3.75/5 stars: This uniquely magical science-fiction thriller kept me guessing the whole way. For fans of Avatar, who may have also seen the Secret of Roan Innish as a kid.

Place: The world was rich and unique. I could picture the magic pretty well.

Plot: Moved fairly quickly and logically, despite heavy reliance on the FMC/narrator being very confused and everyone keeping secrets from her. I don't usually enjoy first-person present tense but it added to the immediacy and panic of the plot.

Prose: Nothing flowery. Straightforward, but also clean without any annoying writing tics. Triple word score for teaching me a few new words.

People: Compelling characters, but felt lots of overlap trying to keep people separate in my mind and I wish I could picture them more clearly and understand their motivations better.

Pacing: Zero lag, until the very end. A tad repetitive in the FMC having to get out of similar situations, which can start to feel like a foot place to set it down. No long internal monologues or side quests.

Will recommend it for science-minded fantasy readers.

This is the first book that I have read from this author, and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed this book with all its plot twists and the way the story was put together. I think the world created was very well done, and the writing style was very good. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC

I have no words, yet so many at the same time

Atmosphere
I have just now finished the book and still feel as if I am in the world. I remember driving back home yesterday thinking "what is that movie I've been watching again, I'm really excited to keep going", only to realize I was thinking of this book. I think this tells you all you need to know about how well this author has managed to portray the world and really paint a picture. The atmosphere is so gorgeous, yet so mysterious I still feel like I know nothing (in a good way).

Characters and Mystery Elements
It is impossible to know who to trust and who not to since everyone is keeping the truth hidden from us and we learn everything alongside Rosalie, the main character. We can try to piece some elements together with well placed foreshadowing, but even then, there is so much to learn I don't think anyone would be able to see every twist. That being said, all plot twists made sense and where well orchestrated in a way that got me thinking "of course!!". None of them felt like they were just there as filler, but were a whole, thoughtful part of the story. Although I cannot say much without including spoilers, Rosalie's character was so well built and is an intricate person whose background you can understand and see why she acts in the way she does. It's also amazing how well the mystery element was integrated, to a point where we cannot distinguish jokes from truths. There was this amazing Twilight reference where I genuinely was not able to tell if the character was serious, joking with a hint of truth, or just fully joking "Cause I sparkle too much in the sun"

Feedback
The only small feedback I'd give is simply about the pacing in the middle. Now this could be based on some personal events and exams, but I did find it hard to keep reading and I can't really pinpoint why exactly, but the first at least 30% and last 45% flew by so quick I could barely hold on. There are some parts I feel I may have misunderstood, but can 100% say it is because English is a second language so it should not be an issue for anyone else!

Fun Fact
After reading about 3 chapters, I actually stopped to look online to see if it was a series and see when the sequel would come out because I knew how much I would love this book (and was not disappointed). The prequel (which should be read after this one according to the author and other readers) and sequel are already out by the time this review is posted so fear not, and binge as you please! Also learnt this new expression "And I'm a sitting duck."

There are so many more things to say about this masterpiece, but you'll have to read it to find out!

The cover of this book drew me in and the story kept me captivated and intrigued.

Someone made a note of this being a bit of a "Secret Garden" retelling or reimagining and I can certainly see that with the strange and wild garden found on the island and the miraculous wonders and curses which seem to permeate the land. I enjoyed the author's writing style and found it to be magical. The twists and turns kept the story engaging and the action was well done.

I liked the characters and the development which built throughout the narrative and though at times it did feel like a bit of a roller coaster, I think that is the enjoyment of a fantastical world where you get to imagine the most amazing and terrifying of things. Though it could fall into the YA realm, I do think adult readers who enjoyed Secret Garden would also enjoy this as well. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and dive back into the action and mystery.

I do love a good retelling and who doesn't like The Secret Garden. This book takes you on a totally different path and on a journey you won't forget. This book is magical yet has a twist and/or a turn at every corner. This book is fantasy, it has its secrets and it is wonderful, strange and ever so emotional.

I love the characters and the storyline, the way the story flows so easily yet the contents are deep and dark. It is magical, it is beauty where nature abounds, it is a book that gets better with each page. I can't wait to read the next book in this series so I can go on another wonderfully magical journey.

Thank you Net Galley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed following the twists of the story and the way that the author pieced together the story one bit at a time to keep you going. While the writing style seemed elementary at some points, the book absolutely kept me hooked. I appreciated the climate and science tidbits, and the magical realism was done well without being overwhelming. I can't wait to read the prequel, and the sequel when it comes out! Would be a great intro to 'fantasy' for those that are intimidated by worldbuilding and character lore because it had a lot of those elements in a very digestible way.
Sincere thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

What a terrific read!

In this mystical island retelling of Secret Garden, Rosalie is ditching her prestigious summer program for a remote, uncharted island after the unexpected demise of her secret crush and best friend, Tyler. Salttain, the island where Tyler was born, was the destination she was invited to visit with him before his passing. There, she discovers shocking truths about her past and endless secrets and mysteries everywhere.

There are multiple appealing aspects of this book. It has mystery, fantasy, magical realism, and forbidden romance. While the pace is slow, the plot is gripping from the start. I was easily engrossed in the story. I had no trouble connecting with the characters either. The world-building was intricate, meticulous, and stunning.

Honestly, the mystery of the island was giving me headaches. The plot and twist are so intricate that it's difficult for me to predict what will happen next. Just like Rosalie's feelings, I don't know whom to trust and who speaks truthfully because everyone seems to guard their secrets heavily. Nevertheless, the author's skill in unraveling the tangled vines one by one is truly impressive. Every twist left me in awe.

This was a fantastic read, and I just discovered that it's part of a series. Due to the story's complexity, I believe it would be a good standalone as well. But the epilogue also made me curious about what happened next.

Such a beautifully written story with a very unique magic system. A really interesting mix of Secret Garden and Atlantis vibes intertwined with the modern world.
The connection to nature and the way the scenery is painted with words made for a truly lush and peaceful read. Plenty of twists and intrigue to keep you hooked, I only wish some questions were answered a little sooner in the story so that it wasn't too much at one time.
The relationship between the Liam and Rosalie was my one problem as a reader, I didn't feel the chemistry between them and so wasn't very invested in their progression. I really loved the adventure this took me on!

Absolutely loved this book. It kept my interest the whole time and the writing was well done. There are a lot of fun plot twists and you really connect with each character. Definitely recommend for anyone interested in fantasy! Will be getting a copy for the bookshelf once it’s released as well!

**Features:**

- A loose, fantasy retelling of The Secret Garden
- Deals with themes of loss, grief, pursuing your dreams, and discovering your path
- Characters and magic with a deep connection to nature
- Main character uncovering secrets about her own family as well as the secrets of the island

**Summary:**

Rosalie’s life has always been set on a strict path that will lead her to the astrophysics program at Cambridge. However, Rosalie’s heart is torn between the goal she and her mother had always shared and her passion for botany and climate activism. When her best friend and fellow activist dies, he leaves Rosalie with lingering questions she has never dared to let herself ask. Ditching Cambridge in search of answers, Rosalie travels to the mysterious island connected to both her friend and her family’s past. What she finds is an island that defies logic, a mysterious young man with a curse, and an ancient evil that threatens to consume them all.

**Thoughts:**

This book truly embraces the magic of nature with writing that is just as beautiful as its cover. Though there is definitely magic in this story, it stays deeply connected to nature in a way that adds a lot of depth. Rosalie is a character I could instantly connect with both in her grief and in her struggle to discover her true path without the support of those she cares about most. The more she learns and grows, the more she makes her mark on the mind of the reader. Being between the end of high school and the start of college, this book is more New Adult with Rosalie seeking to figure out her future as well as herself. There are a lot of twists and turns that make this an enjoyable adventure that was hard for me to put down.

As much as I grew to love Rosalie, there are so many elements introduced at the beginning that it took me a while to get a sense of who she was as a character and the kind of journey she was on. I was never confused, but it is definitely a story that gets stronger as it develops. Liam is the MMC of this story but was also the least interesting to me. Though he is intentionally a bit closed off, I never really felt this shift in a meaningful way. Overall, this is a fascinating twist on a classic tale that I would highly recommend to teen and adult readers alike!

3 stars - YA fantasy.

After her friends death, Rosalie visits his mysterious island home where he was born and discovers lost family and her unusual heritage.

I found Rosalie’s character really interesting - I liked the climatology aspect and her affinity towards plants. I absolutely loved the island setting and the twist reveal of its history. At the beginning of the story there was a lot of mystery and tension and I was getting wicker man vibes.

However, as the story continued, I never felt fully immersed in the story nor did I feel any deep connection to any of the characters. I found the writing beautiful at points but unnecessarily descriptive to the point it felt like a slog reading it.

There were also points during the story where i felt it more middle grade than YA and I read a lot of YA but this felt too young in parts. The characters are supposed to be 18+ but I felt them closer to 14-16 in how they acted. However, some parts of the story are quite dark and it’s quite lengthy so I also wouldn’t recommend to younger readers

Overall the premise of the story sounded really interesting but I unfortunately found the execution lacking.

The cover is beautiful. The beginning of this book is beautiful. I love when a story starts with all these plans the characters have in their lives and you know everything around them is about to collapse. The mysterious island is magical and fun, and there are party invitations she ignores, others she attends, and I'm here for it all.
But there are little things nagging at me. And here there be veiled spoilers! BEWARE!
"Don't go out at night."
*Protagonist literally only goes out at night and then sleeps all day... But nothing bad happens at night*
Carefully planted seeds like the locked journals are a bust, not ever mentioned again after about halfway through.
Other set ups pay out too quickly for tension to properly build up. And then there is the island incest. Everyone was sleeping with the bad guy?! Literally everyone?! Except Lila, who I imagine would be played by Winona Ryder.
And I cannot count the number of issues I have with the hot islander (seals really like him) she's known for a month that is suddenly a ride or die relationship.
Why did this have to go so badly wrong when it started off so right?! Will I read the second book? I mean, probably.
Thanks to NetGalley and Branch Office Books for this ARC!

An Island Strange and Wild by Lisa Amowitz is an intriguing tale with a vivid setting and a unique premise. Amowitz’s descriptive writing brings the mysterious island to life, creating an atmospheric backdrop for the story. While the plot starts strong, it loses momentum in the middle, with some twists feeling predictable and underwhelming. The characters, though interesting, could have been more deeply developed to enhance the emotional stakes. Despite its flaws, the book offers enough mystery and intrigue to keep readers engaged. A decent read for fans of atmospheric adventures, though it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential.

AN ISLAND STRANGE AND WILD - LISA AMOWITZ

When I found out that this book is a Secret Garden retelling, I was extremely excited to read it! But make no mistake: any other Secret Garden retelling will pale in comparison. Here's a synopsis:

When her fellow climate activist and secret crush dies unexpectedly, 18-year-old science prodigy Rosalie Gatell ditches her prestigious summer program for the remote, uncharted island where he was born. There, she discovers shocking secrets about her own past - and an island that defies the laws of nature, complete with a vanishing walled garden, a miraculous healing plant and an unknown aunt trapped in a tree. But nothing confounds Rosalie as much as the enigmatic Liam, a reckless and beautiful island boy with a supernatural green thumb.

I LOVE books where I spend most of the storyline thinking, "WTF is going on?!" Genuinely, I do. And in this case, I was thinking this while also being introduced to one of the most vivid, original and lush settings I've ever encountered in a book. Lisa Amowitz's imagination is incredible, and she brought the mysterious island to life in the most vibrant detail. I desperately wanted to teleport to the island, which is basically my dream setting for a book.

Rosalie is a strong FMC, where her scientific background has her questioning (as we would) everything and everyone she encounters. I also enjoyed the other characters, even with all the secrets at play, which stopped Rosalie (and us) from getting to know too much about them at first.

I would describe this book as fast paced; so much so that I wanted things to slow down at times. Key events and big threats would appear and, just as quickly as they'd appear, they'd be resolved.

But I loved it so much that I've already bought the prequel and pre-ordered the sequel, A Secret Deep and Savage, which is out on 12 December.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Review score: 4/5

TWs: d*ath, body horror, illness, dementia, violence

An Island Strange and Wild is such a good book to read. Loved every single part of it. So so so good. I couldn't stop reading this book. Totally recommend.

Rosalie Gatell is on the verge of greatness; headed to Cambridge University’s prestigious summer program, her future is mapped out for her by her overly protective mother. But when her best friend Tyler dies in a tragic accident, Rosalie finds herself lost and unmoored. So, instead of getting on the plane from California to England, she runs away to Salttain, a tiny remote island off the coast of Maine where Tyler grew up. He invited her there before he died, to help him study its unique biosphere and save it from the ravages of climate disaster. But she soon realizes that this island is not just a way of feeling closer to her dead best friend; she has connections of her own here that she doesn’t yet understand.

Salttain is a lush and vibrant island, full of flora and life that defy the laws of nature. It’s almost as if the very air there is filled with history and promise. As Rosalie begins to explore the land, she finds its roots go deep and its inhabitants have long-buried secrets and distrust for outsiders. But it’s like the island is calling to her, drawing her into its wildness and raising more questions than answers. Especially when it comes to the mysterious but alluring Liam, a boy who shares her affinity for botany but has a painful past that’s always coming back to haunt him.

To tell you any more about the plot of An Island Strange and Wild would be to rob you of the intense experience of each unfurling mystery that propels the narrative forward. Salttain is peculiar and enthralling; you’ll be itching to uncover its enchantments. Author Lisa Amowitz’s writing is rich and evocative, making you feel the pulse of the very earth beneath Rosalie’s feet. You can almost smell the salt air mixed with the curious flowers that bloom when they’re needed most.

In this wonderfully strange story, The Secret Garden is retold with an oceanic twist, where the magic and healing of nature take center stage. It’s a gorgeous homage that breathes fresh life into the classic tale, leading it down unexpected paths. The island itself is seemingly alive and mercurial, changing on a whim, growing dark and violent just as often as it is stunning and serene. The danger threatening Salttain presses in from all sides, making this story feel insular and at times claustrophobic—you won’t want to stop reading until you find out if it can be saved.

Fueling that tension is Rosalie and Liam’s twisted love story. It’s filled with complexities and strange forces push them apart to an often frustrating degree, making for a tantalizing slow burn. But it’s the tangled family dynamics that truly ground this story; you’ll feel the ache of each new reveal that pulls the threads of life tighter. There are no throwaway characters here—they all have their part to play in this uncanny world—and that means the more you get to know them, the more dizzying the stakes become. Their emotional messes set the stage for a monstrous villain arc that, while you may see it coming, you won’t be able to guess just how deep the treachery runs. And just like that, you’re completely under the island’s spell.

An Island Strange and Wild is a love letter to the natural world and all the magic it inspires. The story goes beyond the realm of what we know and asks, what if there was more? And it’s a thrill to explore the possibilities in a fantasy setting, layered with mythical wonder and the powerful bonds of love and desire.

Say hello to my newest obsession - the world of Rosalie Gatell and Salttain Island, the world of AN ISLAND STRANGE AND WILD by Lisa Amowitz.

The first book in a series, this is a beautiful YA romantasy reimagining of the Secret Garden like you’ve never seen before!

Straight away, exquisitely vivid sensory detail immerses you in the world and brings the beautiful-yet-haunting setting to life. While the beauty of nature starts to sweep you away, you begin to realize that it’s also been lulling you into a false sense of security that is quickly replaced by blooming tension and dread. Everything is not as it seems in Rosalie’s privileged, lonely life.

Secrets, lies, mysteries, and betrayal steadily grow and ensnare you like a creeping vine, until every single character appears suspicious. As the story progresses, it just adds more and more layers of deception upon mystery upon gaslighting upon outright bizarreness. It’s a constant string of twists and new revelations, and the tension just keeps building and building. Filled with stirring emotions and truly devastating moments, it leaves you absolutely desperate for what happens next.

The Secret Garden was always a beautiful story about hidden magic, the transformational power of friendship, finding healing in nature, and looking for the fantastical within reality. An Island Strange and Wild delivers on all of that and more. The original story has been cleverly modernized with current environmental concerns and relevant technology, but it hasn’t lost the things that made the original story so powerful and moving. And yet it’s still so much more than that. It’s fantasy, thriller, supernatural horror, and romance all woven together in a way that only enhances, never detracts from, each genre. This series is a must-read!

(Seriously, I cannot adequately express how fully and completely it took over my brain - I cannot wait to read the sequel!)

A magical story that takes place on an island with some romance and greenery galore. I loved this story, such a wild ride. Honestly it felt like if the secret garden blended with Nims island and a touch of outer banks. I will definitely be continuing this series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an E- Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This place is like the Land that Time Forgot, steeped in superstition with a side dish of terrible secrets."
When I heard that Lisa Amowitz's next book was going to be a retelling of The Secret Garden, I was instantly intrigued and cautiously excited. I was intrigued and excited because I have always loved The Secret Garden. It is one of those books that helped me to fall in love with reading and reading fantasy, in particular. I was cautiously excited because retellings don't always live up to the original. Fortunately, Lisa was able to take the story and create her own spin, giving her unique perspective. I loved every moment of this thrilling, twisting emotional roller coaster of a story. There were so many secrets revealed and so many twists that there was no point at which I could guess what was going to happen next. The villain was absolute perfection how he could exist right in front of everyone and either people didn't see what he was or were too afraid to say anything against him. He was the ultimate blend of Randall from The Stand and a James Bond villain. This story was so full of imagination and beautiful imagery. I loved most of the characters, though wasn't completely overly fond of Rosalie's parents. Rosalie turned out amazing considering who she was raised by. If you enjoy fantasy and enjoyed The Secret Garden this book should definitely be on your TBR and I absolutely can't wait to read more from this series.

An Island Strange and Wild is book one in the Lost Garden series by Lisa Amowitz.
A truly captivating story that kept me seriously hooked!
The twist and turns. The magic, and mystery, and wonderful story telling was all done so well.