Starting out like a dramatic fiction about relationships as Nat prepares for her wedding day, the novel switches gears to become something a whole lot more and unexpectedly turns into a must read novel.

Milchman’s writing is very true to character types and personalities and is enabled to give each character warmth and pathos to a full realised person. As she fleshes out her narrative of her cast, she builds layers that give the reader insight. What I really loved about her style is that all her characters have faults and this also includes her main characters of Nat and Doug. Her main villain of the piece has a sympathetic thread running through his storyline that you come to understand. It doesn’t make him any less evil but the reader is left with a character they can emphasise with.

The novel takes many a turn and this is masterfully handled. Each plot twists the novel takes urges the reader to read furiously forward to its final conclusion. The many plot points are so naturalistic but unexpected and this drives the novel to a higher level. This is not a simple fast action novel nor is it a soap opera dramatic fiction. This is a story that has depth, intrigue, and many different layers that urges the reader to question and discuss and think about long after the final sentence has been read.

This really is an exceptional book and one that I can not urge people enough to read. It is humanistic, realistic, adventure horror and a genuine page turner that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Jenny Milchman is a writer to look out for and I can’t wait to see what she releases next. A true winner on all counts. This is truly highly recommended.

Although there were some plot twists I had to really work to believe, for the most part I really enjoyed this book. The couple at the heart of the book seem to have some issues even before they set out on their honeymoon, a couple of weird guys showing up at the wedding and making the bride nervous begins the book, so right away you know that there is likely something going on that shouldn't be.

As this novel progresses, there are some very intense scenes that leave you afraid to turn the page, but then, equally afraid not to. The man they are trying to evade during the course of the novel has all the creepy qualities one would expect to find in a character that has some serious psychological issues and for me, he was the best part of the book. The ending part of the book that involved him did seem a bit brief after everything else, but it was a fitting form of justice.

I wasn't sure that I liked the parts with the niece, she actually made me want to slap her around a bit for her stupidity. Otherwise, I thought this was an engaging and suspenseful book that will keep people on the edge of their seat from the first page to the last.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Honeymoon from hell!

The book starts with the frightening pursuit of a single hiker in the Adirondack forest.

We then switch to the wedding of Natalie Abbott and Doug Larson, clouded by an unusual meeting between the groom, the two groomsmen and two strangers. During this time we are introduced to Mia, Nat’s niece, who, for me, is perhaps the one real character in this story.

Following the wedding, the next day the happy couple set off on their honeymoon – a trek through the six million acres of the Adirondack forest by foot and canoe. Just the kind of thing a newly-wed bride would enjoy!

Thus, the scene is set for Nat and Doug to explore their relationship in the heart of Mother Nature. But part of that relationship is besieged with lies and evasions, such that maybe the short marriage will not last much longer, and as we have already read, something is lurking in the middle of the forest and whatever or whoever that is, is on a collision course with the happy couple.

I cannot, in all honesty, say that I enjoyed this book. There were too many flawed characters for my liking, apart from, as I have said, Mia – the teenager who is allowed to act as a teenager. The rest – Nat, Doug, Mia’s mum and dad – are all flawed and inadequate. So for me, it was rather a slog to finish the book.

However, Lee Childs is quoted on the cover as saying “Shot through with sinister suspense” so who am I to disagree? Well, I have read the book and do disagree!

Despite that, I am sure that Ms Milchman has written a book that some will find entertaining.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Worst honeymoon ever!!!!Doug and Natalie decide to spend their honeymoon canoeing through the Adirondacks. Natalie isn't very outdoorsy and has no idea how to read a map. She's happy they have a GPS to follow, until it falls into the river and all they have is a map for navigation. After a few days, they decide to abandon their canoe and hike out. What should be a two day hike turns unto much more. They find a dead body and realize there is someone else out in the woods with them. There's a crazy man, Kurt, living by himself in the forest and he wants some company. Really, he wants people to live with him and isn't above some cannibalism, especially when the hikers he meets wants to leave. Eventually Natalie finds out the real reason for their honeymoon and why they are traipsing through the wilderness instead of soaking up sun on the beach. Honestly, after Natalie learned the truth I was surprised she was able to forgive so easily, but I guess near death experiences bring people together.

This is my first book by the author and I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more. I liked the story line, characters and writing style. I have to say, Mia, Natalie's niece, was not my favorite. She seemed more like twenty instead of thirteen. Her fascination with Doug's groomsman was creepy and every time she left her parents' side, she always got into some kind of trouble. How did she come across Kurt so quickly when she was only on the trail for what seemed like a few minutes?

The book does have some twists and turns and definitely recommend it. The book is creepy, especially the parts about Kurt, and a thriller. I would have been afraid walking through those woods!!!

Thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and the author, Jenny Milchman, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

At the start of this novel, I felt it was disjointed in places. It just didn't seem to flow as well as the back two thirds. I felt the romantic components of the book were extremely awkward and the book could probably have done without some of them. However, I persevered with this book and I'm glad I did. As I read further on, it really started to grab me and I got caught up in the true terror of the isolation and desperation of the character held captive.

I ended up really enjoying the read, but I feel the first third of the novel needs a bit of 'tweaking'. Overall, a good read.

I really enjoyed this book. The pace was good, and I loved the fact that were so many red herrings.

When one thinks of a special wedding and honeymoon, this book is not one that you want to use as your guide. Natalie and Doug Larson get married at a nice little bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere. Then, they set out for an adventure honeymoon into the Adirondack Mountains. That is where the honeymoon starts going downhlll. Doug loses the GPS, they discover a dead man in the woods, they are hiking more than they are paddling the canoe so they abandon it. So much is already going wrong when their savior appears in the form of a man whom Natalie believes is a homeless vagabond. But Kurt is much more than that; he has lived in the woods for over a year and is a survivor, no matter what he has to do to be able to survive. Natalie and Doug quickly discover that Kurt is not the man he seems and that they must try to escape from his clutches before horrible things happen to them. Kurt is studying them psychologically and nothing that he does to them evokes real emotion; they are just case studies to him. But Natalie and Doug are lost in a wilderness and getting away is harder than they could have ever imagined. This book was written with a realistic tone that was scary and mesmerizing at the same time. The horror was there, but so was the pathos for Doug and Natalie who are a couple that just got married and who may not live to see an anniversary. Natalie was the more sympathetic character since she knew absolutely nothing about this whole adventure thing and this honeymoon was the brainchild of Doug. I also really liked her niece Mia who would not give up searching for her. This teen girl was portrayed as curious and a loner of sorts, preferring her online media to real personal contact. Again, this was such a realistic portrayal that I could actually imagine this girl’s words as she spoke them and was not surprised by the actions she took in her quests to find Natalie and Doug. This is an excellent novel that is not for the weak heart or weak stomach.

This book is intense and enthralling. A psychological thriller where the suspense is palpable, especially in the second half of the book. The author does a great job with character development, particularly Kurt, Natalie, Doug, and Natalie's niece, Mia.

The prologue tells a horrific story of a woman being chased through the Adirondacks by a man who is determined to make sure she doesn't leave the woods. But is his intentions to hunt and kill her, or is he just looking for companionship? The prologue happens one year before the main story takes place.

The story then picks up with Natalie and Doug's wedding day. A joyous occasion where the two lovebirds become one. They are excited to be uniting in marriage, and equally excited to set off on their honeymoon to the vast wilderness of the Adirondacks. Natalie, however, secretly had her doubts about the honeymoon. A strange sense of foreboding plagued her the closer they got to their destination.

Kurt Pierson ventured out with a group into the wilderness two years ago. He was the only member brave enough to stay behind when the mission they were on fell apart in a bad way. Now Kurt was a wanted man, hiding and surviving among the dense wilderness of the Adirondacks.

As Natalie and Doug begin their journey, they soon discover that the wilderness is a tricky place, full of secrets and uncertainties. Natalie can't help but feel uneasy in this strange place, not to mention a nagging feeling that things aren't as they seem in the wilderness and with her new husband. There was an odd confrontation before the service involving Doug's groomsmen and a couple of their friends. Doug is very secretive about this and does his best to distract Natalie. But soon he is forced to confront the skeletons and demons from his past as their honeymoon takes a sinister turn.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Sourcebooks Landmark on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wicked River was a really intense page-turner! I was sucked in from the start and I look forward to reading whatever this author comes up with next!

I loved this book. Natalie and Doug are about to get married. Just before the wedding a couple of dodgy characters appear, much to Natalie's dismay. This, however, doesn't stop them having an idyllic wedding. Their honeymoon is a canoeing trip in the Adirondack wilderness. Natalie is a bit unsure about this but does indeed appreciate the romance of being totally alone with Doug in such a stunning area. Of course, all is not as it seems. The trip takes a very unexpected and terrifying turn, I Did not see it coming! If I had one criticism it would be the actions of her niece Mia. I think they were not convincing and didn't add to the story at all. Despite this for me it was a page turner, a great read.

Three and a half star rating.
If you must have a trek and/or canoe trip in the wilderness then make sure you don’t get lost and that you know your companion very well which is something Natalie and Doug should have done. Definitely a honeymoon to remember! Natalie was such a doormat and was as irritating as a gnat as she lets everyone else make all the decisions and as for Mia, well the story would have been so much better without her sections & after the first one or two I just quickly skimmed them. I did like the descriptions of the Adirondacks and the feeling of menace as this pair stumbled from one crisis to the next - maybe they should have gone to Hawaii!

I received this book in exchange of an honest review from Netgalley. Don't let the three stars fool you I enjoyed the wild ride that this book took me on. A newlywed couple is going on a trip through the Adirondacks camping and rafting for their honeymoon. All kinds of craziness ensues! My reason for the three star rating is that the relationship in this book was unrealistic to me and the fact that a thirteen year old (Mia) is out to save her Aunt on her own. Mia runs into all kinds of crazy trouble in this book and I just couldn't see any of it happening. What are her parents doing that she can sneak off on her own so much to get into all of this trouble. I think this book is well worth the read and if you are into mystery or suspense this is the Summer read for you!

This story will have you turning the pages faster and faster to see what happens next. Wicked River by Jenny Milchman rachets up the tension and mystery to the point of not wanting to put this down until you get to the end of the book.
Nat and Doug decide on a canoe trip thru the Adirondacks for their honeymoon, it starts out ok but it all goes horribly wrong, relatively quickly what with Doug having secrets of his own on why he wanted this trip and not knowing the Adirondacks were harboring someone who has other plans for Nat & Doug's future.....this is a must read if your looking for a book that grabs you and won't let go til the end. Jenny Milchman did it again!

A canoe trip in the Adirondacks might make an interesting honeymoon for expert campers.. For the city slicker couple in this book, whose outdoor skills are minimal, it makes for a horror story, especially when a psychopathic recluse is thrown into the mix. The story is a page turner with an interesting group of characters with contradictory and, in some cases, illegal motivations.

My one quibble, having suffered dehydration while hiking, is the couple would have stopped being able to talk long before they could no longer go to the bathroom. But then, if they couldn't talk, the story wouldn't have read as well. We'll chalk it up to literary license.

If you like suspense and thrilling reads this book is for you.

I enjoyed this book. It’s a crazy adventure. Really crazy, full of lies and deceit. The writing is superb, and the story moves along nicely. But.....yeah, but. Sigh. I had a hard time with the motivations. Also, there was a major part of the storyline that was left...cloudy.

As the blurb states, newlyweds Doug and Natalie have taken off on a paddling adventure through the Adirondacks for their honeymoon. What the blurb doesn’t say, and what becomes clear pretty early, is that Nat wasn’t that crazy about their wilderness honeymoon. She just agreed because it’s what Doug, a serious hiker and outdoor guy, wanted. Nat, sadly, always agreed with Doug. She needed a backbone.

Doug is a piece of work. It’s fairly obvious from the beginning of the trip that Doug isn’t telling Nat everything. There are clues from the beginning that Doug has an agenda that has nothing to do with his new wife. I really did not understand his motivation. I won’t say more about that, but...really?

The story is told from multiple points-of-view, mostly Natalie, but we also hear from her niece, Mia, and the guy hiding in the forrest, Kurt. There are a few others as the story moves along. I love multiple view points, and it’s a highlights of this book. I like to know what multiple characters are thinking and doing. Mia, in my opinion, didn’t add much but confusion to the story...and she was a total brat.

Overall, I liked this story. It got a little long and a bit repetitive in places, but not enough to make me stop and start the book. I read it straight through, which is always a compliment to the author. It certainly wasn’t boring. I would have liked to know more about Kurt, the man in the woods.

This story is suitable for all ages, so pick up a copy and...

Enjoy!

2shay

Wicked River
By Jenny Mitchman

Mitchman has engaged the reader with a twisting, turning plot, that creates doubt in the minds of the reader as to who is responsible for what.

The heroine Natalie, is a well balanced and developed character that is quite believable. However the supporting characters lack the development that one would expect of Mitchman.

Generally the story focuses around newlyweds Natalie and Doug on a isolated adventure trip. Misadventure leads them to danger and the realisation that they are not alone in the woods.

An enjoyable and easy read.

www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

Wicked River was another good thriller by Jenny Milchman, who has become a must read author for me. I felt that this book was very suspenseful, and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The setting and situations gave rise to lots of tension and anticipation about what was to come. The characters and storyline were very interesting and intriguing. The setting came alive so much that it almost seemed like a character in itself. This story of what happens when a couple decides on a backcountry hiking and canoeing trip for their honeymoon and then has to struggle for survival is one that I won't soon forget. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

It has taken me quite a while to finish this book because I honestly struggled to get through the final section of the story.I eventually managed to finish it by reading a couple of chapters every now and again.Even doing that I struggled and a couple of times I almost gave up finishing it.

After a gripping opening chapter involving a female hiker who is alone in the woods and obviously in great danger we then cut to Natalie and Doug's wedding day.Natalie doesn't exactly know Doug very well and a strange occurrence just before the ceremony only adds to her feelings of suspicion and unease.But Natalie doesn't like to question Doug so the wedding goes ahead and the next morning they leave to go on their honeymoon.They are going to spend five days kayaking and camping in the Adirondack forest,hoping to connect with each other and also with nature.Only very quickly things start to go wrong,Doug has been keeping secrets,tension builds between the newlyweds and soon they find themselves stranded in the forest and fighting for their lives.As well as battling the forces of nature and the environment unbeknownst to the couple they are being stalked by a unhinged stranger who is prepared to do anything in his power to ensure they never get back to civilization again.

Interspersed throughout the book are chapters featuring Natalie`s teenage niece Mia.The inclusion of these chapters only make sense towards the end of the story.Like other reviewers I felt Mia`s chapters slowed down the pace of the story and could have been omitted completely.

I loved the first two sections of the story,they were tense and contained a spine chilling sense of danger.I thought these parts where gripping and riveting and whilst reading them I was completely hooked by the story.Then I started the third part and found myself losing interest in the story,I felt this part of the book dragged.The antagonist Kurt was more annoying than intimidating.The story did pick up a bit towards the end but it still lacked the intensity and thrills of the first two sections.And the ending of the book was far too syrupy for my liking.

The synopsis of this book made it sound so promising.I would have enjoyed it a lot more if Natalie and Doug`s battle for survival in the wilderness had been longer,their time spent with Doug had been shorter and the ending had been different.The story could have had a gripping,nail biting finale but I was just left feeling disappointed and relieved that it was finally over.

I am sorry, this book just was not my type. I think the story was not as tightly woven as it could have been, as it did have potential. I just did not feel the need of the background stories interjected into the main meat of the book. Thank you to Net galley and the publisher for a chance to give my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Jenny Milchman, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read an early copy.

Six million acres of Adirondack forest separate Natalie and Doug Larson from civilization. For the newlyweds, an isolated, back country honeymoon seems ideal: a chance to start their lives together with an adventure, on their own. But just as Natalie and Doug begin to explore the dark interiors of their own hearts, as well as the depths of their love for each other, it becomes clear that they are not alone in the woods.

Because six million acres makes it easy for the wicked to hide. And even easier for someone to go missing for good.

As they struggle with the worst the wilderness has to offer, a man watches them, wielding the forest like a weapon. And once they are near his domain, he will do everything in his power to make sure they never walk out again.

Wicked River is a fast-paced, wicked good ride. There's something about being alone in the woods that makes you especially paranoid. I honestly felt that way while reading this entire book, which I did in one sitting. The plot was fantastic, and the characters were relatable. There were a few twists and turns thrown in, and the setting itself has a very "horror-esque" vibe to it. That's probably because most horror movies are set in remote locations like this. I definitely recommend this one!