This book surprised me, in a good way. It's perfect for YA readers that are maybe too old for the Goosebumps series but too young for Stephen King (am I dating myself by mentioning those books?). The horror bits don't happen until almost the halfway mark but the first half is still fast-paced and attention grabbing. Even if you aren't a young adult, this book is worth reading. We're starting to hear a lot about the wilderness camps that parents would send their teens to as more survivors are coming forward to tell their stories. This book gives an insider view to what they might have endured.

What the Woods Took is a suspenseful young adult novel about survival, apathy vs. empathy, past traumas, trust, self discovery, transformation, and found family. A group of strangers, who have been labeled as “troubled teens” whose families have pretty much given up on them, have each been kidnapped and taken to a wilderness therapy program where they are left to fend for themselves in order to survive unknown woods and everything that lives inside it. The deeper they go into the woods the more secrets revealed and the more their past traumas haunt them.

It's hard to write this review without giving too much away. I really enjoyed the first part of the story, and was hooked from the very first page. But the deeper they got into the woods the crazier the story became. However, I felt it was a good representation of their lives. The transformation from trying to run from the monsters of their past, to battling and facing those traumas head on, to winning the battle which allowed them to leave the past behind in order to make a better life for themselves.

The narrator did a fantastic job giving each character their own voice and making it easy to distinguish between them. The pacing, inflection, and dialect were spot on giving a suspenseful atmospheric vibe. It was easy to follow and listen to, giving a full immersive experience with the ARC. I was thankful to have both since this story got a little wild and became more sci-fi, which I don’t normally read, so I was able to easily reference the ARC when things got a little chaotic.

Overall, it was an interesting read that I enjoyed even though it was a little out of my typical genre comfort zone. I can see this being a very impactful read for some young adults.

Thank you @stmartinspress, @macmillan.audio, and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Even though this took me longer than anticipated to finish, it was still a really good read. I enjoyed it. (It took a while thanks to mood reading and buddy reads).
This book is definitely creepy. Sending a bunch of ‘troubled’ teens into the woods for a summer long retreat to help them become ‘better’ with people barely older than them?! What could go wrong, right? It already sounds like a bad idea. Then you throw in potential supernatural aspects. There were parts when it was so tense and suspenseful that I had to make myself slow down and not skip paragraphs. I just really wanted to know what happened! And when it started to reveal the truths, some were very surprising! I didn’t really see any of it coming. When I got to 50%, I just did not want to put it down! So good. Definitely recommend this others.
I both listened to the audiobook and read the ebook. The audiobook kept me engaged and interested. The narrator did a great job. I never had a question on who was talking.

Wilderness therapy with creatures that mimic loved ones. This is a YA Queer Horror with enemies to lovers. This book will keep you questioning everyone! Deep buried secrets come to light and who do you trust while trying to survive?! Growth and self discovery in the worst circumstances. Excellent read!!!

Thank you Net Galley, Macmillian Audio, and Courtney Gould

Oh, so that’s what happens in the woods! A creepy, coming-of-age story following troubled teens on a retreat designed to “fix” them. What the group did not expect were monsters to stalk them and cause havoc! At times eery and others emotional, this book serves up characters that you want to love, hate, and root for.

The audiobook read by Lindsey Dorcus has the ability to bring youthful life to each character. I was able to listen at faster speeds, but not as fast as I would have liked.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and author Courtney Gould for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. “What the Woods Took” was published December 10, 2024!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me a copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I was absolutely NOT ready for this book. In so many ways.

This is an emotional, suspense-filled book full of creatures from your nightmares that will make you stop and think. This book made me uncomfortable in ways both good and not so (I am a scared little baby).

I absolutely adored everything about this book, but I don't want to give away too much because going in blind is the best option here. This is a book that will make an impression in your life in one way or another.

Wilderness therapy, perilous journeys, and supernatural creatures, oh my!

What the Woods Took is a horror coming of age story where we follow two troubled teens, Devin who is an almost 18 foster care child and Ollie a teenager with a strained relationship with his father. The book starts with Devin being abducted from her foster home in the middle of the night and put in a van with Ollie to be taken to the woods and dropped off with three other teens Aidan, Hannah and Sheridan. Things go from bad to worse when the adults go missing and the teens have to figure out how to get out of the woods by themselves. Devin soon learns that the woods isn’t what It seems and getting out is only the beginning of their problems.

This book was a tense ride, I was concerned for the main cast of characters the entire was through. The character development show by the whole man cast was impressive and really compelling along. The romance between Devin and Sheridan was also a bright spot for me. I don’t want to get much more into it because of spoilers but the horror elements where truly unnerving and disturbing.

Lindsey Dorcus does a great job bringing the creepy setting of the forest and giving life to the cast of troubled teens.

Devin is kidnapped from her room by men taking her to a wilderness therapy program. The kidnap is obviously an extreme measure, but it’s also an intense program. There are other troubled teens there as well, and together with their counselors, they have 50 days to make it through the woods. All seems typical, even with some annoyances and personality clashes, until the counselors go missing, and the teens realize they’re not alone in the wilderness. This story, even without the paranormal elements, had so much potential. The overall plot was good, but the book’s tropes and anticlimactic ending detracted from what could have been great. The forced proximity romance between Devin and the most annoying character that everyone hated at the beginning, Sheridan, was predictable and infuriating; sometimes characters should just be irredeemable. Readers were granted more than one perspective though, Devin and fellow teen Ollie, because of course the group splits up, and readers need to know what is happening in both storylines. The multiple perspectives offered nice breaks between the aforementioned annoying trope. The audiobook narrator did a great job bringing the cast of characters to life. In fact, the narrator may have made Sheridan even more insufferable because of the whiny accent she was given. Ultimately, readers should try this one out if they’re interested in the overall plot, but they should be aware of unlikeable characters and a just okay ending.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced audiobook copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An eerie and emotionally impactful read, as we've come to expect from Courtney Gould. I think this was the most well-constructed of her novels yet, and the POV shifts were perfect for added tension. Lindsey Dorcus absolutely killed the narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for this ARC Audio Copy!

If you enjoyed the show Yellowjackets then you will enjoy this book. I love how the author was able to cover so many different and sensitive topics with such care and honestly. The Narrator did a great job with this story and really helped you feel immersed in the world, which could be quite uncomfortable at times.
The pace that the author used to introduce us to each of the characters and their backstory really did a great job of creating connections that really had you feeling things right alongside them.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a slow-burning and eerie addition to the YA horror genre. The atmosphere and tension that Gould was able to build was incredible. I will admit, the beginning was a little too slow for my taste, with it taking around 25% to get to creepy stuff going down in the woods.

The first 25% of the novel was spent setting up the relationship between the five teens, especially the conflict between Devin and Sheridan. It felt a bit repetitive on occasion, but I imagine that repetition is similar to what these programs would actually feel like, so it felt quite purposeful.

The rest of the novel was an excellent build up of tension and suspense as the five teens have to work together to survive in the wild with some terrifying monsters. I think the last quarter of the novel is what really shone. The twists and reveals in that portion of the book were so well-thought out, and by that point I really cared about the characters. The resolution was satisfying as well!

The narration of this audiobook was fine, not my favorite, but also not the worst I have heard.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould is a breathtakingly atmospheric and emotionally charged novel that will captivate readers from start to finish. A stunning blend of mystery, horror, and coming-of-age storytelling, Gould crafts a deeply immersive experience that explores grief, family secrets, and the power of the past. Set in the hauntingly eerie town of Sallow Ridge, where the woods seem to have a life of their own, the story follows the two sisters, Ivy and Nora, as they confront their tangled family history and the darkness that lurks in the forest.

Gould's writing is lush and vivid, perfectly capturing the eerie beauty of the setting while also delving into the emotional depth of the characters. The bond between Ivy and Nora is complex and full of heart, and their individual journeys of self-discovery are compelling and layered. Ivy’s internal struggles with guilt, loss, and the weight of family expectations create a character who is both relatable and unforgettable. The tension in the book builds steadily as Ivy unravels the town’s dark secrets, and the eerie presence of the woods adds a constant, palpable sense of dread.

The plot is full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, with each revelation more chilling than the last. Gould expertly weaves elements of horror and suspense into a story that is also deeply emotional and rich in character development. The themes of grief, trauma, and the things we carry with us are explored beautifully, making this more than just a typical thriller—it’s a poignant exploration of family, love, and the things that haunt us, both literally and metaphorically.

What truly makes What the Woods Took stand out is its ability to balance the eerie with the emotional, creating a narrative that feels both unnervingly tense and profoundly moving. The atmospheric tension, combined with the rich character arcs, makes for a truly compelling read.

What the Woods Took is a five-star triumph. It’s dark, haunting, and beautifully written—perfect for readers who love atmospheric thrillers that blend mystery with emotional depth. Courtney Gould has delivered a novel that will linger in your mind long after the final page. Highly recommended! I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

As always when it comes to a Courtney Gould book, I loved it. There's just something about Courtney's writing that makes me feel like all my sense are apart of the experience. The way things are described, it's like I'm there. I loved it

Thank you to NetGalley, Courtney Gould, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up.

What the Woods Took is a wilderness therapy horror story where a group of troubled teens wander into the wrong part of the forest. While they're trying to survive "therapy," something begins to hunt them.

The characters who were thrown together in this program all had unique personalities, backstories, and dialogue which made them interesting to follow around. I will say there were times when the story felt a little slow and I wanted the creatures - I love the way they're described - or the teens to do something. I felt for some characters while others just made me angry.

As I mentioned, the writing around the creatures was phenomenal. I found them to be disturbing, yet not too out there to ruin my suspension of disbelief.

"What the Woods Took" is a deeply immersive audiobook about a group of troubled teens who's guardians have enrolled them in a nature survivalist camp as an intervention, without them knowing. While these kinds of therapeutic camps are quite problematic to begin with, and Gould uses her story to call attention to the issues, the group of 2 counselors and 5 teens quickly find that it is even more dangerous when the Woods are inhabited by something they are not prepared for. As the counselors go missing and the teens have to work together to survive, trust becomes a difficult but necessary thing.

The narrator did a good job of contrasting the different personalities and voices in the story while also dialing up the creepy vibes when needed. Each character has their own issues that make what they present on the outside and what they are dealing with internally complicated, and it is the characters that really drive the story forward. While not the group you would want to be stranded in the woods with, Gould makes us care about these kids and want them all to survive. However, the things in the woods are real and quite dangerous and not everyone will leave them alive. Personally, I didn't find the monsters that scary, and I felt the mystery was a bit predictable, but the longer I listened them more I needed these kids to be okay.

If you are looking for a solid ensemble story with creepy atmosphere and strong teen characters, you will enjoy this book. This is a YA where the characters act like teens coping in situations that have forced them to grow up too quickly, and where the only thing scarier than the woods might be what they have to face if they ever get out.

I always say I dabble in YA so when I saw this was Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted I knew it was one I should try. This hooked me from the beginning as you could feel how scared Devin was to be pulled from bed. The characters were strong, each with their own personal demons. Once the couselors went missing, things really amped up and the survival side of the story begins.

Do you remember when two movies with the same plot used to come out and it was clearly a coincidence of ideas but you still couldn't help but picking a favorite and comparing them endlessly? Yeah, this book was not my favorite of kids get sent to Correction Camp and get eaten by monsters that I read.

First of all, this book is so slow in the first part. There is no hint of monsters or anything for at least 20 percent of the book. Then one thing happens but then nothing else happens after that for another 10 percent of the book. There is no creepy build up of tension during the first third of this entire book. Nothing is happening and then suddenly it is happening which is a shame because Gould did have some creepy tension skills when they finally did happen. If I didn't know the description of this book was horror with monsters, I would have thought I was reading a fairly straight forward camp drama for the first third of this and I would have DNF'd because....

The camp does not really make any sense. These kids are sent to a corrective camp unwillingly for 50+ days of outside living. They are kidnapped and forced to go and then its just....basic camp? With untrained early 20s camp leaders who apparently despite working with 'troubled' kids are shocked when they say no to anything and don't know how to handle it. Not only is this program so so so so DANGEROUS (one character is detoxing in the wild...with no way to get medical help if needed), but its also financially unsound. It makes no sense for any of this non-wealthy kids to be here because this would be SO EXPENSIVE (one character comes from money but the rest are very obviously poor or middle class) there is only 5 kids in this program. Those 5 kids have to pay two months salary for two camp counsellors, supplies, kidnapping fees. There is no way this is sustainable but there is nothing about funding and its clearly a private company.

But the main issue is just that this really did not pay enough respect to how awful this situation and programs are for kids. But the whiplash from forcibly grabbing a child from their bed to just kumbaya around a camp fire was astronomical and frankly, insulting to kids who had to do these kinds of programs and deal with the kinds of people that kidnap children for 'their own good'.

I ended up getting interested when the monsters finally arrived and that helped me finish the book that didn't end up overcoming these problems with it and a terribly slotted in love story with a very terrible love interest and general teen drama.

I'll end on a good note so like I said: the monsters were actually pretty interesting. Their concept was different and I liked the little twist that happens.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yessss! This YA Horror slapped!

Teen reformation camps in themselves are terrifying…add *something* in the woods. 👏👏
This kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved the relationships that developed at the camp.
Truly a fun time.

The narration was great.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

I really enjoyed this. As someone who has always been fascinated and horrified by "behavior camps", it was a must read for me and I love that it took an already uncomfortable subject and gave it a paranormal twist.

It preys on the seemingly unloved. It uses your lack of self-worth and low self-esteem to convince you that you don't matter to anyone. Once you reach that low you will freely give your body to the mimic.
When troubled teens are sent to a camp to help them return better, they face horrors no one should experience. Not all will return. Yet, those that do return will definitely return better.
This is a life experience that definitely changes you.