The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

New from bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, and the perfect companion to her New York Times bestseller There's Someone Inside Your House, soon to be a Netflix feature.

Bears aren't the only predators in these woods.

Best friends Neena and Josie spent high school as outsiders, but at least they had each other. Now, with college and a two-thousand-mile separation looming on the horizon, they have one last chance to be together--a three-day hike deep into the woods of the Pisgah National Forest.

Simmering tensions lead to a detour off the trail and straight into a waking nightmare ... and then into something far worse. Something that will test them in horrifying ways.

Stephanie Perkins, the bestselling author of There's Someone Inside Your House, returns with a heart-stopping, gut-wrenching novel about friendship, survival, and navigating unmarked paths even as evil watches from the shadows.

Why Did I Listen To The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins?

I have been a fan of Stephanie Perkins since her debut – Anna And The French Kiss. While I am not the biggest horror reader anymore — as I get older I become more of a chicken — I do find myself happy to support Perkins’ pivot into the genre. I liked There’s Someone Inside Your House well enough. And so, I found myself looking forward to The Woods Are Always Watching.

What’s The Story Here?

The Woods Are Always Watching follows Neena and Josie who were best friends in high school. The girls are about to go to college two thousand miles apart. However, they decide to go on one last trip before heading to school. The duo decide to go on a three day hike to Pisagh National Forest. The hike is going decent at first. But then things go off the rails as the girls leave the trail and get lost. There is evil in the woods and the friendship of Neena and Josie is absolutely about to be put to the test.

How Did I Like The Woods Are Always Watching?

In all honesty, this book really give me The Hills Have Eyes vibes. It was creepy and certainly got under my skin. I was really invested in what the outcome would be for Neena and Josie. Perkins really nailed the atmosphere and making this book horrifying in different places. I went in with my expectations managed. I knew this was not going to be a sweet contemporary romance but a scary book. That helped my enjoyment — FYI. I really also liked how the book ended. The tension in the friendship between Neena and Josie was well done, additionally. I will admit I did not find Neena or Josie particularly memorable, BUT I was reading more for the scary aspect than the friendship aspect.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook of The Woods Are Always Watching is narrated by Reena Dutt. It is less than eight hours long. I listened to this book sped up — as I always do. It was a pretty good listen for my return to work audiobooks – now that I am no longer on maternity leave. This audiobook made reviewing data and reports go by so much faster. Dutt’s narration is easy to listen to and I have no complaints about the production value or narration style. I would recommend maybe not listening to this while driving around with your four year old child, but definitely pick it up while folding laundry and wearing earphones.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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