Hello everyone and welcome back to another Friday Favorites where share our favorites related to a specific topic or theme. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite survival stories as well some that are on my TBR.
A Few Favorites
Wicked River by Jennifer Milchman
This adult thriller following a newly married couple requires some suspension of belief. However follows a newly married husband and wife Natalie and Doug and their honeymoon in the Adirondacks woods. When things go awry and they get turned around their dream vacation will become their worst nightmare.
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
In this dystopian society, girls are sent into the woods during their sixteenth year where they are to release their magic and then return home to get married. Not all the girls will survive: victims of the unforgiving elements, the cannabilistic outcasts that roam the woods, and even each other. It’s a mashup of Hatchet and The Handmaid’s Tale and I was not disappointed.
Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik
Both of Ferencik’s novels are solid survival stories. But I picked Into the Jungle rather than The River At Night because of its unique setting. Lily is our young, zealous protagonist who follows her lover into the Bolivian rainforest to live with him among his people in the heart of the forest. It does not take long for Lily to realize the costs of living in such a hostile environment. This novel has such a strong sense of place that it almost felt like a brutal, thrilling fairytale.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
I am mad that it took me so long to pick up this short little book. It follows a young girl who gets separated from her mom and brother when they are a family hike. With nothing but a radio for company which airs a World Series baseball game, nine year old Trisha pushes her way through woods, wondering how she will survive even as she comes to realize that she might not be alone in the woods after all.
When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall
I have seen mixed reviews about this one but approached the story about a YA novel about a bunch of teens surviving in the rainforest of central America. Yes some of the characters are a bit stereotypical but if you are looking for a bit of a Lord of the Flies-esque tale then be sure to pick this one up.
On My TBR
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
I have not ready any thing by Jenn Bennett before but I got this comtemporary from Book Outlet some time ago. Best friends turned bitter enemies get lost in the woods together when a camping trip goes awry. Together the two must navigate the treacherous northern California terrain and the pitfalls of their own relationship.
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
Maybe not your conventional survival story, but it has survivoe in the title so it counts, right? When a rabis-like plague strikes a Michigan town, Natalie who has been infected, must make it to the hospital if she is to save the life of her unborn child. I have loved all of Themblay’s other books so here’s to hoping I love this one as well.
Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
This is another unconventional survival story. Durst sets her Queen of Renthia series in a world where nature is infused with often hostile spirits. While it’s only one aspect of the story it speaks to some thing that is prevelant in all survival stories: the natural world is unrelenting and largely indifferent to the survival of humanity.
Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson
This book has saw on my TBR and my bookshelf for years. I frequemtly start a month with every intention of reading it but, like clockwork, I get distracted (hooray for mood reading!). Essentially this dystopian sci fi novel starts out a sort of murder mystery and morphs into a tale with heavier sci Fi themes then most readers expected. I cannot wait to see the unexpected direction this novel takes. Fingers crossed I will actually read it this summer.
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
In about September of 2017 I discovered bookish podcasts. One of the first bookish podcasts I stumbled on was What Should I Read Next hosted by Ann Bogel. In one of her first episode, Ann recommended My Absolute Darling that is set in the Pacific Northwest and is part survival story and part gritty coming age tale in the vein of novels like All the Ugly and Wonderful things by Brynn Greenwood.
What About You?
What are some of your favorite survival/survival adjacent stories? What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments!
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