Thank you to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the digital galley in exchange for my honest review.

Readability = 100 I flew through this book in two days and when I was busy, I was thinking about how soon I’d be able to get back to it.

It really reminded me of a season of American Horror Story, in a lot of ways. In tone and content, but also in the way a really promising story will reliably go completely off the rails around the 60% mark.

Dearest tells the story of new mom, Flora, estranged from her own mother, and navigating the difficult process of raising a newborn. Her husband is deployed, and her father and stepmother (who stayed for a few weeks during and directly after the birth) have packed up and headed back to their own home. But it’s okay, because in only a weeks time, her husband will return home.

She is battling an infection caused by breastfeeding, badly sleep deprived, plagued by “baby blues,” and feeling like she is already a failure as a mother. Additionally, signs of postpartum psychosis such as the embodiment of her childhood imaginary friend appear, as well as hearing voices, and losing time. There is nothing she needs more than the guidance of her own mother.

But they haven’t spoken since “the incident” that occured at Flora and Connor’s wedding. “The incident” is built up to be some grand blowout which caused Flora and her mother, Jodi, to fight and become estranged for four years, but when I got to the explanation about the incident, it fell incredibly flat. And left Flora looking more nuts than Jodi, pulling some excuse seemingly out of thin air, saying her mother didn’t smile the whole day, despite one page earlier, saying her mother offered her a sad smile.

And I’m not sure if that was a good choice for the narrative. I think the reader needs higher drama than Jodi just acting bored at a wedding and Flora chewing her out for it. This certainly isn’t a fight that necessitates four years of silence. This is the first time the story lost me, but the writing is so fast paced and readable, it swept me back up.

Jodi may be full of reproach, but along with that comes practicality. She is barbed and seemingly unloving, but she comes the moment she is called and whips the house into shape. Until her presence becomes more of a threat than an assurance. This is where we take a supernatural turn.

I have to admit, the book lost me again at the 60% mark. The twist, if you will. My suspension of disbelief snapped, and despite best efforts, never fully won me back.

I really wanted this descent into madness to be comparable to Mona Awad’s novels, and it came close, but it ended up lacking depth.

The bad:
-no character really had a personality
-a lot of questions went unanswered
-sets itself up to show you a really scathing portrayal of toxic mommy issues but then excuses it because it was caused by outside forces not human failure
-rushed ending

The good:
-very readable
-fast paced
-interesting tie between mommy issues and demonic activity
-great beginning
-great imaginary friend backstory

This book just wasn't for me. I enjoy stories about motherhood (warts and all) but unfortunately, "Dearest" just didn't captivate me. I found the writing style to be grating and rather choppy. The dialogue also seemed a little unbelievable to me. I felt like real people don't talk like this. I really wanted to like this novel more, but overall, I found the plot to be far-fetched and lackluster.

After reading the last sentence, I literally said OUT LOUD “that was so freaking good.” I quite honestly said wtf 100x after finishing part 2. It’s a slow build of ‘something is seriously wrong here’ until about 60% and then it’s off the wall crazy until the end. Walters doesn’t shy away from grossness and gore either. Very vivid writing. The horror scenes were genuinely scary and everything had such a cinematic feel, I could absolutely see this adapted into a TV show or movie. I have nothing bad to say about this. It was a wild journey and I loved every stop. Binged it all in one day because I was dying to see what happened next. Easily one of my faves of the year.

This is a must read if you loved Nestlings by Nat Cassidy, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, or Rosemary’s Baby. Actually, if you just love motherhood (particularly) or parenthood as a theme in horror you gotta read this.

This book was so good and so scary. It delves deep into motherhood, including the ugliness, powerfulness, and awesomeness. The writing is gorgeous. And the twists! At one point (the beginning of Part 3), I actually DMed the author on Instagram, and was like "wtf?!?" Highly recommended!

Dearest is great as a concept and the themes of motherhood and families are the strengths of this book while the horror feels more like you put Rosemary’s Baby and Meet the Parents in a blender.

A debut novel for this author, and, considering that, it was, overall, OK, even though I felt like it all came apart a bit at the end.

Flora is a new mom to Iris and she is struggling. Her husband is deployed and she appears to have no friends, so she cares for her newborn alone, totally isolated. Then her estranged mother shows up. Is she there to help or hurt? Flora isn’t sure she can trust her mother or her own mind.

Not for nothing, but Flora IS a little off, even if it’s just PPD. And then when the husband shows back up, well, let’s just say that Iris may not be getting the best of care from anyone. I would definitely try more books by this author, not bad for a debut. Don’t read this if you’ve just given birth yourself and think you might be losing it. This won’t help.

Flora is a struggling new mom who loves her baby, but needs more help than she's getting. Sleepless nights cause her reality begin to blur and bring up past traumas from her estranged mother. When her mother surprises her with a "helpful" visit, Flora has to fight to keep her grip on reality.

This was wild ride! I enjoyed Flora as a character and it was interesting to read the thoughts of a new mom. I've heard so many women talk about how much they struggle, and unfortunately, people don't seem to take them seriously. I wasn't a fan of Connor, as it seemed obvious that Flora was struggling and he should've tried harder to get her help, but I guess that's also realistic.

The writing style was enjoyable and often humorous, and I loved the fast-paced short chapters. Every scene was so descriptive and made me feel like I was in this book along with Flora. I found the end scenes slightly confusing during the possession part, but other than that, I think this is a really great book.

This was a book that left me saying WTF did I just read, and I'm not sure if that was a good WTF or not, so I am putting this right at the middle with 2.5 stars. There was definitely some unsettling and gory details but it sometimes felt too over the top. There were times when I just had to know what was going to happen next but there were also times where it slowed down for me and I wasn't 100% engaged, although I did read this in one day. The story is definitely a twisty horror and I DID NOT see some of the stuff coming. The biggest thing that wasn't for me was the new mother stuff. I am not a mother and I just didn't care to read about nipple infections and things of that nature. This book deals heavily on postpartum depression and life as a new mother and having to do it on your own. I do think this would be a hard one to read for some moms (especially those who recently became mothers.) If you like horror, paranormal, and struggling mother/baby dynamics, then I would recommend this. I've seen some really great reviews, I just wasn't the exact target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Where do I even begin? This may be one of my favorite reads so far this year. This novel grabbed me from the beginning and I almost got whiplash from all the twists and turns! I almost threw my kindle multiple times.

I didn't know what was real or who to trust. The chapters were short and super fast paced and the writing made me feel like I was in Flora's head the entire time.

I absolutely loved this book. This is a powerful and horrifying tale of motherhood. It is suspenseful and twisted. It felt like reading the true horrors of new motherhood. The story completely gripped me. I was eager to read more as the mystery was unveiled. The writing is compelling. I didn’t see the twists coming. Some twists just shook me. And that ending was frightening. So many unspeakable and unthinkable things happen. Flora is a new mother. She wasn’t expecting her mother to come when she wrote email to her, but as soon as her mother shows up, things take a dark and dreadful turn and bring out the buried secrets, shocking truth, and unsettling past. All the bizarre stuff and gothic happenings kept me on the edge.
 
The author has truly shown the phases of motherhood and the fears of a new mother while also splattering light on the mental state a mother goes through. The author has also shown the complex bond between a mother and daughter. This is an excellent debut horror. I can’t believe this is a debut.

Many Thanks to the Author and Publisher.

Dearest is two mother-daughter horror stories wrapped up in one delicious package. Our narrator is a new mother whose husband is deployed with the military. She’s totally in love with her baby and she’s trying so hard to be perfect. She knows what it’s like to have an imperfect mother. New motherhood combine with strange occurrences and a renewed relationship…or something…with her own mother along with a strange talisman and the sweet beginnings of motherhood are tainted with paranoia and maybe even insanity. Wicked good!
#netgalley #Dearest

4.5 ⭐️ What a debut! I am always searching for horror books that will creep me out and make me cringe, and Dearest followed through! The story was suspenseful, gross, creepy, and oh so twisty.
I wasn’t sure I could get into a story about a woman who is experiencing post-pardom baby blues since I’ve never had a baby, but Jacquie Walters did a great job setting the scene.
Walters’ writing has been compared to Grady Hendrix, and I can definitely see the similarities when it comes to the grotesque imagery, but this book was not campy/humorous like a lot of Hendrix’s books. There were creepy crawlies, disturbing situations, and surprising turns along the way. I will definitely be buying a hard copy of this book when it releases in September!

Thank you NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the eArc.

"𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞," 𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐦; 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛
𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭
𝟐. 𝐀 𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐟*𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

I opened this book late one night to read the first few pages to see if it would be my next read, and before I knew it, it was almost 3 in the morning. This book was one of the most intense I have read lately and left me feeling completely agitated and unsettled throughout. Before you skim the synopsis and write it off as "just another book about postpartum issues," check that attitude right now because this book is so much more.

Flora is a new mom who is struggling. Her husband is deployed, and her dad and step-mom have gone back home after a lengthy stay. She's reverted to talking to her imaginary friend from childhood, wonders daily if she's going mad, and is dangerously sleep deprived. In a moment of desperation, she reaches out to her estranged mother via e-mail and is shocked when her mother shows up at her door. Flora is both eager to mend fences and cautious around her judgmental mother; nevertheless, she welcomes the help.

When The Shocking Thing happened, it was told in such a matter-of-fact way that I yelped, "Wait, what?" out loud. I considered turning on a light to scare the shadows away, but I couldn't move. This book scared the sh*t out of me in more ways than one. I don't think you'll be able to put it down once you start it. Thank you to Mulholland Books for this terrifying early copy. This title will publish September 17, 2024.

Flora is a brand new mom and her husband Connor is deployed somewhere secret. In order not to worry him she isn't honest about how things are going, and they aren't going so well! In a moment of weakness she reaches out to her own mother, who she hasn't spoken to in years. Dearest wasn't exactly what I expected, but I ended up loving it. It had some genuinely creepy moments without jump scares. If you're a new mom, please don't read this if you're alone!

This was a brilliant read that explores the early months after giving birth and the isolation and loneliness that can be felt all while being utterly sleep deprived and downright drained. This also explores the inner turmoil of formula vs. breastfeeding and the stigma that while fading is still there. This author weaved such a heartfelt, thought-provoking tale while also giving it a horror element. This was creepy with an eerie, dreamlike quality throughout. As we all know, the ending can either make or break a great story, and this ending, at least for me, made it. I saw it playing out in movie form, beyond creepy with nail-biting suspense. This was a great read, and I look forward to reading what comes next from this author. Four solid stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Mulholland Books, for this ARC.

This book was terrifying. If you are a horror fan, definitely check it out. Jacquie Walters takes the most vulnerable time in many women's lives - the time after having a baby - and lets us wonder if there is something supernatural going on or if Flora is suffering from postpartum psychosis. Charlotte Taylor Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is mentioned and it must have served as inspiration.

** spoiler alert ** I couldn’t decide on the rating so I am going to say this is a 2.5 star book.


This review may contain spoilers!
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I picked this book because it was marketed as similar to Grady Hendrix but also, I do enjoy a good horror novel! While it did have a lot of crazy, paranormal happenings in it and a nice amount of gore, it lacked the humor and nostalgia I typically get with a Hendrix book.
Dearest wasn’t dearest to me. I felt frustrated with Flora, the protagonist, the whole way through. Girl…If nursing is causing you that much pain…grab some formula! Your baby will be just fine. Note: There are a few triggers in this book! Typically, I am not bothered by these things and I kinda knew what I was getting into when I read the first chapter. I read on anyway. I liked the plot, but I didn’t have any real WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!? moments until the very end.
The book is definitely a slow burn. The first half was boring and frustrating. I learned a lot about Flora’s breasts. I almost gave up. The second half was much better, I flew through it. But again, I was frustrated and angry at the protagonist’s decisions. COME ON GIRL! The end made me feel a little better for Flora. It got me a little emotional… then frustrated again.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a good storyline and good read. I thought it was going to be too scary and more of a horror novel rather psychological thriller, but it wasn’t. It dealt with the occult, but not overly satanic or graphic.

Wow this was twisted! What brilliant metaphors for postpartum depression/psychosis -- what is real? What is lived in trauma? I just love the mashup of reality with a twist of horror along with all of the commentary on the complexities of mother/daughter relationship and motherhood itself.

Flora is home alone caring for her infant Iris. Her husband Connor is away on deployment and not expected back for days. Sleep deprived, having trouble breastfeeding, and also suffering from an infection…Flora is at her wits end. She feels she has no one to turn to, as she severed her relationship with her mother years ago. In a moment of desperation, she reaches out to mother who miraculously shows up on her doorstep. As relieved as she feels, there is something not quite right about the situation. Is she having delusions ? She can’t seem to tell what is real and what she is imagining. This was a crazy novel and I loved every minute of it. A little graphic at times, so not for the faint of heart! This was an exceptional debut novel.