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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Short and entertaining. Filled with action, gore and brutality. Can Eddie and June escape the monsters chasing them through the woods? Can you stand the suspense when you hear a twig snap in the underbrush?
“He had once heard that the weight of a soul was a few grams, but the unbelievable heaviness left by its absence was immeasurable.”
“He had once heard that the weight of a soul was a few grams, but the unbelievable heaviness left by its absence was immeasurable.”
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Knocked this out in about an hour and really enjoyed it! Biggest takeaways for me, and what made this so great, are the edge-of-your-seat suspense and the wonderfully detailed imagery of the setting. This is a short read, and after a big of exposition it rips along at a break-neck pace. I was constantly fearing for the safety of our leads, and the author does an excellent job of ratcheting up the tension and the gore!
I also really enjoyed the setting of the summer camp (classic horror fare). The story did a great job of putting me right there in the moment and helping me picture exactly what was happening. Especially that scene in the dark pit of the amphitheater...oh man. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. I believe I was also having flashbacks to Boy Scott camp (which were less bloody, but sometimes just as horrifying).
The plot is fairly routine, which is mostly why I knocked off a star, but that doesn't make it any less fun. Reminds me of a blend of camp slashers, a little of Cabin Fever, and definitely some of Sean Seebach's THE BUCK STOPS HERE. All in all it was a blast to tear through and I would definitely recommend it!
I also really enjoyed the setting of the summer camp (classic horror fare). The story did a great job of putting me right there in the moment and helping me picture exactly what was happening. Especially that scene in the dark pit of the amphitheater...oh man. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. I believe I was also having flashbacks to Boy Scott camp (which were less bloody, but sometimes just as horrifying).
The plot is fairly routine, which is mostly why I knocked off a star, but that doesn't make it any less fun. Reminds me of a blend of camp slashers, a little of Cabin Fever, and definitely some of Sean Seebach's THE BUCK STOPS HERE. All in all it was a blast to tear through and I would definitely recommend it!
I loved this novella! It made me feel like I was in Sleepaway Camp or Friday the 13th, but with a group of possessed camp counselors that wish to hunt down the only two campers left in their care. I thought the pacing of this story was well done, and I was intrigued to find out what was going to happen next. It had great heart, tension that continued to build as the story went on, and characters that you couldn't help to root for. Give it a shot!
2.5 stars
It seems that I will be that one guy who gave this novella a low rating, but it is what it is.
I heard about this novella from the video of booktuber Gaby "Gabbyreads" in her "Spooky Halloween reading vlog". She said that she found this novella a little (maybe a little more than a "little") disturbing and said she doesn't recommend eating before reading it.
I was quite excited (but expectationless TO MENTION) since I trust her recommendations because she started reading A LOT of horror themed books lately and comparing her to me I would say she is "an experienced horror [genre] reader".
Personally I didn't find anything special (horror-wise) about this book. Maybe it's the small format of only 70 pages (on my ereader) that didn't do it for me which is interesting since I think I'm more of a plot driven reader (didn't yet figured it out).
Overall I didn't find story to be interesting; I didn't find horror aspect to be horrorESQUE at all; the cause of the whole thing stayed an enigma. As I said, maybe the format just didn't do it for me.
At least it was a nice time killer since my wifi stopped working and I didn't want to go to bed just yet. Read this novella in 2 and a half hours so it was quite a fast read.
Thing I wanted to commend is the writing. I found myself constantly highlighting some parts of the text. I really like the way Scott Thomas writes. I think this is the main reason I didn't give this novella plain 2 stars.
It seems that I will be that one guy who gave this novella a low rating, but it is what it is.
I heard about this novella from the video of booktuber Gaby "Gabbyreads" in her "Spooky Halloween reading vlog". She said that she found this novella a little (maybe a little more than a "little") disturbing and said she doesn't recommend eating before reading it.
I was quite excited (but expectationless TO MENTION) since I trust her recommendations because she started reading A LOT of horror themed books lately and comparing her to me I would say she is "an experienced horror [genre] reader".
Personally I didn't find anything special (horror-wise) about this book. Maybe it's the small format of only 70 pages (on my ereader) that didn't do it for me which is interesting since I think I'm more of a plot driven reader (didn't yet figured it out).
Overall I didn't find story to be interesting; I didn't find horror aspect to be horrorESQUE at all; the cause of the whole thing stayed an enigma. As I said, maybe the format just didn't do it for me.
At least it was a nice time killer since my wifi stopped working and I didn't want to go to bed just yet. Read this novella in 2 and a half hours so it was quite a fast read.
Thing I wanted to commend is the writing. I found myself constantly highlighting some parts of the text. I really like the way Scott Thomas writes. I think this is the main reason I didn't give this novella plain 2 stars.
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Brief Summary: A boy with a disfigured face - a cause for ridicule and cruelty by his peers and some adults too- stays an extra night at his summer camp because his parents missed their flight. Only things start getting bad, really quickly. Something is wrong with the grown-ups, who seem rather...bloodthirsty.
Trigger Warnings: gore
Positives:
- It felt like watching a movie, something I love in horror books
- It didn't go with one horror cliche I thought it would.
- My favourite part is
Negatives:
- I know it's not possible for a short story, but I would have liked a bit of explanation about what is going on. I don't really mind it though.
Overall: I love stories that feel like movies, that they don't drag on. I love those kind of endings. So if you like fast-paced horror books, I certainly recommend this!
Brief Summary: A boy with a disfigured face - a cause for ridicule and cruelty by his peers and some adults too- stays an extra night at his summer camp because his parents missed their flight. Only things start getting bad, really quickly. Something is wrong with the grown-ups, who seem rather...bloodthirsty.
Trigger Warnings: gore
Positives:
- It felt like watching a movie, something I love in horror books
- It didn't go with one horror cliche I thought it would.
- My favourite part is
Spoiler
how there is a chance the kid actually killed those people by himself, and it is up to the reader to interpret the storyNegatives:
- I know it's not possible for a short story, but I would have liked a bit of explanation about what is going on. I don't really mind it though.
Overall: I love stories that feel like movies, that they don't drag on. I love those kind of endings. So if you like fast-paced horror books, I certainly recommend this!
The summer camp atmosphere in 'The Boy in the Woods' was completely immersive, and I loved every second of it...the cabins, the lake, the dynamics between the counselors and campers, the mosquitos, and stories about something lurking in the woods....guys, you know how much I love Friday the 13th, and while I wouldn't go as far as to make that comparison outright, I will say that the summer camp vibes definitively excited my camp horror loving heart.
It's the end of summer camp for Eddie, which would seem like it should be a relief since he's been bullied over the course of his entire stay. (Kids are mean, ya'll...and anytime I read about bullying, it just makes my heart ache.) Eddie's parents can't come pick him up, so he is forced to stay one more night at Camp Cottonwood with only the counselors for company through the night. However, once the sun goes down, things gets weird, malevolent, and downright scary! The counselors all seem to have gone mad with murderous delight, and Eddie is left to fend for himself and fight to survive the night.
This novella brings all the spooky, all the creepiness, and all the gory camp horror that I crave. Eddie was such a likeable character, and I found myself rooting for him all the way through, even after reading the last lines. There were parts of the story that I did predict along the way, but there were other parts that blindsided me and left me surprised. If you have a horror loving heart and are looking for a quick and satisfying read to sink your teeth into, I think this novella may be for you!
**Thank you @inkshares and @scottthomascaresaboutyou for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.**
It's the end of summer camp for Eddie, which would seem like it should be a relief since he's been bullied over the course of his entire stay. (Kids are mean, ya'll...and anytime I read about bullying, it just makes my heart ache.) Eddie's parents can't come pick him up, so he is forced to stay one more night at Camp Cottonwood with only the counselors for company through the night. However, once the sun goes down, things gets weird, malevolent, and downright scary! The counselors all seem to have gone mad with murderous delight, and Eddie is left to fend for himself and fight to survive the night.
This novella brings all the spooky, all the creepiness, and all the gory camp horror that I crave. Eddie was such a likeable character, and I found myself rooting for him all the way through, even after reading the last lines. There were parts of the story that I did predict along the way, but there were other parts that blindsided me and left me surprised. If you have a horror loving heart and are looking for a quick and satisfying read to sink your teeth into, I think this novella may be for you!
**Thank you @inkshares and @scottthomascaresaboutyou for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.**
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Camp Cottonwood is a surreal spot, deep in the woods with an unsuspecting evil that is revealing itself to the counsellors of the campground. Now, a young boy aptly named "Reek the Freak" who was scarred after being attacked by a dog needs to gather his fleeted courage to escape the thing that has infected the summer getaway. The boy in the woods is in for a long and terrifying night that will haunt him until his dying breath.
This is an insanely fun read. Scott Thomas wrote something completely different in style from what I read in his other novels KILL CREEK and VIOLET. Here, Thomas crafts a horrific slasher-esque type of tale reminiscent of FRIDAY THE 13TH but with a very different type of monster. I think what I enjoyed most was how atmospheric the story is and much like his other books, he describes each scene vividly so that reader's are staggering through the woodsy campground with the same sense of dread his characters feel. I really, REALLY liked the protagonist as well. The character is deeply flawed and carries a lot of baggage which is something reader's are going to connect with. I think most people deal with some sort of bullying in their life and so it's easy to feel a kinship with the protagonist. Scott Thomas has an incredible gift for writing horror.
THE BOY IN THE WOODS is like nothing we've read by Scott Thomas and as a fan of horror, I AM HERE FOR IT. The author wrote a novella which introduced me to a unique character who I could easily follow into the nightmarish campground full of infected counselors with a thirst for blood. Fans of horror are absolutely going to love this campy, back woods story that will leave them constantly peering over their shoulder with nervous dread. Gather around the campfire. Here's a tale of Reek the Freak and the massacre at Camp Cottonwood.
THE BOY IN THE WOODS by Scott Thomas
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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This is an insanely fun read. Scott Thomas wrote something completely different in style from what I read in his other novels KILL CREEK and VIOLET. Here, Thomas crafts a horrific slasher-esque type of tale reminiscent of FRIDAY THE 13TH but with a very different type of monster. I think what I enjoyed most was how atmospheric the story is and much like his other books, he describes each scene vividly so that reader's are staggering through the woodsy campground with the same sense of dread his characters feel. I really, REALLY liked the protagonist as well. The character is deeply flawed and carries a lot of baggage which is something reader's are going to connect with. I think most people deal with some sort of bullying in their life and so it's easy to feel a kinship with the protagonist. Scott Thomas has an incredible gift for writing horror.
THE BOY IN THE WOODS is like nothing we've read by Scott Thomas and as a fan of horror, I AM HERE FOR IT. The author wrote a novella which introduced me to a unique character who I could easily follow into the nightmarish campground full of infected counselors with a thirst for blood. Fans of horror are absolutely going to love this campy, back woods story that will leave them constantly peering over their shoulder with nervous dread. Gather around the campfire. Here's a tale of Reek the Freak and the massacre at Camp Cottonwood.
THE BOY IN THE WOODS by Scott Thomas
⭐⭐⭐⭐
HORROR FICTION NEWSLETTER
https://horrornewsletter.com/signup
IG: INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.BOOK.DAD
TW: TWITTER.COM/THEBOOKDAD
FB: FACEBOOK.COM/THEBOOKDAD
GR: GOODREADS.COM/ANDREWFOWLOW