After landing himself in trouble, 13-year-old Ben is forced to attend a wilderness reform camp program for troubled teens. Upon arrival, he notices something is eerie about the counselors and it's not just the environment.



As Ben and his bunk mates get to know each other, Ben notes that each boy has a different skill that could help uncover the truth about what's going on at the camp and how to stop it.



I loved Old Country so I had high hopes for Wilderness Reform. I mean come on, a horror with paranormal vibes set in the wilderness? Sign me up. Unfortunately, I found it to be underwhelming as the slow burn was too much of a slow burn and then I felt the ending was rushed. I did enjoy the writing style and the setting which kept me reading however, this just wasn't my cup of tea and that's okay.

2.5 Stars


Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved the concept of this one, I'm a big fan of wilderness horror and stories featuring young protagonists. However, I tried picking it up a few times and couldn't quite get into it. I had a hard time with the characters, even Ben, who all felt a little shallow to me. I wound up deciding not to finish the book.

Wow, what a creepy read! There are so many great things to say about this book—I was hooked on every single page. It's brilliantly written, atmospheric, and unique. Nearly every chapter sent chills down my spine. Overall, it's a hauntingly-paced, suspenseful slow-burn with a jaw-dropping ending!

I was drawn into the book initially because of the cover and then the synopsis had me sold! I was really enjoying the book until about 60% give or take. I don’t care for books when they all of a sudden have a supernatural element. I was hoping it would be straight up horror/ thriller. Sadly, after that it took me a bit to keep reading this book. It was fine. I didn’t really get the supernatural part, like I did but I didn’t. I still don’t really know what they are/ what was happening. There was definitely a lot of killing in the last bit. And I’m sorry but how did all of these like 13 year olds because master bow hunters and killers just magically. It was just a bit far fetched for me. And like if someone was 150years old and a curse was broken I feel like they’d just turn to dust but nope they kept on keeping on. Just a strange all around book. And the worst part was what happened to Wade? I feel like we don’t get closure to if they got away from the aunt of not. Wade was my favourite character, but I wasn’t really connected to any of them.
I’m not sure who I would recommend this book to.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the review copy.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

I just read an ARC of this book. I was very excited to read it as the cover is ominously beautiful and the synopsis sounded right up my alley. The prologue was a thrilling start to the story. However, while there were some exciting sections sprinkled throughout, I found the majority of the book to be a bit boring for my personal taste. It picked up toward the end then felt like a super rushed an unsatisfying ending. I can see where others would enjoy the book more than I did because the writing, descriptions, and dialogue are well done. I just personally didn’t enjoy the pace or ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read the ARC!

Yes I’m recommending this to you, even though I didn’t care for it. In total honesty I completely overhyped myself for this story which ruined my experience. As a whole, it is a fantastic coming of age story focusing on a wilderness camp for troubled Teens. Yet the camp isn’t quite what it seems.

The characters were dynamic and interesting. It’s a slow build to a quick paced ending, but it’s worth the ride. Please don’t do what I did and overhype yourself, just go into this blind!

Young Ben, who was born and basically raised himself in the sweltering, heated swampland deep in Louisiana, who never had a fair chance of experiencing what it was like to be just a boy at thirteen years of age but going on eighty. Ben begs, borrows and steals everyday just to provide for his little brother and himself until the day he is charged with a serious crime and has two choices, a child reformatory sentence for years or a court approved wilderness reform program over the summer whose statistics are highly successful and Ben's abusive custodian, Aunt Nikki gladly signs the papers, happy to send Ben away while she still will continue to receive the small government pension for the two brothers which is the only income she lives on, so this is a wonderful solution for this despicable, so-called guardian.

If any adult had ever taken an interest in Ben, they would find he has an exceptional, gifted intelligence and an unusual, quick instinct of reading into human behaviors without knowing or understanding how different and special he actually is and could have a real future if anyone had ever given a damn about his well being. All these gifts and more will become relevant and important to the few boys he will befriend at camp who also have some great life survival skills which will play into each boy's quest to find out what's really going on in this unusual camp where all the counselors seem overly happy and helpful but the boys all sense something sinister and possibly evil going on behind the scenes but eventually they will discover the most
unbelievable and terrifying secrets that their young minds could ever have imagined playing out and and how could they escape when they're deep in the Montana mountains, hours away by car to the nearest town or telephone. What will happen to all the boys at camp but especially to Ben, Trent, Rodrigo and Billy?


WoW! I must say I loved, enjoyed and was truly captivated by this well-written coming of age horror novel. This book was a slow-burn yet the atmospheric settings and scenery along with the beautifully written descriptions and dialogue were executed wonderfully (imo). The authors Matt and Harrison Query did a fantastic job of incorporating the essence of innocence, violence and horror together in a way where I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I'm now looking forward to reading the Query brothers other book "Old Country" which many readers seemed to have enjoyed as well. The reason I didn't give five stars for this fantastic book was there were a few unanswered questions I had by the end of the novel but otherwise I'm so pleased that I had to pleasure to read this really, special horror story!

I want to thank the publisher "Atria Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 4 CREEPY AND HORROR FILLED 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

In Matt and Harrison Query's "Wilderness Reform," Ben Thibodaux, a juvenile delinquent with a penchant for trouble, finds himself at a crossroads. After a botched convenience store holdup using a fake gun, he’s revealed to be more than just a petty thief. Stolen boats, break-ins at fishing camps along the Louisiana bayou—his rap sheet is far from ordinary. But instead of juvenile detention, a group of enigmatic men intervenes. Their proposition? Bear Springs Academy, a wilderness reform school nestled in the remote Montana wilderness. Ben’s younger brother, Wade, and Aunt Nicki are left behind as he embarks on this unexpected journey.

Bear Springs promises “adventure-based therapy,” but its head, Reid, exudes an unsettling aura. Ben’s initial skepticism grows as he bonds with his bunkmates—a motley crew of troubled boys from different walks of life. Strange happenings unfold, and the camp’s veneer of rehabilitation begins to crack. Billy, the most antisocial among them, senses something amiss while Ben grapples with the fine line between discipline and breaking spirits. Yet Bear Springs conceals something far more insidious than mere reform. As the boys uncover the truth, they must decide whether to escape or confront the malevolence lurking within the wilderness.

The heart of this slow-burn horror lies in its characters. Ben, Billy, Rodrigo, and Trent—all products of rough upbringings—struggle against a system that would rather punish than educate. Their survival skills, honed by the very camp that seeks to change them, become their lifeline. As the novel meticulously builds tension, readers witness an original concept unfold. The gripping climax leaves us breathless, rooting for these boys who refuse to be broken.

“Wilderness Reform” sheds light on a chilling reality: how certain demographics can vanish into the wilderness, unnoticed and uncared for.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Immediately upon starting this book I was hooked. The troubled teen industry is so mind boggling to me that I was captivated by this fictional work. The middle could have used some "oomph' but, the end wrapped everything up well.

Thank you to Matt & Harrison Query, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an eArc of Wilderness Reform!

I wanted to really love this book. With a gut wrenching beginning, I thought it would keep me hooked but the middle dragged on and the end left way too many unresolved questions to be satisfying. I felt as though the story had so much potential but ended up fizzling after a strong start.

Ironically enough, I was heading into the mountains of Montana for a hiking trip as I was reading this book. It was fun to have something to compare the day hikes the campers were experiencing as I was about to head into my own adventure. The descriptions of the mountains and terrain resonated with me.

Despite this, I could not bring myself to overcome how much the middle dragged. As I mentioned, the beginning of this book hooked me. The book starts off with so many questions and so much emotion is evoked for the main character and his little brother. However, I waited so long for any clues as to what was really happening and the main character bragged wayyyyy too much about his power of manipulation. I ended up losing interest and any compassion I had for the characters.

I did power through to the end of the book which resolved everything fast and furiously but did not give me enough of a resolution to feel as though the story was properly wrapped up. I don't want to give any spoilers, but just know you may be left scratching your head thinking "Well what happened with THIS part of the story?!?"

For me, this read was 2.5/5 stars rounded up.

This cover though! It looks so good and creepy 😍
I had high hopes for this book as I really enjoyed their first book Old Country.
It’s a horror book set in the wilderness. Not sure if it can get creepier than that. It was definitely a slow burn that led up to a decent ending. Towards the ending, it picked up the pace and held my attention. But getting there was a bit of a struggle.
The atmosphere of the camp and wilderness was described well, as well as the characters within the story.

Overall a good read. Dragged and seemed a bit repetitive in the middle but the ending was satisfying.

Many things to NetGalley and Atria Books as well as the authors for this ARC.
#NetGalley #AtriaBooks #MattQuery #HarrisonQuery #WildernessReform

Title: Wilderness Reform
Authors: Matt Query and Harrison Query
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: July 2, 2024
Themes: Domestic relationships, family, friendship, wilderness survival, juvenile delinquency, supernatural horror, paranormal
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, animal death, gore, juvenile delinquency, juvenile oppression, alcohol abuse, addiction

The brothers Query have a 100% percent success rate as far as I’m concerned. This is the second book from them. Their debut novel, “Old Country”, is one of my favorite horror reads of all time. “Wilderness Reform” is excellent too. I can’t wait for more. This second book is about 13 year old Ben. Ben is sent to Bear Springs Reform Camp instead of a prison sentence and, right away, Ben can tell that something is off. The counselors are way too positive and upbeat. Everything is too perfect. There’s also the boy that is taken screaming into the main lodge and returned with a similar visage to the counselors. Is this just an extremely effective reform program? Or is there something else going on here? Should we press on?

These two authors know their horror. From the very start, the story and the characters hooked me until the very last page. Ben and his little brother’s plight caught me by the heartstrings and didn’t let go. The raw emotion contributed heavily to the horrific events that followed. The scene in which Ben was forced to go with Reid, the camp director, will haunt me for a long time. I don’t often say this, but I wish this book had been longer. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these brave boys. This book, much like the previous one, was reminiscent of Stephen King in that the characters were well-established and real. The deceptively simple writing style can also be linked to Mr. King. I bet these two authors are big fans.

This story was a slow burn with a great and gory payoff. The word cinematic comes to mind as I write this. I watched this book as a movie in my mind the whole time I was reading. The writing was visual and atmospheric. Please make this into a movie!

Thank you to Atria for my copy of WILDERNESS REFORM. This one is out July 2!

I LOVED OLD COUNTRY, the previous book by the Querys so when I got the newest I was excited. Then I lost my excitement at how dang slow this book ended up being. I didn't connect with the characters, the book felt like a chore and left me disappointed.

Wilderness Reform was the perfect read for Summerween! 4.5 Stars

Teenager Ben has found himself on the wrong side of the law for the last time. In an effort to prevent charges, Ben’s guardian ships him off to a wilderness reform in rural Montana. Bear Springs Academy has an eerily successful rate of reforming these boys into upstanding members of society. Only something doesn’t seem quite right.

I loved how creepy and unsettling this book was. It’s a slow burn for sure, but the authors do a great job of creating an unsettling environment throughout. Most of what is happening is done off page, so there’s an added ambiguity of what exactly is happening. Is Reid just an evil man? Or is something supernatural at foot? I had such a fun time trying to figure out what was going on. I also really loved our main character! Ben was a great character to follow along with and I was rooting for him the whole time.

My only qualm is that the pacing was very slow throughout the first half of the book. While the action ramps up during the final 20%, it’s a slow burn to get there. You definitely get fully immersed in the wilderness aspect of things, but at times it’s just too much. I really wanted more action and less trapping at times.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for a review copy! I will be checking out this duo’s debut novel in the future.

A very slow burn with and extremely creepy vibe. This book was a bit more YA than I expected it to be but overall I was not dissatisfied

I enjoyed reading Wilderness Reform by Matt Query.   Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

All of my most anticipated reads this summer are set in the woods. Something about the rugged wilderness instantly adds mystery and suspense to a story, so it's no surprise that so many authors are choosing to have their stories unfold in this setting. Add Wilderness Reform, the second novel by Matt and Harrison Querey, to the list. Fans of their smash horror debut, Old Country, have been eagerly awaiting this release. Fortunately, their publisher generously provided me with a copy, and I quickly dived in.

Life hasn't been easy for thirteen-year-old Ben. Under the guardianship of an abusive aunt, he has turned to petty crime to fill his days. When he's caught trying to escape the scene of his latest misdeed, Ben is arrested and taken to court. Rather than sentencing him to a juvenile detention center, the judge sends him to a wilderness camp, promising that the experience will teach him the discipline and survival skills he needs to turn his life around. Upon arriving at the remote Montana camp, Ben is greeted by overly friendly counselors who seem too good to be true. From the start, Ben senses something is off. There's an undercurrent of menace throughout the camp, and as he delves deeper into its history, he uncovers a terror beyond his wildest imaginings.

After thoroughly enjoying Old Country, I approached Wilderness Reform with high expectations. The remote campground setting and the protagonist's redemption arc promised a compelling horror read. Brothers and writing partners Matt and Harrison Query start this new novel with a terrifying bang, one that left me breathless and eager for more. Unfortunately, that gripping opening scene turned out to be the best part of the book. The page-turning prologue gives way to a slow burn that struggles to gain momentum. While I appreciate the importance of building tension and developing characters, this book fails to do so effectively. The characters lack depth beyond their superficial roles, and the spooky undertones never develop into anything frightening or thought-provoking. Instead, Wilderness Reform became a tedious read that left me underwhelmed. It's a surprising miss from a duo who previously delivered a highly entertaining novel.

The book starts as we see Ben getting in trouble with the law. A young teenager from a bad home, orphaned and protector of his younger brother.

Ben is sent to live in Montana at a wilderness reform meant to straighten out troubled boys, a stop before juvie, prison or worse. We learn right away there’s something unsettling about Reid, but we don’t know what since Ben doesn’t know what. As the story progresses, this becomes more clear but we don’t learn any more info.

Until, of course, we do. Then the story splits open and the creepy part emerges. Creepy, yes. Scary, thrilling, etc., no. Overall, this part of the book reminds me in the unnatural way of The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. Enjoyable, odd and unexpected.

Advance reader copy provided by Atria and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

The nitty-gritty: An ultra slow-burn story made this a tedious read in the beginning, but the fantastic ending was worth the wait.

Never have I had so many mixed feelings about a book. Wilderness Reform has both good and bad elements, but the good elements are so good it was tough to settle on a final rating. I really struggled with the pacing and almost DNF’d this book at the halfway point, but I was curious about what the heck was going on, so I decided to push through. Ultimately I’m glad I did!

Ben is thirteen when he’s caught by police in an armed robbery attempt. Because of his age, his Aunt Nicki agrees to send him away to a camp for troubled boys, where camp counselors will try to rehabilitate him. Ben has no say in the matter, and even though he’s worried about leaving his little brother Wade behind with his abusive aunt, he has no choice but to be whisked away to Bear Springs Academy, a sprawling upscale camp nestled in the mountains of Montana.

Along with twenty or so other boys his age, Ben is told that he’ll spend the summer learning camping and survival skills, like fishing, hunting, hiking, making fires and going on overnight backpack trips. Supervising the boys are a bunch of friendly, enthusiastic counselors who encourage them to work together and bond over the life skills they’re learning. It all seems so positive, but Ben knows something isn’t quite right. The head counselor, a man named Reid, seems to be hiding something and Ben senses there is much more to him than meets the eye. 

The culmination of the summer ends with each boy going on an overnight solo trip, and Ben’s intuition tells him that nothing good happens on those trips. Along with his cabin mates Trent, Rodrigo and Billy, Ben begins to plan their escape—before the unknown terrors of solo night can claim them.

Let’s start with my main complaint: this is the slowest of slow burn stories I’ve ever read, and the exciting parts don’t really start until about 85% into the story. For me that was almost a deal breaker, but luckily the authors created a menacing atmosphere and dropped enough hints about the nature of the evil in the story, that I found myself caught up and wanted to see it through to the end. I also want to mention that the book felt extremely long, and I couldn’t believe it was only 350 pages (according to Goodreads—maybe that’s a typo?) It took me a solid week and a half to read, and I’m sure it just felt long because nothing was happening for quite a long time.

I also struggled with the authors’ writing style, which feels very formal and a bit old fashioned. The story feels overwritten at times, with long paragraphs of descriptions and narrative passages that, in my opinion, could have been trimmed down to make the story flow better and improve the pacing. We don’t really find out what’s going on until the end, and the story would have held my attention more if we’d been given more hints about Reid and who he is earlier on. There is a lot of repetition once Ben gets to the camp, and it took way too long to get to the good stuff. The boys are taken on multiple camping trips, and the authors’ spend a great deal of time on these, describing each aspect of hunting, fishing and even skinning rabbits to eat (do beware if you’re sensitive to animal killings. For me, the kids were learning survival skills, so I was OK with it.)

And one more comment before I get to the positives. Ben is an extremely unlikable character, and while I understand he’s had a tough life and is in a horrible situation, it was hard to root for him at times. He’s described as being “profoundly different from anyone else who has been through the program (camp)” which made me laugh. He’s very intelligent and has an uncanny intuitiveness that helps him cope with what’s happening at Bear Springs. This means he’s able to read people and manipulate them in very uncomfortable ways. He gets the best of just about every adult in the camp, although Reid is much tougher to figure out.

Now for the elements I enjoyed. I loved the vibe of the story, which reminded me of both Lord of the Flies and Boys in the Valley, so if you’re a fan of either book, definitely give this a try. I love the “kids against the adults” trope, especially the way the boys befriend and support each other. Despite my dislike of Ben, he immediately bonds with his cabin mates Trent and Rodrigo, and the three become tight friends and help each other out. Billy is the fourth member of their cabin, and at first he comes across as mean and scary (he’s physically bigger than the other boys). But eventually Billy proves to be very important to the other boys, and he ended up being my favorite character of the bunch. 

I also loved the wilderness setting and descriptions of the mountains. The authors did a great job of conveying the feeling that these boys are stranded in a remote setting, with only a group of adults to (supposedly) keep them safe. There’s a sense of claustrophobia as well, being trapped by the mountains and unable to get out, and this adds a nice touch of unease to the story.

As for the exciting action, the story literally explodes into violence in the last several chapters, and my horror loving heart was finally happy. The authors did a fantastic job of bringing together all the earlier hints into a thrilling and extremely bloody showdown between the boys and, well, the evil. There’s a reason the boys were being taught how to shoot bows and arrows and wield axes for the first 250 pages, and they finally get to put their skills to good use. If only this dynamic pacing had been present in the first part of the book, Wilderness Reform would have ended up being a favorite book of mine. And despite my negatives, I will definitely check out the Query's next book.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.