McKenna Berney is full of plans. Her first is to hike the Appalachian Trail with her best friend, even defering her college acceptance to do it. But when her friend backs out, McKenna decides to go anyway, lying to her parents in the process. It is dangerous, foolish, and exhilarating, but McKenna learns to respect the trail and makes steady progress on her own. Then she meets Sam, gorgeous but damaged. A thru-hiker, he is using the trail as a hiding place from his abusive father. They fall in love, become overconfident in their invincibility, and leave the trail with predictably dire consequences. While Sam is a sympathetic character, this is McKenna's story. She comes of age on the trail, literally (she turns 18 while hiking) and figuratively, learning that her plans are more than childish dreams ey're the building blocks upon which she will thrive as an adult. This book will have new adult appeal for readers who are ready to leave their own childhoods behind.

Gr 10 Up-McKenna Berney and her BFF Courtney made a pact to defer college for a year to hike the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. When Courtney bails on her, McKenna is determined to face the challenge alone. With miles of practice hikes under her belt, and top-notch gear, the protagonist sets off on her journey. While on the trail, McKenna meets Sam, who is a high school dropout and on the run from his abusive father. Their friendship quickly evolves into romance. Their journey on the trail is rigorous, with miles of choppy terrain and limited supplies until they reach a local town along the route. When Sam has the idea to go off the trail, something rule-following McKenna would never consider, she gives in, thinking it will be an adventure. That decision puts their love and survival skills to the test. Gessner's debut novel speaks volumes about what it means to truly survive in the wilderness, both alone and with the one you love. Situations including wild animal confrontations, starvation, dehydration, and near death are addressed with authenticity. The panic and fear that set in when they lose their way will strike a nerve with hikers and nonhikers alike. Gessner handles dishonesty (McKenna's parents think that Courtney is with her), first sexual experience, and survival with the utmost sensitivity, shedding light on the range of human emotions. VERDICT A great add to YA collections, especially for those with a taste for the outdoors. Erin Holt, Williamson County Public Library, Franklin, TN