A review by erinarkin20
Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker

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!