The parts of this story that actually detail the murders and families involved was very interesting and I enjoyed learning more about this true crime. However, there was a definite political/anti-religious tone in the book that made it read more like propaganda in parts than a true crime story. An interesting story to listen to, although the narrator is a bit monotone and needs to be speeded up to be interesting.

Wow. Just wow, on so many levels.

Disclosure: I knew nothing about the Vallow-Daybell murders prior to reading this book. Also, I kind of have a beef with the LDS faith. (LSS, little female missionaries used to try and recruit my partner. On my watch.)

First, what a well-designed book. In this case, you absolutely cannot separate the acts from the religion. Lori Hellis starts the book with an overview of LDS beliefs and makes sure to intersperse new information throughout the text as needed. This is necessary. For example, go to YouTube and look up a video explaining the basics of the LDS faith. You won't hear much of anything that would explain Lori Vallow's and Chad Daybell's beliefs and behaviors. Bizarrely enough, when viewed in its full religious context, their acts make a kind of sense.

Speaking of that full religious context, I follow the rule "an it harm none, do what thou wilt.” I ask for tolerance so I try to be tolerant of others. Even before people started turning up dead, I was pretty sure that Lori, Chad, and their sundry friends/followers were... I believe the current DSM V approved diagnosis is "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs." O.k., that's a little unfair, but it also makes me nervous to think about all of these people running around, seemingly normal and functioning in the real world. Like the Cheshire Cat, I recognize that we're all mad here. Unlike this crowd, I don't believe that I was Jesus's aunt in a past life and that I have the power to call storms to destroy people I don't like. I agree with Lori Hellis's thesis that the Vallow-Daybell crowd could be considered a proto-cult. I now realize that their rise is likely not an isolated incident.

Another aspect of Children of Darkness and Light: Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell: A Story of Murderous Faith I appreciated was how skillfully Lori Hellis explained the legal aspects of the cases. As someone with an extensive legal background, it usually bores me when a book does this. I know that your average reader doesn't understand, so these sections are necessary. Lori Hellis's explanations of the legal aspects had me nodding my head along not rolling my eyes. Another score for the author!

I really don't want to be too flippant. I would also like to go on the record that I have known LDS people throughout my life that I am pretty sure are as sane as the next guy. But, in this case, at least four people were dead directly because of Lori Vallow's and Chad Daybell's beliefs and behaviors. A fifth death, Lori's brother Alex Cox's, had pretty suspicious timing. A sixth person, Lori's third husband, was killed well before Lori ever met Chad, but there are enough parallels between Joseph Anthony Ryan Jr.'s shooting and Charles Vallow's that I think you have to see Ryan's shooting as a kind of a precursor, a trial run. A sixth person, Lori's former nephew-in-law, was shot at. This is all pretty well the exact opposite of "an it harm none."

Aimee Reid's narration was perfectly acceptable. She was easy to follow. That's fine; for a work like this you don't want to do different voices for different characters. You just need to be able to read clearly in an engaging tone.

In sum, I found this book well written, engaging, and informative. It will stay with me for a long, long time. I would highly recommend it to anyone not already familiar with the case, people interested in the LDS faith, or those who might know some of the particulars of the case but not understand their true religious context.

I would like to thank Dreamscape Media for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Unfortunately, this title was not for me. It was far too traumatic for me to stomach. It would be a wonderful read for someone who had an interest in this type of nonfiction.

Very informative. I had ideas on this case based on the media attention it had, and this book's deep dive really shocked me. Very well done!!!

This book is well researched and grossly fascinating. I have watched the Netflix series about Vallow and Daybell, but this book has even more information. I liked how Hellis weaves together mainstream Mormon doctrines and how they were used to justify Daybell and Vallow's offshoot. It really is wild how these two sucked others into their crazy town. One thing that was a bit annoying though is that the narrator of the audiobook (which I listened to) mispronounces some Mormon words like the name of the angel Moroni (should be pronounced with a long i sound and not like macaroni) and the name of the priesthood that Mormon men get, the Melchizedek priesthood. I was raised in the Mormon church so hearing these words mispronounced was grating to my ears.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an advance listening copy of this book for review.

Not sure what I just finished reading!

So, although this one had many interesting points, it had MANY more very disturbing ones.
AND, the author seemed to say the same thing over and over and over and over…. To the point where I actually stopped the book, multiple times, to see if it had somehow backtracked…. What’s the point in doing that? I really don’t understand??

🛑🛑 If you don’t know anything about this True Crime Story, please 🛑🛑 Stop. Right. Here... as I’m going to delve loosely into the book here…

I did learn that Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell were basically ‘certifiably’ crazy.

I mean I’m a solid Catholic (Not a Latter Day Saints [LDS] pupil)… And I believe in a lot of things, but…she believes she’s a goddess? And, he’s the next coming of the Lord??? They can SEE darkness and light in people? And demons??

Where were their families in all of this? Did anybody see this as ‘strange’, ‘odd’ or a million other adjectives?? What about the police?

And those kids??? Just helpless young people…

Ok. I’m ranting…sorry. I just don’t understand.
I know, from what I read, that this was very prevalent in their area…even the jury was made up of mostly LDS people… But there’s NO ONE who can help? Set them on the right path??? Or Get Them Help?

Again, I know…it’s like a CULT mindset… I’m just blown away by this.

As for the actual book… as I mentioned, it was very repetitive and just didn’t flow well. I guess because we’re reading about ABC move on to DEF continue for a few hours, and then we’re BACK on ABC and DEF…as if it were never Fully Discussed Before… But then again, the author was a lawyer before, so maybe this is the norm for them??

I read a lot. I generally don’t feel the need to repeat things constantly in order to absorb them, but maybe I’m in the minority? Not sure. But, due to these oddities, my rating is somewhat low. 😕

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
**** Release date is set for 9/24/24. ****

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

#ChildrenOfDarknessAndLight by #LoriHells and narrated by #AimeeReid.

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Well well well… cults begatting cults.

As someone that was raised in the Mormon church and is no longer in the church this was a fascinating read. It begins by laying a foundation of the religion; the beliefs, how the church began and some of the history of how it evolved to what it is now. It did hit on some of the earlier beliefs (polygamy, blood atonement, racism) that the church hides or ignores in its current state. It weaves a story of how these high demand religions with some murky history can create an environment conducive to dangerous offshoot cults like the Children of Light and Darkness.

Fascinating, dark and very detailed. I gobbled this one up.

I will say the narrator did a good job there was a name said wrong that grated on me lol

Thanks to netgalley and Dreamscape media for an alc

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio edition of Children of Darkness and Light by Lori Hellis.

I do have an initial critique of the narration. She did a very good job, HOWEVER, if you are going to be saying words that you are unfamiliar with, PLEASE make sure that you know how to pronounce them properly. I'm not even Mormon anymore, and I cringed every time it was pronounced Moron-ee. It doesn't take much to triple check when it's not a word that you normally use. I think it also slightly diminishes the overall perceived integrity of the book which would be a shame because...

It's so good! I have listened to many different accounts of the Vallow/Daybell case, and this was SO well executed and researched. It has a ton of cultural context and history, which is really important to fully demonstrate what led up to these murders. But she also doesn't put the full responsibility on the church either, this is a situation of greed and lust.

If you are an active member of the church, know that there are very raw criticisms of the church, but if you are a seeker of truth in all things, you can handle it! I do believe that it's possible to be a believer without masking yourself to historical accuracies.

Based on the true events of Lori Vallow and the murders of her children. The trial took place in 2019 and ultimately found her and her husband guilty. This is a super deep dive on this story, starting with a detailed explanation of the Mormon religion and how it started.

This was almost too much of a deep dive for me and didn’t quite hold my attention. The couple that the book is focused on is so fanatical and delusional, it’s almost hard to believe.

The author definitely did their homework on all aspects of this case but it just fell flat for me.

Thank you #netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing this audio ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I chose this audiobook in the hopes of learning more about the Lori Vallow case. It was informative, but the writing didn't flow well and was difficult to follow at times. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this book; these opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC. I didn’t love this one- not sure if it was the writing or the narrator. Like many, I am familiar with this story and was hoping to learn more about what drove these people to these horrible acts. I think that happened somewhat, but there was a lot more background on the original Mormon faith than I thought I needed. I was bored at times.

I’ve been following this case since Lori Vallow’s children first went missing. I’ve read, listened to, and watched as much as I could as the case has unfolded since 2019. This book was the most comprehensive view I’ve encountered and was a purely factual representation of something that has already been sensationalized.

The book starts strong with a full history of Mormonism-from its founding and beliefs, to modern-day practices. This is vital context for this case and even unveiled information I've never encountered in the past while learning about the LDS faith through podcasts and TV series.

By providing a detailed understanding of the church (it was about 10% of the entire book), and an in-depth exploration of Lori and Chad’s beliefs, this story centers itself in ways other examinations of this case have not. I’m so grateful the author provided this information first and foremost.

While I could write at length about my feelings about the case itself, I will instead say that the author did a beautiful job of remaining impartial. Hellis provided a wealth of information that I presume is straight from court proceedings and case evidence, including numerous text exchanges and transcripts of conversations. The view this provides of the mindset, and deep belief in this cause, of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell is critical.

This is absolutely among one of the best true crime novels I’ve ever read. I credit the author for their attention to detail, presentation of facts, and relevant considerations, such as whether this was a cult or just a fringe religious group - an important examination putting the totality of the evidence in perspective.

I hope to see this book cited in the future as this case continues to pop up on various media platforms.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to an ARC of Children of Darkness and Light.

The introduction to the history of the LDS church was WAY too long. Perhaps it is informative to some readers completely unfamiliar with the church but there was no need to include such a detailed account. Once I finally got the true crime account, I found that narrative to be too muddled. It felt like the editing was focused in all the wrong places here.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Children of Darkness and Light” by Lori Hellis is a book that I found challenging to fully connect with. The narration felt somewhat flat, as if the narrator was simply reading without much passion or emotion, which made it difficult to stay engaged.

The book itself seemed to be padded with fillers, almost like an unorganized essay that struggled with poorly written transitional sentences. While I appreciate the importance of understanding the history behind the events, the way it was presented felt out of place and disrupted the flow, making it hard to follow the main narrative. I was hoping for more focus on the two main figures, Chad and Lori, as well as the tragic story of the children who lost their lives, but these aspects seemed underdeveloped.

The extensive biblical lessons woven into the text were also something I could have done without, although I must acknowledge that the author did a commendable job comparing the teachings of the Mormon faith to those of the Bible. Overall, while this book wasn’t for me, it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t recommend it to others who might appreciate its approach.

This is an interest mix of true crime/court analysis of a crime that captivated the United States upon its discovery and a historical review of the Mormon church and its practices/beliefs. I found the mix to be helpful and educational. I had heard of the case in the news when it approached trial and I thought this book did a really good job presenting the facts in an engaging way that was also educational.

Thank you Dreamscape media for the ALC.

Children of Darkness and Light
Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell—A Story of Murderous Faith
Lori Hellis
Genre: True Crime
Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell met at a preppers meeting. They were members of Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints. They believed it was up to them to shepherd in the new millennium. Tylee and J.J. were missing for months. Their bodies were found on the Daybell property by the police. Author Lori Hellis takes readers on a strange and distorted journey through Vallow and Daybell’s beliefs, the inquiry and the trial.
Author Lori Hellis offers detailed information on Mormonism and the Latter-Day Saints religion/beliefs. I felt the author was a bit prejudiced against the LDS church. She seems to blame the church for the beliefs and actions of Daybell and Vallow. I am not that familiar with the LDS church and beliefs but what I do know makes it difficult for me to believe the mainstream church can be found at fault. Every religion has a few wackos. I find this crime very sad and troubling, but I feel Daybell and Vallow are at fault not the mainstream LDS.
The author is an attorney.
Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

Children of Darkness and Light is the true story of the murders of Charles Vallow, Tylee Vallow, J.J. Vallow, and Tammy Daybell. The culprits? Lori Vallow, Alex Cox, and Chad Daybell.
Lori met Chad at a doomsday prepper event. They both were involved in the LDS church and believed they were the chosen ones to lead the 144,000. That was their mission and they would stop at nothing to fulfill it. This book follows the story from before the crimes to the trial.

I appreciated the time and thought the author put into this book. I didn’t follow along with this case as it was happening. You can tell the author put a lot of time into researching and making sure the details were correct.
I also appreciated the background of LDS and the Mormon faith in the beginning. I did not know much about LDS or Mormonism, so this helped me understand better.

The author did an excellent job researching this case. As someone who has been following the Lori Vallows case from the beginning, I did learn some things I didn’t know. However, it was almost too much. There was a big focus on the Mormon religion. I understand that that played a big part in the story, but this felt a bit overkill. The book was kind of a slow “read”. If you’re looking for something to keep you on the edge of your seat, this isn’t the book for you. But, if you’re looking for the whole case laid out, this is great. The narrator was good at keeping the flow going. She spoke clearly and was easy to understand.

I am very interested in the Lori Vallow/Chad Daybell case, so I was very excited to receive an ALC of this book. Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this book. This book focused much more on the Mormon religion than it did the case, and while I understand that the religion is incredibly relevant to the story, it really took over the book. I found myself getting bored and wanting to get to the true crime parts, rather than slogging through the history of the Mormon church.

The author spent a lot of time on this case and did loads of research, which is appreciated, whether warranted or not. However, it was a slow-moving, somewhat repetitive story that read like an attorney instead of an author told it, and a few times I wanted to say, "I object!" It didn't have the flow of a lot of other true crime. Forgivable, for sure, if it had moved along better. The author is scathing in her telling, and it feels more like an essay or a long closing argument than a chronology of the events. She's very hard on the Mormon faith, which we know has a sordid history and fringe elements, like most other religions on Earth. She described the perpetrators as practicing a "cult". The author spends quite a bit of effort pointing out Mormon law and history as having led the Daybells to their killing spree. These three people, Lori, Chad, and Alex, all had severe personality disorders. Suppose they had been born in another area, or to another religion. In that case, we'd blame something else for their actions, whether it's a different religious fringe, a non-Mormon cult, videogame players, heavy metal listeners, or knitters. They were sociopaths. They were always going to manipulate people, likely to a similar end. Lori and Chad are family annihilators -- bottom line. The history of Mormonism was irrelevant to me and a lot of the judgment by the author felt biased and skewed. I'd have appreciated a more objective telling of the events and less history of religion.