Lee Mandelo has a way of really making you work for your emotional payoff. When I started reading Summer Sons, I HATED the main character, and a few times had to talk myself into continuing...just for it to end up my favourite read of the year. The great thing about The Woods All Black is that you don't have to wade through QUITE as much emotional agony in the beginning, Leslie is much easier to root for as he takes on his new nursing position. though there are certainly frustrations about as his new home pushes back against him.

What follows is...truly wild, in a "PLEASE read this novel," sort of way.

Lee Mandelo is a must-read author for me, the way he weaves terrifying magic into the everyday world keeps me on the edge of my seat. This book lived up to his others and was wonderfully entertaining! It is spooky and magical, full of suspicious small-town characters and powerful trans men.

In the years after WWI, rural towns could request a nurse through the Frontier Nursing Service and that's how Leslie ended up in Spar Creek. The town is instantly unwelcoming, and the preacher leads the charge against Leslie labeling him as a sinner, a bad influence, and a woman who doesn't know her place.

Leslie is only trying to help by vaccinating townspeople and educating and assisting pregnant women, but as tensions mount, it becomes clear that Leslie and another transman in town must flee for their lives.

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars--

Well, this one is tough. I greatly enjoyed the premise and plot up until around 3/4 of the way in, where this book becomes extremely explicit monster/shape-shifter erotica. It's hard to know what else to say... If that's what you're looking for, then go for it and enjoy! Otherwise, I'd recommend Mandelo's previous novel, Summer Sons. All of his talented, vivid, creepy, atmospheric, queer storytelling and prose without the hardcore elements.

Many thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

There’s just something special about the way Lee Mandelo writes. I was instantly hooked from the first chapter.

In The Woods All Black we’re following protagonist Leslie Bruin, on their way to their new placement as frontier nurse in 1920 Appalachia. Already battling the small-town fears of modern medicine, Leslie also doesn’t look how they expect.

The town is instantly unwelcoming. Labeling Leslie as a sinner and bad influence, they refuse his aid whenever he offers, and try to scare him out of town with threats of violence. But Leslie makes a connection with a youth in town, stubborn, but in need of help. A fellow “invert”pariah, fiercely independent and constantly punished for their otherness.

As tempers escalate, and a ravenous monster stalks the woods, it’s clear Leslie needs to flee but her conscience and heart won’t let her leave Stevie behind.

This book is definitely spicier than I was anticipating. I knew there was a trans romance element, but I didn’t expect that lake scene. 😅

Overall I found this to be a super tense read, where I wanted Leslie to be smart and leave town, but also really wanted all of the zealot bigots to get their comeuppance.

I loved the historical elements covering queer-life around WW1, and especially of the radically brave individuals who were their truest selves, even when that meant extreme persecution. (Fully acknowledging that LGBTQ+ people are still fighting for their rights and acceptance still.)

Thank you to Tordotcom for providing me with a copy of this book.

Are you afraid of the woods?

A quick horror novella with a relatable Black, trans MC. This book is sure to send chills and horrify you on multiply levels. Perfect for those who loved the author's last book, Summer sons. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!! I look forward to reading more by this author even though this isn't my typical genre of choice.

Hmm an interesting story. It went a direction I was not anticipating and it kind of left me wanting to be done with it fast, definitely look up triggers for the storyline.

Revenge is best served - bloody. This novella touches on so many topics - and the brutal vengeance made me smile all day.
Leslie is sent to Spar Creek via his nursing contract. Under the guise of vaccinations and health checks, Leslie interest also lies in helping women in the child birthing years. These women needed help!
Spar Creek does not welcome Leslie, though his help was requested. He struggles to conform to the villagers' expectations of women wearing skirts. In his attempt to find a crack to build rapport, Stevie stumbles in his path. Leslie finds his mission - and passion.
Deliciously steamy, dark, and a creature lurking in the dark - thrilling!

I absolutely love the atmosphere Lee Mandelo can create in his books. After reading SUMMER SONS, FEED THEM SILENCE, and now THE WOODS ALL BLACK I am in awe. Both FEED THEM SILENCE and THE WOODS ALL BLACK are novellas and to pack so much into relatively short books is a skill not many authors have.

At first, I admit, I was a little hesitant with THE WOODS ALL BLACK. It is probably not something I would have picked up due to the historical period, religious small town, and traveling nurse synopsis but, again, I am a fan of Mandelo's work and trusted the system. And despite a slower start, this book has me HOOKED by the second half. This historical, small-town setting was a deft backdrop to look at and explore healthcare, sexual/reproductive health, and trans individuals during a current time where all of those things are very much contentious and in question. The horror here really was... bigotry.

I won't spoil the ending but I loved the twist and, once again, feel like this will be a Mandelo book that sticks with me for a long time.

This had potential but there was too much focus on the trans romance instead of the actual interesting things happening in the town. Stevie is just a kid so the romance was inappropriate on multiple levels. Too many confusing elements and not enough substance. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy

If you’ve ever read a book and thought after finishing it, “Wow, it’s like the author reached inside my head and told me an awesome story with all the elements and themes that have been on my mind lately!”, then you’ll know how I felt after finishing The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo.

It’s no secret I love a good punch-packing novella and The Woods All Black delivers one for sure. It follows Leslie, a trans (invert, in the novel’s historical terminology) nurse assigned to the Appalachian township of Spar Creek after the war. Intensely religious, multiple sinister forces are stirring in the congregation, in the township, and in the woods beyond them, forces that Leslie soon finds himself immersed in on all fronts.

This novella just has it all for me: complicated discussions of sexuality and gender in a historical context, the terrifying reality of bigotry within fundamentalist/evangelical Christian communities, a central queer relationship with an age gap some readers will find eyebrow raising, the delicious blend of horror and the erotic, and of course, the trans monsterfucking. I loved every moment of The Woods All Black unequivocally and highly recommend it if the aforementioned topics sound intriguing.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

Ah, this was so atmospheric and creepy! It was also very heartbreaking at times, and certainly conveyed some strong and relevant commentary on the way trans (and other queer folks in general, really) are treated- because while this book is set in the past, make no mistake, the themes are, unfortunately, still very pervasive today. There is also some great discussion on the role religion plays in hateful rhetoric.

We meet Leslie, who is a nurse who has served in some of the most horrific situations one can find themselves in, but when he goes to this small town to help people get vaccinated and take care of the citizens, he's immediately shunned and treated abhorrently. Which is extra bad, because again, he is literally devoting his life to helping people. While in town, and while still trying to serve the people, he meets Stevie. He sees a lot of himself in Stevie, and sees how horribly the townspeople react to anyone who doesn't fit their definition of acceptability, so he wants to be able to help more than ever.

Obviously this is a thriller/horror type book, so I don't want to give away any more info. It does go a wee bit off the rails for me toward the end, but it is still overall an incredibly well developed story with truly phenomenal commentary that shouldn't be missed.

Bottom Line: It's bananas, but it's worth it.

Wow, what a ride!

This novella packed a freaking punch! It was creepy, queer, gory, and horny! How the author fit it all of this and more into a novella is a superpower honestly.

Set in 1920'S Appalachia, Mandelo wrote a beautifully haunting revenge story with a trans protagonist nurse just trying to survive their job in a horrifying Christian-fundie town. Oh, and the cherry top was that this was also a monster romance by the end! I did NOT see that coming!

I have always been terrified of Appalachia, yet now I want more books set in this area, especially horror ones. I like being scared!

Read this novella. Its great! (Make sure to check the content/trigger warnings!)

This is an enjoyable and haunting quick read. Mandelo is excellent at writing novellas and this is a perfect example of how great they are at utilizing such few pages to tell a story.

"The Woods All Black" is a gripping mash-up of historical horror, trans romance, and revenge set in 1920s Appalachia. Following Leslie Bruin's journey in the backwoods of Spar Creek, where prejudice clashes with the supernatural, the story delves into themes of identity and acceptance amidst societal turmoil. Though its mix of genres might not suit everyone, the novel's exploration of reproductive justice and empowerment adds depth to its thrilling narrative.

Overall- this was a quick read for me. I enjoyed the setting and themes, however, I think that maybe I just don't enjoy this author's brand of horror. I felt very middle of the road about previous books and this one was no different (the premise gets me every time!). For fans of horror, I would recommend it!

I enjoyed this way more than Summer Sons. I'm really enjoying some of the recent trans historical fiction that has been released lately, and I thought Mandelo did a thorough job exploring how people navigated these identities post-WWI.

The Woods All Black is an apt title - it is dark, with a hell of a revenge arc. The woods play a central role, which I love. There is a slow build up of tension, and while the big reveal itself was something I predicted, it didn't make it less resonant.

Oh yeah, and if you're a fan of monsterf**king, let's just say this book will tick those boxes.

I received this book in exchange for a honest review from NetGalley.

I loved this book. It was a beautiful representation of the turn of the century and its moment of flux. This book excellently described how the world was changing yet in some places deep in the woods the world was still very much the same. I loved Les as a character and I had to do a bit of research on the FNS because it was so interesting. Overall great book! The ending was so satisfying.

I think that the book hit really well with its portrayal of of the zealotry of christianity in some cases. Combining that with the gothic horror vibes made this one a must read.

3.5 stars

It seems I’m bucking the trend on Mandelo’s works - I really enjoyed the first two, which were rated lower, and didn’t enjoy this one as much. There was a lot to like, or at least find very effective in this queer Appalachian trans horror novella. I read this in full daylight and found myself checking to make sure the doors were locked.

The religious trauma was strong here, and definitely brought up some of my own stuff as I read. Once I hit the 50-60% mark though, it started losing steam. Or rather, it got more steamy, which was unexpected. Don’t get me wrong, I love spice as much as the next romance reader, and trans spice especially is phenomenal to see and read. But it felt like such a major tone shift, especially the second scene, given what had just happened and where it was happening. Spice aside, something about the connection between the characters and their romance felt kind of off to me?

I will absolutely be picking up more from this author though, and am excited to see what comes next!

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for early access to this title!

A wonderful trans horror romance that takes place in Appalachia during the 1920s. Leslie is a trans man who works for the Frontier Nursing Service who is assigned to give vaccines and help birth babies at Spar Creek. The locals are not welcoming of strangers especially not ones like Leslie. The local church leader is the biggest voice against the nonconforming. The main target of the town’s hatred is someone they insist is a tomboy who Leslie gets to know. The plot twist in this book is so good, and it is great to see those who deserve it get punished.

Well, this one was definitely not what I was expecting at all. I was drawn in by the trans horror description, especially set in Appalachia, as that has some particularly spooky local history and lore. I stayed for the same, but also for the vicious and horrific elements that I did not know I would enjoy nearly as much as I did. I will definitely be looking for more books by Lee Mandelo, as well as looking into the shows, music, and other resources provided as inspiration and research at the end of the book. Be prepared for violence, gore, some blush-inducing sexy scenes, and sweet sweet revenge. While this book may be for a bit of a niche audience, it will please that audience well.