THOUGHTS

The start to this book was, to put it lightly, terrible. It didn't make any sense, except on a surface level. I was asked to suspend a lot of disbelief, and in a strictly realist novel, I was absolutely not able to. But once we get to the woods, once the monsters start creeping through the shadows, Courtney Gould hit her stride. That's what Gould does best, and it shows clearly here. As soon as monsters were involved, this book took a sharp turn into something much better than the beginning promised, and overall, I think this is Gould's best book to date.


PROS
Tense Dynamic: This group of trouble teens are full of conflicting personalities. And as abrasive as Devin is, she is also absolutely in the right here. An annoying character like Sheridan isn't a good companion at the best of times, and somebody who can't be serious under pressure? No, thanks. That interpersonal conflict only ups the stakes here.

Truly Monstrous: There's no beating around the bush with these monsters. They're grotesque. They're deadly. They're haunting. They're psychologically horrific, and they're hideous amalgamations of eldritch fears and horrors. They pull on something primal, something uncanny. They're the type of monsters to give nightmares.

Trust-Building: You know what I really appreciate? Smart characters. Sure, these characters get under each other's skin, but they also have to rely on each other. And they know that. And they also know that nothing in this wood can be trusted. They're not fools. They can see the red flags as clear as the readers, and I appreciate the wary way they approach getting out of these monstrous clutches. And if that means backing someone into a corner and forcing them to show their true colors, so be it. They've got suspicions, and they take those suspicions seriously--which makes the impossibility of their situation all the more stark. They're not making stupid decisions, and yet they're getting into deeper trouble with each step they take.


CONS
Impossible: I said it above, and I'll say it here. The beginning of this book? It makes no sense. Oh, I know that "wilderness therapy," awful as it may be, is a real thing. It's part of the troubled teen industry that's really just starting to come to light. But the thing about the troubled teen industry is that these "services" cost a lot of money. A foster kid isn't ending up in wilderness therapy. The state isn't footing the bill for that, especially when there isn't a wilderness therapy out there that's state certified. There is so much red tape around a foster kid's life that the idea the foster parents could hire a wilderness therapy group to take care of an almost-18-year-old foster kid for a few months is absolutely absurd.

Therapy Heavy: Practical concerns aside (like the fact that there's no reasonable way for Devin to end up here), the beginning chapters are also "therapy" heavy. I've put "therapy" in quotes because that's not ultimately what it is, which would make sense since those running wilderness therapy aren't likely to be certified in anything. (Though I do think Gould meant for it to at least be somewhat sound advice from the counselors, in which case it fell quite flat). This section really drags, perhaps because I wasn't buying into the concept. But it really is to the detriment of the book, if only because it takes that much longer to get to the actual monsters at hand.

Practical Concerns: Practical concerns back in the picture, these kids aren't carrying food with them. They're hardly carrying anything (which makes sense, as they haven't trained for a trek like this). And sure, it's explained that food drops have been left for the group as they trek along, but my question is, how? Like, how did they manage to leave food in a monster-infested wilderness? They had to enter the monster woods to leave it in the first place, and there obviously were food drops in the infested forest. Who put the food there, and how did that person get back out of the forest to lead the wilderness therapy? I just don't understand why the monsters let that person go. Also, even if practically nothing to carry on their backs, these kids would have some serious blisters. They'd be in some serious pain from hiking like this without conditioning, and that's not really mentioned at all. Which irked me. It's another case of the practical concerns with the scenario not being taken into consideration. Even if the monsters are the point, the story really should make sense leading up to the monsters. And this story just doesn't.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Those who enjoyed Jen Ferguson's A Constellation of Minor Bears will like this new wilderness trek... with a monstrous twist. Those who thought the monsters in Sarah Beth Durst's The Lake House were bad will like this forest infested with terrible eldritch horrors.

What the Woods Took is a fast-paced thriller/horror for fans of survivalist stories. The story revolves around a group of troubled teens who while out in the woods start experiencing strange things. The counselors who were with them suddenly disappear and the woods around them become a haven for their darkest nightmares to come alive in.

Heart-pounding suspense will keep you reading, wondering if the teens are going to make it out of the woods and what sacrifices will they have to make in order to survive.

Courtney Gould delivers a great YA horror with just the right amount of suspense and scare.

What the Woods Took follows five troubled teenagers in a wilderness therapy program. Devin has hopped from foster home to foster home, but she’s almost eighteen. Before she can age out though, her concerned foster parents sign her up for wilderness therapy. Along with four other teenagers and two counselors, they venture into the Idaho woods to grow and become better versions of themselves. Except, the woods hold more than they seem. When inhuman faces appear between the branches and trunks, and the counselors go missing, the teens have to survive and figure out what’s really going on or no one will make it out of the woods alive.

This was a really great read. The atmosphere was stunning and the setting was perfect. I adore forest settings and the fact that they were so isolated and abandoned was so fun. I loved the survival element and the monster twist was so good. It’s such a unique concept but absolutely terrifying! This is the perfect spooky read if you love a supernatural/paranormal twist to your survival thrillers.

The characters were all pretty great. They were all very nuanced and had so much depth to them as well as being so distinct. I really thought the author did a great job at creating these troubled teens and having their growth arc be really realistic. Devin and Ollie are great main characters and both so strong in different ways. Their personalities juxtapose each other really well. Hannah and Aiden were really sweet though Aiden annoyed me at times. Sheridan was a piece of work in the beginning but learning why she was so mean was done really well and by the end, all of them were so well-rounded and I wanted them all to survive.

Overall, if you’re looking for an isolated, survival thriller set in the woods with a creepy monsters and troubled teens who go through great growth, this is the perfect book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly can't think of even a single bad thing about this book. The writing, plot, characters, pacing, relationships, just everything, is so perfect. The writing is so accessible and well-done. It paints such a clear picture of the characters and the settings that it was so easy for me to picture in my mind what was happening. It was such a good idea to force these characters to be in the woods for a "wellness" retreat to try to fix "behavioral" issues. It created such an impactful and natural parallel to them having to come together to survive. While this book may not be scary enough for some readers, I think it was a perfect balance of horror and reality. In fact, I think if it was too scary, it would have overshadowed the personal journeys these characters had to go on, which is definitely the more important aspect of this book. It was also so great to see such a realistic depiction of teenagers and their relationships with one another. They didn't immediately know how to survive, they made mistakes, they had immature moments, and even when they fought, they knew they needed to stick together in order to survive.
Overall, this was a very exciting and emotional read that had me hooked from the start.

THANK YOU TO WEDNESDAY BOOKS AND NETGALLEY FOR AN E-ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR MY REVIEW!!

Honestly, this book took me 3 days to finish because I didn’t WANT it to end. I wanted to stay with the characters. I wanted them to heal in between the dangers, to see them open their broken hearts and bare their souls to each other. What The Woods Took is literally just that good.

Five teens are dumped into the Idaho Wilderness for the REVIVE Program, a new therapy program for troubled kids. They’re told that they’ll be out there for fifty days. That’s doable, right? Camping and hiking under the stars, unplugged from society and their demons alike. Until things take a turn for the worse. When their counselors disappear, Devin, Ollie, Hannah, Aidan, and Sheridan are left alone with their dwindling supplies and the monsters that lurk in the woods.

Forced to confront their demons literally and physically, they must work together to go home. This book was raw. It sent absolute shivers down my spine. What The Woods Took releases December 9th, so keep an eye out for it on the shelves!

review is posted on the goodreads connected to my Netgalley as well as my instagram, however I cannot retrieve my goodreads link from mobile ^^

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould was not the normal type of book that I pick up, but I was drawn to the synopsis and cover. I went into this read thinking that it was going to be a queer YA storyline involving a wilderness camp experience (and likely a conversion therapy type trap) but I was so wrong! This book blew my mind in the best way and had me staying up late at night to keep reading because I just couldn't put it down. I didn't even mind the 3rd person POV, which is normally a deal breaker for me.

Each of the main characters in What the Woods Took had so much depth and complexity. They all shared the commonality of past traumas and mistakes, now labeled as troubled teens. Adolescents that were out of control and who's guardians thought they'd be scared straight by being thrown into a survialist type endeavor.

The start of the book was a little slow and I struggled to get through the first few chapters, mostly due to the fact that it involved a lot of backstory for each of the main characters and the setup for the wilderness camp experience. Once the teens were thrown into the woods and had to start learning to work together, problem solve and address their behavioral issues, the speed of the story picked up. I never really cared for the two adult guides that were the teens' caretakers and felt their characters were purposefully not detailed, making them almost irrelevant to the overall story.

Gould did an incredible job of slowly creating doubt and suspicion within the relationships of the characters and the environment they were surrounded by. A little unease here, a little noise there. Nothing obvious but just enough to get the hairs on the back of your neck on end. The slow burn of the thriller aspect of the plot was what I loved most about this book. You just couldn't put it down until you knew what was happening and got answers!

The mythical component was so unique and eery. The more the characters discovered about their surroundings, the more worried I became for each of them and their survival. This book put your emotions through the ringer over and over. Not only were they dealing with personal trauma, they were fighting for their lives due to a circumstances completely out of their hands. Their trust was constantly tested, for one another and for their own thoughts.

I was left slightly unfullfilled at the end of the book. I was grappling for more answers and wished the author would have given a little more explantion / closure given the severity of what the teens experienced. The ending did have its positives, seeing some of the characters fight for what they wanted out of life and going after it. The growth and character development was stellar. It was like night and day from the beginning of the book to the end.

Super tense, exciting, page-turning read.

What the Woods Took is a dual-POV YA horror centering on Devin and Ollie, two teens from Portland who were essentially kidnapped with their parent’s/guardian’s permission in the middle of the night and forced to participate on a 50 day hike through the woods as part of a wilderness therapy program. It’s an isolated setting with just them and three other teens dealing with their own troubles, plus the two adult guides. One day, the adults disappear, and the group of teens have to find their way out of the woods. But monsters stalk them and force them to confront their dark and traumatic secrets.

The book starts with an author’s note that lists content warnings, so be sure to check those, plus a brief background and the controversy surrounding these wilderness therapies, which I appreciated. The book does deal with sensitive subject matter (like the entire premise basically is), but to me, it felt like it was carefully handled without glorifying or excusing anything. Everything was nuanced and had more layers below the surface, so I really enjoyed that.

I feel like the best parts were the constant tension and characters. The setting never changed but there were constantly new scenes that brought new conflict or danger, and it really kept me reading. The characters all started off with heavy, complicated backgrounds, but they each dealt with it in different ways and I could really see how they formed even with the brief explanations. No one was really as they initially presented, and I really loved that. There’s also a bit of romance, and even though it wasn’t the focus I felt like it was maybe one of the more successful enemies-to-lovers. The monsters themselves were a bit of a mystery, but they felt like an allegory for the characters’ pasts and moving forward from them, so I really liked how the horror elements blended with the mental health aspects as well.

Highly recommend! A great YA horror!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Courtney Gould has written another perfect YA horror. This was so good--flawed and believable characters who feel like real teens, a fight for survival in the Idaho woods, sapphic hate-to-love, and a story that doesn't shy away from tough subjects and mental health while treating it gracefully and with compassion. Can't recommend this highly enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Courtney Gould is a master and this book is no exception. The "troubled teen" industry is such an important topic and I love that Gould has interwoven a call to action on this into her newest horror novel. The characters are so important and compelling and we instantly feel for these people. I'd love to see this book prominently displayed and advertised in bookstores, libraries, etc.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Courtney Gould’s “What the Woods Took” is a haunting and visceral novel that masterfully blends elements of horror and psychological drama. This book is a gripping exploration of trauma, survival, and the dark secrets that lurk within both the human psyche and the natural world.

The story follows 17 year-old Devin Green, who is forcibly enrolled in a wilderness therapy program after being abducted from her home in Portland, Oregon. Along with four other troubled teens, Devin is thrust into the unforgiving Idaho backcountry, where they are expected to confront their personal demons and learn to establish healthy routines. 

Gould excels at creating deeply flawed and relatable characters. Devin is a compelling protagonist whose journey from defiance to resilience is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The other teens in the group each bring their own unique struggles and personalities to the story, adding depth and complexity to the narrative. 

Gould’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, perfectly capturing the eerie beauty of the wilderness and the creeping dread that permeates the story. Her prose is sharp and unflinching, delving into the raw emotions and psychological turmoil of her characters. 

“What the Woods Took” explores themes of trauma, identity, and the struggle for survival. The novel delves into the psychological impact of past traumas and the ways in which individuals cope with their inner demons. Gould’s nuanced portrayal of these themes adds a layer of depth to the story, making it more than just a horror novel. 

“What the Woods Took: A Novel” is a chilling and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Courtney Gould has crafted a story that is both terrifying and deeply moving, with richly drawn characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Whether you’re a fan of horror, psychological thrillers, or simply enjoy a well-told story, this novel is a must-read.

What The Woods Took by Courtney Gould, from the time Devon Green is taken and arrives at the experimental wilderness therapy camp she’s trying to find a way to leave but being stuck in the woods with two counselors and four other campers miles and miles away from civilization isn’t a prime time to set out on her own. By the time the opportunity for Devon to flee presents itself she’s already built a friendship and knows the other campers are depending on her. By the time they realize there’s something else in the woods with them it may already be too late. This was a great loss in the wilderness story because it had paranormal aspects to it but not gonna lie I got so sick of Devon and Sheridan‘s heart to hearts, arguments and awkward conversations. That alone with the fact only Aiden had a good parent were the only two things that annoyed me. I really enjoyed everything else about the book especially the mimics but I didn’t understand why am so much trouble happened due to the river why would they move next to one end or have an impromptu picnic in the woods but you have to read the book to find out what I mean. I still recommend this book it is a great lost in wilderness story I wish we would’ve known more about the mimics but still and all definitely recommend it. #NetGalley, #CourtneyGould, #WhatTheWoodsTook,

This is a great young adult read! Lots of atmosphere, you can really feel what these woods would have felt like. This tells the story of a group of teens sent away to a wilderness camp. But it takes a horrific turn and they must come together to fight the demons, both outside and within. I loved the friendship dynamics, especially with Devin and Sheridan. It was fun to watch their transformation and friendship unfold. Highly recommend.

What the Woods Took was both an exciting survival adventure story and an exploration of trauma and relationships (both platonic and romantic). The story hooked me right away but did slow down briefly for a couple chapters that concentrated on character development. After that, it was face paced until the end. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I loved the direction this book went with the horror/thriller aspect. It seemed very fitting for the internal storylines. Overall a solid read for both young adults and older readers. I’m a big fan of authors who can make me change my mind about a character I dislike or who annoys me at the start of a book, and I thought multiple character arcs did this well.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

Just finished What the Woods Took, from Courtney Gould, and if you’re looking for ‘creepy’, you need look no further. Having read The Dead and the Dark, I knew already that Gould had a knack for spooky stories, so I had high hopes for What the Woods Took, and it did not disappoint.
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*Warning: Minor spoilers* - The plot centers on a group of teenagers who have been forcibly enrolled in a wilderness “therapy” program. The reader discovers what crimes these kids are guilty of as the story progresses, and while they could clearly do with intervention of some kind, one gets the sense that what they really need is parents who give a damn. But I digress….
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It quickly becomes clear that the camp “counselors” are the kumbaya sort who, while capable enough for a hike through well-charted woods, are unqualified to deal with “troubled” teens, and the reader quickly develops a disdain for them. At least, this reader did. But Gould manages to remove them in a way that works well with the plot and makes their reappearance later plausible. I don’t want to ruin the story, but as one would expect the events that follow succeed in testing our young “delinquents”, though certainly not in the ways their parents/guardians/counselors expected (one would hope), and by the end of the book the survivors have not only matured and become stronger, they have bonded together.
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In some ways the book is formulaic and predictable, but that isn’t automatically a drawback. Most books are. What the Woods Took is a different twist on a familiar theme, and the author takes the opportunity to bring awareness to a social issue that needs addressing, which is no bad thing. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I give it 4.2⭐️. My rating would be higher but for the fact there were several lose strings left dangling, and while it’s rarely possible to wrap everything up in a neat little package there were a few too many holes for my liking.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!

What The Woods Took is a book that I was very much looking forward to, and I’m happy to say it definitely lived up to the hype I had for it! I think this premise is incredibly solid, and the characters are excellently crafted and were what really drew me into the story. The atmosphere of this book is also very well done, delivering on the creepy/scary setting and vibes I was hoping for. In particular, the development both intra- and interpersonally within our main cast of characters was great, and I think the main highlight of this book.

I did find myself wishing that this book had leaned more into the horror elements and atmosphere. Because this book is YA rather than adult, I think that what we got is suitable for the target audience but I still found myself wishing for more on that front. These kids’ situation is an incredibly horrifying one and I had hoped that would be leaned into a bit more than it was. While I had a great time with this book, it felt like there was something missing. Whether it’s that the horror is a bit more shallow than I’d expected, that I didn’t quite connect emotional with all the characters as deeply as I think I was supposed to, or something else I don’t know. But I did leave feeling a tad bit unsatisfied just because I found myself wanting more.

Overall, this book was still very very good with great development of these characters and excellent setting/plot. I think bringing more light to these types of wilderness rehab programs is also incredibly important, as their awful history has been coming to light in the public consciousness in recent years. Have the real life kids who were subjected to these programs forced to fight shape shifting monsters? Probably not, but they still face such horrifying experiences and it’s necessary to understand what those kids go through.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc of this book! I really enjoyed the spooky atmosphere that this book creates. I was on edge while reading, and I was so curious about what the monsters would end up being. My only qualm with this was how fast the romantic relationships moved- it kind of seemed out of the blue. The creepiness level was perfect for teens though!

Thank you so much to net galley for sending this one my way. This one was a spooky wild ride. Was kind of a slow burn but worth it. Love anything told from multiple POVs. If you like spooky summer camp vibes this one’s for you. 4⭐️

I was hooked by chapter 3. It's just so creepy!

Rating: 4.25 ⭐️

"She knows she's a problem the way she knows her hair is brown and the sky is blue. She knows that she's a problem, but for once in her life, she wants to be her own problem."

What the Woods Took follows Devin as she is taken from her bed in the middle of the night to go to a wilderness therapy program. She and four other "troubled teens" are dropped off in the Idaho woods with two counselors set on changing their destructive ways. However, everything is not as it seems as they slowly become aware of inhuman faces peering out at them from between the trees...

I wish this book came out this month, because it's the perfect spooky season read! 🎃

What The Woods Took is very uncanny valley. And I loved it. For me, nothing scares me or creeps me out more than something that almost looks human. And an inhuman SMILE? I never recover from that.

One aspect I didn't like for a majority of the book, however, was Sheridan, one of the other "troubled teens." I could not stand her. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I will say I begrudgingly grew to tolerate her and that the characters' arcs and interactions with one another are never anything less than complex.

Overall, I very much recommend this book if you're in the mood for something spooky. Keep an eye out for when it releases December 10th!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me early access to What The Woods Took in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I received a digital copy and so wish I had received a physical one now that I’ve finished it.

I devoured this. I started this at 1am and that was a mistake of colossal proportions. I just finished it and it’s about 5:30am.

Now, I’m not a horror reader, nor have I ever had nightmares inspired by any book, but there was something eerie about laying on my side, reading this book on my phone, and having a pitch black window showing off absolutely nothing just beyond my hand. I had to lower the blinds.

Gould does not over-detail what exists within the woods and I feel that’s one of the strengths. There is no oversaturation of excessive detail and that is a massive breath of fresh air in these modern book times.

My only grievances are with the… extinguishing (terrible pun intended) of one relationship, and the ignition (terrible pun intended 2.0) of another. The first made sad in that there was this really neat dynamic we could have seen and explored and I was down for it. The second was just too fast and I didn’t care for it. But it wasn’t enough of an issue for me to remove a star. (Although I think an exploration into the first would still be a fascinating read)

If you want a dark tinged story about teenagers getting into fights, learning to overcome fears, learning to trust, and growing up in a rather absurd yet delightful way, this is for you.

I’m not sure exactly what it was but this book didn’t fully deliver for me. I wanted to connect with the characters more deeply than I did. I think the book wanted to be character driven but it just wasn’t. I will say that the characters did all feel very authentically like teenagers.

The monsters are horrifying but I’m not sure the trauma they are meant to represent comes across fully. There were plenty of things that were upsetting about the book and invoked feelings of horror; but the emotional impact wasn’t there for me.

I also was rooting for the romance but it again fell a little flat.

As an editor, I’m not sure what I would have tweaked to make this work better. I am inclined to think it just read this at a bad time & that’s why it came up short. Or the inevitable comparisons to The Dead and the Dark left What the Woods Took in the dust.