Short and Sweet:
Full of Louisiana charm, creepy swamp mysteries, and underlying heart, I loved this novel!

To Elaborate....
When Sterling's brother, Phin, heads into the dangerous swamp after a fight, she waits for him to return. And waits...and waits... After hours pass, the only person that emerges from the swamp is a girl named Lenora May who is suddenly her only sibling. No one remembers Phin but her, and Lenora May has no interest in returning to the swamp or revealing what happened to Phin. Sterling has to brave the deadly swamp if she ever wants to see him again.

This is one of the most delightfully creepy books I've ever read. From the beginning, the swamp is a mysterious and dangerous place that fits perfectly in the Louisiana setting. Since I'm normally a wimp when it comes to scarier stories, I really liked how this one is more edge-of-your-seat, intensely suspenseful and mysterious than horror-filled. The creepy factor will definitely give you chills more than once, but I read this during a storm and didn't feel the need to hide under the covers (which is saying something).

The romance is fabulous and sweet. Heath and Sterling both face some serious real world issues (Heath with the loss of his best friend and Sterling with the decision to starve herself), but they find an understanding in each other that's beautiful. They have several cute moments amidst all the swamp tales and I love how they both grounded the supernatural story.

This is a great book to try if you're looking to be spooked, but not out of your mind frightened. The swamp is so haunting, and it's the perfect book to get lost in on a hot summer night.

Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-beware-wild-by-natalie-c-parker.html