Woah, this was wild! I can't believe it's a debut, it's SO good. And, for once, a marketing comparison that is totally accurate - fans of Ashley Audrain truly will love this one. Very creepy and emotional. I can't wait for spooky season and everyone to read this one. I think it'll be very popular. The audio is fantastic - very easy to follow along and I was completely hooked the entire time. Highly recommend!

Thank you Hachette Audio | Mulholland Books, Netgalley and Jacquie Walters for the Audo Arc of Dearest.
Narrated by Jacquie Walters..

When I read the synopsis of this book, I was admittedly attracted to the dark vibes and boy does it get dark. Flora, a new Mum, finds the edges of reality start blurring when their daughter is born a few weeks early and she has to navigate those early weeks on her own due to her Husband being deployed elsewhere. A surprising guest comes to her aid, her own Mother who she's not spoken to for years but all is not how it seems as something else seems to of come in the door.

Being a Mum and remembering those early days, weeks of sleep deprivation and possible post natal depression, this book hit home. It is raw and undeniable in its direction. I can well imagine that some readers may find this book triggering and other may find it kind of cathartic ( which I did ). Jacquie tackles the dark side of the mind with compassion, yet believably detailed. You not quite sure whether Flora is being haunted by a dark, unseeing force or she is slowly sinking into the dark depths of post natal depression. Its gritty in places and gory in some descriptions which, for me, made it an uncomfortable but great read.,

Jacquie narrated her own book, which I always really enjoy when writers narrate their own books. Jacquie has a great, well paced voice. Sinister where it needed to be and full of emotion,

5 stars

What is it about? A new mom, attempting to go through the birth of her first child and daughter, baby Iris, mostly alone. Her husband is deployed and her father lives a few hours away and no friends mentioned. She has an estranged relationship with her own mother and although she “cut her out” of her life, (due to her mother treating her poorly) she finds herself wanting her mother back in her life more than ever ever during this stage of early motherhood. Then one lonely night she writes her mother a letter - and she shows up at her doorstep! What happens next is where this book becomes a horror novel.

The characters: Flora: the new mother, afraid she is losing her mind during the first few weeks of motherhood. Mother: somewhat of an enigma, we are told who she is through Flora’s eyes and at times seems like a good mother and at times seems borderline abusive.

How I felt about it? This reminded a bit of the Exorcist if I’m being honest. There were parts that to me were “gory” and although I think this book was fantastically written and overall incredibly well done- it didn’t work for me personally because of the gruesome nature. Still 3 stars because I know this will work for a lot of people.

Thank you @NetGalley and @HatchetteAudio for an audible version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Uncomfortable, uncanny, and vaguely horrific. A new fantastical twist on postpartum depression, narrated by the author herself. This one has a lot of twists and turns. Especially the last part: some rather sharp turns, in all senses. Frankly, this is where the novel lost me. There's just a little bit too much of everything. And we've encountered these tropes before. Hauntings, invisible friends, murders ... I'll avoid spoiling too much. Still, you're never quite sure if it's all in the lead's head or if real monsters lurk. There's also a lot of body horror here, centred on birthing and early motherhood. I'm not sure how I felt about it. The whole depiction of the lead's mother in one scene just struck me as unfortunately ageist and tired. I will still pulled in, though! And this is a perspective rarely writ. A compelling and unnerving thriller.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a huge fan of creepy, isolated type stories that include mothers, children and an outsider. I have a slight feeling that since I don't have children, I was able to really enjoy the story even more. I hear from a lot of moms, that it's hard to read about the tougher parts of motherhood. Whether, they don't want to think about all the sleep they didn't get or how painful breastfeeding can be ( if it was hard to grasp at first). But I ate it up!!! The audiobook was narrator by the author and i think she did an amazing job. I would most definaly say this is for fans of Grady Hendrix, Rachel Harrison, and Brandon Massey, IYKYK

Omg omg omg. I was so completely into this book. I listened all at once. It was so relatable at first. Being a new mom is hard and our girl is doing it alone while her man is doing military stuff. But then she either starts going mad or she's haunted. It is all basically the same when you have a new baby. Somehow it gets twistier and twistier.
I do not want to spoil a single part so I will stop here.
The narration cannot be topped too! Just all around a creepy experience.

Super creepy! A great read, or listen actually, as I was able to enjoy the audiobook version, narrated by the author herself.

Flora's husband is deployed when their new baby, Iris, is born. New motherhood is tough enough, without going it alone and so Flora reaches out to her mother for help, despite them having been estranged for some time.

Although having her mother around is a huge help and Flora is able to repair their relationship to some level, strange things start to happen; vivid dreams, the return of Flora's childhood imaginary friend, voices through the baby monitor and things moving around.

When things started to piece together, the twist BLEW MY MIND! And yes, I skipped back and listened again, to make sure it wasn't me losing my mind, along with Flora! Wow!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jacquie Walters and Hachette for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I had a rough time when I had a baby, miserable and sore and no sleep and I thought I was going to lose my mind. The author does such a great job portraying that early period of motherhood, and that feeling that reality is cracking. That's why it's so great after such an intense buildup when things just get really really weird. I meant to listen to a few hours and go to sleep after a long day but I ended up needing to stay awake and finish because I needed to know what happened.
The author is the narrator, and the narration is just perfect. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook of this insane psychological thriller

Well that was...weird. But good, definitely good. It's creepy and melodramatic and hyper-realistic all at once. The post-partum experience, with all the attendant fears and neuroses and anxiety that so many women face, is represented in its extremity - but the extreme nature is nevertheless surprisingly resonant, setting aside the obvious horror story aspects of the novel. It's ultimately an engaging tale, but was a little uneven to me - mostly in the hyper-dramatic ending. Still, I found myself wholly drawn in and uncertain what was going on for a large part of the story. Was she losing her mind? Was it truly an evil force? Was it real or gaslighting? It made for a tense and eerie listen that heightened the creepy factors immensely!

I love that it was the author narrating so she knew exactly how the present her story. Just finished this a couple of hours ago and I have already started recommending this title. I love how you weren’t sure in the beginning if she was having a mental health crisis and/or being possessed. Great use of high tension situation made even more disturbing by adding a supernatural element. That you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy and I have added the author to my watch list.

Flora is spiraling. The sleepless nights alone with infant Iris while her husband is deployed are catching up with her and her ability to distinguish between what is real and what isn't is diminishing. But one thing she feels certain about, her connection with Iris and her love for her. Her awareness of this love awakens in Flora a desire for her own mother. After sending her estranged mother an email laying out her feelings, her mother arrives, prepared to be the supportive and loving mother Flora often longed for - or so she hopes.

This story is chilling. It's one of those good 'ol horror tales that leaves the reader puzzling over the details and making connections long after putting the book down. This book was frightening but so solidly told that I felt glee at its conclusion. Nothing beats a tidy ending. There are some gory/gross moments but I don't think any of them compare to the descriptions of Flora's engorged breasts and nipples being infected. Ugh!

Walters voiced the audio edition and I really enjoyed listening to her read this book. I don't think anyone else could have captured that "It's a barnyard sing-a-long!" quite like she does.

I'm recommending this book for purchase for an academic library that is trying to beef up its fiction section. And as scary story season swiftly approaches and students come to the front desk asking, "Where are the scary books?", I will happily point them in the direction of this dark and spooky book that I'm certain will keep them entertained and a little grossed out.

This is one impressive debut!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Mulholland Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Flora is an overwhelmed sleep deprived new mother, whose husband is on deployment. Flora's estranged mother comes to help. Flora can't decide if she’s hearing things or she having a breakdown. Nicely done creepy book.

I tend to read one book and listen to one audiobook at the same time. Funny that in the two I was reading both had characters hearing voices.

The author did a great job narrating.

This is a fantastic thriller/horror book! I was immediately sucked in, and loved it from the beginning to the end. Theres a good amount of creep and suspense in the story, which kept the book super entertaining and made for a fast read.
A new time mom, Flora, wonders if she’s losing her mind, or is there something worse happening to her?

The author did a great job with the writing of the story. I listened to the audio version of this book and the author did an excellent job in narrating the story too!

Thank you to NetGalley for an audio copy of this great book!

So the beginning of this book was not at all for me and had many cringe moments. Then it got a bit interesting when the mysterious “mother” came to visit. Things eventually then got quite confusing. It did all kind of come together but this was definitely a weird book. Some paranormal thrown in randomly, and just all around disturbing parts about having a baby.
Narration was good.

This book started off as a bit of a family drama, childhood trauma story and turned into a fever dream paranormal nightmare. I was absolutely here for all of it! Flora just had her first child and is struggling with motherhood, especially considering her husband is stationed abroad for a few more weeks. She reluctantly enlists the help of her mother, whom she's been estranged from for years. This rollercoaster took a turn toward the paranormal side and I absolutely loved every minute of it! I highly recommend this book!

𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 &| 𝐞𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
4 🌟
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Now, this is WILD! I don't even know if I can express how wild this ride was. Imagine being a first-time mom, having PPD, and hallucinating! I mean, if you been a first-time mom, I'm sure you might have experienced something along these lines or maybe not.
Flora is a new mom enamored of her dauggter, Iris, who has arrived a few weeks early. But with her husband still deployed, Flora must navigate the newborn stage alone. As the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur.
What made me think Flora was crazy was when she started seeing and speaking to her imagined friend that she had when she was a little girl.
I wouldn't recommend a new mom to read this book, as it could be a little triggering! But other than that, it's highly interesting.
The audiobook is great! The narrator did a good job. She was easy to listen to and also to follow along on this journey.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 Sept. 17
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Thank you, Netgalley, Mulholland, for the eBook and Hachette Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date September 16, 2024

Thank you to Hachette Audio via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook!

It's a great horror/thriller book. Jacquie Walters created a fantastic book with twists and turns, and I constantly found myself in suspense and trying to figure out where the storyline was going. Mrs. Walters is a fantastic storyteller, and this was something I could see as being a movie. Seeing that the author sold five pilots before releasing her debut novel, I understand why its transitions felt seamless. Mrs. Walters is a fantastic author, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Oh, and the cherry on the cake is that not only did she write the book, but she narrated it for the audiobook and knocked that out of the park, too!!

Dearest is a combination of fever dream, postpartum insecurities, intrusive thoughts, and paranormal activity. The audiobook narrator was soothing to listen to and really embraced the character. When Flora begins to struggle with very real postpartum woes, made worse by a deployed husband, she starts to spiral into a chaotic fever dream-esque state of mind. What’s real and what’s not is as clear as Flora’s thought process as she tries to scramble for purchase on anything that can ease the trials of motherhood. Not a self-help or “What to Expect…” book, but a thriller-ish rendering of hormones and intrusive thoughts combined. 4 Stars for the audiobook!!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC
In return for my honest review!

3.5/5
TW: postpartum depression
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity of lending me this wonderful ARC

WHOA!

I was completely captivated and unable to stop listening to the audiobook. Even as I finished the book while walking alone with my dogs at night, a shiver ran up my spine.

A new mom struggling with loneliness invites her estranged mother into her home to help with her newborn baby. As strange and frightening events start happening, the new mom begins to fear that her mother's secrets have brought something evil into their lives.

In her debut novel, Jacquie Walters impressively narrates her own story, showcasing exceptional characterization and plot complexity. The fast-paced narrative builds to a chilling, supernaturally charged ending that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. With well-developed characters and vivid imagery, this horror novel is sure to send shivers down your spine. Highly recommended for fans of creepy, chilling tales.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Mulholland Books for audio ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.