This was one deck of a debut novel and I cant wait to see what this author comes out with next.

Check with any trigger warnings you have before diving in if mental health is a difficult topic for you.

This story is creepy, unsettling, at times heart pounding and really makes you look at horror from a psychological level.

It also got me with the short chapters. You know how it is. Late at night you think, im just going to read ONE more. Then boom. An hour as gone by.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an opportunity to read this fantastic book.

Wow. This novel felt like a horrifying fever dream.

Flora, a new mom struggling with the isolation of early motherhood and her husband’s deployment, finds herself unraveling as she begins to question her own sanity. Just as she feels the weight of her sleepless nights and creeping paranoia, her estranged mother suddenly appears on her doorstep, offering help and the possibility of reconciliation. But what seems like a chance for healing quickly turns into something far more sinister.

The tension builds steadily throughout the novel, expertly blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s imagined. Flora’s fear of losing control of her mind becomes all the more palpable as eerie events unfold in her home, leaving her—and me—wondering if the house itself is haunted or if something darker is at play. Flora’s unreliable perspective only amplifies the terror as I felt I was losing my grip on reality right alongside her.

Walters’s debut is fast-paced, terrifying, atmospheric, and layered with mystery, making it an absolute must-read for thriller lovers.

I really enjoyed this one! Even more than I had anticipated. It was super fast paced and kept me interested and guessing until the end. I’m not a huge paranormal elements fan but this was done really well. The entire time I was reading I kept thinking how this would make a great horror movie and then I read the author’s acknowledgements and realized she’s a screenwriter!

This book follows a first time mom Flora navigate her new life in motherhood. Mother knows best so who does Flora call when she realizes she needs help getting the hang of being a mother …her mother Jodi. Told with a gripping mystery and a dash of horror suspense you won’t be able to put this one down.

Women have to endure so much during and after pregnancy that I really liked that the author put it all out there.


Special thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the gifted copy of Dearest. I definitely recommend this one unless you are pregnant or a new mom…maybe steer clear of it then…

I have no idea where to even start with this one lol it literally felt like I was reading a fever dream the entire time, which I’m pretty sure is the point..? I liked the beginning, but it just went so far south by the end I had no idea wtf I was reading. A 2 feels too low, but a 3 too high?

This book was not for me. I personally couldn't relate to the characters or the plot so I found it hard to get into. This is just my opinion and by no means means that I think that this book was "bad" or "poorly written" in anyway. I just did not feel connected to the story and I wouldn't be able to give a review or any constructive criticism. Thank you for the opportunity to give feedback and access to the e-arc.

*Rating does not reflect my feelings on this book.

This author captured early days of motherhood perfectly- breastfeeding was a nightmare, at least in my case. I like the troupe of an unwelcome person coming to visit. I didn’t care for the imaginary friend. Maybe it would play better on audio.

Dearest is an enjoyable supernatural horror novel and I found it to be an easy and fast paced read. While I didn't care for the constant talk about her nipples I thought this was a decent horror!

This was a bit of a disappointment. I thought the Egyptian icongraphy was a bit random and I didn't like the description baby scenes from the mother

I am so thankful to Mulholland Books, Jacquie Walters, Libro.fm, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

Every woman’s worst dream is becoming her mother, right?

I really enjoyed this- good combination of body and psychological horror. I did think it got a little confusing at the end in trying to separate the different “versions” of Jodi, but I appreciated the nuance.

*Dearest* by [Author] was an intense, gripping read that had me hooked from the very start. Flora’s struggles as a first-time mom doing it all on her own, while navigating the sleepless nights and overwhelming emotions, felt so real. The loneliness and isolation she experiences are palpable, making it easy to empathize with her as she tries to keep it all together.

Then, enter her estranged mother, and things take a chilling turn. The creeping sense of unease and the dark secrets unraveling around Flora create a tense atmosphere, especially with the unsettling, creepy happenings that leave you questioning what’s real.

I really felt for Flora, torn between wanting help and being unsure of who to trust. The mix of psychological suspense and family drama was perfect for anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a touch of the eerie. This one kept me on edge the entire time and left me a little sad.

This is hands down TOP 3 of the year. I don’t know what is but this year has been a theme of “mother” books for me. This one takes the freaking cake! Holy cow. I had to look up the author to see if I knew this woman because some of the conversations, self thoughts of the main character, and even some of childhood trauma was so similar to my real life. It was eeeeerie, but made me not feel so alone when it came to the postpartum depression/anxiety. You can tell some of this was written from experience & I connected so freaking hard with that. The horror aspect was also a 10 in my book. A total fever dream I couldn’t escape until I was finished reading this. How this author combined my own mother & step-mother into one person, I may never know but it hit HARD. The twists were fantastic. I can’t wait to check out more from this author. If you’re a bug girlie, got kids, and love horror. This one is for you. You won’t regret it!

Thank you SO MUCH to the author, publishers, and NetGalley for this read in return for an honest review.

Wow wow wow; can’t get enough!

This was so good! Especially as a mom, I found this very relatable and scary. The lost control of your own faculties due to giving birth has been always my fear, and this depicted that in a very realistic way. Sleep deprivation is real, and a scary thing to live through. However, that said, the end was a miss for me. Taking it to a paranormal level (though I kind of understand why) was a bit much. Giving it a reason other than post partum depression took away that horrific feeling that the beginning brought on. You couldn't tell if it was real or just imagination, and boom we have ghosts. Loved the final couple twists though, Zephie and of course the Epilogue.

Kudos to the author for this debut, this was such a great read and I want to recommend it to all of my friends.

This was a refreshing, creepy story that cleansed my palate after reading a few other titles that claimed to be creepier than this. They failed, this exceeded my expectations. The cover and blurb alone piqued my interest and for this to be Jacquie Walters' first novel has me excited tor read more.

The overall pace of those book is slow at first with a lot of new parent talk that I could have done without, and honestly is about the only reason I rated this 4/5 stars. Once things get going, I was hooked and the twist...I should have seen it coming, but alas, I didn't. Again, this is why I rated this 4/5 and not 3/5.

If you want a read that will have you yourself guessing if our main character is really out of her mind and has a sense of overall dread...add this to your TBR now!

Sadly I had to DNF this one. I’ve realized that reading about a mother struggling with ppd is not something I’m interested in.

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Jacqui Walters' debut novel, "Dearest," is a gripping and intense read that reminded me of "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" and "Rosemary's Baby." From the very first page, the story delivers a hard punch, immediately drawing readers into its dark and twisted narrative.

The novel delves deep into the complexities of motherhood and the harrowing experience of postpartum depression, offering a raw and unflinching portrayal of these themes. Walters doesn't shy away from the gory details, including vivid descriptions of nipple infections and other unsettling aspects of new motherhood, which add a layer of gritty realism to the story.

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers with supernatural elements, you'll find Dearest's blend of postpartum depression, trauma, and a hint of the unknown to be a compelling and unsettling read.

Read this if you like American Horror Story: Delicate, The Push, and The Haunting of Alejandra.

Thank you Netgalley, Mulholland Books, and Jacquie Walters for the eARC.

Dearest is out now!

**3.5-stars rounded up**

💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙

Dearest is a unique take on the New Mother story and an impressive debut. I really enjoyed the topics explored, as well as the Supernatural bits and Body Horror.

In this story we are following, Flora, who just had her first child, a girl, Iris, 6-weeks ago. Iris arrived a little early and unfortunately, Flora's husband is still deployed, so she's left to navigate these early stages of 1st-time parenthood alone. As adorable as Iris is, it's not an easy thing. As time passes, Flora feels herself slipping. Her sleep-deprived brain is playing tricks on her and she's struggling navigating the endless lonely days.

When it reaches the point where Flora feels like she's losing it, she receives an unexpected visitor; her estranged mother. Even though her mom hasn't been a part of her life in years, Flora hesitantly accepts the help being offering. Her mother agrees to stay with her and Iris, at least until her husband returns. Even with her mother around, Flora is still experiencing odd occurrences that cause her to believe something is going on in the house, or like someone is after her and Iris. Is it in her head, or are there actually much darker forces at work?

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The audiobook was fabulously narrated by the author herself, which I felt was a nice touch. It felt like experiencing the story exactly how the author wanted it to be told, and I think she did a great job with it.

Stories of new motherhood are sometimes tough for me to relate to, or become invested in. NGL, I've had a few that have annoyed the heck out of me, but I never felt that way here and had no problem becoming invested in Flora's story. I did love the overall mysterious vibe and how in depth it explored feelings of isolation, as well as the oftentimes complicated mother-daughter relationship. Additionally, Walters's Horror descriptions were great, including some stellar Body Horror, which I always love to see.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy women-centered Horror, or weird 'is it supernatural, is it not' stories. I would also highly recommend the audiobook format, should you have that available to you.

Thank you to the publisher, Hachette Audio and Mulholland Books, for providing me copies to read and review. If this Walters debut, I cannot wait to see what's up next!

I've tried for a few days to think about what I want to say about Dearest. Did I finish it? Yes. Was I riveted? Also, yes. So, using those standards, it's a spooky season perfect read, but it's also disturbing. There is one scene (no spoilers), that had me completely freaked. So much so that I actually put the book down and debated whether I would finish, but, ultimately, I was in a need to know situation. IFYKYK. I also went down a bit of a rabbit hole researching birth tusks, which I had never heard of, but play a big role in the last parts of Dearest. All in all, I really did enjoy it, and maybe the mark of great writing is that it makes you feel, whatever those feelings are. Will I pick up whatever Jacquie Walters writes next? Absolutely.

Dearest was a wild ride! A lot of body horror, like A LOT, and I loved the supernatural aspects too. I was very sure of "one thing" and then I was proved wrong. Really enjoyed it, will definitely pick this author's next book.

I can’t stop thinking about this book. This book was either a fever dream or a metaphor for postpartum psychosis. Either way i related to this a lot and it was creepy and entertaining. But also sad and a gut punch (esp the end)