The author does a good job of capturing millennials, an even though I cannot find any of the characters likeable, I do recognize that they are a fairly accurate portrayal of their generation. In my opinion, this book falls short in its plotting. With characters who are difficult to like, with motives that are never fully exposed, there should be a plot that keeps the reader interested and provides some sense of conclusion. The story plods along and lacks details that would provide depth and closure. Without providing spoilers, it’s safe to say I have several unanswered questions, but since I don’t care too much about the characters, it’s not going to keep me up at night.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

WE WENT TO THE WOODS starts out super strong, mysterious, and promising. Mack, who we meet in South Africa and missing two fingers, alludes to an experiment that she escaped from (and is the only survivor). As we rewind a year, we see her joining the Homestead - a sustainable living community of 5 people in upstate New York. They are young, idealistic, and all in love with each other. Very reminiscent of another 2019 release THE ASH FAMILY, this group is aware of the cultish dangers but manages to stay somewhat sane. There are hints of dangerous acts of activism though, which much like THE ASH FAMILY causes rifts in the group.

The novel had such a great concept (I also liked that the author placed characters from her first novel in the action, though I’m not sure what the point was) but it had a lackluster second half. I expected a much larger, explosive ending. It did seem realistic though - all of this could have easily happened. I just wanted more.

3.5 stars

We Went To the Woods is a bit of an enigma. It is a combination nature story, eco-friendly experiment, suspense tale, millennial adventure. If that sounds confusing, then you get the point. The plot setup in the Prologue doesn’t seem to connect with the actual conclusion of the book, so we can add that as well.

So, why is my rating not lower? Because for all of the intellectual fault-finding, I couldn’t quit reading this book. For some inexplicable reason, the characters and the premise drew me in and didn’t let go until the last page. I was genuinely concerned for these young people and their drive to follow through on their passionate beliefs.

If the synopsis in any way catches your interest, read this book. It may be dark and difficulty to see, and you may feel turned around at some points, but you will not forget your visit “To the Woods.”

DNF’d at 25%.
I normally do not DNF a book, so that alone will tell you a lot about my thoughts on this book. I did not enjoy it at all.
Through the 25% I did read, there was not one interesting moment. I found myself re-reading paragraphs, and sentences because the story was just too boring. I could not read another moment about building a garden. The thought that maybe there are over 300 pages devoted to building a sustainable garden and the sexual endeavours of 5 people just does not peak my interest what-so-ever.
I do truly believe that there are some people out there that would truly enjoy this kind of story, but not the adrenaline needing Randi!

It jumps around a lot, I started reading it and I just couldn't get into it. I am thankful to have received a copy but it was just too hard to get into.

I tried to get into this book, but this is just not my cup of tea. A hippie, off the grid, commune style living, but I wasn't really quite sure what the point of all of it was except for some activism aimed at specific corporations. I was first intrigued by why our main character Mack felt the need to get away because of some huge scandal, but it turns out it was just over some social media "drama" and not something life nor earth shattering. That's when I decided about half way through that it wasn't work my time to finish.

This is the second book I’ve read of Caite Dolan-Leach and I liked her writing.

This story is unique for me as I haven’t read anything about communes before. Caite’s writing makes it sound feasible yet dangerous.

The ups and downs of living off the land, the un-entanglement of monogamous sex, and an uncovered journal lends themselves to a deep story. Add in a neighboring commune with idealist views and things get a bit hinky.

Definitely a recommended read if you want something different.

We Went to the Woods by author Caite Dolan-Leach is a great “in the Woods” book that you won’t want to miss! I loved this book! Releases in July 2019!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book because the premise was intriguing to me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and the story seemed very slow in places. I kept reading hoping to get drawn in but wasn’t.

At the heart of this book is an engaging story about how people try to make a life for themselves. But this book kind of defies genres and is a mix of everything.

We Went to the Woods is a very disturbing tale of 5 friends who set out to live "off the grid" and create a modern day utopia, only to find out that such a lifestyle isn't all they expected. The main character, Mack, leaves a disgraced grad school situation, looking to escape and redeem herself and her writing. She experiences love and acceptance with the other residence, as they work the land and barter their produce with other "communes" to maintain their primitive lifestyle. Mack attempts to write a thesis comparing their story with the story of previous residents of the property. The story moves along, sometimes a little slowly, as we learn what is motivating each of the characters' desire to live at the "commune". The ending of the story is hard, but not completely unexpected.

This story is incredibly well written and is quite compelling, however, it is not an "uplifting" read. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a dark, cold story.

Mack is trying to put her life back together- she made a terrible mistake at work (which is not revealed until almost half way through the book what the mistake actually was) and is trying to get on with her life. She's living with her parents and working a catering job just to try to bring in some money. While on one of her jobs she meets a few friends- she quickly becomes close to them and decides to join them on their journey to pack up and leave life as they knew it behind. They decide to go off the grid pretty much in an experiment living on "the Homestead." There's lots of drama and lust between the five friends throughout the book. It was an interesting concept- and there are definitely times when I wish I could go live off the grid. However, I found the plot to drag a bit and the characters were all unlikable. I do think this was a creative book and written really well. And though I didn't care for the charterers I did want to find out what happens. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mack really doesn't know what she's getting into when Louisa and Brad invite her to join them, along with Chloe and Jack, at the Homestead, an experiment in living more or less off the grid in the Finger Lakes area. These five come together to grow their own food with the goal of being completely self sufficient. There's no electricity, no running water, and a neighboring farm that does use chemicals. There's also the Collective, a nearby group at a more advanced stage of doing the same thing. Mack's got a scandal in her background which she wants to forget so she doesn't probe too closely into her new friends but then.....Dolan=Leach has done a nice job with creating the claustrophobia of this sort of situation. The characters are terrific (including Argos the dog), there's a little mystery, and there's a little info about early communities in the region. These are millennials to the max but it's a well plotted novel that kept me turning the pages. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read.

A group of five college dropouts reject modern life with it’s unsustainability and consumerism to live off grid in an intentional community.

Mack’s new friends are incredibly pretentious, privileged, pseudo intellectuals with misplaced idealism, but in an entertaining, hot mess kind of way. Every conversation and interaction is very theatrical. I can see where some readers would be put off by such unlikable characters but I found them very interesting. The cost of tuition today is so astronomically overpriced, that there are some kids that think they are getting what they pay for, and hold grandiose delusions of brilliance. This describes the characters in the book. They are not likable, but they are so damn accurate and well written I have to give the author a standing ovation for this character study.

The midpoint reveal was realistic. I think it precisely captures the “outrage culture” of today’s youth. Many who read this book are shocked that her transgression was THIS big a deal. But look at social media today; this happens regularly. While I don’t believe in “doxing”, I don’t necessarily feel sorry for some victims of it. But here the author shows how some honest mistakes made can earn you national vilification for whatever the mob deems unacceptable, and apologies won’t save you. I loved the reveal and thought it was very timely and fit with the overall message of the book.

I hope they don’t plan to market this as a thriller, because fans of the genre will be highly disappointed. Fans of literary fiction and Thoreau, Whitman, and Emerson will love it. I’m a quote curator and liked the references, but after a while it did become a bit self indulgent.

This is one of those books that sits with you days after finishing it. At times the plot was slow but I still wanted to know how it all ended. I did not love the characters except maybe Jack but I still found myself intrigued. I feel like i still have unanswered questions.

Having grown up in the 60's, I'm always drawn to books about cults and communes so this was an interesting novel to read. And while I never had a desire to live off the grid, I understand why young people would choose this lifestyle and attempt to live off of what they can produce on their own. So when Mack, on the heels of an embarrassing scandal, rashly decides to move to the Homestead with four strangers, we realize it's her way of starting over and maybe a chance for her to redeem herself. For a while things work well; they share chores, plant vegetables, swim in the pond, and quite literally share each other. But that isn't where it ends. Some are more reactive and crave challenging the status quo by disrupting the "establishment." And of course, that never ends well. This isn't a thriller and the pacing is often slow, but that didn't bother me as it seemed to mirror the seasons and lifestyle they adopted. Overall, I enjoyed the novel as it's very different from what I'm used to reading!

LOVED this book. The storyline to me was plausible (the living in the woods part), and it's actually something I would love to do at some point in my life. Just leave everything behind and live off the land.

There's a bit of mystery, betrayal, lust. Pretty much all the things that make a book or story good. I thought the author did a great job of pulling me in and making me feel as though I was more than just the reader, but was also part of the story. This book was also on my amazon list and I think it would make a great birthday present for several of my friends.

Overall, I highly recommend.

I didn't get very far into this before putting it down. It's an implausible story of an implausible deathbed confession told by a writer who needs to work very hard on dialogue.

I think it's safe to say I'm not a good match for this authors books. Just not myncup of tea but i encourage other people to try her out. You might find the stiry different than i did. Thank You to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for my honest review

This is a masterful work by a coming voice in literary fiction. I'm afraid this one will be pushed as a thriller, based on Dolan-Leach's first novel, [book:Dead Letters|30899279]. I thought it might even become a thriller since there is brief mention of characters from that first book. Then I thought this might be going to be a prequel of sorts to that book, then existing on a concurrent timeline.

It's really none of those things, and it's those early red herrings that give the reader an insight into the strength of the author's ability to write.

At heart, this is idealistic nature writing, an homage to Thoreau and young, fanatical idealists wanting to go off-grid. It's a clashing of impassioned youth with a mission to save the world with decades-old conglomerates and even the forces of nature herself.
<spoiler>It does slow down a bit in the middle and the big, plot pivot-point upset me with a dead dog, my favorite character. I *HATE* The dead dog trope!</spoiler>

I was given an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!