Review: If You Go Down to the Woods by Seth C. Adams

Print Length: 288 pages

Publisher: Killer Reads (July 26, 2018)

From Goodreads.com: Perfect for fans of It by Stephen King, The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor and the TV show Stranger Things.

We were so young when it all happened. Just 13-years-old, making the most of the long, hot, lazy days of summer, thinking we had the world at our feet. That was us – me, Fat Bobby, Jim and Tara – the four members of the Outsiders’ Club.

The day we found a burnt-out car in the woods was the day everything changed. Cold, hard cash in the front seat, and a body in the trunk… it started out as a mystery we were desperate to solve.

Then, the Collector arrived. He knew we had found his secret. And suddenly, our summer of innocence turned into the stuff of nightmares.

Nothing would ever be the same again… 

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My Rating:1 star out of 5

I don't remember the last time I marked a story DNF (Did Not Finish for those new to the lingo), but it does not happen often. In fact the last time was probably right around the time I started my blog back in 2012. 

HOWEVER.

I just could not with this story. I tried. I tried forcing myself. I tried leaving it alone and coming back to it later. I even tried reading other stories in between. And .... no. 

This came across as a half-assed attempted to mimic Stephen King. Some of the parallels between this story and IT were just too glaring to ignore. And the writing style was juvenile at best (and yes I get it was told from the point of a teenage boy, but this was worse). That's not even going into the blatant racism, sexism, fat shaming and the overall disrespect towards the handicapped.

Despite my best efforts to finish this, I just couldn't do it. And perhaps this story will appeal to others (in fact judging from the 4 and 5 star reviews I well may in the minority here), but this was not for me. Nor would I read more from this author. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                      If You go Down to the Woods is available from Amazon.com