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.

I was provided an ARC by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op in exchange for an honest review.

A mysterious island. Unexplained occurrences. Secrets. Magic.

I was intrigued by the story. I loved the Secret Garden. Although having now read it, I’m not sure the reference is necessary.

The 1st 10% was a whirlwind. I thought, wow, this is going to be good. Shortly after, it tapered off and left me wishing for more character development in the beginning. I longed for more back story for Rose and Tyler. The sentiment of missing that relationship was lost because I never connected to him.

No significant story development happened after that 1st 10% until halfway through. During that time, it became a bit choppy and repetitive. Pacing definitely could’ve been better. I longed for something to keep me invested.

Everyone was so buttoned up in the first half of the book. Then all of a sudden without a real explanation they were all so forthcoming in spilling all the secrets they claimed couldn’t be shared in the 1st half.

At 50% when the story took off again, it was too much information all the time. It was like a new plot point happening in every chapter. It seemed a bit all over the place.

Overall, I was intrigued by the story but I’m not sure if I’ll be finishing the series.

An Island strange and wild captured me by the beautiful cover and the description being that this was a type of secret garden retelling. However, I found that while it does have some secret garden elements, it does NOT go in the same direction.

The plot follows Rosalie/Rosie/Rose in a first person, present tense, single POV. The book starts off a little mundane, 18 year old Rosalie is feeling trapped and embittered by her mother, she's lost her father and she has this fleeting crush like romance with this kid she's known for 8 years.

As soon as you settle into this book thinking it's gonna be cute and cozy if not a little predictable, page 23 happens. Out the gate this book takes you by storm and I mean that literally. It is one whirlwind after another. A character dies, a mysterious person shows up out of the blue, and the hits just keep on hitting.

Rosalie ends up disobeying her mother's wishes and ends up on this uncharted island where everything from the flora to the inhabitants to the ground it self seems to vibrate with magic and mystery. This book gives a feeling of almost eldritch mystery as you're unraveling everything.

There is barely a moment of peace for the poor girl as she spends just over a week as she to solve this islands strange and wonderous ways.

I wanna say that some things were mildly predictable, but not in the way you think they might be. And everytime you think Rosalie may have a handle on something, the other shoe continues to drop. The magic system in this book is very concrete, very beautiful in a tragic sort of way. The way Lisa describes her world is bursting with color and sights and feelings.

This book is supposed to be a trilogy, so I'm interested to see what happens next. I feel like, for the most part, Lisa Amowitz did a great job in making this book feel complete as a stand a lone but also left room for continuation.