THE HILL

An isolated group of girls is threatened when outsiders learn of their existence.

Wren lives on the Hill on an island off the Mainland. The Hill was created by the Colony, an organization that has existed in secret for 67 years, training girls in survival skills using the Manual. The oldest resident acts as Head Girl, and each must leave when she turns 15. With a fresh Departure Ceremony over, Wren becomes Head Girl. Almost immediately, one of the girls under her watch goes missing. After learning she may have been taken into one of the forbidden forests, Wren decides to go after her, disregarding the Manual’s warning that no girls can survive outside the Hill’s boundary. She brings Quinn, who is the Lead Hunter and her best friend. As they move deeper into the forest, they discover more than they anticipated: They aren’t alone on the island, and the Manual has been misleading them. Worse still, the Hill has been ambushed in their absence—and Wren’s willing to give her life for her home. Lyrical writing and deep worldbuilding make for an immersive reading experience. A later shift toward constant action dampens the intrigue as character development falls off, but readers will be drawn back in by the promise of a sequel unraveling more secrets of the Colony. Wren is assumed to be White, and Quinn is Black.

A captivating start with uneven follow-through.