Cassie can hear the earth crying out for help, but no one believes her. Even Fitz has a hard time believing she can hear a constant low rumble from the earth. After Fitz tells others what Cassie can hear and she gets mercilessly bullied, Cassie runs away. The trail runs cold and the police are at a loss until Fitz finds a clue to her whereabouts. Then it’s a race against time to find Cassie before it’s too late.

One of the things that makes “Wrath” really interesting is that the story has flashbacks to lock downs and social distancing. It is discussed in a matter-of-fact type of way, including the cost of isolation on mental health. In a scant 138 pages, the story also addresses parents who are too caught up in their own lives to really see their child, parental abandonment, poverty, socio-economic class divide, and teen relationship dynamics.

This story is great for readers who enjoy mysteries and stories of friendship. “Wrath” is part of an ongoing series of books that are formatted to support those who have reading challenges, including dyslexia. I read the e-ARC of this story, but have seen physical copies of other titles in this series in my local bookstore. The books are short, generally less than 150 pages. As promised in the blurb, the paper is cream-colored and the font is more dyslexia-friendly than what you would find in a typical book.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Union Square & Co., and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wrath is an odd little story about a boy named Fitz searching for his missing friend, Cassie. There are classic middle grade issues here including bullying, family dysfunction, and first love, while also adding in bigger ideas about climate change and wealth privilege. This didn't quite work. The addition of conspiracy theorists never gets really explained, and then there's the chapter titles: sprites, trolls, etc. They don't seem to neatly fit with the content of the chapters. The story is set in Scotland toward the end of the pandemic lockdown, and it deals with it in a manner suitable for the audience. I think this is a good fit for middle reluctant readers, but it is far from Sedgwick's best work.
Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for this ARC!

Fitz is a normal kid who plays in a band with his friends. Everything seems to be fine until his friend Cassie begins hearing an odd noise. Shortly after that, she goes missing.

This book wasn't bad. However, it also wasn't good. I found the writing to be very slow. It is not only slow but difficult to read for quite a few pages. The plot was interesting. That was probably the only thing I found enjoyable.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Sterling Publishing, and Marcus Sedgwick for the opportunity to read this digital ARC!

I thought this was just okay. Despite an interesting premise and opening chapter, the story felt choppy and lacked the suspense that the synopsis seems to hint at. I didn't feel particularly attached to the characters either.

This book covers quite a few topics but not always in an effective way. For instance, it raises good points about environmentalism but also borders on preachy at times. The Hum was interesting though; I had no idea it really existed.

There are references to lockdown and I appreciate the book exploring how people cope/react to it. However, I didn't care to read about the characters breaking the law and breaching safety measures.

Overall, a quick and rather forgettable tale.