I don't know why I didn't pick this book up much earlier, but I have a feeling this will be one of my favorites of the year. A History of Wild Places is a dark, atmospheric book that pulls off a sense of unease really well, while at the same time keeping sweet moments of family, found family, identity, and morality. I absolutely loved how Shea Ernshaw introduced us to Travis Wren and Maggie St. James with a slightly paranormal missing person search and then made us wonder and unravel their story through the eyes of three new characters. It was brilliant and I loved every second of it. I loved the juxtaposition of the supposed idyllic town of Pastoral, seemingly stuck out of time and hidden away in the woods, with the threat of other that makes you question where the danger really is. I could not put this down once I got started and it will definitely be recommended to many people.

I love novels about cults or people who choose to live a way of life then others. This sounded right up my alley when I received it. This story is intricate and gives off some spooky vibes and you are constantly wondering what is happening in Pastoral. Many twists and turns and this story kept me wanting to read more and more. This was a great debut novel! I look forward to reading more from Shea Ernshaw!

Shea Ernshaw is one of my favorite atmospheric authors. Her writing is just so incredible and this book did not disappoint. She kept me on my toes, and I just couldn't put the book down. The mystery was confusing at times but I still really enjoyed it. It was a great adult debut!

✨ A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES ✨
Rating: 4 ⭐️ - I Liked It

This one has been on my @netgalley shelf for SO LONG it’s about time I picked it up! Audio was the perfect way to go!

❤️ for my LOVERS of a CULT-themed thriller, some surprises and twists and turns, gripping stories, and multiple POVs!

❤️ this story overall was incredible GRIPPING & super bingeable! I’m not a huge fan of cult themed novels but it kept me hooked!

❤️ the ENDING was so surprising and an interesting way to wrap up!

❤️ as noted - loved this one on AUDIO! Definitely the way to go - multiple narrators and POVs!

This is an excellent exploration of how a cult functions. Characterization is extremely strong, and there is a chilling atmosphere through much of the book. The descriptions of the remote, rural location are transportative. The book deals with isolation and narcissistic behavior, but has an ultimately hopeful resolution. Aside from being a great read and very well written, the book would be perfect for a book club because of the discussion possibilities raised by the underlying themes.

"A History of Wild Places" by Shea Ernshaw is a hauntingly atmospheric tale blending mystery, suspense, and magic. It explores the power of belief and the secrets hidden in a remote, eerie community.

Shea Ernshaw is one of my favorite authors. All of her books are so special and magical. She continuously writes such atmospheric stories.

"A History of Wild Places" is a captivating and beautifully crafted novel that takes readers on an enthralling journey through the depths of human psyche and the wild, untamed landscapes that shape our deepest fears and desires. From the very first page, Ernshaw's lyrical prose and rich, atmospheric descriptions draw you into a world where the boundaries between reality and illusion blur, creating a tapestry of intrigue that is impossible to put down.

This was a wild thriller that really did leave me wondering oh my gosh what is happeninggggggggg. It felt very, intense and immersive which is unusual for me to experience in books. I thought it was great.

Reading this book feels like roaming through the woods, on a cloudy day, stumbling upon a lush meadow with padded grass, and laying down to rest, knowing there could be any number of predators lurking in the shadows of the trees.

Shea Ernshaw's adult debut leaves its readers feeling raw, exposed, and emotional. The plot will make you question fact and fiction, second-guessing your thoughts just like its characters.

The characters are so alive and vulnerable, even when they lie to each other--or themselves. Theo, Calla, and Bee have individual paths, driven by secrets, that twist around each other and collide at crucial moments of the plot. This is a book of deceit wrapped in a hand-dyed, linen shall with a dandelion pinned to the collar.

This is the kind of book you read on a rainy day, with a hot cup of tea, with a blanket on, and a window cracked. This is the kind of book you read for weeks or months just so you can live in its world for as long as possible.

This book is a triumph for Shea Ernshaw, and I can't wait for her next moody masterpiece.

Shea Ernshaw's writing is unshakable. This story, just as others she has written, is so well told you will feel like you have fallen into this world and are a part of the story. I loved the intrigue and mystery of this one and of course the story as a whole was perfect!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

3 stars

A History of WIld Places wasn't a terrible book. Just very different from Shea Ernshaw's other work. Her first adult book, and I have to say, I didn't care for it. It took me much longer to read than normal.

The start of the book hooked me rather fast. One of my favorite things about Ernshaw's writing is that she has a beautiful ability to weave a story. Her descriptions are top-tier, always perfect with her word choices. She can paint such a beautiful picture in my head. It's when we get to the middle part of the book that it goes south.

The story itself just got silly, I didn't understand why the plot went from great to nothing. The twists just didn't do it for me. I feel like I had more questions at the end than when I started.

A women goes missing for years and never is found. Travis who is friends with a detective is asked to take on the case. Travis isn’t a detective but he can see people and things and help solve cases. He takes this case and immediately starts his journey from his visions to try and find the women missing, Maggie St James. Travis ends up finding a community (Pastoral) in the woods that is cut off from everything and everyone. He finds Maggie there but soon Travis’s memories start fading and so do Maggie’s, and they become other people… years go by and Travis starts unwind his new life and unveil he and Maggie are someone else now.
•
This book was such a wild ride that was very addicting to read! I received this arc from netgalley almost two years back and finally decided I should read it. I should have read this way long ago! So many twists and so many turns and such a screwed up wild book that will have you thinking what the heck!!!! I thought this was very well written and I loved the three different character POVs the story was told from! A very wild book that will simply BLOW YOUR MIND!

I found the storyline interesting but not interesting enough to move the reader very quickly through the book. The twists and turns were good but not as well thought out as previous books by this author.

A lot of people like to compare this negatively to M Night Shyamalan's The Village, and I get it. The two share a couple of similarities. But A History of Wild Places has something that The Village was missing. A story. I loved getting into the relationships and lives if the residents of Pastoral. Uncovering secrets and lies.
A super solid mystery full of suspense and emotion.

I was looking forward to this one, unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. I found it boring and just couldn't get interested in it. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The beginning chapters of this book with Travis as our POV sucked me into this story. Transitioning to part two of the book threw me out of sync with this book, and I never really gained it back. After that abrupt ending to the original POV, the pacing seemed incredibly slow for me. It took me some time to get invested in Theo, Calla, and Bee’s POV’s and the story they had to tell. Honestly, I was expecting more fantasy elements or even magical realism. I thought the stories that Maggie St. James created would play a larger role in the story and plot.

"Guilt is a beast. And it might just kill you, if you let it."

Travis was my favorite; and, in my opinion, the most interesting POV in the book. I loved the fact that he could see the “echoes” from objects that he touched, and I could feel how hard that made life for him. Theo, Calla and Bee's transformation throughout the book was definitely one of my favorite things. Bee was my second favorite character, and our similarities did wonders for me latching onto her character. What she goes through is far more profound than Theo or Calla’s experience. I found the last chapter to have some surprising kernels of depth regarding what they all went through and what they would do going forward.

"The body heals quickly, an efficient machine, but the heart is worthless at such things. It burns long after the hurt has worn away."

I would like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to experience A History of Wild Places. All opinions are my own & just because I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did The Wicked Deep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t. I still have plans to read her other titles when I get around to them.

This caught me by surprise I was a little lost at first, annnoyed that we didn’t go back to the first two characters mentioned but the twist was exciting. Cults and villages where you’re not allowed to leave freak me out this was so much better than u expected

Not what I expected, but in the very best of ways! I love this, and and quite frankly the only thing I didn't love was the cover which seem more ink blottish than anything else