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kelseycoxwriter's review against another edition
5.0
A fast fun read that packs an emotional punch! With its short chapters, Big Woods is definitely a page-turner that will keep you up reading way past your bedtime. This book has a lot of fun elements—satanic rituals, creepy woods, small town gossip, 80s music—but it also has a great cast of characters that you will root for and that your heart will break for. Cobb has a knack for finding the exact right image to capture a character, a setting, a mood—the smell of “Big Red gum,” “sticker burrs” grabbing at you ankles, and “stars hung from the sky like lit chandeliers.” In this way her writing is succinct, allowing the pace to remain breakneck while still fully engaging the reader’s senses. I would definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys a well-plotted and heartfelt thriller!
flanagansshenanigans's review against another edition
3.0
It was pretty good. The end toes up very quickly with a really nice bow on it. It was just a bit too clean.
keekeeshoey's review against another edition
5.0
I just recently found out about this author and had to start with her first book since it is set in the town where I was born! I really liked all of May Cobb’s local references as well as her descriptive writing style such as the lemony yellow sunlight, peach cobbler scented babies, crisp morning air, pine trees in the fall, etc. Even though this book covered some tragic subject matter, I felt like she went about it in a delicate manner while not sugar coating things.
books_in_badgerland's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.0
I’m becoming a bigger May Cobb fan every time I finish one of her books!
The Hunting Wives is juicy. A Likeable Woman is unsettling. Big Woods is dark and emotional. (My Summer Darlings is on my TBR.) I love Cobb’s range as every book feels different, but I love the consistency of her pacing. I have flown through each of her books so far.
Big Woods takes place during the Satanic Panic era of the 1980s. It showcases the heartache of loss, the bond between sisters, and the payoff of never giving up. I felt angry, heartbroken, and anxious as I was reading and wanted to see how the storylines came together. I thought it was a solid debut!
⭐️RATING⭐️: I really liked it! (4⭐️)
The Hunting Wives is juicy. A Likeable Woman is unsettling. Big Woods is dark and emotional. (My Summer Darlings is on my TBR.) I love Cobb’s range as every book feels different, but I love the consistency of her pacing. I have flown through each of her books so far.
Big Woods takes place during the Satanic Panic era of the 1980s. It showcases the heartache of loss, the bond between sisters, and the payoff of never giving up. I felt angry, heartbroken, and anxious as I was reading and wanted to see how the storylines came together. I thought it was a solid debut!
⭐️RATING⭐️: I really liked it! (4⭐️)
bug_kt's review against another edition
4.0
May Cobb's debut novel was a fantastic look on not only growing up in the 80's, but also the inseparable bonds of sisterhood. Big Woods stood out for me amongst recent mystery-thriller novels, and had everything I love in a book: small town secrets, cult-y overtones, some great blast-from-the-past references, and a little sisterly magic.
Told by two incredibly fresh voices, a elderly woman and a young teenager, Cobb skillfully connects the reader to both of the differing personalities. I loved getting into the minds of two characters who were not of my relatable age or setting, but still felt like I could get to know them. As readers, we get to watch Leah grow through some of the classic weird teenage friendships, but also some dark adversaries. I felt Leah's emotions and pain throughout the novel, thanks to vivid details and very relatable human emotion. And we get to know Sylvia's past through twists and turns that made my jaw drop at times. I loved getting into the mind of an older woman, I felt this was a very new and fresh voice for me and loved her story. Cobb also gives life to the setting itself, a small town completely consumed in Satanic Panic and the mysteries of the missing children. Although I would say some of the metaphors and similes didn't completely land for me, I liked how I could practically hear the metal music and smell the pine trees from Cobb's vivid descriptions throughout the book.
Without revealing too much, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has fascinations with small town mysteries paired with a little bit of cult secrets and finally some sisterhood magic. It encompasses so much depth to the characters, the town, and the writing. This novel stands out from a lot of the other thrillers on my bookshelf and doesn't follow any sort of overdone formula, so it kept me guessing until the very last chapter and I couldn't put it down. Great debut May!
Thank you Midnight Ink and NetGalley!
https://katieonthecase.wordpress.com/2018/11/29/review-big-woods-by-may-cobb/
Told by two incredibly fresh voices, a elderly woman and a young teenager, Cobb skillfully connects the reader to both of the differing personalities. I loved getting into the minds of two characters who were not of my relatable age or setting, but still felt like I could get to know them. As readers, we get to watch Leah grow through some of the classic weird teenage friendships, but also some dark adversaries. I felt Leah's emotions and pain throughout the novel, thanks to vivid details and very relatable human emotion. And we get to know Sylvia's past through twists and turns that made my jaw drop at times. I loved getting into the mind of an older woman, I felt this was a very new and fresh voice for me and loved her story. Cobb also gives life to the setting itself, a small town completely consumed in Satanic Panic and the mysteries of the missing children. Although I would say some of the metaphors and similes didn't completely land for me, I liked how I could practically hear the metal music and smell the pine trees from Cobb's vivid descriptions throughout the book.
Without revealing too much, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has fascinations with small town mysteries paired with a little bit of cult secrets and finally some sisterhood magic. It encompasses so much depth to the characters, the town, and the writing. This novel stands out from a lot of the other thrillers on my bookshelf and doesn't follow any sort of overdone formula, so it kept me guessing until the very last chapter and I couldn't put it down. Great debut May!
Thank you Midnight Ink and NetGalley!
https://katieonthecase.wordpress.com/2018/11/29/review-big-woods-by-may-cobb/
chrissyknits's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What a good read. I couldn’t put it down, finished it in one morning.
cate_with_a_c's review against another edition
I wanted to like this so much but the only one of like if the three that are out right now are Hunting Wives. I’m sad because I tired twice and I couldn’t get into it. We also need more authors to quit with the constant multiple POVs.
k_hanvey's review against another edition
4.0
Big Woods was a quick read that managed to keep my attention throughout. My review says 4 stars, but it was really a 3.5. It was written well and had a good storyline and the pacing was fairly consistent, though I did find the end a bit rushed. This book reminded me a little of a plotline that might be used for a Criminal Minds episode told through the eyes of the family instead of the officers.
There were no horribly offensive issues nor was there anything especially excellent. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was definitely good and I don't regret reading it. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read, a bit of excitement, and a very tidy conclusion.
There were no horribly offensive issues nor was there anything especially excellent. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was definitely good and I don't regret reading it. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read, a bit of excitement, and a very tidy conclusion.
intoastory's review against another edition
2.0
This started out interesting, really easy to read but then got super boring.
The characters often told the story of what they had done in the past so there was no threat or urgency, wondering if they were going to be alright because we obviously know they are.
All the characters fell flat, like they were all a different version of the same person. And the storyline had some major holes and was just ridiculous.
Lots of amateur descriptions, in my opinion...it felt like newbie writing.
At the dire moment, which didn’t even feel that dire (I never felt suspense, fear or anything) there was kind of a Deus ex Machina moment that just felt way too convenient & unrealistic.
And the ending was so perfectly sappy & happy...with no one being traumatized or upset.
Spoilers ahead:
Isn’t it just so convenient that Lucy was completely unharmed because she was “the chosen one” ? So she got to come home basically un-traumatized while the other kids had to watch horrible things?
And why the f did Sylvia go out there by herself when she could have just given the info to the police? She didn’t have to die, didn’t actually save them...she was just stupid.
And the secret sex ring cult worship shit? Wtf was that? It was never really explained at all! Why were they doing it? What was the point? And what did Rain have to do with ANYTHING besides being a red herring? And what happened to Delia?
Seriously, the more I think about it, the worse this book is.
The characters often told the story of what they had done in the past so there was no threat or urgency, wondering if they were going to be alright because we obviously know they are.
All the characters fell flat, like they were all a different version of the same person. And the storyline had some major holes and was just ridiculous.
Lots of amateur descriptions, in my opinion...it felt like newbie writing.
At the dire moment, which didn’t even feel that dire (I never felt suspense, fear or anything) there was kind of a Deus ex Machina moment that just felt way too convenient & unrealistic.
And the ending was so perfectly sappy & happy...with no one being traumatized or upset.
Spoilers ahead:
Isn’t it just so convenient that Lucy was completely unharmed because she was “the chosen one” ? So she got to come home basically un-traumatized while the other kids had to watch horrible things?
And why the f did Sylvia go out there by herself when she could have just given the info to the police? She didn’t have to die, didn’t actually save them...she was just stupid.
And the secret sex ring cult worship shit? Wtf was that? It was never really explained at all! Why were they doing it? What was the point? And what did Rain have to do with ANYTHING besides being a red herring? And what happened to Delia?
Seriously, the more I think about it, the worse this book is.