I don't even know how to describe my thoughts on this book. It's real, harsh, and haunting. It's also a damn good story. I loved Devin, Ollie, Sheridan, Aidan, and Hannah. The counselors were a bit too odd for me, so I didn't miss them when they disappeared.

Even though the monsters in this story don't exist in physical form in the real world, they exist in our deepest fears. In the darkest parts of our minds that tells us we'll never be good enough, that no matter what we do we'll never succeed or rise above our current circumstances. That makes them more terrifying than any ghost or monster you normally see in these kinds of books. You can't just close the book and have them go away. They're always there. But like Devin and friends realize at the end of the book, it's up to you whether you listen to those voices or ignore them and keep going.

Courtney Gould has her third in a row, awesome book! This woman is such a talented writer and fans of sapphic horror are blessed to be her audience. WTWT is just as unputdownable as her first two books!
Ninety-nine percent of the book takes place in a scary forest with creepy monsters called "mimics". In Gould's first two novels, the settings were such a palpable, heavy character. In WTWT, the woods are key, but take the backstage to the actual characters. Interesting teens that might remind you of someone you already know, but how well do you actually know them?
In case you, like I, thought this book had to do with gay conversion therapy (not sure why I thought that), it does not!
A little romance is thrown in but it's definitely not a large part of the story.

THIS SUMS IT UP OMG:

courtney gould said we will need therapy so i'm hyped

edit: she was right. jesus christ i’m unstable.

What the Woods Took was not what I expected, in a good way. When I first read the synopsis, I was expected something similar to Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen. In a way it was but with some really surprising elements. Gould does an excellent job of developing extremely human characters. Often when I read books about troubled teens they're only show to be "hard" or "tough as steel" with no real emotion until they have some kind of break down at the apex of the story. In WTWT, Gould gives us characters that are kind, unsure, determined, and broken who are just trying to navigate life despite having been dealt a bad hand. I highly recommend checking this one out because it's not what you expect.

It’s taken me a couple days to really wrap my head around how I feel about What the Woods Took. The overall experience of reading the book was enjoyable, but I find myself pining for something that I can’t quite put my finger on. What the Woods Took is a young adult horror novel that chronicles the story of five “troubled” teens in a wilderness behavioral camp who find themselves in a dense forest accompanied by monster who would love nothing more than to take their place. Something akin to Appalachian skinwalkers, the creatures were compelling enough to set my own psyche on edge as I journey through the perils through the trees along with our five main characters.

The overall premise for What the Woods Took was very solid, albeit the first quarter of the book was a bit of a slog, repetitive as the teens found their footing and established a proverbial pecking order amongst themselves. The altercations between one of our primary narrators, Devin, and another troubled teen, Sheridan, were a focal point for a number of the pages and they ended up being very cookie cutter and formulaic. Despite this, however, the novel gained traction once the wilderness guides that were left in charge of the teens go missing, as would be expected.

Once the supernatural aspects of the novel kicked in, it became overall far more enjoyable, for me. Particularly so, because the supernatural aspects seemed to be rooted in actual folklore that regularly warns against trusting the forest. As I mentioned, the entities that the teens find themselves coming to grips with were heavily similar to the Appalachian skinwalkers, only with a watered down touch of calling them mimics, which better suited the Young Adult reader subgenre.

This novel was unique in that it made me equally terrified of going into the woods just as much as I wanted to escape into lush foliage to reflect on my own life, as the teens were encouraged to do up until the guides disappearance. I further enjoyed that the subplot of the book seemed to highlight the real world dangers of wilderness camps that are still utilized in an effort to correct the “behaviorally challenged.” Factor that in with the fact the teens that were sent to the camp really weren’t as deviant as their parental figures wanted us to believe, and you have a satisfying blend of real world and supernatural horror.

Dividing the POV between Devin and Ollie, too, was a good decision and overall contributed to the storytelling as the differing perspectives allowed readers to catch an entire glimpse of the circumstances the teens were facing without receiving a particular bias. The characters, further, felt real and easy to identify with and didn’t fall flat in favor of a focus on the supernatural tone and ambiance.

Overall, I’d say What the Woods Took lived up to the hype, it’s premise and the advertised potential.

What the Woods Took is a creepy, mind-twisting, supernatural thriller that will keep you reading. This is my first book I have read by Courtney Gould and I look forward to reading more of her works!

This story follows a group of teens enrolled in wilderness therapy to get them "back on the right track". A few days in, creepy, unexplainable things start to happen which cause them to question everything they know (or think they know). The author's writing style made it seem like you were there in the woods and I had to put the book down a few times because I started to hear noises in my apartment (i'm a wimp when it comes to creepy, unnerving, scary things).

The author also introduced some romance elements inro the story through two of the female characters. I love how inclusive this author is and enjoyed the LGBTQ+ relationship. It played really well into the story with the creepy, supernatural elements and was a nice, unexpected addition.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

2.5
It’s an interesting idea for a story and has some potential. I love YA, but this one did not hit properly, in my opinion.

Thank you for the ARC!

"What the Woods Took" by Courtney Gould was one I had put down a few times and picked up down the road to revisit.
Reflecting, it took a while for the story to get going and I did not connect with the characters as much as I would have liked. I want to be invtested into the story and invested in each character. Overall, it was still a good read, and would recommend to others who love this genre.

I loved this book. It was great. I enjoyed the main character the most. Most relatable. This author is amazing at her writing. I can’t wait for this to come out and own it and read it as much as I want.
Highly recommend 10/10

So, I'll start by saying I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I was excited to check this out based on premise alone. I can confidently say this is a new favorite book of mine. I was blown away by how much nuance and care was taken to thoroughly build the relationships and emotional landscape of all the characters in this book. What the Woods Took is a chilling survival horror, featuring LGBTQ+ characters, as well as themes of trauma and mental health issues. The main characters, including the dual protagonists Devin and Ollie, are all teens who have been taken against their will to a wilderness therapy program. (If you know about those, you know they are generally terrible enough to be a horror-fest in of themselves.) The horror themes in this story are more supernatural and psychological than anything, and it works very well. Interestingly, the bulk of the story is actually focused on the interpersonal dynamics and the inner emotions of the characters themselves. I was very pleasantly surprised by how relatable, realistic, and painfully human the characters felt throughout the story. Their motivations and their growth are consistent in a way that progresses the story further, and as another reviewer has stated, every friendship and relationship in the story feels thoroughly earned. I feel that kind of solid emotional foundation is what the story really hangs on; the supernaturally scary stuff doesn't start until almost 40% into the book, yet the compelling dialogue and emotions of the characters had me really invested in how they would make it through the woods, and later made the urgency, suspense, and dread all the more tangible. I really felt for each of the characters and found them all to be complex enough to emotionally invest in and to think about later.

Now, for the meat of the horror themes. As the already distressed and emotionally charged teens get deeper into the forest, things begin to go awry. They find themselves alone... except they aren't alone. There are some truly dreadful creatures in the woods- watching, calling, and mimicking their worst nightmares and deepest, darkest secrets. The supernatural monsters in the woods are inherently tied to the mental health and emotional themes of the rest of the story- they essentially represent the darkest and worst inner voices of mental illness, in my opinion. The monsters have a delightfully creepy fairy tale quality of essentially needing "permission" to do their worst- to be let in- and to achieve this, they show the characters their deepest fears and reinforce their most self-destructive and harmful feelings about themselves. They kind of magically amplify all the worst emotions and trauma that the characters carry with them, to break them down; it's fodder for some really intense moments and heartbreaking (but also heartfelt) scenes in the book. I felt like it was a clever use of imagery to create a cryptid creature, pulling vaguely from folklore, to showcase the terror of complex trauma and mental illness.

This is again why it is so great there is such a strong foundation built on the characters; there is a wonderful sense of payoff at the end of the story. They overcome not only their own fears and trauma, but the characters also overcome their emotional and social issues amongst one another to grow, triumph, and re-build better lives for themselves. There is also an enemies-to-lovers aspect with Devin and Sheridan that feels wholesome and natural, even restorative for them- instead of just being another YA trope.



Overall, this book really delighted me. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for queer horror, YA horror, or something with complex psychological themes. I’m very glad to have received a copy from NetGalley & look forward to recommending it to library patrons.

What the Woods Took is my favorite Courtney Gould so far. It feels like a YA Horror classic in the making. At once a criticism of Wilderness Therapy and an epic teen survival horror, What the Woods Took is terrifying and hopeful all at once. I was unable to put this book down, reading late into the night while my skin crawled at the horror that lied in the woods. The characters are tangible and real, which makes the unreality of the situation they are in all the more eery. Gould is only getting better with each release.

"But just like every fight, every loss, every night spent lying awake in the dark, every half-baked escape plan, none of it ever leaves. She's made of every bad thing that has happened to her, just like she's made of every good thing."

Devin's foster parents have just had her abducted for fifty days of nature therapy where, along with several other troubled teens, a nature guide, and a counselor, she'll learn to survive in the wilderness and, hopefully, overcome her personal demons. When the campers wake one morning to find both counselors missing, they realize they'll have to work together to have any hope of getting back to civilization. But something is watching from the woods, and it doesn't want them to leave… I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books. Trigger warnings: character death, family/twin death, dead body, cancer, rape/pedophilia, abusive households, severe injury, burns, blood, violence, drugs/dealing, addiction.

I've read other books with a similar premise that didn't go well, so it was only on faith that Gould could do better with this story and my love for The Dead and the Dark that had me picking this up. I'm so glad I did. It's easily one of my favorite novels of the year so far, and Gould remains the uncontested queen of lesbians in YA horror. It's full of wonderfully drawn characters and scenery, and some of the creepiest paranormal elements in recent memory.

I think the first fascinating twist on the nature therapy plot is that half these kids barely qualify as "troubled." Though their issues vary from drug abuse or dealing to fighting, one can't help feeling their parents are the ones who would benefit most from fifty days in the woods to talk about their feelings. I felt for all of them by the end of the book, and I like the way Gould is able to make them sympathetic and three-dimensional. (Which is obviously the end goal, because nobody deserves to suffer this sort of program, teenager or otherwise.) I like how far both Devin and Sheridan in particular come by the end of the book despite their initial hatred for each other. It is, after all, very hard to hate someone when we understand them.

It's the horror elements that really knocked this book out of the park for me though. Gould has a knack for the creative and the uncanny, and there are many spooky, wtf-type scenes while we try to figure out what exactly is stalking the group. I won't go into details to avoid spoilers (and, really, it's better to go into it blank), but they're some of the spookiest, most original "monsters" I've seen. If they have a counterpart, I've never seen it, and the lore seems to be entirely of Gould's own creation. I loved it. I'll be looking for a copy for my bookshelf.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

I am so glad I gave this book a chance. Even though it started out with a bang, for some reason I wasn't sure I would be interested. However, I'm a sucker for books about horror in the woods so I stuck around and boy was it worth it. I don't want to give too much away but there will be some spoilers*** here so be warned. I have never encountered a book about mimics before and now I'm wondering why not because holy crap. Now, here, I'm pretty sure mimics are a metaphor for depression and what happens when youre alone with these thoughts going to the worst place. This book had me picking it up constantly and thinking about it when I wasn't reading. I love the mimics and honestly wish we could've seen them more. I caught who was a mimic pretty early but I think that's because of patterns I have found in the hundreds of books I've read. I think most will be surprised. The character development was outstanding for everybody as well and again, I'm a sucker for reading anything to do with getting lost in the woods and scary happens. As soon as the counselors disappear, the story sets off. Highly recommend!!

One might argue that wilderness therapy is not that far from horror, but for these teens, trauma rehab in the woods gets even worse. After their counselors disappear, they realize that they must fight to survive, because this isn’t therapy, they are under attack. The novel switches between 2 points of view to reveal the different journeys and perspectives that allow our protagonists to experience love and healing, not because of their ordeal, but in spite of it. Sheridan has grown up fighting the foster care system and at almost 18 has almost aged out. Ollie’s relationship with his father has deteriorated to the point where he is selling his grandmother’s drugs to get out. To survive the woods, Sheridan and Ollie must face their worst fears, acknowledge their pasts, and most importantly, want to live.

Quick moving YA story - would like to know more about the mimics but the wrap up was very satisfying. Overall I really enjoyed this story!

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

I would so love to review this book but I am withholding my review until the demands of the SMP readers for accountability boycott have been met. Once they've been met, I will gladly come back and give this book the glowing review it deserves.
As of Aug 27th, R4A has determined the demands have been met. So happy to finally be able to share my review!

I think that theres just never gonna be a Courtney Gould book that I don't love?? She does the horror/creepy/thriller vibes so well she's truly my favorite author in those genres. What the Woods took is no exception, it was beautifully written and stuck true to what Ive come to expect from her books. I was so stoked to get an ARC of it and read it early so thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy of the book, all opinions are my own!

This book truly made the monsters and the uneasyness of the woods, the fears of the characters, the anxiety they felt, jump RIGHT off the page. I kind of felt like I might look up in the corner of my room and see a mimic myself. While the book starts out like your normal teen wilderness program, all the wrong parts of it like literally kidnapping kids in the middle of the night, making them feel fearful and as though they have absolutely no escape, you quickly start feeling like something is wrong in these woods. Aside from the creep factor, I appreciated the spotlight put on these horrible programs that for some reason are still allowed to operate in the world today. I have heard so many horror stories about them and the inhumane things that happen and I think they SHOULD be talked about more to hopefully shut them all down in the future. There was also a slight focus on the foster system and what horrible things can happen to foster kids there too, since Devin was a foster child and experienced some of the worst. I think every day we fail children who have no other choice but to endure the foster system and we should be doing more to help them grow up safe and sound, with tools to take out into the world and excel. With this, I also recommend you read the content warnings for this book because they are a few heavy ones.

Devin was a very strong MC, she was not afraid to speak up and call out exactly what she felt was wrong. She was defiant, determined, strong, and incredibly driven to get herself and the rest of the kids the hell out of that forest by any means necessary. I truly believe had it not been for her they might not have MADE it out period. She always tried to be there for the others even when she was frustrated with them or didn't exactly agree with their opinions. I think this was because being in the foster system as long as she has, she was already in survival mode. She wanted to survive and get out and live her life the way SHE wanted and not the way others decided she should. I loved her and Sheridan's dynamic, thought they said some really cruel and mean things to each other I think they were a lot alike and it was fitting that Devin was the first to truly understand Sheridan. It was sweet to see them soften to each other over the course of the story as well. gave real "nobody can bully you but me" type vibes.

I didn't expect this to be multi POV but I think it added a lot of dimension to give Ollie a POV. He had a really strong voice surprisingly and was just as determined to get them all out as Devin was. His situation before the woods broke my heart because I cant imagine walking around on eggshells in your own home and then never actually acknowledging that you are. He was sweet and misunderstood at home and I loved seeing him and Devin's bond and them knowing they'd be safe with each other. They both needed that. Hannah and Aiden were the characters I think I had the least opinion on, but one things for sure in saying both of them absolutely didn't belong there in the first place, they weren't bad kids. They both made one dumb mistake and got the last resort punishments for it and it was heartbreaking for them.

I really loved the ending of this book and where all the characters ended up after, it was very fitting for them and I liked seeing them build towards the better life they deserved. Overall I loved this as you might tell from the long glowing review, I will absolutely be buying this and putting it right on my shelf where it belongs. Read Courtney Goulds books!! you wont regret it!!

Courtney Gould's What the Woods Took is a thoroughly captivating read that hooks you from the very first page. The narrative is compelling and keeps your attention throughout, making it a page-turner. A standout feature of the book is the romance between two female main characters. The "enemies to lovers" trope is handled with a delicate touch, adding depth and nuance to the main storyline without overshadowing it.

While the book isn't designed to be frightening, it does introduce some unnerving, supernatural elements that enhance the story without becoming overwhelming. This balance between the romantic subplot and the otherworldly aspects makes for a compelling and entertaining experience. For those seeking a story that combines a bit of romance with a touch of the eerie, What the Woods Took is definitely worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

I'll probably read anything Courtney Gould writes from now on - she's three for three amazing YA horror novels at this point.

What the Woods Took is part supernatural horror and part scathing look into the "troubled teen" industry. It begins with the real-world horror of Devin's forced fake abduction, something that the troubled teen industry actually uses to this day. Eventually, Devin is deposited in the middle of nowhere Idaho with 4 other teens under the supervision of 2 early twenty-somethings. Clearly, nothing could go wrong. This first part of the book introduces the varied cast of characters, the tension between Devin and fellow "troubled teen" Sheridan, and the wilderness recovery program. Devin is an immediately likeable and engaging protagonist as is Ollie, the other perspective character.

About halfway through, the supernatural horror themes take center stage and the novel truly becomes a psychological thriller. It's tense, dark, and spooky and the stakes are high as the teens have to confront some literal manifestations of their pasts. I highly enjoyed this one and think it's another wonderful entry into the teen YA horror genre!

3.75 of 5 Stars

I struggled with this one in the beginning. Devin is a very much in-your-face, fight-to-survive kind of character. She’s being sent to a wilderness camp (the kind you hear horror stories about on shows like Dr. Phil) by her latest foster parents. The part I struggled with initially (besides Devin being unlikeable) was the legality of that. I’m not sure if the state would allow foster parents to send a foster kid to one of these camps, they’d more likely go to a juvenile facility or group home if they were getting into trouble.

After she is taken out of her bed in the middle of the night and placed in the transport van she meets Ollie who came in right off the bat as a very weak character. His father is sending him to the camp due to a bottle of pills he found him taking. Where Devin is brash and spoiling for a fight, Ollie is resigned.

They arrive at the camp where Devin immediately butts heads with another female camper, Sheridan.

It isn’t long before the teens start to realize something is wrong in the forest… and then the counselors go missing.

I liked the comp to Yellowjackets for this book, that was part of what drew me to it. This author is particularly good at the slow, tense build-up that gives you that chilling feeling. I do feel that the beginning of the book was paced a little too slow and focused more on Devin/Sheridan clashing than building more of a horror plot and would actually cast it more survival thriller than horror but the story eventually gets there, even if some of the spooky scenes kind of fizzle into a disappointing turn.

Overall I liked this book but it wasn’t my favorite by the author. I still can’t beat the author’s debut.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked some of the characters and liked watching them bond and change over time. There were also some moments of really good writing and insights. I could do without the whole horror element, there were easy ways to make just the act of surviving alone in the woods, the ability to bring about all that growth. Others might like that part more than I did, not the authors fault more of a personal preference.