Dearest by Jacquie Walters is an excellent horror debut! I loved reading about the protagonist's journey through new motherhood, as well as all of the complicated family dynamics she has going on. Not to mention the downright CRAZY supernatural shenanigans that took place. I can't wait to see what Walters writes next!

Jacquie Walter’s “Dearest” starts off strong, with an eerie, slow-burn horror that brings to mind a mash-up of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Mommy Dearest”. The early sections have an unsettling atmosphere with an intense focus on themes of motherhood, including lots of breastfeeding, clogged nipples, all the joys, which adds to the creep factor. There’s a constant sense of dread in the first three-quarters, but unfortunately, the final act falls flat. After such a compelling buildup, the last quarter of the book feels lackluster and fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Still, the book’s early intensity makes it worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley for an ALC.

TW/CW: Language, anxiety, depression, toxic family relationships, postpartum depression, death by suicide, death of child, attempted murder, mental illness

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Flora is a new mom enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early. With her husband still deployed, Flora navigates the newborn stage alone. But as the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur.

Just as Flora becomes convinced she is losing her mind, a surprising guest shows up: Flora’s own mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken in years. Can they mend their fraught relationship? Or is there more Flora’s mother isn’t telling her about the events that led to their estrangement?
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Genre: Horror
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
2. Story flowed
3. Characters were well written
4. Tons of crazy things happened

What I Didn't Like:
1. Stories using the mental illness woman as a plot

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

Jodie is so terrible. She laughs at Flora for wanting to disconnect from wifi because a man hacked into the baby monitor. It's very rational to be upset that somebody's been watching her baby for so long.

Love that Jodie is reading Yellow Wallpaper.

I'm seriously wondering if Jodie is trying to gaslight Flora and trying to take the baby.

Omg omg omg Jodie is feeding Iris on her breast...... Omg omg!!!!

Yeah, no I would not be trying to help Jodie into the house. She is losing it! She is breast feeding her granddaughter and then goes outside to burn a tusk. Girl you can still call 911 without wifi! Get help to yourself.

I thought they had no electricity so how is she having a hot bath. Did she just know that her water heater would work? I get that she maybe has a gas water heater so maybe that's why it's working.

I'm sorry I just find it creepy that her mother is breastfeeding the baby and now she's rubbing her shoulders while she's in a bath. This all just seems so creepy and overstepping so many boundaries.

Oh my God and now she's trying to kill her...

---- her mother is dead.... What....!

Ohhhhh Flora had a twin that drained but Michael didn't see it so he wasn't sure what happened. He also covered the story of what happened to protect Jodie.

This all took a twist and Flora lost a leg and is pregnant. Like it was all insane.

So this whole time the tusk was protecting Flora just it was from her mother.

Final Thoughts:
Whoa - so much happens in this book and I wasn't ever bored. The writing made this book move along so seamlessly.

The characters were flawed and so completely messed up, but in a fascinating way that kept me dropping me mouths many times as I read this book.

I kept thinking if you have children you'll relate and if you don't have kids you'll be thankful you don't.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the advanced ebook. Thanks to Hachette Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dearest is a solid paranormal debut about the horror of being isolated, both mentally and physically, as a new mother, and inherited matrilineal trauma.

There’s a dreamlike quality to the writing style that makes us see the world through the eyes of exhausted new mom Flora as she worries that she could be losing her mind.

This story has some twists that you don’t see coming - in part due to the fact that this book does a great job, through Flora’s exhausted narration, of confusing what is real, what is imagined, and what exactly is going on.

Occasionally a chapter will begin with a definition with some term related to motherhood. I get why these are added, but I don’t think they add anything to the narrative, and end up disrupting the flow of events in the audiobook. This is my only real gripe with the storytelling of this one, and this is a strong debut overall.

The author narrates this one herself, and Walters does a great job. I like it when authors narrate their own books, you can really get a sense for the author’s exact intentions (with different scenes, the tone, the delivery of lines) through their narration. Walters does a good job creating different voices for a variety of characters and it is easy to follow this story, even when the narrative isn’t the most straightforward.

Nothing is spookier than having a baby, and this book did not disabuse me of that notion! I really enjoyed this audiobook-- typically I'm suspicious of authors narrating their own work, but for the most part Walters did a fabulous job. While I think it lost a little momentum at the end (very very common in horror and mystery novels, I find), this was genuinely spooky and surprising.

This is a classic case of judging a book by its cover, and I am thrilled I did! The cover is brilliant and terrifying and I love books with creepy children, so I dove in blind! Thank you so much to Hatchette Audio for the ALC, I was so creeped out by this one! It was a great listen that kept me in this story right alongside the characters! This book really dives deep into motherhood and postpartum psychosis, the reader has no idea what is real and what isn’t, as we are in the mind of new mom, Flora. There are definitely some trigger warnings on this, so tread lightly! The delightfully dark descriptions were so vivid, I could feel the bugs crawling on me. The twists were so wild, I was messaging friends while listening, freaking out! This is a great one to add to your spooky season TBR and a spectacular debut!

This story delves deep into the early days of motherhood, and the gruelling transition mothers experience adjusting to life with a newborn. Flora is exhausted and missing her husband who is deployed, so she reaches out to her mother. The help she receives from her mother is sinister. I enjoyed the psychological aspect of this story that had me guessing what might be real, what might be exhaustion, and what might be a trick of the mind. I really enjoyed Jacquie's narration of her story.

The imagery in this book was really good. A lot of things I found to be super creepy and gross. For entertainment value, I enjoyed the relationship between Flora and her mother. Definitely wouldn't want that for myself, but it was fun to read/listen to! Some things were real gross and shocking, which I always love. The twist in the middle I didn't see coming, but also made me wonder what the last half of the book was going to be about.

That said... the second half got unhinged and real weird, real quick. I like weird, but it was a lot for me to keep up with and honestly, even a week after reading it, I'm not real sure how everything fit together. Was the tusk good? Was it evil? I think maybe I missed something in the audio.

I also felt like the characters aside from Flora and her mom fell flat. Overall, it was an entertaining read and the right kind of weird for when you're in that mood.

Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: 9/17
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What a debut. Wow this story was haunting. Dearest is a horror surrounding family secrets / drama and also managing being new to motherhood. This story hit so close to home as I had my first baby two years ago. Some of those feelings are all still so fresh. Walters absolutely nailed the feelings of new moms and does a phenomenal job at bringing awareness to PPD.
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The story itself is pretty fast paced, right from the start you cant help but want to see where this story will lead. I read this in one sitting, I was so engrossed in this story. Dearest is dark and downright disturbing at times but I couldn’t stop listening.
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I loved the characters, I thought they were all portrayed so well and each played their role in making this story as special as it was. As the story progressed and I learned more and more about the characters, I felt like something big was going to happen. The big reveal / twist hit me like a bag of bricks. Dead ass, did not see that coming, my jaw was on the ground, I audibly gaped and some profanities definitely came out of my mouth. I was so shocked. I LOVED it.
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I listened to this via audiobook and had absolutely no time following along with the story. Jacquie Walters herself, narrated this story and she did absolutely fantastic. I give such high praises for not only writing the story but narrating as well. Highly recommend the audio!!
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Overall, huge win for me, its one that has haunted me since finishing. This will be perfect for spooky season! Huge thank you to Jacquie Walters, NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Flora is a new mom whose baby Iris, arrived a few weeks early. Her husband is deployed leaving her to navigate motherhood alone. She begins seeing things and hearing voices. Flora is convinced she is going crazy and becomes desperate for guidance. She gets in touch with her estranged mother for help.

This audio book was fantastically read by the author. She flawlessly slipped from character to character. It was fast paced and disturbing. The story is crazy in a good way and I listened to it in one sitting. I got Ashley Audrain's The Push vibes mixed with a supernatural twist. Easily a five star book for me. Overall an amazing horror debut!

Many thanks to NetGally, Hachette Audio, Jacquie Walters, and Mulholland Books for sharing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5
Expected publication date: September 17, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC of Dearest in exchange for an honest review! This was definitely a fun concept for a horror book; however, I felt like things got lost along the way 🤷🏻‍♀️ I actually had to go back multiple times to relisten to parts because it felt like the story jumped all over the place. I really did enjoy the overall story though!

3 Stars
This is one of those books that makes me rethink wanting to have a baby lol. Though I found the twists super predictable, I still enjoyed the narrator and following Flora's story as a struggling new mom.

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Mulholland Books for the ARC!

I usually stay away from horror/thriller novels that involve mothers and their children, because it usually bores me to no end, but when I saw this beautiful cover, I knew I needed to pick up DEAREST. Jacquie Walters' fantastic horror debut delivers a haunting tale of hidden family secrets and the challenges of new motherhood.

Flora, left to care for her six-week-old daughter alone while her husband is deployed, is overwhelmed by loneliness, guilt, boredom, and exhaustion. Desperate for help, she longs to reconnect with her estranged mother. As Flora's stress heightens, she starts seeing her childhood imaginary friend, experiencing strange dreams, and hearing voices on the baby monitor, prompting her to finally reach out. DEAREST is reminiscent of Ashley Audrain’s The Push, which we all know I didn't enjoy, but adds a supernatural twist which kept me hooked from start to finish. DEAREST is able to weave in supernatural horror elements that give this story a unique flair. I really enjoyed the audiobook, and tried to not binge too much on it. I highly recommend listening to DEAREST if you enjoy audiobooks. The story is a bit slower paced and I did feel that the chaotically fun ending could have been a bit longer, but the payoff in the end was totally worth it. I'm very excited to see what Jacquie Walters has for readers next.

From the beginning this book had me hooked. I was really into. Then it went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. A direction I usually avoid in books. I am not into the supernatural so once that happened, the book lost my interest. Nowhere in the genre or synopsis did it mention that. I did like the narrator.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. The author narrates this book and does a fantastic job!

OK so what in the heck did I just listen to?!

Flora is a new mom to Iris and doing it completely alone. Her husband is deployed overseas, she has no other female relatives except her mom who she has not spoken to since the wedding. Flora is extremely overwhelmed trying to care for and breast feed her newborn, so much so that her childhood invisible friend shows up to keep her company. In a moment of weakness, Flora reaches out to her estranged mom and asks for help with an apology. Her mom shows up the next day and while things should improve, they go further sideways. Is Flora losing it? or is it her mom that is the problem?

I am not a huge horror fan but there is just enough in this story to make it not too dark but down right scary at times! The author accurately captured the way that PPD is often downplayed and given a nickname such as 'baby blues' to the way women are often not believed when seeking help for symptoms they are experiencing, being told all they need to do is simply 'get some rest.' I loved the characters. Anyone who has had kids can relate to being so sleep deprived and over stimulated that you think you are losing your mind! This fast paced, well written read!

Wow! This was super creepy! The narration was on point. If you are a fan of horror and stories about being a mother, this is for you. This is for sure supernatural, so make sure you're into that before you listen. What a great debut.

This was a creepy debut that seamlessly blends the terrors of being a new mother with a horrifying ghost story involving new mother Flora's imaginary childhood friend, her dead mother, a ghosthag intent on harming Flora, her new daughter, Iris and even her husband. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Ashley Audrain. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy of this creatively chilling thriller!!

This narrator was so so good!!! She made all kinds of sound effects that really added to the HORROR of the book. I am so thrilled I listened. While I think this would be wildly creative and really horrifying in any format (especially the ending WHAT!) I am so appreciative to have heard this narrator.

This book was suck a mind f**k. Our main character Flora is a brand new mom to a sweet baby girl. Her husband is deployed and she gave birth by herself and has been raising the baby by herself as well. She is struggling and thinks about reaching out to her mother who she hasn’t talked to in years. After sending her mom a text, she shows up to Flora’s house unannounced to help with the baby. Strange things start happening and Flora doesn’t know if she’s going crazy or if something paranormal is going on.
Books like this get me every time. I love an unreliable narrator and trying to figure out right along side the main character what is and isn’t real. The twists were crazy and just kept coming. I’m not a huge fan of really scary books, but this one sucked me in. I think because all my kids are older and none are infants that I was able to disassociate from some of the spooky things happening. Overall it was really good and I enjoyed it. The audio book was done nicely and the narrator was great.

Dearest by Jacquie Walters is probably my 2024 Page Turner of the Year! Well, metaphorical page turning since I listened to the audiobook only to discover that it was narrated by the author! Really, this explained why the audiobook felt so spot on with its adaptation of the book.

If I could describe Dearest with one word it would be “Intense.” Not just the absolute horror the plot evolves into as the story progresses but even the sections that are part of the real, non-fantastical world were quite intense. I’m talking of course about the experience of being a new mother which I don’t/won’t have experience with but the fact that I felt so trapped, overwhelmed, and anxious while reading this is a testament to the quality of the writing. This was crucial for the horror elements to work in my opinion because as the story shifts toward the supernatural the fears and struggle of being a new mother must land for the horror elements to work for all readers. Not just did Walters succeed but this was genuinely the most stressed I’ve been while reading a story for a long time and that’s the biggest compliment I can give to Dearest.

Dearest is an incredible horror debut by Jacquie Walters that I just can’t recommend enough to anyone who wants to experience a true horror story that lives up to its name.