I’m sure this psychological thriller is supposed to be edgy and shocking like Gillian Flynn’s work. If so, it’ really misses the mark. The characters are flat and the thriller offers no tension or suspense. The sexual violence depicted against teenage girls is so excessive it made the book difficult to read.

Walking through Needles was a very dark read and not one that was for me. It was well written and will appeal to a certain demographic but unfortunately it wasn't one that I am keen to chat about. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one.

A great, atmospheric read, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The author does a great job with the dual timeline and the characters are well drawn. Recommend to people who like boundary pushing, character driven stories

Oh wow, this book was a punch in the gut. Very dark and raw with real flawed humans ( some that make your skin crawl). The characters are amazingly fleshed out, it's got amazing tension and pacing, and the story-telling carries the day. Walking Through Needles is a powerful and intense read that takes an unflinching look at sexual assault. It’s handled delicately and with care, and it’s very evident that author Heather Levy did a great deal of research and really cared about the story she was writing.

The novel is a slow burn as it weaves between 1994 and 2009. It paints an honest picture of the emotional impact the assault has caused Sam and those who loved her. It’s difficult and relevant, and has moments of suspense that lead to a darkly satisfying conclusion that I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect and the investigation into the murder of Sam's step-father. This was an amazing, hard-hitting debut by an author who knows how to makes you squirm.

“It felt good because pain made her feel in control of her mind. It made the dark thoughts she had disappear for a while. Thoughts of her daddy, thoughts of never being able to get out of Blanchard and being stuck on the farm helping her mama and Grandma Haylin for the rest of her life.”

Sam’s life changes when her mother’s new boyfriend Isaac moves in with his son Eric. Isaac’s volatile moods and her conflicted feelings about Eric create a dangerous dynamic as does their violent past that landed Eric in trouble. The story, which follows two separate timelines (1994 and 2009) from Sam and Eric’s points of view, unveils a blood-tinged past and an unsolved murder.

I recently attended a panel at Balticon which discussed how non-linear storytelling can create anticipation. This novel exemplifies this technique. Never did the use feel manipulative, because of the great way the book was structured. Showing the events in 1994 as its own timeline, rather than as standard flashbacks creates an immediacy that makes the events all the more powerful.

Seeing both Sam and Eric’s perspectives gives the book dimension and helps the reader understand their motivations. I really liked the female-focused cast and the agency the characters display throughout the novel. The mystery component is developed well and kept me guessing as to the identity of the murderer.

Please note that this novel deals with violence and dark themes such as rape, abuse, and other types of violence against women. I felt that these themes and issues are handled in a respectful and realistic manner and were no way gratuitous, but this may not be the book for readers who may be triggered by such topics.

Because of my investment in these amazing characters and world, I hoped a bit for an epilogue in current times, but the book stands well without it.

I am blown away that WALKING THROUGH NEEDLES is a debut novel. I ardently hope that Levy is hard at work at her follow up, because I can’t wait to read it. This book is a strong contender for awards in “best debut” category.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Polis Books for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

Dark and Gritty, Walking Through Needles is a rollercoaster of twists and subculture. Will be purchasing for the library collection.

Unfortunately this book was very triggering for me. Although I understand that this kind of abuse and assault happens frequently and I did feel very much for the main character. I just couldn’t finish. Thank You!

A dark psychological thriller that delves into some difficult topics. Childhood trauma, rape, mental abuse, a range of sexual desires, and more. Some of the characters you’ll love and root for, others you’ll hate and wish harm. But you WILL have an emotional response to the story. It helps that the writing itself is exquisite. Highly recommended.

Though this book.has a lot of triggers.. it is well written.
Dark and moody. Characters that are hard to relate to yet you do.
This book isn't for everyone. But a fantastic well written first book from this author to look out for more.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Walking Through Needles, by Heather Levy

Short Take: Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Ok, Duckies, this is where I usually write a clever intro and tell you a little bit about a book’s plot, but I’m not going to say much about this one, because it would just be one long trigger warning. Just be glad that I read it so you don’t have to.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a voracious reader of all kinds of dark & crazy stuff, and I love me some titillation. I don’t mind adult content in my books one bit (I even seek it out on occasion) and “deviance” doesn’t freak me out that much. What consenting adults do with their bathing suit parts can be quite entertaining.

But Walking Through Needles goes too far, over and over. Repeated descriptions of the worst kinds of abuse inflicted on teenage girls might be “realistic” in the sense that young people are preyed upon and abused, and often confused by their experiences, but this book revels in it. It’s hideous and not at all enjoyable. The central mystery could be a good one, but it’s completely overshadowed by rape, sadism, and forced abortions.

Unless you’re the kind of person who enjoys that kind of thing, just skip this one. And if you are the kind of person who enjoys that kind of thing, seek help.

The Nerd’s Rating: ONE DEPRESSED NEURON (and a long hot shower. Because I feel dirty all over and not in the good way right now.)

This is a book like no other that I have read. It is very dark and gritty with lots of potential triggers such as rape, sexual abuse, abortion, violence and masochism.. The subject matter is hard to read, however with that being said, it is extremely well written. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. Heather Levy is an author to watch for sure. For those who will not be upset by the sexual and abusive content this is one I highly recommend.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

This is a very dark story mostly about desire, the darker side of desire that is. Sam (Samantha) is a young high school student in 1994 and she is a respected bank manager in 2009. The story is told from those two timelines and from Sam's perspective and from Arrow (Eric) her stepbrother. Sam knows from a very young age that she enjoys strangulation and pain, in fact craves it in order to get a satisfying release. Arrow and his father move in with Sam and her mom and become a blended family. Arrow is about Sam's age and an attraction blooms between them. Arrow's father, Isaac, also finds Sam attractive and is somehow able to figure out about her darker side. The mystery part of the story I did not find all that interesting, reading about how Sam overcame her desires to escape Isaac was the more interesting part. Having known someone who also enjoyed pain in order to achieve release, the thoughts that went through Sam's mind resonated with me and really brought Sam to life. Overall a good read, I would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Dark, unsettling, and gritty, WALKING THROUGH NEEDLES will appeal to fans of SA Cosby and Layne Fargo's Temper! Obvious CW for abuse.

What an unforgettable book! This raw dark disturbing read will have you turning the pages!
I was hooked from the beginning and didn't stop!
I believe I neglected my husband and kids for the entire day! LoL

Walking Through Needles - Heather Levy

Jeri lives with her teenage daughter Sam on a farm in Oklahoma. When Jeri's new boyfriend , the rugged and good looking, Isaac moves in, together with his son Arrow there are going to be some big changes.

Sam is at an age of being curious about boys and sex, she already knows she has a craving for pain and being strangled. It is a challenging subject, which I thought was handled very well, never used gratuitously and central to Sam's character and some of the key relationships in the book.

The story is told with a split timeline 1994 and 2009. In 2009 one of the characters is dead and the others are suspects.

It is a fairly dark book, I was reminded of Dark Places and a little of My Dark Vanessa and Walking Through Needles can hold its head up in such quality company.

I thought the character development was excellent, the plot tightly woven with the chapters in 1994 and 2009 continually adding to our understanding, and pushing the story forward at a good pace.

After a brilliant and compulsive first half, I found it flagged a little in the third quarter before a satisfying conclusion.

Not quite a must read, but still a challenging, sensitive and unusual character driven murder mystery. Some may find it controversial but it deserves to do very well and I have an admiration for authors who push the boundaries and create unique characters.


Thanks to Netgalley and Polis Books

Wow! Loved this book! So dark and creepy all under the ‘somewhat normal’ family umbrella. Crazy great characters and surprisingly twisty story. I read this in less than a day and it totally hogged my attention! Great timeline and POV as well as flawlessly written. Highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I acknowledge that this is going to sound twisted, but it's somewhat refreshing to read a story where abuse isn't all about being a victim. From the very first page, I was engaged. Walking Through Needles explores a dark side of humanity that many might know can even exist in human beings. The timeline hopping was smooth and never once did I feel lost about what was happening. The suspense builds, uncovering character flaws and desires, walking a fine line between desire and trauma. A remarkable debut novel.

I read a lot of things that would make the ordinary person’s stomach turn. However, even reading Walking Through Needles made me nauseous. It’s a dysfunctional, depraved story. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I did skim over some parts because they were just too sordid and sick. I didn’t care for any of the characters in this book except the grandmother. Total miss for me.

Dark, raw, and disturbing. Walking Through Needles is an engrossing read that pulls you in and doesn't let go until the final page. Bravo, Heather Levy, on a brilliant and thought-provoking debut.

We are going to try to be as diplomatic as possible during this review.

*Trigger warning*:
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rape; sexual abuse; abortion; sexual assault; sexual violence.


This book is *extremely* problematic. This book could be extremely damaging to victims of rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, and sexual abuse.

Firstly, the synopsis indicates that this is a “thriller”, but for this reader, there is nothing thrilling about this book - the “whodunit” aspect is weak, disorganized, and far in the background, and instead at the forefront is gratuitous sexual violence. And even worse, it unacceptably gives credence to the narrative of “she asked for it” and “she liked it”. While the author may have been attempting to normalize and validate masochism as a sexual preference, a story of sexual abuse, rape, especially that involving children, is not the place - and certainly not under the guise of a psychological thriller.