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What Waits in the Woods
It's a beautiful, sunny day. Callie Velasquez holds hands with her boyfriend Jeremy as they follow Callie's new BFFs Penelope and Lissa up the trail. The four friends are embarking on a camping trip -- a trip that immediately goes awry. They lose their way on the trail, and encounter a charismatic stranger with questionable motives. And when Callie stumbles upon a dead body, it becomes clear that the danger that lies in the woods is deadlier than she could have ever imagined. Tensions mount and friendships are tested as these teenagers try to survive the most sinister of circumstances.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2015
130 people are currently reading
3487 people want to read
About the author
Kieran Scott
42 books1,615 followersKieran Scott is the author of domestic suspense and mystery novels including WISH YOU WERE GONE, REGRETS ONLY and PEOPLE WILL TALK. She has also written several young adult novels, both under her own name and for Alloy Entertainment under the pseudonym Kate Brian. These include the New York Times best-selling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, as well as MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS and many others. She grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey, attended Rutgers University, and now lives in New Jersey with her husband, two sons and one goofy dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
November 5, 2015
I don't know why I keep on reading books like this when I'm always somewhere out there camping...But I like scaring myself so I give this one a go.
What Waits in the Woods is a decent read. I love the build up of the story and the paranoia of the characters. It reminds me to always bring a switchblade whenever my friends and I go on a road trip. You never know if a psycho is around..
The only let down is the ending. Like "dafuq where did that come from?"
It made the whole book a let down.
November 28, 2015
I picked this up because at the time I wanted something fun, different, and even something that would keep me on my toes with a touch of, what I was hoping would be darkness and a creepy factor that would scare me without being too scary.
I'm proud to say I got all of that and then some.
I had no expectations going into this other than the above. I found this at my daughter's book fair and thought, “why not” and bought it, I'm so very glad that I did because not only did I enjoy it, but both of my daughters did as well. And as much as I would love to say that happens often, it sadly doesn't so take that however you will when considering picking this up.
It had twists, turns, mystery and a creepy factor that I wasn't quite ready for. Let's just say, this book kept me on my toes and sadly, will probably also keep my from wanting to do much camping this summer.
All in all this was an engaging read that kept me turning the pages and constantly guessing who the culprit was.
I'm proud to say I got all of that and then some.
I had no expectations going into this other than the above. I found this at my daughter's book fair and thought, “why not” and bought it, I'm so very glad that I did because not only did I enjoy it, but both of my daughters did as well. And as much as I would love to say that happens often, it sadly doesn't so take that however you will when considering picking this up.
It had twists, turns, mystery and a creepy factor that I wasn't quite ready for. Let's just say, this book kept me on my toes and sadly, will probably also keep my from wanting to do much camping this summer.
All in all this was an engaging read that kept me turning the pages and constantly guessing who the culprit was.
October 15, 2016
I hating DNFing a book, but I just wasn't enjoying this one at all. I had it figured out way too early on (read the ending out of curiousity) and I just couldn't have cared less about the characters in the story. This one was not for me at all. I love horror movies, even the really campy ones, but this one was just bad to me. It wasn't fun at all and I didn't feel any anticipation of what would happen next. The only anticipation I started feeling was when I thought I was getting closer to the end of the book, so I could move on.
April 27, 2019
"What could go wrong?"
This was nominated as a Gateway Finalist? Honestly, I can't see it.
I chose this book because my book club chose "survive" as our theme and it caught my eye and I wanted to see if it fit the theme and it did - sort of.
Four friends go hiking in the woods for a weekend getaway, and when they get lost and try to survive the rest of the journey, someone doesn't want them to get out alive. Sounded like every B rated teenage horror movie, and it played out exactly like it - high expectation, low performance.
While the story and plot were both intriguing, with sections of the story written in the killers journal describing the events and their own thoughts (that WAS creepy and dark), the whole book was destroyed by the characters. I hated each and every one of them.
Callie (hated her most) - a whiny "goody two-shoes" who just was everyone to get along and didn't even want to go on this trip, but just wants to belong. God she was annoying as the main character I wanted to hit her so much.
The WHOLE FREAKING TIME she was going "Jeremy this" and "Pen and Lissa" that, with just a dash of "oh yeah there might be a psycho out there". Girl get your priorities straight - someone is OUT TO GET YA'LL! Literally, her mind revolved around boyfriend Jeremy and best friends Pen and Lissa, even when they realized they were being followed.
To me all the characters were not as well rounded as they should have been. All having one or two traits that made them the way they were and that was it. No development whatsoever and was a real shame.
The ending had a good twist I'll give it that. With the main protagonist (and her beau), against the killer to a fight for survival. So kuddos to you ending.
So if you want to read a low budget horror movie, with teenage angst, hot guys, stuck up popular girls, and a dash of psycho killer, then look no further, you have arrived.
This was nominated as a Gateway Finalist? Honestly, I can't see it.
I chose this book because my book club chose "survive" as our theme and it caught my eye and I wanted to see if it fit the theme and it did - sort of.
Four friends go hiking in the woods for a weekend getaway, and when they get lost and try to survive the rest of the journey, someone doesn't want them to get out alive. Sounded like every B rated teenage horror movie, and it played out exactly like it - high expectation, low performance.
While the story and plot were both intriguing, with sections of the story written in the killers journal describing the events and their own thoughts (that WAS creepy and dark), the whole book was destroyed by the characters. I hated each and every one of them.
Callie (hated her most) - a whiny "goody two-shoes" who just was everyone to get along and didn't even want to go on this trip, but just wants to belong. God she was annoying as the main character I wanted to hit her so much.
The WHOLE FREAKING TIME she was going "Jeremy this" and "Pen and Lissa" that, with just a dash of "oh yeah there might be a psycho out there". Girl get your priorities straight - someone is OUT TO GET YA'LL! Literally, her mind revolved around boyfriend Jeremy and best friends Pen and Lissa, even when they realized they were being followed.
To me all the characters were not as well rounded as they should have been. All having one or two traits that made them the way they were and that was it. No development whatsoever and was a real shame.
The ending had a good twist I'll give it that. With the main protagonist (and her beau), against the killer to a fight for survival. So kuddos to you ending.
So if you want to read a low budget horror movie, with teenage angst, hot guys, stuck up popular girls, and a dash of psycho killer, then look no further, you have arrived.
October 27, 2021
City girl Callie Velasquez, nothing sounds more terrifying than a night out in the wilderness. But wanting to bond with her new friends, she agrees to join them on a camping trip. But the group loses half of their food supply. Then they lose their way. With strange sounds a sinister laugh Kallie thought she was losing her mind. This book will keep you turning the pages to the very end. I would recommend this book to YA group.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2015
4.5 stars!
What Waits in the Woods has been on my list of books I've been dying to get my hands on and read. And I'm so glad to say that this book didn't disappoint!
Told in third person narrative, WWITW follows Callie and her friends: Lissa (the alpha "mean girl"), Penelope (the shy/sweet beauty), and her Jeremy (the boyfriend) on their four day camping trip in a wood. The book was suspenseful and dramatic, well-paced and calculated.
Callie's fear and paranoia of the woods developed after the horror story of "the Skinner", a serial killer who had harmed and skinned innocent campers in the very woods that the four teenagers were camping in. It doesn't help the fact that Callie has a sinking suspicion that someone is following them. Tension, drama, mystery and suspense builds from there as Callie's paranoia develops. Things go awry, and the four teenagers soon find themselves lost in the woods before a mysterious stranger appears and joins them as they venture deeper into the woods.
There's plenty of hints as to who the villain is, carefully masqueraded and lamp-shaded behind red herrings and tension/drama that builds and unfolds between the four characters.
I had assumed that this book was going to be predictable, using red herrings to thwart the readers from who the real villain of the story. But the truth was, the "predictable" cliche/storyline that I had assumed was being developed was the author's other attempts to deceive the readers. (The author even teased and killed the one and only plot-twist-worthy storyline that I've been assuming was being set up right before the villain was revealed. By then, I was amazed that I let myself convince that I let myself get deceived).
It was only when the villain was revealed was I shocked and amazed--surprised that I didn't pick up on it right from the start (and I'm usually one to decipher and figure out plot twists in the first ten percent of the book).
Things I liked:
Bravo, Kieran Scott. What Waits In The Woods was a well paced, fast read that managed to surprise me with how things turned out.
What Waits in the Woods has been on my list of books I've been dying to get my hands on and read. And I'm so glad to say that this book didn't disappoint!
Told in third person narrative, WWITW follows Callie and her friends: Lissa (the alpha "mean girl"), Penelope (the shy/sweet beauty), and her Jeremy (the boyfriend) on their four day camping trip in a wood. The book was suspenseful and dramatic, well-paced and calculated.
Callie's fear and paranoia of the woods developed after the horror story of "the Skinner", a serial killer who had harmed and skinned innocent campers in the very woods that the four teenagers were camping in. It doesn't help the fact that Callie has a sinking suspicion that someone is following them. Tension, drama, mystery and suspense builds from there as Callie's paranoia develops. Things go awry, and the four teenagers soon find themselves lost in the woods before a mysterious stranger appears and joins them as they venture deeper into the woods.
There's plenty of hints as to who the villain is, carefully masqueraded and lamp-shaded behind red herrings and tension/drama that builds and unfolds between the four characters.
I had assumed that this book was going to be predictable, using red herrings to thwart the readers from who the real villain of the story. But the truth was, the "predictable" cliche/storyline that I had assumed was being developed was the author's other attempts to deceive the readers. (The author even teased and killed the one and only plot-twist-worthy storyline that I've been assuming was being set up right before the villain was revealed. By then, I was amazed that I let myself convince that I let myself get deceived).
It was only when the villain was revealed was I shocked and amazed--surprised that I didn't pick up on it right from the start (and I'm usually one to decipher and figure out plot twists in the first ten percent of the book).
Things I liked:
• Refreshing characters (Despite all of them being cliches in the beginning: the "flawlessly selfless/good girl heroine", the "mean girl who puts everyone down", the "sidekick of the mean girl who's nice with no back bone", and the "amazingly sweet boyfriend", they all became really well fleshed out as the story went on. They all got angry, they all had fights, and well, acted like normal teenagers.
• How fast paced and suspenseful it was.
• How the relationship drama between Jeremy and Callie wasn't overplayed in the grand scheme of things . Jeremy wasn't a bad boyfriend, and Callie wasn't a bad girlfriend. They were both in the wrongs at some point during the story, but it's clear that they cared for each other. I'm was surprised at how realistic the two were. (Also, I have a soft spot for nerdy book boyfriends and Jeremy was a nerd. Plain and simple. And I thought the backstory to how the two of them ended up dating was cute!)
• And I truly enjoyed how the author wasn't afraid to harm/hurt major characters.
Bravo, Kieran Scott. What Waits In The Woods was a well paced, fast read that managed to surprise me with how things turned out.
April 24, 2015
Callie decides to go camping with her fairly new friends for a few days to hopefully impress them, thing is, she's never actually been camping before. She brings along her boyfriend Jeremy, much to the dismay of her friends who wanted a girl's only trip. Everything seems to be going just fine until a couple of them end up falling into a river. Luckily they are saved, but most of their supplies are not. They keep moving on though, not wanting the trip to be ruined by some wet food. Emotions start running high as they go hungry and start blaming one another, especially when they meet a stranger who decides to help them. It doesn't help that for the past couple of days they've been followed by an eerie laughter.
If you're looking for a horror novel, you're in the wrong place. This book is more of a survival thriller, if even that. For about 80% of the book, nothing happens. Callie, a lightly brown skinned girl who appears white on the cover, and her friends experience small things here and there, a knife in a tree, a single doll, things like that. For the majority of the story though, all these people do is argue and all they argue about is petty high school drama. Which all seems more like middle school problems.
I was hesitant to get this book simply because I expected this to happen, but I was pulled in because there was mention of creepy dolls and journal entries from the point of view of the killer. Sad thing is, there's two mentions of dolls which have nothing to do with the story and the journals are sparse and short. They mention the body she finds in the description here, but that doesn't even happen until near the very end of the book. Sure there's plenty of creepy things that happen,
Near the end, about the last twenty or so chapters of the book, we finally get to the juicy thriller parts. This is all okay, and the big reveal is somewhat shocking. Major Spoiler:
This book started out pretty strong and mixed humor and horror pretty well. But then it stooped to boring drama. I understand this is a young adult novel, but there are plenty other young adult novels that don't have to "dumb it down" for younger readers. I didn't care for the characters, I didn't care for the drama, I just didn't care.
If you're looking for a horror novel, you're in the wrong place. This book is more of a survival thriller, if even that. For about 80% of the book, nothing happens. Callie, a lightly brown skinned girl who appears white on the cover, and her friends experience small things here and there, a knife in a tree, a single doll, things like that. For the majority of the story though, all these people do is argue and all they argue about is petty high school drama. Which all seems more like middle school problems.
I was hesitant to get this book simply because I expected this to happen, but I was pulled in because there was mention of creepy dolls and journal entries from the point of view of the killer. Sad thing is, there's two mentions of dolls which have nothing to do with the story and the journals are sparse and short. They mention the body she finds in the description here, but that doesn't even happen until near the very end of the book. Sure there's plenty of creepy things that happen,
Near the end, about the last twenty or so chapters of the book, we finally get to the juicy thriller parts. This is all okay, and the big reveal is somewhat shocking. Major Spoiler:
This book started out pretty strong and mixed humor and horror pretty well. But then it stooped to boring drama. I understand this is a young adult novel, but there are plenty other young adult novels that don't have to "dumb it down" for younger readers. I didn't care for the characters, I didn't care for the drama, I just didn't care.
November 3, 2015
This book is one of my favorites yet. I literally couldn't put the book down without picking it back up. It starts out very strong and captures your attention, which it keeps throughout the whole book. I have nothing but good things to say about this book. Just when you think you figured something out, the author trows something in that is totally shocking. I never saw the ending coming. A lot of times your favorite books leave you hanging but this book ends amazingly and gives you just the right amount of information. This book really comes to show you that in this society you can't trust people very much, the people who you think have your back can turn on you for the smallest thing. THIS IS A MUST READ for all students.
January 11, 2019
I really liked this book. it had a lot of mystery and make me always wonder what would happen next.
February 24, 2016
4.5 stars. Suspenseful, but also filled with silly teenage drama.
I have been looking forward to this book for some time. Good mystery/thriller books like this aren't easy to be found, so I was excited. And the book didn't disappoint, however, there was also enough that wasn't all to right. The blurb for instance makes things seem more suspenseful, but actually a lot of the more exciting things don't happen until near the end (and this also include dead bodies, this is not a spoiler. Just a warning. If you expect the book to be filled with murder and death and blood, then stay away from the this book. This one is mostly suspenseful and near the end, then things start to go wrong. Until that time it is just a cat/mouse game, more psychological than murder and death.).
I didn't particularly like Callie. At times she was a great character, but at other times I was just annoyed with how she thought. This whole thing in the spoiler, is the biggest reason why I rated this book 4.5 instead of the gorgeous 5 stars it would have gotten if this stuff was either lessened or if it wasn't so much drama.
And sure, I can somehow, vaguely imagine why it was added. So that the group would fall apart, to create more tension in what already is a tension-filled book. But it was just silly and it made me hate Callie so much. Also her total obliviousness to a lot of things.
But, like I said. I also liked her. I liked that even though she didn't like camping or outdoorsy stuff, she went with her friends and tried it out. I liked that she took a huge book with her and that she even read it at times. I know the feeling of just having to bring a big book with you, even though it means you will have to lug it around.
At times she was really strong, and I didn't mind her talking about her blisters or her feet that much. It made it seem more real, and I could just imagine her sitting or walking, trying to continue, but knowing that it will hurt so much.
The other characters, Lissa, Penelope, Jeremy were good characters, though they all had their good and bad sides. Lissa was all bitchy and acted like the queen bee, Penelope was a bit strange/cold at times, Jeremy, well, at times I liked him. He was sporty but also brainy, and I felt sorry for him (see above spoiler for why). But at other times I was angry with him. For being so rude.
The book was really suspenseful and I tried to pace myself, some books you just don't want to read in one setting. This is one of them. At times I was really creeped out, at times I just wanted to cheer for our characters, bringing them some strength in a time like this. I do wonder though, they were all about the preparations, but why didn't they just put the stuff in containers to keep them from getting wet/cracked/broken/etc.? I just found it highly stupid, but yeah, I guess if they were prepared the book would have been pretty boring and over faster than you can say: Boo! Still I wish that it was like this.
In-between the normal chapters we also have the chapters of the creepy girl/boy who did several things. Slowly, but very surely, these chapters become creepier and creepier and at times just disturbing. But, I like that they were added, they gave the book extra creepiness and I appreciate that.
The actual whodunnit? I had some candidates, and I really enjoyed puzzling things out. Was it one from the team? Was it an outsider? Was it the stranger that joined the team? Slowly, but surely you find out little things, but you are also thrown off course by the author who made sure to make everyone seem a suspect. It was really addicted and a lot of fun.
And the actual person, the actual crazy one? I loved it, it was a great twist (though I had my suspicions) and it made the book even more creepy. That person? They did it? Wow!
That last part of the book (before the ending) was frightening and awesome. I was just stuck in the book, couldn't put it down and wanted to know what would happen. Wow, wow and more wow.
The ending was decent. I didn't entirely like how
Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes, and more yes. I can't wait for this one to come out in paperback so I can add it to my collection. I do hope they will keep the cover or make an even creepier one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I have been looking forward to this book for some time. Good mystery/thriller books like this aren't easy to be found, so I was excited. And the book didn't disappoint, however, there was also enough that wasn't all to right. The blurb for instance makes things seem more suspenseful, but actually a lot of the more exciting things don't happen until near the end (and this also include dead bodies, this is not a spoiler. Just a warning. If you expect the book to be filled with murder and death and blood, then stay away from the this book. This one is mostly suspenseful and near the end, then things start to go wrong. Until that time it is just a cat/mouse game, more psychological than murder and death.).
I didn't particularly like Callie. At times she was a great character, but at other times I was just annoyed with how she thought. This whole thing in the spoiler, is the biggest reason why I rated this book 4.5 instead of the gorgeous 5 stars it would have gotten if this stuff was either lessened or if it wasn't so much drama.
And sure, I can somehow, vaguely imagine why it was added. So that the group would fall apart, to create more tension in what already is a tension-filled book. But it was just silly and it made me hate Callie so much. Also her total obliviousness to a lot of things.
But, like I said. I also liked her. I liked that even though she didn't like camping or outdoorsy stuff, she went with her friends and tried it out. I liked that she took a huge book with her and that she even read it at times. I know the feeling of just having to bring a big book with you, even though it means you will have to lug it around.
At times she was really strong, and I didn't mind her talking about her blisters or her feet that much. It made it seem more real, and I could just imagine her sitting or walking, trying to continue, but knowing that it will hurt so much.
The other characters, Lissa, Penelope, Jeremy were good characters, though they all had their good and bad sides. Lissa was all bitchy and acted like the queen bee, Penelope was a bit strange/cold at times, Jeremy, well, at times I liked him. He was sporty but also brainy, and I felt sorry for him (see above spoiler for why). But at other times I was angry with him. For being so rude.
The book was really suspenseful and I tried to pace myself, some books you just don't want to read in one setting. This is one of them. At times I was really creeped out, at times I just wanted to cheer for our characters, bringing them some strength in a time like this. I do wonder though, they were all about the preparations, but why didn't they just put the stuff in containers to keep them from getting wet/cracked/broken/etc.? I just found it highly stupid, but yeah, I guess if they were prepared the book would have been pretty boring and over faster than you can say: Boo! Still I wish that it was like this.
In-between the normal chapters we also have the chapters of the creepy girl/boy who did several things. Slowly, but very surely, these chapters become creepier and creepier and at times just disturbing. But, I like that they were added, they gave the book extra creepiness and I appreciate that.
The actual whodunnit? I had some candidates, and I really enjoyed puzzling things out. Was it one from the team? Was it an outsider? Was it the stranger that joined the team? Slowly, but surely you find out little things, but you are also thrown off course by the author who made sure to make everyone seem a suspect. It was really addicted and a lot of fun.
And the actual person, the actual crazy one? I loved it, it was a great twist (though I had my suspicions) and it made the book even more creepy. That person? They did it? Wow!
That last part of the book (before the ending) was frightening and awesome. I was just stuck in the book, couldn't put it down and wanted to know what would happen. Wow, wow and more wow.
The ending was decent. I didn't entirely like how
Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes, and more yes. I can't wait for this one to come out in paperback so I can add it to my collection. I do hope they will keep the cover or make an even creepier one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 28, 2015
The Next Page is our youngest reviewer, and dedicated to the reviews for middle school young adult stories. What Waits in the Woods was a very riveting story. A psycho, a knife, and a whole lot of woods is the basis of this story line. Callie was looking for an exciting trip with friends, but what she finds was beyond her wildest dreams. This is a story about finding what really makes people tick, and how much we really know those we call friends. This is a thrilling and suspenseful story that carried my attention from beginning to end. *BookWhisperer Reviewer HayBug*
*Suggested for Middle School Young Adult Audience*
*Suggested for Middle School Young Adult Audience*
December 27, 2015
This was a fun book to read as both a reader and a writer. Very fast read. Almost every chapter ended on a cliffhanger that made you want to keep turning the pages. A fun mix of horror and mystery.
May 1, 2015
That ending sucked. Totally didn't see it coming, but it just didn't make any sense. Still, its a decent little horror book about friends camping out in the woods.
December 29, 2014
Where to begin on this review...... Oh Lord I LOVED IT! I love suspense and thrillers but put them both together and I am in heaven. Kieran Scott knows how to grab you and keep you reading. Just when you think you have figured out what is going on and who is doing it you are surprised because it is not that person. I was literally at the edge of the bed reading and gasping because I had it all wrong! Lord K. Scott you did a great job writing this book and I will re-read it over and over again.
Callie and her friends Penelope and Lissa are going on a camping trip. It is supposed to be an all girls camping trip but Callie's boyfriend Jeremy joins then and Lissa is not happy about it. As they walk on the trip to find the campsite they hear strange noises and feel like they are being watched. Then a dead body is discovered and everyone is in shock and scared and wanting to go home but it seems like the killer has different plans for them. It becomes a cat and mouse chase and you don't know who it is until the end and you will be rocked to your reading core.
Who is the killer? Why are killing them off? Who will be left standing at the end of the trip? This is a killer story and I can't wait for you to enjoy it as I did.
Callie and her friends Penelope and Lissa are going on a camping trip. It is supposed to be an all girls camping trip but Callie's boyfriend Jeremy joins then and Lissa is not happy about it. As they walk on the trip to find the campsite they hear strange noises and feel like they are being watched. Then a dead body is discovered and everyone is in shock and scared and wanting to go home but it seems like the killer has different plans for them. It becomes a cat and mouse chase and you don't know who it is until the end and you will be rocked to your reading core.
Who is the killer? Why are killing them off? Who will be left standing at the end of the trip? This is a killer story and I can't wait for you to enjoy it as I did.
February 8, 2017
Really, really enjoyed this one!
October 23, 2017
I am a huge fan of horror and horror books! This was no exception.... or so i thought! I mean how hard could it be to write and tell a story about teenagers going camping and everything goes wrong! Kinda like Wrong Turn! But this did not deliver! I lost interest very early! Enough with all the "Like OMG" silly teenage girl slang! There wasn't ONE character I liked it or could hang onto! I disliked every character!! Too much whining and not even gore and horror for me anyways! I did finish it but has you can tell from my timeline this was not priority!
November 1, 2015
This was one a perfect read for Halloween night. It was the perfect mix of suspense and scary creepy horror that it kept me turning the pages.
I think most scary is the thought of what you do...if you are in the woods, alone backpacking (a days hike from civilization) and you run into someone... What do you do? It was scary to even think and I liked that suspense and horror kind of sitting in the back of your mind the whole time you are reading.
it was a great little suspense story.
I think most scary is the thought of what you do...if you are in the woods, alone backpacking (a days hike from civilization) and you run into someone... What do you do? It was scary to even think and I liked that suspense and horror kind of sitting in the back of your mind the whole time you are reading.
it was a great little suspense story.
June 27, 2015
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I feel evil when reading a horror story, but don't worry—nothing eerie is coming out of this fabulous personality, my friends. I've read tons of novels by Kieran Scott in the past, from the Private series to the Only Everything trilogy, and never have I ever expected that she'd eventually write a classic in-the-woods horror standalone story. And guess what? It ruled and blew my expectations to a town far far away—the woods where this took place. HOLY SHIZ.
Since I am the fond black sheep who usually gets superbly surprised and/or pissed off when reading a book that everyone else hated/loved, I was kind of in the in-between with this one. Obviously Scott has impressed me in the past, and I just wanted to be another happy reader, having a good time with a thriller. Thank goodness I didn't read this around midnight, or I would've freaked out. Let's just say that the answer and solution to the whole problem is right around the corner into someone readers know from the start. It's fucking creepy, but interesting at the same time. Your typical American horror story (not referring to the show, guys!) is just about to get even more hellish.
I guess that I would've been fine (or even better) if I read this at night since the feels would really explode and be released into the wild. But then I would've gotten so much more distracted, stopping to look around my reading area every few pages that everything's in place and no one's watching me—that kind of thing. Some people should definitely take a precaution, this is one of the wildest books I've read this year, and it all starts from that spooky cover that reminds me of The Cabin in the Woods. If they stayed in a cabin, that wouldn't even have been half as bad. Camping and getting lost? Now that's a whole different story that I'm sure no one would want to discover and go through. Ouch.
Callie and her two new best friends and her boyfriend are off camping into the woods for a few nights when things suddenly turn for the wrong at the start. They lose more than half of their food supply and end up getting lost in the woods, with cell phones damaged and no signal. Then she finds a body, and things only get wilder from there. What the hell are you supposed to do when it's the final countdown and you have nowhere to turn to?
This was crazy. If I had to choose between one sentence to describe the book, I'd choose that simple one. The story had a very simplistic, easy plot to follow, but it went nuts and I couldn't keep track of what my predictions and theories are. Could this be like some kind of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I wondered. From the experience that Scott has with her Private series filled with some murders and mysteries, I guess that this is a perfect way to follow, especially since this premise and idea hit readers hard, or at least I know that it did to me. I can't stop thinking about all of the goodness that it had and the enjoyment that I eventually realized that was all in me by the end. To this extraordinary moment, I can't stop thinking about the plot and what awesomeness this book has. Everyone needs to pick up this short read and become obsessed!
As you can tell from that fabulous quote above, I love Callie's character. She's that perfect goody-two-shoes chick who is pure in heart and wants to be there for everyone. Yes, she longs for popularity and to be seen by others after feeling as a nerd for all of her life back before she moved to NY, but she's down-to-earth and not one of those chicks who goes camping for no reason, you know? She longs to have a regular, typical teenage life with her hot boyfriend, Jeremy, and have great friends, that's all. And honestly, the situation that she's put in isn't her fault at all, it's because of the people around her. (It isn't Jeremy's, either). Kieran Scott delivers a romance that's not so focused on the kissing, but the elements around the chemistry that cause the horror in the book. Penelope and Lissa are two complete bitches who don't know what they're doing, the typical stupid teenagers. I wish that they weren't like Mean Girls' Plastics. Ugh, I see the typical Regina George coming out of Lissa.
The plot was heart-racing, fast-paced and everything that I could've ever wanted. I could almost even picture the strange music playing in the background as I read, which I realize that I definitely could've played to get in the mood. Hmm... The ending was my only issue, as it wasn't very closing and just too predictable. They obviously got back together, and things obviously turned out to be okay. Why hadn't there be some kind of plot twist that scared readers even more? It's like the calm in the storm or something, it all plays out with pure sunshine afterwards. Ugh. TAKE A LOOK AT THE TITLE, FOR PETE'S SAKE.
I can't even try to repeat how many times I fidgeted and was scared for my life while reading. With Scott's writing, you're sucked in immediately and you're unable to stop reading until the final page, which did leave readers with a tiny hint of predictability, but it was a great novel that I will remember for ages. I highly recommend it, and you'll enjoy every bit of it, from character to character or page to page. Beware, this would be an amazing movie and you'll get even more afraid. What waits in the woods is... a copy of this gorgeous read!
I feel evil when reading a horror story, but don't worry—nothing eerie is coming out of this fabulous personality, my friends. I've read tons of novels by Kieran Scott in the past, from the Private series to the Only Everything trilogy, and never have I ever expected that she'd eventually write a classic in-the-woods horror standalone story. And guess what? It ruled and blew my expectations to a town far far away—the woods where this took place. HOLY SHIZ.
Since I am the fond black sheep who usually gets superbly surprised and/or pissed off when reading a book that everyone else hated/loved, I was kind of in the in-between with this one. Obviously Scott has impressed me in the past, and I just wanted to be another happy reader, having a good time with a thriller. Thank goodness I didn't read this around midnight, or I would've freaked out. Let's just say that the answer and solution to the whole problem is right around the corner into someone readers know from the start. It's fucking creepy, but interesting at the same time. Your typical American horror story (not referring to the show, guys!) is just about to get even more hellish.
"Someone could be out there right now, watching them. She felt as if she could hear them breathing. At any moment the person, the thing, whatever it was, could pounce. And just like that, they'd all be gone. Vanished." (Hardcover, page 20)
I guess that I would've been fine (or even better) if I read this at night since the feels would really explode and be released into the wild. But then I would've gotten so much more distracted, stopping to look around my reading area every few pages that everything's in place and no one's watching me—that kind of thing. Some people should definitely take a precaution, this is one of the wildest books I've read this year, and it all starts from that spooky cover that reminds me of The Cabin in the Woods. If they stayed in a cabin, that wouldn't even have been half as bad. Camping and getting lost? Now that's a whole different story that I'm sure no one would want to discover and go through. Ouch.
Callie and her two new best friends and her boyfriend are off camping into the woods for a few nights when things suddenly turn for the wrong at the start. They lose more than half of their food supply and end up getting lost in the woods, with cell phones damaged and no signal. Then she finds a body, and things only get wilder from there. What the hell are you supposed to do when it's the final countdown and you have nowhere to turn to?
This was crazy. If I had to choose between one sentence to describe the book, I'd choose that simple one. The story had a very simplistic, easy plot to follow, but it went nuts and I couldn't keep track of what my predictions and theories are. Could this be like some kind of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I wondered. From the experience that Scott has with her Private series filled with some murders and mysteries, I guess that this is a perfect way to follow, especially since this premise and idea hit readers hard, or at least I know that it did to me. I can't stop thinking about all of the goodness that it had and the enjoyment that I eventually realized that was all in me by the end. To this extraordinary moment, I can't stop thinking about the plot and what awesomeness this book has. Everyone needs to pick up this short read and become obsessed!
"To her there was nothing more satisfying than being in the bookstore the day the latest book in a series was released, picking it up off the shelf, reading the first page, bringing it to the counter, being one of the first people to buy it, then scurrying off to a corner to devour chapter one. She loved the feeling of a big, heavy book in her hands. She loved marking the pages with the flap of the jacket to see how far she'd read. That was who she was." (Hardcover, page 48)
As you can tell from that fabulous quote above, I love Callie's character. She's that perfect goody-two-shoes chick who is pure in heart and wants to be there for everyone. Yes, she longs for popularity and to be seen by others after feeling as a nerd for all of her life back before she moved to NY, but she's down-to-earth and not one of those chicks who goes camping for no reason, you know? She longs to have a regular, typical teenage life with her hot boyfriend, Jeremy, and have great friends, that's all. And honestly, the situation that she's put in isn't her fault at all, it's because of the people around her. (It isn't Jeremy's, either). Kieran Scott delivers a romance that's not so focused on the kissing, but the elements around the chemistry that cause the horror in the book. Penelope and Lissa are two complete bitches who don't know what they're doing, the typical stupid teenagers. I wish that they weren't like Mean Girls' Plastics. Ugh, I see the typical Regina George coming out of Lissa.
The plot was heart-racing, fast-paced and everything that I could've ever wanted. I could almost even picture the strange music playing in the background as I read, which I realize that I definitely could've played to get in the mood. Hmm... The ending was my only issue, as it wasn't very closing and just too predictable. They obviously got back together, and things obviously turned out to be okay. Why hadn't there be some kind of plot twist that scared readers even more? It's like the calm in the storm or something, it all plays out with pure sunshine afterwards. Ugh. TAKE A LOOK AT THE TITLE, FOR PETE'S SAKE.
I can't even try to repeat how many times I fidgeted and was scared for my life while reading. With Scott's writing, you're sucked in immediately and you're unable to stop reading until the final page, which did leave readers with a tiny hint of predictability, but it was a great novel that I will remember for ages. I highly recommend it, and you'll enjoy every bit of it, from character to character or page to page. Beware, this would be an amazing movie and you'll get even more afraid. What waits in the woods is... a copy of this gorgeous read!
July 20, 2022
These kids are lost in the woods, presumably followed by a serial killer, and my main girl Callie keeps focusing on her boyfriend problems. Honey, GET WITH THE SCHEDULE. Your teen angst and need to fit in are not as relevant as getting skinned alive. Priorities, babe.
Not only that, relying on mental health issues to be your plot twist?! Why are we still doing this??
Anyways, these characters were as bland as a cup of unsweetened, watered down oatmeal. They needed some work.
Not for me. I wanted ✨killer in the woods✨, i got 💃🏻Dora the explorer💃🏻 on mild crack. Wanted more, is what I’m trying to say.
Not only that, relying on mental health issues to be your plot twist?! Why are we still doing this??
Anyways, these characters were as bland as a cup of unsweetened, watered down oatmeal. They needed some work.
Not for me. I wanted ✨killer in the woods✨, i got 💃🏻Dora the explorer💃🏻 on mild crack. Wanted more, is what I’m trying to say.
March 3, 2018
A solid ya thriller. I don’t know how Kieran Scott/Kate Brian does it, but I have enjoyed almost all of her books, especially her thrillers. She just writes in a way that keeps me guessing and makes me feel like I can’t put the book down.
And oh my goodness, the ending! That was so well done. I also really liked the journal entries from the villain’s perspective, which amped up the suspense even more.
And oh my goodness, the ending! That was so well done. I also really liked the journal entries from the villain’s perspective, which amped up the suspense even more.
April 15, 2015
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What Waits In The Woods looked like a promising mix of horror and thriller elements, but sadly it was bogged down by cliches. This novel was like a typical teen horror flick without any thrills or chills, there are only a few moments that were remotely even scary. What Kieran Scott does well is keeping readers hooked and guessing who the killer is. This novel is extremely messy in terms of character and plot development, but it is super addicting and reads extremely quickly.
When Callie invited her boyfriend Jeremy on a camping trip to the woods, she expected that her friends Penelope and Lissa would be fine with it. Instead they weren’t too happy and now this group will have to trek through the woods together for a few days. Problems start to crop up when they lose signal on their phones and they get the feeling that someone is watching them. Could their lives be in danger?
Reading What Waits In The Woods feels a bit like deja-vu because everything about this book feels “been there, done that” and nothing is new here. All the characters are archetypes with little to no depth beyond a few basic characteristics and frankly aren’t engaging at all. When characters start to die off, I truly didn’t care at all and didn’t feel any strong emotions. The plot is also pretty old hat and uses the same formulaic twists and turns that we’ve seen time and time again.
Despite the familiar nature of this book, I couldn’t stop reading and I had to know who the killer was. The killer was a nice surprise, but I wasn’t pleased with the troubling way in which it was revealed. I was not satisfied with the ending of this novel and there was little to no payoff for me.
What Waits In The Woods is a mediocre novel that adds little to the YA thriller and horror genres. I was extremely disappointed with this novel and I’d hesitate to read another book by Scott unless it came highly recommended by a trusted friend.
What Waits In The Woods looked like a promising mix of horror and thriller elements, but sadly it was bogged down by cliches. This novel was like a typical teen horror flick without any thrills or chills, there are only a few moments that were remotely even scary. What Kieran Scott does well is keeping readers hooked and guessing who the killer is. This novel is extremely messy in terms of character and plot development, but it is super addicting and reads extremely quickly.
When Callie invited her boyfriend Jeremy on a camping trip to the woods, she expected that her friends Penelope and Lissa would be fine with it. Instead they weren’t too happy and now this group will have to trek through the woods together for a few days. Problems start to crop up when they lose signal on their phones and they get the feeling that someone is watching them. Could their lives be in danger?
Reading What Waits In The Woods feels a bit like deja-vu because everything about this book feels “been there, done that” and nothing is new here. All the characters are archetypes with little to no depth beyond a few basic characteristics and frankly aren’t engaging at all. When characters start to die off, I truly didn’t care at all and didn’t feel any strong emotions. The plot is also pretty old hat and uses the same formulaic twists and turns that we’ve seen time and time again.
Despite the familiar nature of this book, I couldn’t stop reading and I had to know who the killer was. The killer was a nice surprise, but I wasn’t pleased with the troubling way in which it was revealed. I was not satisfied with the ending of this novel and there was little to no payoff for me.
What Waits In The Woods is a mediocre novel that adds little to the YA thriller and horror genres. I was extremely disappointed with this novel and I’d hesitate to read another book by Scott unless it came highly recommended by a trusted friend.
March 26, 2018
My, my, this book was awful. The plot was fine, but the character development was atrocious. The main characters were self absorbed, whiny, and full of petty drama, even when they were supposedly running for their lives. I have to admit, after the first six chapters, I skimmed the book for a while and then just skipped to the end to find out who the killer was, which was also disappointing and totally ridiculous. Don't waste your time on this one.
November 13, 2015
I thought this was a good little mystery and easy reading. I will be recommending this one to my students because I think it's a good speed and appropriate for their age. While it wasn't scary, it definitely had a freaky factor!
Recommendation: I am recommending it to all teens and above.
Recommendation: I am recommending it to all teens and above.
October 6, 2015
It was a fun read. The majority of the book was build up with the last sixty pages being heart-racing thriller. What I really don't like and what made me give it three stars is the portrayal of mental illness. Kieran Scott must not have done her research because it was just wrong. That is not how mental illness works.
October 16, 2021
Damn, I was so sure I was being clever from the start thinking it was Zach, but as soon as he turned up I knew I’d been wrong.
At least my second theory was right.
This was fun in parts - I loved the creepy laughter in the woods and the dolls. But other bits seemed totally random, like the author came up with them on the spot and tried to jam them in.
And the dialogue was sooooo not teenagery. ‘Omigod’ was in almost every sentence. And they were so caught up in relationship drama even while lost in the woods with no food and hardly any water.
Some fun bits, but some draggy bits. 3.5 stars.
At least my second theory was right.
This was fun in parts - I loved the creepy laughter in the woods and the dolls. But other bits seemed totally random, like the author came up with them on the spot and tried to jam them in.
And the dialogue was sooooo not teenagery. ‘Omigod’ was in almost every sentence. And they were so caught up in relationship drama even while lost in the woods with no food and hardly any water.
Some fun bits, but some draggy bits. 3.5 stars.
October 27, 2021
This book was exactly like every horror movie about a group of teenagers getting lost in the woods. And that's not a bad thing. It was good. It was well written. I could not put it down once I started! There was more drama than I was expecting. Not a lot of deaths until right at the end. And the plot twist turned out to be kinda obvious. I really should have seen it coming but I was enjoying the story too much lol. I definitely got creeped out reading this. Even though I didn't really like some of the characters, and I was not a big fan of Callie in the beginning, I was rooting for her and Jeremy.
I hope there is a second book cause I really want to find out what happens next!
I hope there is a second book cause I really want to find out what happens next!
June 11, 2018
A creepy teen book was just the thing for my mood. I started this last night and felt fully panicked with every chapter. I hate being lost. And at age 16, with iffy friends, in the woods when I’m an indoor girl, with no cell service and minimal food? Pass. I sooooort of expected the killer at the final reveal but I also thought it could be any of them and that kept me interested. I always like Kieran Scott/Kate Brian’s writing style as well. Also the chapters all ended in a sort of cliff hanger style that reminded me of Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark, a fun nostalgia moment.
March 5, 2017
The story What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott wasn't my favorite. I enjoy books with mystery and creepy things. This book has both of those but it wasn't that interesting to me. It didn't really pull me in at first and I didn't have any motivation to read it. I constantly got the characters confused because they weren't built of that well. The book itself had a good plot, it just wasn't written to its full potential.
January 16, 2018
I thought this book was simply adorable and although it almost was written like a contemporary, I liked that actually a lot! Plus the ending was absolutely unseen and awesome! Plus I loved the ending where she had to physically battle it out with the murderer, as that was so high-pressure and a great climax for a great book!
November 20, 2017
What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott is a realistic-fiction story Callie goes camping with her boyfriend Jeremy trying to start a friendship between Lisa and Penelope soon the camping trip goes wrong and they have to fight for their lives.
The author is Kieran Scott my only complaint is that it didn’t have enough action and takes it’s too slow. When Callie learns a secret between Jeremy and Penelope also when they lose a lot of their supplies
The author is Kieran Scott my only complaint is that it didn’t have enough action and takes it’s too slow. When Callie learns a secret between Jeremy and Penelope also when they lose a lot of their supplies
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