Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould in exchange for an honest review. What an interesting story. Put a group of troubled teenagers in the woods with under experienced counselors, something in the woods, and get them scared. Obviously this book had a lot of tension and suspense in it. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the characters and how they each reacted to extreme stress. Well written book.

4.5/5 ⭐️
This book deserves its flowers. All those other good reviews are absolutely correct, this was such a good book. It helped revived me from a reading slump.
This book sucks you in from page 3. I immediately cared about Devin and found myself reacting with some really strong feelings. I anxious. I was on the edge of myself. I was making wild and crazy guesses. I was punched in the gut. On the horror/thriller side, it accomplished it. I was thrillingly spooked. Though I am biased, I do love spooky forest stories. And now I can also confirm this particular creature I’ve seen on TikTok is one I will sure as hell with no fuck with.
I deducted half a star cause I think this could’ve been longer and I think it could’ve dug deeper into the kids dark secrets/traumas. It felt like we were only scratching the surface on that part. It did a good job. But it could’ve gone farther.
Overall, excellent read. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

I found this to be a really clever albeit creepy book. With the setting being a wilderness "camp" where you literally hike through the wild and camp in tents, the characters are pretty vulnerable. When unusual things start happening, the characters believe it's their imagination until something big happens and then they know it's not just that. This story was truly imaginative - - it was unnerving and a little brutal while also delivering a message (or several messages). I was hooked from the beginning and kept going to see what would happen next.

I was fortunate enough to not just receive an early copy of the ebook, but also the audiobook. This enabled me to go back and forth between them which meant I was consistently immersed in this story until I finished it. The narration in the audio was really good and lent itself to the spooky atmosphere.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copies. I chose to read and listen to them and review them.

It's so twisty and fun. I always love a book in which the horror element is an allegory for trauma. The characters were honest and raw, and Devon's whole journey coming full circle was fun. The Hannah reveal was especially tragic and made me sad thinking of the many children in these wilderness camps who never made it out for one reason or another.

I think the book struggled with pacing and having many filler chapters that slowed down things for me and left me bored. But the last half picked up the pace and left me satisfied.

This reminded me a lot of the old horror movie The Thing. I loved it! I really enjoy Gould’s storytelling. She draws me in.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

I was very excited to read this book as I had read the 2 previous by this author and really enjoyed it. But this book was a struggle for me. The characters were not that likeable, the story lagged, and for a lot of it the interpersonal relationships were not enough to offset the endless walking. It takes far too long to get into the scary parts for sure. While there is a lot that does happen in the later parts of the book, for me it just took so long to get there.

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stolen out of their beds and sent to a wilderness program, five teenagers set out into the woods to face the monsters of their past.
But, as the days pass by and danger strikes they find that the woods are filled with creates ready to use their deepest fears against them and not everyone will make it out of the forest alive.

Told dual POV’s we follow Devin and Ollie. Two teenagers sent to wilderness camp.

This story is raw and heartbreaking, healing and heartwarming. All surrounded with the eerily creepy atmosphere in the woods.
We see how each teenager has ended up in this wilderness program and see as they go on this incredible journey of self discovery, even as they fight tooth and nail against it.
The authors choice of using these monsters as the embodiment of their trauma was a choice that really paid off, as we the readers, watch the characters work together to overcome the figurative and literal demons from their past.

For fans of Yellowjackets or The Wilds, you’ll eat this up. It’s the perfect mixture of these two shows.

I think that this book could’ve been longer. There’s so much more that the author could’ve explored that would bring even more depth to the book. The concept of mimics was very interesting and I think that there could’ve been more information about them.

The monsters were horrifying in so many ways and the authors imagery really brings it to life. But, I think her greatest strength was how she gave everything such a deeper meaning.
How these monsters want you to give in, they need to tear you down and force you to succumb to their vicious taunts.
How these broken, healing, lonely characters find strength in themselves and with each other to fight fight these creatures, to strive for a better future whatever that may look like.

Overall, I think this was such a beautiful healing journey for these characters. I loved the found family aspect and seeing the progression of all of their relationships throughout the story.

⚠️ Make sure to check trigger warnings before reading⚠️

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

i saw the yellowjackets and girl, interrupted comps and i had to have this one. ultimately, i'm not sure that either of those comparisons delivered here, but i found this book too be a fairly quick read.

in the middle of the night devin is woken up by two men in her bedroom. think mid-to-late 90's dr. phil/jerry springer we're-sending-out-kid-to-military-school kind of vibes. which, okay - i'm definitely familiar with the teenagers who have been taken from their homes and thrust into hell camps by their rich, evangelist parents. i think that's what i thought this was going to be more like. but no, in this case devin is submitted by her foster family for fighting in school. logistically, i'm not sure this make much sense to me, but okay.

i think i thought this book would be different and probably would have preferred it had the supernatural twist had not been present. i think the insidious aspect of parents submitting their children into this kind of suffering intentionally is the true horror.

in the woods, inhuman faces start appearing and suddenly the counselors are gone. the kids think that this is part of the plan - they've got some food and supplies, so they begin to plot together to discover a way out.

i think the supernatural elements were pretty scary to start, but once more was revealed about them i cared a lot less about them. i think horror for me is more in the not knowing, personally. and though there were discussions of mental health, discussions about insidious things that have happened to kids in foster care, there's a LOT of bad parenting, i don't know if i feel like any of those things were discussed thoroughly insomuch as thrown in for the drama. perhaps this is just me realizing that i've grown out of reading ya literature.

anyway, i think for most interested in this kind of thing they'll have a good time. for me, this one was just okay and once the creatures made their appearance i mostly skimmed the rest of the book.

What the Woods Took is a chilling YA survival horror story. This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and it’s definitely my favorite so far. The story follows five teens sent to a wilderness camp for troubled youth. As part of their program, they embark on a 30-day hike through the woods, designed to help them grow and improve themselves. But things take a terrifying turn when their two guides mysteriously vanish, leaving them to fend for themselves. To make matters worse, the woods are home to creatures called mimics—monsters that can take over the teens’ bodies and impersonate them. It’s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets the TV show From.

The story alternates between two points of view, Ollie and Devin. I appreciated learning about the teens’ backstories and the struggles that landed them in the wilderness camp.
My only complaint with the story is that the action doesn’t really kick off until about halfway through. However, once it does, the pacing is intense and gripping.

The author’s writing is fantastic—she excels at building suspense and creating tension that keeps you glued to the pages. Her characters are complex and well-rounded, making the story even more engrossing.

I highly recommend this book to fans of YA horror. It’s creepy, compelling, and impossible to put down. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!

Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC copy of this book via NetGalley for review.

I started this one for spooky season but unfortunately didn’t get to finish it until November! The vibes are definitely eerily perfect for Halloween time but also if you’re a fan of paranormal thrillers!

Taking a bunch of “troubled” teens into the woods with no civilization around for miles sounds nightmarish enough. But when things start going bump in the night and then they wake up to the adults being missing?! Phew, nightmare juice for sure. I give the teens credit because I probably would have panicked and my life would be history 😂.

Even though this is a young adult thriller, it is also about the complexities of being a teen, especially one with a darker past. You really learned how who these characters are, why and how they move on from their situations. It could definitely be an important read for any teen but with the fun twist of being a creepy thriller in the woods with creatures out to get you!

Overall, fun but also serious! I would mostly enjoy this one during October but fans of paranormal thrillers would probably love this one any time of the year!

I enjoyed this so much! I have read all of Courtney Gould’s books and this one is by far my favorite. I was hooked from the very beginning and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen to these characters. This had such a creepy feel to it. I think I was constantly inspecting each character to see if they were acting…different! It was thrilling. I listened to the audiobook which was perfection. The narrator really brought this story to life. Highly recommend picking it up. I can’t wait to see what is next for this author.

I find this to be interesting! I didn’t know I would be taking on this journey with all these different turns in the story! But overall, the story was gripping, mysterious, intriguing all the way til the end! An enemies to lovers LGBTQ story…and camping going all the way wrong! Loved the story!

Having read Gould's previous 2 novels, I already had What the Woods Took on my radar. Plus, the cover is gorgeous.

Devin is a 17-year old living with her latest foster family when she is awoken in the middle of the night by two strangers that throw her into a van with another teen (Ollie). They have no idea what is happening until they are informed they have been signed up for a wilderness camp by their family that will change their lives and their behavior. When Devin and Ollie are dropped off with their fellow 3 campers (Hannah, Aidan and Sheridan) and 2 counselors, each teen is even more confused.

Knowing that Gould writes LGBTQ+ stories, my first inclination was to think this was some sort of conversion wilderness therapy camp. But this was anything but. Nearly 2 months in the wild, in the woods, in the middle of nowhere with 5 teens and 2 young adults leading the trip? This already gave me anxiety. And the setting really amped that up.

I don't want to say too much about the actual plot, but I will say that Gould did a great job throwing together 5 unique teens that all had their own issues. Along with the eery setting, it gave off an "escape room" vibe. Yes, they were in the middle of the woods, but you also felt 'locked in' with the way the teens felt and how they only wanted to get out of their situation. Especially after their 2 adult guides disappear, leaving the group of 5 teens to figure out how they were going to work together to survive and make it out alive.

If you've seen the series Yellowjackets, this gives off a very similar vibe. Stranded location with no way of contacting the outside world, small group of teenagers that have to work together and put trust in one another in order to make it out. The tension gradually built and had my heart beating from its chest with fear. I liked seeing each character come alive and fill their role within the group. Devin really stepped up as a leader and even Sheridan started to change after me initially not really caring for her. And then there are aspects of the woods that you would never expect. I was totally thrown for what Gould included in those woods and loved the anticipation I felt once the kids discovered everything.

Overall, this was a unique story that was creepy and filled with tension from the beginning to the very end. I had both the audio and ecopy of this book. Both were fantastic! The audiobook narration by Lindsey Dorcus kept me on my toes and added to the overall atmosphere of the story. I do wish the ending had a little more conclusion to it, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

This was a great read. It wasn't scary in my opinion, but it was a little creepy.

I thought the exploration of wilderness therapy and the damage that can be caused from it was really good.

I also really liked how Gould explored the trauma that teens can face due to external and internal pressures. How unrealistic parental expectations can be hurtful for the kid.

I also like how this book shows that we as a society don't always believe survivors and we would rather call them crazy rather than listen to them and believe them.

I love this author so when I was approved to read this book in ebook form I was really excited but then I struggled to start the book because I have my own serious trauma associated with wilderness camps.
Days after my 13th birthday a boy I loved very much was sent to one. His mom asked me to write letters but then he never received him, so his mom got all my vulnerable 13 year old girl cringe letters and he got to be locked away in the woods somewhere. Can you even imagine? Small town so I have had to look his mom in the eyes for the last 27 years, at least a few times a year.
He came back different and got along well with his parents. He is a "normal" nice dad now but I developed some serious trauma. Also now, looking back as a 40 year old mom, I can see that his parents were just extremely bad parents. He was never a "bad" kid. To say I have issues with these camps is an understatement.
Anyway, so I was just looking at the book daily and then not reading it. Today though I was alone and already emotional so I started it and got stuck in the story.

I love the characters and the explanations about how they ended up where they are. I love the way the author introduces the "monsters" and sets the scenes.
I was terrified in the last few hours - in a good way. My gosh did these kids forget that fire kills humans too!

3.25⭐️
I don't know why, but I had SUCH a hard time getting through this book! (it took me almost 6 months to finish).

I really liked the intro chapters, and I loved the last 2 or 3 chapters, but I just couldn't stay captivated throughout the rest of the story. The pacing was very slow at times, I felt like there was a lot of repetition

I think it was the lack of depth to the characters, like they had backstories and personalities, but I felt absolutely no attachment to any of them.

I really liked Hannah and her story, though, as well as the found family that centered the novel.

I don't think this is a bad book by any means. I think that the plot was really creative and the multi POV chapters were very fun! It just wasn't the book for me.

Well, okay then. I will say that What the Woods Took started off interesting, albeit a little weird. I was invested. I don't usually like horror books, or horror in general really. Reading horror is hard for me, because I don't really get scared because I can't visualize things that well. So this one didn't really feel like horror <i>for me</i>.

I didn't have a lot of trouble feeling the intensity of the "scary," though.

There were varying personalities in the characters, each had their own "thing to be afraid of" when it came to the supernatural scary element of the book.

Even though all of the characters had different personalities, there was a common goal for them and they had to work together. There were some hiccups, some moments of can you really trust each other, etc. Drama abound.

Definitely worth a read.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This is great young adult horror or horror for someone who is a bit of a scaredy cat (meaning me). What the Woods Took follows a group of 'troubled' teens who are taken (literally - against their will) to a "nature camp," where it is intended they will work through their issues and come out as better, more disciplined people. However, one night their guides disappear, leaving the teens on their own to find their way back. The woods, however, have more than just the teens in them.

This is advertised as a mix of Yellowjackets with Girl, Interrupted. I haven't seen Girl, Interrupted, but I expected spooky based on the Yellowjackets comparison. I think this led me to be slightly disappointed. There is a slight supernatural element, but it is pretty clearly a metaphor for the demons the teens face within themselves and at home. This book was enjoyable, and had quite a good "what the heck is going on" vibe, but it felt very young adult to me. Also, for being teens dealing with trauma, the teens were slightly more emotionally mature than I anticipated. Devin, one of our two main POVs, is able to process her feelings extremely well for someone who is meant to be experiencing anger issues. Regardless, it was fun, and I think it will be a great read for teens!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when your past trauma wants to swallow your future?

This story took me by surprise, in a great way. What was most incredible to me was that our main character, along with the other central teen characters, were decidedly not perfect. Devin was incredibly troubled, and on a collision course with nothing good, and something similar could be said for the others. Was abduction and forced participation in a wild wilderness therapy anything that even resembles an appropriate way to deal with youth mental health and restorative care? No, not in the slightest! But the camp counselors seemed genuinely invested in the teens’ well-being, and the teens, at least most of them, were in a place where some sort of intervention was necessary. It was such a smart exploration of character and setting, and a genuinely sympathetic portrayal of traumatized youth who do desperately need help, and who doesn’t always act sympathetically. I just expected to come in expecting that the main characters were angels unjustly persecuted by mustache-twirling conversion counselors, and Gould refused to offer something that simple.

That is all to say I thought the characters were great. To a certain extent the characters were expected, in that they displayed a range of traumas and a range of reactions/responses, none of which felt particularly unexpected. Yet they were stronger for that, because they still felt like individuals, they felt real, and yet represented a good selection of what is relatable, a motely crew of archetypes of the troubled, if you will. Gould made them feel like genuine individuals and also generally relatable archetypes (to a certain extent paralleling the archetypes you might find in a slasher), which was a great balancing act. Some of their inner journeys felt a little rushed, and maybe a little expected, but none felt unearned. The writing itself was understated but compelling, and the narrative decision to switch between two primary character POVs, including each character observing and commenting on the other, helped move the story along and also create a strong in-group vibe. I did feel like the pacing did get a little slow in the middle, but the narrative technique compensated, and I was always invested in the characters even when it felt like feet were being dragged.

The atmosphere was good, and the whole world-building, in terms of the relationship between the emotional world and the physical world, was great. I will say the geography of the forest they were in was a little confusing to me, how far they traveled, why they couldn’t go backwards instead of forward, how they could split up but find each other again with relative ease, what they found on the other side of the river in the final act… It just felt like a little bit jumbled, and it also gave some pretty generic forest vibes, nothing stood out in any meaningful way. I wasn’t bothered by the somewhat generic setting, but I think it could have been exploited to create a much stronger sense of peril than it did. That is what was really missing. As bad things started happening I always had an intellectual sense of peril, but the personal sense of peril was mixed with the characters’ general displeasure with being in the forest at all, and it wasn’t until the final quarter of the book that I felt the forest was really working against them. I do wish there had been a little more menace, or rather a stronger feeling of menace, or doom, in the forest itself, to really make the setting more of a character in the story.

Still, having said that, those are minor quibbles. This is a deeply human story, one that confronts us with the question of how willing we are to sacrifice those things—and people—that we deem to be problematic. It looks at how our past traumas can and will haunt us, and entirely consume our identities, stealing away our future, if we let them. It also asks what kind of support networks do we provide—for ourselves and others—to actually navigate the terrors that might be hiding in the forests of our minds. This story is an unflinching and compassionate exploration of what it means to be surviving in a world that doesn’t have your best interests at heart. It was a fun ride that kept me invested in these characters, and I glad I had the chance to follow them into the woods.

(Rounded up from 3.5)

I want to thank the author, the publisher St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I think the topic of this book is an important conversation to have when it comes to these "retreats" kids can be sent on. That being said, the book itself wasn't for me. The beginning felt underwhelming and I couldn't find myself really getting into it. Reading other reviews, I feel like I'm in the minority saying that, so it may just be me. That being said, I'll definitely read more Courtney Gould in the future.