This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. It was so good! This is an auto-read, auto-buy author for me! Highly recommend for the twists and turns.

This is an incredible and heartbreaking account of horrific events and the lasting trauma one woman carried right up to the moment she published her story. There were a few times I felt a little lost because of the jumps in timeline, but it never took away from the impact of the story.

The way the author writes about trauma is unlike anything I have read before. Olsen's writing shows so clearly that just because something is over, it does not mean the body forgets. Shasta, the FMC, tries everything she can to escape her past, but life keeps throwing more devastating experiences at her. She even goes through a form of therapy that, in my opinion, was abusive and probably left her with even deeper wounds.

I felt every emotion while reading this book. I was angry, I was sad, I wanted her to find justice, and I cried with her more than once.

As someone who has lived through traumatic experiences, specifically in my childhood, I related to so many of her feelings, and empathized in a way I didn't think possible her ways of coping, and that desperate need to shut it all out. This story is raw, honest, and will stick with me for a long time. Olsen never misses, this is my 3rd book by him, and he always leaves me in a puddle of tears.

This book told Shasta’s story so well in my opinion. The book does skip timelines but the writing style is so good that I think it was done in a great way. Rating and judging this book is difficult as it’s a true story so I’m more so rating the way it was told and writing style. If Shasta thinks the book was done well and it’s her story, then I can agree this book was done well.

[No spoilers]
Gregg Olsen shares the detailed events of this crime as well as focusing on the psychological and traumatic impacts this crime had on many involved. Shasta was a survivor for many facets of her life and this shares her vulnerable story of growing up, her capture and survival, and her road to processing these events.
**It does include detailed aspects of the crime and can be hard for some to read.

Out of the Woods is a tough read, not because it is not beautifully written but because of the heartbreaking story. Olsen does a fantastic job of telling Shasta’s story and pacing the trauma at a manageable pace. As a reader you will feel all emotions through this book. Well written and a story that needed to be told and shared.

This book was tough to read with the graphic depictions of rape/sexual assault and murder.
I have never read one of Olsen's books before I wasn't sure what to expect. It's hard to say if the book is good because it made me feel so uncomfortable but I think that it was supposed to be uncomfortable and that's what made it so good.

Gregg Olsen delivers a powerful and deeply human account of Shasta Groene’s unimaginable ordeal and the years that followed. Out of the Woods is more than true crime—it’s a story of resilience, survival, and the long, painful road toward healing. Olsen’s compassionate storytelling honors Shasta’s voice while capturing the chilling details of the case, making this both heartbreaking and inspiring to read. I am not typically into True Crime books but this was shook me.

Thank you Gregg Olsen, Thomas and Mercer, Brilliance and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#OutoftheWoods #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARCReview #BookReview #WhatImReading #BookRecommendation #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #InstaBook #Bookish #AdvanceReaderCopy #ReviewCopyProvided #BookishThoughts #ReviewersOfInstagram

Out of the Woods is a powerful and deeply moving true-crime account that captures both the horror of a notorious case and the resilience of a survivor. Gregg Olsen handles Shasta Groene’s story with compassion and honesty, making it as emotional as it is riveting. I found it heartbreaking yet inspiring, and I gave it five stars.

Wow!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

What an unbelievable story of such horrific events and the trauma this woman endured right up to the publishing of this book.

While there are a few spots when I was a little confused due to the author jumping through timelines, it wasn’t enough to take away from the book.

The author recounted trauma in a way I have never seen written. The main point about trauma is always that just because the experience is over doesn’t mean the body forgets.

Shasta does everything imaginable to try to forget her past only to keep adding more traumatic events. She went through a gruelling form of therapy that in my opinion is abusive and probably caused her so much more trauma.

I went through all the emotions reading this book. I was angry, I was sad, I wanted her to get revenge and I cried right along with her.

As someone who had survived traumatic experiences I related to so many of her emotions, ways of coping and the desperation to numb the mind.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gregg Olsen gives Shasta her voice, and follows her through the aftermath of the horrendous crime that altered her life. Shasta Rae Groene survived the horrific abduction by serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan III, which left her brother Dylan and much of her family dead. Instead of healing, she was returned to a fractured home and shuffled through inadequate programs like Dimple Dell in Utah, where untreated trauma pushed her deeper into addiction and self harm. This true-crime tragedy reveals that surviving the crime is only the first battle, the other is surviving the aftermath.

"Out of the Woods" by Gregg Olsen is a gripping survival story that kept me engaged. The narrative follows characters fighting for survival in the wilderness. Olsen's writing is vivid, painting a picture of the wilderness. I appreciated the suspenseful plot and the strong character development. The book is well-paced, with unexpected twists. I liked the story's focus on survival and resilience. Overall, it's a compelling read for fans of survival stories. Olsen's writing style is engaging and suspenseful.

This book covers a really terrible story, what Shasta went through was awful. Due to the nature of her story there are some really tough chapter to read. I did not know her story going into it so I was not prepared or expecting it. Please check trigger warnings before starting.
I struggled with the flow of the book, it bounced around a lot from her childhood, to teen years to her being adult. Because of this it felt really choppy and at times made it difficult to follow.

"Out of the Woods" by Gregg Olsen is a gripping survival story that kept me engaged. The narrative follows characters fighting for survival in the wilderness. Olsen's writing is vivid, painting a picture of the wilderness. I appreciated the suspenseful plot and the strong character development. The book is well-paced, with unexpected twists. I liked the story's focus on survival and resilience. Overall, it's a compelling read for fans of survival stories. Olsen's writing style is engaging and suspenseful.

This is a horrific tragedy, but written with much sensitivity and compassion. Shasta Groene was 8 years old when she and her brother, Dylan were kidnapped after their mother, another brother, and stepdad were murdered. After 48 days she was the sole survivor and was rescued. Joseph Edward Duncan was captured and sentenced. Shasta grew up and faced hardships navigating life as best as she can. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy.

Gregg Olsen is a master of his craft and Out of the Woods is yet another example of why. This book is dark. PLEASE check the trigger warnings before reading and know what you are getting into. I don't get bothered by much when reading, but this one got to me and it's not one I'll forget anytime soon.

What Shasta went through was absolutely horrifying. I have a daughter roughly the same age that Shasta was when she was taken and I think that is part of why this book hit me so hard. I look at her and can't even imagine her having to endure the horrors that Shasta dealt with. I was brought to tears more than once while reading this story. The focus isn't necessarily on what happened during their time in captivity. It takes a look at how Shasta lived after she was rescued. The people that failed her tremendously when it came to providing support after her rescue. There were scenes regarding what happened in the woods sprinkled in throughout and those scenes are enough to make your stomach turn. They will stick with you and you will be unable to forget. I had to set it down and walk away a few times because it's just so heavy. This book was intense, well written and a fantastic read. I will never forget it but I also don't think I'll ever be able to read it again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

I love true crime and this was based on true crime and it was great. I love Gregg Olsen's writing, the way he describes everything. Shasta is such a strong girl, and my heart broke reading her story. A very well written true crime novel

Gregg Olsen is the master of true crime.

Whenever I see a book of his, I have to get it. Not only does he describe what happened to the main character to a T but his writing makes you feel like you were actually there.

This book has a ton of trauma and strife. This is a true story. If you have a hard time with reading those things, stay away.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Out of the Woods
Author: Gregg Olsen
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have read several books written by Gregg Olsen, and each and every one of them tells a heartbreaking story, most of which are true. This book was no exception. To know that there are people like this in the world is frightening.

This book tells very disturbing details about Shasta's life, and the author is to be commended for tackling such a difficult topic/story. I wouldn't wish what Shasta was subjected to on my worst enemy.

I found the writing and organization of this book to be very haphazard. There was entirely too much back and forth with timelines and srorylines. Throughout the book, especially when referencing the abduction, the author seemed to be all over the place. For example, describing the first day in captivity, then describing what occurred two weeks later, and then back to the first day again. This made it difficult to follow the sequence of events.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

This book and what poor Shasta went through was so disturbing I found it difficult if not impossible to finish reading. Mind you Im not a squeamish person but the torture and mental abuse this poor girl endured was beyond words. I simply couldn't read about it anymore. I do not recommend this book to anyone at all.

Release: August 1, 2025
Author: Gregg Olsen
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Rating: 4.25 ★ 

Out of the Woods by Gregg Olsen tells the powerful true story of Shasta Groene, whose childhood was shattered when her family was brutally murdered in 2005. While the world searched for her and her brother Dylan, the two children were already in the clutches of serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan, hidden deep in the Montana wilderness. After 48 horrific days, Shasta was rescued—but her trauma didn’t end there. What followed was a long, painful journey of survival as she faced the emotional scars left behind. Struggling through years of self-destruction and darkness, Shasta fought to find hope again. This book isn’t just about a horrific crime—it’s about what happens after, and one young woman’s determination to take back her life.

Out of the Woods by Gregg Olsen is a gut-wrenching and powerful true crime story that doesn’t just focus on a horrifying crime—it dives deep into what comes after. Shasta Groene’s experience is almost unimaginable: kidnapped at just eight years old, held captive for 48 days by a serial killer, and somehow, against all odds, she survived. But this book isn’t just about her escape—it’s about the long and painful road she faced after.

Olsen doesn’t hold back. The story is raw, dark, and emotionally intense. Shasta’s journey through trauma, addiction, and exploitation is heartbreaking, but her resilience shines through every page. It’s not an easy read—there were moments I had to pause—but it’s so compelling, I couldn’t walk away from it for long.

Olsen’s writing puts the focus squarely on the survivor, showing the long-term reality of trauma without sugarcoating a thing. It’s one of his most powerful works to date. Shasta’s story is haunting, but it’s also a reminder of what it means to fight your way back after the unthinkable.

Favorite Quote:
“An actor can spot a pretender in a couple of seconds. A survivor can assess where things are going while plotting their next five moves.”