Escape Through the Wilderness Review

 

 Goodreads

Title: Escape Through the Wilderness
Author: Gary Rodriguez
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Pages: 254
Genre: Teens/Children
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Sixteen-year-old Savannah Evans walks with a slight limp thanks to a gymnastics’ accident that dashed her Olympic dreams, but didn’t stop her from attending an adventure camp in Idaho. At Camp Arrowhead, she quickly befriends Jade Chang and Rico Cruz, but Conner Swift taunts Savi because of her injury.
When the four are teamed together for an overnight white-water river rafting adventure, Savi refuses to get in the same raft with Conner. Unfortunately, the director will not reassign her.
A fun expedition down the river turns into a nightmare when their raft slams into a huge rock and their adult guide disappears down the river.
Without their guide and desperately trying to steer an out-of-control raft, they pass the “last chance” marker and enter the larger rapids. With Jade pinned between the raft and a rock, and Rico clinging to a lifeline, Savi must cut the raft free.
When the four drag themselves out of the river, they’re bruised, beaten, lost, and twenty-five miles from camp. Because of late-night campfire tales of Vexel, a vicious animal that roams the nearby woods, Savi and the others are terrified.
Savi becomes the unlikely leader who tries to guide the group back to Camp Arrowhead. Limited supplies, injuries, and the constant threat of Vexel—who Savi fears is stalking them, complicate the harrowing return trip.
Readers will enjoy dramatic survival scenes and the group working together, solving problems, and learning to overcome adversity.

 My Review

This book is considered young adult and I enjoyed it immensely! I think the plot is great and intense, I couldn't put it down at times. The characters are very well thought out and I think the dialogue and interaction of the kids was spot on. Everyone meets at camp and they end up going rafting when everything falls apart. I've been rafting so it was much easier to picture things in my mind and while I stuff like this doesn't happen all the time, it does happen. Anyway the main part of the story is the kids alone in the wilderness pretty far away from anything trying to survive. I liked this part and it's obvious the author makes things a bit more scary and unrealistic to real life. Usually wild animals will leave people alone unless there is food or they feel threatened but in the book it seems like they are being hunted by animals the entire time. I wouldn't want my kid to read this and not ever want to hike in the woods again. Considering I grew up in the mountains and hiking and seeing mountain lions and bears, this part of the story was a bit exaggerated for me but it adds the to scary story line.
I think it's a great book for young adults and it would create some good conversation.

"I received this book from Pump Up Your Book and the author for free in exchange for an honest review."   

About the Author:
My name is Gary Rodriguez, and I live in California. I’m the president of LeaderMetrix Inc., a consulting company that specializes in senior-level executive coaching, organizational development, and conflict resolution.
Previously, I worked for eighteen years in the radio business as an executive where I spent several years as one of the original managers of Infinity Broadcasting.
Following a successful radio career I became the president of a non-profit organization for a season.
As a young man, I spent a tour of duty in the U.S. Army where I was recognized as the youngest Drill Instructor in the Army’s history at age 18 years. I was also awarded the Silver Star (the nation’s third highest award for valor) while serving in a combat zone.
Over the past few years, I’ve written three non-fiction books and then I decided to write a novel.
My first book, Purpose-Centered Public Speaking, was published in 2009 and was re-published this summer (2014). Then I wrote a companion workbook designed to help people implement the principles taught in my first book. Next, I wrote Overcoming The Fear Of Public Speaking. And this past year, I wrote my first novel, Escape Through The Wilderness.

For More Information

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