This would've been a 5 star rwad had the ending not been a bore. Slow to start, this mysterious and suspenseful story explores concepts of grief, self worth, resilience, addiction, family and more for a few persons lost in the woods.

I think Devin was my favourite, and I'm glad she had a happy ending but I do feel more should have been explained at the end. The supernatural aspect was so intriguing, but some more explanation or exploration into the mimics would have definitely made this a 5 star read.

What the woods took was a lot, but what the ones who made it out took, was so much more

“What the Woods Took” is a solid 4 stars for me! I love the unique storylines and the depth of each character. I definitely read some parts with my bedside light on. I think overall the story kept a good pace with only a few parts that were a little slow. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends!

I absolutely loved this book! Courtney Gould has quickly become one of my favorite young adult authors. What the Woods Took is the perfect blend of creepy suspense and horror, while also tackling serious issues through its characters. The writing was so engaging that I felt a deep connection with each character for different reasons, and I really enjoyed seeing their development throughout the story. The only minor issue I had was that the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, but it quickly picked back up, and I found myself completely immersed, unable to stop reading. The concept was fascinating, and it's something I've actively sought out in other books, like The Watchers by A.M. Shine. I highly recommend this to any fans of young adult horror!

Five teens enrolled in a therapeutic wilderness program are forced to work together in order to process, heal and survive. The deeper they venture into the woods, the more they begin to understand... they aren't the only ones living in the forest. Just like the teens, the ecosystem around them has its own secrets and it relies on them for survival.

Gould paints a haunting, twisted tale of five troubled teens working together and building trust in order to survive the dark and twisted nature around them. I was so immersed in this story and hold so much love for these characters; I would read another book just on their lives after. As a bookseller, I can't keep this book on the shelf, it is an instant buy for everyone I talk to about it!

Another novel by Gould with paranormal elements, but really, they are just a stand in for how awful people can be to each other, and how painful it can be to change yourself. The setting is the woods - specifically a teen wilderness therapy program. Horrors you would both expect from such a program, and horrors you would hope to never encounter challenge the teens for their very survival.

Devin is the toughest character of the group, but everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and each character is fully realized and interesting in their own way. I enjoy Gould's books - she includes paranormal elements to emphasize every day issues. And I appreciate that while there is always at least one queer girl in her novels, that is never used as a negative.

"Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction—one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways—and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness—they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Devin is immediately determined to escape. She’s also determined to ignore Sheridan, the cruel-mouthed, lavender-haired bully who mocks every group exercise. But there’s something strange about these woods—inhuman faces appearing between the trees, visions of people who shouldn't be there flashing in the leaves—and when the campers wake up to find both counselors missing, therapy becomes the least of their problems. Stranded and left to fend for themselves, the teens quickly realize they’ll have to trust each other if they want to survive. But what lies in the woods may not be as dangerous as what the campers are hiding from each other—and if the monsters have their way, no one will leave the woods alive."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

A YA thriller that will resonate with fans of survival horror. The story leans into themes related to wilderness therapy with a chilling atmosphere. The writing is good but the pacing and character introspection pulls the reader out of what could have been a more tense and captivating plot.

Devin wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her room. She fights them and yells for her foster parents. But they know what is going on. She is thrown into a van finding another teen Ollie. They are taken to the wood for wilderness therapy. Devin and Ollie meet other teens that will also be doing the wilderness therapy — Hannah, Aidan, and Sheridan. . Devin is determined to escape. Yet when she wakes up, she discovers the counselors are missing. Devin’s focus changes to surviving with the rest of the group. As they go through the woods strange. Things start happening. It makes them think that they may not be alone.. They also think that something sinister is lurking in the woods. Why? Will they be able to work together to get back to civilization? They must face the traumas that brought them there in the first place.

The author writes a scary story. Wilderness therapy in this story is different from the other stories that had wilderness therapy. The atmosphere is well developed. The gripping plot moves forward at a breakneck pace in this novel. This is a book to read!

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I loved this creepy survival story that involved monsters, but you will see that there is so much more to this story. It has found family vibes, it’s a YA thriller/mystery, with great queer rep, and horror.

In this book you will meet Devin who is ripped out of her bed in the middle of the night at her newest foster home. She is driven to an unknown location with another boy, Ollie, and they find out that their parents have signed them up for an experimental wilderness therapy program. It’s a 52-day trek into the woods along with four other teens and two counselors, but nothing is going right and the more that they hike into the woods Devin can sense that something is off about the woods. When the counselors disappear and don’t return, the teens have to learn how to survive in the woods alone until they get help, but with something that is unnatural stalking them, can they survive?

I loved Gould writing with Where Echoes Die, and when I saw this book I knew that I needed to read it. I love that with Gould writing you will always see different layers. You will see the mystery and try to figure out what is going on, another layer is the romance/friendships that you will see being built and of course the plot in general. I love Gould's writing style, she really knows how to write a book with an out of the world atmosphere, and the plot will draw you in wanting to know where this horror story will lead. I found that having the campers with all different backgrounds and finding out their stories was really nice because it helped me to understand the characters better. I liked that the characters were well rounded, and they all felt like real people to me, I was able to connect with them at least a little bit in areas. I found that the survival story really is more about the growth of the teens, their friendships that they connected, and their healing of traumas that might have added to why they’re at the camp in the first place.

Devin’s character was strong. I liked that she was determined to escape from this camp and get back to her “semi-normal life”, she was courageous when it came to taking charge of the book and getting a plan in place and making sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do. Ollie's character has strength even when he is quiet, but he is also a thinker of everything making sure that everything makes sense to him, I loved that these two made a connection easily and you will see that throughout the book and see their struggles and how they help each other overcome them. I loved seeing the really rude, disrespectful Sheridan come around and that you will see a whole new light to her after finding out a few things. Aidan, honestly, I just wanted to reach into the book and hold him close and tell him everything will be alright. Hannah, I really didn’t connect with her, but I loved how sweet she was.

I also received the audio of this book, and I found Lindsey Dorcus did a great job making this book connect with the readers. She really brought out the emotions of the characters.

I can’t wait to see what Gould will write next.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press/Macmillan audio for the opportunity to review this book.

I requested this book from NetGally for two reasons.

1. The cover was pretty cool, and 2. I'm writing my own book about a monster in the woods and thought this could serve as good research.

What I didn't expect was to like this book as much as I did!

Watching these characters grow and change, watching them open up to one another and make unexpected connections was amazing.

The monsters were incredibly creepy and terrifying - I loved them!

This is definitely a book I'll continue to think about for a while and I'm so glad I read it. Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Devin Green is whisked away into the Idaho Woods. Dropped off with other troubled teens in the middle of nowhere, counselors eventually show up to explain that if they can survive a fifty-day hike through the wilderness, they’ll come out as better versions of themselves. There’s something weird about the woods, and when the counselors dissappear, they’re left to fend for themselves.

This was a quick, mysterious, interesting read. Bonus, queer rep. It explores the cost of becoming someone (or someTHING) new with an atmospheric and creepy vibe. I’ve been meaning to read it for a while, and I’m glad I finally moved it to the top of my list.

I just finished this book and thought it was a pretty good book. I will say though that the creepy horror aspect took a little too long to happen. I was waiting in anticipation for things to kick off. But once the action started to happen, things picked up and I really enjoyed myself. I do agree that fans of yellowjackets will like this book with the "paranormal" aspect to the woods but there is no cannibalism, which is good! I liked the characters and their character development was good. Overall I did like it but parts could have been executed a bit better.



Content warning: death, mentions of past sexual child abuse, mention of past suicide, suicidal thoughts, mentions of drug addiction, vomit, body horro

Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted? Say less, Wednesday Books. I’m sold.

While this ended up being completely different than what I expected, I really enjoyed it. I definitely would’ve enjoyed it more if I read it in high school so it has a lot of appeal to the targeted audience. I’m normally a big romance fan so I was surprised that none of the romantic subplots really worked for me. I actually feel the overall themes would’ve been stronger if the romance was omitted. Slow burns are always my preference but this one wrapped up a bit too quickly and cleanly for my liking. The supernatural elements played so well with the story and I loved each character’s journey with confronting their traumas.

Overall, if you’re a fan of darker YA stories and love a wilderness setting, I recommend!

What I loved
1. All the campers felt fully fleshed out
2.The atmospheric writing that drew me in with this writer's earlier work was back in full force in this work.
3.The ending come together absolutely splendidly
4. strong relationships outside of romance

Who I would recommend this title for
What the Woods Took is the perfect slightly dark read for fans of monster stories looking for a coming of age narrative exploring abuse, trauma and the power of found family.

REVIEW: What the Woods Took 🪵🫣

Author: Courtney Gould
Genre: YA Horror
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚About the Book: Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted when a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program find themselves stranded in a forest full of monsters eager to take their place.

💭An incredible fever dream of a book. I listened to the audiobook at night and was SO spooked! Totally recommend going in fairly blind. I got the ARC of this thinking it was just a regular YA thriller but the twist it takes was so unexpectedly exciting. I don’t really read horror but definitely enjoy this. It doesn’t get too gory or unbearable - just the right amount of spooky.

✨Read this if you’re interested in young adult horror, teen wilderness therapy programs, enemies to lovers, coming of age stories, a forest setting… and the creatures that live in it.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould is a good YA book. It is a well-written examination of the complex struggle a group of "troubled" teenagers endure when enrolled in a wilderness therapy program. 
The kids embark on REVIVE's inaugural venture. They are led by inexperienced coaches barely older than them and run headlong into an insidious supernatural enemy within the woods. 
The emotional and physical toll they undergo is very well described, as well as the environment. It is immersive and, after the initial story setup, quick-paced and engaging. 
The character growth and group dynamics are interesting, and the individual character stories are varied and believable. There is a sapphic subplot with two of the "campers." I like how that develops. 
The book wasn't exactly what I expected. Although I enjoyed it, I feel like a little something was missing, but unfortunately, I cannot help by pointing out what that is. I am not sure. 
This is a dark, suspenseful, complicated journey, and despite the supernatural aspect, relevant, regarding the issues each kid faces and how they deal with them. 
It ends with a ray of hope for our group, but they will certainly feel the "echoes" of this trauma for a long time to come. 
I marinated on this thought-provoking novel long after I finished reading it.
I would like to read more by this author.
#traumabonding #teenagers #wildernesstherapy #monstersinthewoods #drugs #conflict #supernaturalelement #horror #YA #nospice #sapphic 
I received this free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Courtney Gould delivers a chilling, thought-provoking tale with What the Woods Took, blending survival horror with a deep exploration of identity and trauma. The story kicks off with a harrowing abduction as Devin Green finds herself thrown into an experimental therapy program in the remote Idaho wilderness. What unfolds is a gripping mix of eerie supernatural elements, psychological tension, and character-driven drama.

The novel shines in its atmospheric prose—Gould paints the woods as both hauntingly beautiful and oppressively dangerous, a setting that feels alive with secrets. The group dynamics among the teens are layered and engaging, with Devin’s defiance and resilience standing out, particularly in her interactions with the sharp-tongued and enigmatic Sheridan. The mystery builds with skill as inhuman presences and unsettling visions keep readers questioning what’s real and what’s a manifestation of the campers' inner struggles.

While the pacing occasionally lags during some of the group exercises, the story picks up momentum once the counselors disappear, plunging the teens into a desperate fight for survival. The themes of self-acceptance, transformation, and the cost of hiding your true self add depth to the terror, making the novel more than just a survival story.

What the Woods Took is a vivid, atmospheric blend of psychological thriller and supernatural horror that will leave readers contemplating its emotional and eerie layers long after the final page. Perfect for fans of Wilder Girls or The Grace Year.

This book has twists and turns that left me constantly guessing and looking over my shoulder. At times the visuals in this book truly gave me the creeps. At times I felt I was in the woods with teens as they struggle. Devin, the FMC, annoyed me at first, but her determination to survive won me over in the end. The other characters are well developed and add to the ensemble cast. For troubled teens, these characters, show growth and change in a way that doesn't happen in many books.
My only complaint is that I wish Gould would have slowly introduced the supernatural rather than making sure the readers know very quickly with quite a bit of repetition.

If you like spooky settings, supernatural elements, and characters with incredible determination to survive, then this is a book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was provided both an ARC and an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This may be triggering for some as it mentions some sensitive topics. Nothing is described in detail on the page but this does deal with troubled teens dealing with some heavy issues. Trigger warnings can be found <a href=https://gouldbooks.com/wtwt >here</a> on the author's website. This does get a bit dark and gory, and I had no idea that these therapy camps were a real thing. My family likes to unplug and go tent camping for a week during the summer, and we come back refreshed. We have amenities at hand and it is fun, we can also leave if it gets unsafe. The way this was portrayed sounds terrible for these kids, especially with what they are all dealing with sounds terrible and not fun at all.

This follows several teens who are sent away to a therapy camp after struggling at home. The main story is told from Devin's perspective. She is about to turn 18, and has been in and out of foster care. Her latest family has sent her to this camp as a way to help her after the latest incident at school. She has a violent streak and tends to get into fights. The camp is supposed to help her and the other campers change their self destructive behaviors. The campers immediately pick up on something strange as they stomp through the woods, especially after their enthusiastic counselors disappear. Not sure if their disappearance is a test or an emergency, the press on to the next checkpoint but they all keep seeing things that shouldn't be there. Things really start to get weird from there and the kids have to figure out how to work together and survive their internal monsters and what is lurking in the woods.

I enjoyed this, it was a great story about survival and the demons people face. Sometimes those demons are people and sometimes they are addiction or trauma. I thought the author did a good job portraying each of the teen's personalities and their individual struggles. I also really enjoyed how the relationships developed between all of the kids. Things start out rocked between some of them, but we get a found family vibe by the end, which I really liked. I would have liked more information on the mimics, but as far as a more speculative fiction book goes I think Gould did a good job with the explanation of what their purpose was and how they worked. As a personal preference and as someone who loves sci-fi and fantasy, I like more detailed descriptions of how all that stuff works, but I appreciate that sometimes you don't get all those details in book that is more character focused like this is.

Overall I really liked this. It has a little bit of everything. I really enjoyed the characters and the thriller/horror aspect of the book.

Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! This book was SO good! And SO creepy!! And the monsters! 😱 There was a couple twists and turns which I really enjoyed and I just really felt for Devin. She’s a very troubled teen who got dealt the literal worst cards and it made her essentially a diamond: unbreakable due to so much pressure. Reading this was sad, horrific, very tense, and did I happen to mention creepy?! But wow, what an amazing story about resilience and friendship forged in the most vulnerable moments of your life.

This story starts with a kidnapping essentially. What the Woods Took follows a group of teens and their 2 counsellors in the woods after they are taken from their homes for an experimental wilderness therapy session lasting 50 days. What happens in the woods is quite literally nothing they could have expected!

I was absolutely HERE for the monsters. Without giving away too much (because you need to be sufficiently creeped out by them on your own), I could 100% imagine myself in those woods as a teenager, with those monsters, and completely succumbing to their specific brand of torture. I 1000% would have died in those woods. 🤣
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ʏᴏᴜʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
•YA horror
•LGBTQ+
•Wilderness survival
•Mental Health
•creepy monsters

This book was good! I don’t typically read much horror but this story was YA so I was hoping I wouldn’t have to sleep with the light on!

Devin Green wakes in the middle to being abducted…except this was planned and her foster parents are in on it.

She is part of a group of "troubled teens" in a behavioral therapy program who are dropped off in the woods and told they have 50 days to “change their ways” during a hike. This is a very stressful situation - add in a bully too - but what happens when the counselors go missing?

Something isn’t right about these woods….

This book is creepy and heartbreaking and has some great twists! We really dive into each character and what they are going through as they try and survive in the woods. I thought there was some great character growth (especially in an unexpected place.)

There is this sense of tension and that will keep you just on the edge of your seat throughout this story. We see some great friendships form and I loved the sense of found family.

By the end, you might be asking yourself who the real monsters are in this story…

✨What To Expect
🌳YA Queer Horror
🌳Sapphic Story
🌳Enemies to Lovers
🌳Found Family
🌳There’s Something in the Woods