The Woods All Black has gothic vibes and an immersive historical setup. Although the overall pacing is good it would've been nice to get more horror throughout, mixing more with the religious fundamentalism.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This book is not for everyone. But it is for some very specific people who will cherish it.

The book is graphic, both sexually and with regards to violence. It is a dark, dark novella. It begins slowly, but when it picks up, it REALLY picks up, and I didn’t want to put it down.

Leslie is a trans man serving in the Frontier Nursing Service in rural Appalachia in 1929. When he is assigned a post in a small, religiously zealous town, he struggles not only achieve the medical ends he wants to achieve to help the people of Spar Creek, but also to find ways to help Stevie, a young man with whom Leslie thinks he may have much in common. As trouble between Leslie and the town grows, so does the sense that something supernatural is afoot.

If you you can stomach the intensity, this book has much to say about belonging, revenge, and religious zealotry.

Lee Mandelo is a stellar voice in the queer horror genre, if not my current writer operating in that space right now. This novella was amazing.

Content Warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, Rape, Death in Childbirth, Conservative Religion, PTSD

For sex repulsed, there are two explicit sex scenes, both of which are well telegraphed and skippable.

This book follows Les, a frontier nurse invited to a town and then immediately shunned and shamed upon his arrival. Les is also an invert and gender ambiguous, though clearly assigned female at birth and preferring masculine dress and pronouns, but that alone doesn’t account for the town’s ostracization. As Les struggles to give out life saving vaccines and administer women’s care, he must help inhabitants like Stevie, a trans man trying to escape an arranged marriage, and navigate the social dangers and those of the woods, where a creature lurks.

For me, I found the horror needed more time to steep and spread. Events happened too quickly for me to develop much of a sense of dread, and the more effectively spooky elements (like the creature in the woods) weren’t showcased as much as the social horror elements. Overall, though, it was a satisfying read with a cathartic ending.

This book also had an excellent bibliography so that those interested in the Frontier Nurse Service and/or queer literature of the time can research further, which I appreciated.

This is my first Lee Mandelo story and I don't think it'll be my last, but this sure was interesting.

The story begins with our protagonist nurse Leslie traveling to a remote Appalachian town to help out with vaccines and childbirth. It's made apparent quickly and subtly that Leslie is a transman just trying to go about their life. Which ends up being difficult in this small town after living in the city where it sounds like they weren't often misgendered. While most of the townspeople are busy being ignorant bigots Leslie starts to noticing unsettling things at night, especially outside their cabin and in the woods. This all comes to a climax with Stevie, another transman who was born and raised in the town, finally having enough of everyone's bullshit.

Thus comes in the horror element. I won't say any more so as not to spoil anything but I wish the horror and tension had started much earlier. This might be my own issue where sometimes shorter stories just don't go in depth enough for me. I always end up wanting more.

The pacing, even for a short story, was frustrating in that it started off very slow and picked up break neck speed at the very end. That, along with the surprise monster lovin', kind of took me out of it. With that said, I'm off to look at the other books from this author.

The Woods All Black was a really creepy yet awesome read! I liked that it was short but packed a lot of action into it.

This book, though short, was packed full of tension and horror. Some of my favorite horror tropes are “There’s something in the forest” and “Small town religious trauma” and The Woods All Black had these in droves.
The story follows trans nurse Leslie Bruin as he heads to his next assignment with the Frontier Nursing Service. In the 1920s in Appalachia, Spar Creek is as far off the beaten track as you can get, and Leslie’s welcome is less than warm. As he navigates the tension of the highly religious locals (who shame him for being a working, unmarried woman in addition to being an outsider) and the feeling of something being not quite right, he discovers a secret about one of the townsfolk that could be life or death for both of them.
I’ve already recommended this book to several friends and shoppers, and I am eagerly awaiting Lee Mandelo’s next release.

I really enjoyed this book! I have enjoyed all of this author’s books. I would love to see this book adapted to film and would love to read more but it’s like this one.

Note: This is a review of the finished copy (obtained via a public library).

The Woods All Black, a historical horror novella about revenge and bodily autonomy, tells a riveting story about a trans man navigating an environment that disapproves of his appearance and demeanor. Set in Appalachia during the late 1920s, Lee Mandelo’s novella fantastically blends the supernatural with the irrational fear of queer people corrupting society.

Leslie Bruin, working for the Frontier Nursing Service, is assigned to the rural town of Spar Creek. Although his work involves ensuring safe childbirths and vaccinating the residents, the people of Spar Creek, particularly Pastor Halliday, treat him with suspicion. Leslie’s masculine wear marks him as a “mannish woman,” his unmarried status making him unsuitable for midwifery.
During his mandated stay at Spar Creek, Leslie finds out about Stevie, an assumed tomboy that Pastor Halliday insists should be fixed. Stevie, a trans man like Leslie, rebels against his mother and the church, running away into the seemingly ominous woods. When the town threatens and persecutes Leslie for his “degenerate nature” and potential for corruption, he searches for Stevie in the woods and discovers the hope of fleeing not only the town’s ignorance but also the church’s theft of bodily autonomy.

One thing about this novella that has stayed with me after the last page is the setting. The author does an excellent job of making the woods its own character, implementing vivid imagery and suspense. During scenes where Leslie watches or explores the forest, the descriptions depict feelings of dread and peculiarity. The attention to detail complements the significance of the story’s setting.

Another highlight of The Woods All Black is the eventual romantic relationship between Leslie and Stevie. The two are trans men fighting their way through a society that doesn’t understand them. The dynamics and erotic details add to the theme of bodily autonomy. Leslie and Stevie both want out of the cultural and social restraints of Spar Creek.

The Woods All Black is a remarkable narrative that expertly holds its breath until reaching its peak.

This was lovely. A lush, dark exploration of queerness, gender identity, and reproductive politics in the early 20th century that also gets what’s sexy about monsterfucking exactly right.

Okay, I’m going to get this right out of the way. I had no idea that this was on the spicier side. A little under 200 pages and there are a couple sex scenes that totally caught me by surprise. I’m no prude but I thought this was going to be more of a horror/period piece about a trans main character finding himself in a hostile Appalachian town. And it is. But there are definitely elements I didn’t see coming, which kind of took me out of the main narrative. It was also a little bit slow for such a short page count. In the end it wasn’t for me because it edges into a genre I don’t really enjoy. But it’s incredibly atmospheric and a narrative propelled by a trans protagonist in this era is really compelling. I would totally read more from this author, though!

My review is posted on my Instagram @boozehoundbookclub

DNF

I was hoping for a dark and atmospheric read, and unfortunately, I got something else entirely. I had to DNF when I learned it would become monster porn because that's not for me, and that's not what was advertised.

Thanks to NG and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a wild little book. I need more stories like this. I enjoyed the time period, the theme, the constant state of tension. The only downside was that it wasn’t longer.

This is a tale of small town Appalachia horror set in the 1920s, as a stranger comes to town and threatens the status quo. The oppression is palpable and the looming menace made this a quick read as I didn't want to put it down, I needed to know the protagonist got out safely. I'm not usually much of a horror reader but this is my kind of horror - very scary but with echoing themes and a satisfying ending. This is a story about bodily autonomy, from gender to reproduction to revenge but it never feels like a lesson, just a story of people trying to survive as themselves in hostile territory. A good, tense, read.

do you want a deeply researched, tightly plotted, gorgeously written novella that’s part historical horror and part t4t monster romance? luckily for you, it now exists; if this description intrigues you, you will probably love THE WOODS ALL BLACK by Lee Mandelo!

I have loved Mandelo’s previous work, and this was no exception! it delivered on everything I hoped for: all the gorgeous atmosphere, exploration of queerness, and creeping horror. the historical setting was immersive and obviously backed up by a great deal of research and attention; the sense of foreboding and suspense was perfect; and the characters were wonderfully developed, even in the short space afforded by the format.

my only critique is that I think the novella form limited this story a little bit; there was a LOT jammed into the book, and I sometimes felt like parts of the plot seemed a little rushed, like they would have been even better to read if they’d had more space to fully blossom. (in other words, I think it very easily could have been a full novel, and it might have been an even better story for it.)

THE WOODS ALL BLACK is out now, and I highly recommend picking it up for a fast and compelling read for Pride Month (or any other time of the year)! Thank you so much to Tor and Netgalley for the ARC!

I was not able to review The Woods All Black by the publishing date but now that I’ve read it I gave it 5 stars

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.