What The Woods Keep

What the Woods Keep is the stunning debut of Katya de Becerra, who combines mystery, science fiction, and dark fantasy in a twisty story that will keep you mesmerized right up to the final page. On her eighteenth birthday, Hayden inherits her childhood home—on the condition that she uncover its dark secrets. Hayden tried to put the past behind her, and it worked. She’s getting ready for college, living in a Brooklyn apartment, and hanging out with her best friend and roommate Del. But now it’s all catching up with her: her mother’s mysterious disappearance a decade before, her father’s outlandish theories about a lost supernatural race, and Hayden’s own dark dreams of strange symbols and rituals in the Colorado woods where she grew up. As soon as Hayden arrives at her hometown, her friend Del in tow, it begins: Neighbors whisper secrets about Hayden’s mother; the boy next door is now all grown-up in a very distracting way; and Hayden feels the trees calling to her. And among them, deep in the woods, Hayden will discover something incredible—something that threatens reality itself. An Imprint Book “Blending mythology and a contemporary story of family drama, de Becerra's debut novel is a narrative that will keep readers enthralled.” —Booklist “Spooky atmospherics and moral ambiguity complement the blend of science and myth to create a thoughtful and compelling horror fantasy.” —BCCB “This book glues you to the edge of your seat. The writing is powerful, with dashes of humor to lighten the tension at just the right moments... One of the best sci-fi/horror/mysteries I've ever read.” —Derek Milman, author of Scream All Night “The characters in this debut novel are interesting and modern, particularly Hayden’s humorous, vibrant roommate... Adds a new angle to the “small town with a secret” genre.” —VOYA “A magical, intelligent twist on the Nibelungenlied epic, with elements of science, set in a real world that is frightening and wonderful. Highly recommended.” —Rena Rossner, author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood “What an amazing, creepy, spooktacular book! What the Woods Keep is a unique blend of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror story all rolled into one. It gave me shivers down my spine and kept me awake at night, both because of the chill factor and just because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This book is everything you could want, from a spooky cabin in the woods to a massive conspiracy to a fantasy romance. Definitely check it out. It's so much fun in so many ways that you won't want to stop reading.” —Caryn Lix, author of Sanctuary “This book was so. damn. good. Lush and creepy, with a totally unique yet totally relatable heroine. I LOVED the way this book pinned logic and science against fantasy and primal fear--and managed to find the common ground between them in a deeply incisive way. A fast, frantic, fascinating read. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in mythology, psychology, or just some good scares.” —Maxine Kaplan, author of The Accidental Bad Girl “A stellar debut from a stellar author... De Becerra has a striking gift for description and using the setting to create atmosphere. The novel is haunting and the place is a character of its own... I loved every minute! I felt like the Colorado woods of Hayden's childhood were calling to me, as they were to her!” —Lucia DiStefano, author of Borrowed “An amazing, immersive contemporary fantasy with strong female characters, female friendships, and descriptions that will make you feel like you're walking alongside them.” —S. Gonzales, author of The Law of Inertia “Part fairy tale, part science fiction, part horror, this novel takes the best parts of these genres and blends them into something completely unique, satisfying, and new... Super smart and spooky, this story kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A must read.” —Tara Gilboy, author of Unwritten “If you like howling winds, ominous birds, dark woods, clouds casting shadows over a perfectly creepy town, blood (okay, you don’t have to like blood), cryptic messages, mystery, and intensely likeable heroines in the midst of it all... you will LOVE this book as much as I did. It was the perfect blend of sci-fi, mystery, and fantasy. But this is not your average fantasy. It’s the kind of fantasy that makes you double-bolt the door before you go to bed and maybe even leave on a light or two to ward off the scary dreams. It’s the kind of YA that reminded me of why I love YA in the first place.” —Dana L. Davis, author of Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now “A real high-tension page-turner with a dash of humor to give relief from holding your breath...” –Taryn Bashford, author of The Harper Effect “If you like eerie towns like in Silent Hill and scary science like in Resident Evil, then this is your jam.” —Maura Milan, author of Ignite the Stars “The book pretty much had everything—friendship, mystery, creepiness, and a dash of romance. Trust me, you’ll want to get lost in these woods!” —Candace Robinson, author of Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault and The Bride of Glass

For fans of Small Spaces and the Goosebumps series by R.L Stine comes a chilling ghost story about a girl living in the decrepit and creepy mansion, who discovers something in the woods is after her. All Ginny Anderson wants from her summer is to sleep in, attend a mystery writing workshop, and spend time with her best friend. But when Ginny's father—a respected restoration expert in Chicago—surprises the family with a month-long trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren't staying in a hotel like most families would. No, they're staying in a mansion. A twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor. But unfortunately, the mansion has more problems than a little peeling wallpaper. Locals claim the surrounding woods are inhabited by mutated creatures with glowing eyes. And some say campers routinely disappear in the woods, never to be seen again. As terrifying as it sounds, Ginny can't shake the feeling that there's something darker . . . another story she hasn't been told. When the creaky floors and shadowy corners of the mansion seem to take on a life of their own, Ginny uncovers the wildest mystery of all: There's more than one legend roaming Saugatuck, Michigan, and they definitely aren't after campers. It's after her. "This is a teeth-chattering, eyes bulging, shuddering-and-shaking, chills-at-the-back-of-your-neck ghost story. I loved it!"—R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series on Scritch Scratch Pick up What Lives in the Woods if you are looking for: A book for middle school students, 5th grade to 9th grade A story with a strong female protagonist that explores bravery, friendship, and family Mystery books for kids 9-12 Chilling ghost stories and ghost books for kids (perfect for Halloween!)

New from bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, and the perfect companion to her New York Times bestseller There's Someone Inside Your House, available now on Netflix! “The scares here are authentic, and the details meticulous, driven by a smart, distinct narrative voice. Hand this to fans of the film Midsommar who will delight in the eerie world building, the disintegration and rebuilding of interpersonal relationships, and the unseen forces of evil that threaten to break two friends apart.” –Booklist 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.

After solving the case of Truly Devious, Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson. Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she’s back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer. But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls—the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case. Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders. But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive. * Cosmopolitan Best YA Books of 2021 * People Magazine Best Books of Summer 2021*

From the author of The Disaster Days comes a thrilling survival story, and lost in the woods children's book, about two former best friends who must work together to stay alive after getting lost in a remote national forest. Jocelyn and Alex have always been best friends...until they aren't. Jocelyn's not sure what happened, but she hopes the annual joint-family vacation in the isolated north woods will be the perfect spot to rekindle their friendship. But Alex still isn't herself when they get to the cabin. And Jocelyn reaches a breaking point during a rafting trip that goes horribly wrong. When the girls' tube tears it leaves them stranded and alone. And before they know it, the two are hopelessly lost. Wearing swimsuits and water shoes and with only the contents of their wet backpack, the girls face threats from the elements. And as they spend days and nights lost in the wilderness, they'll have to overcome their fractured friendship to make it out of the woods alive. Praise for The Disaster Days: "A realistic, engrossing survival story that's perfect for aspiring babysitters and fans of John Macfarlane's Stormstruck!, Sherry Shahan's Ice Island, or Wesley King's A World Below."—School Library Journal "The strength of this steadily paced novel that stretches over four days of a scary disaster scenario is that Hannah doesn't figure everything out; she stumbles, doubts, and struggles throughout it all."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Fans of survival thrillers in the vein of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet will enjoy this tense, honest tale of bravery...an excellent (and refreshingly not didactic) teaching tool on natural-disaster preparedness."—Booklist "The relentless progression of a variety of disaster scenarios will keep readers turning pages...equally suspenseful and informative."—School Library Connection "Behrens uses immersive details and situations effectively viewed from Hannah's perspective to create a suspenseful, vivid story filled with lessons about responsibility and overcoming adversity."—Publishers Weekly Alone in the Woods is a perfect... gift for preteen survival story fans summer reading tween book for girls 11-14 book for middle school girls

The woods were insane in the dark, terrifying and magical at the same time. But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark. Castella Cresswell and her five siblings???Hannan, Casper, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem??? know what it's like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father. Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they're still the freaks they've always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice. Castley's world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father's grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father's lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

An excellent manual on the outdoors and wilderness survival.

Seeing things. You were just seeing things. For city girl Callie Velasquez, nothing sounds more terrifying than a night out in the wilderness. But, wanting to bond with her popular new friends, Lissa and Penelope, she agrees to join them on a camping trip. At least Callie's sweet new boyfriend, Jeremy, will be coming too. But nothing goes as planned. The group loses half their food supply. Then they lose their way. And with strange sounds all around her--the snap of a twig, a sinister laugh--Callie wonders if she's losing her mind. Tensions swirl among the group, with dark secrets suddenly revealed. And then, things take a fatal turn: Callie stumbles upon a cold dead body in the woods. Is the murderer close by, watching them? Callie has to figure out where she can turn and who she can trust, before her own life is at stake. Kieran Scott weaves a thrilling mystery that explores love, loyalty--and the dangerous decisions we make in order to survive.