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bookish_withsky's review
4.0
I find that grief horror is what speaks to me the most, especially in cases that I can relate it. It's almost like a release, somewhere that people can read their darkest and deepest thoughts. I loved this, as gruesome and heart breaking as it is.
xpressionless's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
janagaton's review
1.0
⚠️HUGE TRIGGER WARNING FOR SELF-HARM. ⚠️
im also not a fan of books heavy on motherhood, religion, pregnancy/failed pregnancy, normalizing & romanticizing sacrifice for the ones you love, and books that are similar in concept to Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie.
if you want grief horror over a kid, read Monstrilio. a thriller rec would be All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham.
in terms of this author, I recommend reading Below instead because this one is absolutely going on my list of worst books ive ever read.
im also not a fan of books heavy on motherhood, religion, pregnancy/failed pregnancy, normalizing & romanticizing sacrifice for the ones you love, and books that are similar in concept to Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie.
if you want grief horror over a kid, read Monstrilio. a thriller rec would be All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham.
in terms of this author, I recommend reading Below instead because this one is absolutely going on my list of worst books ive ever read.
littlespookysmut's review
2.0
I understand what this book was trying to do but I just wasn’t a fan. Luckily this book is really short but I’m just not having the best luck with horror lately. Also this book needs content warnings!!!
silverace's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It’s an incredible book with strong emotions. I came close to tears during some of the chapters, especially in the beginning. It’s incredibly well written and an interesting take on grief, demons and haunting moments. I feel both disappointed and satisfied with the ending at the same time. I had to take several breaks while reading the book because how close to tears it brought me.
chriscrane87's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
sjgomzi's review
5.0
Laurel Hightower’s debut, Whispers In The Dark, was delightful in every way, showcasing an author who had already found her voice and who could already tell a hell of a story.
Well, as great as that first book was, this new story solidifies her place as one of the finest new voices in dark literature out there. Not a word is wasted. This is a devastating front row seat to one woman’s sorrow and pain. And I don’t mean physical pain. I’m talking the pain of losing a child, a pain that must be inconsolable and bone deep and complete. As a parent, I can think of nothing that would even come close, which is probably why stories dealing with this type of pain and loss resonate so deeply with me.
This also happens to be a great ghost story. Not a bump in the night, cold wind on the back of your neck ghost story, but one of the phantoms of lost loved ones, poor decisions of the past, and deep regret.
This is not a happy book. I cried at the end. I wished I could climb into the book to try and help Chris, the person going through this terrible ordeal, deal with some of the pain, and to try to steer her away from the inevitable outcome due to her actions. Speaking of Chris, she really came alive for me. My wife and I had our kids late, not by choice, but because of multiple miscarriages, so her flashbacks to her own conception issues and how after a miracle does finally occur, overcoming these problems just make your children that much more precious and miraculous, thus at the same time, making the pain of losing them all the more devastating.
Laurel Hightower is a must buy author who should be on everyone’s book buying radar. She ripped my heart out with this one, and I hope to be reading her future works for decades to come. A big thank you to Laurel for writing this story, and to Samantha Kolesnik, a brilliant author in her own right, and to Off Limits Press for providing an early copy. One of the best books I’ve read all year!
Well, as great as that first book was, this new story solidifies her place as one of the finest new voices in dark literature out there. Not a word is wasted. This is a devastating front row seat to one woman’s sorrow and pain. And I don’t mean physical pain. I’m talking the pain of losing a child, a pain that must be inconsolable and bone deep and complete. As a parent, I can think of nothing that would even come close, which is probably why stories dealing with this type of pain and loss resonate so deeply with me.
This also happens to be a great ghost story. Not a bump in the night, cold wind on the back of your neck ghost story, but one of the phantoms of lost loved ones, poor decisions of the past, and deep regret.
This is not a happy book. I cried at the end. I wished I could climb into the book to try and help Chris, the person going through this terrible ordeal, deal with some of the pain, and to try to steer her away from the inevitable outcome due to her actions. Speaking of Chris, she really came alive for me. My wife and I had our kids late, not by choice, but because of multiple miscarriages, so her flashbacks to her own conception issues and how after a miracle does finally occur, overcoming these problems just make your children that much more precious and miraculous, thus at the same time, making the pain of losing them all the more devastating.
Laurel Hightower is a must buy author who should be on everyone’s book buying radar. She ripped my heart out with this one, and I hope to be reading her future works for decades to come. A big thank you to Laurel for writing this story, and to Samantha Kolesnik, a brilliant author in her own right, and to Off Limits Press for providing an early copy. One of the best books I’ve read all year!
aditiphase09's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
brandyleigh_reads's review
4.0
What would you do to see your dead child again? There is so much grief and sadness in this one folks.