Blog

I fell for the cover.. and stayed for the story.

Hello and Welcome!

I’m feeling a bit under the weather today so I hope you’ll forgive me if I keep this a little short and sweet.

This is my first time reading anything by Kim Savage and I must say.. I’m happy I did. It wasn’t a five star read but it was well done.
This is one of those mysteries you think you have all figured out, you’re sure of it, and still, it surprises you somehow.

If you like dark mysteries and coming-of-age stories where the teenagers actually act like teenagers..
This is probably for you.

Enjoy!

---

Warning: This book contains dark themes that may be triggering to some.

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission with no additional cost to you.)

After the Woods by Kim Savage

Publication date: February 23, 2016
Genre: Teen and Young adult, Mystery, Psychological fiction
Pages: 305 (kindle)
Standalone

First line: How can something so bright be so cold?

When her best friend is attacked in the woods, Julia has to make an impossible decision,
she can save herself.. or save Liv.

Without a second thought Julia jumps in to help fend their attacker off, freeing Liv, only to be left behind with the maniac.
Because Liv? She bolts the first chance she gets.

Hunted for two days by a psychopath obsessed with an online game called ‘Prey,’ Julia manages to beat the odds and survive her captor.. but can she move past the traumatic experience?

Almost a year later Julia is working with a therapist to recover her memories of those terrifying days, desperate to understand, an explanation for ‘why’ this happened.
Liv, however, has moved on and doesn’t want to know.. she insists on Julia letting it go.

Confused by her friend’s strange indifference, and certain that something doesn’t add up, Julia’s need for answers only grows.
But the truth is more complicated than it appears and soon, Julia might just regret searching for the awful truth of what happened..
After the woods.

Three and a Half Stars!

Storyline: Intriguing. Tense.
Pace: Steady.
Writing: Intelligent. Absorbing.
Cover:4/5

---

Would you do anything for a friend?
Would you risk your life?
or would you run?

“Statistically speaking, girls like me don’t come back when guys like Donald Jessup take us.”

This is a story of friendship and survival. It’s about growing up, letting go, and finding yourself along the way.

First I just want to say that: Liv and Julia never made sense as friends to me.
I found Liv cold and dismissive towards Julia but I could see how it worked for her character and the book.
Julia’s need for answers and inability to move on without them was understandable.. Liv’s reaction was not. None of what Liv did seemed to make any sense until the last few chapters of the book which was, honestly, the best part.

Don’t get me wrong.. this was a great read.

The pace suited the story well, the writing flowed nicely between the events that happened ‘in the woods’ and ‘now,’ and the characters kept me intrigued.. Julia with this trauma driven need to make sense of things and Liz with her secrets, puzzling actions, and unlikable personality.

“I hold my hand on my belly, like there’s something there I need to protect, something the woods created that I don’t want to let go. Not yet.”

There is a bit of youthful romance between Julia and the sheriff’s son. They’re good together, although, their ‘relationship’ lacked depth and substance that (I felt) would have made it more interesting.

“Separately, his parts are oddball; together, they are devastating. Do I want to be devastated?”

You’ll wonder and question. You’ll suspect and make assumptions. You may even be right.. but the story will still capture you, pull you in, and twist you up.

“Right in this moment, we are in a snow globe that’s about to shatter, a moment in time that we can never go back to.”

From the very beginning certain key elements of the book seemed glaringly obvious but the author did an amazing job tying everything together in a way that leaves you satisfied. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good young adult mystery with a dark twist and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

---

Well, that’s that.
Thank you for taking the time to check out this review!

Have you read this book and, if so, what did you think?

Follow Read Betwixt Words on WordPress.com