This book was a weird beautiful little gem that I didn’t know I would fall so deeply in love. This book reps hard for feminism and own voice perspective on queer love. I am obsessed. This odd wonderful book with its mesmerizing cover and fascinating world building is one of the best pieces of literature I have gotten from NETGALLEY.

I received a copy from Net Galley in return for an honest review

Please check out the author's trigger warnings on the book site.

Seriously people. I picked this book up yesterday and couldn't put it down.

This was a fast-paced, strange and delightful read. So different from anything else I've read in the last few years.

The characters are a bunch of tough, flawed, strong females trying to make the most of life after being stranded at a girl's school where everyone is sick, mutating and/or dying. They are put in horrible situations and just trying to make it out alive.

It's labeled a queer horror and I love it so much more for this. The relationship in it is a delicious side note to the plot.

The descriptions of the "Tox" and how the women suffer, how the animals and landscape are affected are beautiful and disgusting.

The world building is intense and the emotions evoked are powerful, please pay attention to the trigger warnings.

The book ends, in a way that wasn't surprising but also left a lot of questions.

The author never 100% explains the "Tox", how it came to be, why it's there or what it is for. The author gives the reader just enough to form their own opinions.

This novel is a great YA to add to lists which include books like The Power.

**THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR AN E ARC FOR MY HONEST REVIEW**


I don’t know what I was expecting going into this, but it wasn’t what I got.

I really enjoyed parts of this story and hated others. I enjoyed discovering what the Tox was, but stuff was also kind of left out about why and so I was left feeling confused.

The Tox also completely creeped me out, I wasn’t prepared for the absolute weirdness of it and I like dark stuff, but the just off the wall weird stuff never sits well with me, but this is also labeled horror so I guess it did get a creeped out reaction from me, but I was never scared..

I really liked Hetty and Reese, even though their relationship didn’t have any tension, or chemistry and kind of just happened like we were supposed to know it was going too.

I liked the scenario, the Abandoned school and survival...and the all girls cast.

I didn’t care for Byatt’s chapters at all. They were written extremely choppy and weird. No punctuation, no sentences. Just random words and maybe that’s how she was thinking but it was just a big no for me. I understood it, most of the time but was more annoyed than anything and couldn’t get invested into it.

I’m kind of bummed because this cover is freaking phenomenal and this has been hyped a lot and it wasn’t what I was picturing, I also wasn’t aware it’s a series, I might continue...

[3.75]
The first half of the book took me a while to get through, and I found that every time I would start to read it, I would wind up falling asleep. That's not to say it was borning, it just was not always exciting. I think the biggest problem I had was the writing style or the prose, it was sort of poetic, which worked in some scenes like the relationships between the girls, but at other portions, it took me out for the story, and was hard to stay engaged while reading. This happened in Hetty's chapters, which constitute a majority of the book. The reason why I am giving the book 3.75 stars, is because the second third of the book was much more interesting, and I absolutely loved Byatt's chapters, honestly her chapters were 5 stars. I wish more of the story could have been through her, I especially enjoyed the writing during her chapters, which I felt was better than the writing in Hetty's. Overall, it was an interesting book, while not my favorite, there was definitely a lot about this book that I DID enjoy, and can't wait to read another book from this author.

Wilder Girls is one of the best books that I've read in a long time and, even though it's April, is already a top 5 favorite book of 2019 for me. Rory Power has such a way with words; her characters are real and fleshed out and the vivid imagery she uses in her descriptions are gut-wrenching. I have read books featuring survival stories, boarding school tales, LGBTQIA+ romances, horror situations, mystery plots, unbreakable friendships, underdogs and cunning characters but Wilder Girls is the first novel to employ all of the above and take it to a whole other level. Exciting and original and dark, Wilder Girls is an instant classic.

📚Book Review 📚
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Release date: 09 Jul 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I just finished the book like a minute ago and OMG I couldn’t put it down. The book was so amazing and while Byatts sections of the book had me confused a bit I did enjoy the art in how she wrote the first sections almost as a poem. I fell in love with this book mostly because of the Tox, which was the disease they all had. While it made me mad it made the book even better at the end... which was a cliff hanger (got to love ‘em)
Before I share my other loves I will give you some background. 📚Book Report-ish)📚
The book takes place on Roxter, which is an island of the north-east of America. Roxter has been in quarantine due to the Tox.The Tox is a disease that tries to make the host better but ends up eventually killing it. There is a academy on Roxter of just girls, which include Hetty, Byatt, and Reese who have became a pack. They share the food, which is on limited supply, and they try to live and survive when they think death is inevitable. When one of the Boat Shift girls quit Hetty is elected as the new third to the Boat shift girls, which go out in the danger and get the food. After Hettys first trip out she uncovers secrets she wish she hadn’t and she fights to keep her girls together. But that all falls apart when Byatt is taken. ... I just LOVE this story so much and can we talk about the cover, it’s so gorgeous. I didn’t tell a lot about Reese for two reasons, one she turns to be way different in the middle of the story and two, she is very complicated. The ending is very intense and suspenseful so that was amazing. This book is, essentially, about girls on an island trying to survive. Also did I mention, all the animals have grown and went savage thanks to the Tox. Also there might be a love interest. I really think you will enjoy this book and as always thank you @itsrorypower for writing and congratulations on your first novel. Thank you @netgalley for making this review possible and I hope it helps. 📚Categories📚
Young Adult, All girls, Thriller, LGBTQ
#book #bookobsessed #bookstagram #bookworm #youngadultbooks #wildergirls #rorypower #bookaholic #arc

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC! I had went in expecting a Lord-of-the-Flies-esque story; with girls turning against girls and a constant fight for survival. I received both of these things, but in ways that I did not expect. We are thrown into Hetty's nightmare world, eighteen months after her life turned upside down. She has been stuck on Raxter, an island with a girls only school and a dark, hidden secret.

The girls are wracked by a disease called the Tox that attacks their bodies in different ways. For Hetty, she lives life with only eye permanently closed-- and something writhing behind it. She watches her friends and fellow schoolmates suffer through flare-ups; times when the disease makes some sort of change to them that they either power through or die trying. Tensions are high, supplies are low, and the only spark of hope is the dream of a cure that the CDC, Navy, and the bordering Camp Nash are reportedly hard at work trying to realize.

Hetty and her two closest friends, Byatt and Reese, are in the front lines as everything deteriorates quicker and quicker, and we quickly see the resourcefulness and strength of not only these characters but every single girl that we are introduced to. It reminds us that even in our darkest hour, women are a force to be reckoned with. These girls are doing the best they can to survive; fighting for food, killing diseased animals, and even sacrificing others for the greater good.

In light of this, I think that the author did a beautiful job of actually living in the grief and the guilt that these characters felt after having to commit these acts. If they had to kill someone, they were stained red to their very bones as the weight of a life soaked under their skin. The other people that these actions effect react in kind; they understand the path taken but something snaps, breaks, and may never be repaired in that relationship but they continue on.

The biggest theme in this book to me was just that; moving forward. Life gets so hard sometimes that it feels easier to just let it swallow you whole. Even when it seems like you've lost it all, you have to remember the people and dreams that drive you. Hetty, Reese, and Byatt are all the author's will to live personified. She wrote something in her acknowledgement that stopped me and illuminated the book as a whole. She says, "Thank you to younger Rory, who decided to stay. I would not be here without you".

I think Rory Powers created an intoxicating whirlwind of a novel. I could not put it down. I had been reading it late at night, and I would be struggling to overcome the siren call of sleep begging for one more chapter. I woke up in the mornings clutching my kindle like a favored stuffed animal or security blanket, and I would just keep going from where I had left off. The action never stopped, and the bonds between our girls were as beautiful and original as the Raxter Blues. It's a perfect debut!

This book was a thrill ride from page one. Rory has a beautiful style of writing that brought the world of Raxter and The Tox alive before my eyes. This book was unlike anything I have ever read before and left chills down my spine as I read.

The idea behind this book is terrifying and really makes you think about human evolution and viruses and things that can change the course of human history. It also brings into question the issue of climate change and the disastrous effects that that can have on microorganisms. I think the science behind Wilder Girls was amazing and the development of each character and the anomalies they developed because of The Tox was amazingly done.

I really loved Hetty's character and it was easy for me to relate to her. You can see through out the story how she struggles with what is right and wrong and how she feels responsible for some of the events that happen in the novel (Even though for many of them she wasn't at fault for.) You can see how The Tox and the quarantine as well as losing her sight in one eye has put a strain on her and her relationships with the other girls. But with the quarantine and effect and the food supplies low it is easy to see how everyone is tense.

I liked Byatt's chapters for the sake we got to see what was happening after she went missing and we go a little more insight on her character. I love that Rory wrote her POV as fragmented and with a lot of repeated language. It showed through the pages her hysteria and desperation and as well as her confusion in being in this situation. We learn also that Byatt is a master manipulator and that it is one of the reasons her parents sent her to Raxter. Byatt's use of manipulation actually causes someone to become infected with The Tox.

Though Hetty and Reese's sexuality isn't explained in Wilder Girls, it is a female/female romance. I loved that Rory didn't make it a cookie cutter romance that so many other young adult books fall victim too. The romance between Reese and Hetty is flawed and complicated. It isn't perfect, but essentially love is never going to be 100% perfect all the time. The actions that Hetty had to take in certain parts of Wilder Girls put a strain on their budding romance. By the end of the novel their relationship is very open still, but I like to think that they were able to work through the ordeal on Raxter island and continue their relationship.

*Slight spoilers in this paragraph!*

Wilder Girls was left really open ended and I can see the potential for another book. But at the same time the book had a haunting atmosphere and that's the sort of note on how this book ends. Do these girls live? What exactly is going to happen to Byatt? Do they cure The Tox? There are a lot of questions but it is also up to the reader at this point to come to these conclusions. To me they get rescued and there is a cure, Hetty is reunited with her family and Reese goes with her and Byatt reverts back to her bubbly self. But that is me and I am excited to see how other readers are going to interpret that.

Overall, I really loved Wilder Girls and I can't wait to read any of Rory's future novels. Her writing is a breathe of fresh air in the young adult genre. Wilder Girls is a book that is a must read for 2019 and is a fabulous debut novel.

Thank you to Random House Children's Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

This one was just not for me. I didn't find myself liking any of the characters or the story. It seemed slow going. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't enjoy this book. It was gross and unique which is something different in the YA genre. I do think the author does a good job with her descriptions of how the Tox affected the girls and the animals and the island itself. I found myself squirming at her descriptions. Which was good. This book was certainly meant to make the reader squirm. I did like the idea behind this book with the island turning into something out of a nightmare and the girls turning into nightmares themselves. I guess I just never found myself engrossed in this book. I do think other readers will enjoy the darkness of this story and it certainly is original and unique! I also love the cover!

I received a copy of Wilder Girls from Random House Children's through Netgalley.

This book is horrible and gorgeous. Such strong elements of body horror and passion.

I loved every minute of this book and even more delighted with how very gay it all is.

This was a decent dystopian YA novel. It was sufficiently creepy and not overly predictable. I do wish the relationships had been better developed, and the ending felt like a bit of a cop out of the author not knowing how to solve things but also not wanting to kill all the characters...

this is probably one of my favorite covers of the year and I am so happy to say that the inside is just as amazing. this honestly ended up being a weird combination of everything i love in stories. it is a feminist lord of the flies following 3 friends who are under quarantine at a boarding school. when one of the friends goes missing it becomes a race to find her and figure out what the hell is happening on this island and uncover the secrets being kept from them. this also has a really great f/f relationship that I died over!

as for the horror elements. this isn't "jump scare" horror but more "makes your skin crawl" with some of the creepy elements, which I personally loved. I would say if you liked the movie Annihilation then you will love this!

this was one of the more unique YA books I've read recently and I loved how it didn't shy away from the brutality of what was happening. there was also a cool stylistic choice with the writing that I think worked really well and added to the creepy vibe.

With haunting and poignant prose, Wilder Girls is a triumph from start to finish. Nuanced characterization paired with multilayered worldbuilding make for an eerie and unforgettable read. I cannot wait to read more from the author.

A very interesting read that will keep reader at the edge of their seat. Wilder Girls is unique in the way that it takes something horrifying and almost makes it beautiful in a twisted way.

I was really excited about this book, primarily because the premise seemed extremely original. It ended up vastly exceeding my already high expectations, simply because Rory Power's artistry is something that I couldn't even imagine. The horror of the Tox, and the physical and spiritual scars it left on these girls was only second to the way some of them blossomed from it's decay. They were fierce, hungry, deeply flawed, and impossibly delicate. The setting was lush and twisted, and the relationship arcs were fully-fleshed out and realistic in their damage. Honestly, I loved it.

I don't really know how to talk about this book. It's gay and body horror af and so good. Rory Power is a real powerhouse, and I can't wait for her next book.

This was a gorgeously written YA novel, reminiscent of a girls' boarding school version of Annihilation. Definitely would recommend.

What a riveting read. I swallowed the whole book in one sitting, skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner; I just couldn't put it down. Fantastic, engrossing, with tension that grips you and doesn't let go until the very last page. And the descriptions! Just so incredibly vivid and captivating, I felt like I was watching a movie adaptation in my head.

I absolutely loved the protagonist, Hetty, and her resolution to save her friend. Her narration was as relatable as a narration from a 16 yo pov can be, with coming to terms with her own sexuality, while also trying to survive a horrific apocalypse and a disease that is disfiguring her. But! Even more so, I loved Byatt's chapters. They are so just so juicily haunting and frankly terrifying! I'm not sure I entirely understand what happened to her at the end, but the open-ending didn't bother me whatsoever. I think it's the perfect resolution for such a gruesome, yet deeply touching story. I would recommend it not just for the YA audience but anyone interested in sci-fi and horror!

Thank you, netgalley, for the ARC!

I really enjoyed how suspenseful this book was. The only complaint that I have was that I did not really enjoy Byatt's POV. I understand the necessity of it however I just found the writing to be too difficult to follow with no separate sentences at times.

I'm not usually a fan of horror, but Wilder Girls was absolutely mesmerizing. The writing is beautiful and gripping; the characters fierce and unforgettable; and the story itself reminded me of a strange mashup of The Walls Around Us and Annihilation. The body horror in the story is gory, grim and hard to read, but one of the characters memorably says, "I'be been looking for it all my life--a storm in my body to match the one in my head." An unforgettable debut.