It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA fantasy, and I have to say that Untamed was a nice treat. The story opens with Iva Hill, a sickly young girl who’s in the process of moving from Virginia to her mom’s hometown in New York. Right away I felt for Iva. Her condition has her bound to a wheelchair, and Harris conveys her isolation and social issues very well. Anyone who’s ever been an outcast will definitely relate. 

 

Since Iva never formed any friendships she feels that she isn’t leaving anything behind when she moves to New York. But when she gets there, saying she has a new beginning would be a huge understatement. Iva soon comes across an artifact that cures her of her ailments. In addition to her newfound freedom, she also finds friends for the first time at her new school. 

 

Unfortunately, life isn’t all grand when the local police force (led by her uncle, Frank) soon discover gruesome corpses who all have had their hearts torn out. And of course I know that her arrival to New York when these bodies start appearing is far from coincidental. It’s revealed that Iva has become a target of a terrible force. Her friends, who we find are not what they seem, know of Iva’s fate and become her protectors.

 

The story of Untamed was entertaining from beginning to end. In addition, each character is well developed with their own background that sets the stage for their personality. As a reader, you feel like you’re a part of their gang as they go through their adventure. The one drawback I found with the book is that it could use some editing. There were quite a few grammar and spelling issues in which a good round of editing could polish it off. However, as I said, Untamed was a great story and worth the read.