Goodreads: Shadow in the Woods by J.P. Choquette
Rating: Good
Source: Author
Description: Six go into the woods. Three come out.
Addie Preston, a new mental health counselor, is flattered when her colleague asks her to co-lead an intensive Ecotherapy weekend for a small group of clients. The band of six head into the remote trails of the Green Mountains.
As a storm engulfs the area, the group takes refuge in a cave off of the trail. No one is prepared for what they will discover.
Or what will discover them.
Genre: Horror? Mystery? Mystery with a touch of horror?
Why I Picked This Book: The premise sounded interesting and I was in the mood for something creepy.
My Impression: I must say I'm very glad I have no plans to go hiking or camping anytime soon because after this book I'll be staying in well lit non-treed (and definitely non-cave) areas. I'm also not super crazy about rain currently.
This was a crazy fast read with pacing that did not let up. The entire book takes place over just a couple of days and the action didn't let up. I've had problems with books feeling artificially fast but I think because the setting is the woods and the characters' sole purpose is survival it didn't have that artificial feeling.
I would have liked to get a little more backstory on each of the 6 characters. They all have their own motivations and backstories but I really only saw hints of them. I can understand the author's motivation for not bogging down the book with these details but I think I would have enjoyed just a little more insight into the characters' motivation - especially Dell's. Most of the story is told through Addie's POV and I really liked her. She's practical and calm but not an expert at everything. I liked that she was able to recognize what was going on around her and able to believe what she saw. I also liked Maria and the glimpses of her emotional journey through the story.
I read this book in two sittings and could very easily have read this in one if people hadn't needed food and whatnot. I'm reluctant to rank this book on the horror scale as that isn't really a genre I read and so what seems like horror to me wouldn't necessarily seem that way to readers familiar with the genre. This is a tightly plotted fast paced mystery with an intense feeling of dread and factors that aren't so easily explained. It was also a read I enjoyed and that will keep me out of the woods for quite some time!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely! This was a really fun/creepy read.
Would I Recommend this Book? I would - especially if you're in the mood for a creepy mystery with an edge.
Hehe, I never want creepy, although occasionally I do come across patches of it. I'd be sleeping with a light on in the hall at least after reading something like this!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to read this one and now I definitely want to. I'm going to make a point to get to it in the next few weeks. Sounds like my kind of book. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love creepy books, and I hike and camp a lot. This sounds like my type of story. I’m glad you liked it. Great review!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Creepy can be good. LOL, on the no camping.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds promising. I love a good creepy read.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds like a scary, maybe downright creepy, read! I think I would enjoy it though, lol, because those type of plots appeal to me. I'd never heard of it before, so thanks for introducing me to it.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you picked this book up at the perfect time for you. I do love a creepy read every now and again, so will definitely keep this one in mind. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover of this one. It definitely sounds creepy and intense!
ReplyDeleteI know you know I don't like Mysteries, but I have gotten an itch to read more Horror lately, so you never know. ☺
ReplyDeleteKatherine--thank you so much for this review of "Shadow in the Woods." I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a fun book to write. Thank you again--I hope it won't keep you out of the woods long-term. ;)
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