Katie and Aster are cousins. They used to be close until something happened almost a year ago. Their relationship is fractured but they decide to hike in Moab. 49 miles. Just the two of them. They've hiked before so they're confident they can do this trail.

The book is mostly b told from their perspective but there is also a few chapters from a third person.
I really enjoy survival stories. Where the setting alone is a foe.
They hit setbacks and meet another couple along the hike.

This book was a quick read. I just had to learn about their hike, their journey. How would they reach the end to mile zero? Or would they? And how would they get along?
I liked how Katie reacted to things after her experience. Things would set her off. Trigger her. Not like,I felt for her but I liked that it was written realistically. Post traumatic stress


I liked how the girls worked together along the hike and I kept holding my breath waiting for certain creatures to appear. Thankfully the most feared by me did not show up.

This book will keep the reader engaged and interested the entire time.

I will absolutely sell this one. The author is a favorite and this book might be my most favorite so far.

I would add trigger warnings for SA and Rape alluded to. They aren't explicitly written it did happen but it was brought up or mentioned not completely described.

Thank you net galley the author and publisher

Highly recommended 4 1\2 ****

I have been SO excited for 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards and it didn’t disappoint. I could have easily flown through this book in one day, but I paced myself because I didn’t want it to end too soon.

I love wilderness survival books and it’s an extra bonus if there’s another element thrown in (like mysterious people that may or may not be untrustworthy). I loved that Katie and Aster were experienced hikers and took this trip to reconnect over a shared passion. I enjoyed the way the chapters alternated between the two characters so that we got insight into the thoughts, feelings, and backstory of each. The setting was interesting and fun, especially for an Ohio girl that’s never been to the desert. The plot was fast-paced and engaging. There were definitely a few points where I thought I had it all figured out, but I can say that in the long run I was only partially right.

This is a book that I’ll be recommending to teens that enjoy adventure stories and those that are looking for thrillers/murder mysteries.

Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooksfire for a digital review copy. I also purchased my own physical copy!

Katie and Aster are cousins and friends. A year ago, they both went through something very traumatic. Now, they are going through the desert on a long hike together. Things quickly go downhill when a storm hits and they feel like they are being watched.

I thought this book was pretty good. It was very fast paced and a survival story. I typically enjoy a survival story because it sucks me in. I liked the characters and the writing style of this as well. I liked the hiking and all of the nature descriptions throughout.

I do feel like things were just a bit over the top at times. I felt like a lot of bad things kept happening and it just seemed a bit too much at times.

Overall, a fast paced thriller that was interesting and kept my attention! I would recommend if you're looking for something fast paced and an easy read.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Natalie D Richards for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for 49 Miles Alone coming out July 2, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love this author’s books! She writes a lot of survival type stories and they’re always full of action and suspense. This book was definitely suspenseful. Hiking for days in the desert can always become dangerous. I loved the setting in Moab. I don’t think it’s the typical setting. I really enjoyed the characters. Cousins Katie and Aster have a strained relationship due to their past. There are some darker themes that they need to heal from. I loved the story. I’m definitely excited to read other books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys desert survival stories!

The start of this book definitely has TW.

The beginning is slower and but is crucial to understanding the story. Once you get through it a little before half way the story picks up! Constant worry and stress for the characters and the new characters we meet, Edge of your seat,

I loved this story and if suspense and adventure is what you are looking for, look no more!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This book was intense! I had no idea what was going to happen. I also didn’t know which event, minor or major, was going to influence the outcome of this novel. It was unputdownable!

Natalie D. Richards never disappoints! 49 Miles Alone is a solid thriller that teens will devour! The story is gripping and will keep readers interested until the very end. Highly recommended for all YA collections.

The following review was published on Goodreads on 06.19.24:

This YA thriller/survival story is a quick, exciting read. I whipped through it because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The Big Reveal isn't very surprising, really, but the plot kept me engrossed, even if it is a bit simplistic and far-fetched. I didn't love the characters. Both Aster and Katie are pretty bland. Even though they each narrate their own chapters, I still had trouble telling which was which since their voices aren't distinctive enough to stand on their own. Also, outside of their love for hiking and Katie's past trauma, I didn't feel like I knew much about either one of them. I cared about their plight, yes, but I would have cared more if they were more developed as characters.

So, while 49 MILES ALONE kept me turning pages, it was still a bit of a meh read for me. If I could, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

I loved this book! Aster and Katie plan a hike tin the Utah desert to help heal a rift between them. They are cousins--one from Ohio and one from Utah, and they have hiked in the Utah desert every year since they were children. This hike does not go as planned. Along the way they meet another couple, run out of water and, because I am not going to spoil any thing, two people are badly hurt. Along the way Aster and Katie solve all the problems that were between them. I was completely surprised by the ending. I highly recommend this for someone who wants a good read. It is especially good for young adults, and I will certainly purchase it for my school library. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc and no pressure for a positive review.

Ramona Thompson

Thank you to NetGalley, Natalie D Richards and Sourcebook Fire for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a short and easy binge read. It’s full of action and adventure out in the desert - what else could you want? I loved the characters and the setting. It’s a perfect beach read.

Heart-pounding stressful relentless suspense. It was a bit much for me, haha. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Short and Sweet Review
Aster and her cousin Katie are about to spend four days hiking in Utah. A year ago Katie and Aster dealt with an event that fractured their friendship. Now they plan on using the four days hiking to heal and rebuild their relationship. While on the trail they deal with illnesses, storms, and a couple who aren’t as nice as they seem to be.
A year ago at a party Katie was raped (I don’t think there’s a content warning for this) and since then everyone tiptoes around her, Aster doesn’t know what to say and Katie wants everyone to know she’s stronger than she looks. When they first start hiking you can tell there’s some awkwardness between them. Throughout the hike the girls deal with Aster being sick, and a storm that stops them from getting to some supplies at the halfway point. When we get to the middle of the book we meet Finn and Riley, they have supplies and are willing to share with the girls. When they witness the couple have a fight and Riley races to get away from Finn, Katie knows that they’re in danger if they don’t get away from Finn. The girls spend the next two days trying to find Riley and get out of the desert. We have the POV of Aster and Katie and also of someone we don’t know. We later learn that the unknown pod belongs to someone who has also come across Finn and Riley. This book isn’t too long so I didn’t like that Finn and Riley were introduced halfway through, I think the whole thriller aspect would of had more of an impact if they came into the story earlier. I did like the setting of the book, I personally would not be able to be out in the desert for four days doing a 49 mile hike. I do have to hand it to the girls, they were out in the desert, with limited supplies at one point, fighting illnesses and the weather, and also trying to out run a guy who seems shady. I think the reveal of the unknown character also could have been better, it was a bit lackluster. The ending was wrapped up a little too quickly and I wasn’t satisfied with it.
Overall, this was a good book. There were somethings I didn’t like and things I did like and I think they balanced each other out. I would recommend this book, its short and it makes you want to figure out what’s going to happen.

Nicely paced thriller with alternating narrators kept me reading to find out what was going to happen next!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

Entertaining story from an author I really appreciate. Unfortunately it lost my interest a few times, especially in the middle. I'll still happily recommend this to young adults who look for fun thrillers.

this book was really good and had lots of suspense and drama. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC to review

Eleven months after a traumatic night changed their lives and their friendship forever, cousins Katie and Aster are setting out on a four day hike through isolated Utah backcountry in an attempt to heal and leave the past behind. Plagued by bad luck and running low on supplies, they're relieved to come across a young couple on the trail who is happy to share their surplus provisions. At first appearance, Riley is friendly and outgoing, while Finn is quiet and withdrawn. After a fight in the middle of the night, Riley takes off into the desert with Finn chasing after her. Certain that Riley is in danger, Katie and Aster follow on their trail, determined to find her, or call for help, before Finn can get to her first.

49 Miles Alone is a pulse racing thriller of a survival story. Facing danger from the elements, illness, and injury, in addition to the strangers they come across on the trail, Katie and Aster have to use all their strength and wits to make it through the treacherous conditions on their hike. Their journey is told by alternating between their POVs, with brief interruptions from a mysterious third POV. I liked how each chapter heading showed an update of how far they were into their 49 mile journey. I think Richards did a masterful job in portraying Katie's trauma and Aster's guilt surrounding the pivotal night nearly a year prior to their hike. The build up to the twist was clever, the foreshadowing subtle enough not to give it away early on, though I did start to piece it together shortly before the reveal.

If you enjoy thrillers and survival stories, I think that you would enjoy 49 Miles Alone! However, if mentions of rape and sexual assault are triggers for you, I would exercise caution as they do figure heavily into the overall plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I just cannot get into this author`s writing style.

This book should have been captivating - it had all the tell tale signs, but the writing was so boring and the were way too many details that just dragged the story down.

DNF.

Whew! This was such a nail biter, and I could not put it down. So much tension! Those who love mysteries, thrillers and survival stories will enjoy this one.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This author's books are hit and miss with me. They always start out well enough but I lose interest in the middle and struggle to the end. This started out more promising than the last but it turned into the same *hiking gone wrong* book that I read a few weeks ago, literally down to the trauma that led them to this little reconnection rendezvous. I've seen this a lot lately. A trope will be on trend and I'll get burnt out on it. I can never tell if it's a coincidence or bandwagon.

Regardless, the writing is still good and if I hadn't accidentally read this trope so much lately, I'd have really enjoyed it so it doesn't deserve a low rating.

This pulse-pounding story set in the beautiful desert near Moab, Utah, is an exciting hiking adventure with threads of mystery, relationships, survival (physical and spiritual), #metoo, friendship, and perseverence.

When young adult cousins Aster and Katie, who have explored Utah every year since they were nine, set off on a 49-mile hike, tension fills the air. Months ago, Katie was assaulted while at a party, which Aster attended too before heading home alone, leaving a drunk Katie behind. Now they need to reset their relationship while hiking cliffs, switchbacks, and canyons in the hot desert. Along the way, the two meet another couple on the trail, Finn and Riley. But something is definitely off with them, After camping nearby and hearing the couple fight and run off into the night, the cousins set off to put distance between them and the couple. But soon they realize they're not alone on their hike, and, running low on water and food and dealing with the elements, they must depend on one another and find inner strength to survive. Meanwhile, a side story adds to the mystery and helps bring it all together in the end..

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.