Cheyenne Ashby returns home to Blue Cliff, Virginia after suddenly leaving 5 years ago after children were murdered. She comes back when her highly superstitious mother falls ill and another child is murdered. She and her friend Natalie begin investigating the myths and superstitions surrounding Ashby Woods. The woods are dark and creepy with things that go bump in the night. Is it the Hickory Man?
This was a great debut and highly thrilling. I stayed up late into the night flipping pages. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC! It will be released July 11, 2023.

This was a dark and creepy story, with a touch of the paranormal. It was a little slow at times but picked up towards the end with a twist. This was a first novel by this author will be interested in seeing what she does next. Thanks Netgalley for this Arc.

The premise of this book was a really good idea, but I didn’t so much like the execution of it. Time and time again. I noticed instances where I felt the author was telling instead of showing, to the point where details like the close knit nature of small towns was repeated ad nauseam. I think this could be revised into an excellent story, but it definitely needs a little work.

An eerie dip into the old traditions of the ancient Appalachian Mountains! The Woods are Waiting was a great atmospheric mystery combined with spooky folklore that is as old as the hills themselves. Superstition affects people in different ways, and some can no longer differentiate it from reality. Loved the storyline and setting. A few parts of the ending seem a bit contrived, but still a good read! Will read more from this author. #thewoodsarewaiting #katherinegreene #netgalley #goodreads

This is an unexpected thriller. The well developed eerie ambience that sets the tone of this story is probably one of the things I liked best about this story. Set in an isolated town that gives realism to the almost mystical yet creepy superstition that plagues the characters. I really enjoyed this story very much, especially as whilst I guessed some of this storyline in advance, I didn’t guess the murderer. And that’s always a win for a novel, when the Author can surprise me. Devoured this story in one sitting.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity, to read, review and give my honest opinion of a digital copy of an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy of The Woods Are Waiting. I loved this book’s premise and the superstitions and spooky woods. The book was really slow and didn’t really get going until about 75% so it was tough going until then, even though every once in a while parts caught my attention. The last 25% made up for the slow start because things finally started to get interesting. I was disappointed that the reveal was an anticlimax and not really believable but predictable at the same time. If you don’t mind a slow buildup and like a creepy story, you would like this book, but I think it wasn’t really for me.

Thank you for the Arc! Enjoyed the story, I just didn’t feel invested enough in the characters especially when we found out who the killer is.

Review of eBook

Once Cheyenne Ashby called the tiny town of Blue Cliff, Virginia home. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, she grew up with her mother’s superstitions and strange customs. But five years ago, three children were murdered and Chey escaped to Roanoke.

Now she’s returning.

Police Chief Donald Hickman had called her. He’d said her mother was not doing good, that she needed to come home.

According to the local legend, an evil entity known as the Hickory Man haunted the forest. Chey and her eccentric mother, Constance, lived deep in the woods, and Constance had rituals designed to keep her family safe. But Jasper Clinton was the man they blamed when three children were murdered. Convicted for the murders of Michael Caruthers, Olivia Bradshaw, and Danielle Torrents, he’d been jailed for the past five years. But now, with those convictions overturned, he was free . . . and now another child, Dakota Mason, was missing.

Together with her childhood friend, Natalie Bartlett, Chey is determined to find the truth. What is the truth about the woods? About the town? About the murders?

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It’s a creepy nursery rhyme that opens this story and sets the tone for what follows. A foreboding atmosphere permeates the telling of this creepy tale; the setting is perfect for the sinister goings-on in the little town. The unfolding narrative offers readers some unexpected twists while maintaining its terrifying tone.

Realistic characters and a strong sense of place combines with the unpredictable narrative to keep those pages turning. A bit of repetition may frustrate some readers, but the short chapters keep the suspense building and the story moving along. Kudos to the author for the strong storyline about friendship and family.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley
#TheWoodsareWaiting #NetGalley

Wow. This book was amazing. Although it was a slow-burn, once the pace picked up, there was no stopping the plot from pulling you in! It was truly a joy reading this one.

Cheyenne Ashby was a very relatable character. And I really liked her name. Probably the reason why I requested this book. Haha.

This is a bit dark and depressing but you will grow into it the more you connect with the characters and the mystery.

Cheers to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

Cheyenne, Natalie and Jackson were raised in the small Appalachian town of Blue Cliff. It is a town that is filled with superstitions and fear of the unknown, particularly the Hickory Man, rumored to live in the nearby forest and to take children. Many have passed away since the town’s inception usually in groups of three. The most recently five years earlier when Chey left planning to never return. She only came back because the Police Chief called her to let her know she was needed to help care for her Mother. When Chey arrived, she learned another child has disappeared into the forest. This is an introduction into an extremely well crafted plot told from either Chey or Natalie’s point of view. It takes them from one horror into another, yet it is definitely not written as a horror novel. Throughout the reader was convinced the unknown killer was human and someone they have always known. It is great weekend reading! Thanks to Net Galley and Crooked Lane for an ARC for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this and the beginning was so atmospheric and gripping. I can’t say it held that pace throughout and although I liked both characters I’m not sure I understood the point of both POV’s. I felt it was pretty drawn out at times and lacked depth but it was creepy and suspenseful. The killer although predictable I did at times still doubt myself. The ending felt slightly too long, the long ramblings and stalling didnt work 100% for me, also some of it didn’t ring true when it came to police procedure and handling of the case which made it pretty implausible. However, overall I did enjoy it and would read more by this author.

I really enjoy a book that has me guessing if the culprit is a human or something supernatural. Throw into the mix some village vibes and a folktale about an entity in the woods and I'm in. The story flowed along nicely and the characters were believable. There were plenty of red herrings to keep my curiosity piqued and there were no slow or boring parts. I would be interested in reading other books by this author.

I received this arc from netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of "The Woods are Waiting" was very promising to me, several mysterious deaths of children occurring in a local forest with deep supernatural superstition as the main cause of these deaths. Sadly this book fell very flat for me. The book really dragged for me with very little happening and very poor character development. I didn't find myself invested in any of the characters, and mostly kept reading because I thought the plot had to be getting better. Sadly not much happens, and then all of a sudden the killer is revealed. We then spend several more drawn out chapters on this persons reasoning, and then it all wraps up. I found the killer to be extremely predictable and way too much revolving around children's death. I will say as the killer is revealed there was a good amount of suspense built up that made my hairs stand on end. Overall I would not recommend this book due to its slow pace and lack of overall development.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book and i was blown away, especially since it is Katherine Greene's debut novel.

A creepy story about missing children and a old folks tale about a boogy man in the woods.

Full of twists and turns that i didn't see coming, i actually really enjoyed this book and i'm excited to read more of Katherines thrillers.

The Woods are Waiting by K. Greene, published by CLaneBooks, is a story that had me in suspense from start til the last page.
A twisty, complex, unique, breathtaking, bloodchilling slow burn that stays with me, even days after finishing this book. I can't get the characters and the story out of my head, they stubbornly stay.
I loved Cheyenne and Blue Cliff's story, the twists and turns that had me guessing til the last page, that I never saw coming. I recommend the book, 5 stars.

Excellent debut book by Katherine Greene with high suspense from the beginning to the very last word! Spooky, mystical, twisty…an absorbing mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this thrilling ARC.

I’m a sucker for a great cover but the feeling you get when you realize that it’s ok to be shallow and judgy because the books content was even better than the cover is just pure magic.

I’m that girl

The best part? This is a debut ! Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than uncovering a true gem. Katherine Green (Greene) is just that!

This book kicks off with a creepy nursery rhyme . I’ve made no secret that most kids just scare the heck out of me but a nursery rhyme that can send tingles up your spine? Yup! That will do it for me.

Filled with creepy vibes, haunting woods and a twist you won’t see coming, this book is ready to take the internet by storm.

You won’t catch me in the woods anytime soon…

Teaser:

Cheyenne Ashby knows the dark and disturbing history of her hometown of Blue Cliff, Virginia, all too well. It’s why she left. Growing up deep within the woods with her eccentric mother, Constance, she was raised on the unusual customs and generational superstitions linked to the local legend of an evil entity that haunts the forest.

Five years ago, the bodies of three children were found in the woods. It was a man—not a mythical beast—named Jasper Clinton who was convicted of these heinous crimes.  For five years the town breathed just a bit easier with a real-life monster behind bars.

But when another child goes missing, Cheyenne and Natalie are determined to discover the truth and uncover the town’s dangerous secrets rooted in its terrifying past.

The two women must confront the reality of the superstitions they always believed in and their town’s complicated connection with who—or what—lives in the woods

The Woods are Waiting is an atmospheric and genuinely INTERESTING read! I enjoyed this one immensely!

I was really excited to read this, but it was a slow burn for me. In the beginning it was just hard to tell if it was more of a thriller or a horror book and it was hard connecting with the characters. I really wanted to like this but in the end it just wasn't for me.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

After multiple attempts, I was not able to get myself to finish the entire novel. I really enjoyed the mystery of the woods and the disappearances and for the most part enjoyed Greene's writing style.

However, the characters lacked depth, so I did not seem to care what happened with them next.