In the thrilling and suspenseful novel, "The Wilde Trials," Mackenzie Reed crafts a gripping tale of competition, mystery, and self-discovery. The story follows Chloe Gatti, a determined and fiercely competitive senior at Wilde Academy, as she navigates the treacherous landscape of the Wilde Trials.

Reed masterfully weaves together a complex web of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. Chloe's drive to win the competition is rooted in her desire to help her sick sister, making her a relatable and sympathetic protagonist. The introduction of Hayes Stratford, Chloe's brooding ex-boyfriend, adds a delicious layer of tension and romance to the story.

As the competition heats up, Reed expertly ratchets up the suspense, introducing a blackmailer who threatens to derail Chloe's chances of winning. The unlikely alliance between Chloe and Hayes is fraught with tension and emotional depth, making their partnership a compelling aspect of the story.

Throughout the book, Reed explores themes of ambition, loyalty, and the true cost of success. As Chloe navigates the Wilde Trials, she must confront the darker aspects of the competition and the secrets that lie beneath its glamorous surface.

The author's writing style is engaging and polished, with a keen eye for detail and pacing. The twists and turns are expertly handled, keeping the reader guessing until the very end.

Overall, "The Wilde Trials" is a captivating and addictive read that will appeal to fans of mystery, romance, and suspense. With its intricate plot, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, this book is sure to stay with you long after you finish reading.

I enjoyed this book--I thought that there was some fun drama, a compelling plot, and character development. I don't typically read overly angsty or drama-filled YA stories because I have moved on from that time in my life, but I have to say I did have a lot of fun with this one. This was a solid read, and I think that Mackenzie Reed is definitely going to be on my authors-to-watch list. This book was a fun distraction from my uncertain doom-filled thoughts (I'm sure the rest of you in January 2025 are feeling similarly) and for that I have to thank the book and the author.

3.75 stars

This was a lot of fun to read, and I definitely see the comparisons to Jessica Goodman and Maureen Johnson books! We're following Chloe as she enters her prestigious boarding school's annual competition, the Wilde Trials. Every year, 12 students compete in a wilderness competition for the title of Champion and $600k. A few years back, one of the Challengers died during the competition, and this is the first year that the original rules are back in effect, instead of the easier, safer version that followed his death. Chloe is determined to win, to prove that she deserves to be there, even as a scholarship student, and to use the money to help with her sister's cancer treatments.

Unfortunately for Chloe, this year's Challengers are full of her enemies: her ex-boyfriend, Hayes, (who's brother was the Challenger who died), her former bestie, and some of her biggest bullies. Which means that when someone starts sabotaging Chloe, her list of suspects is long. As she's investigating, she finds that Hayes' brother's death a few years before may not have been an accident, and that her saboteur and his might be one and the same. 

Like I said, this was a lot of fun, and I enjoy any kind of challenge-based story. I did think it was kind of weird that this was billed as a wilderness competiton but all the contestants sleep inside and have their own rooms and days off. I was expecting them to fully have to survive in the woods, but once I got past that I had a good time. I did guess the reveals before they happened, but wished that the book had a been a bit longer in order to give everyone more room to explain motives, because a lot of them I was like "...really?" Although they are all teenagers, so that may have been intentional. I think actual teenagers will really enjoy this one, too. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read an eARC of this title.

Such a fun book! IT has it all - adventure, mystery, secrets, sabotage, blackmail, broken friendships, and a necessary pact with an ex. Oh, and a competition between 12 students held in a forest surrounding an old, half demolished estate. I know my students will love this one as much as I did.

CW: blood, death, blackmail, long term illness, death of a sibling (recounted), violence, physical assault, a few cuss words,

I read The Rosewood Hunt in 2023 and loved it, so when I saw a second Mackenzie Reed book I JUMPED at the chance! And guess what-- I loved it even more!

This book is tense, atmospheric, and fast paced. I loved the main characters and I managed to partially guess what was going on, but not why 😉 the plot definitely keeps you guessing until the end!

TL;DR: The Wilde Trials was a great young adult mystery/thriller. It’s been a minute since I read YA in this genre but this made me want to pick up more of them! The setting of the Wilde Manor was perfectly atmospheric, the puzzles were fun to work out, the mystery intriguing and even the teenage drama was entertaining. Overall, if you’re looking for a well-paced mystery with empathetic characters who are easy to root for (despite not even being sure you like them) I would recommend checking this out!

I enjoyed The Wilde Trials more than I expected to and it reminded me of why I enjoy YA mysteries so much. They’re easy to devour in one sitting and have just enough stakes to be intense and intriguing without being too dark or drawn out. For all the danger our protagonists may find themselves in, these books are simply “good time” popcorn reads and I love them! While it was easy to see how things would unfold, I still enjoyed the twists and turns this took. I found it to be a great story about sibling bonds and the age-old lessons of learning where you fit in and accepting who you are. You can expect there to be teenage drama and angst, but thankfully, it wasn’t too over-the-top and neither did it take over the overall story.

I loved the setting and thought the overgrown and falling-apart Wilde Manor was perfect for creating a dark and creepy atmospheric read. With the looming forest along the manor’s periphery, decaying buildings spread across the manor grounds, and potential hidden passageways behind thin walls, everything about this perfectly fit the ‘mysterious’ vibe. Despite knowing that the manor is a short bus ride away from the school grounds, it still felt completely isolated and exactly like the kind of place where just about anything can go wrong! 🫣 But also, that library… It sounded as creepy as it was beautiful and I could picture it vividly in my mind.

Chloe was an interesting protagonist but I’m honestly still not sure how I felt about her. She’s portrayed as so many things by different people—selfish, self-serving, kind-hearted, and brave. Unfortunately, I didn’t think those traits shone particularly well in the writing. Yes, she has grit, is determined, and doesn’t cower in the face of school bullies, but we are told all of that and not shown it, which made it feel like something was missing. She does have a wonderful bond with her sister though and I’m glad that the reason behind why she’s participating in the Wilde Trials was consistent throughout. I will say that Chloe’s arc perfectly captures the teenage angst and confusion about fitting in, finding your place, etc., and I think the author did a great job of also bringing that through in all of the characters we meet.

An element that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did was the romance between Chloe and her ex, Hayes. Despite them professing to hate each other’s guts, it’s clear to the reader that there are many unresolved feelings. Chloe and Hayes might’ve been completely oblivious to each other’s true feelings—lost as they were in their anger and confusion, but appreciated the frank conversation they had about how they ended up where they are. This romance was surprisingly sweet and I enjoyed seeing the flashbacks of their relationship before it fractured.

That all being said, the Wilde Trials does require a great deal of suspension of disbelief because I don’t know where or when this type of “game” would be allowed IRL. I can’t believe there’s any school that would send a bunch of teenagers to live in a crumbling manor for a week without proper adult supervision—and I’m not talking about college kid supervision either. Not to mention that a student has previously died on the same grounds where they’re being made to do potentially life-threatening challenges to win $600,000… 👀 Other than that, there were also some moments when the logic didn't logic with Chloe making questionable decisions and hasty judgements that didn't make sense at all. I was also admittedly a bit let down by the resolution of the mystery. It felt slightly anticlimactic although I don’t think the motive was unrealistic because sadly, it’s not something we haven’t seen before. It’s rather depressing to think about because it speaks to the toxicity of the system we’re raised to participate in and yet, nothing changes.

Overall, despite certain (minor) things that didn't work for me, I thought this was a solid read and I'm glad to count it as one of the first books I read at the start of a new year!

Special thanks to Storytide for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars

Literally the ideal YA dark academia x survive the woods and solve a murder mystery novel. Second chance romance as well? I’m a sucker for character development.
For the sake of this review and to properly appreciate Chloe’s nickname as well as the book cover, we’re calling her Clover. Clover needs to win the Wilde Trials, these seven trials set in the wilderness and designed by past Champions, to earn enough money for her sister’s cancer treatment. Her ex, Hayes, is opposed to the Wilde Trials since his brother died in it 3 years ago. Now they’re both in the Trials and have to team up because somebody is targeting Clover and Hayes needs help finding what happened to his brother.
The mystery. The tension. I literally read this book in ONE SITTING because it was THAT good. I felt like my head was screwed on backwards and I needed to find out what happened next and who was responsible. And don’t even get me started on the secret tunnels. I do need some. Literally loved the whole concept and execution of this book so much. Perfection.

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

Unabashedly Mackenzie Reed's biggest fan right here! The Wilde Trials is an expert follow up to The Rosewood Hunt. No one is doing this style like her, with twists and turns and realistically flawed but loveable characters. She really writes for the OBX generation and we appreciate her for that.

Can't wait to see this book everywhere, as it should be. It's boarding school academia vibes but with a high-stakes competition but with atmosphere that'll make it a cozy read for any season, like it really HAS. IT. ALL.

Chloe, I am your fan. Go off queen.

Mackenzie Reed has made it to my auto buy author list after reading The Wilde Trials. I loved her debut novel Rosewood Hunt and was overjoyed when I was approved to read this arc. There was so much about this book that I loved. The character, the trials, the twists. It was an incredibly fun read. I can’t wait to get the physical copy in my hands.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me.

I thought Chloe, the main protagonist, was very annoying and selfish and the romance between her and Hayes was incredibly lackluster. While I felt sorry for Hayes, I also thought he was a bit of a jerk so I couldn't get attached to him either.

The trials were a total letdown. I just expected more than riddles and booklets to fill out for a 600k competition. Not to mention that they had no adult supervision whatsoever, and the whole thing was led by past winners (seriously, who lets a handful of teenagers go out into the woods for two weeks with some college students??? for 600k????).

If you want a more in-depth review, please check out my goodreads account (beware of spoilers!): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7217040315

THOUGHTS

Usually I come to a book like this with some trepidation. High melodrama isn't really my thing. But this book balanced the melodrama with its riddles and challenges so well that I had a blast reading it!


PROS
On Your Toes: Mackenzie Reed does a really great job of stringing you along with the mystery, the puzzles, and every little plot intrigue. I got enough answers to keep me happy while opening up more questions with every answer, more reasons to get invested--and more ways to leave you guessing along the way. And none of the twists and revelations felt cheap or unearned, which is impressive on its own!

Riddle Me This: The biggest letdown in a book like this, a book that revolves around challenges and riddles, comes down to the fact that the riddles usually aren't that challenging (at least for me). But in this case, I actually found the riddles quite interesting. I liked following along as Chloe figured them out, putting pieces together and making leaps in logic that made just the right amount of sense. It was fun!

Ensnared: The old manor house where the Wilde Trials take place is absolutely the perfect setting. It's overgrown. It's mossy. It's rotten and moldy. It feels damp and cobwebby and creepy, crawling with skittering spiders and complete with a set of tunnels that didn't quite make it onto the moldering blueprints. It's easy to get dragged into and absorbed in the setting alone.


CONS
Whisked Away: While I was mostly absorbed in the story, in the challenges and the mysteries, there were a few things that broke me out of the story... like any time a snare or trap went off in the woods that just whisked people up into the air. That... That isn't how snares work. At all. It's very funny. It's very dramatic. It's very made-for-the-movies. This book's notion of how computer hacking works is also very tv-thriller, which caused a lot of laughs (though not what the author intended) and did pull me out of what was otherwise a very immersive story.

Reality Check: Which kind of leads me into this next point. This book employs some classic and less-than-realistic tropes at times, which is ultimately forgivable. But when you take a step back from the from the fun of it all, the whole setup feels a little... flimsy. Because a group of private school students going out on these challenges with only a few alumni as chaperones, not a single staff member, doesn't feel like something that would be allowed to happen. Especially because the challengers aren't all legacy students caught up in the tradition of it all. Any random student can be selected, and that wonky "supervision"... just doesn't feel like something rich parents would let fly.

The Guilt: Chloe wants to win the Wilde Trials for the money. She wants the money for her sister, who is sick. She wants the money for her parents, who have listed the house as collateral against the little sister's medical bills because she is sick. Chloe wants to win because she feels guilty that her parents have spent so much money on her education at Wilde Academy. And it kind of irks me that she feels this much guilt. That her family have let her feel this much guilt. I don't get the sense that they've made her feel that way, but I still didn't like it. It was sad. It was depressing. It was hard to want her to win just because I felt like she shouldn't have to. None of this is her particular problem, and the guilt element (rather than her joining in the spirit of competition or just out of the desire to help her family) really made it depressing to read. I didn't like it.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Fans of Derek Milman's A Darker Mischief will like diving into the cobwebbed tunnels of this old, old academic building. Those who loved Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game will like the unexpected twists and complicated riddles of this fortune hunt.

okay i actually really liked this and had such a fun time reading!

𓍢⊹ 🍀 𖧧 ࣪ thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc!

summary: 12 students are chosen to compete in a cut throat competition featuring trials for a cash prize, and only one will win. when someone starts threatening and blackmailing our fmc, she is forced to strike a deal with her brooding ex boyfriend; if he helps her find out who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind…

— this book kept me hooked from the very beginning! i loved following along our fmc as the competition went on and it was so unputdownable! i will say, some things were very predictable BUT that didn’t take away the fun form this!

“It was as if I had to relearn how to exist without him by my side, his presence not loud but constantly felt. People say that breakups feel like losing a limb. But I felt like the lost limb, discarded and useless.”

“My fingers itch to reach out, to brush his arm in some sort of acknowledgment of his flash of grief, but I think better of it. It’s not my job to comfort him anymore.”

— my absolute favorite thing about this book was the romance between chloe and hayes; exes who hate that they can’t hate eachother? ate it up! the flashbacks to them before that day were EVERYTHING! the start of the clover nickname was so cute AND THE RING? oh i loved!

quotes:

“At first, you’re just the girl he has to tutor. Then the girl we have to do a group project with. But suddenly, he starts becoming Hayes again. Laughing, joking, being sarcastic. Playing piano. Things I thought were dead and buried with Hunter. You brought them back. You brought him back.”

“When is it going to click that he’s trying to protect you?”
“No, he’s not.”
“Of course he is. It’s the same reason he didn’t sleep the night before this trial started. He was up all night making sure whatever shit head is messing with you didn’t come back through your window during the night.”

“We sat on the piano bench in the band pit, and you played for me. For hours.”
“And what did I play?”
“Taylor Swift. I begged you to play me her songs for months, but that day you finally caved.”
“What albums?”
“Evermore. Red. Midnights.”

“Everyone loved him. Everyone needed him. I needed him. Nobody needs me.”
“That’s not true, I need you. And I—I love you.”

“I need you for other reasons, too. You make me feel like I’m someone deserving of being protected and defended. I’ve never felt that before because—I’ve never felt like I’m enough. Like i have to keep proving myself and being perfect and getting amazing grades. But with you, I never felt that pressure.”

“You’re always enough for me.”

An engaging read! I loved the concept of the Wilde Trials. Twelve seniors competing in a series of tests to win money immediately had me hooked. The main character Chloe starts getting blackmailed and turns to her ex-boyfriend for help. They soon strike up a deal that will benefit both of them. I loved the mystery aspects throughout too.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Even though this was a YA, I still enjoyed going through the trials with the characters. Reed has a way of just sucking you into a story making you feel like you're right there. There's mystery and thrill, along with friendship. This should be on everyone's TBR!

Another suspenseful YA thriller by rising star Mackenzie Reed! I had a lot of fun with this one. The setting is atmospheric, the stakes are high, and the plot is smart. Such a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

3.75 stars, rounded up.

I enjoyed Reed's first novel and was excited to read this! I flew through this book and was definitely hooked by the story, despite feeling like it could have finished a tad stronger. The Wilde Trials is about a competition set at a boarding school--kids go out basically alone into the woods with hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line--what could go wrong? There was a compelling backstory to several of the characters which was interesting, but the challenges themselves were kind of boring. My only real squabble is with the ending and the motivations behind several of the characters' actions. Not everything made a ton sense to me in that regard and I would have enjoyed a little more explanation. Overall, a fun and easy read, perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games!

Mackenzie’s writing reminds me of why YA can be such a fun genre to read! I adored her first book, The Rosewood Hunt, and now I’ve fallen in loved with her writing again! I thought the pacing was perfect and plot was so intriguing! It had just the right amount of suspense and tension!
This book would have been my ultimate obsession in high school! I can’t express enough how talented of a writer Mackenzie is! If you’re thinking about getting into read YA, this is the perfect book for it!

4.25 Stars
Chloe is a senior at Wilde Academy, a very exclusive co-ed boarding school. The final two weeks of every school year, there is a wilderness competition, where the winner takes home prize money. As a scholarship student, and with her younger sister's recent cancer diagnosis, Chloe feels she must win. The first hurdle is being selected, and when the contestants are announced, Chloe is shocked by who her competition is, including her former boyfriend, whose brother died in the trials two years before. The group is taken by bus to the original Wilde estate, that is rumored to be haunted, where they will stay for the next two weeks. The challenges are difficult, but are not supposed to put anyone in danger, but that is not how things turn out.

I loved everything about this story! It is very fast paced, with enough compelling action to keep you engaged, but not so much you are confused. The characters are well developed and their actions keep you guessing for most of the book. If you liked the Truly Devious series, I highly recommend you pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Mackenzie Reed, and HarperCollins Children's Books: Storytide for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

A fun read!! I love any YA challenge mysteries, especially ones set at boarding school. I thought this was an addictive read that kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed Chloe as a protagonist, and I thought the side characters were great as well. Everyone felt like actual teenagers, and the pacing of the story worked well for the events that were happening. I liked the romance/ex-romance between Chloe and Hayes and rooted for them the entire read. I do think everything progressed a little too neatly and wrapped up way too cleanly for this to be a believable mystery, but there were a couple of good twists throughout. I also wish a bit more time would have been spent developing the history of Wilde Academy beyond what was stated because it seemed like that was going to play a role in the overall story when instead it fell to the background. If readers are a fan of The Inheritance Games or Truly Devious, I think they will enjoy The Wilde Trials; I look forward to reading more of Reed's work!