I had really high hopes for this book from the description, but what I got was one-dimensional characters in a predictable plot. The multiple point of views, in my opinion, fractured the story more than they helped move it along or give perspective. Aside from predictability, things moved way too slowly for me. A lot of the book is about suspense and dread - in actuality, nothing is happening for a lot of it. Not for me, but may be for you.

Katherine Green’s debut novel may be a little slow in getting off the starting blocks, but don’t let that fool you. The Woods are Waiting is a taut thriller that leaves the reader guessing.

Decades of children missing and later found dead, yet the townsfolk age and die themselves? Who is responsible for all that devastation? Is it the Hickery Man, a supernatural being that has the town engaging in all kinds of superstitions to protect their children? Or is something more sinister at play?

Many red herrings. Many possible outcomes. Dark twisty story. Definite page turner. One thing is for sure - I’m glad I live nowhere nears any woods…

Thank you to Katherine Greene, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for an invitation to read this book.

I am going to start by saying that I had a lot of faith in this book because the synopsis had me very hooked and although it disappointed me a bit, it has several elements that I found very cool.

What was a little disappointing to me is that events happened very quickly, conclusions were drawn out of thin air, and some things seemed rushed. The book is too few pages long to create any kind of long mystery and I think that was the main reason.

What I really liked is how the author manages to recreate moments of tension and darkness. Those terrifying moments. I liked that a lot and I even came to think that it could be very well adapted, I imagined the scenes and wow. That's why I felt that I couldn't give it less than three stars even though the plot didn't completely close me down.

The author writes those specifically terrifying scenes very well!

The plot reminiscent of Halloween with a town haunted by their own boogeyman. The eeriness of the woods from The Blair Witch Project. An atmospheric grey-hued town like My Bloody Valentine. Four friends in a cast similar to I Know What You Did Last Summer. This eerie book has it all and will petrify you even when it’s impossible to put down

Dark, Twisted and different. It grabbed me at the first page then lost me when Cheyenne went into town the first time where she seems to try and hide from everyone, but lift her head at the same time. The book hits on the superstitions that can run a muck, especially in a small town. The mob mentality that still exists all over the world today. The writing sucks you in so you believe. I for one was surprised by who the perp was. Such a twisted soul. I was not pleased with the last sentence in the book. I think it was there to line up for book 2 or maybe the dark nursery rhymes and stories. To me it took away from the conclusion and my pleasure in the book. That being said, I suggest reading this in a room with lots of sunlight, maybe outside and not in the woods. Thank you for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #TheWoodsAreWaiting #KatherineGreen #CrookedLaneBooks #NetGalley

For decades superstition has held the small town of Blue Cliff in its grip.
Children disappear after being lured into the Hickory Woods. What force is at play here?
The Woods Are Waiting is a captivating murder mystery, with a decent amount of witchcraft thrown in. Dark, eery, unpredictable. Well written and perfectly paced. The ending a twist I didn't see coming. A chilling read.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

The majority of the town believes in monsters and those who don’t believe outsiders cause the murders of children.

An aggravating yet intriguing story that is well written and engrossing will have you not putting it down until it’s finished.

Cheyenne left Blue Cliff 5 years ago, abandoning her 2 best friends and mother in a desperate attempt to escape the myth of the Hickory Man and the constant fear of more children disappearing, as has been happening for generations. Cheyenne is pulled back to her hometown when her mother's health begins declining and is forced to face the frectured relationships her absence caused as well as the towns still deeply held belief in the Hickory Man. When another child disappears, fear turns to terror in Blue Cliff. Cheyenne and her friends race to uncover answers before another child can go missing.

The author did a great job of keeping me on my toes wondering exactly where the story was headed. At differnt times, I was convinced the story was magical realism, folk horror, dark fairytale and supernatural suspense. I cycled thru these options a few times as I progressed thru the story, and I loved the unknown factor of not being sure what exactly I was reading.

I really enjoyed the setting of Blue Cliff, Virginia. Its proximity to the Appalachian Mountains and the dense, oppressive Hickory Woods surrounding the town added a creeping sense of dread to the story.

Just as chilling as the belief in the Hickory Man was watching the small community's paranoia as they turned on each other, made up their minds about who was at fault, sought to silence questions and serve punishment. The righteous anger transitioning into full blown hysteria and bordering on a modern day witch hunt worked well to slowly reveal the hidden darkness at the heart of the seemingly picturesque, close knit community.

What didn't work quite as well for me were the characters. The main characters often felt like teenagers rather than adults in their 20's. I would have loved to see more character development and insight into the main protagonists motivations and actions. I never felt I knew them beyond a surface level and this lessened my investment in their story.

The ending: I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it. The final showdown felt a little too drawn out and overly dramatic. I struggled to make sense of and buy into how things were wrapped up.

Overall, The Woods Are Waiting is an atmospheric suspense story full of superstition, myth, possibly haunted woods, and a dark, eerie setting that will have you paying a little extra attention the next time you're out walking and hear the crack of a branch.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a copy to read and review.

Full review with an added link to be posted closer to publication date.

I would like to thank the publisher Crooked Lane Books and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Woods Are Waiting is a haunting and suspense filled novel. I could not put this book down! I was on the edge of my seat reading this!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The beginning of the book drew me in right away, and I think if you’re a fan of rituals, forest settings, and a little bit of murder mystery, you will feel the same way. Now, I didn’t care much for the protagonist, but I loved the rest of the story and the way the author utilized nature to create an unsettling horror vibe. I'm sure I'll check out more work from this author in the future!

I read some reviews and honestly this story isn’t for everyone. It’s for people who like something dark and sinister…. I love reading about creepy towns where dark things happen in the woods! The setting is set perfectly by the author. We know that children are being killed in the woods, the character development is there, I enjoyed it!

I received the ARC for The Woods are Waiting in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this opportunity.

All in all this book was just not for me. I felt like the majority of the book was reiteration of the same thoughts and conversations. About half way through the book I knew who the big bad was. I was quite bored and really had to push myself to finish.

Great read!

This creepy thriller took me a little while to get into (I was definitely skeptical of the paranormal aspect), but once the story got going, I was hooked. The paranormal fell away, and it became a great thriller with an unexpected (but not out of the blue) twist.

I felt like the characters were well developed, and the setting was incredible. I felt like I was right in the silent woods alongside everyone.

I would read another book by this author, and enjoyed this one!

This was certainly a spine chilling tale. It engrossed me from start to finish and I couldn’t turn my eyes away from the pages. A fairytale nursery rhyme that’s dark and twisted about the woods and hickory man. You keep guessing u til the end. This is definitely a story for fans of thriller/suspense tales. I would recommend this to others and am sure many will do the same.

The town of Blue Cliff has a long history of children going missing and later being found murdered in the woods outside of town. Lore says it’s the monster known as Hickory Man come to take his payment in children’s blood. The town has its own nursery rhyme about it and many superstitions about how to avoid the Hickory Man. Cheyennes mom keeps the town safe by preserving the superstitions and making protections for everyone. After three children are killed and Cheyenne finds one of the bodies in the woods, she cannot take it and leaves town without a word to anyone. Five years pass and another child has gone missing. Cheyennes mom seems to be losing it so like the prodigal daughter, she returns to help out. She must make amends to her friends she’s left behind. Things haven’t changed in Blue Cliff and everyone is on edge. The woods are as ominous as ever and the people of the town are struggling to stop the monster in the woods.
This story with the monster and the history of kids disappearing since the beginning of the founding of the town is a bit convoluted and far-fetched to be believed. I liked the characters but there was a lot of back story hinted at but not really well fleshed out. Overall it was a chilling tale but it is not as compelling as other stories in this genre. The very ending was also a bit of a stretch and as I really dislike cliffhangers—I found it a little disappointing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Woods are Waiting by Katherine Greene
Loved everything about this book from the storyline to the description of the creepy woods that helps paint the setting in my mind. Will be looking to read more from this author for sure! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for allowing me to read this ARC and leave my opinion.

2.5 ⭐️⭐️💫 stars rounded up

In the small town of Blue Cliff, the legend of the Hickory Man is not taken lightly. They say he haunts the woods that surround the town and, every few years, children disappear and never return alive. Cheyenne grew up in Blue Cliff but got the heck out of dodge… until she is called back to care for her mother. Now another child is missing and Cheyenne is determined to figure out the truth.

I enjoyed the creepy small town atmosphere of this story. I was able to figure out whodunnit from the start which took away a lot of the suspense and surprise. It was just an okay read for me.

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

Horror? Suspense? Not quite sure, but it was very predictable. Characters seemed one dimensional. It was an okay read.

Super fun premise and excellent work at setting the creepy/eerie setting within the woods. Really enjoyable read, predictable in parts but still enjoyable. Will look out for more work from the author!