After giving birth to twins does the mother have postpartum depression or is she mentally ill or is what is happening to her all true? I kept reading page after page to find out. Her husband isn’t very like able and has his own secrets. At least a police detective believes there is more to what is happening to the mother. A great read for book clubs. Can’t wait for the movie.

LITTLE DARLINGS by Melanie Golding (Crooked Lane Books) 5/5 Stars 🌟

I love finding a book that takes a new twist on the domestic thriller and Little Darlings did not disappoint. Lauren is a new mom with beautiful twin sons so, of course, she is feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. But she knows what she saw and swears that a creepy woman came into her hospital room and tried to replace her babies. Several weeks later, still exhausted and feeling increasingly isolated, Lauren takes the babies for a walk in the park and the babies disappear from her side. The babies are quickly found safe and unharmed but Lauren knows that they aren’t her babies. Somehow they’ve been switched. Lauren’s husband and doctors don’t believe her and are concerned she is ill and a danger to her sons. The narrative switches between Lauren’s point of view and that of detective Joanna Harper who doggedly tries to uncover the truth of what happened that day in the park. Inspired by the dark folklore surrounding foundlings, Little Darlings is a compelling modern fairy tale that shows how far a mother will go for her children. This novel was an interesting and entertaining read. I very much enjoyed the fresh take on an old legend and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Golding comes up with next. Many thanks to the publisher and @shelf.awareness for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

What a creepy, unsettling, sad book! I have to say that the story is well written and different but left me wishing it was not so dark. At the end of the book I was left wondering...about a lot of things. In some ways this is a fairy tale or myth but in others more a horror story. Why do I say this? Because the life of new mother of twins Lauren was a nightmare. Lauren’s experience was real to her BUT was it REAL? When I finished the book I had to google to find out about postpartum psychosis and what I read made me realize it is a nasty disease. It takes a long time to deal with and can recur. I have a feeling this book will linger with me awhile. Hope I can sleep tonight!

What I liked:
* the new idea that incorporates changelings
* Harper, the detective that didn’t give up...really liked her
* the writing
* that the story grew on me – hated it at first but came away applauding the author

What I didn’t like:
* Lauren’s husband – what a jerk!
* Harper’s boss
* The ending...wish there had been an epilogue…hat the unsettled feeling I am left with...though kudos to the author for achieving that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Is she crazy or not? Lauren has just given birth to twin boys. She is exhausted. No sleep, no help from her husband. Even while still in the hospital, she thinks someone tries to steal her babies. No evidence can be found. Once back at home, she still sees the awful woman who is after her babies and becomes paranoid, locking doors, windows, and not leaving the house. Again, no evidence. Finally convinced fresh air would help, she takes the twins for a stroll. . . . and they disappear. They are quickly found unharmed and returned, but Lauren believes they are not her boys but are, in fact, changelings. They need to be drowned in order to get her true babies back! So, postpartum psychosis or ?? A good, creepy psychological thriller.

Wow! Super creepy! Really enjoyed this chilling tale! I’m a huge fan of Grimms fairytales and this book was like reading a novel length Grimms story. There was also a brilliant psychological aspect in which the reader is unsure what is really going on....is it real or hallucination???

After giving birth to twins, Laura is approached in the maternity ward by a smelly old woman carrying a basket with two babies. The old woman wants to trade one of her babies for one of Laura’s babies. She threatens to swap both if Laura doesn’t agree. Laura panics and calls police. DI Harper follows up on the call, only to discover that Laura was assessed by a psychiatrist and deemed to have been hallucinating. Laura herself isn’t really sure what happened. And so the story goes until one day Laura awakes to find that her babies have been swapped as promised by the old woman. Only, no one else believes her. What follows is a nightmare as she tries to grapple with reality and how to save her twins.

This was a riveting story and one that was incredibly hard to put down. I was definitely caught up in this dark and haunting fairytale. Changelings make for a fascinating plot topic and this author was exceptionally good at keeping the reader guessing. Highly recommend!

A gracious thank you to Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Little Darlings was my last book of April and it’s hard to believe it’s a debut by Melanie Golding! I’m not normally into fairytales and fantasy, but this one is done so well that I really enjoyed it. It’s dark and you really get invested into the story and what is going to happen. I was excited to learn that this book is going to be turned into a movie! (Side note, it makes me want to watch Changeling...I don’t think I ever saw that one).
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Several people warned me about reading this book while pregnant, or with a newborn and sleep deprived. It didn’t bother me, but I can definitely see how it might! What bothered me more was Lauren’s husband, Patrick. 🤣🤣 THE. WORST. Have you read it? What other dark fairytales would you recommend?
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Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review

An enjoyable read, plenty of folklore and old wives tales with a creepy undertone, well thought out characters, not too sure the ending delivered quite what I wanted?!

I was really looking forward to this one, because I've been in a thriller rut, and this one had been really highly rated by several of my blogger friends. Sadly, Little Darlings didn't work for me. The book starts off well enough, despite the characters not being super likable, but while the story starts off quickly, it soon plateaued and got very slow.

Additionally, I really didn't like the characters. The only one I could remotely tolerate was the detective, Harper. I enjoyed her determination to continue to work the case, even though her boss wanted her to let it go. The husband was insufferable, and there was no resolution to his storyline, which I wasn't a fan of. That brings me to my next point...

There was no resolution to anything, really. The plot included nuggets of folklore, but none of them were tied up, so the reader is left without a satisfying conclusion, or even with enough information to infer on their own what actually happened, which I found frustrating.

This book did contain themes of postpartum depression, and the anxieties that come with having a new baby to look out for, so I think people who are parents may do better with this one than I did.

I think my problem is that I went in hoping for something really creepy, dark, and twisty, and instead I got a pretty straight forward plot that I didn't find creepy at all. Clearly I just wasn't the right reader for this book, because there are tons of positive reviews all over the place.

Finished this creepy read. And it was good....really good. I completely got sucked in and I love that. I love the addition of how "fairy tales" play a role in our lives. I had no idea where this was headed and I loved the ending even though I'm still unsure of where the story went. 🙄 But that's a good thing with this book. Take the leap and experience it for yourself.

Lauren Tranter is mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted after giving birth to two healthy twin boys. Hovering between reality and sleep, Lauren hears a woman on the other side of the curtain in her hospital room, but the next morning, there is no one there. Things take an even darker turn when Lauren hears the woman again the next night. When she peeks through the curtain, Lauren sees a homeless looking woman with twins bundled in rags. The woman threatens to take Lauren’s boys and swap them with her own. In terror, Lauren locks herself in the bathroom, calling the police for help. Lauren is told she is seeing things, but she can’t let go of that fear. A month goes by, Lauren battles sleepless nights, while caring for her twins. She is depressed, crying, hormonal and struggling to find herself. She finally ventures outside for a walk and then the unthinkable happens. She falls asleep on a park bench and wakes to find the twins gone. The twins are found safely a short time later, but when Lauren glances at the babies, she knows they are not her own. Is Lauren the victim of a fairy switch or is she suffering a mental breakdown?

What I Liked:
*Any mother who has gone through the birth process and then the terror of trying to care for a newborn infant can relate to Lauren Tranter as she battles exhaustion, depression, hormones and the fear of failure. I thought the author did an amazing job of conveying Lauren’s fears and emotions. I was immediately sucked into Lauren’s plight and she had my sympathy.
*It did take a little time for me to get sucked into this book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. From the get go, there is something sinister a foot, but is it the result of a mother’s psychical exhaustion and a mental breakdown, or is it the work of fairies? I loved that there is that flicker of doubt throughout, and the reader is unsure as to whether this is a case of something paranormal or a psychological episode.
*The author peppers in little snippets from old folklore tales about fairies and switchlings throughout the book that added to the suspense. I especially liked the tale that the story centers around. It gives the book a creepy unknown factor.
*I liked the police detective Joanna Harper. I appreciated that she didn’t immediately dismiss Lauren as mentally ill like everyone else. She took the time to dig and dig on her own to learn the truth. I also found her portion to be a bit of a relief from the heavy drama of Lauren’s point of view.
*Being inside of Lauren’s head was a trip. It was interesting to see her try and outwit her doctors and nurses in order to gain her freedom. I also admired her courage and her unconditional love for her babies and her willingness to do whatever was necessary. Her mental state at the end was particularly fascinating. I wanted more.
*The suspense and action in the final chapters of this book is absolutely terrifying and riveting. I was hooked!
*The book ends with an all seems well moment and then there is this little jab that left me wondering......
And The Not So Much:
*After all was said and done I still couldn’t decide whether this was the work of the fey or a mother’s terror and mental anguish as she lost sight of reality while trying to deal with the birth and care of newborn twins. There were hints several times in the book that Lauren had mental illness problems in the past, but they weren’t fully exposed. I didn’t like that it was left for me to decide whether she was suffering from a psychological episode or was it something more diabolical.
*At first I enjoyed the little sideline story involving the police detective and her love interest. Then there is this scene where the police detective finds her crush in a compromising situation. Later, the confrontation is later explained, and I didn't think it made sense at all. In the end, this whole story line was a fizzle.
*What was the deal with Patrick? I was left thinking he was an asshat.
*I listened to the audiobook version, and I thought it was well done, but I hated the voice for the creepy woman, it was unnerving. Yikes!

Little Darlings was a riveting read I couldn’t put down. I was sucked into this story about a woman who is either suffering from a mental breakdown due to the fatigue of birth and caring for newborn twins, or there is something paranormal and evil afoot. Is it the fey or a psychological episode? You decide.

I received a copy fo this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Incredible. Combined the charm and horror of old faery tales and nowadays problems and fears. A dark fantasy with almost no fantasy, and it worked! I'm eager to see the movie and hope (and pray) it is as good as the book.

Full review MAY 08: https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/2019/05/resena-review-little-darlings.html

This book really spiked my stress levels. Really good, but made me so anxious. One of my worst nightmares is everyone thinking you're insane and nobody believing you. It's just so debilitating. Am I crazy? Or is everyone else? Oof, I can't stand it.

Changeling folklore is a reaaaallly messed up part of British history. I'd say Google it, but I wish I hadn't. Depending on the myth they could have been twins or kids with developmental disorders, like Downs Syndrome, which just adds an extra layer of awfulness to it all. Really cool concept for a modern day twisted mystery, but it makes me want to hold my imaginary children close--I can only guess how actual parents will feel reading it.

On another note, I noticed a similarity between one aspect of Little Darlings and another book with questionable kids, Baby Teeth. Mostly, just the insufferableness of the fathers in both. Are all dads like them? They can't be. The father in Baby Teeth seemed like a more devoted father, but also more naive. Patrick, on the other hand, is just trash. Ugh, Lauren, girl--just throw the whole man away.

I can see why there was so much buzz about this one. And word is that it's going to be adapted into something, so be on the lookout for that!

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding is one on the creepiest books I have ever read. Exhausted, new mother of twin boys, Lauren quickly descends into a waking nightmare that she cannot escape from when a mysterious woman appears in the maternity ward on the night she gives birth to Riley and Morgan. This woman, which only Lauren can see or hear, tries to take her newborn twins, in exchange she will leave Lauren her own babies - ones that are...not quite human? This eerie woman continues on her quest, appearing only to Lauren at odd times, always trying to swap babies. But, that’s just crazy - isn’t it?

A thriller/horror with hints of fairy tales and folklore. Wonderfully dark and spine-chilling, this captivating book will stay with you long after the last page is read. Warning: This tale is quite disturbing. Ms. Golding has a way with enthralling the reader with her descriptive and charming prose. I enjoyed this unique novel with all it’s dark, twisty, creepiness and look forward to more books by this author.

I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing a complimentary copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Melanie Golding for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Lauren has just given birth to twins. She is waiting for that “feeling” that she expected would happen once her babies were born. That love and strong bond, but it just isn’t there. She is exhausted, in pain and sleep deprived. But is she also crazy? She doesn’t know herself anymore. She was sure that there was this strange woman who wanted to trade one baby with her. But she understands why everyone is saying that it wasn’t possible. She was sure she saw the same woman again, in her backyard, threatening to take both babies from her. But, again, her husband couldn’t find anyone. She didn’t mean to fall asleep at the park, but she did. And someone stole her babies. Yes, two babies have been returned to her, but those aren’t her children. Hers are gone. And the only way she can get them back is to put these changelings back in the river that they came from.

Be ready to be scared. Serious warning and if you are a new mother, you might want to pass on this one until a later date. I loved a lot in this story. It had the creep factor, the unsteadiness of never really knowing what was going on. I thought that Golding did a great job of keeping you guessing as to whether or not this was evil, postpartum depression, or whether Lauren has really just gone crazy. There is always a valid reason why this would all be in her head. We also know the effects of not getting enough sleep and Lauren is not getting any sleep. Her husband happens to be a crappy person and I would have loved to know what their marriage was like before she got pregnant. The draw on folklore was so interesting and added the tie to history that gave credence to the whole story. Lauren was a complex character and it was difficult to pin her down which kept the mystery of what was really going on. I couldn’t imagine. Golding really made the revulsion of having to hold these things, while trying to make everyone believe that she was fine, was excellent.

I will admit that one night I was petrified to go to bed. I mean real intense fear. So I stopped reading it at night. I did find a little lull about two thirds of the way through, I think, because it became repetitive. But overall a great read.

🎶"All is well, all is well, all is well."🎶

Lauren Tranter is a new mother with twin boys. As you can imagine her excitement over meeting her little darlings is tempered by the anxiety of being an inexperienced mum, residual weariness from pain meds and fatigue from sleep deprivation. So when she claims that a strange woman tried to abduct her children from the hospital no one believes her. Instead Lauren finds herself placed under psychiatric supervision. Laced with references to the Brothers Grimm and folklore from around the world, Melanie Golding's changeling tale reads more like a horror than a bedtime story. As a mystery <b>Little Darlings</b> is a bit slow moving - its lead detective Harper and her intriguing backstory relegated to stay behind the scenes. At the forefront of this novel is Lauren's mental state with post-partum depression taking center stage throughout this novel. You are never quite sure if there is evil lurking just below the surface or if everything was a figment of Lauren's imagination. Quite an eery tale.

CHILLINGLY, DARK AND CLEVER NOVEL!

Laura and Patrick have just become the new proud parents to identical twin boys Morgan and Riley. It was a difficult delivery for Laura so she is exhausted and in tremendous pain and very groggy from the medications she received but is happy to know the babies are healthy and normal.
Later in the night an incident occurs where the police are called and has Lauren shaken to her core. Unfortunately, this would only be the beginning of a series of frightening events that will have Laura fighting for her babies lives and struggling to hold onto her sanity.

This book was excellent! The first chapter was so realistic that I could feel all of Laura's pain. The author is a wonderful writer and she had my eyes glued to every page wanting to read more and more. Melanie Golding intertwined jut the right amount of folklore and fantasy where I believed everything that was happening and it was hard to draw the line about what was actually happening with the babies and Laura. "Little Darlings" is a beautifully written and well crafted story that deserves recognition for stylish storytelling.


I want to thank the publisher Crooked Lane Books and Netgally for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I highly recommend this very suspenseful novel and have rated it 5 Dark and Creepy 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!

I rarely request and read horror novels but I decided that I might try Little Darlings even though the Author was unknown to me. And it was a good choice! The city of Sheffield with its rivers makes a perfect setting for the plot. The story revolves around an alleged kidnapping of infant twin brothers.Their mother, Lorraine Trantner, is convinced some evil power threatens the lives of her newly-born sons but it seems she is unable to prove ther fears. Some personal problems from the past also make her an unreliable witness. The only person who gradually begins to believe her is a female detective and who acts in order to try to reveal the truth. The atmosphere in this horror novel is well presented and original passages from folk stories and tales add to it. The story develops at a pace which I found satisfying even though it was not a

Whoa! Talk about a creepy read! This book kept me on the edge the whole time with its dark undertones and uncertainty of what was going on and what was going to happen. I couldn’t put it down!

After having a difficult time giving birth to her twin sons, Lauren is left helpless and lost even as she lays in the hospital. When the unseen woman in the bed next to her sings to her own twins and the sounds of feeding change into something dark and disturbing, Lauren finally manages to check it out. What she stumbles across is the thing of nightmares and when her own babies are suddenly in danger Lauren’s protective instincts rise to hysterical proportions.

Harper is walking a fine edge as a detective in the local precinct. Nevertheless, she checks out the call from the previous night that was placed by a patient on the maternity ward. Her own past leads her further into an investigation that was marked off as a mental health issue. Neither woman knows that both of their lives will be irrevocably changed and that Lauren’s very state of mind will be called into question as the mystery deepens.

With fairytales and folklore as a backdrop, this story begins and ends with scary uncertainty and dark, unspoken mysteries. The author presents Lauren as a mother who initially doesn’t feel anything for her newborn babies and how, or if, those instinctive reactions will ever arise. Despite her initial need to protect her children, the questions remain throughout the story and my mind ran in circles as to what was really happening.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever read anything that left me feeling so totally creeped out. I love when a book can affect me in such a way. I’ve read Stephen King novels that didn’t leave me feeling the way certain parts of this story did.

For a debut novel, this is so very well written and moved with an incredible speed that kept me engaged throughout its entirety. Although it ends with a finality, it’s not wrapped up neat and tidy. Life is uncertain and there were a few characters that I wanted to have a black and white ending and that wasn’t the case…which was actually perfect for this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Creepy story, similar to Grimms fairy tale

Young Lauren Tranter gives birth to identical twins in a maternity ward in a British hospital. She and her husband Patrick are both nervous first-time parents and hubby believes that, since he works at a full-time job and Lauren will be home with the boys, he doesn't have to do anything to help with their care.

While still in the hospital Lauren swears she is visited by a smelly crone that wants to trade babies with her. The major problem is that no proof can be found that this actually happened.

Detective Sergeant Jo Harper comes to visit Lauren and is the only one taking her seriously, even though her higher ups have told her to drop the case.

This is one creepy book, playing on a parent's worst nightmare - losing their children. At the beginning of the chapters there are excerpts from old fairy tales and stories. I can remember being told these type of stories when I was a child and YIKES the gruesome details in most of Grimm's Fairy Tales and such. Then today parents worry about their children seeing a PG rated movie. Quite ironic.

I received this book from Crooked Lane Books through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Lauren just had twin boys, when in the hospital, a mysterious women tries to steal her babies from her. After their birth Lauren is exhausted and can`t seem to leave the house, feeling overwhelmed and like the women will come back for her babies.

Creepy tale that as a mother left me with dreams of this strange women! I really enjoyed the folklore at the beginning of the chapters, they added a lot to the story. The last couple chapters were slow for me but overall a great story. The creep factor is what made the book for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.