I am attempting to go back and read some of these older books to bring up my ratio, but unfortunately I can't find a copy of this in my library system! I will not be reviewing it apologies :(

This book had a Maggie Stiefvater-esque quality to it. I enjoyed the secrets and the magical realism aspects of the story along with the relationships between the collection of characters. Creepy, eerie, and well written.

Loved this book! Mystical and interesting and a bit sad. A cute romance too, with an adorable pierced dude and lots of complicated relationships

Beware spoilers ahead!

Trigger Warning: Death, murder, and mention of rape.

I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was super excited to read Gray Wolf Island! I love reading about treasure hunts and was thoroughly anticipating this one. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it.

The story follows Ruby after the death of her sister Sadie. Sadie was obsessed about this mysterious island that is rumored to have treasure. Much to Ruby's surprise Sadie has set-up a trip to the island for Ruby to go in her place. Ruby gets the help of Gabe, Charlie, Elliot, and Anne. As they make their way to the island, they soon realize they will face truths about themselves. Truths that are harmful.

This actually started off really good! It was so funny and interesting. As the story continued it fell flat and I started skimming for answers. I am not a 100 percent satisfied with said answers. And there were a lot of loose ends that I wish for cleared up.

When I realized that each character would have to face their truths to get to the treasure I was surprised. In reality those truths were just flat. I can't they were predictable but I didn't much care for them. In hindsight the secrets were actually kind of dumb. The most shocking would have to be Gabe, Charlie, and Elliot. If you really pay attention to the synopsis you can guess Ruby's. And Anne's was just sad but not surprising considering the situation.

I did not like Ruby. Her point of view whilst entertaining at first became such a drag. She was really whiny. And while I do understand her reasoning, I still felt that she should've revealed herself sooner. For everyone's safety.

In order to receive the treasure each character had to reveal a truth about themselves. Otherwise you die. Like literary the island would attack you. Which was very difficult to wrap my head around. And honestly I really hated that island. The magical realism parts of the story were very confusing. Like how Elliot is connected to Cooper. To this day I still can't wrap my head around it all.

Also was Gabe's death necessary? I guess it really showed his improvement that he sacrificed himself for Charlie. But still. He was actually improving as a character. I know that he did rape someone and that is so not okay. But he was starting to improve from that. I think he even said he would confess and everything? I truly can't imagine what his mother felt when they came back without him. 

I did enjoy some things. The beginning of the book was strong. I liked reading from Cooper's point of view. Anne was my favourite character! She was so much fun. I even liked Charlie. I liked the romance between Ruby and Elliot. And the writing style. 

Gray Wolf Island just didn't work for me. I do still recommend.

Upon first reading this book, I was comfortable with a 3.5, rounded down. It wasn't anything particularly special, but it was a fun read, I felt like it went by rather quickly, and there were a few topics that I thought it handled pretty well (such as loss of a loved one, and sexual assault). That said, this review has taken me forever to write because I feel so "meh" about it, and after thinking back on the story as well as reading Kaylin's comparison of how heavily influenced by The Raven Boys this book seems to be, I think I'll lower this to 2.5, rounded down.

I was planning on writing a thorough review for this book, but honestly, it's not that I don't want to - it's that I can't. Sure, it's been a little while since I read it, but that typically doesn't stop me from writing long, in-depth reviews. (I mean, just look at my TRC reviews, each of which took me about 2 months to write, but are pages upon pages of details and gushing.)

Honestly, Gray Wolf Island is simply not a memorable read. Before glancing at friends' reviews and the synopsis earlier today, I could not have possibly told you the name of a single character, or much of anything about the plot. I had forgotten everything except the treasure hunt, and the death of the protagonist's sister, and I almost never forget important details in books like this. That's just how outright forgettable this story is.

It's not a bad book, by any means at all. If you're looking for a fun YA mystery that's a breeze to get through and will keep you guessing at a few details along the way, I'd honestly 100% recommend picking this up! That said, if you're looking for a story that packs a bigger punch and will stay with you, this probably isn't the read for you - and if you're a TRC fan who, like me, takes issue with other books being blaring copies of that beloved series, I'd probably pass this one by.

Thank you so much to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Halfway through this book and finding it to be not my favorite. I feel as if this is just coming too close to the Raven Cycle for me, and while there's nothing horrible about it - besides a plotline around sexual assault that has kind of been the last straw? - I think I'm pretty much done. This would most likely be a three if I completed it, but I can't see it becoming coming close to being a favorite read. Life's too short for books you're not loving.

I read Gray Wolf Island entirely in one sitting during a 24 Hour Readathon. It was the perfect book to pick up during such a fast paced readathon, because it really sucked me in, and I couldn’t put it down. I knew I was going to love it based on the summary alone, but it still exceeded my expectations.

I’m always hesitant to pick up books with magical realism because it’s a genre I don’t always love, but I’m so glad I took a chance with this book. The cast of characters was diverse and mysterious. Everyone had secrets to tell (or hide), and the atmosphere of the island was both creepy and fascinating. We’re first introduced to Ruby, who’s twin has recently passed away. Ruby lived in her sister’s shadow, and is struggling to find her own identity now that she is no longer part of a pair. When we meet Anne, we find out that she never has to sleep. Charlie, who is destined to die, is a daredevil who is always taking dangerous risks. Elliott is a huge nerd hiding behind a tough, bad boy facade. And then there’s Gabe, a charming womanizer, who, like the other characters, is hiding a dark secret.

I love treasure hunting books, and Gray Wolf Island did it very well. The added mysteriousness that the magical realism brought to the story made it different from a typical mystery-solving book, because you could never tell what was real and what was just happening in someone’s head. It was a delight to follow the characters as they interpreted the island’s mysterious past and sought to solve the strange poem that would lead them to the island’s treasure. I loved that the characters never knew for certain what the treasure would be, but despite that, they were all so desperate to be the ones to find it.

I did not anticipate the ending, and I was satisfied with how the characters’ secrets were slowly uncovered as they got deeper and deeper beneath the island on their quest for the treasure. There was so much raw emotion behind their revelations, and it was incredible to see how close this group of unlikely friends became over the course of the book. I love found families and we got a great one with Gray Wolf Island. There is a romance in the book, but it’s a very small part of the story, and it does not overshadow the friendship aspect of the group.

I would describe Gray Wolf Island as The Goonies + Oak Island with a dash of magical realism. If any of those things sound interesting to you, I highly encourage you to pick up this book!

I was attracted to this book by both the cover and the summary. I am always up for a good treasure hunting story and this one was everything I hoped it would be. I really liked the characters and the plot was intriguing. Some of the magical realism could have been left out, but did add to the story in some unexpected ways.

Ruby is an interesting character. In some ways she is very strong and resourceful, but she has a lot of doubts about herself. These doubts mostly come from having lived in her sister’s shadow her whole life. Her sister, Sadie, was the stronger twin who was outgoing and sociable. Ruby, is more of an introvert and she has to try really hard to get along with the group through out the book. She does develop good relationships with the others eventually but it is a struggle for her.

The boys who accompany Ruby on the treasure hunt, are not as well developed, which is a shame. They are more typical characters except for the magical aspect of them, which could have been better developed. It is never really explained why Gabe was born to a virgin mother, or why Anne never sleeps. Elliot’s issues are eventually revealed but it didn’t fully explain his ties to the island. Charlie was the only one I felt whose abilities were explained. As an ensemble cast though they all work well together.

The writing in this book is suburb, I enjoyed reading it and often had a hard time putting it down. The plot was not entirely predictable, and is well thought out. Ruby is the narrator for the main story of the treasure hunt, but there are other chapters throughout that tells the story of Cooper, a boy with no memory who is found on the island. At first his story does not make sense in the context of Ruby’s tale, but they eventually do come together in an unexpected way.

If you are a fan of magical realism with a mystery this is a good book for you to pick up. The setting of the island and all of its mysteries makes for a really good read.

*eARC kindly provided by Random House Children's via NetGalley*

I still don’t quite know what to think of this one. It wasn’t what I was expecting, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. I found the friendships compelling, and the banter was fun. All the characters brought something different to the quest, and they are all there for their own reasons. But I didn’t come to love this, or them, and didn’t feel the emotions as heavily as I wanted to. The treasure hunt felt really anticlimactic, and I’m not even sure I understand everything that happened. It was quieter on the action, more focus spent on the characters, and their secrets. It was one of the few books I was able to finish during my slump, so it was definitely an interesting read that kept my attention until the end. But I also don’t remember much about it now? WHOOPS. I did really enjoy it, though!

Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!

**** Thank you to Random House Children’s for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review ****

4.5 Stars!

I was absolutely blown away by how much I ended up enjoying this book, it was not what I was expecting at all in the best way! I’ll be giving it an odd rating at 4.5 stars because I loved it but for some reason it still isn’t a five star read for me.

Plot

“Gray Wolf Island” is so much more than a tale of friends going to find a long, lost buried treasure, so, so, so much more! This is a very character driven book that focuses on the character’s self discovery, forgiveness, and coming to terms with their problems but still has a strong plot as well full of twists and adventure. It also has a very magical realism feel to it, there are certain elements of the story that are..well… magical. I loved it I thought it added so much atmosphere to the story and overall made it so much more fun.

The pacing should have been slower considering, as I mentioned, it’s more of a character driven book but it never felt like it was slow or dragging on at all. There was always something happening and always something to look forward too, plus there are some fantastic twists at the end of the story that you will not see coming at all!

The story is also told in two different perspectives one being Ruby the main character and the other being a strange boy who woke up on Gray Wolf Island with amnesia. I really enjoyed reading through both POVs as they were both interesting and important to the plot, I also thought the boy’s perspective added a lot of mystery to the overall atmosphere too.

One thing about the plot that bothered me slightly is that I felt the conclusion was a bit confusing and not really explained, which since it’s magical realism I can see why leaving it a mystery makes sense though. There were also a couple of plot holes with the character’s backstories but that’s all that bothered me.

Neithercott’s writing is also another amazing part of reading “Gray Wolf Island” it’s beautiful and lyrical which is perfect for the type of atmosphere she created for this story. Pretty writing and magical realism go hand in hand in my opinion. This felt similar to “The Raven Boys” and “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” so I would say if you enjoy Steifvater and Taylor’s writings you may enjoy this one as well.

It really is such a beautiful, heart-breaking story and prepare to get emotional!

Characters

As I mentioned the characters are the most important part of this book and they were all wonderful, seriously all of them! Every character was complex and well developed, they overcame many things and changed over the course of the story. They were all truly fantastic and I loved all of them.

Ruby is the main character and one of the POVs, the whole reason she is undertaking this quest to find the treasure is that it was her sister’s dying wish. She keeps her secrets and feelings close to home and is trying to find herself as she moves on from her sister’s death. I really adored Ruby I thought she was a very complex protagonist and she was actually pretty witty at times as well.

Elliot is a part of an old family that has been hunting the Gray Wolf Island treasure for generations and insists on helping Ruby find it. He’s very intelligent but tries playing “the bad boy”. He’s also a love interest for Ruby and I honestly shipped them so hard! Elliot was a great character, I adored him.

Then we have Gabe (Gabriel) who is the son of a virgin mother and the townspeople think him either a demon or divine claiming he has cursed them or helped heal them on different occasions. He’s very suave but there’s a lot more to him than he shows on the outside.

Charlie is the daredevil, fun loving character who likes to live every day as if it’s his last, which it may very well be since Charlie had a premonition of his own death when he was younger.

Lastly there’s Anne who doesn’t sleep, ever. She’s a very dreamy, eccentric girl but is more than excited to go on an adventure and make some friends.

All of these characters bond and create some very lasting friendships as they quest for their treasure. I loved how positive the friendships were portrayed as well.

Romance

There is a bit of a side romance between Elliot and Ruby but I was secretly rooting for it the entire time, they were adorable! I also liked that it was slow burn and didn’t take over the plot whatsoever.

In Conclusion

Overall I really did love this book so much, the plot was engaging, and I was 100% invested in the characters.

What I Loved:

The atmosphere with underlying bits of magical realism
Dual POVs that really added to the mystery of the plot
Good pacing
Fantastic plot twists
Beautiful, lyrical writing
Absolutely fantastic, complex cast of characters
I shipped the romance and it was slow burn!

What I Didn’t Love:

Some confusing elements of the story
Couple of plot holes with the character’s back stories

Recommend?

I highly recommend checking this book out, I thought it was just beautiful and very well done. If you want a good adventure/coming of age type of story then check this one out! I also recommend checking it out if you’re a fan of “The Raven Boys”.

Everything is described in Publishers Note above. DNF

Sometimes it feels like authors have gone too far. I believe that YA is separated from Adult for a reason, not just because the characters fall into a certain age category but also because there are certain issues, subjects and problems that can be brought up in Adult literature and need to be carefully presented, if at all, in YA.

THIS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS.
Over the time, as I read more and more YA, it became certain that the characters in these books deal with wide array of emotions and feelings, from grief to guilt, from sexuality to friendship, and so on.

Also, YA is so widely read by younger generations (and even older) that it leaves huge impact on readers and their views of the world.

«Gray Wolf Island» made me feel some very complex emotions. At points, it even made me angry. Angry at the possibilities that it would brainwash younger readers and give them wrong perspective over death, mercy, murder.

Considering that this book is mostly for teenagers, that haven’t yet formed their views on the world in general, I would dare even call «Gray Wolf Island» a bad influence!

This book was not anything that I thought it would be really. I guess I just kind of thought it would be a treasure hunt? It definitely did have those elements to it, but it also a magical realism element to it that made it really fun. I can’t say whether or not I would have enjoyed the book more without the magical realism…I think it just would have been a completely different story. With that being said, the five main characters are each unique and interesting. They all have secrets and I really did feel like we got to know them quite well in a short time.

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Written by Tracey Neithercott, this book follows Ruby as she ventures out of her comfort zone to full fill her sisters dying wish – that she goes on a treasure hunt.

I really liked this book, and I didn’t think that I would. If you have ever read A Prayer for Owen Meany, this writing style reminds me of that. And I wonder if one character wasn’t inspired by that book.

This book isn’t a realism book, this is a bit whimsical in the background of the characters. One girl doesn’t sleep. Literally. Ever.

Kids, don’t try to do that. But it works for this book.

There is also death that is dealt with, and it’s done in a such a way that I think this would be a great book to analysis as a high school or college novel, but it might be a little tough for the young kids. Middle schoolers could enjoy this, but parents I would recommend reading this with your kids. Scroll to the bottom section underneath the spoilers to see why.

The writing is just beautiful, and the characters have such depth and reflect real life so much. This is a book that shows both the typical teenager, and what makes each person unique. And, I enjoy that all of the girls were a little odd. And I enjoyed the two character story telling. I guess part of the ending, but the other part did startle me. Completely.

Fans of mystery, adventure, growth, and just a good book will enjoy this novel.

Ah, I'm going to be the "Debbie Downer" of the bunch. Although I liked this book well enough, espcially Elliot, I didn't love the book. This might have to do with me not liking "journey" books. It always makes me feel as though we should just get there, rather than have the journey. But, that is a personal taste.

The book is well written, has a good diversity of characters, has all sorts of teenagers that break common stereotypes. For that, it would probably appeal to many people, and they would enjoy this story of a hunt for both a tearture, in the physical sense, and for the truth, that this magic island pulls out of you.

The magic is contemporary and not heavy handed. The secrets that everyone hold and then releases are quite understandable, and there is sympathy for all.


Thanks to Netgalley wor making this book available for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book! It reminded me of a cross between A Map for Wrecked Girls (with better execution) and The Raven Boys. It was an exciting read with a good plot, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The characters were really fleshed out, and I loved the dynamic between the twins, Ruby and Sadie. I loved how this one story had so many different elements of a multitude of genres - adventure, action, fantasy, survival, etc. A truly wonderful read!

I went in to Gray Wolf Island not knowing too much of what it was about – I mean, I read the synopsis and all, but this was months and months ago, so when I started reading it, I didn’t really remember what it was about.

Which means that I had forgotten that it was about a treasure hunt!

Yes! A treasure hunt! How awesome was that? Imagine my giddiness when I started reading this book and got to the point where I realized that was what the book was about…I was so excited. So as usual when I’m super excited about a book, I kept reading through pretty much the whole day until I finished it, and I loved every single page.

This book combines mystery, magical realism, and budding friendship between five teenagers to create a fun story that revolves around a hidden treasure that they are destined to find. The plot also has a host of chilling secrets – and brings about the realization that everyone has something that they don’t want others to know.

“‘You know what you need, Ruby?’
‘A paying job?’
‘An adventure.'”

These are words spoken to Ruby, who i still dealing with the death of her twin sister, Sadie, and has done nothing but retreat into the shadows because she doesn’t feel as if she can possibly ever be whole again. Although Ruby promised Sadie she would finish up what she started, and continue her mission to find the treasure of Gray Wolf Island after she died, Ruby still hasn’t gotten around to doing just that. She doesn’t feel worthy, especially with the terrible secret she has been hanging on to since that horrible day.

However, when urged to find the treasure, and then when she locates a map and poem that will help her to it, she finds herself talking to Elliott, wanna-be-bad boy who claims to know a lot about Gray Wolf Island. When he agrees to go with Ruby to find it (even though he kind of invited himself), he also brings along two others – Charlie, who claims to know how and where he is going to die in a vision that he had, and Gabe, who is the miracle son of a virgin. While Ruby isn’t okay with sharing this treasure hunt – one she promised to her sister – with three boys, she also wonders what Sadie would say if she knew that she would be going on a trip to Gray Wolf Island with three hot guys. So she decides that she’ll do it.

When Anne, a girl who never sleeps and has a knowledge of boats, joins in with them to go on the treasure hunt, the five of them set off to locate a treasure that has been a legend for decades.

“‘I think the island’s tormenting him. I don’t think it wants us to find the treasure.’ Anne bites her lip. ‘That makes sense,’ she says. ‘It wouldn’t keep it hidden if it wanted it found.'”

When they reach Gray Wolf Island, strange things start to happen – and Gabe claims that the Island has been talking to him, telling the others that there is no way the island will let them have the treasure as long as they all have secrets that they’re keeping – secrets that can change the way others look at them.

When Gabe’s secret is revealed and they continue to look for the treasure, everything gets much darker, causing them to uncover truths that they had kept hidden for years.

As they decipher the poem that Ruby found in an old Treasure Island book, and keep looking for the treasure, they form close friendships and endure things that they hadn’t expected.

“‘Can you really know someone without knowing the one horrible thing that defines who they are or who they become?'”

I love the fact that Gray Wolf Island centers around not only treasure, but the characters coming to terms with things that they have done in the past that they are ashamed of – guilt that they’ve been living with for ages. Although some of them were friends and others weren’t at the beginning of the book, after they have shared secrets with each other and spent time working on this treasure hunt together, I love seeing how their lives connect to each other’s little by little as time passes. I really do love a good book that has a strong focus on friendship, and Gray Wolf Island really brings that theme home.

The atmosphere of the island is dark, dreary, and fits well with the whole dark secrets theme I mentioned earlier. Although I think there could have been a tad bit more world building, I was still able to paint a nice picture of the island in my mind while reading – from the ocean rushing up against the shores to the caves the characters find themselves going through.

I wasn’t really sure I was going to like all of the characters, but they all had their own voices, and while the main story is told from Ruby’s point of view, I felt like we really got to know the rest of them, too. I loved Ruby’s character, as well as Elliott’s. They clashed and fit well together at the same time, if that makes sense. Their dialogue and goofy banter throughout the main part of the book really made this interesting.

I say the main story, because there is also a little side story going on from another character’s point of view from some time ago – almost little snippets of a memory getting put back together little by little. These chapters were helpful, and while I thought I had figured things about them out, it turns out I was wrong. The mystery here is really brilliant, and I’m so glad that it threw me for a loop.

Gray Wolf Island was such a suspenseful mystery that had a lot of different elements going on that made the book so good. The conversations between the characters, the way the author talked about the island practically coming to life, and the strange quirks that the characters all had really made this something special.

I was so busy this month with arcs and e-arcs that I actually never got to finish this book. I only got to around 40%, but you can bet your ass I will be continuing this story, for many many reasons.

First off, the prologue of this book…oh my god. It’s so dark. And I loved it. I actually had to take a day or two after reading the prologue, just to recover.

Tracey’s writing style is melodic and beautiful, and she definitely brings the eerie-ness, and mystery to this novel.

The author on twitter had mentioned it was like The Goonies, which is one of my all time favorite movies. While this novel is a bit more darker, it still has the elements of goofyness and magic that the Goonies did. It also reminds me of National Treasure a bit too, with some of the things the riddle has them do to find the treasure.

I haven’t read much but…the characters in this novel are so lively and have unique voices that spring from the page. Charlie, Elliot, Gabe, Ruby, Ann and this myterious Cooper…I love them all and I want to protect them with my life.

If I can already adore this much of the novel from not getting to even halfway through a book, you know you should all read it. I will one hundred percent be continuing this weekend, and will post a full review when I actually finish it.

I know this book will blow me away, the ending will probably leave me breathless. I cannot wait to continue and I cannot wait to see what else this author brings us, in regards to future novels.

I wasn’t expecting this book. And by that, I mean I think I went in with more expectations for action, adventure, the standard fantasy elements that I always look for but this book just isn’t that.

I loved that this felt like a mysterious treasure hunt and combined with the beautiful writing that reminded me a bit of The Court of Broken Knives, both books featuring a very lyrical, almost flowery style. It definitely slowed the pacing down but not in a bad way so much as world slowed (rather than bang-bang-bang action).

Gray Wolf Island is one of those books where I can’t really get into the plot or risk too many spoilers. The mystery is beautifully woven throughout the plot and each of the characters had their secrets that made me invested just because I wanted to know more. That wasn’t the only reason I loved these characters but it sparked the initial interest.

But this book wasn’t perfect (I don’t think any book is). I wasn’t a huge fan of the protagonist, Ruby. She wasn’t a bad character or anything but something about her just didn’t click for me. That being said, the secondary cast was also stunning and interesting and I was just so happy with that. I love books featuring groups adventuring. They’re like candy, I can’t get enough, and to see the secondary cast developed as well as the protagonist was so exciting.

Y’all don’t want to let this book go to the wayside. It’s a bit of mystery, a bit of magical writing, and a lot of amazing characters that you can get behind. Definitely get Gray Wolf Island on your list!

Rating: 3.5

Well, color me surprised. This book was not what I expected. Even now, I am not sure what to make of it but turned out to be a lot more interesting than I thought it would be.

I expected a standard mystery novel about a group of friends on a mysterious island and a search of an ancient treasure. And yes, it is technically about that, but it's also so much more!

As the book does revolve largely around the mystery of the island and the treasure that it holds, I will not be discussing much of the plot, and will instead focus on all of the other little things that made this book wonderful. Starting, of course with the wonderful cast of characters.

While I admit, I was not a huge fan of the main character and narrator, Ruby, I absolutely loved everyone else. They were each so alive and real and magical.

You've got Gabe, a virgin-born boy, who feels the need to prove his masculinity to all who question how he got his Y chromosome. There is Charlie, a boy who knows his own death and is determined to live as much as possible before his time comes to an end. Then there is also Elliot, a genius bad boy who has devoted his life to the treasure. Lastly, there is Anne, whose family prayed for more time in her day and thus was cursed with never being able to sleep. 

Together, with the help of a mysterious map, and an even more mysterious poem full of riddles, these charters embark on a trip to find a treasure that no one in over two hundred years has been able to locate. 

Along the way dark secrets are revealed, relationships bloom, and friendships are tested, and yet, our heroes find a way to overcome it all.

As for the treasure, I must say that I truly enjoyed the hunt. I loved the riddles and clues and the suspense that hung over every action they took. I honestly did not know what to expect next, and the mystery of it all kept me guessing until the last page.

In the end, it was a great debut, from a fantastic new author whose work I greatly look forward to in the future. 

If you like mystery, magical realism, and treasure hunts, I greatly suggest picking up a copy of this book. I highly recommend!

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles

**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**