bigbear73's review
5.0
I have an odd bias against shorter books. I have purposely picked one book over another (repeatedly), simply based on the fact one is longer the other. Considering I have a TBR pile nineteen feet high, you’d think it would be the opposite, but I just never want the story to end. Natalie C Parker's Beware the Wild is proof that I need to get over that bit of conjecture.
Beware the Wild is a tale in about a small town surrounded by swamp. The swamp has all of the horror stories and children’s tales associated with such things, fodder for tourists and a way for the local shop to sell trinkets to help keep it at bay. But then Sterling’s brother goes in and doesn’t come back out, and she starts to wonder if some of those stories aren’t real after all.
This is a full, well (almost perfectly?) paced book. We jump right into the story line, get our feels activated, and then aren’t allowed to put them to rest until we’re done reading it. Several of the characters were incredibly likable (nearly all that were meant to be were very well fleshed out), and the world was incredibly well done. Natalie does such a great job pulling the reader in, I think I ended up dreaming about the Swamp or one of the characters every night I was reading it.
This was a fun, fast, full read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys fiction, with a possible exception for those who have low tolerance for creepy.
Beware the Wild is a tale in about a small town surrounded by swamp. The swamp has all of the horror stories and children’s tales associated with such things, fodder for tourists and a way for the local shop to sell trinkets to help keep it at bay. But then Sterling’s brother goes in and doesn’t come back out, and she starts to wonder if some of those stories aren’t real after all.
This is a full, well (almost perfectly?) paced book. We jump right into the story line, get our feels activated, and then aren’t allowed to put them to rest until we’re done reading it. Several of the characters were incredibly likable (nearly all that were meant to be were very well fleshed out), and the world was incredibly well done. Natalie does such a great job pulling the reader in, I think I ended up dreaming about the Swamp or one of the characters every night I was reading it.
This was a fun, fast, full read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys fiction, with a possible exception for those who have low tolerance for creepy.
erinarkin20's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker was an interesting read and I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in which I think made me even more interested in the story. If you like a story that pulls you into a creepy, swampy setting, you should probably check this one out.
Sterling is the main character and when she and her brother, Phin, have an argument, he walks off. Unfortunately he walks off in the direction of the swamp that borders their house and when he doesn’t come back, Sterling begins to worry. To make things even more interesting, someone else (Lenora May) replaces Phin and no one even knows that she isn’t really Sterling’s sister.
As Sterling digs into what the swamp did to her brother, she finds out there is more to the story than she thought and this is something that has happened before. She also confirms that there really is something weird about the swamp and Lenora May is somehow connected to it all.
I loved the relationships that Sterling had in her life. She was very close to her brother due to the things they had to deal with growing up and I loved that Sterling was willing to do whatever she needed to in order to bring her brother back. She also had a great support system with her best friend Candy and I would even add Heath to the list due to the recent events. I also liked the fact that yes, we see the relationship build out for Heath and Sterling but it doesn’t become the center of this story. It is one aspect that adds to the overall story.
As Sterling finds out more about Lenora May, she also learns more about her family and the role the swamp has played in all of their lives. I can’t say much here as I don’t want to give anything away…sorry. Just know that I couldn’t put this one down because I continually needed to know what was going to happen next. Parker has created this creepy world where anything can happen and it all centers around the swamp.
If you are looking for a unique story that is fast paced and will have you turning the pages to find out what will happen next, you should definitely check this one out.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for the review copy!
Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker was an interesting read and I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in which I think made me even more interested in the story. If you like a story that pulls you into a creepy, swampy setting, you should probably check this one out.
Sterling is the main character and when she and her brother, Phin, have an argument, he walks off. Unfortunately he walks off in the direction of the swamp that borders their house and when he doesn’t come back, Sterling begins to worry. To make things even more interesting, someone else (Lenora May) replaces Phin and no one even knows that she isn’t really Sterling’s sister.
As Sterling digs into what the swamp did to her brother, she finds out there is more to the story than she thought and this is something that has happened before. She also confirms that there really is something weird about the swamp and Lenora May is somehow connected to it all.
I loved the relationships that Sterling had in her life. She was very close to her brother due to the things they had to deal with growing up and I loved that Sterling was willing to do whatever she needed to in order to bring her brother back. She also had a great support system with her best friend Candy and I would even add Heath to the list due to the recent events. I also liked the fact that yes, we see the relationship build out for Heath and Sterling but it doesn’t become the center of this story. It is one aspect that adds to the overall story.
As Sterling finds out more about Lenora May, she also learns more about her family and the role the swamp has played in all of their lives. I can’t say much here as I don’t want to give anything away…sorry. Just know that I couldn’t put this one down because I continually needed to know what was going to happen next. Parker has created this creepy world where anything can happen and it all centers around the swamp.
If you are looking for a unique story that is fast paced and will have you turning the pages to find out what will happen next, you should definitely check this one out.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for the review copy!
geldauran's review
3.0
The first half of this book had me totally hooked- the deep south, swampy, creepy atmosphere was very well done. And the initial scenes with Lenora May were sufficiently creepy, as was Sterling's initial encounter with the swamp ghoulies. But as I proceeded into the second half, the book lost all of its atmospheric weight to me. It skimped on the anticipation and sense of unease that I found compelling in the first half.
The characters are nothing to write home about, but are likeable enough to carry the story. The setting is very well done, I thought the author had a penchant for scenery, I had solid mental images for both the swamp and the town.
Ultimately, I guess I was disappointed that this took a turn away from horror and a large step toward paranormal. It may just be me, but I thought another injection of creepy could have made this book shine. All the pieces are there- the swamp, the girl from the swamp, the memory loss, the Shine... it all could have been just a little bit more edge-of-your-seat, a little more "wow", a little more "I've gotta watch the swamp behind my house a little more carefully now". The swamp thing at the very least. This book should have left people living near swamps feeling spooked, if only for a night.
The characters are nothing to write home about, but are likeable enough to carry the story. The setting is very well done, I thought the author had a penchant for scenery, I had solid mental images for both the swamp and the town.
Ultimately, I guess I was disappointed that this took a turn away from horror and a large step toward paranormal. It may just be me, but I thought another injection of creepy could have made this book shine. All the pieces are there- the swamp, the girl from the swamp, the memory loss, the Shine... it all could have been just a little bit more edge-of-your-seat, a little more "wow", a little more "I've gotta watch the swamp behind my house a little more carefully now". The swamp thing at the very least. This book should have left people living near swamps feeling spooked, if only for a night.
stacylmoll's review
5.0
If you are looking for something different, then look no further, Natalie Parker's Beware the Wild is that book. Set in a swap in Louisiana, the swap takes people from the town and then erases them from your memory. But when the swap takes Sterling's brother, she doesn't forget and will not except the new sister that came out of the swap to take his place. With the help of Heath, the only other person that remembers someone taken by the swap, they will try to free the people from the swap. Can't wait to read another of Parker's books.
monoshish's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
samiism's review
4.0
Loved this. Well-written, awesome characters, good pacing, and gripping.
I could feel the tension in Sticks, the uncanny lurking in the swamp, and the mysterious pull of the Shine.
Sterling is a heroine I absolutely adore because she is not overly self-righteous. She gets angry and acts impulsively. I love that. Heath isn't the usual misunderstood bad boy. Candy isn't the slutty best friend. And Lenora May isn't an evil monster. These characters are not one-dimensional at all.
I actually regret putting off reading this book for a month. Once I did sit down to read it, I couldn't put it down.
I could feel the tension in Sticks, the uncanny lurking in the swamp, and the mysterious pull of the Shine.
Sterling is a heroine I absolutely adore because she is not overly self-righteous. She gets angry and acts impulsively. I love that. Heath isn't the usual misunderstood bad boy. Candy isn't the slutty best friend. And Lenora May isn't an evil monster. These characters are not one-dimensional at all.
I actually regret putting off reading this book for a month. Once I did sit down to read it, I couldn't put it down.
reviewsfromabookworm's review
3.0
I have to be honest and say that the first thing that made me want to read this book was the cover. I have so much love for the cover, I'd buy the book just so I could have that on my shelf. But I was definitely sold on the book the minute I read the summary, it sounded like the perfect creepy read, and I liked the idea of the Louisiana swamp setting. Beware the Wild delivered on being a quick, enjoyable and entertaining read. I had my issues with it, but it was an enjoyable book nonetheless.
Sterling Saucier has lived her whole life in Sticks, a small town that has always been fearful of the swamp and the stories surrounding it. They've built fences to surround it and no one enters it, because those that do don't come back. After a fight with Sterling, her brother Phin jumps the fence and disappears into the swamp. Sterling watches and waits for her brother to return, but instead she sees a girl appear from the swamp and walk into her house. No one remembers her brother, instead they believe that Lenora May is her sister. Even Sterling herself has memories of growing up with Lenora May, but she can also remember her brother, even if nobody else can. The only person who will believe Sterling is Heath Durham, someone who says he lost his best friend to the swamp and he's the only person who remembers. Together they are determined to figure out the secrets of the swamp, who Lenora May really is and what they must do to get back what the swamp has taken.
The beginning of this story was so good, I was so impressed and completely hooked. The moment Lenora appears from the swamp and goes walking into Sterling's house like she owned the place, it was the perfect moment. It was creepy and I couldn't wait to continue reading to see where the story was going to go. I was a little disappointed with the story once we reached the halfway mark, there was a little twist to the story that was easy to see coming. The story didn't keep the creepy atmosphere that I felt at the beginning of it. It was good and the end concludes the story, it just didn't blow me away or end in that big bang style climax that I was hoping for. I was really hoping the creepy swamp element would work for me, I've not been a fan of swamps since that scene in The Neverending Story! *cries*
Sterling is a character that I am still unsure as to whether I like or not. The one thing I did appreciate about her character was the way her eating disorder was handled. Sterling hasn't really been eating since she found out her brother is going to be leaving and attending college. She knows what she's doing, but no matter how much people tell her to eat, she can't. She's lost weight, but she doesn't feel hungry and she doesn't worry about food. I liked the fact that it's shown that an eating disorder isn't always about being thin. That t's made clear that that's never been Sterling's goal. Her eating disorder is something that's caused by stress and the feeling of having something you can actually control. I liked that that's made clear in this.
There's a romance in this, but it never takes over the story. I thought the romance was cute enough, and I really liked Heath's character. I really did appreciate the fact that the romance is never the important thing on either characters mind. They both realise that there are far more important things to worry about given their current situation. Another character that I really loved was Sterling's best friend, Candy, because she really made me laugh. She brought a lot more fun to the story.
3/5 Butterflies
I enjoyed this story, but it didn't blow me away. It wasn't as creepy as I thought it was going to be. Lenora May was a character that wasn't what I was hoping for, that left me quite disappointed. This book had a brilliant start but it went a bit messy by the halfway point. I enjoyed it, everything about it is good but it just isn't what I was hoping for. The book is very fast-paced and the writing worked to make me unable to put it down, so I read it in one sitting. It's a story that I would recommend because even though it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, it was still a good read. It has the added bonus of being a standalone!
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
Sterling Saucier has lived her whole life in Sticks, a small town that has always been fearful of the swamp and the stories surrounding it. They've built fences to surround it and no one enters it, because those that do don't come back. After a fight with Sterling, her brother Phin jumps the fence and disappears into the swamp. Sterling watches and waits for her brother to return, but instead she sees a girl appear from the swamp and walk into her house. No one remembers her brother, instead they believe that Lenora May is her sister. Even Sterling herself has memories of growing up with Lenora May, but she can also remember her brother, even if nobody else can. The only person who will believe Sterling is Heath Durham, someone who says he lost his best friend to the swamp and he's the only person who remembers. Together they are determined to figure out the secrets of the swamp, who Lenora May really is and what they must do to get back what the swamp has taken.
 |
| Clearly proof that swamps are evil! |
The beginning of this story was so good, I was so impressed and completely hooked. The moment Lenora appears from the swamp and goes walking into Sterling's house like she owned the place, it was the perfect moment. It was creepy and I couldn't wait to continue reading to see where the story was going to go. I was a little disappointed with the story once we reached the halfway mark, there was a little twist to the story that was easy to see coming. The story didn't keep the creepy atmosphere that I felt at the beginning of it. It was good and the end concludes the story, it just didn't blow me away or end in that big bang style climax that I was hoping for. I was really hoping the creepy swamp element would work for me, I've not been a fan of swamps since that scene in The Neverending Story! *cries*
Sterling is a character that I am still unsure as to whether I like or not. The one thing I did appreciate about her character was the way her eating disorder was handled. Sterling hasn't really been eating since she found out her brother is going to be leaving and attending college. She knows what she's doing, but no matter how much people tell her to eat, she can't. She's lost weight, but she doesn't feel hungry and she doesn't worry about food. I liked the fact that it's shown that an eating disorder isn't always about being thin. That t's made clear that that's never been Sterling's goal. Her eating disorder is something that's caused by stress and the feeling of having something you can actually control. I liked that that's made clear in this.
There's a romance in this, but it never takes over the story. I thought the romance was cute enough, and I really liked Heath's character. I really did appreciate the fact that the romance is never the important thing on either characters mind. They both realise that there are far more important things to worry about given their current situation. Another character that I really loved was Sterling's best friend, Candy, because she really made me laugh. She brought a lot more fun to the story.
3/5 Butterflies
I enjoyed this story, but it didn't blow me away. It wasn't as creepy as I thought it was going to be. Lenora May was a character that wasn't what I was hoping for, that left me quite disappointed. This book had a brilliant start but it went a bit messy by the halfway point. I enjoyed it, everything about it is good but it just isn't what I was hoping for. The book is very fast-paced and the writing worked to make me unable to put it down, so I read it in one sitting. It's a story that I would recommend because even though it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, it was still a good read. It has the added bonus of being a standalone!
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
allisonsmith120's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, and Domestic abuse