THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE.

Atmospheric and dark. It had every element for me to go crazy for it. I was hooked from the beginning and the narration by Saskia and the full cast was beautifully done. I'll be thinking about this one for awhile (especially the ending!!!!!!) and recommending it to everyone I know.

Five stars! I absolutely adore this author. She somehow seamlessly mixes suspense, romance, and environmentalism together. Told from a multi-POV, this is a story about lies, deceit, love (found family, motherly love, and love for the land/animals), and surviving on an (almost) unlivable island near the Antarctic.

This was one of the best audios that I have ever listened to! With a full cast of narrators, you could hear and feel the emotion. It was fantastic. Highly recommend this author, she has impressed me with every release!

Dominic and Rowan are an unlikely match but there surroundings aren’t any less mysterious.

The setting of this novel carried much of the mystique offered in the story, however both MC’s jointly keep you hooked as you slowly learn secrets of their own.

This felt like a heavily somber story and you’re almost killed by the imaginary waves you hear while reading.

Just as well, I was immersed in researching the island throughout the read as well as after. It’s so intriguing and the perfect backdrop.

oopf...what a ride this was. Atmospheric, mysterious and at times freezing (yes I felt that wind), it was a book about the environment and the way in which our world is going...well that, and a family love that is strong even when it's being tested over and over again.

I flip flopped between physical and audio for this. Needing both to allow myself to feel every word being written and envision this island of ghosts and emptiness. The mystery of what happened to the FMC's husband and the death of the MMC's wife are just the outer edging of this one. The discovery is what happens when grief and trauma tether a family together or rip them apart.

There's quite a few triggers in it but I would say it is worth every second. The author's writing just gets better and better...wow.

ps. the ending :( oh gosh, might have needed Kleenex for that one

I love Charlotte McConaghy’s climate fiction.
Her stories are engaging, often heartbreaking, while also drawing a picture of our troubled earth.

Wild Dark Shore has everything I love: an island, a storm, a broken radio, and secrets.

A woman washes ashore a remote island near Antarctica after a storm. The Salt family, Dominic the island’s caretaker, and his three children, have been left to decommission a seed vault that was supposed to stand the test of time. Everyone has secrets that begin to surface as their lives intwine.

The audio also has the deepest voiced narrator with an accent I have ever heard. Highly recommend. Thank you @ for the audiobook!

Migration gave us birds.
Once There Were Wolves, wolves
Wild Dark Shore, a seed vault near Antarctica and sea life.
It is a stunning, beautiful read, and I loved it.

Fun fact: Prior to 2020 McConaghy was writing ya.

4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this one, but I'm really glad I read it. This was great on audio -- the different narrators all did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life. My only qualm about this is that Orly's voice -- a supposed 9 year-old -- was clearly a grown man and that's just a pet peeve of mine. Otherwise, this was great.

This beautifully-written story was definitely more character-driven, which isn't normally my vibe. However, the perspective changes, a few short chapters and some big twists kept me interested. There was always something happening that made me want to keep listening. The setting was atmospheric and added to the overall suspense of the novel for sure, creating a really cool setting to match the premise. All three kids were so 🥹🥹🥹 -- all processing their losses in their own ways that just made me root for them so hard. I have a special soft spot for Fen -- who has been through so much and continues to be her true self. This book was truly heartbreaking, but heartwarming, too. Love can pop up in unexpected places and, while devastating at times, can be the strongest and most beautiful thing. This book was a great reminder of that!

4.25 stars

One part mystery + one part family drama + one part Climate Change = perfection!

Wild Dark Shore is the kind of novel that seeps into your bones—moody, atmospheric, and laced with an eerie beauty that lingers long after you turn the last page. The setting, a remote island near Antarctica, is so vividly drawn that you can practically taste the salt in the air and hear the distant crash of waves, making it feel like the landscape is a living, breathing character. The story unfolds with a slow-burning tension that keeps you hooked.

The characters are messy and deeply human, filled with secrets and contradictions. While some are easier to love than others, all feel undeniably real. The Salt family lives on the island: a dad and his three kids, all grappling with their issues and personal worlds. They are responsible for managing the world's largest seed vault, located on the island. One day, a woman named Rowan washes ashore during a severe storm. Initially, there are suspicions from both sides, but the Salts learn to trust Rowan, and she learns to trust them in return.

There are moments where the narrative meanders a bit, but when the novel finds its stride, it hits—with sharp emotional depth, haunting imagery, and a sense of unease that keeps you flipping pages well into the night. It's a perfect read for those who love gothic undertones, complex relationships, and a touch of the uncanny.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio copy!

This book sucked me in right from the beginning. The premise of the story being centered on a family that lives on a remote island where they store seeds was right up my ally. I love stories like this where you can learn in the process and this did not disappoint!

I feel like the mystery of what was happening on the island and the introduction of Rowan was well paced and things were revealed at just the right time.

I did feel like the entire story was a little melancholy and the climate change narrative was a little heavy in places but hey I get it - it is part of the foundation for the story.

I didn't totally connect with any of the characters and I did think a few things were a little bit of a stretch but overall this story kept me hooked and wanting to come back for more! Would absolutely recommend!

Rowan travels to Shearwater Island to find out what has happened to her husband, a researcher. The rising sea is slowly swallowing Shearwater, located between Australia and Antarctica. Rowan discovers a family who is hiding secrets in the bleak location. But what is this secret, and how does it impact her?

All the stars. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and filled with descriptions of a landscape you feel you could touch, Wild Dark Shore is a book you don’t want to miss.

I really wanted to love this one because there are so many cool elements, but I just couldn't get into it because all of the characters felt flat. I may end up trying to read the hardcover or paperback when it comes out because I really loved the idea of this book but between the characters and the flat narration I just struggled through the whole thing.

I had a very hard time trying to get into this book and eventually gave up abut 20% in. I think that the problem may have been the narrator, whose delivery is slow and monotone. I am sorry that I was unable to read it and hope to try the physical copy as some point.

This was a heartbreakingly beautiful book made all the more beautiful by the dual narration. It's a timely novel that makes climate disaster deeply personal. The character development was slow but perfect, making you love the people and relationships within the story. For those that ask what having and raising children in the age of climate disaster looks like and feels like, this novel is for you.

I highly recommend Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. The story is a masterful blend of gripping mystery, atmospheric storytelling, and profound emotional depth. I genuinely felt that I was on the beautiful, remote Shearwater Island with the details that McConaghy gave. The novel touches on subjects of isolation and grief in a real and heartbreaking way.

McConaghy's writing vividly brings the harsh, crumbling landscape of Shearwater to life, making the setting a character in its own right. The narrative delves deep into themes of environmental conservation, family dynamics, and personal resilience. As the story unfolds, there were many unexpected twists. The alternating perspectives of the characters enrich the plot, offering a multifaceted view of their intertwined lives.

This novel is both moving and surprising, with moments that will linger long after the final page. It's a testament to McConaghy's skill that she can weave such a compelling tale that resonates on multiple levels.

This was so close to being a 5 star read for me, but the ending nearly ruined it.

The author does such a great job of building suspense and intrigue, something I loved in her previous book. She has twists and turns that I never see coming, and that included the ending, however, for this book, it didn’t pay off.

Overall, I loved the setting, and it feels like its own character, and the narration was fantastic. I’m just going to pretend that it ended the way I wanted.

McConaghy has done it again. Even if you don't think you would want to read a book that teaches you so much about the interconnectedness of nature--you will love it! You will learn through submersion in the setting and through the affinity for the characters and the eloquence of the prose and find yourself absolutely entranced. I would say this is a slow-burn thriller with an eerie quality. It will make you question what me must sacrifice for the next generations, what choices can't be undone, and what bonds create a family. Lots of layers peeled off in the journey to the end. Rounding up from 4.5. The audio is excellent--read by a cast of characters and easy to follow. Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced audio copy and the opportunity to share my review.

4.25 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

Charlotte McConaghy does some of my favorite character writing in contemporary literature- they all feel so fleshed out, every emotion and action is believable and relatable.

My only complaint (if you can even call it that) is that the three books I’ve read by this author follow a similar vein. Nature and devastation are always the primary theme/character and while I personally love that I could see it not being for every reader.

The audiobook narration was wonderful although Dom’s character had such a gravely voice that he would switch to an almost cartoonish version for the ‘female’ speaking and it felt a little over performative? I loved all of the other narrators completely and his voice is just a small gripe.

Title: Wild Dark Shore
Author: Charlotte McConaghy
Format: 🎧
Narrators; Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld and Steve West
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Adult Fiction, Nature
Pub Date: March 4, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 320

Dominic Salt and his three children - eighteen year-old Raff, seventeen year-old Fen, and nine-year-old Orly, are caretakers of the Light House on Shearwater, a tiny island in the Southern Ocean not far from Antarctica, home to the world’s largest seed bank.

With the sea levels rising, the Salts who have lived there for eight years are now the final inhabitants and it is time for them to leave. First they need to finish packing up the seed vault which is kept there.
Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, Finn sees a woman washes up on shore. The wind is so strong she needs the help of her dad and older brother Ralf. They nurse the woman named, Rowan, back to health.

Told from the POV of all five individuals mentioned - Grief is a major component of their lives. We know the mom died and the details are reveled. Rowan is looking for her husband.
There is more than just the story of these characters as there is also the story of our environment and climate change-what works and what isn’t working.
There is no doubt the story is intense as well as interesting.

The four narrators- , Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld and Steve West; all are excellent and make the story real.
It is difficult for me to say that I found enjoyable, even though I was glued to it. I did enjoy the author’s note as she told us about her research.

The audiobook starts and end with beautiful music. I honestly wished the music would have continued a little while longer while I continued to digest the story.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 4, 2025.

"I am returned to the sea."

Dominic and his three children live on an island off the coast of Antarctica. It's a life of isolation as all the other scientists have fled the island due to the increased storms and dangerously high sea levels. But Dominic is committed to protecting the seed bank. During a particularly bad storm, his daughter rescues a drowning woman from the sea. But as they learn more about each other they realize their lives are inexplicably connected.

I've never read anything by Charlotte McConaghy, but she is an author I won't miss going forward. What an incredible novel filled to the brim with emotional complexities, raw tension, and desperate isolation. The atmosphere was palpable - there were moments I felt I could feel the rain on my cheeks, the tension of their circumstance. The personal circumstances felt so specific yet universal. McConaghy had me crying over whales and parenthood and water. I left this book feeling so hollow. I live in Colorado and we moved back to CO because we missed the connection to nature. The wonder and the awe of our surroundings. The quiet beauty we had become familiar as our backyard. This book puts the climate crises at the forefront of my mind. Our earth doesn't deserve us or what we do to it. Our trees and oceans and grass and our animals deserve so much better than humans.

This book will stay with me. It was poignant and soft while simultaneously wild and energetic. The mystery was excellently revealed, slowly peeling back the layers that continuously surprised me. It was meticulously slow without lulling. It's hard to discuss the specifics without spoiling anything, so I'll keep it vague. Read this book. Read this for a good story, but read it for empathy for our planet. Read it for the whales. Read it to navigate grief. Read it to inherently love it.

Thank you MacMillian Audio for the gifted copy. This publishes March 4, 2025!

Wild Dark Shore

This was a bit of a wild ride! Somehow the pacing felt a bit slow, but I’m not quite sure how, since So Many Things Happened. I read Once There Were Wolves a few years ago and loved it, so I was really excited to read Charlotte McConaghy’s newest offering. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me as well as Wolves did, but it still manages to encompass some of the most reflective and poetic natural descriptions I’ve ever read (the feature that drew me in with Wolves and kept me).

Wild Dark Shore is at its strongest when it is following the nature – The descriptions of shearwater and its wildlife, the ways that the people are interacting with the land and the animals and the rapidly changing landscape.

This beautiful treatise on nature, grief, and the looming threat of climate change seems to be wearing the plot of a thriller novel as an interesting, but slightly ill-fitting coat. I was fascinated! Not sure it matched the vibe of everything else the book had going on, but it sure was eye-catching. That really is the best way to describe it – the mystery hade so many twists and turns and last-minute insights that it felt like some fancy costume designed to liven up the rest.

I’m not quite sure how well that worked. It worked for me! I enjoyed nearly every minute of it (though I spent many of those minutes ready to scream at these characters that a little clarifying conversation would not in fact actually kill them), but I suspect some readers might want a little more cohesiveness between the main narrative threads.

I listened to this as an audiobook. The narrators did great! I particularly liked the voice of the narrator for Orly’s parts, who did not at all sound like a young boy, but who did have a really engaging voice.