Book Review: The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman

The Little Woods

By McCormick Templeman

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Source: Publisher

Summary: Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school . . . until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth.

Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and . . . well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience. 
Review: When I read the back of this book, I knew I was in for a ride. Imagine going to a new school only to learn it has dark, creepy secrets and you've taken the place of a girl who disappeared. As scary as that sounds, I couldn't wait to figure out how the story would unfold! 

Cally is definitely NOT your typically main character. She's a girl who doesn't care what anyone thinks of her, dresses punk, and shaves off her hair whenever she feels like it. Even though I would probably never talk to someone like Cally in real life, I was so intrigued by her character in this book. Her harsh attitude definitely made it possible for her to get to the bottom of the creepy things going on at the school and figure out why everyone is so strange. 

What bothered me about Cally, though, was her ability to jump from guy to guy in the blink of an eye. Before she had a boyfriend, she was talking about how hot practically every guy she saw was. It was really confusing to keep who was who straight because Cally would continuously change who she was hanging out with. If I overlooked the fact that it was kind of difficult to figure out who was who, the story was actually really interesting!

Everybody at the school has a ton of secrets, so you're always left guessing who had to do with the girl's disappearance and who was just messed up from the tons of drugs the kids at the school seem to supply. The Little Woods is definitely unlike anything I've ever read before and it was just creepy enough to keep me interested without completely freaking me out. So if you're into a little mystery and a unique crew of characters, check this book out now!