This book was both beautiful and haunting. It somehow made me feel physically claustrophobic and had me checking over my shoulder. The paranoia was palpable. It was sufficiently creepy, and I loved every minute of it.

Prepare to be utterly spellbound and delightfully unsettled by Courtney Gould's "What the Woods Took." This is not just a story; it's an atmospheric journey into the heart of a mystery that will linger in your mind long after you've turned the final page. Gould weaves a tale that's both haunting and beautiful, drawing you into a world where reality blurs and secrets lurk beneath the surface of an idyllic small town.

The narrative unfolds with a slow burn, gradually building tension and revealing layers of intrigue. The characters are complex and compelling, each with their own hidden depths and motivations. The woods themselves become a character, a living, breathing presence that holds the key to the town's darkest secrets. Gould's writing is evocative and immersive, painting vivid pictures that will transport you to the heart of the story. You'll feel the chill in the air, hear the rustling of the leaves, and sense the presence of something unseen lurking just beyond your vision.

"What the Woods Took" is a mesmerizing exploration of loss, memory, and the things we try to bury deep within ourselves. It's a story that will keep you guessing, questioning, and utterly captivated until the very end. If you're looking for a thrilling and atmospheric read that will stay with you long after you've finished, look no further. Courtney Gould has delivered a truly unforgettable experience.

Check out this teaser :

Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction―one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways―and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness―they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Devin is immediately determined to escape. She’s also determined to ignore Sheridan, the cruel-mouthed, lavender-haired bully who mocks every group exercise. But there’s something strange about these woods―inhuman faces appearing between the trees, visions of people who shouldn't be there flashing in the leaves―and when the campers wake up to find both counselors missing, therapy becomes the least of their problems. Stranded and left to fend for themselves, the teens quickly realize they’ll have to trust each other if they want to survive. But what lies in the woods may not be as dangerous as what the campers are hiding from each other―and if the monsters have their way, no one will leave the woods alive.

Atmospheric and sharp, What the Woods Took is a poignant story of transformation that explores the price of becoming someone―or something―new.

A reasonably creepy YA thriller. Troubled kids sent to wilderness camp…this will have you wondering who and what you should be more afraid of!

What the Woods Took follows a group of troubled teens during their time in a wilderness therapy program. This set-up has been popping-up quite a bit in various iterations over the past few years, but for me, this is the best I've seen it executed. I was fully-engrossed in this story.

Devin is our MC. We meet her when she is awakened one night by two strange men in her room; essentially kidnapping her into a program known as Revive. She finds herself shoved into a van and driven deep into the woods of Idaho. She meets a group of equally confused teens and it's at that point, she discovers the true depth of the unsettling situation she finds herself in.

There are two counselors/guides for the program, and the other teens include Ollie, Aidan, Hannah and Sheridan. They're told they will be hiking for 50-days. Each teen is coming from vastly different circumstances, of which we learn over the course of the story. They're each battling their own inner demons, but what they'll face in the woods will be unlike anything they've ever battled before.

I went into this one not knowing a lot about it. I've read two previous novels from Gould, and enjoyed them, but this one is definitely my favorite of her work. I was captivated from the start. It kicks off immediately and drops us into the heart of the action. I really appreciated the character work that Gould displayed here.

It wasn't just Devin that you got to know well, all of the characters were fully fleshed out. IMO, for Younger Readers, or Teens, picking this up, everyone should be able to find an aspect to this story that will resonate with them. There was a real cathartic feel about these teens experiences in the program initially. As mentioned above, they were all struggling with some serious issues, and had been acting out in their home life as a way to deal to it.

The more time they spent together, under the uncomfortable conditions, the more they began to open up to one another. There was some serious growth. Then the crazy stuff starts to happen. There's something strange in the woods and the pace really picks up after all of that starts to be exposed. I thought Gould paced this perfectly. I enjoyed how the strangeness unfolded. It felt hypnotic and darkly-enticing. I needed to know what the heck was going to happen here. How were these teens actually going to survive this?

It was eerie and intense. I was rooting for these characters, even the ones that drove me batty at first. The growth they displayed and the horrifying situation they were in, made me root for them all by the end. I would recommend this to YA Horror, or YA Survival Thriller, Readers. I feel like the character work and atmosphere are reason enough to pick it up, but if you need more, add in a convincing sapphic romance. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobook for the engaging narration.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm looking forward to whatever Gould releases next!

What the Woods Took is a gritty, creepy, intense, YA supernatural thriller. A group of teens are basically abducted from their homes, with full parental knowledge and approval, and thrown into a wilderness survival program, led by 2 camp “counselors”. When things go horribly wrong, they’re left to fend for themselves as they try to make it out of the woods.
This was an interesting read, for sure, and I quite enjoyed it. It was an edge-of-your-seat kind of ride, not knowing what would be around the next bend in the forest. These kids had to somehow survive on their own, fighting not only themselves, but whatever was out there in the woods.
I really liked all the characters and what they each brought to the story. I was so anxious for most of the book, wondering how they were all going to make it out alive. And what would happen when they did. I thought the story was really well crafted and imaginative, and the characters fully fleshed out. I enjoyed the dynamic between them all.
This ended up being a really poignant story, and while I wish a couple of things had not happened/happened differently, I found myself fully invested in the outcome, and I was not disappointed.

This book did not live up to my high hopes for it, which was too bad.

While I liked the characters, I found the ending to be unbelievable and didn't quite buy the enemies to lovers arc.

Wilderness counseling is scary enough as is, so i was not really into the big bad monster being less scary than counselors could be. I also didn't really understand the monster's lore or motivations, which could have been better developed.

It's a miss for me.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould opens with the horror of 17-year-old Devin Green being abducted from her bed in the middle of the night by men working for a rehabilitation group for troubled teens. (And, let’s just say that if the teen wasn’t troubled before the horrible abduction, they sure would be after.) Along with four other teens and two adult counselors, Devin will be expected to trek through Idaho wilderness while learning how to survive and supposedly rehab. However, things don’t go as planned (it’s a novel; of course they didn’t) and the teens find themselves attempting to survive the forest and the paranormal monsters that live there.

Courtney Gould has created an edge-of-your-seat read that combines the intensity of teenagers dealing with personal situations, such guilt from suicide, drugs, and violence, with an unknown threat in the woods that makes the teens second-guess their sanity, all the while coping with trying to survive in the great outdoors.

What the Woods Took also examines masks, metaphorical and literal. One quality that I’ve always said makes YA novels so interesting is that the story takes place in a person’s life when they are making some of the biggest changes and decisions they will ever make. Sometimes they try on masks to fit in and cope or to try a new style or possibly life. In the woods, the teens encounter monsters who also don masks in order to become someone the teens fear, love, or someone who might just persuade the individual teen to let their guard down.

While the title (What the Woods Took) takes into account life lost and certain personality traits, it does not reflect what the teens do gain when they emerge. Ironically, the outcome could suggest that a good old abduction and terrifying forest experience might instill self-confidence and tolerance in the surliest of teens as well as redirect any violent urges they might experience. But let’s not go there.

Gould did a great job of world-building and creating scary monsters, although the latter left me with quite a few questions. And, if I had one gripe, it might be that the novel wrapped up just a bit too tidily for me considering the smallness (size-wise) of the world we live in. I could certainly get behind the idea that there are real-life mimicking monsters in our world. Perhaps Gould figured her characters had endured enough already.

Regardless, What the Woods Took is multi-faceted, has satisfying depth, and enough creeps to keep the horror fan goosebumped while giving a fix to those readers requiring teenage angst.

Regarding the audiobook, Lindsey Dorcus did a great job of narrating, providing ample drama, and giving life to a diversity of characters.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy!

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould is a haunting, atmospheric thriller that blends the eerie tension of supernatural horror with the emotional depth of a coming of age story. Set in the remote Idaho wilderness, the book follows Devin Green, a troubled teen who is abducted from her foster home and sent to a wilderness therapy program alongside a group of other “at-risk” youths. What starts as a survival story quickly turns into a fight for their lives as they realize they’re not alone in the woods and the creatures watching them are much more than just a figment of their imaginations.

Gould creates an eerie atmosphere, making the forest feel like a living, breathing entity. From the moment Devin is dragged out of her bed, you’re drawn into a sense of unease that only deepens as the group navigates the woods. The supernatural elements are chilling, with mimics, creatures that can imitate people, serving as a terrifying representation of the characters’ past traumas. Gould masterfully uses these creatures to blur the lines between reality and fear, creating a pervasive sense of paranoia that keeps you engaged.

Devin, our main protagonist, is determined, resilient, and deeply scarred by her past. The dynamics between the characters are complex, especially her fraught relationship with Sheridan, a fellow camper who initially seems to embody every teenage stereotype. However, as the story unfolds, their rivalry gives way to growth, understanding, and the deep, unexpected bonds that form in life-or-death situations. The friendships and alliances that develop throughout the story are just as important as the battle against the horrors lurking in the forest, giving the novel a strong emotional core.

Occasionally, the pacing felt a little uneven, with the first half focusing more on character drama and tension between the campers but the slow build is effective in setting the stage for the horrors that come later. The conflicts between Devin and Sheridan sometimes felt a little repetitive, but it this also serves to highlight the trauma and growth of the characters as they face both external and internal monsters. Once the supernatural elements fully kick in, however, the tension never lets up, leading to a climactic and satisfying conclusion.

What the Woods Took is a slow-burn horror that builds tension expertly and balances supernatural suspense with emotional resonance. If you’re a fan of stories that mix creepy atmospheres with complex character development, this one is definitely worth picking up.

What The Woods Took is a dark tale that I enjoyed. The characters made the story real. I also loved the character development that these teens had through the book. I would recommend this to people who like a dark tale and a story about human growth.

Synopsis:
Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction—one everyone but Devin signed up for. She’s shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she’s dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways—and survive a fifty-days hike through the wilderness—they’ll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Thoughts:
This book starts off a little slow. But once it picks up, it gets more fast paced! It does give Yellowjacket vibes, but wilderness therapy edition. I enjoyed seeing the dynamics between all the characters and how they reacted to being dropped in the middle of the woods. If you’re looking for a creepy, atmospheric young adult thriller, I recommend this one!

Perfect for fans of the show Yellowjackets or the book Lord of the Flies. I loved reading about the teens in the wilderness program and seeing what issues brought them to the program. This is a scary story but also emotional. I liked the LGBT elements in this story as well.

I am not the target audience. I am not the target audience. Ok. That’s out of the way. A handful of teens are thrown together into wilderness therapy as a last resort for their bad behavior. They have 50 days to hike through this forest and figure out what they want their lives to look like after. They’re going to have to figure it out quicker than that though, because the counselors disappear and they’re not alone in the woods.

This one just wasn’t for me. That’s all. The writing is good, the characters have some depth, the plot’s not bad. I was just hoping for a little more horror. But that’s a me problem, not the book. I’ll still recommend it to my 8th graders and think it’s perfect for their age.

I tried to like this book, but honestly, it was just a little too creepy for me. The horror elements are not my thing and I don't love to be scared BUT the synopsis sounded wonderful so I gave it a go. Needless to say, I did push through because I have students who love to be terrified by books and I think that they would enjoy this one. It just wasn't for me.

It starts simple, then unravels into something bigger, deeper, and more brilliant than you expected. Whether it breaks you, lifts you, or leaves you staring at the ceiling in silence, one thing’s for sure—you won’t walk away untouched. Some books entertain; this one transforms.

3.75 stars

I grew up in an area known for these "wilderness camps" and have heard some terrible stories of things that happened, so the setting for a horror story was perfect for me. I appreciated that the plot starts right away, ripping kids from their beds and thrusting them into the care of strangers. For a while I thought the horror might just revolve on the dangers in the forest and having staff that aren't really qualified and I think that might have been scarier than the fantastical elements.

An easy story to dive into, with a nice pace and some creepy scenes.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Wilderness therapy alone is horrifying, but add in mimics? So good! This was a great YA thriller. It was creepy, atmospheric, and an easy read.

I really enjoyed this sapphic cryptid horror/thriller novel and even though it's marketed as YA I think it would work for any age. Most people have heard stories of kids that are so troubled their parents and guardians send them on wilderness hikes as a way to change their behavior and I think that made a great setting for this type of book and even thought it was a thriller it also created room for a lot of growth for all of the characters because they had to learn to work together in order to survive the monsters in the woods. The characters in this book weren't always likable. Most of them are kids from troubled backgrounds, but as they try to figure out what's happening and start working together to escape the woods you really start to root for them. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes thrillers and especially anyone that is into cryptids.

✨ The Vibes ✨
YA horror with lots of social commentary

📖 Read if…
✨ You’re watching Yellowjackets S3
✨ You want YA horror that’s not too scary
✨ Your favorite book in elementary school was Hatchet

I’ll be honest—the main reason I picked up this book was because of the comparison to Yellowjackets. The Yellowjackets comp is a good one, but unfortunately What the Woods Took didn’t manage to match the highs of that series.

I’ll start by saying I think the concept was great. What the Woods Took is very timely in its subject matter, and I always think the horror genre is at its best when it's used to explore social issues. What the Woods Took dives into topics around mental health, sexuality, and autonomy, but does so in a way that will be accessible to younger readers, while still giving older readers much to think about.

That being said, a lot of the horror elements didn’t work for me. I was expecting a decent amount of supernatural horror based on the summary, but some of the most frightening parts of the story were rooted in the real life horrors of teen programs like the one included in this book. That’s fine, but I was just expecting the story to lean a little further into the supernatural space.

What The Woods Took is out now. Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Devin wakes up in the middle of the night to men “kidnapping” her from her bedroom. They are taking her to an intensive wilderness therapy program in Idaho. Devin finds herself with a group of teens who are also there to participate in this mental health assistance program. The cast of characters is a motley crew. All Devin wants to do is escape, but how and where will she go? “She doesn’t need to be oriented to this group. She needs to find a way out.” Then, some strange occurrences begin to happen. They must now contend with more than forced therapy, but will they succeed in discovering themselves?

Although supernatural beings don’t appeal to me personally, teens love this. The issues that the teens face are relatable, This book was well written in terms of creating an atmosphere that complemented the characters and their plights. The writing is suspenseful and engaging and contains a host of multilayered characters. I also appreciated that it didn’t end up with everything tied up nice and neatly. The characters were forever changed by their experience. Well done!

“Out here, though, every hour is distinct. Every passing minute is its own world. Every type of light has its own weight, color, and heat against her eyes. She knows the velvet feeling of early evening better than she ever did back home.”

This story broke my heart. It was so well done, it hurt me.
It struck a cord in my heart and I just wanted to cry.