Well, this was just okay. Not bad, but not great. I didn’t feel like it was as emotionally resonated as it should have been for the heavy themes and topics it discussed. I wasn’t compelled to keep reading even though there were objectively interesting things happening. Some pacing issues as well; too much of a slow burn imo.

I enjoyed the writing and the mystery engaging and interesting. I felt like it was a little preachy at times, but shows a lot of the struggles women go through, both in the past and modern times.
I don’t feel like everything was wrapped up as well as it could’ve been, and there was a LOT of reference to sexual assault. Like a lot. As in, if I know someone has experienced that, I will probably not recommend they read this.
It was a bit heavy on the “men are terrible” thing. Like they are, don’t get me wrong, but it felt more like someone writing with a vengeance than with a story to tell.
Overall I enjoyed the writing and the story a decent amount.

It Will Only Hurt for a Moment
By Delilah S. Dawson

Published by Del Rey on October 22, 2024

Adult. Content notes: abuse of all kinds, sexual assault, violence and death to animals and humans; personally, I appreciate authors who deal directly with such subject matter, and Dawson does it pretty well, but fair warning.

As usual, a spoiler-free review.

I enjoyed the Delilah S. Dawson Star Wars books I read a while back, and I especially loved her short story in Uncanny and the perfect novels she wrote as Lila Bowen, so I was excited to dive into another. This didn’t disappoint. Grab a copy for a quick gothic horror thriller: a solid read for the Halloween season. I loved this for the immersion in a haunting setting with fleshed-out traumatic reasons for the haunting, and the gradual path toward unhinged is fun. Teases us with the supernatural and the history of the place until everything comes together and brings the protagonist to the brink of disaster and death.

Interactions between goth photographer and main character are amusing and charming and engaged me. Some excellent tension between characters. as well. The way violence and death and abuse pops in like a brutal slap felt real to me. Those scenes from the second POV are great. I often get a kick out of stories with these locations characters know they shouldn’t explore, but explore anyway, then keep coming back even when it’s going to bring heaps of trouble (sure, it’s trope-ridden but feels authentic to me when that is pretty much what I’d do).

It’s not a perfect book, though. The hook with family tension is strong, though perhaps needed more to stand out as unique in today’s deluge of literature. I wasn’t immediately swept in until we started exploring the primary setting, the artist retreat and its shadows. The characters are all frustrating for their treatment of others (you different, you bad, no talk, everything trauma), but that is pretty common in gothic style works, and it does thread well with the setting. One or two of the developments were a stretch that I wish had more chapters devoted to them.

But all that said, I couldn’t put this down. It held my attention so much that I wanted more more more. The elements are balanced out enough to keep tugging. If you’re like me and always enjoy a gothic romp, worth the read. Also worth mentioning the cover art; though I received an advance reader's copy in ebook form, I am tempted to order myself a hardcover to re-read and admire the cover. I look forward the next Dawson book I dive into.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

This is a great book for October. The story starts off slow, but quickly becomes ominous and foreboding. The atmosphere of the retreat begins to feel oppressive, and the mystery gains the momentum of a runaway train. The story also heavily focuses on the trauma that men inflict on women that they infantilize and patronize. It reminds me of Midsommar mixed with The Yellow Wallpaper. Definitely check trigger warnings before going into it because there are elements of sexual assault, drugging people, medical malpractice, self-harm, and physical and emotional abuse. However, I thought the story was powerful and enrapturing.

Thanks to Del Rey & Penguin Random House Audio for advanced review copies of this book and audiobook.

This dad read It Will Only Hurt For A Moment by Delilah S. Dawson, a thriller/mystery published by Del Rey and audiobook by Penguin Random House Audio. Sarah thought she was signing up for an artist’s retreat in the remote mountains, far away from a toxic ex and troublesome mother. What she didn’t expect was to be thrown into a centuries old mystery surrounding the retreat’s abandoned hotel. With death seemingly following everywhere she goes, Sarah digs deeper and deeper into the past, uncovering one woman’s traumatic past as she deals with very real dangers that threaten her own life. 

It Will Only Hurt For A Moment does what all great thrillers do, sets up the story and dives straight into the chaos. Within the very first chapter, Sarah is well fleshed out and we immediately know what motivates her as she drives to the Tranquil Falls artist retreat. There we meet a kooky (even for artists) cast of characters whose personalities immediately jump off the pages. On Sarah’s very first day at Tranquil Falls, things are off (a dead possum in your cottage’s bed would freak anyone out) and Dawson doesn’t once let off the gas. 

For a mystery thriller, Moment also shines a light on the very real subjects of abuse and mistreatment of women. Wrapped in a narrative filled with twists and frights, however, it never feels like it's being forced. It’s clear that Dawson is passionate about this topic and her writing is oftentimes tragic and devastating but never strays from being an adventurous read. It’s this type of modern story that can touch on deeper issues while still being wildly entertaining and Dawson balances it expertly.

The entire book is bathed in atmosphere from its remote forest setting to haunting music and the paranormal; basically the perfect read for Halloween season. With It Will Only Hurt For A Moment, Dawson solidifies herself as not only one of my favorite Star Wars authors but favorite modern authors, period. I've dipped my toe in her works before, but after this book I'm even more motivated to dive deeper into her catalog. It Will Only Hurt For A Moment is timely, frightening and expertly crafted. I give it 4/5 highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to receive an eARC of this anticipated read!
I have never read from Delilah S. Dawson before, but the mention of a spooky artist's retreat caught my attention because I am an artist.
This book definitely has ALL of the spooky, creepy and unsettling things you could possibly want from a horror. The “haunting” element of this book was really well done, in my opinion.
There were some things that I believe were intentionally pushed to extremes with certain characters being over the top and Sarah being a little too gullible that “everything was okay”, when I was internally screaming “no girl, there are so many red flags!!”
The pacing was also a little off for me, something big would happen and then it would seem like it would simmer out, then boil again, then back to a simmer. I would said about 60% the stove finally heated up to cook our pasta on a constant boil.
If you are also an artist intrigued by the “art” aspect, know that it will only be a small piece of the puzzle, they do talk about art, and do some art, but the main focus isn't on the actual art making.
There were also some pop culture references made to add some humor, I didn't get them all, and when you don't get them, as a reader you feel outside of the “joke” that was supposed to add levity.
I would say the ending was slightly predictable, it was like watching someone finally get into the problem that you saw coming before they did. There was something that did shock me, but now thinking back was very “plot device”. It was a good twist, but I think could have been executed a little cleaner. Maybe it was just the quick pacing of the end tying up, that it wasn't given enough time to breath, or that “simmer” that I mentioned before.
I do have more questions than answers by the end and it does leave a “what does the reader think happened?” feeling, which I do like, but also bothers me that I won't actually know.
I plan to check out more from Dawson in the future, especially when I want horror. This book made me grossed and creeped out in many forms.
There are some Trigger Warnings that sensitive readers may want to check before diving in.
*NOTE: the above review will be posted to my social media on OCT 22 as requested (links attached)*

Sarah flees her life and heads to Tranquil Falls to reconnect with her art. The site of a centuries old and long closed spa like resort that piques her curiosity. Learning of the true history of Tranquil Falls along with Sarah was shocking and at time scary and sad.
There were unresolved story lines for the reader to create on their own.

I was fully ready to be freaked out by this book but I was not prepared for how sad and gut-churning it would be. Definitely check the trigger warnings before starting this if you need to, it's a doozy. If you've ever seen the movie Eloise, this book reminded me of it a lot, I had legit goosebumps a couple of times while reading. One from how spooky it was and two from the horrid situations these women were in. Even through the sad I still loved this book. It perfectly combined two of my favorite horror settings, a camp and an asylum. I loved the main character Sarah and her huge growth journey she went through to leave her ex and discover herself again. This was beautiful and that's definitely not a word I would use to describe this type of book typically.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Day Rey for the gifted copy for my honest review!

This story wiggles its way into your brain, and doesn't let go. I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter! Tranquil Falls is idyllic, and somewhere I would love to visit! The characters are eccentric and engaging, just as you would expect from an artist retreat.

Even when not actively reading, trying to put the pieces together was always at the forefront of my mind. It is a very enticing mystery, from the artists to the hotel.

I ended up DNFing this book at 50% (with me skimming forward to read the end) because I just couldn't do it anymore. I really thought I would love this since I gave "Guillotine" and "Bloom" high four star ratings, but this was an absolute mess.

1. The writing was very repetitive and it felt as if this book could have been shortened by 100 pages by just cutting out scenes of everyone eating or exploring the same thing over and over again. There also shouldn't have been even a hint of a romance in this. It should have focused on our main character healing and exploring her own feelings instead of immediately kind of being swept up into something new.

2. The characters are caricatures of real people. Nothing felt real about this book whatsoever. All of the men were walking stereotypes with no real depth so they just felt like cheesy villains. What is so scary about men is how quiet they can be in their malice. The characters were just so overtly sexist that it was just annoying and not scary.

3. The plot was almost non-existent. It just dumped a bunch of stereotypical characters into a stereotypical location for a thriller/horror book.

4. Nothing about this book was remotely unique. Every single idea was recycled from other books and then clobbered together in this one. We had the MC who was abused and now hates all men and they prove her right by all being creeps. All of the women around her are totally unhelpful or actively gaslighting her as well. We have a haunted feeling summer camp basically where bodies show up and an abandoned spa/asylum that no one is allowed to go into. I NEED SOMETHING UNIQUE PLEASE.

That all being said, I couldn't bring myself to finish it and I think I'm just going to stick to reading novellas from Delilah S. Dawson from now on.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC.

Atmospheric and spooky - this book had me turning the pages from about the halfway point. The isolated location, dark places and even darker dreams were scary! Some things were left unknown/unresolved at the end, but I'm pretty sure that was on purpose. And the twining of unreality and reality as very well done!
Note: If you are sensitive to triggers, please check the trigger warnings.

I’ve enjoyed most of Dawson’s work and this was no exception. The writing is fantastic as always. The book toes the supernatural line and has great pacing. The abandoned hotel was definitely the stuff of nightmares. Most of the characters were likable but ultimately a bit surface.

Similar to how I feel to some other authors, this one waffles on the supernatural aspect but relies heavily on some type of unspoken knowledge transfer without ever really committing to a supernatural presence. It tends to feel a bit convenient at times. Dawson also doesn’t answer so many of my questions. The symptoms some characters experience are never explained and we also aren’t given clarity on some of the things that happened. There’s a bunch of speculation at the end without any real defined outcomes which definitely left me wanting more.

I definitely vibed with the book but do wish the story had gone a bit deeper. I would’ve happily read a longer book if it had included more resolution.

I still recommend this book but it is heavy on the sexual violence and could definitely be triggering to some readers. There’s also some animal death so please check tw if those may be an issue. This wasn’t my favorite of Dawson’s books but I still look forward to reading more of her work.

This book started out strong. I was really into it for the first 1/3rd of the book. Then the story went in a bunch of very different directions. By the time it got to the end, it felt rushed and incomplete. Most of the characters were more outlines of real people than well developed. If the author had cut out one or two of the threads, I think they would have come together in a much more satisfying way.

3.75 rounded up. I was INTO this story until the very end where it just kind of ended abruptly and some storylines weren't really cleared up.
Sarah Carpenter is running away from her old life and her terrible ex-boyfriend. She is trying to find herself through her pottery again and ends up at an artists' retreat called Tranquil Falls. Since Sarah is sharing space with a misogynistic bully, she tries to build an outdoor kiln. But the space she digs into unearths an unmarked grave and seems to wake up a restless spirit. Soon, all the artists start acting strangely. And Sarah herself is having weird dreams. Sarah will have to break the rules and explore the old "spa" if she wants to find out the truth of Tranquil Falls and woman who seemed to be buried alive.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this e-arc.*

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

Thoughts: This was a bit of an odd book. At first it seems pretty straight forward, scary haunted mansion type of vibes. However, mid-book things get pretty odd and the ending felt very unsatisfying. Prior to this I have read Dawson's Blud series (which I liked) and her Hit series (which I liked but she never finished). I have also read a number of her short stories, which range from okay to good.

Sarah is trying to start over. She has fled her abusive boyfriend and her alcoholic mother and is taking up pottery again (something her boyfriend forced her to give up). To do this, she has applied for and won a place at Tranquil Falls, a secluded artists' colony. However, Sarah starts having weird dreams and finding dead bodies. Then things start to spiral out of control when the other residents are acting strangely possessed. Sarah's only bright spot is a young photographer, Ingrid, who loves the macabre and is determined to explore the old resort on the property.

This started out very creepy and atmospheric. It was odd how many dead bodies Sarah got involved with right away in the story. I loved the creepy little cabins and enjoyed when Ingrid and Sarah started exploring the mysterious old resort building. Unfortunately, things start to get weird and not make as much sense as the story continues, and I can't really get into that without spoilers. I will say that there is a ton of sexual abuse of women by men in the second half of this story, which was disturbing.

The ending also felt just very unsatisfying in general. The main characters just kind of leave and don't find out what happens to the other artists or the colony. Now on to spoilers...

----------------------------------------------------------------
SPOLIERS START
<spoiler>
Sarah starts having strange dreams about being sexually abused by her husband (she doesn't have a husband) but she seems to be in the body of a girl from the past who stayed at the resort. The only explanation we get for this is that Sarah's boyfriend was also sexually abusing her (which Sarah doesn't know at the time) and somehow this made her receptive to the spirit's influence. We never really understand what the spirits want; maybe it's for people to know the resort wasn't only a resort? This feels really unresolved.

Then there is the whole twist at the end where Sarah's boyfriend manages to track her down to the middle of absolutely nowhere and tries to drug and rape her again but the spirits get involved and possess her somehow. I also never understood why the girls' spirits were randomly possessing the other artists. That hadn't happened in previous years but why was it happening now?

If this all sounds confusing, that's because it was confusing and nothing really made sense.

SPOILERS END
</spoiler>
----------------------------------------------------------------

My Summary (3/5): Overall this book was a bit disappointing to me. I loved the creepy atmosphere and the character trying to rebuild her life in the beginning. However, the strange sexual abuse and possessions that started taking place in the second half of the book were never explained well and felt odd. Some of the twists at the end felt very contrived and the ending was very unsatisfying. Dawson has always been kind of hit-and-miss for me and her more recent books have been more miss than hit. I probably won't seek her books out in the future.

Sarah needs a new start and an artists retreat in northern Georgia is exactly what she needs. between her narcissistic ex boyfriend and self centered mother this time away from both of them and the world given the retreat is secluded, will give her pottery some new life. except for the fact that this retreat takes a deadly turn.

okay enough dramatics. this book is overwhelmingly average. I am true neutral in the most 3 star sense of the word. this book is predictable (not necessarily bad?) and our main character is, just fine? not me rally or emotionally, rather she’s just kind of there. as in you could’ve had any of the other side characters replace her and I honestly would’ve been more interested. the side characters really stood out to me as well as the setting but as far as plot goes, this is about as okay as I can get.

some creepy moments but nothing I would warn any weak stomached people away from though there are some heavy triggers I would look out for!

all in all this was fine. if you love this author yay! if not, maybe start somewhere else?

as always thank you to netgalley and del ray for a copy for my honest review!!

4.5 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com & goodreads.com today.


Holy ****. I am still in shock and shaking over this incredible novel. Part thriller, suspense, and horror, it is a tough one to put down.

Sarah has escaped an abusive relationship and is headed where her ex can’t find her. Tranquil Falls. It’s an artists’ retreat hidden in the south, with no connection to the outside world. No wifi. No cable. No phone service. Just an old abandoned hotel and some artist cabins.

Only this ends up being anything but tranquil. Sarah uncovers a secret grave. Her studio partner is a loud, offensive misogynist. Then she starts having some really creepy dreams. Dreams that don’t feel like dreams, but more like an alternate reality.

When the goth photographer befriends her, Sarah finally feels like maybe she can get through the next three months in this place. But Sarah’s dreams start getting stranger, and weird things start happening around the campus. Suddenly Sarah isn’t so sure she wants to stay in this place.

Truly an epic, frightening story about ghosts and spirits and alternate realities. I honestly could not wait to finish this novel to know how things would turn out for Sarah. Delilah Dawson has one freaking incredible mind to have come up with this wickedly scary story. Do not read if you’re prone to nightmares, because this is one from start to finish.

I read Bloom earlier this year and absolutely loved it, so I was super eager to read more from Delilah S Dawson! I do have Guillotine and The Violence lined up on my shelves waiting for me to read them soon too.

One of my problems with this book is that it felt a little bit too long and it dragged on in places where there wasn't a lot happening (Sarah really does just walk back and forth a lot in this story) but I loved the atmosphere and the eerie feelings that this resort gave! I feel like I've been reading a lot of books lately that explore women's struggles and I did like the way it was portrayed throughout this book, with the dual 'timeline' of Sarah and the history of the resort that she discovers through dreams.

I loved all the weird stuff that was happening, and it seemed like the ghosts of the resort were really getting to all of the artists who where there for the retreat.

My other issue with this book is the ending, which for how long this book was felt very rushed and unfinished. Although the very last sentence or two felt very fitting, and you can kind of imagine what happened after the events of the book. The reveal of the bad guy at the end of the book felt a bit too convenient and I kind of wish it had been resolved in a different way, but overall I had a good time reading this, especially because the themes and the majority of the book were super enjoyable.

Thanks to Del Rey and Netgalley for the ARC!

A nicely creepy and atmospheric thriller/horror novel. Sarah thought the artists colony would be her salvation but it's not- it's a nightmare that forces her to question her own mental health. I'd not read Dawson before (and this isn't really my genre) and I now see why she has so many fans. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.