I do not understand the hype about this book. I was pretty bored. I appreciated the multiple narrators but I don’t have much details to say in a review because I couldn’t get into this.

Wow. Wild Dark Shore started with so much action and mystery that I was hooked from the very first page—and trust me, I never saw that ending coming! The descriptive imagery in this book is stunning. You can practically feel the cold wind of the island, hear the storms crashing outside your windows, and taste the tension in the air. McConaghy has an incredible ability to transport you right into the heart of the story.

What struck me the most was the underlying theme of climate change. The book weaves this real-world issue into its narrative in a way that’s both haunting and thought-provoking. It made me reflect on the heartbreaking stories of people losing their homes to natural disasters around the world—wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and more. Wild Dark Shore reminded me that while the story is fictional, the pain it depicts is all too real.

The plot follows Rowan, a determined woman on a mission to reach a remote island—but we don’t know why. Her boat crashes, and she washes ashore, severely injured. The island is home to a family of four—father and three children—who take her in and nurse her back to health. At first, Rowan is resistant, especially to the youngest child, Ollie, but as time passes, trust begins to form between them. Each of them is hiding something, though, and as the story unfolds, the secrets come to light.

I can’t tell you how emotional this journey became. By the end, I was sitting at my kitchen counter, crying—whether they were happy or sad tears, I’ll leave that up to you to discover. But trust me, you won’t see this ending coming.

This is a must-read for 2025. If you pick up only one book this March, make it Wild Dark Shore. You won’t regret it.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Charlotte McConaghy for the privilege of reading this unforgettable story.

#WildDarkShore #CharlotteMcConaghy #BookRecommendation #ClimateChangeFiction #MustRead2025 #NetGalley #Bookstagram #MarchReads #Thriller #UnforgettableEnding

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is told from multiple perspectives, and I appreciated that the audiobook had multiple narrators, all of whom I enjoyed. It really helped to know which person from the island you were with for that chapter based on the voice you were hearing.

This mainly follows Dominic and Rowan. Dom is a widower and his three children on a tiny island that has been used for research and as a seedbank. All of the scientists have left the island, as the sea is threatening to overtake the island and the lighthouse Dom and his family live in. He and the kids are responsible for packing up the seeds and whatever else they can salvage when the last ship comes to get them. The kids Raff, Fen, and Orly really don't know a home other than the island and spend their days among the plants and seals. Their lives are about to be completely turned upside down when they have to return to "proper" society, but as they are packing things up a strange woman washes up on shore during a storm. When Rowan finally wakes up she finds Dominic's strange family nursing her back to health. As she gets to know them she finds that while they are kind, something strange is going on and she is determined to find out what they are hiding. Turns out she has secrets and motivations of her own.

As far as thrillers go this was pretty tame, it is atmospheric though. The themes of isolation, desperation, and loneliness played a much bigger part than the actual mystery elements. This is very much about the human condition and what each character is going through and their connection to the island. This is highly character driven, and the characters are well developed. I felt the pacing was a bit slow, but I chalk that up to the fact that we swap POVs almost every chapter. While much of the story is told from Dom or Rowan's perspectives, we also get chapters told from each of the children, that tends to slow things down for me because just as you think you are getting somewhere the author takes you somewhere else. It all does come together in the end. I wasn't a big fan of the romance element, I didn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters. I feel like the romance wasn't necessary and the story would have been fine without it. I did think that the world building was excellent and I felt like I was on the beach with the seals or in the storms with the characters. The setting and flora and fauna were all described very well and you can tell that the author did her research which I always appreciate.

What an emotional and heartbreaking story. We find our main character, Rowan washed basically washed ashore on a remote island after her boat is caught in a violent storm. She is rescued by a girl and her family and is so close to death that they don't expect her to make it. But she does. The island she's washed up on is the site of what was recently a research base. It seems that the world is suffering from climate change in extremes in her time and the small island was a place where seeds were being stored in. case they were ever needed to repopulate the planet.

This book is a mixture of family drama, a little romance and a great deal of mystery. All of this is blended with a healthy dose of climate change education which is woven into the story in a way that feels very natural and is truly a vital part of the storyline and plot of the story. Rowan has come through some losses and left to find someone. But she doesn't share that with Dominic and his family. Likewise, they have secrets that they aren't sharing with her either. Trust isn't easily won in their situation.

This is my second book by this author and they have both been wonderful. I listened to the audio with this one and the narration really was lovely and felt perfect for the storyline. It kept me immersed in the story and I listened at every opportunity I had until I finished it. There were tears in my eyes when the last words of the book were spoken. It's definitely a bittersweet book but a truly beautifully written one. This author is definitely talented and I'll continue read whatever she writes (or listen to the audiobook).

Thank you to NetGalley for the early listening copy.

Dominic and his 3 children are caretakers on Shearwater, a remote island near Antarctica, home of the world’s largest seed bank. Once filled with researchers, they are the last remaining inhabitants. The rising seawaters will eventually flood the island, and Dominic’s job is to pack up the seeds to be transported to safer ground. A rescue boat is expected within a few months.

During a severe storm, a woman, Rowan, washes ashore. It's not a place that sees a lot of traffic so her presence is a mystery. Her reason for making the trip is eventually revealed and exposes secrets on both sides. Meanwhile, Dominic and his children nurse Rowan back to health, who was left barely alive.

Deeply atmospheric, with beautiful writing, there are traumas and mysteries to be revealed. I felt deeply for these characters and their relationship with one another, which makes up the bulk of the novel.

I won’t say much about the plot as it’s best discovered for yourself. The audiobook narration was phenomenal and captured the mood of the book perfectly. I felt the isolation, the desperation, and the love of this family. I was transported to the island and deeply moved. The events of the last chapters were harrowing and heartbreaking.

Words fail to convey how this book made me feel, and I always rate according to genre, how long a book stays with me, and how it makes me feel. It's a rare author who can evoke these emotions without manipulating the reader. This one is an easy 5+ stars.

The audiobook narrator was excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

TL;DR: This was dark and sad and made me cry and was such a character driven story with a great mystery. It truly defies genre, mixing nature writing with mystery with family drama and it works so well.

I LOVED <i>Once There Were Wolves</i> and was highly anticipating this release. I loved the narrator, and rushed through the book I was reading prior to this so I could start this. Then, I felt like I had to sloooooow down. In the beginning, I was struggling to piece things together, and honestly, as much as I anticipated this, I was struggling to focus. I had a lot going on, so I paused for a week.

I am SO GLAD I did. I couldn't imagine if I'd tried to blast through this without giving it my full attention. It would have been a catastrophe and I would have enjoyed it so much less. This story is a story about nature and climate change. It is a story about loss and grief and family. It's a love story, too, and a mystery that is being unfolded.

It is also enchantingly written. Seriously. I lost myself in the story, and while the middle did start to lag a bit in terms of pacing, I was mesmerized by the beautiful setting and the unknown that wove itself through the family drama. I loved all the characters - especially Rowan and Raff - and while Ollie occasionally read as younger than 9, I would give the author the grace of writing him young, because of the storyline. It made sense in a way. The ending, too, was so good and I literally couldn't stop listening. I was almost late for work because of it.

I loved the characters and the plot and especially the animals. Never have I wanted to swim in the Antarctic Ocean with seals more than when I read this, and while the pacing in the middle was a bit slow, the characters really held this together. If you like atmospheric and emotional character-driven mysteries, this is a fantastic choice for you. If you need things with a steady pace, or if you need characters that are more hopeful (this was a heavy read for sure), this might not be a great choice.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to this book but the writing didn’t flow due to the multiple perspectives and the plot, although original in some ways, was lackluster. While the female narrators were likeable, I did not enjoy the voice of Dominic, it sounded like he was trying too hard to be mysterious.

Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio copy of “Wild Dark Shore” in exchange for a review.

I picked this as (one of my) Book of the Month selections for March and jumped at the chance to read in tandem with the audio. I’m so glad I did, because the full cast reading was fantastic. It was clear which character was speaking, since we follow quite a few.

This was a dark, atmospheric, tense book. I really enjoyed it. I know Charlotte McConaghy has quite the following from “Once There Were Wolves” and it’s easy to see why. I’m normally not a fan of more character driven novels, but the writing here was terrific.

This book is going to get a lot of love, and it deserves it.

Y'all, this book! My first 5-star of the year. It is a unique genre-defying blend of family drama, mystery, romance and action-adventure. Oh, and a dash of ghosts, too. All rolled into one amazing story.

I felt about this book like I did "All the Colors of the Dark" -- it was a magical blend of so many themes, but it really, truly works! I loved everything about "Wild, Dark Shore" -- the author's writing style, the plotlines, the character development, and of course, the story.

From the description of the setting and the author's knowledge of plants and the local wildlife and their habitat, I felt like I knew every inch of Shearwater island. I could hear the seals barking, smell the briny air and see the inner workings of the Seed Vault.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version and what a treat. The beautiful Australian accents really set the tone and the performances by the voice-over actors were superb. Differentiating and subtle and so very authentic. Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audio copy. I am still "book drunk" from this one!

"Wild, Dark Shore" in five words: Unique. Unforgettable. Beautiful. Magical. Perfect.

Wild Dark Shore written by Charlotte McConaughey and narrated by a full audio cast makes this not a performance but an experience. A single father and his three children live on an island guarding a bank of seeds that will replenish the world should that day ever come when daughter Finn finds a woman floating in the nearby water they take her in and care for her. They learned her name is Rowan but not much else. just like Rowan Jim and the children have secrets and traumas they’re not willing to share. Well everyone except for the youngest son Arley, he’s nine and seems obsessed with the newcomer. despite Rowan wants to go home immediately, it seems she’ll have to wait for five weeks for the ship that’s coming to retrieve the family as their job seems to be over on the isolated island. by the time everyone secrets come out all of them will have a much different out look on the situation. I don’t want to give anything away but if Raith was 16 when Rowan showed up doesn’t that make him way too young to have had a relationship with Alex? Either way this was a great book. There is a lot happening in this book and I do mean a lot there’s not a family member that isn’t traumatized by some situation and Rowan‘s appearance seems to only stir it up. I do want to say I am not a big fan of books about environmental degradation and stuff like that because I read books to escape but I would be lying if I said I didn’t like this book because I absolutely did. It absolutely also made me want to read more by this author. Just know if you like a good emotional mystery then you will probably love this book.#NetGalley, #McMillanAudio, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #CharlotteMcConaughey, #WildDarkShore,

On a remote island near Antarctica, Shearwater—once a research base—is home to the world's largest seed bank. As global warming causes sea levels to rise, the researchers have departed, leaving only the seed caretakers, the Salt family, to pack up and prepare for their own departure. For nearly a decade, Dom and his children—Raff, Fen, and young Orly—have called Shearwater home, navigating the loss of their wife and mother, heartbreak, assault, and the isolation of their existence.

Deep in the trenches of packing up to leave their longtime home, a woman washes up on their shores in which they nurse back to life. Rowan brings a mysterious energy, forcing the Salt family to confront their own secrets. Through community and healing, the group starts to mend their traumas, confront the truth, and let hope in for the future.

"Wild Dark Shore" is a beautiful piece of literary fiction, an amalgamation of genres to create a hypnotizing story about nature, love, family, and loss. It's a slow-burn to the final moments steeped in other-worldly imagery and human connection. Even in a far away place, where the animals and the mother nature rule the land, humans continue to prove they are the danger for their surroundings and each other.

Additionally, I listened to the audio version and was swept away by the captivating performances of Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, and Steve West. Their ensemble performance elevated this story even further.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, & Charlotte McConaghy for the ARC in exchange for my authentic review.

Wild Dark Shores is an eerie, atmospheric ride that pulls you in from the first chapter and never lets go. The story is drenched in a creeping sense of unease, with vivid world-building that feels both haunting and beautiful. But what really sells it is the voice acting—every character feels distinct, alive, and fully realized. The narrators don’t just read; they embody these roles, making you feel every whispered threat, every quiet moment of tension, and every raw emotion. Their performances add an extra layer of depth, making the eerie tone of the book hit even harder. If you’re into dark, immersive fantasy with killer narration, this one’s a must-listen.

“I cannot, in this moment, fathom the men who came here on their boats to kill these creatures. I can’t comprehend what could allow you to do that, what could drive you to it. They do not seem like they could belong to the same species, but maybe it is the animals in me that feels the love, the human that can detach from it.”

“I can understand why he might not, in fact, be alright. Why maybe none of this will be, because we have, all of us humans, decided what to save, and that is ourselves.”

“But here is the nature of human life. That we must love things with our whole selves, knowing they will die.”

🎧Thank you to @netgalley for providing me with an advance listening copy. Spectacularly done! The audiobook is genuinely terrific. With a cast of narrators bringing to life the characters you areas fully immersed in who these people truly are. A perfect companion to the beautifully written words.

If you love animals more than people, but love YOUR people more than anything — I implore you to pick up this book. Charlotte McConaghy has created another masterpiece of human connection, inner grief and evolution, vibrant settings and imploring climate awareness. Set on an island near Antarctica this frozen land is both breathtakingly harsh and beautiful. We spend time among the elements and also in communion with whales, penguins and seals. The Salt family is at the end of their nine-year stay on the island, a young boy and two older teens with their father, when a woman is found, nearly drowned. They nurse her back to health and secrets unfurl.

The story is so well told. Each reveal impactful and compelling so that you will be desperate to understand what is really going on. This is EASILY a favorite of the year! This moved me to my core. Similar to her other novels; “Migrations” and “Once There Were Wolves” I founds so much of my own passions for the natural world and also my need for deep connection, on its pages. This book is quite sad, at times, but it is also alive with joy and love. The scenes between the Salt family, Rowan and the animals were my favorites. I felt I was there, and wanted to be.

I wanted to write more about my personal journey with this book but I find it just gets me crying again. We do not deserve nature, not for what we have done — and not done — but I am so grateful that we, however briefly, are given moments to touch the grass, feel the wind on our skin, to see these wonders of flora and fauna and to learn from them, through them, and be changed… if we allow it. If we try.

This book was lovely- the family dynamics and haunted feeling of this novel really stood out to me. The different narrators also made all the difference for the listening experience, I enjoyed all the different voices and this helped fully immerse me.

I have loved the last 3 books Charlotte McConaghy has written. All of them have been incredible stories revolving around aspects of climate change. None of them are in a fully dystopian world, but they do show a future that seems more realistic if we don't take action to save our planet.
This story was a beautiful fiction story of one family's heartbreak and love. There was a lovely story which also happened to touch base on what is happening and what can happen to our environment in the future.

Wild Dark Shore captivated me as soon as I hit play on the audiobook. The story follows the Salt family who are caretakers on a desolated island outside of Antarctica called Shearwater. The family faces the realities of global warming as the rising tides threaten their home. They are awaiting the arrival of the ship, which will take them back to Australia, when a woman washes ashore. Rowan is looking for her missing husband when a storm capsizes her ship and kills her captain. The narrators captured the characters fully and helped the listener connect to them. The silent character in the novel was the island itself. The author vividly describes daily life on a remote, inhibited island between Australia and Antarctica. The suspense is a slow burn as the author explores the importance of friendship, family, isolation, and the hidden lies in between. I couldn't stop listening. The twists and turns throughout the story are gripping. I recommend this story to anyone who like suspense, learning about new places, or fans of Where the Crawdads Sing. 5/5 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and McMillan Audio for this free audio arc in exchange for my unbiased review.

(4.5 rounded up)

What a beautifully heartbreaking story of resiliency, loss, secrets, love, and healing. When I finished this book, my heart was racing and was up in my throat as tears were rolling down my face. This was my first book by McConaghy and I really enjoyed her writing style, even though I was confused for a bit, once all the pieces to the puzzle started to fall into place the more I was invested. She crafted a mysterious feel alongside a picturesque setting, including some incredible animals, at Shearwater Island, located between the Tasmanian coast of Australia and Antarctica. But the island is being threatened due to climate change and rising sea levels, the island and everything living on it is being threatened.

I did feel like the first half was a little slow and kind of confusing, with it mostly being character development and world building while setting the tone. I kept thinking maybe I was missing something. However, the second half most definitely made up for it. When I finished this book, my heart was racing and was up in my throat as tears were rolling down my face.

I enjoyed the full cast narration. Having a full cast helped keep the many characters straight and helped bring each one to life. Dom was hard for me to understand, I had to slow the speed down drastically from where I normally listen, but after a few chapters it got easier to understand. However, his voice really helped with setting the tone of the story and fit his gruff character. I wish I would have also had a copy of the book to follow along with the ALC. I had a hard time keeping the timelines and multiple characters POV straight for the first half of the book, so I think reading it in tandem would have strengthened my overall experience.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the #gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This beautiful story blends layers of secrets and suspicion with environmental consciousness and personal reflections on grief and purpose and overall it is perfect. The audio was great too, especially both of the primary narrators!

I liked Once There Were Wolves but LOVED this one. Have to pick up Migrations ASAP for comparison’s sake. Thanks to Flatiron and Macmillan Audio for my advance listening copy!

Charlotte McConaghy delivers a haunting and immersive tale with Wild Dark Shore, an ecologically dystopian novel that feels both prophetic and deeply current. Set on a remote island that houses the world’s largest seed bank, the novel follows a family desperately trying to preserve what remains of the planet’s biodiversity as climate change and corporate greed threaten to consume everything.

McConaghy’s writing is beautifully lyrical, weaving a melancholic yet gripping narrative that explores survival, loss, and the fragile connection between humanity and nature. The world she paints is a stark reflection of our own—one where ecological collapse is not some distant future but a stark reality unfolding before us.

One of the most striking themes in the novel is the question of what, in the end, we choose to save. As the protagonist reflects:

“All of us humans have decided what to save; and that is ourselves.”

It’s a chilling and thought-provoking statement that lingers long after the last page. Wild Dark Shore is a must-read for fans of speculative fiction that leans into realism, reminding us that the dystopian warnings of literature are often closer than we’d like to believe.

Thank y0u to the Author, Macmillan audio and NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

“Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy was an engaging book. The audiobook with multiple narrators effectively conveyed the story’s emotions, immersing me and making me eager to finish it. I enjoyed the educational chapters about nature and seeds by the youngest Salt family member. The multiple viewpoints in each chapter enhanced the storytelling. Highly recommend.