A disturbing dark, psychological thriller. Two people have mysteriously disappeared without a trace on the outskirts of a tiny, mountain town. What secrets lie beyond the towering trees of the plagued, gothic forest? The plot lines are spun together like a tangled spider’s web, exposing the fragility and complexity of the human psyche. A page turning, wild ride!

I’m a fan of Shea Ernshaw’s YA books The Wicked Deep and Winterwood, so I’m not surprised that I loved A History of Wild Places, her first book for adults, as much as I did. It demonstrates the same talents for establishing and sustaining a unique, unsettling atmosphere and for building a compelling, complex world as those first two books. Ernshaw also has an ability to create complex, intriguing characters to populate her novels.

In A History of Wild Places, we start with a book within the book: Foxes and Museums, book one in the Eloise and the Foxtail series, a super-dark fairytale for children. The book’s author, Maggie St. James, has been missing for five years, and Travis Wren—the protagonist of the second layer of the novel—has been hired by her parents to find her. He has an ability to touch objects and then see their memories which has made him valuable to those searching for lost loved ones, but personal tragedy has made him back away from humanity. It’s only as a favor for a distant friend and a desperation for work that has brought him to this search.

As he follows her last-known path, he enters an isolated town in search of a mysterious community called Pastoral.

Then, the narrative shifts again and relocates into Pastoral itself, where we follow three characters: Theo, a man who is increasingly curious about what lies outside of Pastoral; Calla, who fears the potential consequences of her husband’s questions; and Calla’s sister Bee, a blind woman with abilities that make her valuable to Pastoral’s leader.

The shifting nature of truth, of what we think we understand and what lies beneath, mirrors the characters’ own search for identity and truth. It’s a gorgeous novel full of narratives made unreliable because of every character’s limited knowledge. As those disparate pieces come together, I found myself shifting them around, trying to make sense of the way the layers of the story connected.

A History of Wild Places is a brilliantly immersive novel, one that I couldn’t stop reading. Ernshaw is definitely an auto-read author for me.

Shea Ernshaw has a very distinct writing style that borders on boring the reader and entertaining them. The entire idea of the story reminds me too much of The Hazel Wood written by Melissa Albert, which I can go so far as to say is better than this. I honestly couldn't finish it.

This is my third book by this author. This one is not like her others as she has stepped out of YA to write an Adult Mystery / Thriller. I think those that have read her previous work will see her writing style is quite the same which was nice to see. However, this book wasn’t quite what I was expecting and although it was unique it didn’t hold onto my attention like I had hoped.

The book starts off with a guy named Travis Wren trying to track down an author by the name of Maggie St. James who went missing. This was definitely a good setup for the story as we learn a bit of background for Travis. It did give me urge to keep reading as well.

From that point on, the book switches to multiple point-of-views. Some I liked more than others. I will say that the character development really lacked and the book is definitely more plot based. I know other readers will be okay with this but for, I need more development to actually care for the characters and the situations they face.

The plot isn’t unique in the aspect of communes but the plot twists that came with it were. I did expect one thing but the rest were definitely out in left field. I’m not sold on the explanations for everything but maybe that’s just me. The book is also labeled as thriller but I just didn’t feel that. It was definitely mysterious but lacked the thrill I seeked.

Overall, this was okay/good read. It wasn’t what I was expecting but it wasn’t in a bad way I suppose. I’m not really sure how to really articulate my words for this one, haha. I guess if it sounds interesting to you, give it a try!

This intriguing, aptly-titled novel takes readers deep into cult life, immersing us in the good and the not so good. This is one of the spookiest books I’ve read and its sense of foreboding travels with the narrative right up until the end. Travis Wren searches for people missing and lost. His innate senses allow him to see a person’s after-image, and to track their movements and actions by touching something dear to them. When he is called upon to find children’s author, Maggie St. James, he finds himself deep in the backwoods of nowhere, but treks on, even when he can take his truck no further, drawn inexorably to something he doesn’t understand. To say any more about events would be to reveal spoilers, so I’ll leave it there.
This hauntingly beautiful tale is by turns enticing, fascinating and menacing. I have never been a fan of cults, but I can understand peoples’ desire to find a place they call home, where they can be themselves and truly belong. And that is the gist of this novel―to feel wanted, perhaps even needed, to be free to follow one’s own path and to find a home in the truest sense of the word. Not all is peachy, however, in this idyll, and the cult leader’s name isn’t Levi for nothing. This addresses how a person can go from good to bad – read Levi/Evil – and how power and control can easily corrupt, and often does. A great story, beautifully written, that will continue to haunt after the last page is turned. Highly recommended.

This book WAS wild. It has all of my favorite things: multiple perspectives, switching timelines, mystery, weird cult-like settings, macabre children’s books. Despite the aforementioned mystery and creepy elements, this definitely isn’t your typical domestic thriller--it’s more of a slow, suspenseful build. Shea’s writing is atmospheric, beautifully off-putting, and stunningly creepy. She builds the scenes so well you can so easily picture yourself in the commune in all of its twisted, eerie glory. I don’t want to say a ton more, because last time I raved about a thriller all my friends guessed the ending (sorry guys). I go in blind to every book I read because it’s fun and chaotic like yours truly, but this is yet another one I would suggest going into completely blind.

Pastoral, once a peaceful and reclusive community, with calm order and purpose, becomes sinister and takes “reclusive” to a whole other level. Yes, please! When I came across this book on NetGalley, I had a feeling about it and my thoughts were right on the money.

These days, it is hard to disconnect in more ways than one. Everything is fast-paced and mental illness is on the rise. It is no wonder many people dream about a simpler life. In History of Wild Places, the people seeking this life get more than they are asking for.

One of the main important elements of a story is connecting with the characters. You don’t get that in this story, perhaps because you aren’t given a lot of backstory. That said, there is a reason why and readers will begin to understand that based on the theme of the story.

Ernshaw employs artistic composition in a unique and refreshing way that has you hanging on to every word. Her ability to articulate any situation or surrounding in the story is outstanding. Ernshaw had me hooked with the first line!

As the story unfolded, I began to see clearly how prolonged isolation can be used to manipulate people of the tightknit community and the mind-distorting effects it creates.
I found myself fully immersed in unraveling, along with Theo, Calla and Bee, the dark secrets that keep them locked within the commune.

One aspect I would have liked to have been more developed was the characters’ daily lives and their relationships with each other. It would have made the plot more profound. In regards to the relationships, Bee’s and Levi’s were the only relationship fleshed out. I cannot say much more than that without giving any spoilers.
A great mystery about the disappearance of people, manipulation, a reclusive community brilliantly weaved with atmospheric woods, survival and spooky elements.

Stephanie Hopkins

Take snow skiing, for instance. You know how about halfway down the mountain, there are these flat moments where you desperately hope your momentum will carry you through, so you don’t have to awkwardly moon-walk yourself to freedom? That’s this book. A wild ride in key places, and that momentum maaaay or may not carry you across the ice. But don’t worry, that ending will avalanche you to the bottom of the hill in RECORD time and leave you haunted for days.

First off, Shea Ernshaw knows how to write the heck out of a book. As much as I adore The Wicked Deep and Winterwood, this is her best work yet in terms of prose. The writing is sensory-immersive and sucks you in from the first page—and more than that, it’s haunting and ethereal. There were more than a couple of times when I got goosebumps from the sheer brilliance of a creepy line. I could wax eloquent on her prose for ages, but you get the picture.

If anything, the first three-quarters of the plot is essentially The Village—which while I enjoyed the first time, I wouldn’t watch again on account of the slow-burn story. Beautiful writing can only carry a book so far, but okay, it definitely carried this one better than I could’ve guessed. There were these moments of intrigue, where a creepy discovery or shocking reveal ended a chapter, and that kept me going. But the story doesn’t *really* pick up until the last quarter—then it becomes the bottom of the ski slope that’s really a cliff and you hang on for dear life to the end.

All in all, even with the slow plot, this was another excellent book from Shea Ernshaw. Her prose is visceral and deliciously atmospheric. And she knows how to write an ending that’ll stick with you. If you want to be haunted past the pages of a book, give A History of Wild Places a read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

-Ande

There is so much promise in a book with a premise like this. A missing persons case, a mysterious "community" (it's a cult, we all know it's a cult) in the woods, and interludes from an uber-creepy children's book? It's like the book was made for me. But parts of it felt rushed and many of the twists weren't really twisty. Essentially I didn't find myself thrilled, and that's fully necessary for a thriller. However if you want an atmospheric mystery that will leave you feeling gaslit in the best of ways, this could be for you.

*Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

3.5 stars
I absolutely loved this story world and the creepy yet enticing story that it told. A story that tells of lost things that become found. Of relationships and friendships that aren't what they seem. I loved reading through Calla and Theo's eyes. Their descriptions of a world that wasn't the paradise they thought--or was it really? Earnshaw did an absolutely phenomenal job manipulating and weaving this story until the truth is revealed at the end. I really couldn't put this book down once I started reading!
However, there was a darkness to this book. A darkness so deep that I felt like the truth, the light, couldn't shine through. Not even at the end. Honestly, this book left me feeling sad and maybe even a little frightened. I can't say why thanks to spoilers, but I couldn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to because of the darkness that resided in certain characters. The darkness that never came to light. I can't say more because of spoilers, but I wish that this book had ended with more hope. More light.

A History of Wild Places is an immersive and thrilling mystery. Travis Wren is a private investigator who goes missing in search of eccentric children’s author Maggie St. James. Between flashbacks to his search and present day life in an insular community known only as Pastoral, a sinuous tale of community and secrecy unfolds. What really happened to Maggie and where is Travis?

There is a hypnotic quality about A History of Wild Places. I easily devoured it in a day because I was so swept up in unlocking the mystery within the woods. As I read, I felt fingertips on the back of my neck, the haunting whisper of the trees, and the heavy weight of concealed secrets. I won’t say much about the plot itself as it is a mystery after all- only to entreat you to read it and be lost in the mysterious power of Pastoral. To say it’s atmospheric is an understatement; I felt completely transported to this small community where technology and outsiders are held at bay by the existence of a mysterious pox that threatens them.

Along with the characters, I was mystified by the pox and deeply curious about what lay outside Pastoral. As all the pieces of the puzzle came together, I was spellbound until the very last page. This book gave me the sense of standing completely alone in a forest as a cloud covers the sun overhead and throws the world into ominous shadow- and I loved it. Ernshaw writes with a dry wit and measured pacing. As she carefully reveals clues, she unravels engrossing characters with fiercely-held secrets. Ernshaw’s writing is stark and lyrical- compelling you to look deeper into the rotten core of Pastoral and examine the true nature of people. I couldn’t look away!

If you’ve ever wondered about the power of community belief, what lies deep in the trees, and wish to be utterly swept away - you need to read A History of Wild Places. A History of Wild Places releases on December 7, 2021. Thank you so much to Shea Ernshaw, Atria Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

I walked into this book with no clue what it was about, and I would suggest the same. Just dive right in.

I love books that are just so unexpected and make me think “what on earth is going to happen here?” I was all in for this wild ride.

I won’t give too much away, but I would summarize this as a cult thriller that is very character driven. Ernshaw knows how to tell a gripping story, but also how to write characters that are lovable and complex and mysterious.

Read this! I can’t wait to discuss it with others.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

What a great and unexpected read. I’ve never read any of Ernshaw’s work before but I definitely will be now.

A History of Wild Places sucked me and didn’t let me go until the very end. Written from several different viewpoints, the story begins with Travis Wren. Travis helps people find missing loved ones and that’s exactly what brings him looking for Maggie St. James, a children’s book author who went missing five years ago.

As he follows the clues and traces, he makes his way towards Pastoral – a community nestled deep in the woods founded by people searching for a simpler way of life.

I don’t want to get into too much more as the story is so intricate and I don’t want to give anything away. The characters were fantastic, the plot and overall story were intense and exciting, and somehow the ending was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have to say that A History of Wild Places did not disappoint and was pleasantly surprising, with a few issues here and there (mainly pacing and the twist was... meh). I felt that the characters of this book were quite intriguing and ultimately fairly charming (well, the main three). The real winner here is the atmospheric world that Ernshaw created with her writing; Pastoral especially. The runner-up is not too far from the atmosphere that was developed and that would be the Eloise and the Fox storyline (which I hope is developed into a whole new novel or continuation or a companion or what have you of AHOWP)... The characters are a solid 3rd and as I said, they had their moments.

I will say this, and perhaps this is the best compliment that I can pay an author (in my mind)... While I thought the characters were okay and well written and the twist was somewhat meh, I found myself wanting to be at Pastoral and living that life. Not forever, but for a spell and see how it would all work. I think that Ernshaw really has something here with that world she built and as a reader, I wanted to immerse myself in that world. Are there places like Pastoral? Probably. I would seek them out and see what that world would be like for myself, given the opportunity and maybe in like 25 years' time.

Wow. Just wow.

I was quite blown away.

The writing is brilliant. The story is brilliant and captivating. I was swept up from the beginning and never wanted it to end.

Filled with twists and turns (some obvious, others not), I LOVED it.

I'm not sure what to say about this book. It's not what I expected it to be....but also, I don't know what I expected it to be. So, is that fair to the book?

This felt like The Hazelwood for adults. But, also, vaguely adult for the majority of the book. Like, yes we follow adult aged characters but there's not a TON of adult content outside of some swearing and a little smooching. Maybe a smexy fade to black or two. But, it's not a bad read, or an unenjoyable one. I can see that there will be a niche market for this book that will LOVE it. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't LOVE it.

I didn't connect with the "dark fairytale" aspect of the book. The excerpts from the book within a book didn't hit the mark for me. They were too easily skimmed and didn't connect until WAY too late in the book to let me care about them or pay closer attention to them. I think they were meant to have way more impact than they actually did

Still, a fast enough read, though it did drag in certain parts The twists were...okay, but nothing I was overly surprised by...or rather some did surprise me but I didn't go WOW....it was just like "really, that's what was going on?" ::shrugs:: Probably a 3.5 because the writing was good, the description and vibe was cool, but it didn't really hit the mark for me. Rated up for full star benefit.

A History of Wild Places is one of those books that you read the synopsis—a commune in the woods, people gone missing, risk of disease, secrets, and you are intrigued, but honestly this book is so ,ugh more! It’s dark, thrilling and twisty all around! Really enjoyed this one.

I adore everything Shea Ernshaw writes, she has the unique ability to add extreme suspense to her YA fantasy books that I was immediately intrigued to read her debut adult novel.

A History of Wild Places is probably the most suspense-filled book I've read this year. The TENSION was high and I loved it. Honesty, this book had me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't put it down as I was so engrossed in the story, I wanted instant gratification and answers, so stayed up way past my bedtime and read into the wee hours of the morning.

Hats off to Shea, she is quickly becoming one of my all-time favourite authors. Her books always hit the mark for me, and so I will be rating this a resounding 5 stars.

I love, love this book, A History of Wild Places combines two of my favorite tropes, creepy forest and (dark) fairytales.
This is perfect for the spooky season and the long winter night. Is so atmospheric and mysterious.

You follow multiple POVs. At first, is about missing people, Maggie St. James is a famous author of dark fairytales, and just before her last book was to be published, she disappears, Travis Wren can read objects and he is the perfect person who can follow Maggie´s clues.

Then you read about this secret village in the middle of the forest, maybe Maggie is here. This is a spooky forest, the trees are sick and can infect humans the chief has to take drastic measures, nobody can't enter or leave the village, not even for emergencies, not everyone agrees with the rules.

I don't want to say so much, this is the kind of story where is better to go blind, is so good with an intricate storyline, had a great twist, complex characters, lyrical written, and a dark setting.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC, such a suspenseful book. At first I thought I knew where it was going but there were things I didn’t see coming! As another reviewer said it reminded me a bit of the movie The village.