clarethajoanne's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Stalking
Minor: Murder, Death, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Car accident, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
terrik_409's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
kaitlinonfire's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the descriptions of thr girls relationship and their attempts at hiking for the first time. The actual plot, climax, and denouement is really unrealistic and uninspired. One dimensional villainy. It was a breeze to read through though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
theultrasoft's review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Gun violence
hannanni41's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Two girls who know nothing about the outdoors decide to go backpacking, fight the entire time, then get chased by stereotypical "evil hillbillies" who want to SA and kill them. This was an aggravating read and I wish I DNF-ed it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Stalking, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Toxic friendship
amberv92's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Book was horribly written the start of the book is just whiny teenagers going on a hike before college. The author took forever to even get to what the story is about. Basically you might as well just watch the hills have eyes because that’s 10x better then this book. The author completely tried to go for the Hills have Eyes plot and failed miserably.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, Gore, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Stalking
oshild's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book was suggested to me so I didn't really read the blurb or tags very well. The first half is slow and seems like a pretty innocent YA novel. But when the ball gets running and things are happening, things are really happening.
It's grotesque, brutal and pretty unrealistic. But it's an easy and mainly enjoyable read. I wasn't really into hiking before reading this book, and I'm definitely not more into hiking after reading this book.
It's grotesque, brutal and pretty unrealistic. But it's an easy and mainly enjoyable read. I wasn't really into hiking before reading this book, and I'm definitely not more into hiking after reading this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Gore, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Friends Neena & Josie decide to go on a 3 day hiking & camping trip before Neena moves to California for university. Borrowing their gear from Josie's older brother & his girlfriend, the two girls head out for the Blue Ridge mountains, but shortly after starting their trip, they realise that they are out of their depth. There's no phone coverage & there are few cars in the car park meaning hardly any other fellow hikers. They also realise that their friendship is on the point of disintegration as they snap & snipe their way over the first day. On finally reaching the campground for their first night, the girls notice that only one other tent is there, but it is strangely quiet.
The girls make their evening meal & get ready to sleep, but during the night, Neena is sure she hears someone creeping about the site. The two girls end up falling out with each other completely, but the next day, both are too stubborn to turn back so they decide to follow a different route back. This turns out to be the worst decision they could have made as partway through the new route, the markers suddenly disappear & then Josie falls into a concealed sinkhole. She is badly injured & Neena decides to return to the car & drive far enough to get a signal & call for help. Whilst separated, the girls are about to face their worst nightmares.
The first part of the book seems a young YA roadtrip book - there's a lot of 'fish out of water' moments, but also a lot of falling out & fighting & you wonder why these girls are friends. The second part suddenly becomes almost a different book - it's brutal & rather gory in places with sudden violence & menace. It does show very neatly though, how girls can be socialised into ignoring their intuition that someone is not what they seem, because they don't want to appear rude or unkind & how predators take advantage of that. Overall, it turned out to be a grittier book that I expected, but I don't really get why the author stopped the story where they did - what the heck was that ending?!
The girls make their evening meal & get ready to sleep, but during the night, Neena is sure she hears someone creeping about the site. The two girls end up falling out with each other completely, but the next day, both are too stubborn to turn back so they decide to follow a different route back. This turns out to be the worst decision they could have made as partway through the new route, the markers suddenly disappear & then Josie falls into a concealed sinkhole. She is badly injured & Neena decides to return to the car & drive far enough to get a signal & call for help. Whilst separated, the girls are about to face their worst nightmares.
The first part of the book seems a young YA roadtrip book - there's a lot of 'fish out of water' moments, but also a lot of falling out & fighting & you wonder why these girls are friends. The second part suddenly becomes almost a different book - it's brutal & rather gory in places with sudden violence & menace. It does show very neatly though, how girls can be socialised into ignoring their intuition that someone is not what they seem, because they don't want to appear rude or unkind & how predators take advantage of that. Overall, it turned out to be a grittier book that I expected, but I don't really get why the author stopped the story where they did - what the heck was that ending?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual violence
agameofbooksblog's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The Woods Are Always Watching" by Stephanie Perkins is a gripping and atmospheric young adult thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. This book showcases Perkins' versatility as an author, taking a departure from her usual contemporary romance and diving into the realm of suspense and mystery. With its intense pacing, well-crafted suspense, and an intriguing premise, this novel easily earns its well-deserved five-star rating.
Perkins excels at creating a chilling and foreboding atmosphere, making the woods a character in its own right. The setting is beautifully described, evoking a sense of unease and making the reader feel like they are right alongside the characters, navigating the eerie and treacherous forest. The main characters, Abby and Gretchen, are relatable and well-developed, drawing readers into their personal struggles and fears. The alternating perspectives provide insight into their thoughts and motivations, adding depth to their experiences and heightening the tension as the mystery unravels.
The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the final pages. Perkins skillfully builds suspense, balancing moments of quiet unease with pulse-pounding action. The story explores themes of friendship, trauma, and survival, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. "The Woods Are Always Watching" is a thrilling and satisfying read that will appeal to fans of both mystery and psychological suspense. Perkins' venture into this genre proves her storytelling versatility and solidifies her as a talented author capable of delivering captivating narratives across different genres.
Perkins excels at creating a chilling and foreboding atmosphere, making the woods a character in its own right. The setting is beautifully described, evoking a sense of unease and making the reader feel like they are right alongside the characters, navigating the eerie and treacherous forest. The main characters, Abby and Gretchen, are relatable and well-developed, drawing readers into their personal struggles and fears. The alternating perspectives provide insight into their thoughts and motivations, adding depth to their experiences and heightening the tension as the mystery unravels.
The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the final pages. Perkins skillfully builds suspense, balancing moments of quiet unease with pulse-pounding action. The story explores themes of friendship, trauma, and survival, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. "The Woods Are Always Watching" is a thrilling and satisfying read that will appeal to fans of both mystery and psychological suspense. Perkins' venture into this genre proves her storytelling versatility and solidifies her as a talented author capable of delivering captivating narratives across different genres.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, Violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Sexual assault, and Car accident
Minor: Vomit
maxymoo's review
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.75
scathing review coming soon <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Gore, Violence, Stalking, and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Murder