Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC! This was one of my most awaited books of 2024 and I’m so thrilled I got a chance to read it.

What the Woods Took is about five troubled teens who are sent to a wilderness therapy program against their will. The story centers around Devin Green, a foster kid with a history of violence. Although she quickly bonds with fellow Portlander Ollie, there’s one camper Devin immediately clashes with- Sheridan, the lavender-haired menace who turns every exercise into a joke and enjoys getting under people’s skin.

I’ll admit, I thought this book was going to explore the horrors of the troubled teen industry more than it actually did. But counselors Liv and Ethan aren’t abusive, just young and woefully unprepared for what’s to come.

Although it starts off kind of slow, the story picks up pretty quickly. Sheridan was easily my favorite character, and I loved every minute that she was on the page. I liked that Devin was butch, but I didn’t find her as compelling. I also appreciated Ollie’s growth over the course of the book. His relationship with Hannah took a turn I wasn’t expecting, and the twists were properly creepy. The other character I didn’t feel strongly about was Aidan. It seemed like he was coded as autistic, or at least neurodivergent, but this wasn’t specified.

I think I’ll have to read this one again to fully process it because it got a little crazy near the end and I feel like I might have missed something. But I really enjoyed learning about the backstories of each character and the demons they had to confront in the woods. The tension between Devin and Sheridan was palpable and I like how their relationship progressed. 4 out of 5 stars.

Longer review to come but wow, wow, wow! This book was very good. I am not normally a horror/thriller fan and I should have known not to start this before bed, but at the same time I'm glad I did. There were only a couple of minor details & frustrations I had. Otherwise, all in all, a fantastic queer horror story about five teens sent to a wilderness survival therapy program.

I do hope there was some level of sensitivity readers for this topic, but as I am not a victim of a wilderness survival therapy program, I can't officially say if anything seemed in bad taste or not.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
<i>What the Woods Took</i> is only on my radar because of Ava Reid, and I am so glad I trusted her recommendation. I was never a "troubled teen", never sent to any disciplinary programs, so i expected to have a difficult time relating to the characters. I was dead wrong. All of the main characters reached out and grabbed me by the throat, demanding that I pay attention to their story. The emotional journey of each character was intensely satisfying, the romance tight and unpredictable. The only aspect of the book that keeps me from rating it five stars was the execution of the horror elements. The atmosphere was beautifully described, but the supernatural elements never crossed the line to true terror for me. Several elements mirror the horror of <i>The Thing</i>, but for me, the <spoiler> exposition given by Not-Hannah and the naming of the things in the woods waters down the experience. Still, Devin watching her monster burn, the way Hannah's perfectionism made her give up, </spoiler> the big emotional moments outshine any weakness of <i>What the Woods Took<i>.

Yes, What the Woods Took is a story about kids in the woods who are running from monsters. It's a story of survival, trust, and hope. More so, though, this is a story about the effects that trauma and abuse can have on adolescent minds and just how damaging relationships can be.

Devin finds herself being kidnapped from her foster home only weeks before her 18th birthday. She is thrown in a van and ultimately arrives at REVIVE, a 50+ day "wilderness therapy" program to help troubled kids like herself. The small group seems to have all of the standard characters in such a setting - those who have used drugs, hurt others, and hurt themselves. Some of the kids think they deserve to be there, some think their parents have sent them out of love, and some (like Devin) think that this is just a way to get away from their troubled teens for a bit. What starts as a grueling and uncomfortable trek of daily hikes, campground set ups and teardowns, and measly meals quickly becomes a tale of survival and building trust amongst those which trust does not come naturally. Can a group of "troubled teens" survive in the woods when the woods themselves seem to be working against them?

As someone who works in the field of psychology, this book stuck out to me as a demonstration of the ways that wilderness therapy camps can lead to more trauma than help. Surviving in the woods while being treated like a work horse and fed scraps isn't therapeutic. It is - as Ms. Gould make clear - psychologically traumatizing.

Thank you to Courtney Gould, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Courtney Gould but after this experience, I’m looking forward to exploring her backlist! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

Well well well, it’s been a while since I felt fully absorbed by a YA novel, but I’m happy to report that WHAT THE WOODS TOOK grabbed my by the throat and didn’t let go.

A perfectly creepy fever dream with Yellowjackets vibes, WHAT THE WOODS TOOK follows a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program that goes horribly wrong when they find themselves stranded in the woods being hunted by supernatural creatures. (That are totally inspired by skinwalker/mimic mythologies so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 😬) Swipe for synopsis and content warnings.

This started as my kindle read for middle of the night breastfeeding sessions and quickly turned into a book I couldn’t put down. I devoured this is less than 24 hours and genuinely got chills from some of the descriptions. And for a book about monsters in the woods, I was surprised by the character development and the care with which the characters’ individual traumas were addressed.

Atmospheric and unputdownable, this was one hell of a ride and exactly what I was in the mood for as the weather cools and we settle into the ‘ber months.

✨ FEELS LIKE: sitting alone in the woods by a dying campfire, your body tensing and breath catching as you sense a presence around you.

✨ READ IF YOU LIKE: fast-paced, creepy, atmospheric stories with a strong paranormal element.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and I’m so glad I did. The story felt as a natural progression and not forced. I felt for the characters and could relate to the feeling of not knowing where I fit in and what the future holds. The horror element was subtle yet terrifying, not tons of jump scares but built up tension and confusion. I am glad it wasn't introduced too quickly so we got a better feel for the characters themselves and the situation they were in.

I do wish the separation of character views (the two main characters Ollie and Devin) were denoted in a different way but not sure how. Some use separate chapters but this book had sometimes both their views in one chapter which I liked, however I am not sure how the author could have made it more clear.

I enjoyed this book immensely and I want to read more from this author. I have read similar types of stories but this one felt more unique in several ways.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy!

What the Woods Took was an incredibly atmospheric survival story that at it's core, became a story of found family. I felt invested in so many of the characters and with the eerie environment, I found myself staying up late multiple nights to learn more about our group and their fight to get out of the woods.

As a certified scaredy-cat, I found myself easily on edge from the intensely real forest and what lies within it, but not *so* scared I couldn't continue through the book, which is a really nice happy medium for me. The horrors of this book created conversations around real, poignant trauma, that while uneasy, felt digestible due to the raw, authentic way they were presented. It was also incredibly refreshing to have LGBT+ representation that was not the source of trauma, but instead elevated the connections between characters and my draw to them.

I have been interested in Courtney Gould's work for a long time and this read is making me go back and pick up her previous work and I am so excited to read more! I definitely recommend picking up a copy of What the Woods Took when it releases on December 10th, 2024!

Something this author does that I love so much is writing angry girls, some absolutely enraged lesbians. I love it so much. What the Woods Took was such an all consuming experience to read! I devoured it so quickly and loved it the entire time! Getting to know Devin, Ollie and the rest of the group felt so natural as the plot developed, and the horror element was superb in its creepiness

My only hesitation is that the book might have showed its hand with the horror element a little two early, or told us a bit too much about them. It was interesting but I think it would have been scarier if it was a more mysterious. Either way, I loved this book so much. The melancholy hopeful ending was perfect!

I started this book really excited to read it. Especially after the title page. But I had the wrong impression this would read like a memoir or real life experience. I did not expect this to be super natural sci-fi. I do wish I would have went into this book with those expectations. But since the premise of this book is true, with teen therapy wilderness programs being a real thing. I thought it was odd to make this super natural and not realistic. It did a good job with some creepiness. But it got to where it dragged on and on, so I was tired of reading about the mimics and ready for it to wrap up. Promising but failed me.

SUCH a good book and one that I cannot wait to reread around Halloween! So spooky, but truly an awesome read! I really loved the relationships between all of the characters, amazing complex and wholesome at the same time. This is one of those books where I wish I had a picture of what the “mimics” look like because my mind conjured up something incredibly creepy and terrifying!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital arc of this AMAZING book!

A spooky time.

Seeing this being recommended for fans of Yellowjackets, I had really high hopes going in. The start was quite slow, but once we got into the woods and had the first creepy scenes, it was chilling.

I loved the concept of the supernatural monsters, and even if they lost some of their creepiness as the story continued, they still made for a spooky story.

Overall the book was entertaining, but forgettable. I’ve been trying to find the words for this review for some time, and found that I’ve forgotten a lot of the details. At some points of the book, I just wasn’t vibing with it, but it was still a fun read.

The book deals with some heavy subjects, and is based on the very real wilderness camps. So check out trigger warnings if necessary.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like found family? Do you like body horror, trauma bonding, and a pervasive sense of dread and unease that permeates the setting of a book? Did you enjoy Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin and want something very similar, but much more age appropriate for teens? This is the book for you.

So, I read this in a single sitting. I requested it on a whim because it had a pretty cover and I wanted something similar to Felker-Martin’s Cuckoo, and boy was I in for a treat. The second I began reading What the Woods Took, I knew I was going to binge it in one go; it was just that good. The writing was great, the characters were easy to root for (even Sheridan!), and the horror…goodness, the horror. It was fantastic. If you read Cuckoo and found it a bit too gory and sexual for your tastes, but still crave that body horror and sapphic themes combo, this will be right up your alley. The injury descriptions were kept to a minimal but still managed to get the point across in a way that was grisly but not uncomfortable.

I think I’ll be buying a physical copy of this book when it comes out. I’d love to have it on my shelf.

This book was a TRIP. I think that is is PERFECT for spooky season and will give you all of the spooky vibes, so I do recommend that it be read within a certain season as it really captures the vibes that I was wanting. The mystery was actually pretty solid too. Overall this book was pretty great!

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my early arc copy of this!

I don't even know how to describe my thoughts on this book. It's real, harsh, and haunting. It's also a damn good story. I loved Devin, Ollie, Sheridan, Aidan, and Hannah. The counselors were a bit too odd for me, so I didn't miss them when they disappeared.

Even though the monsters in this story don't exist in physical form in the real world, they exist in our deepest fears. In the darkest parts of our minds that tells us we'll never be good enough, that no matter what we do we'll never succeed or rise above our current circumstances. That makes them more terrifying than any ghost or monster you normally see in these kinds of books. You can't just close the book and have them go away. They're always there. But like Devin and friends realize at the end of the book, it's up to you whether you listen to those voices or ignore them and keep going.

Courtney Gould has her third in a row, awesome book! This woman is such a talented writer and fans of sapphic horror are blessed to be her audience. WTWT is just as unputdownable as her first two books!
Ninety-nine percent of the book takes place in a scary forest with creepy monsters called "mimics". In Gould's first two novels, the settings were such a palpable, heavy character. In WTWT, the woods are key, but take the backstage to the actual characters. Interesting teens that might remind you of someone you already know, but how well do you actually know them?
In case you, like I, thought this book had to do with gay conversion therapy (not sure why I thought that), it does not!
A little romance is thrown in but it's definitely not a large part of the story.

THIS SUMS IT UP OMG:

courtney gould said we will need therapy so i'm hyped

edit: she was right. jesus christ i’m unstable.

What the Woods Took was not what I expected, in a good way. When I first read the synopsis, I was expected something similar to Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen. In a way it was but with some really surprising elements. Gould does an excellent job of developing extremely human characters. Often when I read books about troubled teens they're only show to be "hard" or "tough as steel" with no real emotion until they have some kind of break down at the apex of the story. In WTWT, Gould gives us characters that are kind, unsure, determined, and broken who are just trying to navigate life despite having been dealt a bad hand. I highly recommend checking this one out because it's not what you expect.

It’s taken me a couple days to really wrap my head around how I feel about What the Woods Took. The overall experience of reading the book was enjoyable, but I find myself pining for something that I can’t quite put my finger on. What the Woods Took is a young adult horror novel that chronicles the story of five “troubled” teens in a wilderness behavioral camp who find themselves in a dense forest accompanied by monster who would love nothing more than to take their place. Something akin to Appalachian skinwalkers, the creatures were compelling enough to set my own psyche on edge as I journey through the perils through the trees along with our five main characters.

The overall premise for What the Woods Took was very solid, albeit the first quarter of the book was a bit of a slog, repetitive as the teens found their footing and established a proverbial pecking order amongst themselves. The altercations between one of our primary narrators, Devin, and another troubled teen, Sheridan, were a focal point for a number of the pages and they ended up being very cookie cutter and formulaic. Despite this, however, the novel gained traction once the wilderness guides that were left in charge of the teens go missing, as would be expected.

Once the supernatural aspects of the novel kicked in, it became overall far more enjoyable, for me. Particularly so, because the supernatural aspects seemed to be rooted in actual folklore that regularly warns against trusting the forest. As I mentioned, the entities that the teens find themselves coming to grips with were heavily similar to the Appalachian skinwalkers, only with a watered down touch of calling them mimics, which better suited the Young Adult reader subgenre.

This novel was unique in that it made me equally terrified of going into the woods just as much as I wanted to escape into lush foliage to reflect on my own life, as the teens were encouraged to do up until the guides disappearance. I further enjoyed that the subplot of the book seemed to highlight the real world dangers of wilderness camps that are still utilized in an effort to correct the “behaviorally challenged.” Factor that in with the fact the teens that were sent to the camp really weren’t as deviant as their parental figures wanted us to believe, and you have a satisfying blend of real world and supernatural horror.

Dividing the POV between Devin and Ollie, too, was a good decision and overall contributed to the storytelling as the differing perspectives allowed readers to catch an entire glimpse of the circumstances the teens were facing without receiving a particular bias. The characters, further, felt real and easy to identify with and didn’t fall flat in favor of a focus on the supernatural tone and ambiance.

Overall, I’d say What the Woods Took lived up to the hype, it’s premise and the advertised potential.

What the Woods Took is a creepy, mind-twisting, supernatural thriller that will keep you reading. This is my first book I have read by Courtney Gould and I look forward to reading more of her works!

This story follows a group of teens enrolled in wilderness therapy to get them "back on the right track". A few days in, creepy, unexplainable things start to happen which cause them to question everything they know (or think they know). The author's writing style made it seem like you were there in the woods and I had to put the book down a few times because I started to hear noises in my apartment (i'm a wimp when it comes to creepy, unnerving, scary things).

The author also introduced some romance elements inro the story through two of the female characters. I love how inclusive this author is and enjoyed the LGBTQ+ relationship. It played really well into the story with the creepy, supernatural elements and was a nice, unexpected addition.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

2.5
It’s an interesting idea for a story and has some potential. I love YA, but this one did not hit properly, in my opinion.

Thank you for the ARC!