The jacket flap describes this book as "a compelling and harrowing story." That is a spot-on description. From the first page to the last, I was compelled to read this truly harrowing tale.
Ashley Hawkins is angry. Her mother left many years ago. She hates living in a crappy trailer, and her father annoys the heck out of her. Her friends want her to be something she is not, and loyalty is definitely not her boy friend's strength.
She is not looking forward to the high school party her friends want to go to. The only redeeming thing is that it is taking place in the Tennessee woods. Ever since her father introduced her to fishing and hunting in the woods, Ashley has loved spending time in the wild. Her friends are all about the party, while Ashley is all about the location.
The combination of too much beer and catching her boy friend with another girl sends Ashley stumbling deeper into the woods. Her anger sends her running headlong into the dark where she falls and crashes down a ravine. Now she has a crushed foot and is lost far from the party and the path back to her friends.
Ashley has nothing but her wits and determination to try to survive and make it back to civilization. Memories of a camp counselor who taught her the survival skills she hopes will keep her alive may not be enough to deal with an infected wound, lack of food, and the rain and cold. Her hopes of being rescued diminish day by day, and she knows she's in trouble when the animals aren't even startled by her anymore.
Author Mindy McGinnis taps into her own experience of backwoods hiking to create this incredible adventure. This reader felt panic, fear, disgust, and more as Ashley's emotional story unfolds. This is a must-have for any young adult collection!
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