Publication Date: July 21, 2023
Keena Mills lost everything that ever mattered to her last summer: the boy she loved and her closest friends. Now, she's about to start her final year of college, and there's nothing she wants more than to reunite with her old group of friends, but to do that, she must bury the past.
While she's looking for the perfect getaway to go on, a video pops up on her social media feed. Thick spruce trees, soaring birds, mighty elk, magical rock formations, and a powerful waterfall to end it all. It is perfect.
After convincing everyone, they arrive at a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and things start falling apart. Keena notices that not everyone has come on this hike for the same reasons. Old rivalries die hard and as they trek deeper into the woods, painful truths from the past year slip out.
Tensions run high and when things seem like they can't get worse, Kenna and her friends are convinced someone is following them. They are not aline.
What they don't realise is they aren't the first group to answer the call, and the woods are misleading.
First of all, I AM SO PROUD OF MY FRIEND. She has worked so hard for this book and it is finally being released for everyone to devour. I also want to make it clear, even if this was written by my friend I will be nothing but honest about how I found this book. With that being said,
I COULD NOT TAKE MY EYES OFF THE SCREEN. I just kept reading and reading and reading. As most of you know, I keep all my bookish thoughts in my notes page. This is the first book I have been fully transparent about my thoughts. I was so attached.
There were times I was skimming the page just to find out what happened to the characters. I had moments where I held my breath hoping everyone and everything was okay.
This story follows a group of friends who hike together up mountains and even alongside waterfalls. Sadly, a tragic incident happens. Their once vibrant, fun relationship all breaks apart. What happens when they meet each other again? Is the woods the same woods they thought they all knew? Is there more than they lead on? What is hiding? As secrets and lies slowly unveil themselves, we dig deeper into the woods and the past. Can they rekindle their lost friendship? or was it gone...for good.
If I had to pick some of the best aspects of this book (my personal opinion) it would be the writing style. Yasmin has this writing style that just hooks you in. Grips you enough that you can't get your head out of the book. You're constantly searching for answers. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the scienc-y word choices. As an aspiring STEM student I was getting very giddy every time I saw a terminology I knew off. Yasmin Fazli is also a doctor therefore she decided to put two of her favourite things, as well as it being a strength, and incorporated it into her writing. Perfect for all science-y readers out here!!
I also did a Q & A with Yasmin to ask her about her own book.
1. What first inspired you to write this book?
I spent eight months binge watching thrillers and horror is with my dad. I started reading mystery thrillers as well during this time. Yes, I loved the thrill. But more importantly, it was something I got to do with my dad. We bonded coming up with stories and twists and turns. It inspired me to wanna create one of my own. My dad also was inspired. So we both ended up writing our own separate thrillers during this time.
2. Are you someone who spends your time climbing in your free time or was it purely hours of research?
I have never gone outdoor climbing before, but U enjoy indoor bouldering a lot! I used to spend a lot of my free time at indoor climbing locations. All of the rock climbing outdoors was purely research. I don't know anybody who climbs.
3. How do you deal with Writer's Block?
By picking out some of my favourite books and reading favourite books and reading favourite sections of those books. Since I was writing a thriller, I ended up picking up James Rollins frequently and reading some of my favourite passages. I would also end up watching some of my favourite movies such as the descent. And if none of this worked, I would bounce ideas of my dad. I would tell him where I was stuck, and we were just talking though until I was inspired again.
4. Describe your book in 3 words.
This question is definitely difficult! But I will do my best. Three words I would use to describe my book would be: suspenseful, dark and mistakes.
5. Final Q, What book would you recommend reading after TDL?
This is a really interesting question! It's funny, because when I was done writing this book, I ended up reading my dad's newest book. But that's not out yet, so I can't recommend it. Oddly enough, I haven't read many books similar to TDL. It's probably why I wrote this type of story. However, I would probably recommend Amazonia by James Rollins. It is one of my favourite books. Not entirely because it is scary. but because it is an adventure with twists and turns, I didn't see coming and a lot of scientific research to back it up. It is also written very eloquently.
You can see Yasmin talk more on her debut book via her TikTok page.
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