Review: Sojourn: The Wildlands by B.D. Messick

In a dark future, follow seventeen year old Rayn Mirago as she leaves everything she knows behind, and embarks on a journey that will either prove her worth, or take her life.

Rayn Mirago's seventeenth birthday is tomorrow, but there will be no party, no gifts, and no celebration. Like every other child in this world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and resources are at a premium, she must make her Sojourn across the former United States to prove her worth. The human race has nearly been wiped due to overpopulation, global warming, and our own ignorance and conceit. The coastal cities of the U.S. have been reclaimed by the ocean and the Midwest is now a vast desert wasteland known as the Deadlands. The remaining fifty thousand or so survivors in the old United States now live in one of five walled cities, called Enclaves where they eek out a meager existence.

Rayn's Sojourn begins when she steps through the gates of the Vegas Enclave and into the vast wilderness between the old city and Deadlands, an area known as the Wildlands. She will face many struggles and dangers that will challenge her, make her doubt herself, and force her to realize that she is stronger than she ever imagined.

But first, she must overcome the burden of leaving her old life, everything and everyone she has ever known and loved behind. 

Kindle Edition, Second edition (July 30, 2015), 294 pages

Published July 30th 2015 by Fire and Ice Young Adult Books



The summary does lead us to believe that Rayn goes on her Sojourn alone. Only after a few days of traveling, Rayn is joined by her best friend and love interest for the rest of the book. There is more romance to the story that I expected going in and for a survival story it is a very tame read.

As the story progresses the two always seem to have enough to keep them comfortable. The struggles they do have with encounters with others are very short scenes. They overcome the majority of their situations with more ease than I was hoping for in the story. The book is pretty tame read and more romance than survival story in my opinion.

Throughout the story the two seem to be in a honeymoon mode. They are always admiring each other, both physically as well as abilities. Food, shelter and medicine are all easily gained at the time of need. Making this story tamer than most and good for young readers. Especially those that enjoy romance stories.