Dnf at chapter one. I didn’t look up content warnings before going into this one and realized there is a character with terminal cancer, which is something I’m triggered by. Totally my fault! It’s such a good premise, though and I liked the writing style from even just the one chapter I read.

⭐️⭐️.5

Five teenaged friends went camping, but only four friends came back. The friends found a mysterious staircase in the woods, and Matty climbed the stairs and disappeared. 20 years later, the remaining four are together again, and another staircase reveals itself. This time, all four friends climb the stairs, hoping to find Matty.

Sound spooky? I thought so, too, but this is definitely a case where I liked the idea of the book so much more than the actual execution, unfortunately. It seemed extremely slow, and there were some consistent video game references that went absolutely nowhere. I think I would have liked it better had those been fleshed out in the end. The last 1/3 of the book seemed to be written and paced better, but the ending seemed to be for an entirely different story... with an ambiguous ending. Meh. I'm not sure if I missed something, or this one just wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Worlds Del Rey, and Chuck Wendig for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Staircase in the Wood

This book is fast-paced, immensely readable, fantastical, scary at times, and contains Wendig's ability to balance fun, frights, and heavy subject matter in equal measure. I should've loved it. Except there's a been-there, done-there quality to most of it that I had trouble shaking. Of course, there's the notion of a creepypasta-esque staircase in the woods, but that's not it. It's the title, after all.
No, it's (mild spoilers ahead) that at a certain point in the book, I found myself recognizing every piece of horror-adjacent references/homages/tributes/etc. and wondering where Wendig had gone. This seems like it came from IT, the book, this came from IT the movie, this is the Reddit backrooms, this is The Shining, this is House of Leaves, this is As Above, So Below, this is that, the other thing, and the first again. Eventually, it stopped being a novel with real characters and started being a horror reference guide that left homage in the dust and stopped being fun.
This is one reader's experience. I'm sure this book will find its fans and wind up on a lot of year's best lists. I've enjoyed the Book of Accidents and the Wayward duology because despite containing love of the genre, they were Wendig stories. This one didn't shine that flashlight as brightly.

Billed as Breakfast Club meets The Matrix, Staircase in the Woods follows five troubled teens as they find an abandoned staircase in the woods and follows a dual timeline 20 years later.

I'm a sucker for a good dual timeline, and while this was my first read of Wendig's, it won't be the last. The tension was palpable, it was eerie, dark, but still had phenomenally written friendships, love, and grief.

I was very grateful to receive an ARC of The Staircase in the Woods through Netgalley.
This is a story of 4 childhood friends coming back together after 25-30 years apart following the end of high school and the disappearance of one of their closest friends.
Set in a post-COVID USA, The Staircase in the Woods is a paranormal horror novel that finds the 4 protagonists revisiting the site of their friends disappearance in 1998 with the goal of trying to understand what happened to him. In order to uncover the truth, they are forced to look fear dead in the eyes and confront their own demons.

I really enjoyed the integration of video games into this story and found the characters to be quite realistic. Their traumas and decisions that they had made over the period of time from high school until now were believable.
There is a lot of fast-changing scenery in this book which I found sometimes to be challenging to follow and sometimes I found the language to take me out of the reading experience a little bit (i.e. the description of an 'older model iPhone' - I would prefer if a particular model was described here).

I loved how the the characters came together with compassion and empathy over the course of the story and the metaphor of being lost, having to find yourself, and the importance of having support from loved ones.
I also really enjoyed the open ending as the book in a way came around full-circle again.

There were aspects of this book that I truly enjoyed—the overall concept, the portrayal of anxiety and depression, and some of the writing was exceptional. The first half of the book was fantastic, and I couldn’t put it down. However, the second half seemed to lose its direction, leaving me feeling confused at times. I also wasn’t a fan of the ending; it felt rushed and didn’t provide the closure I was hoping for.

This one was a little too out there for me… I couldn’t follow that story very well but I am still very new to horror so maybe it’s a me thing….

Chuck Wendig has become one of my favorite horror authors, Wanderers was the first book I read and I truly loved every moment. The Book of Accidents was another home run for me!

I'm happy to say The Staircase in the Woods was another I won't forget anytime soon. The fast paced story was addictive mixed with the eerie atmosphere that I believe Wendig has mastered. I love how original I feel Wendig's writing is and this book follows suit for me.

Always grateful to receive an early copy and always thrilled to read Wendig, thanks!

This gorgeous cover and the description pulled me in. I was so excited to read this book, having loved the author's previous works, especially Book of Accidents.

Years ago, five high school friends went to party in the woods and only four returned. Now, years later, those remaining four have drifted apart, but are called back together when an email from one of them says he is dying.

All of these characters are both more and less than they seem. Those who appear weak have a hidden strength. Those who appear to have it all together don't. Secrets and past traumas are revealed.

I was prepared to love all over this book! Unfortunately, even though it reminded me a great deal of that tv show "Channel Zero" specifically the seasons of No End House, and Butcher's Block with the staircase in the woods I struggled to stay interested. I didn't like any of the characters, although I did have some empathy for Owen who is dealing with OCD among other things. As many times as they invoked their commitment to stay together and support each other the characters did not appear to like each other any more than I liked them. After what felt like a very long read, the ending, when it finally arrived, left me unsatisfied. You may enjoy it more than I did, but it was just not for me.

2.5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Del Rey for the e-ARC

I was completely captivated at the start of The Staircase in the Woods—it pulled me right in with its eerie atmosphere and dual timelines, following the characters both as children and as adults. The writing is strong, and the mystery surrounding the staircase is genuinely intriguing.

However, as the story progressed, I felt it started to lose momentum. The second half, in particular, really lost me, and I wasn’t a fan of the direction it took. By the time I reached the ending, I was more frustrated than satisfied. It just didn’t land for me.

The characters aren’t particularly likeable, though they do show a lot of personal growth. And while I didn’t mind the political elements, I can see how some readers might not appreciate them. One thing to note: this book tackles some very dark themes, so I’d definitely recommend checking trigger warnings before diving in—you don’t necessarily expect the story to go to the places it does.

I absolutely loved the premise and was excited to read it, but ultimately, I came away disappointed. The first half was gripping, but the second half—and especially the ending—just wasn’t for me.

Definitely won’t be climbing any staircases in the woods anytime soon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)

A big thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Yet another stellar book by wendig. It instantly sucks you in and you can’t help but devour it! It was the perfect amount of spook!

Title: The Staircase in the Woods
Author: Chuck Wendig        
Genre: Fiction, horror, mystery/thriller  
Rating: 3 out of 5

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .

This was the first book by Wendig I’ve read, and I have to say, I wasn’t impressed. This didn’t feel like horror to me—gross and disgusting, yes, creepy, absolutely, but not horror. This book felt like a political agenda, and I’m never on board with that, but I also found the characters genuinely unlikeable, and the book just seemed to drag pointlessly along to an ending with zero resolution.

Chuck Wendig is a bestselling author. The Staircase in the Woods is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/29).

Thank you Chuck Wendig, Del Rey, and NetGalley for an advance copy of The Staircase in the Woods!

I love this book. Chuck Wendig writes sci-fi horror that just hits right. Perfect pacing, multiple PoVs where each were exciting to read, flawed characters, found family, and possibly my favorite horror trope that is not NEARLY used enough for my liking (I won’t say it because spoilers). Ugh I had so much fun with this book. I’m kinda pissed I finished it and it’s over. Luckily, this book gave me lots think about in the way of relationships, grief, and digging deep within ourselves to try and do the work to make life meaningful in whatever form that may be.

5 stars. Thank you for the story, Chuck.

Thank you to DelRey and NetGalley for an ARC.

In 1998, something terrible happened in the woods to Owen and his friends, and one of them never came home. Twenty years later and dying of cancer, Nick invokes the group’s covenant and calls the survivors to him.

This book was an unexpected combination of plot elements. There’s a group of adults with a shared traumatic past (with plenty of flashbacks showing the origins of that trauma). We have menacing woods. And there’s one of the most hair-raising haunted houses I’ve ever seen. The combination, if not entirely new, creates an engaging and supremely creepy read.

An unexpected delight was how video games are invoked throughout the book. Two of the characters often use games as a lens through which to view the events that are occurring. I would not call this the horror version of Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow or Ready Player One because the book could exist without the references, but it’s a neat bit of characterization and injection of pop culture that flesh the story out.

My main objection is that the ending felt pretty rushed. We get some satisfaction about how the creepy stuff came to be, but it’s a big exposition dump that didn’t do justice to the rest of the novel. I would have preferred clues scattered throughout the book with a reveal at the end that brings everything together.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Ray for the ARC! In the late 1990s five friends went camping in the woods. Only four friends returned home. Now, one friend becomes them back for a visit as his dying wish, but once there, the friends discover that they are not just in town for a visit. Its time to fulfill an old promise, their covenant. They must follow where their friend disappeared: through the staircase in the woods. Filled with horrifc scenes and the struggle to survive, the staircase in the woods reflects the impact of friendship and time.

I have always heard myths about staircases in the woods and i vaguely remember seeing one once and was confused why it was there. This book gave me legit chills and was a solid horror book. I really liked the characters, the premise of the book and everything leading up to the staircase. I would definitely recommend reading it. I haven’t read anything else from this author but now I am intrigued because I really like his writing style.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Del Ray Imprint of Random House, and author Chuck Wendig for advanced copy for honest review.

YES, there is a staircase in the woods. Would you take those steps up? Take a chance? Live life? Wander? Get lost? 4 star RECOMMEND!

Five high school friends bound by a promise to protect each other stumble upon a mysterious staircase in the woods during a camping trip. When one friend ventures up the stairs and vanishes, the staircase disappears, leaving them haunted by the incident. Twenty years later, the staircase reappears, forcing the friends to confront their past and the secrets it holds, as they start their journey to find their lost friend and uncover the truth behind the staircase's existence.

What just happened???? Like I don't even know how to write a review for this. I didn't hate this but I definitely didn't understand what was happening. This book had some cool horror elements and plenty of atmosphere. I love a group of friends who reconvene after many years apart in order to resolve the past. My issue with this book is that so much of it felt so random as the characters encountered more and more horrific flashbacks, and the reader was never fully in on what was happening. And then as it wrapped up, the ending didn't really provide much explanation for how or why anything. Was happening. This book was just weird and hard to follow. It was my second Chuck Wendig book, and unfortunately my last.

This is a horror story about a group of friends that go back 20 years later to the last place they saw a friend that mysteriously disappeared on a staircase in the woods. When they return to the staircase they are in for way more than they bargained for, basically a house of horrors and now they need to get out.
I’m not always a huge fan of horror, this book had a great story. But the characters were infuriating. Owen was annoying but Lore was the absolute worst. I made myself finish the book because I did like the story but I struggled because she was so argumentative about literally everything.

Gripping from the get-go. Dual timelines are hard to juggle but Wendig did a fantastic job. I love childhood groups returning as adults but I would not liken it to any of the mainstream examples. Wendig made this trope his own.