This book was… special?

Not in the best way possible, because even if I ended it, I still have A LOT of questions.

I’m confused and find the structures and characters odd.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the e-book, though.

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. The downfall was that I requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before the book was archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

That Night in the Woods starts off promisingly. Flawed characters. A shared mystery. I really wanted to know what happened, but it took too long to get there, and in the end, the story went off the rails for me and fell flat. I had the same issue with Gone to See the River Man, so I believe this author's style probably just isn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC of That Night in the Woods. I wish everyone the best with it!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of That Night in the Woods by Kristopher Triana in exchange for an honest review. Things are never what they seem and secrets never stay buried. This book was interesting and full of mystery. A fun read for the witching hour.

“𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲.”


Triana has been hit or miss for me, and unfortunately this one was was a miss. I was intrigued at first, but by the end I was just glad it was over. The whole- group of friends get back together as adults to relive a terrible tragedy storyline- is very overdone. Being a huge fan of IT, I actually love these storylines, but I did not find the execution of this one very well done. I found it just got sillier and sillier as the whole cult idea unfolded and it just seemed to drag out so much longer than it needed to.

On a positive note, Trianas talent is clearly apparent on these pages, and his superb writing skills shone thru even tho I didn’t enjoy the story. I will definitely be reading more of his work

A night in the woods by Kristopher Tirana is a skin crawling and uncomfortable experience. He creates an environment thats engaging and nightmarishly enchanting.

I truly didn’t expect things to go so awry. Not my favorite read of the year but not every book is for every person.

Wow. Really enjoyed this book by Kristopher Triana. First solo novel of his I have read, and it was a good one. The characters were great, and the plot/pacing also worked very well. Will definitely be reading more of his books. #ThatNightintheWoods #NetGalley

Scott Dwyer reaches out to his old friends and flame to inform them of their friend’s passing. He invites them to join him for a memorial for Steven.

When Jennifer, Mark, Corey, and Traci arrive at Scott’s house, it’s like a family reunion. It’s full of memories, stories, hugs, tears, and remembering the old times and their beloved friend.

As Scott reads Steven’s will, things start to get tense and uncomfortable. The next day, they set out to fulfill Steven’s last wishes and things take a turn. Buried trauma, feelings, and pure terror come to play.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writing horror is simple.

Writing horror beautifully, creating a seamless movie in a reader’s mind, and building an aura of wonder and terror around them is not.

That’s what makes Kristopher Triana one of my favorite authors.

The story moves so smoothly and steadily, my jaw dropped when the horrors of Suicide Forest came to play. Even amongst the gruesome and gore, the writing style stayed consistent.

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to order my signed copy!

You can expect strangeness and a very tense experience from anything written by Kristopher Triana. You never feel quite clean after reading anything by them.

As teenagers, a group of friends decided it would be fun to spend Halloween in the Suicide Woods - a wooded area behind several of their houses where local teens frequently ended their lives. The night ended with most of the teens running out of the woods for their lives - except one.

Years later, Scott, who inherited his parents house adjoining the Suicide Woods, invites all the living friends back to his house for a funeral of sorts. But things weren't quite what they seemed all those years ago, and definitely aren't what they seem now. As the friends ban together for one last trip into Suicide Woods, they will find out that evil is real.

Sounds pretty good, right?! For some reason though, this book just did not do it for me. I just dragged my way through the text. Perhaps another time it would be better? I have another book by the author on my shelves, so we shall see.

Five high school friends get together for a reunion of sorts when a fellow classmate mysteriously dies. Returning to their hometown of Redford brings back many memories of the past but not all remembrances are good. The invitation to attend the memorial soon reveals a more sinister intent that surround a local forest known as Suicide Woods.

That Night In The Woods is a full length novel where the present and the past collide with horrific consequences. There’s something hauntingly intriguing about a group of old school friends entering untouched woods all the while experiencing supernatural horrors. Twisted branches and dying leaves create the ominous trails that lead the reader throughout this bewitching landscape of Suicide Woods.

Author Kristopher Triana has consistently immersed readers into his own style of story telling. Once invested, his descriptive brand has the same effect as a scary movie or a spooky ride. These exciting adrenaline rushes cause you to feel a little more alive.

That Night In The Woods has a true crime vibe seeping from its pages like a dark and distressing nonfiction story. The atmosphere established for this book makes for an ideal playground for bloodthirsty creatures, possessed voices and ritualistic ceremonies all lying dormant and waiting for you.

This novel is an example of pure concentrated evil. Morality, empathy, compassion and mercy are redeeming qualities that don’t exist here. It’s a lesson taught by Blue Oyster Cult: the inevitability of death and the foolishness of fearing it, exists within all of us.

“Then the door was open and the wind appeared.
The candles blew and then disappeared.
The curtains flew and then he appeared.
Saying don’t be afraid.” - Blue Oyster Cult
A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

That Night in the Woods is a pretty creepy book for the most part, but it is confusing here and there, as well as being too slow paced for me to get really into. I did not find the characters to be very likable either, and no character really stood out to me over any other. Will I read more by this author in the future? This is a possibility. As for if I would recommend That Night in the Woods? Sure, it was kind of enjoyable because of the creepy aspects.

Rating:
3/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Cemetery Dance Publications for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review of my own volition.

The file format provided was unfortunately too small in font for me to comfortably read and it didn’t support font enlargement so I was unable to read this title in this file format.

This book is a mystery/thriller with different point of views from the characters and beautifully written. The timelines were also very well written.

I read this book in a day and I never looked back! The twist and the plot were pretty easy to identify but the different POV's kept me intrigued to see how everything was going to unfold. A couple of the characters were so unlikable that it made it hard to feel bad or connect with them in any way. I do wish that the ending would've given a little more, I wanted to know how the characters dealt with the aftermath.

Overall I give this 5 out 5 because it really was a great book and I will definitely read more from this Author. I enjoyed the thrill of the plot and its twists.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was pretty compelling reading. On the other hand, I can't say I particularly liked any of the characters and the end of the book got really silly in my opinion. For someone who loves horror this book had one of my favourite tropes - group of friends reuniting but hide something terrible in their pasts.

There is the standard collection of high school stereotypes - the jock, the popular girl, the trashy girl, the nerd, the cool guy and the new girl. We’re introduced to these characters in their adult years long after high school and each one is introduced when a member of their group invites them back for a memorial service after one of their group passed.

The characters come off as shallow, self centred and annoying, with hardly any redeeming qualities. Once they’re all together old scores and feelings are provoked as they start to remember what happened that fateful night. To be fair, it was pretty suspenseful waiting for the build up and there was a good atmosphere of tension and worry as the story builds.

All involving a creepy woods. It’s easy with this sort of novel to assume you know exactly where its going if you’ve watched hundreds of movies with similar plots, however, it did take a rather surprising turn. Unfortunately for me, this is where it went downhill pretty fast.

I found the whole thing rather annoying and by the time the cast started dropping like flies I was kind of hopping everyone would be killed off. It wasn’t badly written by any means and certainly had it moments. I would definitely read something by the author again but this book didn’t work for me.

This is a tale about a group of friends in their forties who come together again following the loss of a member from their teenage friend circle. It's revealed that a dark incident from their past led to them growing apart and never discussing it again.

The story starts rather slowly, with lengthy chapters that delve into the present lives of each character, which might not immediately captivate the reader. As the plot gains momentum, it uncovers the mysteries of their past, drawing the reader in. However, these engaging moments tend to be brief, as the story frequently returns to character development, sharing details about their crushes and personal insecurities, creating a sense of frustration.

The characters themselves may come across as uninteresting and draining. The type of horror explored in the book may not align with your preferences, as it differs from the extreme horror typically associated with the author's work, which you prefer.

Even though this is your favorite author, this particular book didn't meet your expectations. While some readers may appreciate this style of horror, it didn't align with your preferences.

Something to know about me: I have always found woods to be eerie/creepy - I grew up with them behind me and a grandfather who VERY much enjoyed scaring the crap out of me (it was fun, promise), so this one was bound to have me on edge. I enjoyed That Night in the Woods but something was off, almost like the pacing was too slow or I was getting lost (in the wrong way) in the story. A good spooky season read, but a tad confusing.

That Night in the Woods
Kristopher Triana
Horror | Occult Horror

🌲 Haunted Woods
🏡 Small Town
👥 Shared Past
😈 Demons

Ratings:
Overall | 🥀 🥀 🥀.5
Gore | 🩸🩸🩸🩸
Scare Factor | 👻👻👻
Darkness Level | 🖤🖤🖤

Review:
*Read as an ARC on my Kindle.*

I have yet to read a Triana book that I haven’t enjoyed and I was thrilled for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. Haunted woods is one of my favorite tropes and Triana has mastered all the atmospheric elements that makes this a spine tingling read.

There were parts that did drag for me a little bit, but as a reader I have a hard time with timelines swapping back and forth. I think that’s what made this a difficult read for me. It all comes together in the end though and I wasn’t left wondering about anything that happened early on. I won’t give too much away, but all of the monsters in this book were unnerving and terrifying in their own way. Unseen terror is one of my fears and parts of this book had the hair standing up on the back of my neck.

Overall, I liked the story and all of the characters were fully formed and interesting. By the halfway point, my reading pace picked up because I just HAD to know how it resolved. Pieces of it reminded me of Cabin in the Woods and I will never listen to “Don’t Fear the Reaper” the same way again. If you enjoy Triana and the Haunted Woods or Demons tropes, definitely pick this one up.

Mood Board:
https://pin.it/3AzgFrh

Affiliate Links:
Amazon | https://amzn.to/479X4qD
Bookshop | https://bookshop.org/a/96234/9781587679032

How I Rate:
https://readashredd.square.site/s/stories/how-i-review

A haunting and bewitching tale, This is an adult novel, full of rich detail. It reads poetic in some places, and it feels it’s ties into a YA like demonic world. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this on netgallery

“That Night in the Woods” is a gripping novel that skillfully weaves together elements of creepiness, nostalgia, and a hauntingly atmospheric woodland setting. The story revolves around five childhood friends who come together once again in their forties, prompted by the death of one of their own.

Something terrible happened in the woods when they were teens, and they’ve never spoken of it since. Others were present in the woods that night, and now they will reunite to unravel the truth. The unsettling woods create a perfect setting for the unfolding events, adding to the sense of foreboding.

Triana's portrayal perfectly captures the nostalgic experience of reconnecting with old friends. The characters are a diverse and relatable group, each with their own struggles.

I rooted for many of the characters, especially tagalong Corey with his geeky nature and affection for comics. Jennifer's searching to rediscover herself as she goes through a divorce and is called back home by her highschool sweetheart. I fervently hoped for Mark and Traci to triumph over the hardships of their upbringing. Each character's distinct narrative added diversity and enriched the story.

However, the book’s ending left me with mixed emotions. While I can appreciate the author’s intent, it left me disappointed. It’s a realistic ending, but it wasn’t exactly hopeful.

Despite this, the book remains an enjoyable read that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.