This is a difficult book to review. It was very well written, and I adored the darker fairy tale aspect. The author did an amazing job of portraying a new mother, already raw with all of the emotional and physical turmoil of bringing her twins into the world, who has to contend with supernatural threats against her children. However, it was at times too graphic for my tastes (especially the beginning passages describing her labor and delivery... I’ve given birth twice and could still barely read it). The strength is the vivid characters and the writing, and five stars for such a creative use of fairy tales and folklore.

Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't love this book - reading it made me anxious and frustrated, and I don't love to feel like that when reading a book. I just wanted it to be over, honestly. The whole scenario is presented as a sort of Grimm's Fairy Tale of a story about a woman who believes her children are changelings. The book swing back and forth between believing the woman and not believing the woman, inserting a whole bunch of truly random, unrelated, and, looking back, time-wasting stuff.

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What was the actual point of Natasha aside from providing an almost case for why Lauren was 'maybe' right about her kids being changelings? It's never answered what the actual thing was that Patrick was doing with her to begin with. Never. Answered. That's a WHOLE lot of story line that was just head-turning padding. That kind of thing is what makes this book not so great. It really ends up being a sort of toss-away airport bookshop mystery, without providing much substance. The thing with the reporter was weird, the guy she knew who was a 'bad guy' but she lived there when she was younger?? What? Why is that in there at all? And Hanson's whole thing about whatever mystery of her own relationship to kids - again, brought out a LOT, but never actually shared with the reader. A book full of story lines with no provided answers just felt a bit lazy.

Also, Patrick is a horrible human. I kept waiting for his comeuppance, where someone calls him out for being such an awful father and husband, but that never happens either. Ugh.

A  tale inspired by a fairy tale we heard a lot growing up. Changelings. A horrid topic for any mother but a deliciously wicked and creepy idea for a fairy tale! Or is it more than a fairy tale?

Lauren Tranter has given birth to twin boys and is exhausted and unsure of even how to feed them. Her husband, who I disliked immediately, seems to think she will be fine by her self and leaves her there alone with the tiny twins, Morgan and Riley to figure it out.

Lauren knows she isn't crazy when she calls 911 to say someone is trying to steal her babies. Lauren knows what she saw. A slimy hag of a woman trying to switch her eel like babies for Laurens healthy children. And from the way she speaks, this isn't the first time.

Lauren is living in fear someone will steal the boys and the husband is definitely acting sketchy so she is pretty much alone. A month goes by and finally she takes the boys to the park. She only closed her eyes for a second and they were gone. And the babies they find look like Morgan and Riley but Lauren knows the truth. These weird little things are not her children and she isn't going to let it go until someone believes her. 

The decision she makes could be deadly and will she have the courage to do what must be done to get her children back?

I loved this book. The characters were described so well you could easily imagine every one of them. Even the weird little changelings!

Well Done!

Netgalley/ Crooked Lane Books coming out April/May of 2019

This left me breathless! The author has created every mother’s ultimate nightmare in this brilliant debut novel. I love the little bits of folklore and mythology intertwined with the story. It reminded me that fairy tales are essentially horror stories, too. The Dark Lady (I just call her/it that) gave me chills highly reminiscent of Koji Suzuki's Sadako.


The story feels like a metaphor on postpartum depression. At the beginning I was brought back to the labor room. It perfectly captured the horror of childbirth, the post op, and the first few magical but very stressful days of having a newborn.
 It speaks of a woman's journey towards motherhood stripped off of the rainbows and butterflies, and with only the gory details laid bare. It's about the ultimate sacrifice of not owning your body anymore, of having little strangers arrive in your life that you try so hard to love, the constant fear, and the huge weight of this lifetime of responsibility.


As a mother, I can say that this also helped me face the nightmares still hidden in my memories. I am grateful to have a wonderful husband who shares parenting tasks with me as equally as possible. But the truth is being a mother is a nightmare wrapped in sweet dreams. Is it worth it? Yes, but as this novel ultimately shows--it just may cost you your sanity.

Laura swears that she was attacked in her hospital room, shortly after the birth of her twins. She is written off as a tired, new mother when the police are involved. Her husband and the doctors think that she is imagining things. When she gets home, things start to get worse. She starts seeing that woman outside of her house. Again, she is written off as being a tired new mother. Then she takes the twins out for a walk in a park. Where they disappear. The twins are found shortly after being reported missing. But Laura swears that there is something different about them. She needs to bring her boys back. How is she going to do that? Are the myths and legends about changelings to be believed? Or is Laura suffering from a form of postpartum psychosis?

I couldn’t wait to read Little Darlings. From the reviews that I have read, the book was going to be fantastic. So, when I finally got around to reading, I was excited. Little Darlings has earned every bit of praise that has been thrown its way. When a book has me wondering which end is up, it is good!!

I wish that I hadn’t put it off. This book is that good. It is also super creepy. The bit of folklore that the author chose to put at the beginning of each chapter only added to the supernaturalness of the book. I loved it!!

What I also liked is that I didn’t know what was true. Was everything that Laura was experiencing real or in her head? That is what I liked the most about this book. The author did a great job of putting up both sides. And then she does a fantastic job of letting you make your own conclusion at the end of the book. Like I mentioned above, I love it when a book can keep me guessing about what actually happened. Even after it was over.

The end of Little Darlings sent a chill up my spine. Not going to get into it but let’s say that enough doubt is cast that I wondered what happened. The epilogue (well, I wouldn’t quite call it that) was what made me think. It also made me sit and think for a while after I finished the book.

I gave Little Darlings a 4-star rating. This was a creepy book to read. The characters were relatable. The plotlines were fast paced and well written.

I would give Little Darlings an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and cheating. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Little Darlings. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

What a creepy story! Firstly I hated her husband from the very beginning. What a terrible father from the get go and constantly making her feel crazy for being exhausted with two newborns. I loved following the story and finding out what was going to happen to Lauren and her babies.

I received an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.

Oh gosh, where do I even begin with this review? This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and I'm still trying to process it almost a week later.

Little Darlings tells the story of a woman named Lauren, who gives birth to twin boys. As a new mom, she's a bit stressed, tired, and unsure of herself. Understandable. I think every mom remembers how that can be. But there's something more going on with Lauren. Something more sinister. Lauren knows there is someone there, watching her and her boys, waiting to snatch them away from her. She knows she must do whatever it takes to protect her babies, even though everyone, including her husband, thinks she's acting a bit crazy.

When the unthinkable happens while out for a stroll in the park, Lauren hopes she'll finally prove to everyone she's not as crazy as they thought. But when her babies are returned safe and sound, she insist they're not hers and have been switched with something else. Unfortunately, that just makes everyone believe she's crazier than ever, and they lock her away. But what happens when the others around her start buying into the craziness? Is Lauren perhaps telling the truth? Or has the stress of being a new mother become too much for Lauren to bear, ultimately messing with her mind completely?

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Little Darlings. It was an intense thrill ride that explored the depths of emotion new moms deal with. I liked that the story touched on Lauren's inability to bond with her sons right away. She worried there was something wrong, because every mother is expected to immediately fall in love with their baby. By not doing so, Lauren feared there might be something wrong with her. I related to that, because I went through the same thing with my first. When I had my son, I looked at him and thought, "What am I supposed to do with this baby now? I'm not cut out to be a mom. Take him back." Eventually that went away, but I think it's important for women to know that it doesn't always happen right away, that bond. It may take some time. With my second, I was in love the moment I laid eyes on him. So, yeah. That was a nice touch to the story.

I didn't particularly care for Lauren's husband. I thought he was a useless, rude, unhelpful jerk at times. He put so much pressure, and all of the child-caring burdens, on Lauren, and then he acted like he was a victim of sorts when Lauren had her moment. He frustrated me, and I didn't like him at all.

I did like Jo, though. She's a cop, and she was a character who seemed to have more of an open mind and a willingness to help Lauren. She was probably my favorite character.

The plot moves along at a nice pace, building up the tension and the worry. It's creepy and unsettling at times, and it makes you wonder constantly if Lauren was really insane, or if she was telling the truth, even though it seemed so far-fetched it couldn't actually be true.

Overall, I am so glad I took a chance on Little Darlings. It's a fantastic read that showcases the stigma mothers face when it comes to mental health issues. They're not taken seriously. They're expected to be perfect and capable 100% of the time all the time. Moms aren't allowed to have bad days. They aren't allowed to be stressed or depressed or worried. They're expected to go-go-go constantly. And I really liked that this story shone a light on just how ridiculous that is, and how women need tender love and care after becoming new moms. Help them. Guide them. Treat them with respect. Take them seriously.

if you're a fan of folklore mixed with horror, definitely check out Little Darlings. You won't be disappointed.

Remember their names!!

4.5 stars! Don't you love when a thrilling premise is executed perfectly? Little Darlings is super creepy, chilling and a page-turner. This should come with a warning - do not read if you are pregnant!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have no idea how this book has such a good rating... did I read it wrong?
The idea behind this story is pretty cool, but I feel a bit confused at the same time.

The story seemed to drag on, and I found myself bored pretty frequently. There’s about 10 pages of excitement around the 85% mark, and then all of a sudden the events take a twist and I was wholly let down.

I feel like a lot of the events that transpired were random, and somewhat unnecessary. I don’t know, I’m struggling to put into words how I’m feeling, without giving away the entire story.
I feel like if this book was a pool, you’re stuck floating on top, when the prize, and what you are desperately seeking is trapped at the bottom of the deep end.
This book just really didn’t do it for me.

This book was fantastic! I had seen an ad from another author who was reading it, and it sounded like my kind of book, and was so happy to see it on Netgalley!!!
The book is a creepy, thrilling book, that really sucks you in, to the point, you do not who or what to believe.
After a long and very difficult labor, Lauren and Patrick welcome twin boys, Riley and Morgan.
Shortly after, while Lauren is still in the hospital, she believes a creepy woman is trying to steal her babies, or swap them out for hers.
No one can find any evidence of this woman, so people begin to think she is crazy, but is she?? So many things happen, poor Lauren is afraid to sleep, she won't leave her home for fear of this woman taking them. And when she does finally go out, they are kidnapped. There are so many twists and turns, that make this book hard to put down!!!!
The book is a thriller, that Folklore, and Fairy Tales are intertwined in. Its a creepy book, and I am so surprised that this is the author's, debut novel. We will be hearing more from her, as she is a gifted writer!!
Thanks so much @Netgalley for letting me read it!!!
I will write a more in deph review later, as the book is not to be released until May 2019. Def, want to add this to your to read shelves!!!

Little Darlings is the first novel by Melanie Golding and I can't wait to see what her next story will be about. Fair warning, there were times I couldn't put the book down and others where the goose bumps wouldn't stop! When I wasn't in the process of actually reading I found myself thinking about this story. I was given an early copy to review.

Golding delivers what is sure to be one of the books of 2019 with this stunning debut.
A dark fable of changelings in the vein of the Grimm Brothers, it's an unsettling horror story about motherhood and post-natal depression. Golding perfectly captures the world of a new mother, along with the fears of expectation and isolation that often come with it.
The fable of the changeling is one that is known through many cultures, and Golding weaves the notion into the story with a cleverly-constructed plot that keeps you guessing until the final pages. For every supernatural theory there is a equally plausible human one and you are never quite sure if you are experiencing something otherworldly or a mother's mental decline.
Brilliant stuff.

Lauren is a new mother of twin boys, Morgan and Riley. She knows she's exhausted, but is she going mad? She is convinced she caught someone attempted to take her boys and rep;ace them with.....what? Then, a month later, she is at the park when the twins disappear. They are found, but she *knows* these boys are not her own. They look like them, but there's something very different and wrong, and Lauren knows it.
She also knows postpartum is real. Everyone looks as her as if she is crazy, even her husband. She must risk it all to find her boys - no matter what.
This book was fantastically creepy! It is a dark thriller that kept my attention the whole way through. Definitely different from the "normal" thriller!
Thank you to Melanie Golding, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book!

This book really kept me engaged, and I really enjoyed the supernatural element of it. It's fun to suspend belief sometimes! I found myself feeling sympathetic yet suspicious of Lauren, the main character. I was also challenged in my feelings about her husband and father of her children...loving him one minute and hating him the next. It was a roller coaster ride of a book, which I loved.

Wow is how I am going to describe this book. It is a chilling, twisting story of a new mom, Lauren Tranter, who is convinced her newborn twin sons have been switched by a swamp woman that only she can see. This isn't my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book. It is kind of a mix of fantasy, fairy tale with a little sci-fi mixed it. This is very well written and I really enjoyed it. I immediately disliked Lauren's husband, Patrick, as he was a real piece of work. I really liked DS Joanna Harper and her role in this book. Great story line and a really great read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.

This turned out creepy & I loved it! it started out slow for me, then eventually when it got to a certain part I was hooked! Highly recommend!!

We have likely all heard "old wives" and "ghostly spirits" tales.....but what if one actually came true? And what if nobody believed you? This is exactly what happens to Lauren following the birth of her twin boys, Riley and Morgan. Alone and exhausted following their deliver, she hears strange noises coming from behind the curtain next to her....an eerie song about babes needing to be returned to the water in order to return to their true selves when the 'elf - woman in the water' comes for them to replace her own two babes,  
Selver and Bishop, named for the two rivers that fed into the New Riversby reservoir, swallowing the town of Selverton forever. Lauren is believed to be insane and is institutionalized, while Detective Sergeant Joanna Harper tries to makes sense of her story, what little evidence that they have, and years gone by. Interesting and heartbreaking as we watch a young mother do what little she can in her power to find her "real" babies home again.

After much internal debate, I had to go with 3 Stars. The book itself is actually very good - it’s well written and well thought out, extremely creepy and chilling, and very mysterious. But at the end of the day, I can’t give it 5 stars based on that. I have to weigh in my own emotional response and feelings, and they weren’t all positive.

This book ends up being, for me, extremely depressing. I guess that’s the point, but I just don’t really enjoy that sort of thing. It ends with you questioning everything you read, and wondering what was really going on. There really isn’t a happy ending for anyone.

And I just did not like the husband in this book. From the very beginning you get the feeling that something is off about their relationship, and though some things come to light throughout the story, I was just never entirely sure what to make of him or his relationship with the main character (his wife).

I actually almost abandoned this book in the first couple of pages (which I NEVER do) because of the writing style. Some paragraphs were so wordy that I just got bored and skimmed. And some things were so unnecessarily graphic that my stomach was churning. But that was really only the first chapter or so, then it got better. Glad I stuck it out because it was definitely an interesting read.

I can’t stop thinking about this book. And not 100% in a good way; more like a creepy and depressed way. It certainly was impactful. I just wish it had ended a little differently.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free advance review copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This review appears on GoodReads, my Facebook page, and will be posted to retail sites once published.*

Melanie Golding's debut novel, Little Darlings, is a frightening mix of fantasy, folklore, delusion and desperation. Little Darlings excels at making you believe in the unbelievable-that the bump in the night is real, that monsters dwell in the deep sea and are coming for your children, that there's danger hiding in every bush, that mothers know everything and will always keep you safe. Logic flies out the window in this harrowing story of newborn twin boys abducted in broad daylight, and the search for the ghoulish sea creature their mother says is the kidnapper. Miss Golding must have one heck of an imagination to come up with a story so freakish it can't possibly be fake. Little Darlings will scare the living daylights out of you and keep you up at night. It's prose is lyrical, it's plot is fantastical, it's ending ambiguous-but all in a satisfying way. So you won't turn off the lights for weeks after you finish Little Darlings? A small price to pay for such a tantalizing treat of a book.

Wow, this book was completely unsettling and had me wanting to believe the main character but I just wasn't sure! Kept me interested until the last page !