A phenomenal story about fierce women not yielding to oppression and combining forces and hearts to fight smarter and harder. This is, above all, a story of deep love and hope.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The world is crumbling. Powerful but evil forces are destroying society, community and humanity. Being sensitive is not considered a gift, it is seen as a curse. Cynda, formerly known as Em, has escaped her life as an academic testsubject for research into empaths and sensitivity in all forms. She vowed never to return, until one day, an annoying but intriguing freedom fighter works her way into Cynda’s reclusive home deep in the woods. The fierce Kadija is a nuisance, invading her peaceful life in Eden. And to think this rebel wants her to return to the one terrifying person and place Cynda was lucky to escape from.

This story is beautifully captivating. After just a few pages I was living and breathing the green wilderness. Smelling all the distinctive odors Kadija picks up on and wishing I had some of her sensitivity (but only with the good smells 😉).

Cynda’s secret hideaway in the forest is described as Eden. It’s an oasis in the middle of nature, but I cannot help to think Eden is a lot of work! Cynda lives and breathes her compound, connecting with nature on a cellular level. Her ability to connect with all living things is a beautiful but dangerous skill. One that might turn out to be fatal.

Cynda and Kadija connect, literally, at a cellular level. Both are so called ‘sensitives’ and they are able to ingrain themselves in the other trough this truly magnificent web that interconnects all living things. In their own way each woman is brave and fierce. Kadija in literally fighting oppression. Cynda in willing to confront her worst demons. Their individual strengths and the connection they share makes them an almost unstoppable force. Or in Kadija’s own words: ‘…love during the darkest times was the fiercest act of resistance two women could offer the world.’

The scary dystopian world Wrenn has brought to life on paper has an eerily close resemblance to the terrifying turn the real world has taken. It makes my blood turn to ice but then I remember: Kadija and Cynda may be fictional characters but if everyone of us carries even a tiny piece of them within, all is not lost. Whether it is Kadija’s fighting force or Cynda’s empathy and knowledge of nature, it gives me hope. And hope is just what we cannot stand to lose right now.

Ana K. Wrenn’s writing style is immersive, it exudes a deep respect for both nature and the intricacies of being human and is at times truly poetic. The Wilding of Em’s Path is only Wrenn’s second novel but she has proven, without a doubt that she is truly top tier.

Took me awhile to get through the book. Did not catch my interest at first. The character development did progress and finally was able to enjoy the book. I look forward to more from this author to see how the character and plot develops with time

The Wilding of Em’s Path is a sensational sapphic dystopian story that had me intrigued from the blurb and the gorgeous cover, and glued to the pages until the very end.

Cynda only just escaped from the changing world with her health and sanity barely intact, into the Appalachian mountains, and has built a sustainable life. When Kadija, a freedom fighter, finds her, she is terrified of losing what she has created.

Kadija has been tasked with returning Cynda to the world she ran from, and a man who is on a path to ruin civilisation. She is furious, and disgusted at the woman she finds hiding in the wilderness, a woman she expected so much from.

Cynda reluctantly agrees to return with Kadija, and to her dismay, the world is a completely changed place. No one is safe, and their trip to the institute Cynda once called home is filled with terror and destruction.

The bond Cynda and Kadi form is strong and keeps them moving forward, and both women become the fighters needed to stop evil from ruining innocent lives.

Cynda and Kadija are both fierce women who have lived lives sure to test the strongest of people. The world is a mess, with references which unfortunately would come true if certain powers were allowed to rule the way they wish. Romance takes second place to the gripping story, but the slow burn is sweet, and paced out beautifully.

The Wilding of Em’s Path may not be the easiest story to read, not with how scary the world has become for some people lately, but it is scarily relevant, full of hope, and shows the strength and courage of those willing to fight for what they believe in. Don’t miss this one.

I don't often gravitate towards dystopian novels, but I will always read anything Ana K. Wrenn writes.
This book hits close to home right now with what we are experiencing in this country, but it is infused with hope and actually made me feel hopeful about our current situation.
Wrenn is such a gifted storyteller. It was so easy to become immersed into this story of Cynda, who just wants to shut out the outside world and Kadija, who is determined to bring Cynda back to civilization to help stop experiments on the highly sensitive population.
It isn't a light read, but it is fascinating, entertaining and shows the immense talent that Ana K. Wrenn has. I highly recommend it and can't wait to see what she brings us next.

An ARC was provided by Ylva Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

An intense dystopian adventure!

Cynda lives a solitary existence as an outdoorswoman but when Kadija tracks her down everything changes. With civilization out of control as a result of a project Cynda was involved in years ago, Kadija insists she join her in the fight for freedom, but for Cynda it’s not that simple.

This was fun but with very scary elements that a world like this one day could be very real rather than a dystopian universe in fiction. I really loved the sense of danger lurking around every corner, how switched on Kadija was even though she was feeling so vulnerable, and all the sensory overloads Cynda was experiencing and emotional dysregulation Kadija awoke inside her. They shared quite the connection. Cynda didn’t make things easy for Kadija and heightened her fears sometimes that really put her on edge, yet somehow she always remained calm and ready to outrun any threat. I really admired her for all that.

Cynda was truly unique. She was so connected and sensitive to feelings, emotions, what her senses told her and yet at other times she was so naive as a result of being away from the realities of this world for so long. I loved how she was trying to remain carefree and true to the peaceful self she had found in the mountains yet felt so uncomfortable at the same time. So many times she wanted to run but a bond with Kadija and sense of loyalty eventually had Cynda realising she had to do something to stop all this.

A very intriguing and imaginatively clever and creative story. There were some deeply disturbing realities that were heartbreaking but all relevant in helping Cynda to come to terms with the severity of what had resulted from the project. Interesting read with lots of emotion and warmth to balance the darker moments.

I’m going to be honest, it feels like a weird time to be reading dystopia. But when it’s this well-written, it’s worth it.

In some future America, we have slipped into a complete autocracy in which people have no expectation of privacy and anyone who isn’t White is at risk of being put in a detention center. Kadija is a Brown badass freedom fighter, part of the resistance network which has been driven deep underground. She received a weird assignment on her (dead? detained?) crew chief’s secure modular device and finds herself in the middle of the woods in Appalachia trying to locate a woman who disappeared from society some time ago.

Cynda is a high sensitive individual - she can control “nectar”, which basically allows her to alter the threads of life and also….suggest…people do what she wants them to. She had been participating in a research project (High Sensitive Person Project) trying to better understand people who are considered “Sensitives”, but something has driven her all the way to her “Eden” and she is living alone, completely off the grid, and has no intention of ever leaving.

Kadija and Cynda wind up on a journey that exposes this strange new society and shares fascinating vignettes of the types of groups that would spring up in this environment. There are The Real Queens (Karens on steroids), who the government allows to operate in the interest of the State, and terrifying good old boys - looking for anyone of color who they can send to detention centers. But there are also fascinating places of resistance, all connected in an unseen web, which help our protagonists on their journey. Although Kadija has a deceptively straightforward mission, navigating the country is anything but simple. Their path from a safe hotel to an almost cult-like safe space called Mercy Haven, run by Sisters, to her old crewmates house, to an extraordinarily posh neighborhood keeps the reader, as well as the protagonists, on their toes. Wrenn did an amazing job of bringing the reader along on the journey with the protagonists - I felt the cortisol flood my system as I was just sitting on my couch because I was constantly concerned for my new friends. Every new situation posed a threat and felt very high stakes.

Wrenn’s character writing is excellent - the secondary characters were all defined individuals, and all played critical roles in getting our protagonists to where they needed to go. I think Wrenn is also the queen of prickly women - both Cynda and Kadija have extraordinarily high walls draped in thorny plants to keep anyone from getting close. Getting to know each other was slow, but they saw pieces of their own wounded souls in each other and that led to a deep, unbreakable connection.

Questions about scientific research ethics and the things that fellow scientists (and funders) will turn a blind eye to are central to this book. Outside of the overall government, the “big bad” in this book is Dr. Bryant Peters a scientific leader who conducts research on Sensitives - a group of people who have specific sensory super-abilities, but are othered in society. Part of the selling point of his research (and schools he founded) to families is making these individuals more “normal”.

I will say that this is the least escapist things I have read in a while. I generally like dystopia, but in these times, dystopia feels a little too close to home. If you are feeling overwhelmed and defeated, this might not be the book for you right now, even though it’s excellent. Be kind to yourself first and foremost.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up. This was a very interesting read. As the story starts there isn't a whole lot on the side of world building so it did take me a min to fully grasp where the story was taking place. It almost felt like reading a continuation of a book that had already somewhere had explained those things. This was a pretty heavy book despite the gorgeous cover, and there were times where I genuinely didn't understand what was happening. The story line was also a but frustrating for me as I felt like there was no real progression in the big picture of the story. I think overall this one just wasn't for me as I just really couldn't get into it.

Oh to read this book! Such a good example that a good story will always fill our hearts... such good characters... such a good story... I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

This is a tough one to review. It is an interesting book about how some people in our society are treated and how close we are to a future that is out of control. I'll admit it's not an easy or "fun" read. The setting of this story feels too similar to the future waiting for us if we don't do something to change it. It's a little heavy handed at times and I'll admit I prefer my books to be a little more subtle. But it's touching on a lot of important subjects.

Cynda and Kadija are very interesting main characters and I enjoyed their journey into realising how important they are for each other. I also really liked the slow reveal of the powers they both had and how they worked.

I'll admit that at times this book felt like a sequel. I think it was due to the world building and the author not giving us enough to build the world we are in. Maybe it's due to how similar it ended up to ours in the end. But I still struggled with the big picture of the story, and with a feeling that I was already supposed to understand the settings of this book. My other issue was that Kadija is set up to be this big time revolutionary but in the end we find out that what she's trying to stop is just one thing in this nightmare reality. She's not working on the structural issues that allowed this to happen in the first place, just stopping one guy. My issue is that... This won't change what is happening in the world of this story, not even short term. So in the end it feels like a fruitless exercise in revenge.

This is definitely a story that will work for some people, it just wasn't for me.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. - Ecclesiastes 1:9.
Whatever you may think of dystopian novels, world building, etc., just forget it. This story finds us dealing with an environment that is all too familiar to our current situation: The government forgetting/ignoring what habeas corpus means; those at the top of the socioeconomic totem pole are basically running the show (ethically or not) at the expense of minorities; and marginalized groups are subject to ignorance and shall we say, less than charitable conduct. There is always resistance though, some of it with willing and not-so-willing participants and this is where the story begins for us. Our author begins by taking us back to nature, and the all natural. Because isn’t that where recovery, renewal, and rebirth come from? She also focuses on our senses, which throughout this story I got the feeling was being used to show that the vast majority of people’s senses are quite deadened these days. We are, in fact, desensitized. So we meet Cynda and Kadija, and when rebel Kadija convinces Cynda to return to the “civilization” she left to help put a stop to an outrageous experimental program, they embark on the type of adventure that has you on the edge of your seat while cringing at what we’ve become.

Perhaps the timing was poor or perhaps it was impeccable. The day I reached a point in the novel where our main characters were in a series of dangerous hiding out spaces, was also the day I visited the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. To know that story and then read this one knocked my mind out in a way that is too overwhelming for words. I don’t normally quote the Bible, but it’s true that there really is nothing new under the sun.

I’ve previously abandoned Ana K. Wrenn’s first book because of the wordiness and winding writing style. This second foray into writing for the author sounded very interesting. I love me some dystopian stories.
And that’s where it’s already a miss to me, yes, it’s a bit dystopian but the world building is very lacking to me. I don’t feel like it’s dystopian at all. A world at war? Possibly. Dystopian? Nope, not so much.
It took me a rather long time to get through this book, and in the end I am not even sure what I read about. The books showed potential, but it was lacking for me.
I think this author’s writing style might just not be for me. This stuff happens, it’s not to say this is a bad book, or bad writing. The book/ the author and simply don’t match.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this very strange book

Cynda is based in the Appalachian mountains, not hiding exactly but she doesnt want to be found so when Kadija turns up demanding that she goes back and helps put right what went wrong with her experiment cynda isnt happy....

there is a lot wrong with the world now....and kadija has a job to do.... cynda must obey and help

as the warring pair travel together an understanding happens between them.... but danger is always around them and betrayal is something that can happen when they least expect it....

was never to sure on this one... but the relationship between the two main characters was enough to keep me reading...

As I started reading this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. Cynda didn’t seem like a character I could feel any connection to. Then there was Kadija and I wasn’t sure what her angle was for wanting Cynda to leave her paradise in the mountains. As the story unfolds and we understand the characters more I came to enjoy these characters and the depth they had.
The way Ana K Wrenn writes you can feel and visualize the places in this book. The way she describes the Appalachian Mountains you can feel the love she has for it.
This book is written in such a way that it feels like a peek into the future. Which feels off putting at times. But there is hope throughout the story.
Do yourself a favor and don’t rush through this book. Take your time and immerse yourself in this world, let yourself engage and experience your five senses.
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honesty review.

Superb! Strong female leads, dystopian world and great plot twists. Really really enjoyed this. Fantastic work, thank you author. Thank you to # NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. A favourite author definitely

This is a sapphic dystopian novel set with America, the Appalachian area where we meet our main characters Kadija and Cynda. Kadija a freedom fighter and sent on a mission to return to civilisation with Cynda and destroy the research institute she previously escaped from.

This is a slow burn where connections build firstly in Cynda’s Eden where Kadija is not in her element and then further through their journey together back to civilisation.

This has some wonderful writing and some interesting world building that could be a bit on the nose given the current climate. But some fantastic character development but I would have liked further insight into the backstory and a times the story for me felt a bit too long in places. However an interesting story that I would recommend when this comes out on the 21st May. I was given an opportunity to read this via an ARC on NetGalley.

The Wilding of Em's Path by Ana K. Wrenn is an eerie cautionary tale about a future that does not seem far removed from the current reality of the United States. Wrenn writes of a world that has devolved into a dystopian society in which underground networks are necessary to assist those who are othered before they can be 'disappeared,' trafficked, or turned in to authorities. Voter suppression, anti-protest policies, anti-immigration sentiment, anti-queer rhetoric, racism, and other forms of systemic oppression create an unsafe, volatile environment in which hope is steadily dimming.
Cynda and Kadija could not be more different, except for their shared status as highly sensitive individuals. Kadija pulls Cynda from her refuge, urging her to confront the toxic colleagues of her past in hopes of exposing a rogue scientist who is conducting horrendous experiments on individuals with heightened sensitivities—<em>"a neurobiological phenomenon"</em>—in a Mengele-esque manner.
The author skillfully paints a bleak yet realistic vision, and the thin thread of hope still running through the chaos.
The battle for humanity is being fought on all fronts as Kadija and Cynda journey on their mission. They grow closer with reliance on one another, shared trauma, and a deeper connection. Individually, they are complex, interesting characters. I like the way they ground one another. I would have liked to <em>feel</em> more chemistry between them, although their relationship is not about romance but is vital to their mission's success.
<blockquote>
"They held one another without speaking, as if both understood that love during the darkest times was the fiercest act of resistance two women could offer the world."
</blockquote>
I enjoy the author's writing style and creativity, while she also draws from reality in constructing this complicated and precarious setting. Wrenn effectively combines heavy, realistic content with science fiction elements and a sapphic relationship subplot. I recommend this novel and will be reading her other as well.
#BIPOC #researchscientist #freedomfighter #dystopian #scifi #oppositesattract #HEA #hope #racism #anti-immigration #sapphic
I received a free ARC from the author through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

In all the bleakness: hope
Ana K Wrenn continues to write fascinating books with her distinct voice. The Wilding of Em‘s Path is a dystopian novel. It takes current, chilling developments in the US to its bleak, possible conclusions. We now see the blueprint, Wrenn delivers with her novel the new oppressive society which might be build on it.
The darkness is balanced by good people and the growing understanding between Cynda/Em, the hermit, and Kadiya, the freedom fighter. There is heartbreak, love, frighteningly familiar scenes, beauty, hope, fears and courage, broken cities, a deep connection to nature and the deep forests of the Appalachians.
The first chapters are especially captivating - an impressionistic kaleidoscope of feelings, observations, thoughts, nature introducing the two main characters and the wilderness. A roadtrip leads to discoveries: good, bad, abysmal, love, home, betrayal.
Not an easy read, a book that needs to be digested slowly. Don‘t despair though, there are many pockets of hope and beauty.

I received an ARC via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.

Emily Cynda Berman hides in Eden while the word is going under. Kadija is sent to retrieve her since the world needs her special abilities, the ECB effect. Cynda is the key to end the madness going on in the world, she may be able to stop the horrible Peters.

The book was beautifully written, angsty and dystopian so really my type of story. I must however admit that I struggled a bit while reading since so complex and perhaps too many layers to consider. Thus, I had a lot of mixed feelings when finishing the book a few days ago. After thinking about the story for a few days I realized it is a story that stuck in my mind so I may have liked it a lot more than I initially thought. With that said I think the book would have benefitted a lot with more backstory and a long epilogue so we could see that Cynda and Kadija really get their HEA.

Its quite difficult to balance dystopian fiction without getting too close to modern society but this worked! I enjoyed the slow burn, the myriad of emotions, and the character development! Wonderful job!

A bit too close to the potential dystopian times upon us for my own comfort, but a truly enjoyable and immersive read.

The setting is descriptive in the Appalachian and our main character Kadija (badass freedom warrior) is attempting to draw Cynda out of her current wilderness safe space to enact a rebellion on the research institute she escape and left years ago.

The story as a whole was dark but very well written, truly drew me in. I loved the setting and science that was tied in.

Really cool read, thanks for the ARC!