Reviews

I received this eARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Little Darlings is a strange story, to say the least. It starts out with the main character, Lauren Tranter, in the hospital giving birth to twin boys. The birth seems to be rough on the mother. After the boys are born she worries cause she doesn't love them right away.
While in the hospital, sleep deprived, Lauren, wakes to a woman singing a creepy song to two babies. She is happy to know another mother had twins. Someone she could talk with. But soon she has to ask the woman to stop singing. She gets out of bed and pulls the curtain back to revile a dirty woman with a basket. The woman demands that Lauren give up one of her boys for the woman's baby. Or the woman will take both. Lauren calls the police and tells them a woman wants her babies and that she is hiding in the bathroom with her boys. Hospital personal comes and no one is there, but Lauren and her boys.
Once Lauren and her sons are home she gets a weird book as a gift, called Twin Tales. Full of odd and creepy stories of things that have happened to twins. One of which she believes she happening to her.

Little Darlings is a rollercoaster of a book. Twist and turns everywhere. Is Lauren crazy or is the woman real? Does Lauren want to harm her babies, or is she trying to protect them from evil?

effaly's review against another edition

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4.0

Vorab: Dieses Buch habe ich bei vorablesen.de gewonnen, wofür ich mich auch noch mal hier herzlich Bedanken möchte. ❤

Es ist wohl der Horror einer jeden Mutter. Nachts in der Entbindungsstation taucht eine Frau auf, und droh der neuen Mutter die Kinder zu entführen bzw. zu vertauschen. Als wäre dies nicht schlimm genug, glaubt einem niemand, bis auf eine Ermittlerin. So fängt das Buch an, welches ich innerhalb von 2 Tagen regelrecht verschlungen habe.

Die Prämisse verspricht viel, und kann es diese Versprechen auch einhalten. Durch die abwechselnden Perspektiven zwischen Lauren – der Mutter – und der Ermittlerin Harper, scheint man immer wieder zwischen Horror und Thriller hin und her zu springen, was das Buch noch interessanter machte, und es so fast nie langweilig wurde. Betonung liegt hier auf fast. Die erste Hälfte hat ihre spannenden und gruseligen Moment, ist aber auch oft etwas langatmig auf Grund der vielen Wiederholungen. Ab der Mitte nimmt das Buch aber wieder an Fahrt auf, und ich konnte es einfach nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.

Am Ende gab es auch keinerlei Fragen mehr. Alles wurde schlüssig aufgeklärt und erklärt.

Das Einzige was mir an dem Buch nicht so gut gefiel, abgesehen von der oben genannten Wiederholungen in der ersten Hälfte, waren die Charaktere, die teils doch etwas eindimensional wirkten. Und der Chef von Harper… wieso sind alle Abteilungsleiter, in wirklich fast jeden Thriller, Dummköpfe? *seufz*

Mein Fazit: 4 von 5 Sternen - eine klare Empfehlung für alle die Horror-Elemente in ihren Thrillern mögen!

suneaters's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I simply believe women so I was on Lauren’s side the entire time. It doesn’t do as well creating the idea that might be delusional or she might be in the right. Ah well, it all works out in the end. A real page turner, but overall not super satisfactory and I don’t think I’d read it again.
Her husband sucked so bad it was almost unbelievable if I didn’t already know most are worse. I liked the detective Harper character, but she slowly turned into just as annoying as everyone else.

Content Warnings

lilo23's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 Sorta creepy, and the ending wasn't that satisfying to be honest.

1mads1's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

snoopydoo77's review against another edition

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4.0

*I received a free copy from the publisher via Bookish First and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!*

I really enjoyed this book, it so fun to read in a creepy kind of way, It had a fantasy, thriller and mystery vibe.

I always think that anything creepy with kids makes it so much creepier, and I think that is one reason I loved this book so much. But also because you never really sure what it really is and left to your imagination.

In the beginning I was not a fan of Lauren and thought of her a bit annoying but as the book went I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

I thought the writing was great and had a hard time putting the book down and it kept me creeped out and scarred on the edge of my seat.

There were only a few parts I really didn't care for but for the most part I really enjoyed this book, even more than I thought.

If you are a fan of Grimm retelling, mystery, and a bit of horror, definitely give this book a try, I'm sure you will like it.

I rate it 4★

kntaylor1216's review against another edition

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2.0

Creepy take on mental health that will leave you wondering if what you see is real, or a figment of your worst nightmares.

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