Could not get into this one. Checked goodreads for reviews to see if it was worth sticking it out. Lots mentioned religion and to look literally anywhere else for magical realism. Deciding to skip for now. Will edit if I come back to this one.

This book is incredibly misleading. The synopsis does not mention how much religion is in this book.
Had I known this I would have never requested it.

The MC was insufferable and I just can’t do it.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

DNF ~75-76%

I tried really hard to enjoy this book, but I think the synopsis of the book is misleading. Had I known about the religious overtones of the novel, I probably would have been more hesitant to request it, given my own history with religion and how it had a hand in my mental health/the discussions surrounding it.

That being said, I’ll only really discuss this from a technical standpoint just to avoid getting too personal with the text/my potential lack of knowledge with this specific branch of Christianity (I grew up Catholic for reference).

The message with the book being “the right person will come along and love you for who you are regardless of your religion” felt a little heavy-handed. It definitely feels aimed for the younger YA rather than reaching the end of high school and has a little more perspective part. While she is still young, and losing first love is painful, the way she really had me thinking that he had died and she was upset he was going to hell because he did not believe in God, was a little… much. Part of me started to wonder if there were some mental health issues with their partner and the discussions of them going to hell because of the religion thing took a toll on them and… well, you can piece together where my assumptions went.

Then there was the whole Gale could be Jesus with the whole “shepherding lost souls” bit. But that’s a revelation for a different time.

The other big portion is that Eli doesn’t do much growing. By 76% she was still selfish and unwilling to accept other perspectives about her situation and it just became frustrating to watch. And it also gave me A Christmas Carol vibes where Scrooge refuses to listen to the voices around him only to be changed at the very last minute.

I’m sure this book could be enjoyed by someone who it is definitely meant for. Unfortunately, I am not that person.

This book was fantastic. Definitely a trigger warnings need to be cautious. I love how it shows the steps the MC goes through in her depression and sadness. I definitely will share this book title. This is a great book for young adults on a very touchy subject.

I wanted to like this one so bad because it had such an interesting description. But no matter how far I got in the book I just couldn’t get into to. I did think it was interesting that the chapters were prose and poetry. But Overall not a book for me.

Thank you Penguin for this ARC
This is NOT magical realism this is CHRISTIAN FICTION.
This is a common tactic done to appeal to secular audiences, try to market the media as something else and not disclose the fact it is religious. (Also a very popular Evangelist tactic too!)
God is mentioned 69 times in this book which is a mix of poetry and writing. 69 TIMES.
I am all for reading different faiths and culture, it's important to be exposed to such things, but in a book like this where the narrative is one belief or nothing.
Main character Eli is sent away to a cabin in the woods to process her grief and mourn and goes through VERY heavy handed religious symbolism thinly disguised (and poorly disguised) as magical realism. (Guys just say it's religious or are you afraid no one would read it if you did?) Over the course of the book we have lovely rhetoric and harm shoved down our throats every other chapter.
Would you like to know the "big reveal?" Turns out [ all she had to do was realize God loves her and her depression is cured! ALSO HER EX ISN'T EVEN DEAD HE JUST DIDN'T BELIEVE IN GOD! (hide spoiler)] I'm not even joking! The book made is seem like he was [ dead! (hide spoiler)]
Behold THIS HARMFUL QUOTE FOR THE REVEAL: [ "The voice echoes in my mind: I love you. If I am loved, then I-I am meant to be here. I am meant to be alive. On this earth. At this time. I am worth something, with or without you." (hide spoiler)]
This is easily the most harmful and problematic book I've ever read in my lifetime.
Don't worry we also get some lovely purity culture and abstinence only education mentioned too! [ Luckily Eli and her ex "only kissed" even though she was worried they were moving too fast. And of course it mentions she hasn't had sex yet! Because that was necessary! (It wasn't!) (hide spoiler)]
I worry what happens if a kid reads this and receives the message this book is trying to shove down people's throats. All you have to do is "accept God's love" and your depression will be magically cured.
That's not how that works, it's ableist and is going to cause lasting harm! You can't pray away depression or mental health LITERALLY THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS! The number of mutuals who have trauma from this rhetoric (as do I) is numerous. Mental health and depression is NOT a choice.
Even in the author's note they say
Lastly, at the end of the day- there is Someone out there who loves you. Who doesn't want to fix you. Who doesn't think you need fixing. ..And if you listen you can hear it"
I am incredibly disappointed that this book is being marketed falsely, and incredibly angry in everyone involved in getting this harmful book published. Any child or teenager who reads this and believes if they just can hear God or believe enough or accept God's love, that they will be happy and then wonders why that doesn't happen? That's on y'all. You should be ASHAMED.
Any quotes come from an ARC and are subject to change before the book is released and finalized.

Ashley Wilda's "The Night Fox" takes readers on a captivating journey into the depths of the human psyche, blending elements of magic and introspection to create an exquisite and haunting tale. The story revolves around seventeen-year-old Eli, who finds herself reluctantly enrolled in Raeth, a secluded mountain retreat designed for teenagers grappling with mental health issues.

From the outset, Eli is determined to keep her emotions locked away, refusing to engage with the program or acknowledge her need for healing. Still reeling from a heart-wrenching breakup that has left her faith shattered, she is determined to convince the retreat's warden that she is perfectly fine, yearning for permission to return home. However, the retreat and its surroundings have a mysterious power of their own, and as Eli ventures into the magical valley, her mind becomes a battleground of memories and emotions.

"The Night Fox" expertly weaves together prose and poetry, creating a narrative that is as beautiful as it is evocative. The author's skillful use of language paints a vivid portrait of love, grief, depression, and the slow path towards healing. Eli's journey is a profound exploration of the human condition, delving into the depths of her emotions and unraveling the complexities of her past.

What sets this novel apart is its ability to seamlessly blend the fantastical elements with the raw reality of mental health struggles. The magical surroundings of the retreat mirror Eli's state of mind, transforming and shifting as she grapples with her grief. The night realm, in particular, becomes a treacherous yet alluring landscape, drawing her further into its depths.

As the story unfolds, readers are gripped by the interplay of darkness and light, hope and despair. Eli's character development is masterfully portrayed, as she navigates her way through the maze of her own emotions, gradually embracing the possibility of healing. The author's sensitivity in handling themes of mental health is commendable, painting a realistic and empathetic portrayal of the journey towards recovery.

"The Night Fox" is a spellbinding novel that invites readers to confront their own inner demons and reflect on the power of love, grief, and resilience. Ashley Wilda's storytelling prowess shines through, crafting a narrative that lingers long after the final page. This book is a must-read for those seeking a deeply emotional and introspective exploration of the human experience.

This book was truly touching. The writing was mesmerizing and poetic, which enhanced the story so much. The themes of grief and love were developed and portrayed masterfully. The main character’s journey felt really special and realistic to me, However, something felt missing from the story. I found myself wishing for something more when I closed the book, and was left a little unsatisfied in the end. I wanted this to be a five star read, and thought it would be while I was reading, but upon reflection I would rate this book four stars.

4.75/5⭐️ Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for an e-ARC of this! I requested this because I struggle with my mental health myself and I really enjoy reading books with that rep, and I have to say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read with depression rep. This story and writing was absolutely beautiful and it felt so poetic while still being raw and real. This is just my personal experience, but Eli’s journey with depression felt very relatable to my own. Seeing her go through her own hard times really hit me hard, but in the best way. Besides the mental health rep: this story is so unique and whimsical: it follows Eli’s stay at a “mental health/recovery” facility that is actually a magical house and surrounding land here to help people on their own mental health journeys. This is definitely a book and story that will stick with me, and I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to read this! I definitely recommend, especially to those looking for depression rep or who have depression.

This was a beautiful book, but not entirely for me. I loved the prose and the poems in front of each chapter. It made the book feel super unique and I always looked forward to starting the next one. i think everyone can relate to Eli in some way- we've all had that first love/heartbreak combo and I think it was portrayed realistically. However, I couldn't get into the religious thing. I'm Jewish so I can't really say one way or another if this was a good portrayal of the Christian lifestyle but I could not connect with that aspect at all, and it was a huge part of the book. So it kind of kept me out of the story a little bit.

This is a story focused on the main girls religious selfishness and the ways it gets in the way of their love for a boy to the point where she becomes suicidal and lands herself in a wilderness camp. Idk what is going on with this weird increase in wilderness camp books.

This book has a dozen red flags including her mother blaming her fathers death on his lack of religion and eli blaming her inability to pray enough as being the reason. So yeah toxic religious views right in the first chapter that continued to prevail throughout the books plot.

This would be fine if christianity wasnt being used as an excuse and scapegoat for all of the main characters actions. This did not have the effect it thinks it has and instead leans into culty vibes without the end being a realization of this,

I did enjoy the poetry so this isnt a one star but learning more about a character and the camp would have been more thought provoking.

I adored the story, the world building was amazing. I love meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The writing was also really nice. I couldn't put the book down and I can't wait for others to read and enjoy this story as well.

DNF at 73´%

This book sounded so promising and I was so excited to read an early copy. And it lived up to all my expectations in the beginning. The prose was beautiful, I loved the poems that started each chapter and how these poems were flashbacks of the time the main character, Eli, spent with the boy she’s in love with. I loved how even when these poems depicted happy moments, they were laced with sadness.
But then I got to the halfway point and simly stopped enjoying it. It felt like there had been zero progress yet and nothing major had happened so far.

But the biggest thing I struggled with was how big of a role religion played in it. To sum up the plot, Eli is very depressed because she can’t be together with the boy she’s super in love with because he does not share her faith. I’m not a religious person so I don’t claim to know all the customs of whatever religion Eli follows but it irked me that that was the line she couldn’t cross. I thought religion was supposed to be about acceptance and “loving thy neighbor” and all that. So it irked me that Eli set a clear line she refused to cross with the boy she’s in love with because he does not share her faith. She claims to love him so much that she feels like she’s dying without him (hence the depression for which she is sent to treatment) but if she loved him so much, wouldn’t she just accept him for who he is and love him anyway?

At times, Eli also becomes arrogant and believes that her opinion about her feelings and the healing process thereof is the only correct one. She refuses to open up to different options in letting go. She refuses to accept different intakes or advice. I can understand not wanting to hear other people's advice at first because when you're depressed, you're sometimes in so deep that your mind can't open up to help. But this is a story and I expected some progress. 73% in and there was still no progress in the healing department.

And really, getting suicidally depressed over a boy? You'd think he died from the way she loses herself in her grief. I'm guessing she's around 17-ish. Your first love isn't going to be your forever love and that naitivité got a little eye-rolling after a while.

I recognize that this review is very biased, especially concerning the religious aspect. Other (religious) people might relate differently to Eli's struggle but it was a struggling block I could not get over. I personally couldn't. I don't think religion should stand in the way of loving someone.