Seven high school friends decide to spend Halloween night in Suicide Woods, a creepy forest in their hometown where kids go to kill themselves. What starts as a goof turns into a nightmare, where they are chased and tormented, separated and haunted and only six come out alive, sworn to secrecy about their night.

25 years later, 4 friends return to town for a funeral. Traina does a good job of establishing the characters, their adult struggles and dysfunction and their reactions to hearing Scott say, “Steve Winters is dead.” Jenny, Traci, Corey and Mark have their own reasons for returning and Scott has a very different reason for needing them all to come back.

There were many good things about this book besides the strong character development. Nice flow and momentum and I gobbled up chapters with real anxiety and horror. Scary imagery and the whole “the trees ARE the demons” idea is just GOSH, CREEPY.

But my engagement kind of screeched to a halt when Scott heaved a long sigh and said, “Yeah, I guess I owe you guys an explanation.” Eeek. Awkward. Especially since I did not really grasp the explanation? I don’t really understand The Congregation. They are saving the world with child porn and Traci’s mom being a whore? Nahhhhh. I didn’t buy it. And then the last 5 pages were just noooooo.

So 75% 4 stars. And 25% no thank you.

Thank you Netgalley and Kristopher Triana for this ARC. It was my pleasure to read and review.

This was a 5 star read for me. The prose was descriptive and captivating and the subject matter was fantastic. It has everything I look for in a book.

I felt like I knew each of the main characters: Scott, Jenny, Mark, Corey, and Traci. TNITW bounces flawlessly between characters and timeliness, and it was easy to follow. For me, this is a HUGE PLUS, as I take my kindle everywhere, and read whenever/wherever I have downtime.

Mr Triana, I definitely want to know more about the congregation. Consider a sequel?

This is an excellent Halloween read, and I will likely reread it again in the fall.

This book about 17% of the way before interest ever happens because the first four-five chapters are spent on the characters and how they all essentially have crappy lives. It wasn’t needed and could’ve been glossed over during introductions or something.

I had a really hard time with this book and a lot of it had to do with the fact I found the book to be extremely boring. A lot of the things that happened in the book making an interesting by the time I got to that point I didn’t care about any of the characters. I just strictly wanted to finish the book in order to leave my review because I received it through NetGalley.

The only interesting part I actually kind of light, and even then it was only a few chapters out of the 47 was the ones revolving around the journal.

I didn’t like the ending and found it super unrealistic that the character would be kidnapped, told this is what’s gonna happen and you’re gonna have sex with him to a essentially sacrifice your baby, etc etc. And like she thinks it over for what seems like two seconds, and decides to give up and give in. Super unrealistic, and a very disappointing as an ending.

Overall, I didn’t really like this book because I didn’t think there was really any likable characters that I actually was rooting for. I found a lot of the boat to be very boring as there were very few chapters that actually helped me push through.

It goes from revolving around demons in the woods, which are very much a thing in the book, to involving a cult that does sacrifices.

Just because this book isn’t for me, doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. I just knew at like the 25% mark of this book I probably wasn’t going to enjoy this book but I still continue to read it because sometimes books can surprise you like that. Unfortunately, this book didn’t really hold any surprises and it wasn’t really captivating enough to keep my attention .

Thank you to the publishers, the author and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Spooky season is now officially in season and holy did this book ever deliver!!!

Horror fans, this is not one to miss. I read this is one sitting and couldn't flip the pages fast enough. The character development was amazing and the creepy vibes were creeping. This story gave off IT and Blair Witch vibes amped up.

It may be the middle of summer but curling up with this book in the nighttime made me feel like Halloween season is in full swing.

This was a knockout!

That Night in the Woods is a standalone horror thriller by author, Kristopher Triana. My only other book by this author was Gone to See the Riverman which still stays in my brain as one of the most horrifying books I’ve ever read. I’m happy to report this one is not extreme horror, and more of an ‘old-school’ horror featuring an incredibly creepy and nightmare-inducing setting. More of a spooky than gory, this one will make you want to leave the lights on. The story follows a bunch of adults returning to their home town for one hell of a reunion. I enjoyed the multiple POV and split timeline. This one was a race-to-the-finish which I couldn’t put down. I read it in one sitting. The book is well-paced and sucks you in from the beginning. The wood scenes were heart-pounding and atmospheric and make you want to keep reading to find out just what happened that night in the woods. I’d highly recommend this fun-to-read horror novel. Thank you to Cemetery Dance Publications for a copy of the book to review.

That Night in the Woods delves into complicated friendships, corrupt pasts, devilish vibes, and the most atmospheric woods ever written! It’s like It meets Midsommar! It begins innocent enough, with the past reaching out to several adults who shared a sordid night of confusing mayhem in their teenage years. As they reunite after a death, they learn more about what happened in the past while dread is literally building among them pushing them toward the woods they haven’t entered since…..loved the chilling vibe throughout, the not quite knowing who to trust, and the ending which literally seemed appropriate for this story though others might disagree. Loved, loved, loved it!

When Jennifer reconnects with her first love after twenty years, she reluctantly returns to her hometown, where dark secrets and a tragic death await. Old ghosts resurface as Jennifer and her friends confront their haunting past in Suicide Woods.

"That Night in the Woods" delivers nonstop thrills from beginning to end with relentless suspense and engaging set of characters.
The connection to the characters is palpable, with my one standout being Corey, who steals my heart as an absolute personal favorite amongst the group. Each character is very distinguishable and adds depth to the story, drawing readers deeper into their harrowing journey.

The horror elements set in the woods are executed with precision, just as chilling atmosphere is maintained throughout the book, immersing you in a world where fear lurks behind every tree and shadow. The author's skill in creating an eerie ambiance is exceptional, to the point where you could actually hear the haunting notes of "Don't Fear the Reaper" playing as the perfect soundtrack to heighten the sense of dread.

Divided into parts and skillfully utilizing different tropes, the story keeps you captivated throughout. The writing itself is immersive, showcasing the author's talent for crafting evocative and memorable prose.

While the final stretch of the book may have lacked a bit of its initial punch and the plot's direction became somewhat predictable, it still doesn't diminish the overall enjoyment I had with it. It will make a perfectly spooky October/ Halloween read and it gets a very strong 4 from me, as I didn't love it quite as much as author's previous two books I read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It meets The Ritual. I loved the first 70% or so of this book. Loved it. We're talking five stars, the scariest-book-I've-read-in-a-long-time sort of love. And then the ending happened. I'm beginning to think that I just expect too much of horror novel endings because this always happens. One minute I'm chugging along, completely into whatever I'm reading, and then the next thing I know Fonzie's on some water skis and jumping over a shark. (Does this reference date me? Well it shouldn't because I wasn't even born when that episode first aired, so there.) And then there was the very, very end, like the last couple of pages, that made me jump up and yell “$%#& this book!” as I finished it. I can't give any specifics without majorly spoiling things, but let's just say that this book … changes its direction a couple of times, and they were rather disappointing changes as far as I'm concerned.

But, anyway, let's pretend that the last 30% of this book never happened because it was AMAZING up until then. As I've already mentioned, this book is very much a combination of It (a group of childhood friends reunite as adults to relive a supernaturally-fueled, decades-old trauma) and The Ritual (scary things happen while in the woods, along with other stuff that I can't mention because it'd be a spoiler and also because it's part of the ending that we're pretending didn't happen). The entire novel - even the bits that I didn't enjoy as much - was atmospheric and wonderfully scary and suspenseful. The flashbacks to Halloween 1995 were particularly frightening, so much that my greyhound chuffing loudly in her sleep at 2 a.m. (while I was up far too late reading this book) about made me jump out of my skin. And, having been a high schooler at the same time as the main characters, I appreciated the nostalgia factor. I basically couldn't stop turning the pages and managed to finish the entire novel in under twenty-four hours.

Oh, and did anyone else picture Mark as a Bam Margera look-alike? No? Just me? Okay then.

So, yeah. I can't quite bring myself to give this book five stars because of The Ending Which Shall Not Be Named, but it was still an immensely enjoyable read despite its flaws. 3.99 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Cemetery Dance Publications for providing me with a copy of this book to review!

This book is The Blair Witch Project on steroids!

Trigger warnings- suicide, body gore, abuse, self-harm.

This book was a winner from the beginning. The author, Kristopher Triana, slashes the reader with blood-chilling suspense that encompasses every page.

As teenagers, good friends Scott, Jennifer, Traci, Corey, Mark, and Steven enter the infamous Suicide Woods on Halloween night. Nothing was the same after that. They push aside the terrors of what happened that night and continue on with their lives, far away from home. When one of their friends winds up dead 25 years later, they all feel obligated to return to a haunted past to memorialize one of their best friends. But what’s forgotten comes to light as these old friends reconnect and wind up in the Suicide Woods once again.

There are a lot of similarities to The Blair Witch Project, but this book took it to another level. Brutal slayings, demons, ghosts, and human enemies all combine and pack a huge punch. So if the supernatural isn’t for you, skip this book. But if you like a little bit of the unknown mixed with the well known troubles of human relationships and psyche, then please give this a read.

This was a great 4 stars for me! Not the mind blowing, book hangover type of read, but a great slasher that’ll give you nightmares.

A great thank you goes out to Kristopher Triana, Cemetery Dance Publications, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another book about a group of childhood friends coming together to deal with something that had happened but they are older now. I've read so many of these that its just a little over done at this point.

That Night In The Woods follows five middle-age friends, who reunite in their hometown after the sixth person from their childhood friend group’s untimely death. During their childhood, the group experienced a hellish night in the woods that left them all scarred in some way. As the gang spends more time together, things start to get weird.

I definitely enjoyed this book, and read it in one sitting. The pacing of the book is great, being told mostly in the present, but with plenty of flashbacks to that night in the woods mixed in to heighten the feeling of suspense. Even after going through that night in the woods, Triana continues to up the ante and does not let that feeling of suspense die down in the slightest. This book also brings plenty of gore along with its intensity. The characters were also well written- I found myself going from not caring about them to really liking them as the story progressed.

I did find some elements of That Night In The Woods to be a bit predictable- mostly because it felt like there were clues pointing to the outcome in the story. That’s my only small gripe with this book, but I don’t think it’s anything that makes the other parts of the story less shocking.

That Night In The Woods comes out October 6th 2023, and I think it would make a great Halloween-time read!

Real page turner!!! It was creepy, it was gripping, and so so dark. Loved the dark wood atmosphere and the plot twist was mind blowing.
Will be looking at other books from the same writer for sure.
Thank you netgalley!

As a fan of horror, gore and all things dark I absolutely enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The storyline was creepy, graphic and highly disturbing. I love the creepy woods setting and I though it's a something that's been used many times in both books and movies when done right it is guaranteed to blow your mind. This book did that just that. There was never a dull moment and the author managed to keep me invested, intrigued and captivated all throughout the book. There was just enough romance to balance the horror out without taking away from the plot and what was promised in the blurb. The characters were memorable and didn't get lost to the storyline. It was very easy to keep track and remember who was who and what their backstory was, something that isn't always easy with multiple POVs. Last but not least that plot twist really blew my mind I did not see it coming at all. I love when I cannot guess the outcome of a book and it leaves me with my mouth on the floor.
Overall this book was a real page turner and I devoured it in one day. It will make for a fantastic halloween read when the spooky season comes around.

The premise was super fun and the storyline had the spooky elements I was looking for. However, the characters felt a little bland for me personally and I couldn't connect with them.

This was the first book by this author that I’ve read. I’ve now added a few more books of his on my TBR since I really enjoyed this one.

Five middle-aged former friends meet back in their hometown for a reunion/memorial of sorts. They’ve all cut ties with each other after something horrific happened in the local woods when they were teens. What happened back then, and why are they together again now?

I thought the pacing in this book was great. The flashbacks to the teen years kept me reading page after page to find out what the heck happened. The woods scenes were really creepy. Very atmospheric. The characters were nicely fleshed out, and believable.

A huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me an ARC. I give honest ratings and reviews regardless of how I got the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an Advance Review Copy of this book.

Beautiful descriptions of autumn in the northeast. Author excellent at putting feeling and experiences you wouldn’t otherwise say out loud into words. Good pacing, I enjoyed the flashbacks, initially sucks you right into a juicy story. Enjoyed the different characters and the stories they tell 25 years later. This will be a fantastic October Read, or a read anytime you miss the cool breeze of autumn. Downright gory. The story read itself. Well done!

“We dress up like monsters to trick the real monsters”

“It was their only chance to escape Hell. Perhaps they’d been living there all this time.”