Michelle 's Reviews > What Lies in the Woods

Naomi, Cass, and Liv were childhood best friends. They spent their days roaming the woods all while playing the Goddess game. One day while out playing Naomi is attacked. She was brutally stabbed 17 times but lived to talk about it. Their testimony helped put a serial killer in jail.

Now adult Naomi is questioning if they put the right man away.

Unlike most other reviewers who claimed they struggled with the first 30% due to the slow burn style and then became invested in this story thereafter but, not me, I was the opposite. I enjoyed the first 30% and then it went off the rails for me. This is my first novel by Kate Alice Marshall and apparently it's her first adult thriller but strangely enough it still read as more YA to me. A lot of our time is spent with the girls when they're young and playing the Goddess game and you know what I think of that? Magic schmagic. I was so not interested in this storyline. 🤦‍♀️

Naomi was a character that I just didn't enjoy spending time with. She was rude to almost everyone and I just couldn't muster any sympathy for her. Cass was a stuck up bitch and Liv was a mousy little cry baby. As you can see I didn't like anyone in this book. And that goes for the extraneous characters as well.

At one point there is a conversation between Naomi and Cass. Naomi says they have to go to the police with the information they have while Cass insists it's a terrible idea. Then on the very next page Cass insists they go to the police and now Naomi thinks it's a terrible idea. That feels like sloppy writing to me.

There was one twist that managed to surprise me but it wasn't enough to redeem the book.

The grand finale turned out to be predictable and unsatisfying all at the same time. My opinion is only my opinion as you can see by reading all the other glowing reviews for this novel. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for my complimentary copy.