The Wanted

by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

[shannonmiz]

I miss Rosa. Like, already, I miss her. It has only been a few days since I finished reading this book (and the series) and I wish I had more Rosa in my life. She's a polarizing character, some love her and some loathe her, but clearly I adore her. And because Lauren Nicolle Taylor wrote her so amazingly well, I feel like she is real. Truly, this book is bittersweet, for as wonderful as it was to read, I am incredibly sad that the journey is over.

I wanted to read The Wanted slowly, to savor every chapter, since I knew I was reading the final thoughts from Rosa and Joseph. But it sped by, leaving me unable to put it down. This review won't be too in depth, because I don't want to spoil anything from The Wanted, or from the first three books. In fact, I want you to go read them now. I'll wait.

The Wanted is told in dual POVs, both Rosa's and Joseph's. Sometimes these are hard to read, but not in The Wanted. The voices are so incredibly distinct, there is never any question as to whose chapter it is. Being in the minds of both Rosa and Joseph is so critical to this book, and to be able to gain insight into their struggles puts the entire story in perspective. The character development throughout this series is so incredible, and more significantly, so realistic. They rise and fall, just like we all do. They have strengths and weaknesses, and struggles and triumphs, and are about the most authentic characters I have ever come across.

The supporting characters are just as well thought out and well written, and we are introduced to some new characters that I absolutely did not know what to make of. I didn't know who should or could be trusted, which is kind of perfect in a book for me.

The plot totally did not go where I expected it to, and it was a very pleasant surprise. Without getting too much into it, we get a glimpse into a different part of the world for a bit, and it is a wild ride. And it all leads up to an ending where absolutely anything can happen, and there is definitely no clear-cut way things will turn out. During the course of the book, there were a couple of times when I felt I knew what was going to happen (and I did), but for the most part, I was definitely kept guessing.

I am so glad that I stumbled across The Woodlands over a year ago on Goodreads. This series has been such an incredible pleasure to read, and while I am so sad it is over, I am so glad that I got to take this adventure with Rosa, Joseph, and the whole world of The Woodlands.