What a fun middle-grade book! The characters were so sweet and the mystery a great side-plot.
First off, the friendship between Claire and Maya was beautiful. No, it was not perfect but even that small detail added so much to the story. They had their disagreements but they were so...I don't even know how to describe it.
Another aspect of the story that I couldn't help but love was the mystery from the past. It was woven so well into the story and just drew me in.
The last thing that I really enjoyed was the writing style. It was never clunky and always smooth with interesting wording.
If you or a middle-grade kid enjoy stories about horses with a touch of mystery, I highly recommend you pick up The Wild Path.

Rating: 4/5
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
Language: n/a
Violence: n/a
Note: references an accident that happened many years in the past, MC's brother is in rehab for drug usage

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Favorite Quotes:
I open the office door. The room around me feels like a ship, pitching and heaving in storms.
I stumble down the tall, taking big gulps of air to make the sparrows leave.
But they stay. They're whirling too fast for me to catch, their wings slapping my ribs.
No matter how hard I try to brush the sound of Maya's voice away, it's the only thing I hear.

Hooves, curling up, then striking the ground. Tails, streaked with silver. Outstretched necks. I rub my eyes, trying to adjust to the growing dark.
The hooves slow a little as they bear down beside me, then widen and turn until I realize I'm surrounded by a circle of horses. They look at me with their liquid eyes, calm as ponds. They nicker softly, air whooshing through their soft noses. They bow their heads.
"I don't know where to go," I say out loud.
One of the horses tosses her head and I follow the motion, up to the top of what I now see is my favorite maple tree, the one with low branches and a huge V right in the middle, close enough that even when I was little I could always climb up, nestle in, and see far.
I though I was so far away. But I'm almost home.

*Quotes were taken from an advance review copy and are subject to change. ( )

12 YO Claire is dealing with anxiety, worry over her brother's addiction, and her family's need to sell their horses to pay bills. Really good at tackling the issues associated with addiction -- Claire is in a support group where the members all have different stories about their relatives with addition and where that journey can lead. I liked that it was the white family with the addict and Claire's Latinx best friend who's father is the judge who determined her brother's case. mix of real and potentially imaginary horses works well and Claire's research leads to her own sort of happy ending, where a neighbor will start a rehab center that focuses on horse care and Claire and her horses will work for him. ( )

A realistic portrayal of addiction's affects on family members and the costs and benefits of treatment. Claire's voice shines and grows as she learns to accept change. A good introduction to equine therapy. Includes an Author's Note with resources about addiction and where to get help. ( )

My inner teen was SO EXCITED to get on this tour - I loved anything to do with horses when I was Claire's age. Breyer, Grand Champions, Barbie horses (no Barbies though thanks), any horse book, and any horse movie. I LOVED this book, it took me less than a day to finish it. The Wild Path is so beautiful and realistic in its story that I don't see middle-grade readers struggling to read this book. The Wild Path hits on a couple of tough subjects with Claire - her brother Andy's addiction, his admission into the rehabilitation center, and Claire's anxiety (sparrows).

While Claire is only twelve she is quite mature for her age and so is her best friend, Maya. The two are not the typical "tweens" that make me cringe. They are both smart, dedicated, and mature in the face of the obstacles they encounter within the book. The reactions and conversations held in this story are written in a way that lends even more realism to the characters. The supporting characters are vibrant, full of life, and contribute to the story in their own way - even the ones we see little of. It was honestly so refreshing to read a book where the character struggled with realistic consequences and feelings - how Andy's addiction affected their family and Claire developing anxiety. Throughout the book, Claire slowly discovers the truth of herself and just how strong she really is. Many tidbits surround the impact of her brother's rehabilitation and the wild horses Claire sees in the woods that I honestly didn't see coming.

I could see this book being a fantastic buddy read for middle-grade readers and whoever they'd like to read it with. The Wild Path would be a perfect atmospheric read for September or October with the chill of fall creeping in. I would highly, highly recommend this book to middle-grade readers (and adults) who enjoy books featuring horses, bonds of family, and tough subjects. I'll be purchasing a physical copy of this book to stash for my daughter to read when she reaches the middle-grade level. I would love to thank TBR and Beyond Tours, Little Brown Books for Young Readers (Little, Brown & Company), and Sara R. Baughman for the opportunity to read and review this book for the blog tour- all opinions are my own. ( )