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Wildfire
Carrie Mac
272 pages | Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 28, 2020
I did not see this book coming. Warning: It gets darker than you think.
Dealing with major losses in their lives, best friends Annie and Pete set off on a hiking trip. It is the ultimate test of their survival skills - something the pair is used to - they have a journal documenting all of their near-death experiences. But somehow they always survive. But this time, mistakes are made and Annie worries this is one adventure that might end their lucky streak.
This book is intense. Much more intense than I expected. The first chapter drops you in the midst of Annie and Pete's disastrous hike before jumping back to the beginning, and I was completely hooked. I was desperate to know how they got to that point, and where they would possibly go from there.
I think its important to know that Wildfire is much more about friendship, survival, and grief than it is unrequited love. The synopsis gave the impression that this would be an intense romance of best friends realizing their feelings for each other - and while Annie does wonder if she and Pete could be more than friends, it is hardly the focus of the plot and is more of a side note.
I loved Pete and Annie's friendship - they always knew exactly what the other needed. I really felt for Annie, who is dealing with the loss of her grandmother. Both Annie and Pete had more than their fair share of loss in their lives, and as a reader, I could really feel the bond between the two.
I think there will be a lot of mixed feelings about how this book ends. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Personally, I liked the end (I was gutted, don't get me wrong) but it did leave me unsure of where Annie's story would go. I would have liked to see a bit more of a concrete resolution for her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review!
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