for them, mostly because we're placed right alongside them as the story unfolds. The horror elements, though infrequent, were sufficiently horrific and relied on psychological terror just as much as physical fear. There were much more non-horror elements on display than I would usually tolerate but that being said, I'm now invested in Liz's journey and cannot wait to read the next installment. Silva is absolutely one to watch going forward. Amazingly talented writer!
June 17, 2023
With wonderful world building, this genre-blending story has elements of crime, suspense, and dystopian horror. The Wild Dark is impossible to quantify, it's a uniquely different kind of tale with a cast of excellently crafted characters, led by the protagonist, Liz Raleigh. The relationships here felt very authentic - messy and complex, raw and touching.
Once the dystopian theme kicks in the reader is swept along in a savagely atmospheric, fast-paced tale that never lets go until the final page.
You won't be sorry that you picked this one up!
Once the dystopian theme kicks in the reader is swept along in a savagely atmospheric, fast-paced tale that never lets go until the final page.
You won't be sorry that you picked this one up!
January 10, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway and it is in that spirit that I'm writing this review.
I loved this book! The Wild Dark is not the type of book I would normally read which means I would have missed out on being introduced to Katherine Silva and her brilliant story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I loved this book! The Wild Dark is not the type of book I would normally read which means I would have missed out on being introduced to Katherine Silva and her brilliant story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
June 1, 2023
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC of this.
I want to start by saying that if you're someone that enjoys thrillers, you want to read this. I could easily see this being a 5 star read for me if I had liked the genre better. The book was not exactly what I was in the market for, and contained a few elements that might have deterred me from picking it up at all if I had known about them going in.
I am glad I wasn't deterred though, because this is one I'm glad to have read. Silva is clearly a talented writer and while this was not the book for me, I'm looking forward to reading more from her.
I feel bad saying that this was style over substance, which is something I usually intend as criticism. In this instance it was just that the incredible prose kept me invested during times where I was not a fan of the content, if that makes sense.
More specifically, there are a couple tropes and narrative choices that just weren't of much interest to me, even though they were well executed. The two biggest dynamics in Liz's life, for instance, are the relationships between her ex-fiance and her late partner, and those are traditionally two of my least favorite dynamics to read about. Recent break-ups/divorces/separations are something that I often avoid in fiction, if I know it's going to be a driving theme. That's such a specific sort of grief that I find is as likely to alienate me from a character as make me empathize with them. I also tend to stay clear of protagonists who are/were cops, just because that's something I have seen so much of already, and it's a line of work I don't find particularly fascinating for as often as it's portrayed.
On those two elements alone, as well as a couple other things that were just specific to my tastes, this was a story that felt like it wasn't for me. What kept me turning pages though was the excellent style in which its written. I think if you like thrillers and mysteries and are more friendly about cop-fiction and recovery from grief fiction, then you're not going to find a book that tackles it better. The presentation is stellar.
The story is also very ambitious in terms of what all it tackles. I found this in the horror tag and at first I was disappointed because it gets a little spooky and then sort of backtracks into more of a thriller. The horror element does get much stronger later in the book, but those thriller/mystery genre elements did hold back some incredible world-building in my opinion. If it had leaned more into the setting (the setting of the world, not the cabin specifically), that would have been more up my alley.
The one objective critique that I have is about the pacing. I'm a huge sucker for dual-timelines in fiction. That's one of my all-time favorite things. I don't feel like it was well-executed here.
Part of that, again, comes down to the genre. A lot of the thriller elements were in the "Then" timeline, which was (especially in the beginning) a stark contrast to the scarier, more immediate "Now" timeline, which I greatly preferred. That made the story harder to get into than it might have been otherwise, and also made the pacing falter toward the end.
Otherwise, I think Silva delivered everything perfectly. There were even things I didn't like that drew me in because of the style, and that's something I don't get to say very often. I have plans to continue with the series, and hope that I get to read more of Silva's work in the future.
I want to start by saying that if you're someone that enjoys thrillers, you want to read this. I could easily see this being a 5 star read for me if I had liked the genre better. The book was not exactly what I was in the market for, and contained a few elements that might have deterred me from picking it up at all if I had known about them going in.
I am glad I wasn't deterred though, because this is one I'm glad to have read. Silva is clearly a talented writer and while this was not the book for me, I'm looking forward to reading more from her.
I feel bad saying that this was style over substance, which is something I usually intend as criticism. In this instance it was just that the incredible prose kept me invested during times where I was not a fan of the content, if that makes sense.
More specifically, there are a couple tropes and narrative choices that just weren't of much interest to me, even though they were well executed. The two biggest dynamics in Liz's life, for instance, are the relationships between her ex-fiance and her late partner, and those are traditionally two of my least favorite dynamics to read about. Recent break-ups/divorces/separations are something that I often avoid in fiction, if I know it's going to be a driving theme. That's such a specific sort of grief that I find is as likely to alienate me from a character as make me empathize with them. I also tend to stay clear of protagonists who are/were cops, just because that's something I have seen so much of already, and it's a line of work I don't find particularly fascinating for as often as it's portrayed.
On those two elements alone, as well as a couple other things that were just specific to my tastes, this was a story that felt like it wasn't for me. What kept me turning pages though was the excellent style in which its written. I think if you like thrillers and mysteries and are more friendly about cop-fiction and recovery from grief fiction, then you're not going to find a book that tackles it better. The presentation is stellar.
The story is also very ambitious in terms of what all it tackles. I found this in the horror tag and at first I was disappointed because it gets a little spooky and then sort of backtracks into more of a thriller. The horror element does get much stronger later in the book, but those thriller/mystery genre elements did hold back some incredible world-building in my opinion. If it had leaned more into the setting (the setting of the world, not the cabin specifically), that would have been more up my alley.
The one objective critique that I have is about the pacing. I'm a huge sucker for dual-timelines in fiction. That's one of my all-time favorite things. I don't feel like it was well-executed here.
Part of that, again, comes down to the genre. A lot of the thriller elements were in the "Then" timeline, which was (especially in the beginning) a stark contrast to the scarier, more immediate "Now" timeline, which I greatly preferred. That made the story harder to get into than it might have been otherwise, and also made the pacing falter toward the end.
Otherwise, I think Silva delivered everything perfectly. There were even things I didn't like that drew me in because of the style, and that's something I don't get to say very often. I have plans to continue with the series, and hope that I get to read more of Silva's work in the future.
June 29, 2023
The Wild Dark is a book about friendships, loss, grief, and love. It contains a full-throated emotional character arc for its protagonist, Liz, even while it also explores a broad-reaching fresh take on the traditional apocalypse narrative. While the book does frequently present some editorial oversights in terms of its final polish, its root structure is captivating, dark, and inarguably beautiful.
What the book does best is character, especially as it comes to Liz and her ghostly companion Brody. Their relationship grounds the entire experience of the book, and their complex, nuanced relationship provides the emotional trajectory for the story. While there's plenty of action and plot to keep the book moving, Silva's focus is never very far away from the core component of Liz's relationship with Brody. This emotional grounding is the cohesion that keeps the book's plot in check, delivering an apocalyptic narrative comparable to the likes of Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven.
The fantastical elements of Silva's novel also keep the story moving, so that there's always a sense of looming danger and deeply personal stakes. The book's plot is sprawling, carrying Liz through a number of different encounters that add depth and intrigue to the apocalyptic world she's crafted. It's an apocalypse constantly at odds with itself, with metaphysical and corporeal dangers all over. While the book's pacing is broken up by continuous flashbacks, Silva keeps her characters always just within the realm of danger so that it feels like the stakes never let up.
Although much of the book's plot is very effective, I also have to admit that it relies very heavily on worn tropes that don't do the book much favor. Liz is constantly being knocked out or physically traumatized into a quick fade to black and waking up in a new location with a different set of circumstances. The frequency with which this happens throughout the book is a storywide problem that unfortunately detracts from what is otherwise a very interesting plot. The book's line editing, too, shows a general lack of tight polish that proves distracting from Silva's otherwise solid prose.
All said and done, however, The Wild Dark is a compelling piece of dark fantasy that proves its merit through its absolutely stellar handling of the emotional stakes of the story for its main characters, and Silva proves to be a deft hand at crafting beautifully complex character relationships. Her contemplation on the veil between life and death is fascinating from a fantasy perspective, and her concepts for a tortured netherworld of infinite forest is a refreshing take on a world apocalypse.
What the book does best is character, especially as it comes to Liz and her ghostly companion Brody. Their relationship grounds the entire experience of the book, and their complex, nuanced relationship provides the emotional trajectory for the story. While there's plenty of action and plot to keep the book moving, Silva's focus is never very far away from the core component of Liz's relationship with Brody. This emotional grounding is the cohesion that keeps the book's plot in check, delivering an apocalyptic narrative comparable to the likes of Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven.
The fantastical elements of Silva's novel also keep the story moving, so that there's always a sense of looming danger and deeply personal stakes. The book's plot is sprawling, carrying Liz through a number of different encounters that add depth and intrigue to the apocalyptic world she's crafted. It's an apocalypse constantly at odds with itself, with metaphysical and corporeal dangers all over. While the book's pacing is broken up by continuous flashbacks, Silva keeps her characters always just within the realm of danger so that it feels like the stakes never let up.
Although much of the book's plot is very effective, I also have to admit that it relies very heavily on worn tropes that don't do the book much favor. Liz is constantly being knocked out or physically traumatized into a quick fade to black and waking up in a new location with a different set of circumstances. The frequency with which this happens throughout the book is a storywide problem that unfortunately detracts from what is otherwise a very interesting plot. The book's line editing, too, shows a general lack of tight polish that proves distracting from Silva's otherwise solid prose.
All said and done, however, The Wild Dark is a compelling piece of dark fantasy that proves its merit through its absolutely stellar handling of the emotional stakes of the story for its main characters, and Silva proves to be a deft hand at crafting beautifully complex character relationships. Her contemplation on the veil between life and death is fascinating from a fantasy perspective, and her concepts for a tortured netherworld of infinite forest is a refreshing take on a world apocalypse.
February 14, 2022
The Wild Dark is a thrilling apocalyptic horror! The storyline feels eerily relevant because it involves the spread of a suspected virus. Those who are affected have the ability to see a ghost, usually someone close to them. And there are bad people who will do anything to get their hands on the affected people.
Told in a dual timeline, the past looks at Liz's life before it imploded, while the present looks at the aftermath. I liked that the story kept us guessing about how Brody died and why Liz lost everything. His ghostly appearance is haunting and even suspicious. Liz has to go through a lot of trouble to get answers! The ending leaves a question mark but I believe the sequel is coming soon. Recommended if you're looking for a suspenseful apocalyptic ghost story!
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
Told in a dual timeline, the past looks at Liz's life before it imploded, while the present looks at the aftermath. I liked that the story kept us guessing about how Brody died and why Liz lost everything. His ghostly appearance is haunting and even suspicious. Liz has to go through a lot of trouble to get answers! The ending leaves a question mark but I believe the sequel is coming soon. Recommended if you're looking for a suspenseful apocalyptic ghost story!
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
July 17, 2022
Note: I received an ARC for review purposes.
The Wild Dark (2021) caught me by surprise. I was expecting another run-of-the-mill horror thriller but boy was I wrong. The book lives up to its title.
The story follows a worldwide pandemic where people are said to be seeing the ghosts of their loved ones. Liz is our main character who sees and is assisted by her dead partner, Brody. Besides ghosts there are also wolf-like creatures who are dangerous. The narrative is about Liz’s survival in this brand new world.
What I liked most was Katherine Silva’s descriptions. From the cold atmosphere of her home-state Maine to the dark depths of the forests, everything is described in vivid detail. Secondly, the characters are really well-crafted from Liz our protagonist to Brody her ex-partner, to Josh who is her lover.
The way the story jumps back and forth from the past to the current setting really kept it well-paced. Horror is forefront in Silva’s writing and is properly mixed with the action-thriller genre. The plot takes a while to really kick off but it’s well worth the wait.
So, if you’re in the mood for fast-paced horror, then it doesn’t get any better than The Wild Dark. I’m super excited for the sequel, which according to the first book, hits shelves this year. Can’t wait to read and review it too.
Read this review on my website: https://www.literaryretreat.com/the-w...
The Wild Dark (2021) caught me by surprise. I was expecting another run-of-the-mill horror thriller but boy was I wrong. The book lives up to its title.
The story follows a worldwide pandemic where people are said to be seeing the ghosts of their loved ones. Liz is our main character who sees and is assisted by her dead partner, Brody. Besides ghosts there are also wolf-like creatures who are dangerous. The narrative is about Liz’s survival in this brand new world.
What I liked most was Katherine Silva’s descriptions. From the cold atmosphere of her home-state Maine to the dark depths of the forests, everything is described in vivid detail. Secondly, the characters are really well-crafted from Liz our protagonist to Brody her ex-partner, to Josh who is her lover.
The way the story jumps back and forth from the past to the current setting really kept it well-paced. Horror is forefront in Silva’s writing and is properly mixed with the action-thriller genre. The plot takes a while to really kick off but it’s well worth the wait.
So, if you’re in the mood for fast-paced horror, then it doesn’t get any better than The Wild Dark. I’m super excited for the sequel, which according to the first book, hits shelves this year. Can’t wait to read and review it too.
Read this review on my website: https://www.literaryretreat.com/the-w...
June 30, 2023
Silva has a true talent in diving into Liz’s character development! Not only in describing Liz’s personal growth, but the relationship that continues to build between Brody and Liz. I enjoyed finding out what new information would surface about the two and how it would impact Liz’s ability to survive in this forest engulfing world.
This book’s ability to keep its readers guessing is something that I always look for in a new read. However, I felt as though many aspects of the book were left unfinished or confusing. While the overall concept and plot of the book was interesting, I felt as though a lot more could have been done in the build up and overall structure of Silva’s novel. I often found it difficult to follow along when concerning the soul eating wolves and sketchy ghosts, but I can understand how we are meant to be just as confused as Liz is.
I’m interested to see what’s to come in the sequel!
This book’s ability to keep its readers guessing is something that I always look for in a new read. However, I felt as though many aspects of the book were left unfinished or confusing. While the overall concept and plot of the book was interesting, I felt as though a lot more could have been done in the build up and overall structure of Silva’s novel. I often found it difficult to follow along when concerning the soul eating wolves and sketchy ghosts, but I can understand how we are meant to be just as confused as Liz is.
I’m interested to see what’s to come in the sequel!
August 21, 2022
The book does a good job of slowly weaving a mystery thriller into a horror story with ghosts! The characters and the worldbuilding are established gradually along with the reader finding out that some strange purgatory is taking over the land. It comes from the woods and you don’t want to get stuck in the woods!
Although Liz Raleigh is a complicated character, I’m not a fan. I don’t like how she vacillates between the two important men in her life. She wants her cake and eat it too, but you’ll have to read it and find out.
The end definitely leaves you wanting more.
Although Liz Raleigh is a complicated character, I’m not a fan. I don’t like how she vacillates between the two important men in her life. She wants her cake and eat it too, but you’ll have to read it and find out.
The end definitely leaves you wanting more.
May 8, 2023
Brilliantly dark horror/thriller with elements of ‘The Last of Us’.
It takes a little while to get going, but once it does, hold on to your hats… it's a fast-paced ride of twists and turns.
Definitely not what I expected.
A page-turner and a must for any thriller it horror fan.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It takes a little while to get going, but once it does, hold on to your hats… it's a fast-paced ride of twists and turns.
Definitely not what I expected.
A page-turner and a must for any thriller it horror fan.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 20, 2021
This was such an unexpected, fun wintery read packed with ghosts, purgatory, and New England. I’m so glad I found this book and read it!
For those who haven’t had the pleasure of reading this book, allow me to provide you a brief synopsis without giving too much away:
We follow Liz, a New England cop who, after experiencing the tragic loss of her longtime partner and the crumbling of her relationship with her fiancé, decides to take time away from work in the seclusion of a cabin in the New Hampshire wilderness. As she is nearing the end of her stay, Liz begins to hear and see things outside her cabin. Is her grief playing tricks on her, or is something (or someone) lurking outside her cabin? As events escalate and both the reader and Liz discover that something unnatural is steadily taking over the globe, the story becomes about an intense fight for survival as much as it becomes a study of grief, love, and connection.
I highly recommend this book!
For those who haven’t had the pleasure of reading this book, allow me to provide you a brief synopsis without giving too much away:
We follow Liz, a New England cop who, after experiencing the tragic loss of her longtime partner and the crumbling of her relationship with her fiancé, decides to take time away from work in the seclusion of a cabin in the New Hampshire wilderness. As she is nearing the end of her stay, Liz begins to hear and see things outside her cabin. Is her grief playing tricks on her, or is something (or someone) lurking outside her cabin? As events escalate and both the reader and Liz discover that something unnatural is steadily taking over the globe, the story becomes about an intense fight for survival as much as it becomes a study of grief, love, and connection.
I highly recommend this book!
October 15, 2021
I received an e-Galley ARC of The Wild Dark (Bk 1 of The Wild Oblivion), authored by Katherine Silva from Strange Wilds Press, for review consideration. Cover photos: Clément M., Sasha Freemind and Gauravdeep Singh Bansal/Unsplash. Cover design: Katherine Silva. Edited: Brenna Bailey-Davies. What follows below is my honest review freely given.
I rated this novel 4 stars. Where we go, or what happens to us when we die, has been a question asked over again and again, countless answers abound. How tantalizingly fearsome and just shy of impossible to grasp when you have a title such as The Wild Dark that touches on the subject.
I’d like to start off by stating how pleased I am to know there at least one more book planned. My mind at the end of this was exploded like a popped biscuit tube just a little bit from my trying to fit all the questions I had, not that I am complaining, the opposite in fact. It begins as all stories do, with the reader being brought in by the first words written down, in this case we are by the MC’s side as she gets spooked; so thrown right into the deep end, excellent (cue Mr. Burns meme).
We know what the MC knows, even less in some areas because she would shy away from a memory at times, leaving the reader aware piecemeal of this tragic event that is haunting her. Other times there would be whole chapters giving us insight to this understood turning point, which I found myself eating up, wondering how they tied into the current time chapters. I also couldn’t help but wonder who, if anyone, would appear to me if this event were to happen right now, and how I would feel about it either way?
There were some parts that felt too convenient for how everything came together, usually in just how the characters that needed to be around for the MC to interact with always seemed to be easily found plot wise. A lot of her confusion relied on her isolation during varies times in the novel, while this monumental and devastating event took place. So basic things would have been rendered moot: cell phone coverage being just one of them. But between cities the people she most would benefit from running into, she somehow manages to over and again. A little thing, but noticeable. The scenes in the forest, those have me filled with questions. Things began to move at a faster pace, as they often do, towards the end. They also seemed to go a bit sideways, more than they were already, which has me looking forward to book two.
I rated this novel 4 stars. Where we go, or what happens to us when we die, has been a question asked over again and again, countless answers abound. How tantalizingly fearsome and just shy of impossible to grasp when you have a title such as The Wild Dark that touches on the subject.
I’d like to start off by stating how pleased I am to know there at least one more book planned. My mind at the end of this was exploded like a popped biscuit tube just a little bit from my trying to fit all the questions I had, not that I am complaining, the opposite in fact. It begins as all stories do, with the reader being brought in by the first words written down, in this case we are by the MC’s side as she gets spooked; so thrown right into the deep end, excellent (cue Mr. Burns meme).
We know what the MC knows, even less in some areas because she would shy away from a memory at times, leaving the reader aware piecemeal of this tragic event that is haunting her. Other times there would be whole chapters giving us insight to this understood turning point, which I found myself eating up, wondering how they tied into the current time chapters. I also couldn’t help but wonder who, if anyone, would appear to me if this event were to happen right now, and how I would feel about it either way?
There were some parts that felt too convenient for how everything came together, usually in just how the characters that needed to be around for the MC to interact with always seemed to be easily found plot wise. A lot of her confusion relied on her isolation during varies times in the novel, while this monumental and devastating event took place. So basic things would have been rendered moot: cell phone coverage being just one of them. But between cities the people she most would benefit from running into, she somehow manages to over and again. A little thing, but noticeable. The scenes in the forest, those have me filled with questions. Things began to move at a faster pace, as they often do, towards the end. They also seemed to go a bit sideways, more than they were already, which has me looking forward to book two.
September 5, 2021
Put on your best shoes Dorothy cause we are off for a wild ride in the woods.
Katherine Silva was awesome enough to send me a copy of her debut novel 'The Wild Dark' for review.
The story follows Liz Raleigh, a woman who has literally run out of luck. Having lost her fiance, her job as a police detective and her partner, she is now on the verge of losing her mind as well.
What was salvaged after a month of solitude and recollection at a cabin in the woods, will be turned upside down by a series of supernatural events.
It starts with Brody, her partner, who is back from the dead as a ghost. He is one of many that have returned to haunt their loved ones.
Brody's return will unearth terrible hidden secrets, painful memories and pave the way for horrific events to follow.
From that point onwards the story explodes into a wonderful, weird and mysterious terrifier that expands the boundaries of reality.
The woods come alive, consuming the world as we know it while soul devouring wolves are roaming the land amidst brutal winter conditions.
In this truly terrifying apocalyptic scenario, Liz must manage to stay sane and above all survive and save her soul.
The author has managed to create the most original story I have read in 2021. The plot is tight, the characters beautifully penned and the story is grand, magical and utterly terrifying.
Katherine Silva has the ability to portray the feelings of despair, loneliness and terror into beautiful scenes on a backdrop of isolation and tattoo a fantastic story so beep under the skin, that will stay with you for quite some time after reading.
What keeps me in awe, is the way 'The Wild Dark' manages to keep you awake at night, not only because of the lovely horror, drama and suspense elements, but because each chapter propels you to read at least two more.
With Katherine Silva I have found a new favorite author and a book that earned a rightful place in my top 5 novels of the year.
A phenomenal book an a unique story. Makes me eager to devour the beautiful horrors the author will be offering in the future.
'The Wild Dark' is out on October 12th. Perfect for your Halloween fix.
Katherine Silva was awesome enough to send me a copy of her debut novel 'The Wild Dark' for review.
The story follows Liz Raleigh, a woman who has literally run out of luck. Having lost her fiance, her job as a police detective and her partner, she is now on the verge of losing her mind as well.
What was salvaged after a month of solitude and recollection at a cabin in the woods, will be turned upside down by a series of supernatural events.
It starts with Brody, her partner, who is back from the dead as a ghost. He is one of many that have returned to haunt their loved ones.
Brody's return will unearth terrible hidden secrets, painful memories and pave the way for horrific events to follow.
From that point onwards the story explodes into a wonderful, weird and mysterious terrifier that expands the boundaries of reality.
The woods come alive, consuming the world as we know it while soul devouring wolves are roaming the land amidst brutal winter conditions.
In this truly terrifying apocalyptic scenario, Liz must manage to stay sane and above all survive and save her soul.
The author has managed to create the most original story I have read in 2021. The plot is tight, the characters beautifully penned and the story is grand, magical and utterly terrifying.
Katherine Silva has the ability to portray the feelings of despair, loneliness and terror into beautiful scenes on a backdrop of isolation and tattoo a fantastic story so beep under the skin, that will stay with you for quite some time after reading.
What keeps me in awe, is the way 'The Wild Dark' manages to keep you awake at night, not only because of the lovely horror, drama and suspense elements, but because each chapter propels you to read at least two more.
With Katherine Silva I have found a new favorite author and a book that earned a rightful place in my top 5 novels of the year.
A phenomenal book an a unique story. Makes me eager to devour the beautiful horrors the author will be offering in the future.
'The Wild Dark' is out on October 12th. Perfect for your Halloween fix.
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