You know that feeling you get when you can’t wait to get back to reading a book? That was me with THE RIVER AT NIGHT. I have been in a bit of a rut with reading lately. This book got me excited about reading again. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!

Wini needs a vacation. She recently lost her brother and her husband left her. She is hating her job and lonely in her single life. Once a year her three best friends from college take a break from their busy lives and reconnect on a vacation. This year they have planned an adventurous getaway in the Allagash wilderness in Maine hiking and water rafting. It is not Wini’s style but she resolves to go. When a freak accident leaves the four ladies stranded, they find themselves battling more than just the elements.

I was so excited whilst reading this story. I related to Wini and her friends on many levels. These women are middle aged and all living separate lives. This story only gives Wini’s POV, but we get to know all the girls really well. I loved their friendship, and Wini’s insecurity with them was so on point. Their fears, strengths, and motivations are all laid out in this fight for survival.

I have to talk about how well this was written. Not only is the story really fun to read, a real adventure, but the author is able to place the reader right there. I felt the fear from Wini at the prospect of being the weakest link. My muscles ached reading about the hikes, I could clearly fell the chill of the cold water, and I was awed by the beautiful scenery. This is just so well described. Once the three are confronted by others in the woods, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I had no idea where the author would take this story, and I was completely hooked and helpless to defend myself from the elements.

This book was everything I want in a thriller. With truly relateable characters, I could easily picture myself in such a predicament. There was real danger in the woods and the river itself was their worst fear and their only salvation. I highly recommend this to thriller fans looking for a truly unique adventure.

Four friends (is that a thing? seems like it's usually four friends) go river rafting off the grid in Maine. From the beginning, it's clear that things are not going to go smoothly. The guide is sketchy, they aren't experienced rafters, and one of them is an ER nurse, which is never a good sign in this set-up. This was a decent airplane read, if one-note (ominous from beginning to end.)

This story seems familiar if you saw movies like The River Wild or Deliverance, but the author adds her own flavor to this tale of women vs. nature. The characters emerge as more than mere stereotypes. I found it very exciting and interesting.

I read this previously. I believe it is about women getting together once a year.

I really enjoyed this book. There was a very sinister pall right from the beginning, that kept me hooked to see how it was going to play out. Really suspenseful and very well written.

This one was just okay for me. What sounded like a fantastic premise just didn't live up to the potential. The events became too unrealistic as four friends try to survive and find their way back to civilization after a freak rafting accident. Too much of the book was just plain weird for me. I didn't dislike it per say, but it wasn't nearly as good as I expected, especially given the wonderful setting.

Be prepared to take a heart pounding and dramatic trip down the river with this book. The author has created a story that blends together emotion with action in a way that will keep you on invested in the characters’ journey as well as on the edge of your seat until the very end. At first, I have to admit that I was not sure about this book. However, after I hit midway, I was addicted. There were two reasons why I kept reading. The first is the interactions between all of the characters. I will not give anything away, but there is more than just a group of girlfriends who will pique your interest. As the pages go by, more people come onto the scene and enrich the story. The second reason why I kept going is because the writing was fast paced. There really weren’t any slow areas which allowed the story to propel the reader into a world that will not only shock you, but keep you wanting more.

Audio Book Note: The narration of this book is right on point. I had read the book a while ago, so listening to Joy Osmanski truly brought to life the author’s words in a way that pulled me in all over again.

I absolutely loved this book! I have always enjoyed books that deal with out in the wild camping and the fight to survive against Mother Nature and sometimes other people. This book has that but also has wonderful character development and is so descriptive that you can imagine that it is you fighting to survive. Oh, did I mention that I loved this book?
I am still trying to figure out how to describe Winifred who is basically the main narrator of the story. Her character is so complex that it is hard to describe her in one sentence. She seems to be at that point where she is just overwhelmed by everything happening all at once. Her long marriage has just ended, her beloved brother has died, and she is wondering where her career is going and why she chose it to begin with.
Enter her three best friends who have decided to go extreme hiking and river rafting in the remote wilderness. Winfred is the cautious one but is talked into going on the trip despite her concerns.
Of course things cannot go as planned and the friends have to spend their vacation fighting for their lives.
It does have elements of "Deliverance" but only in the sense of friends stranded in the wilderness trying to survive against all odds. The story is unique because of the complex relationships between the friends and Wini herself.
Highly recommended!

I couldn't put this one down. It was a page turner from start to finish.

This book is the perfect adventure novel for readers that like to be caught up in action, and left wondering what is going to happen next.

Wini is not in a good place. Her brother has passed away, she's unhappy with her weight, getting divorced, and pushing 40. She has her group of girls, though--her oldest friends. They're scattered across the country, and have problems of their own, but they try to get together at least once a year to maintain their bond. When Pia, the single, beautiful, adventurer suggests they go white water rafting in Maine, all of the other women are hesitant, but go along with the plan. At first, it's exhilarating, but the trip eventually becomes a nightmare.

This begins as a character study, and turns into to a survival tale. The first half of the book is absolutely mesmerizing, and there are scenes that I believe might stick with me forever. It's that good. The plot is terrifying and tension-filled. My heart ached for some of the women, and I was filled with disgust for others. It's wonderful! And then, something changes. The characterizations start to fall apart. I found myself all of a sudden struggling to keep up with which character was talking. And the survival plot begins to seriously stretch the boundaries of how far I can suspend my disbelief.

Despite its flaws, I would still recommend this book as a great airplane or beach read!

I'm a bit in between deciding if I liked this book. I usually enjoy stories with mystery and survival. As far as these characters, I just felt I couldn't connect, which made me not care. Definitely some exciting parts and I did finish it.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of four girl-friends who decide to go on a white-water rafting trip in the Maine wilderness. Wini, Pia, Rachel and Sandra get together one week every year to spend time together and catch up over lost time. Pia, ever the adventurer, is always looking for more reckless ways to test her meddle. She convinces her girl-friends to try out a rafting experience where they will get to fight their way along a river that has before then been untouched by man. But along the way, their guide Rory is killed and their raft is lost, leaving the women susceptible to the unflinching wilderness of Maine. While trying to find refuge, they come across an unexpected discovery that puts them in more danger than ever.
Overall I liked this book a lot. It was sad but also really interesting and scary. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and I didn't want to put it down. The author did such an amazing job of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on edge, putting you in the Maine wilderness and making you wonder if you'll survive this trip. And I love the author's view of the relationships in this novel. These women are pushed to the brink of their humanity and are left to make some hard decisions. This was a good read and I would definitely recommend.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: I was on the fence about reading this book - I'm not really the outdoor adventure type! I'm more the sit-my-butt on a beach and read type, but I decided to give it a go and I'm glad I did - it was a pretty good read and kept me interested throughout.

What I liked most about this book is that it is pretty well-balanced as far as being an adventure story, a thriller and being character-driven. There's just enough of each of these elements that you don't feel that one over-takes the other. I will say, though, that the beginning of the book is a little slow and then the pace picks up.

It was easy to become invested in this group of four women, stuck in the wilderness, fighting for survival. The elements of nature only add to the ominous feel to the book - I felt like I kept waiting for the next catastrophe to happen - because you just knew it was only a matter a time before something else was going to go wrong.

This was a really good book, but don't get me wrong - you will NEVER find me going on one of these adventure-type, rafting trips anytime soon. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but they are just not for me! But, the writing of this book - it was good, it kept me hooked and had my heart pounding the whole time! I will definitely be looking to see what Erica Ferencik writes next!

Looking for a different kind of vacation, Wini, Pia, Rachel, and Sandra book a whitewater rafting trip in an isolated region of Maine. Each of the women is seeking to escape an aspect of her life, whether it’s Wini coming to terms with the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her brother or Sandra never quite getting over how quickly Pia jumped into bed with one of her ex-boyfriends. Maybe a long weekend away from the modern world will help things.

Or everything could go horribly, horribly wrong.

What starts out as an adventure vacation soon becomes a fight for survival among the four friends.

Taking a page from Deliverance, Erica Ferencik’s The River at Night delivers a taut, page-turning tale of survival among the four friends (and their tour guide). Stuck out in the middle of no-where the group must overcome nature and each other to find their way home. And it won’t be easy because there are a number of obstacles along the path standing between them and civilization.

If I’m being a bit vague with this review, it’s for a reason. There are some nice surprises and turns of the story that you’re better off discovering for yourself. And like the bend of a river, it’s more fun to be surprised about what’s ahead than have every moment of the trip mapped out. The novel spends a good quarter of its length establishing the characters and the details of their lives before beginning to put them through an emotional and physical ringer.

This book did not end up interesting me as much as I thought it would.

Wini Allen is ready for her vacation with her three best friends. Well, she is ready to spend time with them but not very sure about the trip her friend Pia has planned. They are going to be white water rafting in Maine, really off the beaten path. Pia is always planning these trips where they are doing crazy things. Wini has her own fears but pushes herself through to go with her friends. These four women are so different. Wini is dealing with the end of her marriage and the loss of her brother. Sandra is finally deciding to leave her abusive husband. Pia, I think anyway, is at loose ends with her job and with no real personal life. Rachel struggles with alcoholism and has been clean and sober for three years.. They get to Maine and find that this is the maiden voyage for their guide. It starts off rocky with Pia sleeping with Rory, the guide, the first night and the other women thinking maybe this isn’t what they really wanted. Once on the rapids, they are exhilarated and scared and then tragedy hits and they are left to struggle to find a way home. They stumble across a strange couple, a mother and son, who offer them a way out. But do they really? This is when the struggle to survive really hits into high gear.

I was on the edge of my seat towards the end with their race to get to safety. I felt I was actually on the water at times, it’s written that well. I was biting my nails! It reminded me a lot of the film The River Wild. Perfect last line in many ways. I loved following Wini’s journey. She definitely came out the other end. I had a problem with Pia and how they all followed whatever she thought they should do on their trips. I get that someone is always in charge but it just felt a bit too much. This is a perfect read for someone who loves some excitement and a little fear in their books.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 *'s. You just know from the beginning that this is going to be a wild and crazy ride. Four women who are best friends take an annual trip together, whitewater rafting in the most remote part of Maine. This Deliverance style tale of survival is a fast paced page turner. The ominous setting and action scenes are great. As far as characters go, the novel fell a bit flat. Win, the main character, is decently drawn, but the other three characters are lacking. I also did not find it particularly believable in many ways. To start with, I couldn't believe that women in their 30's with no rafting experience would choose to go on this extremely dangerous trip simply from peer pressure. It still an enjoyable quick read if you don't mind it being a bit far-fetched.

This book was a little too much Deliverance for me. It reminds me of the girls in horror films who always have on high heels when they need to run.