Thank you random house for the review copy of Wild Ground. this is a complex book to review, it is an important story filled with themes that resonate, and require attention, including themes on addiction and poverty, race and social class, and how these experiences intersect and influence young lives. and a progression towards an ending that is discussion worthy.
I will say this is not a read that is easy or light, the tone is heavy and at times, perhaps due to the tone, the book feels slow but also with topics that are hard to return to (some of this might be that I am coming off the end of a really busy time for me and just want things that aren't too much emotional drain). I recommend this for a book discussion that is open to big topics and as an option that is worth attention during Pride month.

I received this book as an arc and am so happy I did.

This was a very slow start for me but as slow as it was it kind of needed to be. The story of Neef and Danny is one that so many others have faced.

They had so much against them. At one point I didn’t think either one of them were going to make it out alive. Glad of course they did.

Most the book I hated Denz but the way he was in the end of the book changed my opinion on him a lot.

I have seen other reviews at how people didn’t like the ending or weren’t too thrilled with it. For me, I personally loved it. It shows that everyone can have a happy ending without the ending some might have been expecting.

3.5 stars rounded up. This book made me feel so unsettled I don’t know if I loved it or hated it any maybe that’s the point. Neef is hard to like at almost every turn but I found myself continually rooting for her to get it together. Danny, while slightly less developed was a super interesting character and I wish I got more of his inner thoughts. This book is gritty and sad and made my heart pretty heavy. Overall I think this is a pretty great debut novel.
I wish the ending closed the loop all together and I realllllly wish quotations were used for speaking parts as it could be hard to follow at times.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc

I loved this book. This is perfect for fans of Shuggie Bain, Young Mungo, and Juno Loves Legs. This is a story about the struggles of poverty, addiction, racism in a small town, and the love and comfort two kids find in each other. It's rough and heartbreaking and beautiful.

3.5 stars

This was not an easy read, but I felt the ending made it worth pushing through the hard parts, which was much of the story. If you're looking for an uplifting story, then this is not it. But if you're looking for a story that is raw and real and perhaps holds some hope for the main character at the end, then you should check out this story. The characters are all imperfect, perpetuating generational damage, and despite the fact that I did not like Danny's father from the beginning, I could also understand where he and Danny were coming from. Ultimately, I feel that this was a case of the adults completely failing the children, and there were so many times when I kept thinking that if only so-and-so weren't so immediately judgmental. They all made mistakes and yes, the kids did too. But part of those mistakes was because they had terrible role models. Even the teachers who were supposed to be better role models immediately judged Danny or Neef, which led to bad choices. I do wonder what would have happened if Neef had allowed her English teacher to help her. I do think that her heart was in the right place, even if she had some of the savior complex happening. And Mary could have helped Danny and Neef, but I feel that her instant judgment of what they were like prevented her from truly reaching them.

This was particularly tough because it was such an unhappy book. And yet, I think the author succeeded in us seeing that as flawed as these characters were, even someone like Denz had redeeming features. While the damage that he probably caused Danny and Neef was likely permanent, I also think that some of what he did probably was good for them, even if they never speak to him again. The ending is open-ended in some ways, but ultimately hopeful.

Hands-down my favorite characters were Ali and Fionnoula as well as their community. They brought some light to what was otherwise a very depressing book. I really liked the conversations Ali had with Neef/Jen, especially about making peace with her past. Not forgetting her past, but accepting it and then letting it go. And although she would never have a relationship with Denz, I liked that she was finally able to see things from his and Danny's perspective, about being a black male in a society that automatically judges you on the color of your skin.

In the end, I would be open to reading another book by this author--she's a good writer and she drew me into Neef and Danny's story despite it being a downer. Would I recommend this book? Yes, depending on what kind of read you're looking for. Content warnings include casual drug use (both weed and much harder drugs), alcohol abuse, sexual assault and victim blaming, racism, and mental illness.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.