I feel bad not giving much detail in this review, but it just wasn't something that caught my attention in the way I hoped!

This was a fun read overall! I really enjoyed the premise of this story and writing style but it wasn’t a true standout I would still recommend this one!

Dramatically dark in all the worst, weirdest, and most interesting ways. worth a read! in fact, you should read it.

This book starts off strong and pulls the reader in. I was hoping for a few twists and turns, but the characters are lovely. Thank you for sharing.

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Captivating Tale of Courage and Redemption**

AW Rene’s *Amelia* is a gripping and emotionally resonant novel that follows its titular character on a powerful journey of courage and self-discovery. Rene’s storytelling is immersive, with rich character development and a compelling plot that keeps readers invested from start to finish. The novel’s exploration of personal struggles and triumphs is both poignant and inspiring. While some pacing issues may arise, the book’s overall impact and heartfelt narrative make it a standout read. *Amelia* is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Amelia by AW Rene was an unhinged experience. Great writing and characterizations, I really enjoyed this read, Will look for more from this autor.

*Amelia* is a darkly compelling novel that delves into the unsettling underbelly of suburban perfection and the hidden threats that can lurk behind a facade of normalcy. With its chilling narrative and psychological depth, the book offers a gripping exploration of motherhood, reputation, and the darker aspects of human nature.

The story centers on Madeline Auger, a seemingly perfect mother who lives at 43 Maple Drive. Madeline’s life appears to be one of idyllic perfection, but a disturbing incident—a violent altercation at a ham sale—serves as a harbinger of the underlying turmoil within. This moment of aggression, seemingly out of character for someone so devoted to maternal ideals, hints at deeper issues simmering beneath the surface.

As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that Madeline’s outward persona of perfection masks something far more sinister. The novel expertly navigates the theme of maternal instincts gone awry, portraying Madeline’s love for her daughter Amelia as a driving force that transforms from nurturing to nightmarish. The story explores how the pressures of maintaining a perfect image can lead to the manifestation of darker impulses and behaviors.

The novel excels in creating a palpable sense of unease and suspense. Madeline’s growing internal conflict and the erosion of her reputation amidst rising doubts and mistrust drive the narrative forward, creating a tension that is both psychological and emotional. The juxtaposition of her seemingly nurturing demeanor with the malevolent forces brewing within adds a chilling complexity to her character.

The portrayal of Madeline’s descent into darkness is both intriguing and unsettling. The transformation of her maternal instincts into a “menacing entity” with “teeth” is a powerful metaphor for the destructive potential of repressed emotions and societal pressures. The story examines how a seemingly perfect life can harbor hidden dangers and how easily the veneer of normalcy can crack under the weight of internal strife.

In summary, *Amelia* is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that offers a haunting exploration of motherhood and the dark forces that can lie beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect life. With its well-drawn characters and atmospheric tension, the novel provides a thought-provoking and chilling read. It is a standout example of how psychological depth and suspense can combine to create a gripping and memorable story.

The book started with a lot many trigger warnings and those were very true to their words.

Written in epistolary style, Amelia is horrifying tale of a woman's decent into madness. I must have read it several times coz I couldn't get enough of it. I should have reviewed it long back because I have finished it when I had got the ARC but I kept pushing. I just didn't want to get it over with.

I enjoyed it very much but I would suggest to read all the TW that comes at the start of the book because it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I saw few reviews here which mentioned it's dark, there are many triggers but I feel that if you request a book you should first see what it is about.


I always make sure that what I'm getting into is something I can endure. Also the first two introductions are quite clear about all the TW like "Within lies ruin and decay swathed chillingly
in maternal devotion". Or " Within lies ruin and decay swathed chillingly in maternal devotion" so I'm not able to understand why rate a book low because of trigger warnings when they are quite clear and very upfront about it from the start itself.

It's stomach churningly unsettling.

"He never keeps his tools where I can
find them, preaching about how they’re dangerous and how I shouldn’t touch them—jokes on him. I can handle them just fine. He knows firsthand how they mold to my hands, retribution and vengeance heavy in their tip."

"The soil didn’t like his pervasive touch and sobbed with each swipe of his fingers. I patted it, letting it know it was okay, that he didn’t know anything. That they were safe. But the sobbing grew louder, more agonized with every touch. I closed my eyes and drew a breath, praying for divine patience to make it through, but silence responded."

This book is going to stay with me for a long long time.

Thank you BDA publishing and Netgalley for the wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.

A horror story comprised of letters written by a mentally disturbed mother with a horrible secret. The letters are addressed to her mysterious daughter, and hopefully we learn more about the daughter through the letters. The mother has some very strange fixations- like changing the color of her stairs every other day, as well as a horrible secret. Enjoy as the secrets and terror seep through the pages of every letter written.

2 stars

*Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Basics
Author: she/her (USA)
Genre: horror
Setting: a rundown house in a small town
Mood: unsettling, chaotic, insane

Pros
+ the first half was quite good, showing Madeline’s initial descent into madness

Neutral
/ epistolary format, mostly of letters from Madeline to her daughter, Amelia (the other format is police reporting)

Cons
- At about the halfway mark, you learn WHY Madeline is going insane, what started her psychotic break, and IT’S A NO FROM ME (grooming, explicit child photos taken by adult caretakers, implied sexual abuse of a 5/6yo) to which that poor child is met with slut-shaming, abuse, and death
- Why did this book need to be written?
- I wish I hadn’t read this.

TW: gore, death, implied sexual assault of a child, slut shaming of a child, explicit child photos, child abuse by a caretaker, child torture, child death, dog death

Great vibes all around. This was not what I expected in the best way. I would describe it as "increasingly unhinged". So many really vivid details. Seems like AW Rene has hit her stride with this one.

Ok so I will write a full review tomorrow but I literally just finished this book and honestly- I never knew how much epistolary formatting can be used as a tool to tell the reader lot about psychological and emotional thought process and mental health states of a person and in an entirely unwritten way. The structure and patterns used create a baseline for a character norm and anything that varys becomes jarring and obvious to a reader regardless of the actual meaning or context of the written words.
They can be contradictory in meaning as well
Writing about being fine but using no capitalization or punctuation can mean that they want you to think they are fine but mentally and not functioning at usual capacity -anxious or sad or anger can all be shown nonverbally. Also love the way the tone of police documents is a juxtaposition to Madeline’s formal persuasive and patronizing tone. So well written

Many thanks to NetGalley and BDA Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Amelia in exchange for my honest review!

The previous book I'd picked up from A.W. Rene, A Tainted Soul, was full of eerie atmosphere, and I get plenty more of that, albeit in a different form, via Amelia. Sure, I may have been able to predict where it's headed early on, but Madeline's letters throughout this whole epistolary narrative still give me chills that only increase as the tale rolls along. There's even a vibe about this novella that leaves me feeling like it could have released decades ago, and yet it would fit within that time period while giving us a peek into Madeline's psychological and emotional state. She tries her best to maintain the facade of a caring and affectionate mother, but when the toxicity and narcissism underneath slips out through the cracks, we're able to detect them quite clearly via her letters as her mind frays apart. It isn't as if the entire journey is brimming with slow-burn terror, though; some of the beats are relatively more low-key and sweet. But ultimately, this is a grim tale, and again, I'm able to call what direction it takes and I'm familiar with the tropes that are being deployed here, but that doesn't stop the story from absorbing me. It also helps that this restrains itself into a novella, meaning it's able to move at a brisk pace and keep things taut.

Overall, I'm officially rating Amelia 3.75 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding up to a flat 4 stars. I'll continue to dive into more of Rene's work.

The concept of this book being entirely in letter format initially captivated me, but unfortunately, my overall reading experience fell short. While the writing style was excellent and intriguing at first, as the story progressed, it became predictable and I anticipated the ending by the middle of the book. Additionally, I found myself bored at times, which is disappointing for a book of this length. However, it does contain some disturbing content, so I recommend checking the trigger warnings if you're sensitive to certain topics.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

this was the most creepy crawly, invoking horrendously disgusting images, twisted thing i've read in a while. it's short, bingeworthy, and incredibly gruesome.

I had to sit on this one for a day after I finished it.
Really quick read, mostly told through letters from mother to daughter and you figure out pretty quickly we have a VERY unreliable narrator, and start trying to piece together what is actually happening around this woman. Sweet past memories and meeting men she can set her daughter up with starts shifting into bugs, ghosts, and what color makes the stairs cry the most.
Overall I liked this book and every page really kept me intrigued.
Please check trigger warnings on this book.

Very short and emotionally draining mixed media novel made up mostly of letters but also police reports, 9-1-1 calls, and others. It was so believably horrifying descent into madness and murder. A little gem.

Their is so much to say about this book. I'm not even sure where to begin.

I loved the journey that we are taken on through this book. It's written almost entirely of letter correspondence between a mother and daughter and within the first letter we can tell something isn't quite right. I also loved the way the author used language to convey what truly happened without ever directly stating it.

This was an odd ride and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and BDA Publishing in exchange for a free and honest review.

An epistolary book with a mother writing to her daughter. She suffers from significant psychological issues and therefore, is an unreliable narrator, so you're unsure of what is happening. A quick but disturbing read, please read the trigger warnings. Overall, an interesting read and would recommend to readers who enjoy books with disturbing themes.

Told over several months in letter format to her daughter Amelia, this shows the slow descent a mother takes into madness.

This is a novella, and a very quick read. I' ma big fan of unreliable narrators and this woman takes the cake. I liked how this was told through the letters to Amelia and how they became more unhinged as they progressed. I think it wrapped up really nicely with the inclusion of the 911 phone calls and police reports.