I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Reviewed by Dani

Southern Gothic gets a whole new twist in this debut novel, sure to appeal to fans of the New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series. The swamp in Sterling's small Louisiana town proves to have a power over its inhabitants when her brother disappears and no one but Sterling even remembers that he existed. Now Sterling, with the help of brooding loner Heath, who's had his own creepy experience with the swamp, must fight back and reclaim what—and who—the swamp has taken.Beware the Wild is a riveting and atmospheric page-turner readers won't want to miss.

It’s an oppressively hot and sticky morning in May when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp — the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn’t return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed. Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp’s done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance — and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.

I can’t even explain how much I loved this book. Sterling’s brother Phin goes into the swamp and he doesn’t come out but Lenora May does. Sterling is the only one in town who remembers her brother even existed, but she gets a little help from Heath the only person who believes Sterling and doesn’t think she’s crazy. I just related to Sterling so much and I was rooting for her to find brother. I didn’t like Lenora, because when she climbed out of the swamp she thought she belonged there, and I was like where is Phin? I also really liked the relationship between Sterling and Heath it was really sweet that he believed her even when others didn’t. The setting and the swamp were just creepy but I loved it. I would recommend this book to others in a heart beat!