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.

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!)

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.

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.

**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!

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.

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!