We Became Wild

“Navigates the untamed wilderness of teenage girlhood with fierce honesty.” —Joy McCullough, New York Times best-selling author of Blood Water Paint

“Explores the wild—in our hearts and in nature, deftly excavating joy hidden beneath the rubble of grief.” —Rebekah Faubion, author of Lost Girls of Hollow Lake

Reeling from the death of their best friend, two girls hike the Pacific Crest Trail in her honor in this fierce young adult debut.

Seventeen-year-old Lottie Mitchell is a liar. She might also be a horrible person—because someone good wouldn’t have caused the death of her best friend, Val. Messina, Lottie’s other best friend, has her own secrets to worry about—she’s running from her terrifying, abusive stepfather. When the friends learn that Val had planned to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, they set off into the desert with Val’s ashes and her beloved copy of Wild to fulfill her dream. The only problem, aside from being woefully underprepared for the treacherous terrain and the fast-approaching fire season, is that without Val playing peacekeeper, Lottie and Messina are at each other’s throats. The secrets they carry are heavier than their packs, and they’re going to have to find their trust in each other—and themselves—if they’re going to survive.

We Became Wild is a gripping, feral story about grief, friendship, and what it means to be a woman alone in the world.