This is a very interesting read - if you can suspend belief in old wives tales and a bit of the supernatural. British woman gives birth to twins and thinks some witch is trying to swap them for two long- dead children. The only way to get her children back is to put the interlopers in the river. Escaping from a mental hospital, she does just that. Interspersed with interesting snippets of folk tales regarding twins. Husband has his own agenda and a resourceful detective and a reporter join forces to unravel the mystery

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Little Darlings (from NetGalley). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a weird one. I almost bailed early on because it was really out there. I think I only kept reading because it would have driven me crazy not to know whether this woman was seeing things or if these events truly happened to her. However, my reading experience improved as the book progressed. Melanie Golding is a good writer. I enjoyed the descriptions, the depth of characters, the events and actions--most of which were believable. I would read another book from this author. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I feel a bit let down by Little Darlings. I think I was expecting something a little creepier. Don't get me wrong, it was an interesting read, but it wasn't spectacular. It felt a bit too long, but was written well enough for me to not be as bothered.

Unfortunately, Little Darlings didn't work for me, but I can understand why many will thoroughly enjoy it.

New mother Lauren and her newborn twins are the focal point of this haunting psychological thriller. While still safely ensconced in the maternity ward, Lauren is suffering from a lack of sleep that is so compellingly described that the reader can feel the effects of fatigue pulling at her own eyelids. During one of these periods of semi wakefulness, Lauren becomes aware of an intruder who is intent upon replacing the twins with her own, eel like babies.
As the story progresses, the reader begins to question what is real and what is not. Old passages from stories about changelings are interspersed with the more pragmatic observations and theories of other characters. Lauren herself, the sole character committed to the belief that her twins are not themselves, is cast under suspicion, her sanity put under doubt. The writing during Lauren's segments is especially strong, the descriptions feeling almost visceral in their accuracy of being a new mother and feeling that primal fear all mothers face: what if I couldn't keep my baby safe?
The only minor complaint with this story is the real life asides dealing with Harper, the detective. They often slowed the plotline and did not always feel as if they moved the story forward. Either way, I hope that we see Harper in future stories from this author as she becomes involved in other cases.

A great first effort from author Melanie Golding. Little Darlings is a smart and engaging, modern-day changeling tale.

This novel centers around Lauren, a mother who has recently given birth to twin boys. Beginning while she is still in the hospital after delivery, she is terrorized by a woman who everyone else is convinced is a figment of Lauren's imagination. The woman asks Lauren to give her one of her children; if not, she is going to take both of them. Subsequently, Lauren lives in fear of leaving her babies alone even for a moment. On her first day venturing out with the babies, she inadvertently falls asleep in a park, and when she wakes up, the babies are gone. When they are returned to her, she is sure that they have been replaced by changelings and is thus desperate to get her own boys back. She tries to push them into the river and is consequently institutionalized.

The story followed a predictable path, although I did find that Lauren's attitude change towards the twins felt abrupt. She started off wondering why she didn't feel the rush of love towards her babies, and then all of the sudden she was obsessed with them. Her husband was very unlikable and not a very nuanced character. The detective Jo Harper was the most interesting character as well as the reporter Amy. But it seemed like all the men in the book were jerks and not multi-dimensional.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the ARC. This review was published on Goodreads on 10/31/18.

A few weeks ago I found out having kids may be difficult for me. So naturally I did what any normal person would do and read a book about creepy babies to ease the pain. This was one of the creepiest books I've read because it meshes folk tales, fantasy and reality. I know that being a mother is not easy for some, and this was a bold book that made readers question, is something wrong with the mother or are her new little darlings actually changelings?

I read this into the wee hours of the night because it was so creepy and page turner...and also because sleep was not going to happen after reading it! *Nightmares* I am not sure if this is the author's debut (since I don't see any other books under her name), but if it is, well done! A truly atmospheric story perfect for Halloween!

“Grimm”

An ode to Grimm’s Fairy Tales, this is a spooky tale about a young woman who just gave birth to twins. One night while still in the hospital’s maternity ward, Lauren Tranter is visited by a strange and eerie young woman who carries a basket holding her own twins, covered in filthy rags and smelling like dank river water. The woman wants to exchange her twins for Lauren’s. Lauren is horrified and afraid but the woman assures her that she can make them look exactly like Lauren’s children.

Lauren refuses and returns to life at home as a new mother. She still bears the scars of trauma in the hospital, especially since no one believed her story, including her husband Patrick who is proving to be an absolute dud in the helping at home department. Selfish and wrapped in his own relationship busting secrets, Patrick only adds to Lauren’s insecurities. Her fear continues to grow as she feels she is being pursued by the woman from the river. She cocoons herself and her twins in her home in order to protect them however a fateful day occurs when she journeys out. At this time, her twins go briefly missing. After they are returned, everyone is relieved except for Lauren who is the only who can tell that although the boys look like her babies, they are not her children and she is determined to risk everything to get them back

This is a story as much about the vast vulnerability of new motherhood as it is a creepy fairytale about changelings. The blurred and confusing lines of what constitutes mental illness or a psychotic break as well as the continued inhumane and undignified treatment of psychiatric patients play out in this story. I did appreciate many aspects of this story as well as the concept and underlying themes. It however leaves a lot of unanswered questions which depending upon what type of reader you are may or may not be OK. Large pieces of the story meandered but ultimately did not resolve in the end. If part of a series, I could more easily accept it but as a stand-alone book it felt unfinished.
BRB Rating: Skip It.

Little Darlings is a most unusual story; a haunting and sad contemporary novel based on a fairy tale about losing ones children to Changelings. It's hard to review this story without spoilers, so I'll say that I really liked the police detective, Harper, and her willingness to give the protagonist, Lauren, the mother of the twins at the center of this book, the benefit of doubt when she claims another women is trying to steal her children. The motivation behind that willingness is a brilliant plot point. I also liked Harper's determination to solve the mystery of the attempted kidnapping on her own time, since there is no proof a crime has been committed, and her superior officer refuses to invest resources in an unsubstantiated claim.

I'm giving this book four stars instead of five because I found the pacing to be slow, especially in the beginning, and the supporting characters in the tale are wholly unlikeable. I suspect the author deliberately made them unlikeable to make the story darker and more sinister. This modern day Grimm style fairy tale is well-written and plotted, and guaranteed to haunt readers long after the last page. Received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Dang, I hate to say I wasn't a fan of this. Chunks of the story felt missing. I needed more background. And the ending felt unfinished. What the story did successfully though was create an anxiety driven main character. Maybe I just don't like fantasy stories??

Thank you NetGalley for my free copy in return for an honest review.

Little Darlings is a creepy psychological thriller that is the perfect read for Halloween.

I received a free e-copy of Little Darlings by Melanie Golding from NetGalley for my honest review.

Lauren, who is eight months pregnant with twins is absolutely exhausted. Finally, the day comes when the twins (Riley and Morgan) are born. Someone has tried to kidnap her twins and replace them with look a likes. Lauren alerts people for help but she has vanished. No one believes her either. They think Lauren has postpartum.

Then when Lauren gets home with the babies, her nightmare continues. Another incident and yet no one believes her. Lauren starts to go down a deep hole and is sleep deprived and very depressed.
Lauren's husband tells her she should get some air and take a walk with the twins. She is sitting on a bench and dozes off. When she wakes, the twins are missing. The twins are found in a short amount of time but Lauren is convinced that they are not her babies, but creatures that look like her babies.

Is Lauren loosing her mind? Is there someone out there who has really taken her babies and replaced them with something supernatural? Will Lauren ever get anyone to believe her?

A chilling tale of the lengths a mother is willing to take for her newborn babies. Lauren and Patrick have just had twins when someone tries to kidnap their twins from the maternity ward. As Lauren becomes terrified that someone is stalking her , her husband and the police think she's having hallucinations. As Lauren 's worst nightmare becomes reality she must find her nannies before its too late.

Beyond creepy.

I kept wanting to share with new mothers that I know - only to realize that this would creep them out even more than me!

Delicate and excellent balance with an unreliable narrator. This book keeps you twisting and turning. I also enjoyed how Joanna very real but I would have liked to see more development of Amy, Patrick and Natalie.

This was not my normal but it was a good abnormal for me. Lauren, the newly minted mom of twins is stalked/attacked/terrified by the nasty old lady which may or may not be real. That is all I will give you but that was enough to keep me reading and I hope it will you too. Enjoy it BEFORE Halloween!!

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding was just the read i needed to get me into the Halloween spirit. Creepy and chilling, it dabbles in the idea of changelings. When Lauren gives birth to two health beautiful boys she is instantly smitten with them, but while recovering in the hospital a creepy, dirt woman who also has twins would like to make a trade for one of them to give her twin a better life. Lauren refuses a locks herself in the bathroom to protect her babies and awaits help to arrive but when they get there they tell Lauren it was all in her head, the woman and her weird twins are not real.
Lauren is terrified of the woman returning to take her babies away, remembering the threat that if she doesn't trade one, the woman will take them both and make them look the same so she'll never know. Did she really make this up or was the threat genuine? Lauren cannot be sure...until her babies go missing one afternoon and when the police find them and return them, they are not hers.... To get her true babies back Lauren knows, from reading a creepy tale about changeling twins, she has to return them home to the woman who lives in the river...by throwing them in.

Super creepy and unsettling, this tale will give you anxiety wondering...is this real or is our narrator crazy and about to drown her real babies? I devoured this novel quickly and efficiently, dying to find out the outcome. The author does great with setting the atmosphere and giving you conflicting information about whether Lauren is indeed in her right mind or if she's crazy as everyone around her suspects. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an easy and fun read, or anyone who loves creepy books. This isn't a profound literary masterpiece but its fun!
3.5/5

Little Darlings channels the best - or worst - of Grimm's fairy tales. A young mother believes that her newborn twins are in danger of being kidnapped by a strange woman who may or may not be real. An intuitive young detective is the only person who takes her somewhat seriously, with everyone else chalking her fears and visions up to postpartum depression/psychosis. I loved the creepy dark fairy tale aspect of the story, and also enjoyed the very realistic portrayal of the fatigue and fears a new mother faces. The ending was a little bit of a surprise for me, but ultimately I think it works. Overall, a fun meditation on new motherhood with a dark fairy tale twist.

"Mother Knows Best"

Lauren Tanter has just given birth to twin boys, Morgan and Riley. Naturally she is exhausted and in need of sleep. But she knows what she saw in her room in the maternity ward - a woman attempting to take her twins and replace them with her own, "it’s only fair". However, when hospital security and the police arrive, they find no evidence of the possible kidnapper. Furthermore, no one believes Lauren, but Detective Harper, a police officer feels that there might be something to Lauren's story.

Lauren continues to feel unease and doesn't want to leave her home. Her mission is to protect her babies. On a rare outing to the park, the twins disappear from her side, and once found, Lauren is convinced that something is not right, and Lauren declares "these are not my babies"

Little Darlings is inspired by dark fairy tales and folklore. This book is sprinkled with quotes and passages referring to "changelings". The folklore and fairy tales fit seamlessly into this tale and further add to the feeling of dread and provide for an eerie atmosphere. The entire book I was guessing just what was going on. Was Lauren correct, was there some sinister woman attempting to swap babies with her, was Lauren experiencing symptoms of post par-tum psychosis. I love trying to figure things out in books, and this one had me guessing!

This is a well written psychological thriller which is atmospheric with a dark creepy feel. My only complaint is that I wanted this book to be darker, to be even creepier, and more suspenseful. I also thought there were "romances" and "possible romances" in this book which really did not add to the story and in fact detracted from the story to a small degree. I wanted more menacing and heart pounding moments.

Overall, an enjoyable read. It is easy to feel for Lauren as she struggles with caring for two newborns, sleep deprivation, recovering from childbirth and having very little assistance at home. She is struggling with so many things while also being hyper-vigilant attempting to keep her children safe. A creepy tale to read late at night with the lights out! Plus, it just might inspire you to pick up some fairy tales and folklore as the passages used were quite brilliant!

Thank you to Melanie Golding, Crooked Lane books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

love this book, characters were well developed. The plot had many twist and turns. Great read., cannot wait for the next book..

Lauren is in the hospital after having twins. She doesn't feel love for them immediately and wonders if something is wrong with her. Patrick, her husband is excited about the babies. The day after having the identical twins, Lauren is in her room when a dirty and disheveled woman is in the cubicle next to hers. She thinks the woman needs help but when she goes to help her, the woman tells her she wants to trade Lauren's twins for her own. Lauren grabs her own babies and locks herself in the bathroom to protect them. Her mother instincts have kicked in now. When the staff come to get her out, there is no one there and no one believes Lauren. At home she is very protective of the babies and doesn't venture outside at all. No one believes that someone is trying to steal her children, not even Patrick who wasn't a very supportive husband.

This is a very intense story based on a fairy tale about changelings and keeps you wondering if they exist. Sargent Harper is the only one who remotely has doubts as to Lauren's insanity, but even she wavers. You are kept wondering throughout. I loved the descriptions of what Lauren is thinking, and at times you have to wonder if you're on the right track. This is a very good first novel by Golding and I will be watching for more.

Thank you very much to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The fears of parents might seem fairly universal, but when the potential for changelings replacing her children arises in Melanie Golding's Little Darlings, a new mother's fears are taken to an extreme. 

Lauren Tranter is a new mother to twin boys and exhausted from bringing them into the world. She knows she saw an woman in her hospital room who was trying to replace Lauren's babies with her own unsettling children. With her husband, hospital staff, and the police convinced that she's merely overly tired they comfort her by saying that she's seeing things that aren't there and simply needs some rest. After a month sequestered in her home carefully watching over her boys, Lauren finally ventures out and takes a walk in the park, where her boys disappear while she briefly rests on a bench. Frantic to find them and fearing a trick, when the twins are found Lauren believes that they aren't her sons and are instead the children of the woman from the hospital. Following the advice provided in an old storybook about a situation just like this, Lauren is determined about what she saw and will do what she must, however dangerous, to return her true sons to her. 

An eerie, unsettling, and compelling story that raises questions of reality. The incorporation of lore surrounding changelings was well-done, blending reality and fantasy, which provides an element of doubt by highlighting the reasoning behind the convictions and actions of Lauren. The narrative addresses some common concerns of motherhood in a manner that is more engaging than a frank discussion of the topics, including not instantly connecting or loving your children, postpartum depression, and struggling with the demands of a being dependent upon your attention (and not always getting help from partners - looking at your selfishness, Patrick!). Though quickly-paced, the story did slow down when the focus periodically shifted to Detective Harper, whose moderately developed story detracted from the intrigue of Lauren's experiences, and whose presence could have been greatly streamlined. 

Overall, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars.