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The Little Woods
Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school... until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth.
Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and... well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience.
Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and... well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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May 5, 2021
yeah, i just had fun reading this book.
there are a lot of two-star reviews of this book on here, and while i find myself agreeing with a lot of the criticisms of the book: the fact that is doesn't hide its secrets well, the baffling but obligatory love triangle(s), the uneven delivery of the two mystery-plots, the emphasis on the beautiful beautiful people... i don't know - it was just a really fun and fast read, and i freaking loved cally.
and it is not because she is punk rock in a sea of rich (and, yes, beautiful) kids, but because she is coming out of a background of damage (you can read the book-synopsis - i don't feel like writing a book report right now, just my response to it - sorry), and seems to be forming a really interesting personality as a result. yes, she is lazy, squandering her academic gifts, but she isn't throwing herself into the oblivion of drinking and drugs and sex. she dabbles a little, in a way that is calculating and fascinating, the same way she dabbles into forming relationships with these beautiful, and foreign to her experience, kinds of people. she is just sniffing around, testing the waters.
reviewers say that cally and alex as a couple makes no sense. and they don't. but it makes sense, to me, in remembering my own teen "relationships." sometimes we just want something beautiful to walk next to us. high school relationships, i mean, they weren't always intense, you know? you see someone, and you think "phoar - hot" and you go and talk to it. and it's completely superficial and you have nothing in common, but you like to be attached to something pretty.so that didn't bother me so much. and then when jack entered the picture, it was all-out teen hormones and no regrets.
the mystery... yeah, we all saw it coming. but cally didn't. and her discovery of it, with all of the red herrings and misjudgments still served a purpose. i think the story was less about the payoff of the mystery itself and more about her as a character. i think this is frequently the case in boarding-school narratives. they are about the "other", the "stranger" being placed in a setting where it is like an old-timey small-town setting where everyone knows everyone else's business, and the new arrival has to catch up to what everyone else takes for granted, find their own place within this setting, and then either acclimate or reject it.
and cally alternates between the two. she's a punk/goth kid who isn't trying to be edgy, she is just unselfconsciously lazy about her appearance and she eats like a crazy stoned hummingbird. you had better believe i am going out to buy a box of cheerios and seeing what they taste like covered in honey. and she doesn't try to be something she's not, but she does try to see how the other half lives, which i think feels realistic. and she's clever. i like her occasional vocabulary-flourishes.they were never overdone to the point of annoying me, which can happen with overly-articulate YA characters. she just seemed clever, and i liked her banter.
this was just a quick little read, and i think if you don't go into it thinking it is going to be a thrilling mystery novel, you will like it. as a boarding-school character study, i think it is very successful, and maybe i just misplaced my critical faculties when i was reading it, but i enjoyed it more than the book i had forgotten at home, which was why i had to borrow this book from work in the first place. i guess everything happens for a reason, yeah?
come to my blog!
there are a lot of two-star reviews of this book on here, and while i find myself agreeing with a lot of the criticisms of the book: the fact that is doesn't hide its secrets well, the baffling but obligatory love triangle(s), the uneven delivery of the two mystery-plots, the emphasis on the beautiful beautiful people... i don't know - it was just a really fun and fast read, and i freaking loved cally.
and it is not because she is punk rock in a sea of rich (and, yes, beautiful) kids, but because she is coming out of a background of damage (you can read the book-synopsis - i don't feel like writing a book report right now, just my response to it - sorry), and seems to be forming a really interesting personality as a result. yes, she is lazy, squandering her academic gifts, but she isn't throwing herself into the oblivion of drinking and drugs and sex. she dabbles a little, in a way that is calculating and fascinating, the same way she dabbles into forming relationships with these beautiful, and foreign to her experience, kinds of people. she is just sniffing around, testing the waters.
reviewers say that cally and alex as a couple makes no sense. and they don't. but it makes sense, to me, in remembering my own teen "relationships." sometimes we just want something beautiful to walk next to us. high school relationships, i mean, they weren't always intense, you know? you see someone, and you think "phoar - hot" and you go and talk to it. and it's completely superficial and you have nothing in common, but you like to be attached to something pretty.so that didn't bother me so much. and then when jack entered the picture, it was all-out teen hormones and no regrets.
the mystery... yeah, we all saw it coming. but cally didn't. and her discovery of it, with all of the red herrings and misjudgments still served a purpose. i think the story was less about the payoff of the mystery itself and more about her as a character. i think this is frequently the case in boarding-school narratives. they are about the "other", the "stranger" being placed in a setting where it is like an old-timey small-town setting where everyone knows everyone else's business, and the new arrival has to catch up to what everyone else takes for granted, find their own place within this setting, and then either acclimate or reject it.
and cally alternates between the two. she's a punk/goth kid who isn't trying to be edgy, she is just unselfconsciously lazy about her appearance and she eats like a crazy stoned hummingbird. you had better believe i am going out to buy a box of cheerios and seeing what they taste like covered in honey. and she doesn't try to be something she's not, but she does try to see how the other half lives, which i think feels realistic. and she's clever. i like her occasional vocabulary-flourishes.they were never overdone to the point of annoying me, which can happen with overly-articulate YA characters. she just seemed clever, and i liked her banter.
this was just a quick little read, and i think if you don't go into it thinking it is going to be a thrilling mystery novel, you will like it. as a boarding-school character study, i think it is very successful, and maybe i just misplaced my critical faculties when i was reading it, but i enjoyed it more than the book i had forgotten at home, which was why i had to borrow this book from work in the first place. i guess everything happens for a reason, yeah?
come to my blog! 
July 8, 2012
An eerie setting, a boarding school, a few missing girls - where do I sign up? I love the idea of this book, the vibe throughout is mysterious and slightly creepy. Yeah, maybe it wasn't perfect, it needed better characterization and some things made the plot feel a bit discombobulated, but I had a good time.
Those who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and everything creepy will undoubtedly love the atmosphere we get inside this novel. I think, in particular, those who haven't read many books in the genre will be the ones to truly get lost in this story. Being an avid reader of thrillers, myself, I felt it was missing a little… something. The whole plot is very ordinary; we've got a typical mystery with predictable twists. Nothing makes it truly shine from all the rest. I found a lot of aspects unnecessary as well, where I kept wondering why these were added to the plot at all. Cheating, drugs, and sex, for example, which I have absolutely no problem with in YA novels as I find it makes them realistic and often relatable, I didn't see the appeal in this case. Likewise, so many directionless bits (including seemingly random mentions of goddesses) are smushed inside this book which is already filled with more than enough betrayals, murders, mysteries, and secrets. I simply found a lot of it irrelevant for both plot and characterization, giving us nothing more than a whole bunch of superfluous information. For instance: Cally almost shaving her head. Was this supposed to fortify her already confusing personality? Or was it simply an uncalled for act of rebellion? There is also the big mystery element of the Woods itself that I thought would be examined further, yet it never goes beyond these singular occurrences. While the mystery we get is fun, chilling, and entertaining -- easily 3-star worthy --, I had the impression it would be much grander. Instead of making it so crowded, strengthening the characters would have helped garner the strong impact intended.
The fact that it's not a very character-oriented plot definitely makes the lack of character building easy to overlook. The main character, Cally, is extremely hard to identify with. Getting a feel of her personality is next to impossible, but I do admit to enjoying what I did perceive. She has an easygoing style that I was quickly attuned to. Although she's incredibly naive when it comes to boys and relationships, I think we've all done stupid mistakes at that age, making it easy to understand her even when we want to slap her silly. The other characters, to be honest, I kept confusing who was who. No one particularly stands out, which is not a very big deal in a thriller such as this. Their purpose is for dramatic effects, for which it succeeds.
Dramatic, creepy, with enjoyable twists, The Little Woods is perfect for those who like thrillers that are spooky, but still lets you sleep well at night.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Those who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and everything creepy will undoubtedly love the atmosphere we get inside this novel. I think, in particular, those who haven't read many books in the genre will be the ones to truly get lost in this story. Being an avid reader of thrillers, myself, I felt it was missing a little… something. The whole plot is very ordinary; we've got a typical mystery with predictable twists. Nothing makes it truly shine from all the rest. I found a lot of aspects unnecessary as well, where I kept wondering why these were added to the plot at all. Cheating, drugs, and sex, for example, which I have absolutely no problem with in YA novels as I find it makes them realistic and often relatable, I didn't see the appeal in this case. Likewise, so many directionless bits (including seemingly random mentions of goddesses) are smushed inside this book which is already filled with more than enough betrayals, murders, mysteries, and secrets. I simply found a lot of it irrelevant for both plot and characterization, giving us nothing more than a whole bunch of superfluous information. For instance: Cally almost shaving her head. Was this supposed to fortify her already confusing personality? Or was it simply an uncalled for act of rebellion? There is also the big mystery element of the Woods itself that I thought would be examined further, yet it never goes beyond these singular occurrences. While the mystery we get is fun, chilling, and entertaining -- easily 3-star worthy --, I had the impression it would be much grander. Instead of making it so crowded, strengthening the characters would have helped garner the strong impact intended.
The fact that it's not a very character-oriented plot definitely makes the lack of character building easy to overlook. The main character, Cally, is extremely hard to identify with. Getting a feel of her personality is next to impossible, but I do admit to enjoying what I did perceive. She has an easygoing style that I was quickly attuned to. Although she's incredibly naive when it comes to boys and relationships, I think we've all done stupid mistakes at that age, making it easy to understand her even when we want to slap her silly. The other characters, to be honest, I kept confusing who was who. No one particularly stands out, which is not a very big deal in a thriller such as this. Their purpose is for dramatic effects, for which it succeeds.
Dramatic, creepy, with enjoyable twists, The Little Woods is perfect for those who like thrillers that are spooky, but still lets you sleep well at night.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
July 12, 2012
2.5 stars
Reading The Little Woods felt like watching a battle between the good and the bad. There is so much potential in this story, but sadly the poor execution is impossible to ignore.
The story itself was actually quite good. Cally goes off to St. Bedes boarding school. She gets a scholarship because 10 years ago her sister mysteriously disappeared while visiting the school. According the police, her sister died in a fire but since they never found the bodies Cally has always been skeptical. St. Bedes is a creepy boarding school bordered by a spooky forest known as "The Little Woods." When Cally learns that another student went missing right before she arrived, she begins investigating. As she investigates the disappearance, she can't help but wonder how it's connection to her sister's death. The pacing was nice, slowly building a believable mystery, with tension and clues scattered throughout the novel.
But the writing and characterization is where this book fell apart. By the 15% mark of my e-galley there were already 8 people who had been described as abnormally beautiful (or alarmingly beautiful or disconcertingly beautiful, you get the gist). At that point I remained hopeful, thinking maybe there was a supernatural reason for their beauty. Nope. Apparently the students at St. Bedes are as attractive as they are intelligent.
The overdescription was painful to read. I know they tell you creative writing classes to use all your scenses. But honestly, who smells everyone they meet? When you're using scent or taste it should feel natural, not intrusive. Here's an example of the purple prose:
"Up close, he was ridiculously toothsome, and he smelled so good--like fresh cut grass mixed with the mating musk of some exotic ungulate--it made my face ache."
I had to google "ungulate" and if you're wondering it means "having hoofs" which just makes the whole sentences even stranger. I'm sorry, the mating musk of horses and goats doesn't do anything for me. Another example of the overdescription:
"She was black with a cherubic face and a statuesque body. She seemed to be all curves and her her hair poofed away from her head in a magnificent mass of black curls held back by an emerald green bands. Her eyes curved up at the corners like a cat's and her brows arched finely above them."
You can make one character ridiculously good looking and you can over-describe them. But when you get eight overly longwinded description of characters you've taken away all the impact from your description. By the way, if you're wondering it the girl in the above passage smells like lilies.
The main character was underdeveloped and not very likable. She was rebellious without direction, dressed like a 12 year-old-boy, rude, judgemental, but the hottest boy in school starts flirting with her immediately when she arrives. There would be internal dialogue about how she's so socially awkward, then she'd make a clever joke to her crush. The pieces of Cally didn't add up to a character that made sense. So yes, she's a Mary Sue. She also offended me with a idiotic comment about anorexia.
"When I walked in, he was flirting with a skittish redhead who was clearly quarterbacking the St. Bede's anorexia squad."
Thanks for perpetuating misinformation about a dangerous disease. As someone who was A. teased for being skinny her whole life and B. has had friends with eating disorders, this offhand comment shows an ignorance that someone should have caught before this book reached even ARC publication.
There are a lot more complaints I could list, from the main character communing with a heron to the brief unnecessary love triangle that helps solidify her Mary Sue status. Hidden beneath the over description, poor characterization and offensive comment there's actually a good little story. The pacing, atmosphere and even for the most part the plot was there. With a little bit more editing and some more time spent working on the main character this book would've been quite good. Unfortunately it's not.
Reading The Little Woods felt like watching a battle between the good and the bad. There is so much potential in this story, but sadly the poor execution is impossible to ignore.
The story itself was actually quite good. Cally goes off to St. Bedes boarding school. She gets a scholarship because 10 years ago her sister mysteriously disappeared while visiting the school. According the police, her sister died in a fire but since they never found the bodies Cally has always been skeptical. St. Bedes is a creepy boarding school bordered by a spooky forest known as "The Little Woods." When Cally learns that another student went missing right before she arrived, she begins investigating. As she investigates the disappearance, she can't help but wonder how it's connection to her sister's death. The pacing was nice, slowly building a believable mystery, with tension and clues scattered throughout the novel.
But the writing and characterization is where this book fell apart. By the 15% mark of my e-galley there were already 8 people who had been described as abnormally beautiful (or alarmingly beautiful or disconcertingly beautiful, you get the gist). At that point I remained hopeful, thinking maybe there was a supernatural reason for their beauty. Nope. Apparently the students at St. Bedes are as attractive as they are intelligent.
The overdescription was painful to read. I know they tell you creative writing classes to use all your scenses. But honestly, who smells everyone they meet? When you're using scent or taste it should feel natural, not intrusive. Here's an example of the purple prose:
"Up close, he was ridiculously toothsome, and he smelled so good--like fresh cut grass mixed with the mating musk of some exotic ungulate--it made my face ache."
I had to google "ungulate" and if you're wondering it means "having hoofs" which just makes the whole sentences even stranger. I'm sorry, the mating musk of horses and goats doesn't do anything for me. Another example of the overdescription:
"She was black with a cherubic face and a statuesque body. She seemed to be all curves and her her hair poofed away from her head in a magnificent mass of black curls held back by an emerald green bands. Her eyes curved up at the corners like a cat's and her brows arched finely above them."
You can make one character ridiculously good looking and you can over-describe them. But when you get eight overly longwinded description of characters you've taken away all the impact from your description. By the way, if you're wondering it the girl in the above passage smells like lilies.
The main character was underdeveloped and not very likable. She was rebellious without direction, dressed like a 12 year-old-boy, rude, judgemental, but the hottest boy in school starts flirting with her immediately when she arrives. There would be internal dialogue about how she's so socially awkward, then she'd make a clever joke to her crush. The pieces of Cally didn't add up to a character that made sense. So yes, she's a Mary Sue. She also offended me with a idiotic comment about anorexia.
"When I walked in, he was flirting with a skittish redhead who was clearly quarterbacking the St. Bede's anorexia squad."
Thanks for perpetuating misinformation about a dangerous disease. As someone who was A. teased for being skinny her whole life and B. has had friends with eating disorders, this offhand comment shows an ignorance that someone should have caught before this book reached even ARC publication.
There are a lot more complaints I could list, from the main character communing with a heron to the brief unnecessary love triangle that helps solidify her Mary Sue status. Hidden beneath the over description, poor characterization and offensive comment there's actually a good little story. The pacing, atmosphere and even for the most part the plot was there. With a little bit more editing and some more time spent working on the main character this book would've been quite good. Unfortunately it's not.
February 23, 2012
If I had to use one word to describe The Little Woods, it would be this:
BEAUTIFUL.
Other than that, I'm at something of a loss. It's kind of like a slow motion collision between Twin Peaks and Gossip Girl set to a Bikini Kill soundtrack. It's spooky and dark and sad in a wonderful kind of way. It's about death and love and trying to find your way through all the places in between.
The prose is sharp and lyrical and full of 'Jesus, I wish I'd written that' lines. But when you're inside in The Little Woods, it doesn't feel like you're reading a book. It feels like you're being told a story.
Calista Wood is a fantastic protagonist - as perfect and flawed and awesome as any I've read. She's so real, she bleeds on the page. You can hear her when she speaks. She's the kind of girl I suspect I would have been in love with in high school, but I think she would have broken my heart.
It's awesome. Just read it.
BEAUTIFUL.
Other than that, I'm at something of a loss. It's kind of like a slow motion collision between Twin Peaks and Gossip Girl set to a Bikini Kill soundtrack. It's spooky and dark and sad in a wonderful kind of way. It's about death and love and trying to find your way through all the places in between.
The prose is sharp and lyrical and full of 'Jesus, I wish I'd written that' lines. But when you're inside in The Little Woods, it doesn't feel like you're reading a book. It feels like you're being told a story.
Calista Wood is a fantastic protagonist - as perfect and flawed and awesome as any I've read. She's so real, she bleeds on the page. You can hear her when she speaks. She's the kind of girl I suspect I would have been in love with in high school, but I think she would have broken my heart.
It's awesome. Just read it.
April 16, 2012
The longer I think about this one, the more disappointed I am in it. This story is contrived to the point that even when all of the pieces come together at the end, the plot holes and character holes are more gaping.
Ten years ago, Cally's sister and her best friend died after spending the night on the campus of St. Bede's academy (her sister's friend, Laurel, was the daughter of one of the teachers and that gave them free reign to stay there that evening). Now, Cally's decided mid-way through the semester that she's going to attend St. Bede's -- the same out-of-state, private academy where her sister had died -- and she's taking up residence in the dorm where Iris had lived. Iris who just months before "disappeared," and who many believe was killed by Helen, Iris's former/Cally's current roommate.
The story is set against the backdrop of these mysterious woods. They were on fire the night that Cally's sister died and they're where Iris had supposedly disappeared.
So while Cally's at school, she's meeting a whole host of characters. There's the girls who I can't tell apart but who are all pretty shady, then there are the two boys, Jack and Alex. I don't understand why there was ever a need to introduce a love triangle because it didn't amp up tension or suspicion about who committed crimes here at all. Instead, it was distracting and the sex was poorly written, uninteresting, and didn't advance the characters. These relationships were flat and cliche and felt like they were trying way too hard (they weren't even there for shock factor because there's virtually no on-screen time for intimacy). What these romances did seem to do was rouse suspicion of the girls in the story for Cally -- that is, it was an opportunity for her to reconsider whether these girls were good people or bad people, based on whether Jack or Alex had been cheating on her with them/if they were hiding it from her. That was one of the biggest problems in this book: the only way most of these characters are defined is through their relationship to these boys. It didn't make sense why they were the ones she trusted from the start and why she let the one good character fly under her radar. Cally was inconsistent.
Then there's the drug use, which never once felt authentic or real. It felt cliched and honestly, . Likewise, I found the big reveal/potential non-reveal of Iris's back story to be more about shock value than about who she was as a person. It's never clear if what Helen and Noel say happened with her really happened, but either way, it didn't work for me. .
The Little Woods felt like it wanted to do a lot of what Erin Saldin does more successfully in The Girls of No Return: offer up characters whose intentions and back stories are unclear but who are stuck together in a remote place where bad things happen. Except in this story, the whole reason Cally attends St Bede's in the first place is contrived, and that no one questions why she was doing it was bizarre. The dark and haunting elements never coalesced here. Moreover, Cally's voice isn't all that memorable to me; what's sticking out is how much I had to suspend my belief.
While the story had a lot of problematic aspects, I thought the writing itself was nice. The pacing was right, despite the things that didn't work, and I do think there will be readers who will dig this. But I guess my biggest concern is that this is the kind of story that would work well for younger YA readers, yet the "shock" elements and the writing itself -- which at times borders on using really sophisticated language (a product of Cally's education and character, so it's not problematic in and of itself) -- are going to be too mature.
I'm bummed because this had all of the makings for something great, but it instead fell into many of the tropes that make these kinds of stories cliched. It just tried too hard.
Ten years ago, Cally's sister and her best friend died after spending the night on the campus of St. Bede's academy (her sister's friend, Laurel, was the daughter of one of the teachers and that gave them free reign to stay there that evening). Now, Cally's decided mid-way through the semester that she's going to attend St. Bede's -- the same out-of-state, private academy where her sister had died -- and she's taking up residence in the dorm where Iris had lived. Iris who just months before "disappeared," and who many believe was killed by Helen, Iris's former/Cally's current roommate.
The story is set against the backdrop of these mysterious woods. They were on fire the night that Cally's sister died and they're where Iris had supposedly disappeared.
So while Cally's at school, she's meeting a whole host of characters. There's the girls who I can't tell apart but who are all pretty shady, then there are the two boys, Jack and Alex. I don't understand why there was ever a need to introduce a love triangle because it didn't amp up tension or suspicion about who committed crimes here at all. Instead, it was distracting and the sex was poorly written, uninteresting, and didn't advance the characters. These relationships were flat and cliche and felt like they were trying way too hard (they weren't even there for shock factor because there's virtually no on-screen time for intimacy). What these romances did seem to do was rouse suspicion of the girls in the story for Cally -- that is, it was an opportunity for her to reconsider whether these girls were good people or bad people, based on whether Jack or Alex had been cheating on her with them/if they were hiding it from her. That was one of the biggest problems in this book: the only way most of these characters are defined is through their relationship to these boys. It didn't make sense why they were the ones she trusted from the start and why she let the one good character fly under her radar. Cally was inconsistent.
Then there's the drug use, which never once felt authentic or real. It felt cliched and honestly, . Likewise, I found the big reveal/potential non-reveal of Iris's back story to be more about shock value than about who she was as a person. It's never clear if what Helen and Noel say happened with her really happened, but either way, it didn't work for me. .
The Little Woods felt like it wanted to do a lot of what Erin Saldin does more successfully in The Girls of No Return: offer up characters whose intentions and back stories are unclear but who are stuck together in a remote place where bad things happen. Except in this story, the whole reason Cally attends St Bede's in the first place is contrived, and that no one questions why she was doing it was bizarre. The dark and haunting elements never coalesced here. Moreover, Cally's voice isn't all that memorable to me; what's sticking out is how much I had to suspend my belief.
While the story had a lot of problematic aspects, I thought the writing itself was nice. The pacing was right, despite the things that didn't work, and I do think there will be readers who will dig this. But I guess my biggest concern is that this is the kind of story that would work well for younger YA readers, yet the "shock" elements and the writing itself -- which at times borders on using really sophisticated language (a product of Cally's education and character, so it's not problematic in and of itself) -- are going to be too mature.
I'm bummed because this had all of the makings for something great, but it instead fell into many of the tropes that make these kinds of stories cliched. It just tried too hard.
February 6, 2017
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Several years ago, Cally Woods older sister Clare, went missing in the woods at St. Bede's boarding school. She was never found. Cally begins attending this same boarding school in the middle of her junior year after a student goes missing. Upon arriving, Cally begins obsesseing over what happened to Iris, the missing girl, and decides to find out the truth.
************ MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.... ************
I found this book to be EXTREMELY problematic and can be VERY harmful for certain readers...
In one part of the book, it is mentioned that a character is asexual, another character goes on to say that asexuality is just a phase and basically doesn't actually exist.... ("Jack's totally cute, but he's a train wreck...Now he's saying he's asexual, whatever that's supposed to mean"). There were also other little comments in the dialogue that just made me uncomfortable regarding homophobia and gender roles. At another point in the book, it is said "10 minutes alone with her and you want to kill yourself" - in my opinion, this should NEVER be said about another human... and definitely should not be included in a YA novel... Another instance, Cally is alone with a boy and she has inner dialogue where she says "I began to think I did not want to fool around with him, but I was too exhausted to know for sure", this made me extremely uncomfortable because he then began to "fool around with her" even after she expressed her uncertainty.... Another point in the book it states "when I walked in, he was flirting with a skittish redhead who was clearly quarterbacking the St. Bede's anorexia squad." I do not find this appropriate in any way, shape or form...The whole book just made me very uncomfortable.
I hated the relationship between Alex and Cally. I found Alex to be very abusive in his comments and the way he treated Cally. I also did not like the relationship between Cally and the other boy either. I also did not like how Cally was cheated on, expressed how hurt she was by this boy and his actions and then immediately turned to another boy who was in a relationship to hook up with... This new boy also forced himself on her the second time they had an encounter when she expressed her uncertainty of their actions.
I felt that there were so many irrelevant things added into the plot just to make the book seem more interesting... It felt like the author was trying to include to many plot points, in an attempt to make the book more relateable in a way??? (suicide, anorexia, rape, goddesses, cutting) It just got to the point where I was wondering what she was going to try next.
Overall, this book just made me uncomfortable and I would not recommend it...
Several years ago, Cally Woods older sister Clare, went missing in the woods at St. Bede's boarding school. She was never found. Cally begins attending this same boarding school in the middle of her junior year after a student goes missing. Upon arriving, Cally begins obsesseing over what happened to Iris, the missing girl, and decides to find out the truth.
************ MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.... ************
I found this book to be EXTREMELY problematic and can be VERY harmful for certain readers...
In one part of the book, it is mentioned that a character is asexual, another character goes on to say that asexuality is just a phase and basically doesn't actually exist.... ("Jack's totally cute, but he's a train wreck...Now he's saying he's asexual, whatever that's supposed to mean"). There were also other little comments in the dialogue that just made me uncomfortable regarding homophobia and gender roles. At another point in the book, it is said "10 minutes alone with her and you want to kill yourself" - in my opinion, this should NEVER be said about another human... and definitely should not be included in a YA novel... Another instance, Cally is alone with a boy and she has inner dialogue where she says "I began to think I did not want to fool around with him, but I was too exhausted to know for sure", this made me extremely uncomfortable because he then began to "fool around with her" even after she expressed her uncertainty.... Another point in the book it states "when I walked in, he was flirting with a skittish redhead who was clearly quarterbacking the St. Bede's anorexia squad." I do not find this appropriate in any way, shape or form...The whole book just made me very uncomfortable.
I hated the relationship between Alex and Cally. I found Alex to be very abusive in his comments and the way he treated Cally. I also did not like the relationship between Cally and the other boy either. I also did not like how Cally was cheated on, expressed how hurt she was by this boy and his actions and then immediately turned to another boy who was in a relationship to hook up with... This new boy also forced himself on her the second time they had an encounter when she expressed her uncertainty of their actions.
I felt that there were so many irrelevant things added into the plot just to make the book seem more interesting... It felt like the author was trying to include to many plot points, in an attempt to make the book more relateable in a way??? (suicide, anorexia, rape, goddesses, cutting) It just got to the point where I was wondering what she was going to try next.
Overall, this book just made me uncomfortable and I would not recommend it...
September 20, 2015
This book was not good. I don't really feel like writing a full review even. I was disappointed because I read the author's second book first and enjoyed it (though I only gave it 2.5 stars) but this was a mess. Instead of giving a review I wrote down my thoughts as I read (because about 50 pages in I already wanted to one star this thing). I realize the following list is probably overly nitpicky but it was easier to just list my thoughts than to make them a cohesive paragraph or two. Here are my thoughts in order:
**SPOILERS**
- everyone wants to know Cally right away, of course
-everyone is beautiful
-Cally saysMr. Reilly is a douche but no evidence is given of this
-Why would you even give Freddy and Noel the time of day after you caught them combing through your stuff??
-Random word usage throughout: expectorated, "as if turpitude were contagious", "subaritic grin". There's nothing wrong with using big words except when the rest of your writing is not this sophisticated they stick out like sore thumbs.
- Cally keeps mentioning delinquency on her part yet she comes off as a harmless and shy rule follower at St. Bedes
-pg. 79 "No seriously. You're going places, I can tell" - Where?? She says she's lazy, I see no studying and she's boring as heck
-Cally gets a strange package and actually opens it, yet doesn't know who it's from and it's something mildly weird and creepy, but ok
- pg. 114 - a murderer was found in the woods, tell me again why this school is still running?
-Have parents been notified about this Iris business?
-How would you realize the puzzle box was the Odyssey? Am I just really bad at puzzles?
-Ms. Sjursen worries me. If she can't remember anything why does this school trust her around children? Does she have alzheimers??
-Why is her aunt never available to take her calls? Why has her aunt not made her come home yet either?
-So you get a note with a code and how plot convenient you used to be into crypt-analysis as a kid
-So she and Alex kissed and are a thing now yet it feels like they've known each other for about five minutes...thanks for the character development!
-pg. 126 - The part about teachers and power - What have these teachers done to you? You complain about them but I have seen nothing shady or unfair on their parts
-Does Cally ever shower?
-pg. 133 - "goth boy" - I'm sorry she looks like a goth boy? I thought she wore skate shorts, t-shirts, and moose pjs - how is she goth??
-So you "date" the guy for a day and now he's kissing your boobs? Do all girls aside from me move this quickly? Because this is just ridiculous to me.
-pg. 137 - so now we are finally told she wears black shirts regularly, still not goth though in my opinion
-plaid skirts are apparently slutty - okay...
-Because you should always change yourself for a man! (please note my sarcasm)
-All the boys are amazing, good-looking, intellectuals. This is not real life, especially for teenagers
-I think the author is just throwing in the classic text references at this point to assure us she's well read
- Noel becomes alarmingly thin but let's just ignore it
-pg. 156 - "weakened by my sugar daze" - what? I know you can feel weak if you don't eat enough and you need some sugar but never have I been weakened by sugar. I have become more hyper or alert from a sugar high, but this weakened thing is a mystery to me.
-Why do kids in more recent books listen to vinyl? I know two people into this and both of them are 30 year olds.
-Highschoolers drinking wine like its soda - #1. Did this happen when I was a kid because I have never witnessed this and #2 Wine is absolutely disgusting
- Alex or Jack - girl you move fast for someone who claims to have no experience with boys
-Pg. 174 - really? rats and spiders? is this a bad horror film?
- Jack and Cally - um, girl, yeah you seem so broken up about Alex
- you just hooked up with Jack but you won't dump Alex because he's hot even though now you're both cheaters and why were you mad at Alex?
-suddenly Freddy is a psycho
-so you're a cheater, repeatedly, and it's cool?
-also you're now a horny sex machine, stop saying you don't know things about boys. Also stop saying you don't know what you want, you shouldn't be in a relationship or having sex if you don't know what you're doing.
-is she having a nervous breakdown?
-Why are classes not cancelled? A bad of child bones was found in the woods!
-pg. 237 - Freddy - why have they not checked phone records before this?? Iris has been missing since OCTOBER
-what is with all the drugs at this school? I know kids do them but every character in this book does them? That's not realistic
-I have already forgotten who Tanner is... who is this person?
-How did Freddy get into Harvard? She's a moron
-I'm calling it now - killer is totally Asta possibly with help from Noel
-So their teacher is arrested and STILL they have classes?!?
-Cally: #1, stop speculating, #2, I'm surprised you are smart enough to make any guess at all since you're dumb as a post
-the timeline of this book is a bit confusing
-Everyone really is an asshole in this book
-Everyone is also a cheater
-Helen doesn't make sense, why tell Cally anything?
-Really Cally? Confession time with HELEN?
-pellucid? again these random word choices
-HA! I called it! It's totally Asta!
-Chelsea Vetiver the best character
-Seriously? No one has a cell phone at this school? even illegally??
-Finally Cally's aunt shows up, it's about time!
-This tidied up too nicely
Sorry if that seemed like a lot. Sometimes books just get on my nerves and sometimes I list things instead of reviews. Hope this helps someone. But I still recommend the author's second book if you like weird fairy tale sort of retellings - it had it's flaws but I couldn't put it down.
**SPOILERS**
- everyone wants to know Cally right away, of course
-everyone is beautiful
-Cally saysMr. Reilly is a douche but no evidence is given of this
-Why would you even give Freddy and Noel the time of day after you caught them combing through your stuff??
-Random word usage throughout: expectorated, "as if turpitude were contagious", "subaritic grin". There's nothing wrong with using big words except when the rest of your writing is not this sophisticated they stick out like sore thumbs.
- Cally keeps mentioning delinquency on her part yet she comes off as a harmless and shy rule follower at St. Bedes
-pg. 79 "No seriously. You're going places, I can tell" - Where?? She says she's lazy, I see no studying and she's boring as heck
-Cally gets a strange package and actually opens it, yet doesn't know who it's from and it's something mildly weird and creepy, but ok
- pg. 114 - a murderer was found in the woods, tell me again why this school is still running?
-Have parents been notified about this Iris business?
-How would you realize the puzzle box was the Odyssey? Am I just really bad at puzzles?
-Ms. Sjursen worries me. If she can't remember anything why does this school trust her around children? Does she have alzheimers??
-Why is her aunt never available to take her calls? Why has her aunt not made her come home yet either?
-So you get a note with a code and how plot convenient you used to be into crypt-analysis as a kid
-So she and Alex kissed and are a thing now yet it feels like they've known each other for about five minutes...thanks for the character development!
-pg. 126 - The part about teachers and power - What have these teachers done to you? You complain about them but I have seen nothing shady or unfair on their parts
-Does Cally ever shower?
-pg. 133 - "goth boy" - I'm sorry she looks like a goth boy? I thought she wore skate shorts, t-shirts, and moose pjs - how is she goth??
-So you "date" the guy for a day and now he's kissing your boobs? Do all girls aside from me move this quickly? Because this is just ridiculous to me.
-pg. 137 - so now we are finally told she wears black shirts regularly, still not goth though in my opinion
-plaid skirts are apparently slutty - okay...
-Because you should always change yourself for a man! (please note my sarcasm)
-All the boys are amazing, good-looking, intellectuals. This is not real life, especially for teenagers
-I think the author is just throwing in the classic text references at this point to assure us she's well read
- Noel becomes alarmingly thin but let's just ignore it
-pg. 156 - "weakened by my sugar daze" - what? I know you can feel weak if you don't eat enough and you need some sugar but never have I been weakened by sugar. I have become more hyper or alert from a sugar high, but this weakened thing is a mystery to me.
-Why do kids in more recent books listen to vinyl? I know two people into this and both of them are 30 year olds.
-Highschoolers drinking wine like its soda - #1. Did this happen when I was a kid because I have never witnessed this and #2 Wine is absolutely disgusting
- Alex or Jack - girl you move fast for someone who claims to have no experience with boys
-Pg. 174 - really? rats and spiders? is this a bad horror film?
- Jack and Cally - um, girl, yeah you seem so broken up about Alex
- you just hooked up with Jack but you won't dump Alex because he's hot even though now you're both cheaters and why were you mad at Alex?
-suddenly Freddy is a psycho
-so you're a cheater, repeatedly, and it's cool?
-also you're now a horny sex machine, stop saying you don't know things about boys. Also stop saying you don't know what you want, you shouldn't be in a relationship or having sex if you don't know what you're doing.
-is she having a nervous breakdown?
-Why are classes not cancelled? A bad of child bones was found in the woods!
-pg. 237 - Freddy - why have they not checked phone records before this?? Iris has been missing since OCTOBER
-what is with all the drugs at this school? I know kids do them but every character in this book does them? That's not realistic
-I have already forgotten who Tanner is... who is this person?
-How did Freddy get into Harvard? She's a moron
-I'm calling it now - killer is totally Asta possibly with help from Noel
-So their teacher is arrested and STILL they have classes?!?
-Cally: #1, stop speculating, #2, I'm surprised you are smart enough to make any guess at all since you're dumb as a post
-the timeline of this book is a bit confusing
-Everyone really is an asshole in this book
-Everyone is also a cheater
-Helen doesn't make sense, why tell Cally anything?
-Really Cally? Confession time with HELEN?
-pellucid? again these random word choices
-HA! I called it! It's totally Asta!
-Chelsea Vetiver the best character
-Seriously? No one has a cell phone at this school? even illegally??
-Finally Cally's aunt shows up, it's about time!
-This tidied up too nicely
Sorry if that seemed like a lot. Sometimes books just get on my nerves and sometimes I list things instead of reviews. Hope this helps someone. But I still recommend the author's second book if you like weird fairy tale sort of retellings - it had it's flaws but I couldn't put it down.
April 14, 2013
I literally could not put this book down. Whatever was on my to-do list had to wait a day and a half. Reminiscent of Donna Tartt's THE SECRET HISTORY both stylistically and thematically, THE LITTLE WOODS is a beautifully written, suspenseful, and deliciously disturbing story about a girl who enrolls at the boarding school where her sister allegedly died in a fire many years earlier, and soon finds herself at the center of a new, but parallel mystery that leads back to her past. Once Calista Woods starts to realize the depths of deception at work at St. Bede's, there's no turning back. This book pulses with creepiness and has so many beautifully written lines that I found myself wanting to copy them down. It's hard to say too much about its themes without giving away too much, but suffice it to say that it's a very rich, multi-layered mystery with characters that'll burn themselves into your memory. It's stunning to me that McCormick Templeman is a debut novelist. I can't wait to read more from her
July 4, 2012
2.5/5 stars.
This one, while beautifully written, was quite the disappointment. While the author gets points for working magical realism into the story (and gorgeously, I might add), the fact that the hook doesn't sink in until nearly a third of the way in as well as how the main arc was dealt out in unevenly large chunks just didn't work for me. And that really saddens me because this book was so lovely and magical to read, had the arc pacing and hook been sorted out? I might have put it on my best of 2012 list.
To be honest, Templeman is a gorgeous, sensuous writer with a bright future ahead of her. She's ridiculously talented in the sensory language and imagery, and the way she worked in magical realism to the story with such ease really, really impressed me. It's what saved the bit of the book I did manage to get through because simply, it was enchanting and lovely. And it wasn't a problem for me at all.
What the problem for me was two main things: how the main plot arc was dealt out in terms of what it was, and its pacing, and the hook of the plot itself. Now, ideally, the hook of a book should sink into you within the first sentence, if not the first paragraph or, worst case scenario, the first few chapters. This didn't happen in this book - I was over ninety pages into the book before the main plot arc hook successfully sunk in when the first body was found. The emotional hook did sink in a little in the early chapters when we hear about what's happened to Cally's sister, it didn't sink in as nearly as deep as it should have in those pivotal first few chapters.
Then there's how the plot arc information itself was dealt out - we get it only in large, uneven chunks throughout the book. In some parts of the book, even within the little woods themselves, the information and tension of the main plot arc was simply just not there at all when ideally, the tension of your main plot arc should be on every page, in every chapter, and you should be feeling it evenly throughout the book.
Another wonderful thing that Templeman does well - she really knows how to build a tiny world around the school and the little woods, and makes it very insular and detailed. While I felt the idea of a prep school was a bit of an easy out on how to do this, I still liked the way she did it overall. The characters, while individually original and memorable, as a group I found a bit cliched (the jock, the popular kids, etc) and I wish Templeman hadn't played it safe there. Otherwise, in those two areas, she did just fine.
So, unfortunately, this one just didn't work too well for me. But this is just me - I'm very particular about my books, if you've been reading the blog for awhile. "The Little Woods" is out from Random House in North America July 10th, 2012 so be sure to check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
This one, while beautifully written, was quite the disappointment. While the author gets points for working magical realism into the story (and gorgeously, I might add), the fact that the hook doesn't sink in until nearly a third of the way in as well as how the main arc was dealt out in unevenly large chunks just didn't work for me. And that really saddens me because this book was so lovely and magical to read, had the arc pacing and hook been sorted out? I might have put it on my best of 2012 list.
To be honest, Templeman is a gorgeous, sensuous writer with a bright future ahead of her. She's ridiculously talented in the sensory language and imagery, and the way she worked in magical realism to the story with such ease really, really impressed me. It's what saved the bit of the book I did manage to get through because simply, it was enchanting and lovely. And it wasn't a problem for me at all.
What the problem for me was two main things: how the main plot arc was dealt out in terms of what it was, and its pacing, and the hook of the plot itself. Now, ideally, the hook of a book should sink into you within the first sentence, if not the first paragraph or, worst case scenario, the first few chapters. This didn't happen in this book - I was over ninety pages into the book before the main plot arc hook successfully sunk in when the first body was found. The emotional hook did sink in a little in the early chapters when we hear about what's happened to Cally's sister, it didn't sink in as nearly as deep as it should have in those pivotal first few chapters.
Then there's how the plot arc information itself was dealt out - we get it only in large, uneven chunks throughout the book. In some parts of the book, even within the little woods themselves, the information and tension of the main plot arc was simply just not there at all when ideally, the tension of your main plot arc should be on every page, in every chapter, and you should be feeling it evenly throughout the book.
Another wonderful thing that Templeman does well - she really knows how to build a tiny world around the school and the little woods, and makes it very insular and detailed. While I felt the idea of a prep school was a bit of an easy out on how to do this, I still liked the way she did it overall. The characters, while individually original and memorable, as a group I found a bit cliched (the jock, the popular kids, etc) and I wish Templeman hadn't played it safe there. Otherwise, in those two areas, she did just fine.
So, unfortunately, this one just didn't work too well for me. But this is just me - I'm very particular about my books, if you've been reading the blog for awhile. "The Little Woods" is out from Random House in North America July 10th, 2012 so be sure to check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
September 8, 2012
This is one author who has, with this title, completely blown adult suspense right out of the water.
The scene is a boarding school - one of those ritzy places that cater to the wealthy children who seem to want for nothing and only care about themselves. These are also the kids who have the power to bully someone they feel is ‘less’ than what they are on the ladder of success and popularity. But when they meet up with Cally Wood, an extremely intelligent and sarcastic girl who transfers during the middle of her junior year, the rich kids at St. Bede’s realize they’ve met their match. Of course…the secret that Cally is hiding not only involves these school grounds set far away from civilization, but also involves a killer who has never been found.
A while back, when Cally was very young, her sister went with a friend to St. Bede’s to enjoy the summer at the closed school. On her third night there…she disappeared and was never found. Cally is offered a full ride to St. Bede’s years later because of this horrific incident and the school wanting to keep the whole thing quiet.
Cally has a rough life. After her sister disappeared her father was struck down by a heart attack and her mother became a drunk, so she’s more than happy to leave home and head for the posh school.
When she arrives, she meets many - Freddy, a redheaded Class President; Sophie, who becomes her bff; as well as Jack, a highly stunning young man who is ambivalent to the fairer sex and doesn’t date. The two that make Cally cringe at first is her roommate, Helen, and Helen’s more quiet punk-rocker sister, Noel. Helen automatically gives off that vibe - she’s beautiful and everyone knows it, very wealthy, has hidden secrets, and is so fake when she smiles that she looks more like a killer than a teenager.
As Cally begins her new life, romance blossoms, gauntlets are thrown, but more frightening than anything else is the fact that ‘The Little Woods’ behind St. Bede’s seems to be the Bermuda Triangle. Not only did Cally’s sister and her young friend disappear here long ago, but now others are disappearing as well. When a puzzle box is delivered to Cally, the secrets begin to unravel and the school becomes a playground for a killer who wants to hide the past.
This is one of those very rare YA’s (heck, any genre, for that matter) that is a ‘5-star’ read. The writer offers a plot full of suspense, and characters coming out of the woodwork with such different personalities that the reader has no idea who the real culprit is going to be. The story never slows down and readers will want to keep this particular title on their home bookshelf so that they can reread it anytime they want!
A triumph for the YA market!
The scene is a boarding school - one of those ritzy places that cater to the wealthy children who seem to want for nothing and only care about themselves. These are also the kids who have the power to bully someone they feel is ‘less’ than what they are on the ladder of success and popularity. But when they meet up with Cally Wood, an extremely intelligent and sarcastic girl who transfers during the middle of her junior year, the rich kids at St. Bede’s realize they’ve met their match. Of course…the secret that Cally is hiding not only involves these school grounds set far away from civilization, but also involves a killer who has never been found.
A while back, when Cally was very young, her sister went with a friend to St. Bede’s to enjoy the summer at the closed school. On her third night there…she disappeared and was never found. Cally is offered a full ride to St. Bede’s years later because of this horrific incident and the school wanting to keep the whole thing quiet.
Cally has a rough life. After her sister disappeared her father was struck down by a heart attack and her mother became a drunk, so she’s more than happy to leave home and head for the posh school.
When she arrives, she meets many - Freddy, a redheaded Class President; Sophie, who becomes her bff; as well as Jack, a highly stunning young man who is ambivalent to the fairer sex and doesn’t date. The two that make Cally cringe at first is her roommate, Helen, and Helen’s more quiet punk-rocker sister, Noel. Helen automatically gives off that vibe - she’s beautiful and everyone knows it, very wealthy, has hidden secrets, and is so fake when she smiles that she looks more like a killer than a teenager.
As Cally begins her new life, romance blossoms, gauntlets are thrown, but more frightening than anything else is the fact that ‘The Little Woods’ behind St. Bede’s seems to be the Bermuda Triangle. Not only did Cally’s sister and her young friend disappear here long ago, but now others are disappearing as well. When a puzzle box is delivered to Cally, the secrets begin to unravel and the school becomes a playground for a killer who wants to hide the past.
This is one of those very rare YA’s (heck, any genre, for that matter) that is a ‘5-star’ read. The writer offers a plot full of suspense, and characters coming out of the woodwork with such different personalities that the reader has no idea who the real culprit is going to be. The story never slows down and readers will want to keep this particular title on their home bookshelf so that they can reread it anytime they want!
A triumph for the YA market!
Read
September 5, 2012When Calista Wood transfers to St. Bede’s Academy, she’s determined not to tell anyone about her family tragedy – her sister went missing in the woods here years ago. But when she finds out that the previous inhabitant of her room also went missing, she starts looking for answers. I love boarding school books, and this one features its share of damaged, potentially homicidal rich girls (Helen, Freddy, Pigeon, and Chelsea were all intriguing secondary characters); quirky scholarship students (Sophie!); secret trysts with cute boys (one who left me swooning, and one who made me want to beat him with a stick); mysterious professors; and an appropriately creepy setting. Cally’s interest in Iris’s disappearance makes sense; she’s driven to investigate not just because she used to live in her room or because she wants to poke her nose into everything, but because of the potential link to her sister’s disappearance. And she’s a likable, compassionate protagonist with a wry sense of humor. The way the mystery played out surprised me (I am terrible at guessing whodunit), but it also felt believable. And while I do love a good HEA, I appreciated that maybe Cally’s not quite ready for that yet; I liked that the book ends on a note of hope instead. Recommend! (read via Netgalley)
March 30, 2012
I don't get it - Not because the book was confusing, but because I don't understand what the point was.
The book itself was very cliche. It's the same played-out storyline that the majority of young adult books nowadays use - the boarding school, the unresolved murder mystery, the hot boys and love triangles, the mean girls and BFFs and not knowing who your real friends are. But I was hoping this book would have its own personality, and it didn't.
The murder mystery is too predictable. You knew from the beginning who was involved, and no matter how many twists Templeman tried to throw in there, she made it so obvious that someone was framed or there was more to the story or it was just flat out wrong.
Now the part I don't get. Other than the beginning, a few scenes here and there and the end, there wasn't much of a story about the murder mystery. I know Cally said she wanted to keep her sister's story on the downlow, but she spent most of the books being distracted by her boarding school drama. And it was all awkwardly written, a bunch of the relationships were disturbing, and the end was just weird.
I hadn't expected too much out of this book, but I was hoping to at least like it a little - and I'm sorry, but I just didn't.
The book itself was very cliche. It's the same played-out storyline that the majority of young adult books nowadays use - the boarding school, the unresolved murder mystery, the hot boys and love triangles, the mean girls and BFFs and not knowing who your real friends are. But I was hoping this book would have its own personality, and it didn't.
The murder mystery is too predictable. You knew from the beginning who was involved, and no matter how many twists Templeman tried to throw in there, she made it so obvious that someone was framed or there was more to the story or it was just flat out wrong.
Now the part I don't get. Other than the beginning, a few scenes here and there and the end, there wasn't much of a story about the murder mystery. I know Cally said she wanted to keep her sister's story on the downlow, but she spent most of the books being distracted by her boarding school drama. And it was all awkwardly written, a bunch of the relationships were disturbing, and the end was just weird.
I hadn't expected too much out of this book, but I was hoping to at least like it a little - and I'm sorry, but I just didn't.
August 7, 2017
2% of this book was an actual intriguing mystery. The rest was trash. Would not recommend.
August 12, 2012
Before I began reading The Little Woods by author McCormick Templeman, I looked it up on Goodreads and read a few reviews that expressed mixed emotions. Some of them gave high appraisal while others were more… harsh. Basically, I saw that there was a lot of 2-3 star reviews and I have to admit that I lie in that group of people. For one thing, before even reading the novel and just reading the synopsis on Goodreads, I noticed that The Little Woods is under one of those genres that I just don’t take interest in when I read them: Boarding Schools. Honestly, if they aren’t clichéd I don’t really mind them, but most of them are focused on drugs, sex and drama. Which is pretty much what The Little Woods.
Which proves that this young reviewer, makes smart choices for a teenager *la salute*.
However, the novel is split up into two different parts and I found that at the start of both parts they had these really deep quotes that did manage to snag my interest. And at the start of The Little Woods I did really like the introduction to how the main character Cally’s (Short for Calista) older sister disappeared after visiting the boarding school Bede Academy. It was really well written and I honestly really enjoyed it because I just assumed that the rest of the story would keep up that pace… and I personally don’t think it achieved constantly keeping up that pace. But I did like that Cally attended Bede Academy to get into a good university, which should be important to people her age.
Once we enter Bede Academy, I was glad there wasn’t the clichéd bullying of the new girl. Cally was out of place, but people such as her roommate Helen did befriend her, which leads to her becoming friends with Helen’s friends. However, I was overly annoyed that this led to Cally getting into smoking weed and ending up in a relationship with a guy named Alex who kept on trying to get in her pants and did bad things. There was a lot of drama in this novel and because of the immaturity, I couldn’t really be immersed in the novel the way I usually do.
But, I really did enjoy the mystery portion of the novel. With the roommate before her, Iris, disappearing. There is a lot of speculation as to what happened to Iris, but the most eerie rumor is that Cally’s now roommate Helen is the person who killed her. Drama aside, Cally does work hard at uncovering the strange notes that Iris left behind in an attempt to find out who killed the girl which leads to a major twist at the end of the novel that not many people could have possibly seen coming.
I would recommend this novel to fans of the novel New Girl, drama, and YA teen-fiction. While the novel didn’t exactly work for me (and it may just be because of my youth), if any of the above was die hard appealing than the Little Woods may just be the novel for you.
Which proves that this young reviewer, makes smart choices for a teenager *la salute*.
However, the novel is split up into two different parts and I found that at the start of both parts they had these really deep quotes that did manage to snag my interest. And at the start of The Little Woods I did really like the introduction to how the main character Cally’s (Short for Calista) older sister disappeared after visiting the boarding school Bede Academy. It was really well written and I honestly really enjoyed it because I just assumed that the rest of the story would keep up that pace… and I personally don’t think it achieved constantly keeping up that pace. But I did like that Cally attended Bede Academy to get into a good university, which should be important to people her age.
Once we enter Bede Academy, I was glad there wasn’t the clichéd bullying of the new girl. Cally was out of place, but people such as her roommate Helen did befriend her, which leads to her becoming friends with Helen’s friends. However, I was overly annoyed that this led to Cally getting into smoking weed and ending up in a relationship with a guy named Alex who kept on trying to get in her pants and did bad things. There was a lot of drama in this novel and because of the immaturity, I couldn’t really be immersed in the novel the way I usually do.
But, I really did enjoy the mystery portion of the novel. With the roommate before her, Iris, disappearing. There is a lot of speculation as to what happened to Iris, but the most eerie rumor is that Cally’s now roommate Helen is the person who killed her. Drama aside, Cally does work hard at uncovering the strange notes that Iris left behind in an attempt to find out who killed the girl which leads to a major twist at the end of the novel that not many people could have possibly seen coming.
I would recommend this novel to fans of the novel New Girl, drama, and YA teen-fiction. While the novel didn’t exactly work for me (and it may just be because of my youth), if any of the above was die hard appealing than the Little Woods may just be the novel for you.
July 6, 2012
This book is another example of a brilliant premise being lost in execution. The idea of Cally going back to the school that held the secret behind the loss of her sister so many years earlier is enough to tantalize any reader almost to the point of involuntary salivation that would make Pavlov's dogs jealous; but before you go all hungry eyes and run off in search of a copy...there are a few things you should know.
Cally
She is the saving grace of this book. She is a strong smart realist who is trying to make her way in the St. Bede's world without losing herself in the process. She seems the most solid character in a world that is smoke, mirrors, mysteries and lies.
Clique Click
It is more than understandable that a closed and privileged boarding school like St Bede's is bound to be a breading ground for the cliques that are found within this read. The problem here is that the scope of this story is so big that the pettiness of the pecking order soon becomes an unnecessary evil that is used to try to fill pages and explain various dead end plot twists.
Questions Questions Questions
Reading this book is like being trapped in a car on a cross-country road trip with a precocious 4 year-old and no in car entertainment. In short, you know that there are going to be a lot of questions and hardly any answers until one of you falls asleep or you get where you are going.
This story is choc full of all kinds questions, diversions, uncertainties, and red herrings that it becomes tiresome after a while.
Hint: When attempting to write a mystery, do not make the answer to said mystery painfully obvious to the reader while throwing up smoke screens.
Fun With Dys and Function
It seems as though everything in this book had to have some sort of really f-cked up element,
right down to Cally's love interests. On the one hand, there is Alex, who by all accounts is Mr. Perfect. Then there is trouble with him and Cally "hooks up" with the "asexual" ? mark that is Jack!
They seem to have this animal chemistry that make them attack each other in fits of teenaged lust all the time.
Then there is the other "secret love" that Jack has and the fact that Cally is cheating on Alex with Jack.
WTF?????
And Fianlly...
The saddest thing of all about this book is that the original unsolved mystery that is Clare takes a backseat to the more recent disappearance of Iris. So much time is spent chasing the story that is Iris that what Clare is treated as an afterthought.
Find this review and more at: WTF Are You Reading?: Don't Venture Too Far into "The Little Woods"
Cally
She is the saving grace of this book. She is a strong smart realist who is trying to make her way in the St. Bede's world without losing herself in the process. She seems the most solid character in a world that is smoke, mirrors, mysteries and lies.
Clique Click
It is more than understandable that a closed and privileged boarding school like St Bede's is bound to be a breading ground for the cliques that are found within this read. The problem here is that the scope of this story is so big that the pettiness of the pecking order soon becomes an unnecessary evil that is used to try to fill pages and explain various dead end plot twists.
Questions Questions Questions
Reading this book is like being trapped in a car on a cross-country road trip with a precocious 4 year-old and no in car entertainment. In short, you know that there are going to be a lot of questions and hardly any answers until one of you falls asleep or you get where you are going.
This story is choc full of all kinds questions, diversions, uncertainties, and red herrings that it becomes tiresome after a while.
Hint: When attempting to write a mystery, do not make the answer to said mystery painfully obvious to the reader while throwing up smoke screens.
Fun With Dys and Function
It seems as though everything in this book had to have some sort of really f-cked up element,
right down to Cally's love interests. On the one hand, there is Alex, who by all accounts is Mr. Perfect. Then there is trouble with him and Cally "hooks up" with the "asexual" ? mark that is Jack!
They seem to have this animal chemistry that make them attack each other in fits of teenaged lust all the time.
Then there is the other "secret love" that Jack has and the fact that Cally is cheating on Alex with Jack.
WTF?????
And Fianlly...
The saddest thing of all about this book is that the original unsolved mystery that is Clare takes a backseat to the more recent disappearance of Iris. So much time is spent chasing the story that is Iris that what Clare is treated as an afterthought.
Find this review and more at: WTF Are You Reading?: Don't Venture Too Far into "The Little Woods"
January 24, 2017
Eh, a 2.5, really. I only finished it because I got into the habit of reading it on the bike at the gym.
The writing has an eerie, surreal feel to it, which the author clearly intended, so props for accomplishing that. Between the vivid descriptions (with unusual word choices, courtesy of a protagonist who says she used to like to memorize the dictionary), the boarding-school-full-of-secrets setting, and the prevalence of drugs, there's a hazy sense of unreality through the story. Plus, there's the fact that practically everyone we meet is ethereally gorgeous.
Having read one other book by the author, which had a similar mood to it but was a fantasy, I kept expecting this one to go in a more haunted/supernatural direction.
One thing I think kind of works for the story is that so many characters gave me creep vibes that I could really picture almost anyone being the murderer. Of course, this means that I couldn't really get behind either of protagonist Cally's romantic relationships.
Official boyfriend Alex doesn't strike me as creepy, but he clearly wants her to be something she's not. He complains when she cuts her hair in an edgy way, and unsubtly comments when she dresses up that he likes seeing her look like "a real girl" (or "a normal girl" or something - I don't remember precisely what he said, but it wasn't exactly swoon city). Then there's Side Boyfriend Jack, whose emotions don't make any sense to me. Cally hooks up with Jack while she is also dating Alex and while Jack is also dating a mystery girl WHO TURNS OUT TO BE A TEACHER AT THEIR SCHOOL. And whom he started dating WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN. And who is NEVER CONFRONTED FOR THIS ILLEGAL AND MESSED-UP BEHAVIOR. At the end of the book, Cally makes a throwaway recommendation that Jack and his new girlfriend should get the teacher arrested, but nothing ever comes of it, and the teacher goes off to get her MBA at Harvard. No consequences. Ick.
Interestingly, the hold that the mystery girl has on Jack (before her identity is revealed to the reader) reminds me a lot of the hold that a girl in the author's other book has on a boy. Only that girl is an actual undead vampiric creature. So.
This makes for a not-bad atmospheric mystery. The author did a decent job planting clues, I think, but didn't put in so many that I guessed the outcome. It didn't really surprise me, but then, as I said, almost everyone in this book seemed like they could be murdery.
The writing has an eerie, surreal feel to it, which the author clearly intended, so props for accomplishing that. Between the vivid descriptions (with unusual word choices, courtesy of a protagonist who says she used to like to memorize the dictionary), the boarding-school-full-of-secrets setting, and the prevalence of drugs, there's a hazy sense of unreality through the story. Plus, there's the fact that practically everyone we meet is ethereally gorgeous.
Having read one other book by the author, which had a similar mood to it but was a fantasy, I kept expecting this one to go in a more haunted/supernatural direction.
One thing I think kind of works for the story is that so many characters gave me creep vibes that I could really picture almost anyone being the murderer. Of course, this means that I couldn't really get behind either of protagonist Cally's romantic relationships.
Official boyfriend Alex doesn't strike me as creepy, but he clearly wants her to be something she's not. He complains when she cuts her hair in an edgy way, and unsubtly comments when she dresses up that he likes seeing her look like "a real girl" (or "a normal girl" or something - I don't remember precisely what he said, but it wasn't exactly swoon city). Then there's Side Boyfriend Jack, whose emotions don't make any sense to me. Cally hooks up with Jack while she is also dating Alex and while Jack is also dating a mystery girl WHO TURNS OUT TO BE A TEACHER AT THEIR SCHOOL. And whom he started dating WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN. And who is NEVER CONFRONTED FOR THIS ILLEGAL AND MESSED-UP BEHAVIOR. At the end of the book, Cally makes a throwaway recommendation that Jack and his new girlfriend should get the teacher arrested, but nothing ever comes of it, and the teacher goes off to get her MBA at Harvard. No consequences. Ick.
Interestingly, the hold that the mystery girl has on Jack (before her identity is revealed to the reader) reminds me a lot of the hold that a girl in the author's other book has on a boy. Only that girl is an actual undead vampiric creature. So.
This makes for a not-bad atmospheric mystery. The author did a decent job planting clues, I think, but didn't put in so many that I guessed the outcome. It didn't really surprise me, but then, as I said, almost everyone in this book seemed like they could be murdery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2012
I really enjoyed the whole ongoing mystery in this book. I have read a few reviews and they say that the reader knew the outcome before it happened, but I honestly had no idea how the missing children and Iris connected. I was accusing everybody! There were loads of red herrings, and I ate them up, so when the reveal finally came I was pretty surprised.
McCormick Templeman created a realistic story set in a boarding school with realistic teens and realistic events. Do you see a pattern here? The way the characters were portrayed is unlike most of the YA books I have read. These teens deal and take drugs, have sex, skip class and have a multitude of secrets. I loved this aspect of the book because it felt real, and this is something I miss in a lot of the books I read. Teenagers aren't perfect - nor are adults, but that's besides the point - and they shouldn't all be protrayed as loners who have never been kissed. Sure, there are teens like that, of course there are, but there are also many on the opposite side of the spectrum.
I liked the main character well enough, although her personality got a little grating at times. She got annoyed at her boyfriend for cheating on her, didn't really like her boyfriend all that much, and then she cheated on him with another guy for weeks. Just.. no. Aside from that, I liked Cally, and she wasn't a huge pushover all of the time.
I adored the secondary characters. There were so many of them that I do feel they were introduced al at once a little bit too soon. Having a bit more time to get used to their names and individual personalities would have been nice, because as soon as I took a break I forgot which character was which. But overall, they were awesome and the atmosphere they created was fantastic.
I really like Templeman's writing style, and I'll be checking out this author's future works, if there are any. This was a great story, and while it took a few chapters to get into, once I got sucked in it was difficult to put it down.
McCormick Templeman created a realistic story set in a boarding school with realistic teens and realistic events. Do you see a pattern here? The way the characters were portrayed is unlike most of the YA books I have read. These teens deal and take drugs, have sex, skip class and have a multitude of secrets. I loved this aspect of the book because it felt real, and this is something I miss in a lot of the books I read. Teenagers aren't perfect - nor are adults, but that's besides the point - and they shouldn't all be protrayed as loners who have never been kissed. Sure, there are teens like that, of course there are, but there are also many on the opposite side of the spectrum.
I liked the main character well enough, although her personality got a little grating at times. She got annoyed at her boyfriend for cheating on her, didn't really like her boyfriend all that much, and then she cheated on him with another guy for weeks. Just.. no. Aside from that, I liked Cally, and she wasn't a huge pushover all of the time.
I adored the secondary characters. There were so many of them that I do feel they were introduced al at once a little bit too soon. Having a bit more time to get used to their names and individual personalities would have been nice, because as soon as I took a break I forgot which character was which. But overall, they were awesome and the atmosphere they created was fantastic.
I really like Templeman's writing style, and I'll be checking out this author's future works, if there are any. This was a great story, and while it took a few chapters to get into, once I got sucked in it was difficult to put it down.
April 18, 2012
I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel because the marketing information was a bit sketchy on what this novel was about. In retrospect, I'm glad about that because I was able to read it without any previous notions. I had a few problems with the book but they were all minor: mystery was easily deciphered early, too many characters thrown at the reader too quickly (even by the end of the novel I needed a cheat sheet to try and keep the people straight), way in which the mystery unfolded, and not true to the boarding school mentality.
The book really could've taken place at any school due to the extent of the individualism expressed (no uniforms, no boarding school rules and regulations, etc) so the setting seemed quite contrived. The move of the main character to the school was a bit unbelievable as well. But these are all minor problems that I swallowed easily because I found the characters and plot so enjoyable.
The setting was wonderfully done and it was easily to place myself amongst the storyline. The teachers were all a bit over the top but not so much that I didn't enjoy reading them. They all just seemed to have a "quirkiness" to them that was unrealistic but fun to read. The ending was abrupt and unsettling but only because I wanted the story to continue. Most readers will see the mystery reveal long before it is given but you'll find yourself propelled forward anyway, wanting to see how the author puts her own spin on it. At times the MC got a bit annoying with her too direct questioning (not up to Nancy Drew by any means) and clues seemed to fall into her lap without effort which demeaned the story a bit and made it feel like the author couldn't find a creative way to get those clues revealed. Overall, this is an engaging novel that will keep most readers attached despite its flaws
ARC Galley Proof
The book really could've taken place at any school due to the extent of the individualism expressed (no uniforms, no boarding school rules and regulations, etc) so the setting seemed quite contrived. The move of the main character to the school was a bit unbelievable as well. But these are all minor problems that I swallowed easily because I found the characters and plot so enjoyable.
The setting was wonderfully done and it was easily to place myself amongst the storyline. The teachers were all a bit over the top but not so much that I didn't enjoy reading them. They all just seemed to have a "quirkiness" to them that was unrealistic but fun to read. The ending was abrupt and unsettling but only because I wanted the story to continue. Most readers will see the mystery reveal long before it is given but you'll find yourself propelled forward anyway, wanting to see how the author puts her own spin on it. At times the MC got a bit annoying with her too direct questioning (not up to Nancy Drew by any means) and clues seemed to fall into her lap without effort which demeaned the story a bit and made it feel like the author couldn't find a creative way to get those clues revealed. Overall, this is an engaging novel that will keep most readers attached despite its flaws
ARC Galley Proof
May 31, 2012
I like well-written mysteries like The Little Woods... and I especially like when the author successfully incorporates creepy characters and a foreboding atmosphere.
I'll be honest, there's some predictability within the plot of The Little Woods, but this novel is both beautifully written and engaging, so I didn't mind that some things didn't feel very surprising. In fact, Templeman may have done this purposely because when I was surprised by a twist, I was really surprised. Enough so that I literally had to verbalize my normal internal "whoa."
There was one aspect of The Little Woods that rang false to me... and I just couldn't get past it. Cally isn't very girly. In fact, she doesn't seem to care about her appearance much at all. Which would have been totally fine, if she didn't have two boys chasing after her. Sure, some boys wouldn't mind the lack of care Cally exhibits for her appearance, but neither of Cally's love interests seem like the type to overlook her blatant disregard. In addition, I didn't think she was all that wonderful personality-wise either. I liked her as a main character - her point of view was interesting - but I never felt particularly attached to her and I couldn't understand why any of the characters were so enthralled by her.
Since I didn't really understand the allure of Cally, I wasn't a huge fan of the romance elements within the novel. They weren't badly done or anything like that, I just was much more interested in the mystery and which characters were lying and why.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Templeman's debut. I've read that her next novel, The Glass Casket, is a retelling of Snow White and I cannot wait to read it. I've fallen in love with Templeman's writing and can only imagine greatness from this retelling!
I'll be honest, there's some predictability within the plot of The Little Woods, but this novel is both beautifully written and engaging, so I didn't mind that some things didn't feel very surprising. In fact, Templeman may have done this purposely because when I was surprised by a twist, I was really surprised. Enough so that I literally had to verbalize my normal internal "whoa."
There was one aspect of The Little Woods that rang false to me... and I just couldn't get past it. Cally isn't very girly. In fact, she doesn't seem to care about her appearance much at all. Which would have been totally fine, if she didn't have two boys chasing after her. Sure, some boys wouldn't mind the lack of care Cally exhibits for her appearance, but neither of Cally's love interests seem like the type to overlook her blatant disregard. In addition, I didn't think she was all that wonderful personality-wise either. I liked her as a main character - her point of view was interesting - but I never felt particularly attached to her and I couldn't understand why any of the characters were so enthralled by her.
Since I didn't really understand the allure of Cally, I wasn't a huge fan of the romance elements within the novel. They weren't badly done or anything like that, I just was much more interested in the mystery and which characters were lying and why.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Templeman's debut. I've read that her next novel, The Glass Casket, is a retelling of Snow White and I cannot wait to read it. I've fallen in love with Templeman's writing and can only imagine greatness from this retelling!
July 10, 2012
I have heard other reviewers mention how this story just drew them in. That is was hard to say what really was so compelling about it other than the fact that the storyline itself was just that alluring.
The mystery behind everything just seems to pull at you and refuses to let go until the whole story has been told and everyone's secrets revealed.
I really enjoyed Cally's character, the fact that she wasn't your typical girly girl but instead somewhat of a tom boy, it made for a refreshing change in a herioine.
I love how the mystery unfolded, one thread at a time, slowly revealing the truths and lies. I love that I never truly figured out what the secrets were although it seemed like I had at times, that it might even be predictable and then the author would throw in another twist that would once again throw me off the trail.
This is a more mature read however even though it has a YA rating, there are drug and alcohol references and even some references to sex (nothing explicit) and of course some bad language but thankfully none of it distracted me too much from the storyline itself which was nice.
I was a little put off with the ending. It wasn't that things were left undone or even necessarily unsaid, I was just hoping for something a little different I think. Maybe something a little more. It felt a little rushed to me and things with Cally's friends just left a bad taste in my mouth.
I'm not sure what else the author really could have done with it because this isn't one of those books that is going to have a sweet happily ever after but still, I felt a little sad maybe with the way things were left and with no real definitely ending a healing for Cally.
I think overall though this deserves a good 3.5 to 4 Stars.
The mystery behind everything just seems to pull at you and refuses to let go until the whole story has been told and everyone's secrets revealed.
I really enjoyed Cally's character, the fact that she wasn't your typical girly girl but instead somewhat of a tom boy, it made for a refreshing change in a herioine.
I love how the mystery unfolded, one thread at a time, slowly revealing the truths and lies. I love that I never truly figured out what the secrets were although it seemed like I had at times, that it might even be predictable and then the author would throw in another twist that would once again throw me off the trail.
This is a more mature read however even though it has a YA rating, there are drug and alcohol references and even some references to sex (nothing explicit) and of course some bad language but thankfully none of it distracted me too much from the storyline itself which was nice.
I was a little put off with the ending. It wasn't that things were left undone or even necessarily unsaid, I was just hoping for something a little different I think. Maybe something a little more. It felt a little rushed to me and things with Cally's friends just left a bad taste in my mouth.
I'm not sure what else the author really could have done with it because this isn't one of those books that is going to have a sweet happily ever after but still, I felt a little sad maybe with the way things were left and with no real definitely ending a healing for Cally.
I think overall though this deserves a good 3.5 to 4 Stars.
May 24, 2012
I received an ARC (digital copy) of the book via Netgalley.
I wanted to like this book -- I requested it specifically because it fits into one of those sub-genres that really appeal to me (boarding school, YA, mystery with a hint of magical realism/supernatural). But I just couldn't get past a couple of things: #1, the author's overuse of big words from her thesaurus that just make no sense in the context of the sentence (and worse, don't fit with the character's voice or the tone of the passage as a whole)*, and #2, inconsistencies with each of the characters, their motives, their reactions with and to other characters, and their voices.
The romance doesn't make sense in terms of the development of the story -- I don't mean that it doesn't make sense to have romance in a story like this, but I just don't buy why Cally was even involved with Alex, for example. There's nothing believable about their relationship or their conversations.
And then there's the whole murder mystery. Had this unfolded more subtly and at a slower pace, I think it would've worked well. But instead, we get Cally feeding huge chunks of the story to the reader, shoved in between the other scenes, and it just feels too much like telling instead of showing.
There was a lot of promise and potential in this book, but the execution failed miserably.
*See my status update for a perfect example: "I'm on page 72 of 336 of The Little Woods: Someone needs to take this woman's thesaurus and burn it. "Expactorated" is never a fitting alternative to the word "said." NEVER. — May 22, 2012 11:18pm"
I wanted to like this book -- I requested it specifically because it fits into one of those sub-genres that really appeal to me (boarding school, YA, mystery with a hint of magical realism/supernatural). But I just couldn't get past a couple of things: #1, the author's overuse of big words from her thesaurus that just make no sense in the context of the sentence (and worse, don't fit with the character's voice or the tone of the passage as a whole)*, and #2, inconsistencies with each of the characters, their motives, their reactions with and to other characters, and their voices.
The romance doesn't make sense in terms of the development of the story -- I don't mean that it doesn't make sense to have romance in a story like this, but I just don't buy why Cally was even involved with Alex, for example. There's nothing believable about their relationship or their conversations.
And then there's the whole murder mystery. Had this unfolded more subtly and at a slower pace, I think it would've worked well. But instead, we get Cally feeding huge chunks of the story to the reader, shoved in between the other scenes, and it just feels too much like telling instead of showing.
There was a lot of promise and potential in this book, but the execution failed miserably.
*See my status update for a perfect example: "I'm on page 72 of 336 of The Little Woods: Someone needs to take this woman's thesaurus and burn it. "Expactorated" is never a fitting alternative to the word "said." NEVER. — May 22, 2012 11:18pm"
June 30, 2014
I was teased by this novel through Goodreads (you know on that little thread that pops through when you like one book it suggests more like it), and was quickly drawn in my the cover and then completely snagged by the synopsis.
How could you not be drawn in by such gothic imagery as a boarding school that is named after a saint (St. Bede is the patron saint of English writers and historians), shadowy woods (as hinted at by the cover) and a good ol’ caper of a missing girl?
The main characters are exactly what you would expect from a thriller. Everyone is a suspect till the very end.
Cally is very headstrong and likeable. Not your typical girly girl, she has a definite edge to her appearance and personality. However, she has a definite soft side, and is able to crumble if all the cards are stacked against her (which they inevitably do being that she is a new girl at a very small posh boarding school).
The mystery took until the very end to unravel and reveal everyone’s secrets. I had an inkling as to who was responsible for the first set of disappearances, but was quickly blown away by how they tied in to the disappearance of the girl from St. Bede’s.
This book is a true YA novel. It does not sugar coat teen experiences: drugs and sex, as a matter of fact it brings them right out in to the open.
I was not exactly happy with the ending. I felt that there was some unresolved issues between Cally and her classmates, and her family. I don’t know how Templeman could have ended it differently, but I still felt a little robbed as a reader.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good gritty mystery.
How could you not be drawn in by such gothic imagery as a boarding school that is named after a saint (St. Bede is the patron saint of English writers and historians), shadowy woods (as hinted at by the cover) and a good ol’ caper of a missing girl?
The main characters are exactly what you would expect from a thriller. Everyone is a suspect till the very end.
Cally is very headstrong and likeable. Not your typical girly girl, she has a definite edge to her appearance and personality. However, she has a definite soft side, and is able to crumble if all the cards are stacked against her (which they inevitably do being that she is a new girl at a very small posh boarding school).
The mystery took until the very end to unravel and reveal everyone’s secrets. I had an inkling as to who was responsible for the first set of disappearances, but was quickly blown away by how they tied in to the disappearance of the girl from St. Bede’s.
This book is a true YA novel. It does not sugar coat teen experiences: drugs and sex, as a matter of fact it brings them right out in to the open.
I was not exactly happy with the ending. I felt that there was some unresolved issues between Cally and her classmates, and her family. I don’t know how Templeman could have ended it differently, but I still felt a little robbed as a reader.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good gritty mystery.
January 6, 2023
I was drawn in to this atmospheric, sometimes-eerie setting from page one, and extra-thrilled by the mysterious delivery of a wooden puzzle box (I had just watched Glass Onion 3 days earlier), and never lost interest. The book jacket made it sound like her sister had been a St. Bede's student ten years ago, but she was actually just a little girl visiting her friend, whose mother was a teacher there. So her disappearance is not only extra-tragic, it means that any clues to what happened to her will be incidental; there are no teachers you can interview or rumors about past students you might hear (unlike the ones about the current missing girl...). Only near the very end did I have a sense of where the mystery might be going and if/how the past and present disappearances were tied together, and even then I was never sure. What a good, satisfying, twisty ride.
I could have done without the silly love triangle -- although at least they were both decent love interests, no obnoxious bad boys here -- or her spontaneous 90%-buzzcut (why did he even WANT to stay with her at that point; that would kill my affection for someone faster than hearing they cheated), but those were minor qualms. In fact, it kind of adds to the ultimate lesson that this poor girl has been messed up and hollow since the loss of her sister and her father in the same year when she was 7, and she's been looking all this time for something to give her life meaning/anchorage, not sure whether she'll find it in academics, boys, or playing detective, but trying all three.
I could have done without the silly love triangle -- although at least they were both decent love interests, no obnoxious bad boys here -- or her spontaneous 90%-buzzcut (why did he even WANT to stay with her at that point; that would kill my affection for someone faster than hearing they cheated), but those were minor qualms. In fact, it kind of adds to the ultimate lesson that this poor girl has been messed up and hollow since the loss of her sister and her father in the same year when she was 7, and she's been looking all this time for something to give her life meaning/anchorage, not sure whether she'll find it in academics, boys, or playing detective, but trying all three.
January 9, 2015
Comments: THE SUSPENSE BLEW MY MIND!
PLot= Many people say the woods of St Bede is haunted but it may not be true because once people is inside the woods they disappear and none make it out of the woods alive.
Characters= Cally= our main girl, I love how she moves to this private university after her sister's Clare disappear I always love these kinds of girl because they can go through alot to find the ultimate truth. I love much she cares for her friends and her love life sucks but she cares about people alot which I love.
Helen= ooh this girl is always mysterious when they introduce her I thought she would be bossy and others. She has a nice introduction and I love how she cares about her sister. As you read on you will know what kind of character she is.
Noel = I actually love this girl, I thought the name is for a boy but it was a girl and I love how outgoing she is. I love how she cares for outsiders and she is the kind of character that outstands alot of people.
Jack & Alex= These two is good i like their storyline
Asta= ooh that teacher is always I always thought she is one of those nice teachers guess I was wrong lol. I love how it ends up in the end, Asta is kinda like a goddess.
Iris= A major character in the story I love how the mystery revolves around her soo special. I can't wait to learn more about it!
Cover= I feel scared being lost in the woods now lol
ANYWAY EVERYONE CHECK OUT THIS BOOK IT IS PURE PERFECTION YOU WON'T REGRET!
PLot= Many people say the woods of St Bede is haunted but it may not be true because once people is inside the woods they disappear and none make it out of the woods alive.
Characters= Cally= our main girl, I love how she moves to this private university after her sister's Clare disappear I always love these kinds of girl because they can go through alot to find the ultimate truth. I love much she cares for her friends and her love life sucks but she cares about people alot which I love.
Helen= ooh this girl is always mysterious when they introduce her I thought she would be bossy and others. She has a nice introduction and I love how she cares about her sister. As you read on you will know what kind of character she is.
Noel = I actually love this girl, I thought the name is for a boy but it was a girl and I love how outgoing she is. I love how she cares for outsiders and she is the kind of character that outstands alot of people.
Jack & Alex= These two is good i like their storyline
Asta= ooh that teacher is always I always thought she is one of those nice teachers guess I was wrong lol. I love how it ends up in the end, Asta is kinda like a goddess.
Iris= A major character in the story I love how the mystery revolves around her soo special. I can't wait to learn more about it!
Cover= I feel scared being lost in the woods now lol
ANYWAY EVERYONE CHECK OUT THIS BOOK IT IS PURE PERFECTION YOU WON'T REGRET!
April 5, 2012
The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman follows Cally who is new at St Bede's academy, the place where Cally's sister went missing years before. Cally finds out when she moves into her room that the girl whose bed she is sleeping in disappeared earlier in the year. Callie makes her way through the politics of private school dealing with friends, romance while trying to figure out the mystery of the missing girls.
I didn't expect much when I started the book but I've always been a fan of boarding school books so I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised. I found myself engrossed and entertained even thinking about the mystery when I put the book down. Cally was an interesting character, a quirky girl on the outskirts of the social scene. This is a fun and creepy book that older teens will enjoy.
Appropriateness: This book is full of adult content. There are a lot of drunken parties and there is a lot of pot smoking and talk of other drugs, casual sex (with a condom), cheating and a teacher/student relationship. Our main character for the most part stays away from the alcohol and drugs, making excuses to not drink and drinking small amounts so others don't know she's not drinking. I would recommend this book to readers 16+ and use the book as a starting point for a discussion on peer pressure.
I didn't expect much when I started the book but I've always been a fan of boarding school books so I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised. I found myself engrossed and entertained even thinking about the mystery when I put the book down. Cally was an interesting character, a quirky girl on the outskirts of the social scene. This is a fun and creepy book that older teens will enjoy.
Appropriateness: This book is full of adult content. There are a lot of drunken parties and there is a lot of pot smoking and talk of other drugs, casual sex (with a condom), cheating and a teacher/student relationship. Our main character for the most part stays away from the alcohol and drugs, making excuses to not drink and drinking small amounts so others don't know she's not drinking. I would recommend this book to readers 16+ and use the book as a starting point for a discussion on peer pressure.
June 13, 2012
The Little Woods is an interesting story about Cally Woods that lost a sister tragically when she was a child. In an attempt to move on with her life, she begins to attend a school located in the same area her sister disappeared. However, the boarding school isn't quite what she expected.
I liked Cally and was routing for her the entire time. I'm surprised she managed to hold things together long enough to attend school despite all of the crazy things going on around her.
I only had a few minor issues with this book, but despite those small issues, I found the book to be an enjoyable read.
Cally, at some point during the story, suddenly suffers something like a psychotic break and does things that are very out of character for her. This would have been fine if we would have been lead down this road a bit more. We really don't hear much more about it aside from a few pages and then Cally is off to do something else.
Also, the conversational parts of this book sometimes sound like we're reading an instruction manual. We're lead into things very slowly and I found myself wishing they'd just get on with it already!
This all leads us up to a very bittersweet ending but an ending full of closure where things for Cally and her family finally reach a point where everyone finds themselves with some sort of peace.
I liked Cally and was routing for her the entire time. I'm surprised she managed to hold things together long enough to attend school despite all of the crazy things going on around her.
I only had a few minor issues with this book, but despite those small issues, I found the book to be an enjoyable read.
Cally, at some point during the story, suddenly suffers something like a psychotic break and does things that are very out of character for her. This would have been fine if we would have been lead down this road a bit more. We really don't hear much more about it aside from a few pages and then Cally is off to do something else.
Also, the conversational parts of this book sometimes sound like we're reading an instruction manual. We're lead into things very slowly and I found myself wishing they'd just get on with it already!
This all leads us up to a very bittersweet ending but an ending full of closure where things for Cally and her family finally reach a point where everyone finds themselves with some sort of peace.
November 12, 2015
3.5
The Little Woods was exactly what I wanted it to be, a breezy young adult book that didn't have two sequels I needed to buy.
I read this book to take a break from a serious, long historical fiction book. It was a quick read, I read almost half the book in one sitting. A boarding school murder mystery novel with the traditional young adult love triangle. Though, it didn't really feel too in your face lovey dovey, and there wasn't too much pining.
Cally is a relatively strong female character, though she does find herself struggling not to bend to fit in here and there. The story also deals with familiar teen issues, sex for the first time, love, drugs, inappropriate teacher crushes, fears of getting into colleges/of fitting in, and pretty much any other normal high school situation one might face.
It wasn't too direct, I didn't find myself annoyed at all. I appreciated that the author tried to bring the story up a notch by putting in some vocabulary I've never heard before. I did end up looking up/learning a few new words. I felt that she was trying to stretch her legs in the category without being obnoxious.
Overall enjoyed. Sometimes you don't want to read the most serious literature. Sometimes you just want to read a book that is exactly what advertises itself to be.
The Little Woods was exactly what I wanted it to be, a breezy young adult book that didn't have two sequels I needed to buy.
I read this book to take a break from a serious, long historical fiction book. It was a quick read, I read almost half the book in one sitting. A boarding school murder mystery novel with the traditional young adult love triangle. Though, it didn't really feel too in your face lovey dovey, and there wasn't too much pining.
Cally is a relatively strong female character, though she does find herself struggling not to bend to fit in here and there. The story also deals with familiar teen issues, sex for the first time, love, drugs, inappropriate teacher crushes, fears of getting into colleges/of fitting in, and pretty much any other normal high school situation one might face.
It wasn't too direct, I didn't find myself annoyed at all. I appreciated that the author tried to bring the story up a notch by putting in some vocabulary I've never heard before. I did end up looking up/learning a few new words. I felt that she was trying to stretch her legs in the category without being obnoxious.
Overall enjoyed. Sometimes you don't want to read the most serious literature. Sometimes you just want to read a book that is exactly what advertises itself to be.
June 1, 2012
It's refreshing to read a book that ends when the pages run out. :-)
Cally has been a fun character to get to know, except for her boyfriend relationship part. I guess that was thrown in to make her seem more like a teenager, or maybe so more people would turn on her. I don't know, but I wasn't impressed with it. It didn't seem in character at all.
I enjoyed the dynamics of boarding school life. There's always one of each of them in a group of girls, and I imagine the personality differences to be even more exaggerated when all the characters live together all the time.
Overall, a solid book. I guessed the culprit really early on and wish I hadn't been right, but the angle Templeman took was unforeseen, so it made it a little better.
One of my favorite characters was Chelsea. She's a no-holds barred, say what she thinks girl and totally rocked in this book. I would love to see a book starring her.
I would recommend this book to students who enjoy a goth-girl, alternative main character, and to students who enjoy mysteries.
Cally has been a fun character to get to know, except for her boyfriend relationship part. I guess that was thrown in to make her seem more like a teenager, or maybe so more people would turn on her. I don't know, but I wasn't impressed with it. It didn't seem in character at all.
I enjoyed the dynamics of boarding school life. There's always one of each of them in a group of girls, and I imagine the personality differences to be even more exaggerated when all the characters live together all the time.
Overall, a solid book. I guessed the culprit really early on and wish I hadn't been right, but the angle Templeman took was unforeseen, so it made it a little better.
One of my favorite characters was Chelsea. She's a no-holds barred, say what she thinks girl and totally rocked in this book. I would love to see a book starring her.
I would recommend this book to students who enjoy a goth-girl, alternative main character, and to students who enjoy mysteries.
February 4, 2015
Ten years ago her sister disappeared while visiting St. Bede's Academy. Cally is awarded a scholarship her junior year to St. Bede's and sets off to find herself and possibly figure out what happened to her sister all those years ago. Suspenseful, flirty and witty Templeman hits all the right notes with this fast paced thriller. Instances of underage drinking, sex and frank mentions of drug use make this more appropriate for older readers. With twists and turns, this mystery will keep you guessing.
I LOVED Cally, I didn't always agree with some of her decisions (like not handing different clues over to the police), but I admired her dedication to solving the puzzle and her strength to stick to guns when pressured to do things she wasn't always comfortable with.
Wasn't crazy about the dual relationship, or her bf's reaction when she chopped off her hair, but who is to say those things don't happen in real life.
I'm usually pretty good about figuring out 'who did it' but this one kept me guessing until right before the great reveal.
I LOVED Cally, I didn't always agree with some of her decisions (like not handing different clues over to the police), but I admired her dedication to solving the puzzle and her strength to stick to guns when pressured to do things she wasn't always comfortable with.
Wasn't crazy about the dual relationship, or her bf's reaction when she chopped off her hair, but who is to say those things don't happen in real life.
I'm usually pretty good about figuring out 'who did it' but this one kept me guessing until right before the great reveal.
November 14, 2013
This book was a quick and fun read. I really enjoyed guessing who the bad guy was. I was so hooked.
Cally is going to St. Bede's to hopefully find out what happened to her sister there. But she doesn't want anyone to know Claire was her sister. Upon arriving she finds out the room she is staying in is only available because the girl who previous lived there went missing.
She made some interesting friends and some nice friends, and managed to date a guy or two possibly at the same time. All the while putting the pieces together to find out how her sister died.
It was a great read til the very last page.
Cally is going to St. Bede's to hopefully find out what happened to her sister there. But she doesn't want anyone to know Claire was her sister. Upon arriving she finds out the room she is staying in is only available because the girl who previous lived there went missing.
She made some interesting friends and some nice friends, and managed to date a guy or two possibly at the same time. All the while putting the pieces together to find out how her sister died.
It was a great read til the very last page.
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