Scan barcode
theliteraryhooker's review against another edition
4.0
**Full review HERE at Sci-Fi & Scary.**
Review Excerpt:
It’s no secret that I’m not huge on gore in my horror. I go more for the anxiety-inducing, slow building, atmospheric horror. But every so often, I’ll happen across a guts-filled monstrosity that just makes me think, yes, this is what I needed. The Girl Who Hid in the Trees is DEFINITELY one of those. This novella hooked me from page one, much the way one might hook a still-beating heart from a teenager’s body.
All in all, this was a pretty positive introduction to Stred’s writing, and the main story in the collection was extremely creepy and made for a quick, satisfying read. I’ll definitely be looking forward to exploring what else his scary mind has to offer!
Review Excerpt:
It’s no secret that I’m not huge on gore in my horror. I go more for the anxiety-inducing, slow building, atmospheric horror. But every so often, I’ll happen across a guts-filled monstrosity that just makes me think, yes, this is what I needed. The Girl Who Hid in the Trees is DEFINITELY one of those. This novella hooked me from page one, much the way one might hook a still-beating heart from a teenager’s body.
All in all, this was a pretty positive introduction to Stred’s writing, and the main story in the collection was extremely creepy and made for a quick, satisfying read. I’ll definitely be looking forward to exploring what else his scary mind has to offer!
astoldbybex's review against another edition
4.0
The trees are spying, beware!
Thank you, Steve Stred, for providing me with an advanced copy of The Girl Who Hid in the Trees in exchange for a honest review!
It’s not everyday you get read a novella that’s jam-packed with the horror & gore that you absolutely live for. The Girl Who Hid in the Trees centers around the urban legend of McConnell’s Forest. For the kids nearby, the forest evokes fear and they know to stay away. Okay, some kids know to stay away.. others, well, naturally they try to debunk the urban legend.
As this a very short read, it’s hard to give out too much without spoilers. Personally, I enjoy diving in blind to my horror, because it adds that extra cup of what the hell is happening? & a little extra dash of fun. I do want to say though, that The Girl Who Hid in the Trees is one Hell of a story.
The Girl Who Hid in the Trees wastes zero time getting to the punch; as soon as the story starts, you are in the meat of the urban legend. The story continues to throw horror at you throughout, but it’s the last quarter of the novella that truly shined for me. This part was absolutely relentless, in terms of the amount and level of gore & horror. Steve Stred grabs you by the throat & refuses to let go, even after the story ends. Let me tell ya, I’m a sucker for a horror story that keeps on goin’ even after the words THE END appear.
There’s one tiny issue that I have with The Girl Who Hid in the Trees (which I am not holding against Steve at all since this is a short read) & that’s character development. I constantly discuss my love for character development, and The Girl Who Hid in the Trees fell short in that department. But, for a story that took me less than hour to read, this did not end up being that big of a problem for me.
I definitely recommend The Girl Who Hid in the Trees to anyone searching for a quick spooky fun read!
tracyreads's review against another edition
4.0
This was my second novel from author Steve Stred. I previously read Wagon Buddy and enjoyed that one as well. The Girl Who Hid In the Trees, although published soon after the book I previously read, shows growth in Stred's work.
I found the writing engaging and, as usual, the characters are well-developed. Towards the end, there are a few characters introduced that just seem rather flat and while I enjoyed the pacing, it was a bit too rushed for me in spots. There were a few issues with editing in the version I read, but they were corrected in the final draft of the book. I only mention this to highlight just how much this author cares about the product that he puts out - not only did he offer the first copy, but he provided reviewers with the final version as well. I thought this was such a great gesture - so I read it again.
I have a few other titles by Stred to read and I am looking forward to it!
I found the writing engaging and, as usual, the characters are well-developed. Towards the end, there are a few characters introduced that just seem rather flat and while I enjoyed the pacing, it was a bit too rushed for me in spots. There were a few issues with editing in the version I read, but they were corrected in the final draft of the book. I only mention this to highlight just how much this author cares about the product that he puts out - not only did he offer the first copy, but he provided reviewers with the final version as well. I thought this was such a great gesture - so I read it again.
I have a few other titles by Stred to read and I am looking forward to it!
More...