𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙂𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🎧𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥
🎙️𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴

This is a fast paced and very entertaining. I was immediately hooked, and wanted to know what was going to happen. I enjoyed that this is told in multiple POVs and we got all of their different stories. I wish we got a bit more at the end of their after, but overall liked this story. Would recommend.

The book starts with a bang. Devin's sudden abduction and her determination to escape the therapeutic wilderness program created a heightened sense of panic that never dissipated throughout the book. Her instinct to protect herself speaks volumes about her toughness and unwillingness to surrender her sense of right and wrong. The dynamic between Sheridan and Devin explored her insecurities and humanized a softer side to her. Their interactions are explosive, so be ready.

For the group, some unexpected alliances and frictions influence the character's actions, and the remote location produces an isolation that is troubling and suspenseful. When mysterious and terrifying figures appear in the woods, adding dread and terror, the group begins to question whether what they see is just in their heads or if something is watching them. The characters are forced into dire situations, which is thrilling. This book blends a survival narrative and an introspective theme of facing your inner demons. The "things in the woods" is a horrifying idea, and the fact that it was the personification of their fears was unique. I really enjoyed the book and could not stop listening.

Excellent audio production! The narrator crafted distinct, memorable voices for each character, making them feel relatable while delivering an eerie tone that added a layer of unsettling suspense to the experience.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Wednesday Books.

This was a fantastic read! I have previously enjoyed this author, so I was very hopeful for this one and it did not disappoint. I was not expecting to be so attached and rooting for this little found family and the sapphic romance, but here I am. It was delightfully creepy and chock full of descriptions that will haunt my nightmares.

I absolutely recommend this one to horror fans and Lindsey Dorcus is a fabulous narrator, so the audio is a great option!

Engaging, immersive, and well narrated. A recommended purchase in all formats for YA and high school collections.

What a unique and unsettling story! What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould is a YA horror about a group of teenagers taking part in nature therapy that takes a deadly turn. I'm a huge sucker for a haunted forest or plant horror. If you give me dark and eerie vibes in the woods I will eat it up. Overall I did really enjoy this book by the end. Sadly, this took way too long to get going. Nearly half of the book was just getting to know the characters while nothing much else happened. I was nearly ready to quit reading when the danger and horror finally started. Things quickly take a dark turn and I was completely enthralled by the book. By the end, the second half really made up for the slow start. What the Woods Took is a great choice for anyone wanting some YA horror.

Lindsey Dorcus did an amazing job with the audiobook narration. Her voice had just the right eerie tone while still portraying the characters emotions.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The concept of this book was so interesting and intriguing. The beginning was so good I was invested, the camp, the characters, but once the supernatural/horror aspect got on I just started to completely loose interest. I'm starting to notice that genre is just not for me.

WOWZA!

Gripping, tense, dark, horrific and hard to put down! Like two of the main characters, I was instantly grabbed from the very beginning of What the Woods Took! This book had me turning the pages, not wanting to put it down as I was fully invested in what was going to happen next in this coming-of-age tale of survival!

Devin Green, asleep at her foster home, is taken from her bed in the middle of the night and thrown in a van. In the van she meets Oliver, a teen who was also grabbed at his home as he slept as well. Initially, they are given very little information, which ramps up their anxiety and unease. What they do know is that they are being taken to an experimental therapy program where they will hike, camp, and survive in the woods with two camp counselors and other teens for 50 days. The intended result of the therapy program is that the teens will emerge from the woods changed for the better! When they wake up and their two camp counselors are missing, the teens find themselves faced with the unimaginable!

I enjoyed the mixing of personalities and backgrounds of the teens in this book. I also enjoyed their dynamics with each other and their reactions after being thrust into a situation beyond their control. Can you imagine strangers waking you up and taking you by force with little to no explanation. That you are a minor and have no say in what is happening to you? I thought Courtney Gould did a fantastic job of depicting this. I enjoyed how Devin fought and tried to escape while Olive, who did not like the situation, was more accepting of what was happening. Their reactions alone in the beginning of the book show their personalities. Then they meet the other teens who are distinct and add so much to the plot.

What the Woods Took has that trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. While they are not physically locked into any room or house, the group of teens do have the task of finding their way out of the woods - woods that they are unfamiliar with. Survival is the name of the game for them. This book was oozing with atmosphere. I also enjoyed the sense of unease, tension and mounting danger. I enjoyed the sense of something-isn't-quite-right that morphed into full on fear! When they learned that they were not alone in the woods, the creepy factor went off the charts. Their therapy adventure in the woods morphed into a horrific nightmare! What the Woods Took also morphed into a great story about friendship, romance, survival, trust, and battling your own demons.

Creepy, scary, tense, well thought out, spooky!

I had both the book and the audiobook versions of this book which made for an enjoyable reading experience. I found the narration of the audiobook to be wonderful.

4.5 stars
Going into What the Woods Took, I had never read anything by Courtney Gould, although The Dead and the Dark has been on my radar for quite some time. However, the second I heard that a horror novel about wilderness therapy was being released, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. And while I went into this story with no expectations, I truly believe that even if I went into it expecting greatness, I'd still come out of it fulfilled. Throughout this book, I was continually impressed by Courtney Gould's writing. The premise of this story is great and the plot moves at the perfect speed. The characters are real and grounded, and the relationships they form feel intimate. Overall I was really impressed by this book. The themes are nuanced, but the horror elements are still fun and spooky. I love a good "creature in the woods" story.