Ooh this one was interesting. It’s called a “supernatural eco-thriller / eco-horror”, which sounds a little nuts, but really describes the story well. We start out somewhere in the (not too distant I feel like) future where global worming has almost irreparably damaged the Earth. The world powers have come together to combat climate change by setting up a dozen Virgin Zones in remote locations throughout the world. They’re devoid of people or industry, guarded by soldiers, and nobody’s allowed in. They allow nature to take back what was taken and heal. These Virgin zones are thriving with animal and plant life, and the oldest zone is Eden. There are tales of people going into Eden (for the adventure of course) and just disappearing. This is all set up for our characters (of course) going into Eden.
Our main character is Jenn. She’s part of a team of adventure racers? I’m not totally sure what to call them. They basically run through the Virgin Zones for the experience, while also trying not to mess anything up. Jenn’s dad is their team leader, and Jen and her dad ultimately decide that it’s time to tackle Eden. There’s an added twist about her mother that I won’t spoil. They basically get coyoted into Eden and things start getting weird. They don’t see any signs of the previous people that entered Eden (and were never seen again), but something feels off. There’s a lot of world building, which can get old, but not in this book. It’s necessary to have the overall feel and intensity of the place. In the second half things get realllly wild, and people start dying in crazy ways. I won’t spoil that either. Please read this book if you’re into the idea of nature taking revenge on humans. You won’t be disappointed.