First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an audio ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
This was, sadly, not what I was hoping it would be. I was hoping it'd be what I was hoping Camp Damascus was, but alas, no luck. The writing was fine, and the concept was interesting, but it's hard to pull off a "we're stuck in the woods" story without it becoming super, super repetitive. Yes, the supernatural elements definitely helped, but it's a pretty formulaic story.
Worse than that, though, is the head-hopping. It was super annoying. Maybe there's a divider in the physical book, but this is the audio version. It made it difficult to connect with the POV characters, not getting to spend quality time with them.
The cover was gorgeous, at least, and the narrator did a good job.
Three stars rounded up from two-point-five for What The Woods Took.

This was a fun, creepy, worst case scenario of a wilderness therapy adventure gone bad.

I liked all of the characters and they were well developed. In true horror story nonsense, they kept splitting the party to generate opportunities for mayhem. All of the main characters were high school kids, so this would be great for YA and middle grade readers. The only thing missing was the motivation for the things in the woods (not to give spoilers). We know they want out of the woods, but not really why.

Great audio narration!

Survival of the fittest out in the woods with creatures that are closing in on them when they're stuck for fifty days after being wrenched from their homes in the hopes of correcting their ills, their bad behaviors, their crappy teenage attitudes, maybe a criminal act or two.

Devin and the entourage have baggage that they're bringing to the wilderness therapy foisted upon them with the two counselors. Hike during the day, set up their "tent" and bed down and have food at night, and in the meantime, talk about their issues. Sheridan is the mean girl who is willing to be deceptive, rude, and unwilling at every turn while Devin is trying to find an escape. There are the others too. All fleshed out in their trauma but eerie things are starting to happen and there's a journal from someone who was in the woods previously to help lend thoughts that amp up the mystery.

It's horror, it's an enemies to lovers queer romance, it's friendship of the extreme, it's survival. It's definitely riveting.

I used to read a lot of YA - even as an adult - but lately, I feel a huge disconnect with it unless it's fantasy or occasionally sci-fi based. I had high hopes for this one, and while it had me eagerly turning the pages through the first half, it kind of lost me in the last half.

The story follows a group of troubled teens who find themselves in a dangerous situation. The book begins with foster kid Devin Green waking up to find herself the victim of a planned abduction. Devin and a handful of other teens are taken to a remote location in the Idaho woods and dropped off. Two counselors meet them and tell them that they are part of an outdoor therapy program, which consists of a 50-day hike through the wilderness with the intent of helping the teens break their self-destructive habits. The counselors go missing a few days into the hike, leaving the teens to fend for themselves. It's not long before they start to see weird shapes in the woods - shapes that have human forms and faces - and they quickly realize that they are up against something inhuman and will need to rely on each other to survive.

One of the things that worked for me was that the author does an excellent job of creating a sense of tension and mystery from the very beginning. From the kidnapping to the unknown intent of the counselors, the secrets around the program and the isolated setting - I was definitely creeped out at first. The dynamics between the characters, particularly the interactions between Devin and Sheridan - an overly bitchy teen - add extra tension to the story.

As the plot progresses, the relationships between the characters evolve, raising the stakes as danger sets in and alliances are formed. Things really elevated when the counselors disappeared, leaving the teens to fend for themselves, and when the creepy figures came into play, I was all in - but then things really slowed down for me.

After the initial setup, the plot began to feel repetitive. We get an idea of what the teens are up against, and then the tension was set aside, and we got several chapters of character development that - while helpful - really hampered the forward movement of the story. I also felt that the final battle was expected and a little anticlimactic, and I wasn't a fan of how everything was tied up in a pretty bow at the end, though I realize that this is YA, and that is kind of expected. I also recognize that this is more of a me issue and not necessarily a bad thing for the average reader.

I both read and listened to this one, and I felt that as far as the narration goes, Lindsey Dorcus did a great job of portraying each character, matching their personalities perfectly.

This one started out really strong for me. The atmosphere is creepy, the characters engaging, and the mystery pulled me in - but then it slowed down too much, and I lost interest. Fans of YA fiction and thrillers alike will likely love this one. For me, it was just okay.

Courtney Gould’s What the Woods Took is a book that’s right up my alley. YellowJackets is one of my favorite shows. I love spooky stories. I love lesbians!

And Gould provided everything in this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only negative point is that it was a little slow beginning, but it really came together into something I enjoyed. It gave me both strong characters and also an enjoyable mystery. I would actually love a sequel. A book going into more detail about what’s actually happening in the woods, maybe through another group going into the woods.

I received this book as an audio arc and the narrator did an amazing job! This is just the kind of story that you want read to you, like a spooky campfire story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and St. Martin's/Wednesday Books for the review copies of Courtney Gould's latest YA novel, What the Woods Took. Gould understands that adolescents need to see themselves as strong, capable, valued, and wanted for who they are, and this shines through in her storytelling. The book is at its best when it leans into these themes, delving into the emotional vulnerability of its characters as they learn to trust themselves and each other. The audiobook was nicely narrated though at times I felt a multi narrator approach might have strengthened the production.

While the supernatural and thriller elements could have benefited from more clarity or a deeper exploration of the symbolism surrounding the woods, these aspects still served to propel the characters into meaningful reflections on trust, friendship, and love. The story effectively pushes them to confront past trauma and hurts (though I felt Devin's story was oddly underdeveloped given that she was the main character, I really wanted a little more backstory for her). Although the pacing felt a bit slow at times and lacked a big reveal or payoff, the strength of the character development kept me engaged. This book is one I’d recommend, as it sparks discussions not only about the mysterious plot but also about the impact of trauma on young people. I’m left wanting more and would love to see the characters’ journey continue as they reflect on their shared experience, to really think about what the woods took but also what the woods gave them.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌲Survival Horror
⛺️The Watchers + Girl Interrupted
🌲Dual POV
⛺️Enemies to Lovers
🌲Found Family

This book was really good! I loved the found family vibes. The story picks up immediately! You are constantly questioning what is going to happen next. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers. The creatures were creepy! When you actually figure out what is going you don’t trust anyone. The ending was satisfying.

The audio was amazing! I loved the narrators. The voices all of the characters very well! I felt like I was watching a movie instead of listening to a book.

This audiobook was impossible to pause for even a few minutes, I listened to the entire thing in one day.

A group of teenagers are sent deep into the woods on a wilderness reform trip for bad children. Everything is going as expected until they wake up one morning and the adult guides are gone, leaving them to find their own way out.

About halfway through the book, it took a paranormal twist that I really enjoyed. I loved how the book used the creatures in the woods to dive deep into each of the teens' personal trauma and bring it to the surface.

The narrator was absolutely fantastic, and this will be one that I purchase a physical copy for my shelf when it comes out.

What the Woods Took is a YA thriller/horror. So, being YA, it was extremely light in both of those aspects. Nonetheless, it was still a fun book to read/listen to. It took me a while to figure out what exactly was going on, so it was kind of fun to be guessing and feel like I was left in the dark. As for the characters, I thought all of their arcs were pretty well done. Yes, even Sheridan! I’m as surprised as you. Overall, this book was decent. I enjoyed listening to it at the time, but as I process it longer after finishing it, I find less and less to recommend about jt. If you really like YA, you might find this one fun.

A note on the narration : I thought the narrator did an excellent job. She kept the book pace exciting, and switched between characters well. Her Sheridan made me hate Sheridan even more in the beginning, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The narrator did a good job to help keep me stay engaged with the story. The Mimics and their goals were great to learn about, but the story's pacing felt slow at some times (although we sometimes we skipped a week or so in the story).

This YA novel follows a handful of troubled youths that are sent away to a wilderness reform of sorts. Each characters past is revealed along the way after they’re left abruptly by their two guides. Alone and ill-equipped, they must navigate unfamiliar territory both physically and emotionally- but there’s more to it than just that. What’s in the woods? What secrets lie in the shadows?

Overall, I found this to be a well written/executed story for YA. While I made predictions early, I was definitely wrong! The story creates an off-brand brat-pack clique of misfits that grow through the process!! I enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook as well.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Young Listeners for this ALC!

Courtney Gould is one of my favorite horror authors, but every time I forget that the beginning starts slow, because in the end it’s always worth it. What the Woods Took follows five teens - Ollie, Sheridan, Hannah, Devon, and Aiden - who are sent to wilderness therapy, but while in the woods things start going horribly, terrifyingly wrong. I do feel like this was less creepy than other Gould books, but I really love the way the characters grow, especially Devon and Sheridan.

I did really like the narration, and think Lindsey Dorcus did a really good job with pacing and intonation to set the scene and work on the buildup of dread and terror.

4.25⭐️s, rounded down.
My first Courtney Gould read, and I'm thinking I need to hit up her backlist.
I binge read/listened to What The Woods Took.
Lindsey Dorcus perfectly narrated WTWT. This is a Young Adult read, revolving around older teens, yet Dorcus's performance (and Gould's writing) kept it from feeling "too young."
The start felt a little slow compared to the majority of the book, introductions and all, but that is likely a me problem. There are several characters that we get to know, and Gould did an amazing job at making them feel like REAL people, while Dorcus' voice lent life to each emotion expelled. It was easy to sympathize and/or empathize with everyone, regardless or whether or not I liked them. The tension was thiiick. The setting was eerie. And the creep factor was high. Top-notch anxiety achieved.
I dont want to give away much, but it was easy to get sucked into this terror (a forced romp through the wilderness, with team building and trust exercises AND sharing feelings; hard pass) and I craved all the monster mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners for the advanced audiobook

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was a good fit for the book. This is a YA and the writing doesn’t seem too old or too young so the author did a great job targeting that audience even with it being kind of a horror. I was captivated from the very beginning and loved the author’s writing style. Highly recommend this one!

What a perfect review for Halloween!
A troubled group of adolescents get sentenced to wilderness therapy to guide them down better paths. Little did they know that the path before them was about to be the roughest yet. Personalities and egos stand between the group with preconceived notions of what each has done or been through. After the therapy adventure gets turned into a life or death struggle in the heart of a forest, the group has to pull from each other's strengths to best an unfamiliar foe. Does the group have the mental fortitude to outlast the evil lurking or will they fall prey to the forest?

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙂𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🎧𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥
🎙️𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴

This is a fast paced and very entertaining. I was immediately hooked, and wanted to know what was going to happen. I enjoyed that this is told in multiple POVs and we got all of their different stories. I wish we got a bit more at the end of their after, but overall liked this story. Would recommend.

The book starts with a bang. Devin's sudden abduction and her determination to escape the therapeutic wilderness program created a heightened sense of panic that never dissipated throughout the book. Her instinct to protect herself speaks volumes about her toughness and unwillingness to surrender her sense of right and wrong. The dynamic between Sheridan and Devin explored her insecurities and humanized a softer side to her. Their interactions are explosive, so be ready.

For the group, some unexpected alliances and frictions influence the character's actions, and the remote location produces an isolation that is troubling and suspenseful. When mysterious and terrifying figures appear in the woods, adding dread and terror, the group begins to question whether what they see is just in their heads or if something is watching them. The characters are forced into dire situations, which is thrilling. This book blends a survival narrative and an introspective theme of facing your inner demons. The "things in the woods" is a horrifying idea, and the fact that it was the personification of their fears was unique. I really enjoyed the book and could not stop listening.

Excellent audio production! The narrator crafted distinct, memorable voices for each character, making them feel relatable while delivering an eerie tone that added a layer of unsettling suspense to the experience.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Wednesday Books.

This was a fantastic read! I have previously enjoyed this author, so I was very hopeful for this one and it did not disappoint. I was not expecting to be so attached and rooting for this little found family and the sapphic romance, but here I am. It was delightfully creepy and chock full of descriptions that will haunt my nightmares.

I absolutely recommend this one to horror fans and Lindsey Dorcus is a fabulous narrator, so the audio is a great option!

Loved this! Perfect blend of spooky gothic, enticing, edge of my seat invested. Loved the characters, loved the vibes, read it in the perfect season.

Engaging, immersive, and well narrated. A recommended purchase in all formats for YA and high school collections.