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The Wild One
Amanda Brooks is a born-and-bred New Yorker with an envious life that isn’t as picture perfect as it seems.
For over a decade she’s been hiding a dark secret—a secret that goes back to that summer at Camp Catalpa when a man died in the woods. Fellow campers Catherine and Meg were there, too, and in the years since, not one of them has ever spoken about what happened that day. Until Amanda slips up—and the truth threatens to explode the tightly controlled façade of her life.
When her past begins to poison her present, Amanda has no one to turn to except the two women who know her most monstrous self. Reuniting with Catherine and Meg one last time, Amanda is desperate to put the demons of that twisted summer to rest. But when trusting anyone, even one another, starts to feel like a wildly risky proposition, just how far will these three go to keep the truth from emerging—and their lives from unraveling?
For over a decade she’s been hiding a dark secret—a secret that goes back to that summer at Camp Catalpa when a man died in the woods. Fellow campers Catherine and Meg were there, too, and in the years since, not one of them has ever spoken about what happened that day. Until Amanda slips up—and the truth threatens to explode the tightly controlled façade of her life.
When her past begins to poison her present, Amanda has no one to turn to except the two women who know her most monstrous self. Reuniting with Catherine and Meg one last time, Amanda is desperate to put the demons of that twisted summer to rest. But when trusting anyone, even one another, starts to feel like a wildly risky proposition, just how far will these three go to keep the truth from emerging—and their lives from unraveling?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2022
133 people are currently reading
26533 people want to read
About the author
Colleen McKeegan
2 books134 followersColleen McKeegan is the author of Rip Tide and The Wild One. She was previously an editor at Marie Claire, where her work was nominated for a National Magazine Award, and her writing has appeared in The Cut, Elle, Glamour, Bustle, and Fortune. A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Georgetown University, Colleen lives with her family in Westchester, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
February 24, 2022
I wrote The Wild One to explore the complexities of female friendship, how childhood scars shape our future, the ways women contort themselves to please others, and the volatility of unchecked shame. I hope readers enjoy it!
July 15, 2022
Thank you @harperbooks for the gifted copy. The Wild One is available June 10th.
I’ve been in such a reading slump and mood lately that I’ve picked up and put down so many books. Sunday morning I took a look at my stack of June releases and looked for the slimmest one and dove in.
The Wild One is just 241 pages and while it tends to have long chapters (not my preference), I binged the whole thing yesterday while floating in the pool. Lazy Sunday’s are my favorite 😎.
Told in now and then timelines it was a combination of coming-of-age and how secrets from our past can haunt us. I really enjoyed the nostalgia of the past (summer camp) and the tension of the present (toxic relationships and NYC).
I grew up going to summer camp and think it’s the perfect setting for secrets and drama and brings both fond and hurtful memories (girls can be nasty).
If you’re looking for a dramatic story about complicated female friendships then I suggest you give this one a go. A fun summer binge read.
3.5 stars
I’ve been in such a reading slump and mood lately that I’ve picked up and put down so many books. Sunday morning I took a look at my stack of June releases and looked for the slimmest one and dove in.
The Wild One is just 241 pages and while it tends to have long chapters (not my preference), I binged the whole thing yesterday while floating in the pool. Lazy Sunday’s are my favorite 😎.
Told in now and then timelines it was a combination of coming-of-age and how secrets from our past can haunt us. I really enjoyed the nostalgia of the past (summer camp) and the tension of the present (toxic relationships and NYC).
I grew up going to summer camp and think it’s the perfect setting for secrets and drama and brings both fond and hurtful memories (girls can be nasty).
If you’re looking for a dramatic story about complicated female friendships then I suggest you give this one a go. A fun summer binge read.
3.5 stars
May 8, 2022
Thank you so much to Harper Books and Colleen McKeegan for my copy of The Wild One. I LOVE books about summer camp, and this one was no different. I worked at one for two summers, so I can totally imagine the scenery and vibe of Camp Catalpa. In this book, Amanda has a seemingly perfect life in New York, but for over a decade she has been hiding a terrible secret. Her secret goes back to when she went to summer camp and saw a man die. Two other girls were there and none of them has ever breathed a word of it…until now. When her past begins to affect her present, Amanda has no choice but to turn to her friends and those who know her most monstrous self.
Thoughts: I think the setting in this book made it SO enjoyable. I loved the imagery of camp and everything that goes along with it. The book was about female friendship and how our past informs our future. There is a lot more to this book than just the straightforward mystery, and I enjoyed all of those layers. It is a short book, but it keeps the reader engaged from start to finish with the contrasting settings of the wilderness and New York City.
While there wasn’t necessarily a twist or big mystery in this book, it was more about the bonds we make and how women are treated in society. It was more of a coming of age dramatic fiction, but I really enjoyed it. It is the perfect book to take with you on a summer vacation! 4-stars for this one!
Thoughts: I think the setting in this book made it SO enjoyable. I loved the imagery of camp and everything that goes along with it. The book was about female friendship and how our past informs our future. There is a lot more to this book than just the straightforward mystery, and I enjoyed all of those layers. It is a short book, but it keeps the reader engaged from start to finish with the contrasting settings of the wilderness and New York City.
While there wasn’t necessarily a twist or big mystery in this book, it was more about the bonds we make and how women are treated in society. It was more of a coming of age dramatic fiction, but I really enjoyed it. It is the perfect book to take with you on a summer vacation! 4-stars for this one!
August 31, 2022
I honestly didn't think I would enjoy this one. However, I was thoroughly surprised. I read other reviews and I'm surprised others didn't enjoy it as much as I did. The build up was superb, it kept me interested (so interested I read it in one sitting). Such a surprised ending and twists along the way. I enjoyed it, a solid 4 star in my opinion!
March 24, 2023
I don't always agree with blurbs for books, but in the case of The Wild One by Colleen McKeegan, Megan Abbott's was spot on! This coming-of-age story is a pretty slow burn, and at times very hard to read due to the abuse and bullying that is sprinkled through the pages, but it had me from the very start. I loved the way McKeegan blended then and now chapters to create not only a summer camp, preteen girl experience, but an adult one as well, and you would not believe (or maybe you would) how awful these girls are at the age of 12. I didn't find the storyline to be super twisty, but there were definitely a few things that surprised me and overall, I was just really lost in the plot and what was happening which is all I need to enjoy a book sometimes.
It also probably helped that I fell in love with the audiobook, and I was already a big fan of the narrator Jesse Vilinsky, so this really shouldn't come as a shock. I love her voice and her flow for the book was spot on. I actually couldn't even turn her up on as high a speed as I would normally go, and I always think of this as a plus because I really dislike the narrators that talk TOO slow. Amanda our MC isn’t all that likable but that wasn’t an issue for me personally, and at least she admits her flaws! Of course, there also happens to be a big secret that we find out more about towards the end, and it didn’t go the way I thought it would. The Wild One speaks to how hard it can be to be young and want to fit in, and how trauma can shape our lives. I really enjoyed this sharp and thought-provoking novel, and I will definitely read McKeegan’s sophomore novel as soon as it is out.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It also probably helped that I fell in love with the audiobook, and I was already a big fan of the narrator Jesse Vilinsky, so this really shouldn't come as a shock. I love her voice and her flow for the book was spot on. I actually couldn't even turn her up on as high a speed as I would normally go, and I always think of this as a plus because I really dislike the narrators that talk TOO slow. Amanda our MC isn’t all that likable but that wasn’t an issue for me personally, and at least she admits her flaws! Of course, there also happens to be a big secret that we find out more about towards the end, and it didn’t go the way I thought it would. The Wild One speaks to how hard it can be to be young and want to fit in, and how trauma can shape our lives. I really enjoyed this sharp and thought-provoking novel, and I will definitely read McKeegan’s sophomore novel as soon as it is out.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 28, 2022
This was a bit of a “miss” for me, as it was marketed as a thriller. It was really easy to see the twists coming from a mile away unfortunately, so that took away from my enjoyment reading this. This book is more of a coming-of-age combined with some female empowerment themes. I did really love the summer camp theme here, and boy did the aggression of preteen girls really hit truth.
Cover and title: the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous and completely drew me in. But after finishing the book I really don’t see how both the cover picture or the title tie into the book at all. Blue and green are important colors in the book so I would understand if her hair ribbon was one of those two… and the title The Wild One just makes zero sense to me given the content of the book. Has anyone else read this and felt the same way?
Thank you to Harper for the advanced reader copy!
Cover and title: the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous and completely drew me in. But after finishing the book I really don’t see how both the cover picture or the title tie into the book at all. Blue and green are important colors in the book so I would understand if her hair ribbon was one of those two… and the title The Wild One just makes zero sense to me given the content of the book. Has anyone else read this and felt the same way?
Thank you to Harper for the advanced reader copy!
September 27, 2022
I can never resist a good camp drama. This one doesn't stray too far from the norm in that respect but there is an added aspect that made it more interesting.
Amanda is a follower. She's a very weak and pathetic person. She admits this in kinder words lol she needs a clique or best friend to give her an identity and then moves to a man for the same thing.
We can't say it was caused by her adolescent trauma because she was like that before. Anyhow, she's forced to go to the camp her mom loved as a girl and still glamorized and a bad thing happens to a bad guy.
Loose lips sink ships and when someone finds out, the crew from yesteryear has to come back together to figure out what to do.
This was very character driven even though the main was a disaster. You could still empathize with her and some of the other characters were really cool and everyone was complex. I don't need a lovable MC to enjoy it.
I would recommend. It's more women's fiction/thriller than just YA, although the "then" timeline was definitely more interesting than the present, which was a little clunky with the timeline, sometimes being literally now and sometimes "when I met this guy" now, which I wasn't always clear on.
Amanda is a follower. She's a very weak and pathetic person. She admits this in kinder words lol she needs a clique or best friend to give her an identity and then moves to a man for the same thing.
We can't say it was caused by her adolescent trauma because she was like that before. Anyhow, she's forced to go to the camp her mom loved as a girl and still glamorized and a bad thing happens to a bad guy.
Loose lips sink ships and when someone finds out, the crew from yesteryear has to come back together to figure out what to do.
This was very character driven even though the main was a disaster. You could still empathize with her and some of the other characters were really cool and everyone was complex. I don't need a lovable MC to enjoy it.
I would recommend. It's more women's fiction/thriller than just YA, although the "then" timeline was definitely more interesting than the present, which was a little clunky with the timeline, sometimes being literally now and sometimes "when I met this guy" now, which I wasn't always clear on.
June 13, 2022
So this ended up being a very solid meh for me. It's marketed as a thriller/mystery but it's kind of... not? It's more about relationships and how girls relate to one another and change alliances at the drop of a hat and that's all good and fine if you're expecting that. But I wasn't? I was looking for a thriller, not a straight up coming of age story?
I also just didn't love the dual timelines on this one. I was very uninterested in the present timeline and my interest definitely drifted in those parts. I wish this story had just been about the summer camp because I loved those bits. I thought the setting was extremely well done and would've loved the whole story to take place there plus I think it would've been better for the ~thriller aspects.
So. This one was just okay? It's short enough to be a quick and easy read but it just wasn't my favorite. I wish it had either been more of a thriller and JUST covered the summer camp or would've been marketed more as a coming of age story (in which case, I would've just skipped it because not my thing but then at least it would've been marketed to the correct audience?)
Also, to be completely transparent, I finished this book less than a week ago and I've already forgotten most of the details from it. So. If you're looking for a good mystery/thriller, I don't think this is it. But if you do enjoy coming of age stories, this might be right up your alley.
Thanks to Harper Books for sending this my way in exchange for an honest review!
I also just didn't love the dual timelines on this one. I was very uninterested in the present timeline and my interest definitely drifted in those parts. I wish this story had just been about the summer camp because I loved those bits. I thought the setting was extremely well done and would've loved the whole story to take place there plus I think it would've been better for the ~thriller aspects.
So. This one was just okay? It's short enough to be a quick and easy read but it just wasn't my favorite. I wish it had either been more of a thriller and JUST covered the summer camp or would've been marketed more as a coming of age story (in which case, I would've just skipped it because not my thing but then at least it would've been marketed to the correct audience?)
Also, to be completely transparent, I finished this book less than a week ago and I've already forgotten most of the details from it. So. If you're looking for a good mystery/thriller, I don't think this is it. But if you do enjoy coming of age stories, this might be right up your alley.
Thanks to Harper Books for sending this my way in exchange for an honest review!
July 2, 2022
Couldn’t get past hating Amanda
November 23, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’re in the mood for a coming of age story and also feeling nostalgic for summer camp, The Wild One by Colleen McKeegan might be just the book for you! This debut was released over the summer but since I haven’t seen it all over bookstagram yet, I thought it would be a nice choice for #nohypenovember
The Wild One is a story of female friendship and how profoundly our past can shape our future. It’s a quick read told in dual timelines, which means the reader gets a front row seat to 12-year-old girl drama. Because the chapters set in the past were well done and seemed very authentic, the book ended up feeling like half-YA and half-women’s fiction, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The Wild One is marketed as a thriller, which is a bit misleading. There are a few twists but they’re pretty predictable and not as entertaining as I hoped. I might have enjoyed this more if I knew what to expect. Overall, not a bad read but not a favorite either.
The Wild One is a story of female friendship and how profoundly our past can shape our future. It’s a quick read told in dual timelines, which means the reader gets a front row seat to 12-year-old girl drama. Because the chapters set in the past were well done and seemed very authentic, the book ended up feeling like half-YA and half-women’s fiction, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The Wild One is marketed as a thriller, which is a bit misleading. There are a few twists but they’re pretty predictable and not as entertaining as I hoped. I might have enjoyed this more if I knew what to expect. Overall, not a bad read but not a favorite either.
January 27, 2022
I enjoyed the first third of the book. The author has an excellent grasp of the social dynamics of teen girls and I always enjoy that. However, this became extremely repetitive, to the point where I was confused who the book was written for. The author doesn’t have enough faith in the reader’s ability to “get it” and sometimes it reads like it was written for a younger, more naive audience. This is in stark contrast with the sexual situations and alcohol abuse that clearly make it an adult novel. Almost nothing of note even happens until about eighty percent of the way through and it was a huge let down with a neat and consequence-free conclusion.
August 25, 2022
I absolutely love stories set at summer camps. Throw in a dead body and a mystery and there’s not a chance I’m going to resist picking it up!
THE WILD ONE does a fantastic job of weaving together the two timelines of Amanda’s life, with alternating chapters featuring both past and present. McKeegan slowly reveals bits and pieces from each of these timelines to finally give the reader the entire truth, which turns out to be quite complicated. While I loved the multiple timelines, my favorite was the past and watching the coming-of-age story unravel revealing what brought Amanda to be the person she is in the present. McKeegan managed to cram all of this goodness into a surprisingly short book, with under 300 pages, the story skimps on unnecessary details and sticks to what the reader truly wants to know.
🎧: I opted for the audiobook thinking this story would be perfect for my commute and it checked that box perfectly! The narrator was fantastic and I felt the story truly came to life through her voice.
A huge thank you to Harper for my gifted copy!
THE WILD ONE does a fantastic job of weaving together the two timelines of Amanda’s life, with alternating chapters featuring both past and present. McKeegan slowly reveals bits and pieces from each of these timelines to finally give the reader the entire truth, which turns out to be quite complicated. While I loved the multiple timelines, my favorite was the past and watching the coming-of-age story unravel revealing what brought Amanda to be the person she is in the present. McKeegan managed to cram all of this goodness into a surprisingly short book, with under 300 pages, the story skimps on unnecessary details and sticks to what the reader truly wants to know.
🎧: I opted for the audiobook thinking this story would be perfect for my commute and it checked that box perfectly! The narrator was fantastic and I felt the story truly came to life through her voice.
A huge thank you to Harper for my gifted copy!
June 17, 2023
Happy to be Invited to The Wild One Blog Tour!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle and @harperperennial for the gifted copy of the book.
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
This gripping from the start and I am beyond excited to have a copy and share with the bookstagram community! I love a good camp novel, especially a thrilling one. This is a short novel that you can easily devour in one reading. I would highly recommend picking up this book today!
SYNOPSIS:
“Addictive from its first pages, Colleen McKeegan’s The Wild One mines all the complexities and darkness of young women in the battleground of summer camp, fashioning a riveting tale of secrets, shame and a harrowing reckoning.”—New York Times bestselling author Megan Abbott
“I couldn't put down this smart and astute page-turning debut. Colleen McKeegan has beautifully crafted a narrative that explores the ways trauma and societal expectations shape the women we become. The engaging prose and razor-sharp twists and turns will keep readers on the edges of their seats until the very last page.”—Jo Piazza, internationally bestselling author of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win and We Are Not Like Them
“A gripping mystery, but equally as compelling is McKeegan’s exploration of the complicated psyche of female friendships, unresolved trauma, and the desperate lengths girls will go to in order to fit in.” —Elle (Must-Read Books of the Summer)
Amanda Brooks is a born-and-bred New Yorker with an envious life that isn’t as picture perfect as it seems. For over a decade she’s been hiding a dark secret—a secret that goes back to that summer at Camp Catalpa when a man died in the woods. Fellow campers Catherine and Meg were there, too, and in the years since, not one of them has ever spoken about what happened that day.
Until Amanda slips up—and the truth threatens to explode the tightly controlled façade of her life. When her past begins to poison her present, Amanda has no one to turn to except the two women who know her most monstrous self. Reuniting with Catherine and Meg one last time, Amanda is desperate to put the demons of that twisted summer to rest.
But when trusting anyone, even one another, starts to feel like a wildly risky proposition, just how far will these three go to keep the truth from emerging—and their lives from unraveling?
.
.
.
🏷️
#whatimreading #booklover #bookworm #bookpic #bookstagram #fiction #booksoninstagram #reviewer #bookfriends #bookrecs #goodreads #bookishgirl #bookpost #Book-Reviews #thriller #mystery #suspense #bibliolifestyle #harperperennial #clmckeegan #thewildone #thewildonenovel #colleenmckeegan
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle and @harperperennial for the gifted copy of the book.
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
This gripping from the start and I am beyond excited to have a copy and share with the bookstagram community! I love a good camp novel, especially a thrilling one. This is a short novel that you can easily devour in one reading. I would highly recommend picking up this book today!
SYNOPSIS:
“Addictive from its first pages, Colleen McKeegan’s The Wild One mines all the complexities and darkness of young women in the battleground of summer camp, fashioning a riveting tale of secrets, shame and a harrowing reckoning.”—New York Times bestselling author Megan Abbott
“I couldn't put down this smart and astute page-turning debut. Colleen McKeegan has beautifully crafted a narrative that explores the ways trauma and societal expectations shape the women we become. The engaging prose and razor-sharp twists and turns will keep readers on the edges of their seats until the very last page.”—Jo Piazza, internationally bestselling author of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win and We Are Not Like Them
“A gripping mystery, but equally as compelling is McKeegan’s exploration of the complicated psyche of female friendships, unresolved trauma, and the desperate lengths girls will go to in order to fit in.” —Elle (Must-Read Books of the Summer)
Amanda Brooks is a born-and-bred New Yorker with an envious life that isn’t as picture perfect as it seems. For over a decade she’s been hiding a dark secret—a secret that goes back to that summer at Camp Catalpa when a man died in the woods. Fellow campers Catherine and Meg were there, too, and in the years since, not one of them has ever spoken about what happened that day.
Until Amanda slips up—and the truth threatens to explode the tightly controlled façade of her life. When her past begins to poison her present, Amanda has no one to turn to except the two women who know her most monstrous self. Reuniting with Catherine and Meg one last time, Amanda is desperate to put the demons of that twisted summer to rest.
But when trusting anyone, even one another, starts to feel like a wildly risky proposition, just how far will these three go to keep the truth from emerging—and their lives from unraveling?
.
.
.
🏷️
#whatimreading #booklover #bookworm #bookpic #bookstagram #fiction #booksoninstagram #reviewer #bookfriends #bookrecs #goodreads #bookishgirl #bookpost #Book-Reviews #thriller #mystery #suspense #bibliolifestyle #harperperennial #clmckeegan #thewildone #thewildonenovel #colleenmckeegan
July 31, 2022
The Wild One is a coming of age thriller set in dual timelines during the main character Amanda's time at Camp Catalpa when she was twelve and her curent life as a privileged grad student in NYC. The story centers around the profound impact that a death at camp had on Amanda's life and future relationships.
I enjoyed the details of Amanda's time at summer camp - I've never been to camp so it was fun to read about it. I thought the mean girl antics that happened at camp were quite believable - tween and teen girls can be brutal (and it doesn't get much better later in life, sadly).
I don't want to give away too much, but I'll share a few thoughts:
• I found Rachel and Amanda's friendship to be very relateable - I liked it!
• I didn't see Amanda as being particularly wild, so I think the book title was a bit of a misnomer - Based on the anecdotes from her teen and college years, her partying seemed to be on the tame side based on what I've seen and experienced - I understand what the author was trying to do, though, based on Amanda's trauma based on the event at camp
• I felt like Amanda and Catherine's history was rushed and could have been explored a little more
•Overall, it was a good read - rounding up from 3.5 stars to 4 stars
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, child abuse, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying
I enjoyed the details of Amanda's time at summer camp - I've never been to camp so it was fun to read about it. I thought the mean girl antics that happened at camp were quite believable - tween and teen girls can be brutal (and it doesn't get much better later in life, sadly).
I don't want to give away too much, but I'll share a few thoughts:
• I found Rachel and Amanda's friendship to be very relateable - I liked it!
• I didn't see Amanda as being particularly wild, so I think the book title was a bit of a misnomer - Based on the anecdotes from her teen and college years, her partying seemed to be on the tame side based on what I've seen and experienced - I understand what the author was trying to do, though, based on Amanda's trauma based on the event at camp
• I felt like Amanda and Catherine's history was rushed and could have been explored a little more
•Overall, it was a good read - rounding up from 3.5 stars to 4 stars
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, child abuse, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying
nevermind
March 9, 2023Skimmed to pg. 68
I found this hard to get into, and I didn't enjoy the "now" and "then" dual timeline format. Normally I like dual timelines, but these were each filled with flashbacks and infodumping, so they weren't that thrilling. There's a good story here, but the writing style wasn't working for me.
Thanks, Nenia, for yet another attempted buddy read!
I found this hard to get into, and I didn't enjoy the "now" and "then" dual timeline format. Normally I like dual timelines, but these were each filled with flashbacks and infodumping, so they weren't that thrilling. There's a good story here, but the writing style wasn't working for me.
Thanks, Nenia, for yet another attempted buddy read!
August 15, 2022
Rating: 3
Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and I didn’t feel like they had any real development. They felt like your typical characters without any unique qualities. Even though the story switched between ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ it still felt extremely slow moving. It didn’t help that the mystery was easy to solve and while this one was marketed as a thriller it lacked all of the thrilling qualities. I think if I went into this one with different expectations then I might have enjoyed it more. Even though I didn’t find it particularly enjoyable I do think a younger crowd will enjoy it. I will say one thing I did like was how the author wrote the setting. I will give this author another try because I think it was just this certain book/plot I couldn’t connect with and not their overall writing style.
I do love the cover of this book and how the colors truly pop! The title and cover instantly made me interested. This is just one of those books readers will have to try on their own. I hope if you do give it a try that you find it enjoyable!
Thank you so much @harperbooks & @harpercollins for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and I didn’t feel like they had any real development. They felt like your typical characters without any unique qualities. Even though the story switched between ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ it still felt extremely slow moving. It didn’t help that the mystery was easy to solve and while this one was marketed as a thriller it lacked all of the thrilling qualities. I think if I went into this one with different expectations then I might have enjoyed it more. Even though I didn’t find it particularly enjoyable I do think a younger crowd will enjoy it. I will say one thing I did like was how the author wrote the setting. I will give this author another try because I think it was just this certain book/plot I couldn’t connect with and not their overall writing style.
I do love the cover of this book and how the colors truly pop! The title and cover instantly made me interested. This is just one of those books readers will have to try on their own. I hope if you do give it a try that you find it enjoyable!
Thank you so much @harperbooks & @harpercollins for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 21, 2022
This book is so much more than just a mystery.
It’s a deep, intertwined tell of how the past is never truly the past.
From the beginning to the end, we see how each small movement in our life determines how we end up. We relive our younger days - of being the newbie, of being alone - the need to be accepted and fit it. We see how it slowly eats away at us, until we spiral.
Jackson was such a disgusting character. The gaslighting he exhibits toward Amanda is so, so sad. We as readers watch as the abuse escalates - slowly seeing the signs of isolation, gaslighting, manipulation. It’s all so sickening, but done so well.
The camp aspect was written very, very well. I felt like I was at camp along side them. Seeing Amanda’s need for approval in her real life and her camp life was really hard hitting. She didn’t want to be this way, but she craved it. She needed the love, and adoration which ultimately led to her relationship with Jackson.
This book was so good, with great plot twists at the end. I recommend.
This e-arc was provided to me by the publishers at Netgalley for my honest review! All thoughts are my own.
It’s a deep, intertwined tell of how the past is never truly the past.
From the beginning to the end, we see how each small movement in our life determines how we end up. We relive our younger days - of being the newbie, of being alone - the need to be accepted and fit it. We see how it slowly eats away at us, until we spiral.
Jackson was such a disgusting character. The gaslighting he exhibits toward Amanda is so, so sad. We as readers watch as the abuse escalates - slowly seeing the signs of isolation, gaslighting, manipulation. It’s all so sickening, but done so well.
The camp aspect was written very, very well. I felt like I was at camp along side them. Seeing Amanda’s need for approval in her real life and her camp life was really hard hitting. She didn’t want to be this way, but she craved it. She needed the love, and adoration which ultimately led to her relationship with Jackson.
This book was so good, with great plot twists at the end. I recommend.
This e-arc was provided to me by the publishers at Netgalley for my honest review! All thoughts are my own.
January 19, 2024
3.5⭐️
This was a, hmm idk if I’d call it a thriller exactly, a psychological fiction that had a lot of topics on domestic abuse, alcoholism, friendships, relationships with a duel timeline one taking place at an all girls summer camp that screamed the parent trap the entire time, and back as adults much later in life. I found it intriguing throughout and while there was no shocking twist or turns it was interesting to see how things ended up for the girls by the end.
This was a, hmm idk if I’d call it a thriller exactly, a psychological fiction that had a lot of topics on domestic abuse, alcoholism, friendships, relationships with a duel timeline one taking place at an all girls summer camp that screamed the parent trap the entire time, and back as adults much later in life. I found it intriguing throughout and while there was no shocking twist or turns it was interesting to see how things ended up for the girls by the end.
January 4, 2023
Hello, first Hot Mess Express book of the year!
Seriously, what is going on here, who are these people, how are they real?
I also need to have a serious sit-down with myself, in which I remind myself that books that use teenage girls going to camp as a way for exploring the vulnerabilities and cruelties of what it means to be a teenage girl, are just not my jam.
Seriously, what is going on here, who are these people, how are they real?
I also need to have a serious sit-down with myself, in which I remind myself that books that use teenage girls going to camp as a way for exploring the vulnerabilities and cruelties of what it means to be a teenage girl, are just not my jam.
July 14, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. A quick summer camp drama/thriller. A fun pick for fans of summer camp, girl drama, psychological thrillers, and dual timelines. Not my favorite, but I still thought it was good.
June 12, 2022
I liked this book, but something was lacking for me. I was expecting it to be more of a thriller but everything was predictable and there wasn’t an “OMG” moment for me. It took about 3/4 of the book before I felt invested, but once I was invested it was hard to put it down. This felt more YA mystery/thriller and I think if it was marketed that way I would have enjoyed it more.
Our MC, Amanda, is living her dream life in New York when her past comes back to haunt her. The summer she spent at camp could ruin her life forever. The author does a fabulous job showing the dynamics of being a tween and that desire to fit in with certain friend groups. The way she intertwined those past relationships into the relationships you form in early adulthood is what kept me reading. I really resonated with wanting to put on those rose-colored glasses thinking everything was fine because change can be scary sometimes.
I will say, while it was mostly predictable, the ending had a bit of a shock. I truly did not think it was going to end the way it did. There certainly wasn’t a gasp at how it turned out, but it was good nonetheless.
This was a very good coming of age story and if you’re looking for more of a YA thriller then I would definitely recommend picking this one up. If you’re looking for something that is going to keep you on the edge of your seat, you might want to pass.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Books, and author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Our MC, Amanda, is living her dream life in New York when her past comes back to haunt her. The summer she spent at camp could ruin her life forever. The author does a fabulous job showing the dynamics of being a tween and that desire to fit in with certain friend groups. The way she intertwined those past relationships into the relationships you form in early adulthood is what kept me reading. I really resonated with wanting to put on those rose-colored glasses thinking everything was fine because change can be scary sometimes.
I will say, while it was mostly predictable, the ending had a bit of a shock. I truly did not think it was going to end the way it did. There certainly wasn’t a gasp at how it turned out, but it was good nonetheless.
This was a very good coming of age story and if you’re looking for more of a YA thriller then I would definitely recommend picking this one up. If you’re looking for something that is going to keep you on the edge of your seat, you might want to pass.
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Books, and author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 25, 2024
Amanda is living a picture-perfect life —graduate school, Tribeca apartment, hot boyfriend — but a secret from her summer at Camp Catalpa comes to light and threatens everything.
I really wish this hadn’t been marketed as a thriller because it was really a coming-of-age story about the (extremely) dark side of female friendships.
I loved how McKeegan portrayed the back and forth of tween/teenage girls’ relationships and the desperate need to belong and not be the outsider, even if means throwing other girls who are (or could be) your friends under the bus to get the attention of the alpha girl. She really nailed that dynamic and captured the wild and seemingly random swings between all-consuming adoration and all-out brutal viciousness…. aaagh.
The story is told in dual timeline (camp days and the present), and I was much more interested in the camp sections and who the girls were then vs. who they turned into. There weren’t any big twists or unsolved mysteries, but the story is exciting and moving, and I overall really loved this book.
Read this for all the t(w)een girl drama and be happy you aren’t that age anymore. (And if you are… best of luck, and it gets better.)
* thanks to Harper Books for the Netgalley review copy. The Wild One publishes June 14.
I really wish this hadn’t been marketed as a thriller because it was really a coming-of-age story about the (extremely) dark side of female friendships.
I loved how McKeegan portrayed the back and forth of tween/teenage girls’ relationships and the desperate need to belong and not be the outsider, even if means throwing other girls who are (or could be) your friends under the bus to get the attention of the alpha girl. She really nailed that dynamic and captured the wild and seemingly random swings between all-consuming adoration and all-out brutal viciousness…. aaagh.
The story is told in dual timeline (camp days and the present), and I was much more interested in the camp sections and who the girls were then vs. who they turned into. There weren’t any big twists or unsolved mysteries, but the story is exciting and moving, and I overall really loved this book.
Read this for all the t(w)een girl drama and be happy you aren’t that age anymore. (And if you are… best of luck, and it gets better.)
* thanks to Harper Books for the Netgalley review copy. The Wild One publishes June 14.
August 13, 2022
Big build up to a lackluster finish
The book is written with a duel timeline, which I rarely like, but I decided to give it a chance because the book seemed promising. We get pieces of the puzzle from the jump and I was excited to see how everything came together.
It kept me reading despite not liking the main character at all. More on that later. However when all the pieces were presented to me I found myself thinking, that’s it? All that build up for that? It was both predictable and disappointing.
Let’s talk about Amanda, our main character, for a moment. I hate her. I cannot relate to her at all—and I couldn’t root for her. My curiosity in the story was the only thing that kept me reading. She’s supposed to be somewhat unlikeable, she makes poor choices as a tween and seeks out approval from the wrong people. The ending tries to redeem her but that feel flat for me too.
I gave this 3 stars because it had potential and elements of the story were good. I was hoping for a thriller, got coming of age instead. Felt like a bait and switch!
The book is written with a duel timeline, which I rarely like, but I decided to give it a chance because the book seemed promising. We get pieces of the puzzle from the jump and I was excited to see how everything came together.
It kept me reading despite not liking the main character at all. More on that later. However when all the pieces were presented to me I found myself thinking, that’s it? All that build up for that? It was both predictable and disappointing.
Let’s talk about Amanda, our main character, for a moment. I hate her. I cannot relate to her at all—and I couldn’t root for her. My curiosity in the story was the only thing that kept me reading. She’s supposed to be somewhat unlikeable, she makes poor choices as a tween and seeks out approval from the wrong people. The ending tries to redeem her but that feel flat for me too.
I gave this 3 stars because it had potential and elements of the story were good. I was hoping for a thriller, got coming of age instead. Felt like a bait and switch!
June 13, 2022
The Wild One by Colleen McKeegan. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amanda is a city girl and always has been. She has a dark secret though.. about the summer she spent at Camp Catalpa.
If you like books with summer camp settings, you’ll like this one. I loved the “then” story. There was a lot of pre-teen angst, gossip, and bullying. The “now” was interesting as well and I liked how it tied together even though I found it strange how it felt like no time went by in between. It took a lot of time for the events that happened to be revealed and I enjoyed the anticipation and mystery along the way.
“Girls learn at a young age the easiest way to make a new friend is to find a common enemy, a girl to gang up on. Catherine was about to change my relationship with Sarah and, though I didn’t know it at the time, my entire life.”
The Wild One comes out 6/14.
Amanda is a city girl and always has been. She has a dark secret though.. about the summer she spent at Camp Catalpa.
If you like books with summer camp settings, you’ll like this one. I loved the “then” story. There was a lot of pre-teen angst, gossip, and bullying. The “now” was interesting as well and I liked how it tied together even though I found it strange how it felt like no time went by in between. It took a lot of time for the events that happened to be revealed and I enjoyed the anticipation and mystery along the way.
“Girls learn at a young age the easiest way to make a new friend is to find a common enemy, a girl to gang up on. Catherine was about to change my relationship with Sarah and, though I didn’t know it at the time, my entire life.”
The Wild One comes out 6/14.
July 20, 2022
I honestly got to 71% in the audiobook and realized I hated all the characters so much that I didn't care what happened to them.
December 26, 2023
Back when she was 12, Amanda Brooks was a part of something terrible at summer camp, something she and two fellow campers have kept hidden to this day. In the present day, at age 23, Amanda slips up and reveals the secret to someone she trusts that probably shouldn't be trusted. She is forced to reach back out to Catherine and Meg and it brings back all the horrible memories from years ago.
This slow burn read is told in dual timelines, slowly revealing what happened at camp and what events led to it. I was more intrigued by the timeline in the past. The present timeline jumped back in time a year to show the start of Amanda's current relationship, and it felt like that could have almost been a timeline of its own.
Amanda is a follower throughout both timelines, constantly wanting others to like her and accept her and making poor decisions time and time again. She is a tough character to get behind as she bullies others and makes their lives harder than they need to be.
The author stresses that age 12, being a tween, is a tough time- wanting to be an adult and make adult decisions, yet wanting to be a child and believe that nothing bad can happen to you. There is definitely truth in this, and it is easy to see how quickly a child can fall into the side of wrong instead of right when just starting to make their own independent choices.
Thank you to Harper Books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
This slow burn read is told in dual timelines, slowly revealing what happened at camp and what events led to it. I was more intrigued by the timeline in the past. The present timeline jumped back in time a year to show the start of Amanda's current relationship, and it felt like that could have almost been a timeline of its own.
Amanda is a follower throughout both timelines, constantly wanting others to like her and accept her and making poor decisions time and time again. She is a tough character to get behind as she bullies others and makes their lives harder than they need to be.
The author stresses that age 12, being a tween, is a tough time- wanting to be an adult and make adult decisions, yet wanting to be a child and believe that nothing bad can happen to you. There is definitely truth in this, and it is easy to see how quickly a child can fall into the side of wrong instead of right when just starting to make their own independent choices.
Thank you to Harper Books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2022
3.5 stars.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and it kept me reading. The writing itself was great. But, as the story began to unfold, I was a bit underwhelmed by the big secret and by the way the characters behaved as adults. The childhood storyline was much more believable and compelling.
I thought the book handled friendships and the need to belong in an honest way as well. I found the way some of the characters treated each other scarier than the actual mystery 😬.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and it kept me reading. The writing itself was great. But, as the story began to unfold, I was a bit underwhelmed by the big secret and by the way the characters behaved as adults. The childhood storyline was much more believable and compelling.
I thought the book handled friendships and the need to belong in an honest way as well. I found the way some of the characters treated each other scarier than the actual mystery 😬.
November 27, 2022
2.5 stars easy summer read and entertaining enough
i love: coming of age stories, mean girls, unlikable women, female friendships/frenemies, a slow burn, summer camp settings, and vengeance.
i do not love: repetition. over explaining. too many plot holes. the main climax being blasé and not feeling like a climax. the book's title and cover don't match the story (?) so yeah, entertaining but lacking
i love: coming of age stories, mean girls, unlikable women, female friendships/frenemies, a slow burn, summer camp settings, and vengeance.
i do not love: repetition. over explaining. too many plot holes. the main climax being blasé and not feeling like a climax. the book's title and cover don't match the story (?) so yeah, entertaining but lacking
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September 24, 2022DNF at like 60% and I have nothing to say
June 15, 2022
Thanks so much to Goodreads and Harper for supplying me with a copy of the advance copy in a Goodreads giveaway! If you've gone to overnight camp and made close friends there, you will identify with the characters in this book. A long buried secret from a summer at camp threatens to upend the lives of a formerly close group of camp friends. Thrilling and lots of fun!
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