Book Review: Alone in the Woods

Time for a review that's about something a little bit different. This is a survival story about two young girls, Jocelyn and Alex, who used to be best friends. The key word there is used to be. For some reason, the girls have begun to pull away from one another. Jocelyn (called Joc in the story) still wants to be friends and for things to back to the way they were, but Alex doesn't seem to want to restore their friendship. The two end up in quite a predicament, and their friendship will be put to the absolute test.

cover courtesy of goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49169367-alone-in-the-woods

The girls' families have always gone on a summer vacation together, annoying siblings and all, and this year is no different. Well, except for the way Alex keeps acting. Joc continues to reach out to her, but Alex keeps rejecting her. Joc and Alex end up together on a rafting trip, and a big mistake causes the two to get separated from everyone else. They manage to get off the river and into the woods, but that's when their real problems just begin.

This is a very unique survival story! I remember when I read the description, I thought to myself, "how would they not be found right away in our day and age?" Think about it: we have so many cell phones to track each other, drones, police officers, public roads, etc., I wasn't sure how the author would convince me it's possible while on a popular water rafting river where there should be plenty of people to help. But she pulled it off! The obvious ways they could have been rescued never worked out because of the choices the girls' made. They didn't take getting lost seriously to begin with, and unfortunately, they had a really tough journey.

Reading the ways they struggled and suffered in the woods was genuinely scary and intense, even for an adult. The author obviously did her research. The girls are out in the woods overnight, no gear, no real food or water, no idea where they are, and they forced to power through out of sheer determination and luck. It is not as if they are camping/survival experts! The decisions they make are not great, but we can understand why they made them.

Some of the most intense parts for me was reading about the ailments they suffered from. Things that would not have occurred to me became a serious problem. For example, because it is summer time and the girls are not in traditional camping clothing (the book cover is misleading on that by the way, they are in swimming gear) they don't have a way to protect themselves from ticks. Their legs become absolutely covered in them and they forced to attempt to remove them on their own. It makes my skin crawl just to think about it again. My adult brain immediately started wondering about lyme disease and other problems that come from tick bites, especially that many! When the girls' go to sleep at night, they have nothing to protect them from night time bugs either. I can't even fathom all the bug bites they ended up with. I also learned how easy it is to have your body temperature drop to a dangerous level in a situation like this.

The story is told between the girls' alternating points of view. Joc tells the story of being lost in the woods, while Alex tells the story of the drama and what led her to stop being friends with Joc.

This book combines elements of a survival tale, friendships, and coming-of-age experiences. It's incredibly fast-paced, making it hard to put down! I suggest it for reluctant readers and fans of action and survival stories. You can find it through the Jasmine/Overdrive online library resource and the Libby app. If any adults are looking for a quick and engaging read to distract themselves, I also recommend giving it a try! Happy reading!