Little Darlings

Everyone knows that postpartum depression is real, but changelings? That’s something out of a dark fairy tale, right? Lauren knows what she saw shortly after giving birth to her twins, Morgan and Riley. A woman tried to take them, leaving something not quite human in their place. Everyone laughs off Lauren’s story, she’s obviously just exhausted. But then a few months later, the babies are stolen. When they are found later, everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Everyone except Lauren that is; she just knows these creatures are not her children and sets out to find her real babies. This is a super creepy book and begs the question, what is real and what is imagined. Couldn’t put it down

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Lauren has just given birth to twins. She's exhausted. Everyone is telling her to get some rest. At night, she swears that she saw a woman in her hospital room trying to steal her babies. Everyone reassures her that she just needs to get some rest and that she's imagining things. Then, her babies disappear briefly from the park. When she gets them back, she swears that these are not her babies. What is going on? What is happening to Lauren? What happened to her babies?

Geez. This was a creepy read. I finished it pretty quickly and thought it was a well told story. There's a lot of dark history and dark folklore, which makes the story even creepier. Enjoyable read, but you may want to read it in the daylight with your kids nearby.

If Grimms' Fairy Tales and The Changeling had a twin babies, Little Darlings would be those babies.

An unsettling tale of a new mother, Lauren, of twin boys, who finds herself terrorized by a macabre woman attempting to abduct Lauren's babies and replace them with her own. Her account is dismissed by hospital staff, the police, and even her husband as a hallucination attributed to exhaustion, even Lauren herself begins to question her own sanity. The only person that is unconvinced that Lauren has simply snapped is the investigator that responded to her call for help, Detective Harper.

Upon returning home from the hospital, Lauren quickly descends into a waking nightmare that she cannot escape from, leaving her more and more desperate and going to extreme lengths to protect her infants.

If I had one con to point out in this story it would be with the narrative for Detective Harper. Her personal relationship with the reporter is distracting and adds nothing towards advancement the plot.

This story is framed with dark history and and even darker folklore that adds an eerie depth to the book. This is a foreboding and unnerving spine-chiller that leaves the reader questioning if it's possible for fable to turn into reality.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really interesting take on some dark fairy tales with a creepy twist! When Lauren gives birth to twin boys she doesn't feel the immediate love she believes she should. After all, it's difficult to nurse two babies and find time to sleep as well. But when a mysterious woman appears in the maternity ward that night, threatening to exchange her twins for changelings, Lauren locks herself in the bathroom and calls the police. Upon arriving home, she sees the woman in her window and Harper, the police detective, gets involved again as her story seems credible to the woman who gave up her own daughter when pregnant. This is a chilling and sometimes sinister story that may having you cuddling your young ones even after you finish the book!

Wow, this book is very creepy. A mother who gives birth to twins is asked to exchange her twins. Is it in her mind? Supernatural? I couldn’t put the book down. Excellent story.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Side note: excellent descriptive writing on the few weeks after giving birth.

After a difficult delivery, Lauren Tranter gives birth to twin boys Morgan and Riley and finds herself thrust into the demands of motherhood. Late one night, a strange woman visits Lauren in the hospital and attempts to kidnap her babies, swapping them with her own creature like children. When the police arrive, there is no evidence that the event happened and Lauren is diagnosed with having a mental break due to her exhaustion. After Lauren is released back home, strange gifts and sightings of the woman convince her that she must remain vigilant of her children at all times. One sunny afternoon Lauren takes the boys to the park and accidentally falls asleep on a bench, when she wakes up the boys are gone. Although boys are found and returned to Lauren shortly after, she immediately knows something is not right...they look like Morgan and Riley...but they are not. Lauren knows what she must do to bring her babies back...but if she is wrong it could be a fatal mistake.

Little Darlings is a captivating and eerie debut novel from Melanie Golding. I am not quite sure where it falls in as far as genre but I would say fiction/suspense with a fantasy element. This novel has the fantasy appeal of the classic Changeling stories and other folktales involving swapped children but with a surprising twist. I found myself throughout the novel questioning Lauren's sanity and then agreeing with her that the children were in fact not human. Although I am not quite sure if this novel would classify as frightening, it definitely had an unnerving quality, and there were moments that I actually got goosebumps reading it. Throughout the book there are excerpts from other folktales, which I felt really complimented and enhanced the narrative. I really enjoyed this unique novel and look forward to more books by this author.

I found this book to be completely enthralling. On one side you have a woman that is living in fear that something will happen to her children and on the other you have history and folklore. The woman is thought to be crazy and her spouse looks like the obvious person that is enabling this with his affair. The book has excellent culmination as the story proceeds and I love the way that the fairy tales are thrown in to enliven the story and to broaden the possibilities of why the children are abducted. The sheer creativity of the premise of the book is amazing and different from anything I have read before. I will be recommending this book with full abandon and hope that other readers enjoy this book as much as I have. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley. This book is nothing short of spectacular.

<I><b> I can make sure they look just the same.</b></I>

“The” twins, <I>the</I> twins, THE twins.... (when you read you’ll know what I mean) those little babies creeped me out real good. So good I almost put it down at nighttime but I kept going and gripped my covers a little tighter.

I really loved this book. A nice breath of fresh air in the mystery/thriller department. Very psychological. The author did well leaving you scratching your head, speechless. I immediately came here to read other reviews looking for clues about what others thought about what I, too, had just read.

This would be the perfect fall/October read. Dark shadows, creepy folktales that are brought to the modern day and age, a frantic mother spending 90% of her time in a psychiatric hospital. So much fun! I love dark creepy tales and this one executed that perfectly! I’d love to hear what others have to say!

PS. I really hate Patrick.

I had heard lots of things about this book on Twitter and was delighted to get an early copy through Netgalley. My thanks to the publishers.

Little Darlings starts off, in my opinion, at a slow pace. Building up the tension and drawing the reader in gradually. I’m not a fan of fantasy, fairytales or folklore normally, but this book has possibly changed my mind.

Lauren is a new mother to twin boys, emotional, exhausted and hormonal she is “visited” in the hospital by a woman who wants to take her twins and replace them with her own. Reporting this to the police, no one believes her and Lauren’s mental health and sanity is now being questioned.

Without giving away the storyline, up to this point in the book it was a standard psychological thriller but then something happens and it freaked me the f*ck out. From that point onwards the book becomes creepy, downright disturbing and very, very dark. There’s something unsettling about babies behaving in a way which is unnatural and frightening and when there are twins involved it becomes doubly disturbing.

Overall, I thought this was a creepy and dark story which was unsettling but very addictive.

A magnificent novel. Questions things we believe to be our reality in such a way as to turn our heads in awe at the story in weaves. Wonderful writing, terrific realistic characters, and a story that will leave you breathless. Don't pass this one up!

Lauren has given birth to twins but instead of rejoicing shes confuse. People are telling her that shes exhausted but things are happening that shes being told arent happening. One day in the park her babies are taken. Though they are returned Lauren knows these aren't her babies.
This was a wild thriller! It will keep you hooked!

Ack, SO creepy. I really enjoyed this - although I tend to enjoy thrillers written by English authors, so perhaps I am a bit biased. The writing flowed so well, and the characters were very well done, very real. This touches on the anxieties all new mothers have, and it hit so close to home for me. Will I love this baby enough? Will I fail as a mother? How do I keep this vulnerable creature safe? Are you sure the universe should be entrusting a life to me? Only in this tale, it's doubled, as Lauren has twins. Then you add on to that the Changeling tales, which I'm sure we're all at least a wee bit familiar with, and the slight touch of the supernatural (or is it a sanity issue?), and it came out a winner for me.

I stayed up way too late reading this, and I do hope Melanie Golding will take Jo Harper into more books - I liked her. I would follow her along on her next investigation. Though I did appreciate the way the author told this - much of it from Lauren's perspective.

Forensics or Folklore? When both can solve the mystery, which do you believe? A mother gives butt to twins but then the unthinkable happens. Believing her twins are changelings, and the investigation of a detective, facts begin to blur. A creepy, methodical mystery with a cast of characters I hope to see again.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

Oh how I loved this book. It took me away to that place of folk tales and fairies and changelings and everything eerie. I read it in one gulp and had a hard time looking at babies for a few days. Imaginative and believable, and the protaganist was everything a mother should be.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 9781683319979

Little Darlings is dark and unsettling. Since I enjoy books that are disquieting, I liked the suspense. Any mother can identify with Laura's intense need to protect her babies.

I've read other books, fantasies about fairy lore, that include the idea of changelings, but I liked the epigraph citations that gave background to the origin of the legend. The old Irish tale set in modern times as a mystery thriller is a unique idea.

The long description of the birth process was unnecessary to the development of Laura's character. It slowed the start. I understood that she was a devoted mother without the lengthy description of a difficult delivery. The first chapter grabbed my attention but then the next few chapters slowed the plot.

Overall, this is an enjoyable eerie tale. This book would make a new mom shiver.

Reviewer: Nancy

*Loved, loved, LOVED this book! I read it in a little over a day, and it only took me that long because I have to go to work, blast it all. A great mix of folklore and mystery, I believe this to be one of the best books of the year. Lauren has just given birth to twins when she finds a creepy, disheveled woman in the next cubicle singing to her own newborn twins., but apparently no one else notices the woman on the ward that night. When Lauren's children are taken several weeks later, she is sure that it was by the same crazy woman having traded her own children for Lauren's. Is Lauren experiencing postpartum hysteria, as everyone thinks? Or is there something to the tattered book that mysteriously turns up on her doorstep? A highly recommended read!

A mother always knows her own babies.....doesn't she? Of course she does.....right? Fairie tales show their sinister side in the current century for new mother of twins, Lauren. As a new mother, she knows whats best for her babies! Why does she feel so alone and why does no one believe what she knows to be true? As you read through Little Darlings you're on this wicked trip, like the water ride from hell, as you believe and doubt and believe and doubt and on and on....never knowing when this ride will really end, never knowing who to really trust in the end.
The main characters were richly developed and interesting. Without giving spoilers I will only say that we can easily visualize what Lauren see's in her "Little Darlings" and empathize with all of her thoughts and feelings.
I enjoyed this book and found myself grabbing it in the middle of the night for "a chapter" only to find myself still reading an hour later. Mystery, fantasy, horror and crime with a nice dose of the creeps. Well done.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that this was a very well written original, chilling, addictive and disturbing thriller.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Wow, what a thriller! I struggled a bit to get into this in the beginning, but eventually the plot took off, and I was sucked in.

The protagonist, Lauren, gives birth to twins. A smelly, dirty woman attacks her in the hospital and tries to steal her babies. Nobody believes her, but an officer is dispatched to make a report. A series of strange events happen, and her lack of sleep from caring for the infants starts to get to her. Is she imaging everything?

Throughout the whole book I questioned what was real, and the ending was quite satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

Creepy and atmospheric tale about a young mother of newborn twins who is comvinced that someone (or something) is trying to steal them away and replace them with fae creatures. Based on Irish tales of changelings, this novel hits all the right spots. It'll have you wondering how fine the line between imaginings and reality really is. Devoured this book!!!

When Lauren reports having a visit in the night from a sinister character carrying a basket of twins that she plans to replace Lauren's twins with, the story is dismissed as ludicrous. Hospital staff, as well as her husband, think Lauren is just hormonal and exhausted after giving birth to twins.

Since the police can find nothing proving that this new Mama had any visitors, Lauren agrees that she is exhausted and maybe it didn't really happen. However, in her heart, she can't rule out that the visit in the night certainly felt like it occurred.

The only person who somewhat believes Lauren is the investigator, but her ranking officers want the investigation to stop. This part is a driving force in causing the reader to continue flipping pages.

Upon getting home from the hospital she is faced with a husband who needs his sleep so that he can work and support the family. He moves to another bedroom so the feeding of the twins all night won't disturb him. But because of Lauren's fear that the experience in the hospital was real, she locks up the house and only gets to sleep in bits and segments. She doesn't feel she can let the twins out of her sight.

In time, Lauren's friends visit her at her home and bring gifts for the new babies, but one gift is most unusual. One that is somewhat disturbing.

At her friends' urging, Lauren finally chances going out and meeting them in a park. She vows to keep a good eye on her identical twin boys. But will she be able to?

This story is framed in dark history and folklore.

My Thoughts

What Concerned Me: This story is a bit dark and foreboding. I'm not sure how I would have wanted it to end, but it didn't feel totally satisfying to me.

What I Liked Most: This is a book that was hard to put down. The writing was excellent and flowed beautifully. Was it kind of creepy? Sure. When I read the tag: Horror, along with Mystery, and Thriller, I wondered how I'd missed that important word, since horror is the last type of book I'd choose to read. (But maybe I'm confusing that genre with horror movies that I see advertised. Anyway, nothing gory, and nobody carrying a chainsaw! To my great relief! Teehee.)

I'd rate the writing and interest level a 5. The ending felt like a 3 or 4.

Little Darlings
By Melanie Golding
expected due date 4-30-19 (kindle & ebook) Crooked Lane Books and 5-2-19 (Hardcover) Harper Avenue

You don't need blood and gore to make a great horror story. Atmosphere, if masterfully done, will keep you creeped out and chill you to the bone.This eerie story will do that.This is done that masterfully. It will engage your mind on a wild ride and leave you so haunted, you may begin to question your own state of sanity, your own definition of sanity.
Lauren Tranter has just had twin boys-she is exhausted-but she is absolutely sure she saw a woman creep into the hospital and switch her twins with a different set of twins. No one takes her seriously. They think she's losing it. She is quite sure she is not. Soon she is home with her boys. She takes them to the park one afternoon and they disappear, but are soon found. They seem different to her...Lauren does not believe they are HER babies and becomes obsessed with getting HER babies back. She has a plan. Will she be able to carry off her plan?What's with her husband, Patrick?
This is so damn chilling and creepy. The atmosphere, the perfect pace and personable characters, make it hard not to get caught up in this story. Its that good.
I would not be surprised if its made into a movie or series.
Due late April / early May 2019. Put it on your must buy list.
I am keeping my eyes on Melanie Golding!
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley for this advance copy.
#LittleDarlingsBook

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-Arc copy.
Whoo... I must first say that I have been on a dark journey lately with reading adult fiction. I recently read Baby Teeth and was mesmerized by it. It stayed with me for weeks. Once it had cleared, I have been reading a lot of YA, so when I saw Little Darlings I thought why not. Well...Little Darlings seeps under your skin slowly and before you know it the book is finished. Seriously finished. Melanie Golding is a author to watch out for with this one. What I loved about this book is that it is dark and creepy, but not in the way you expect. It pulls at your gut, your instincts of what feels out of place, not necessarily what you see. The author plays on that perfectly. Do not underestimate this book because just when you think you know..maybe you don't. It made me glad to be a reader again. Reading a book should make your feel and think for a while sometimes. Sanity is a very thin line.

Little Darlings is a creepy page-turner. I love the way the author integrated folklore to her modern story of a mother’s nightmare of twins stolen and replaced with changelings. Is she experiencing this or has she lost her grip on reality? Well written and highly effective entertainment for fans of the genre.

Excellent read. At the end I was surprised to see this was a debut novel. Wow, this author has great talent and I look forward to more novels from her. This one kept you reading and kept you guessing. Well done.

Thank you netgalley for this sample copy in exchange for my honest review. GREAT BOOK! It was a page turner and had me feeling different emotions all throughout. I definitely recommend this book. Flow is great, story line is gripping, and it is psychological thriller perfect.

This book was the perfect pick for a spooky October read! I grew up on the dark fairy tales of Grimm and Hans Christen Andersen, and this book had many of the same elements.

After Lauren gives birth to twins, she is convinced that a woman is trying to take them from her and change them into something else, as she warns. After a disappearance scare, she now believes her twins are changelings and she must return them to the river in order for her real children to come home. She's committed to a mental hospital, and things ramp up to scary as Jo Harper, a detective, tries to figure out what actually happened to the twins. The ending ties in some neat elements of realism and historical lore.

With the mix of unreliable narration, a past history of mental illness, and a husband acting suspiciously, I was kept on the edge of my seat! I couldn't tell what was real and what was a side effect of psychosis, and the writing was so real and descriptive that it was almost hard to stomach in a few spots. I double-checked the locks on my doors after reading it!

A wonderful modern retelling of an ancient story. I was hooked from the beginning and went along for the whole ride in one sitting. I went back and forth with Laura and the truth. Is she crazy? Has someone taken her children? Pulse pounding story with incredible ties to the past. Loved all the folklore and ancient text inserts. Highly recommend.

The ending was interesting in that it didn't feel like closure. Is that a sequel I smell? Yes please!

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!
I am so glad that this book is going to be a movie, it'll be great to see the characters come to life on the big screen.

Everyone says Lauren Tranter is exhausted, that she needs rest. And they’re right; with newborn twins, Morgan and Riley, she’s never been more tired in her life. But she knows what she saw: that night, in her hospital room, a woman tried to take her babies and replace them with her own…creatures. Yet when the police arrived, they saw no one. Everyone, from her doctor to her husband, thinks she’s imagining things.

This is a creepily, clever dark story that will make you want to check on your little darlings constantly just to be sure they are safe and sound.

#LittleDarlingsBook by Melanie Golding
A huge thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC
Pub Date: 10 May 2019

This book was amazing! I began reading and could not stop reading until I had finished it! It was a dark, twisted and unsettling read, but one I enjoyed precisely because of those factors. We follow the story of Lauren, who has just given birth to twin boys, and she keeps seing this horrible woman who wants to change babies with her. Everyone tells her she is psychotic, that the woman doesn't exist, that her babies are safe... but she keeps on seeing and hearing the woman, and weird things keep on happening around her.

I loved how twisted the story was, making you doubt Laure'ns sanity: is she crazy? Does the woman exist? What the heck is going on? And there were times in which the story was so disturbing that you had to keep on reading praying nothing of what was happening was real.

The prose is amazing, the author really know how to alternate being fear, being rational, being grimm fairy tales-que, telling the story from a new exhausted mom's point of view and then switching characters... it had me trapped and I couldn't put it down until I had finished it.
The characters are so well developed you could think they are real, they all have their things and manias and quirks and are very much alive, and you can feel what they go through easily.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and dark creepy tales, because the author weaves an amazing story out fo the two. And it's her first book! I really can't wait to see what she does next!

This book looked like the perfect spooky thriller, and it did not disappoint! It is an amazing debut novel for author, Melanie Golding. I zipped right through it, needing to know if the mom, Lauren was crazy or if something wicked was going on with her family?

This story starts as Lauren and her husband Patrick are about to give birth to twin boys. Even in the hospital while Lauren is giving birth Patrick is barely around. Lauren is left to take on motherhood and recovery mostly on her own! I was so annoyed with her husband!!😠

As any new mother would be, Lauren is exhausted and completely deprived of sleep, when something happens. I don’t want to spoil it, so I will leave it at that… But I had to find out if it was real or not!

I am not super into scary stories but this one had just the right amount of thriller and mystery, with maybe a sprinkle of Stephen King creepiness! If you want a fun and spine-chilling read look for this book in stores May 10, 2019.
This was posted as part of my book review of Little Darlings on October 11th, on Cole Campfire Blog at the link below. Thank you!

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author, Melanie Golding for this copy.

Little Darlings is Melanie Golding’s first novel. I hope it will not be her last! Lauren has given birth to twin baby boys. While in the maternity ward an intruder tries to take her babies. She calls emergency services. When they arrive nobody is there and they think she is hallucinating. When she goes home she is convinced someone is watching her and her twins. Somebody wants her babies. Her husband, Patrick, thinks she’s making everything up. I don’t want to spoil the plot by giving too many more details. The story started out slow but then picked up very quickly. The sense of dread slowly grew until I had a very disturbed feeling while reading this. Definitely check this book out! You will not be disappointed! Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Mother knows best” takes on a sinister new meaning in this unsettling thriller perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Grimms’ Fairy Tales.

Everyone says Lauren Tranter is exhausted, that she needs rest. And they’re right; with newborn twins, Morgan and Riley, she’s never been more tired in her life. But she knows what she saw: that night, in her hospital room, a woman tried to take her babies and replace them with her own…creatures. Yet when the police arrived, they saw no one. Everyone, from her doctor to her husband, thinks she’s imagining things.

A month passes. And one bright summer morning, the babies disappear from Lauren’s side in a park. But when they’re found, something is different about them. The infants look like Morgan and Riley―to everyone else. But to Lauren, something is off. As everyone around her celebrates their return, Lauren begins to scream, These are not my babies.

Determined to bring her true infant sons home, Lauren will risk the unthinkable. But if she’s wrong about what she saw…she’ll be making the biggest mistake of her life.

Compulsive, creepy, and inspired by some our darkest fairy tales, Little Darlings will have you checking―and rechecking―your own little ones. Just to be sure. Just to be safe.

My thoughts
rating 5
WOW was sure if i was going to like it or not but wow , its everything i like in a story: dark ,twisted , unnerving and disturbing all round into one, can't stop reading when i started because i had to know was she losing her mind or was something really going on, love how the dark history and and even darker folklor plays a part of the story , to find out more you have to read the book . With that said i want to think Netgalley for letting read and review it , it was and is the perfect story ( at lest i thought so to read on a cold gloomy day) exchange for an honest review,

Little Darlings leaves you questioning what really happened in this book. The book has a supernatural turn as the mother delivers twins and receives threats of them being traded out by a dark, creepy unnatural woman. Tossed into all encompassing paranoia, Lauren refuses to go out of the house for weeks, locking her babies to her side. When she finally does leave the house her babies are taken and she swears replaced. With a crappy example of a husband, Lauren is locked away as her sanity is in question. The only person who seems to believe her is a local detective named Jane. The more Jane uncovers the reader is flopped back and forth between Lauren being crazy or sane. The spooky fairytale element of the story is prominent and keeps the reader on edge. Even after the ending, I question exactly what happened in the story and still do not know who was crazy or sane. The pages turn quickly and the unanswered questions leave a spooky feel to the story for a thrilling read. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

I love folklore. I read a lot of fantasy because I so enjoy myths, legends and lore. In this book about "changeling" children, I felt like we got sufficient background and snippets of the folklore from many different cultures without having to divert too much into the subject itself, or feel as if I needed to go do research before reading. The lore that is sprinkled within the writing explains enough to be engaging and creepy! I love reads where I'm constantly thinking "Is this real, or not?" It allows me to form my own opinions about what I believe and don't believe is happening. This is a great story, written from many points of views.

My favorite character is DS Jo Harper. She's a shining star in this book. She keeps the story grounded in reality, yet is open enough to the fact that something strange is going. She stays on the case, open to anything, and she's relentless. I enjoyed her so much, I found myself wanting to know more about her, and would love to see some spinoff stories of her adventures. :)

Oh my goodness, this book is sooo good!!!! I finished it in 24 hours and literally couldn't put it down. It's a perfect Halloween time read - just the right blend of spooky, creepy, and realistic. It keeps you guessing on whether or not Lauren is going crazy, whether a real life person is stalking her, or a ghost is haunting her. My only complaint is that there were a few loose threads at the end that I would've preferred to be tied up more tightly (hard to say what they are without getting too spoiler-y). I wanted a bit more information at the end. But definitely get and read this book!!! I will be eagerly watching for future releases from this author.

Let me begin this review with saying that I have absolutely no business reviewing an ARC that doesn't even publish until April 2019 when I have so many ARC's pending soon or better yet the ones I'm behind on BUT the synopsis for this is beyond intriguing and it's October when it's time for all things creepy and spooky and this one seemed a perfect choice for the season.

And I was right! <--- it does happen once in awhile! ;)

Whoa! Little Darlings was an absolute delight to read.

"The child is not mine as the first was, I cannot sing it to rest, I cannot lift it up fatherly and bliss it upon my breast; Yet it lies in my little one's cradle, And sits in my little one's chair, And the light of the heaven she's gone to transfigures its golden hair." ~ From The Changeling by James Russell Lowell

Imagine given birth to a set of lovely twin boys. Imagine in the middle of the night on the very day of their birth a vile woman invades your hospital room and insists on swapping your babies for hers. Imagine that no one, not even your own husband, believes you.

Now you've returned home with your babies and the mother in you wants to protect them fiercely from the outside evil you know exists. After spending a month locked behind closed doors your husband decides it's time you venture out for a walk. Get some fresh air. So you take his advice to avoid an argument and think to yourself maybe he's right. Maybe it is all in my head.

You stroll through the park, the sun on your shoulders and crisp leaves crunching underfoot, when a coming bench is all too tempting to take a little rest with your boys.

Now imagine this: you awake, startled on the bench, not knowing how long you've been asleep only to see that the stroller and your precious babies are no longer there.

Not all is lost though and after a brief search the beautiful babies are found and returned to you. You look upon the lovely boys only to realize they aren't your babies at all.

"I told you, that wasn't them," said Lauren, "whatever was in that stroller. They've been swapped. They're evil those things, they're not my babies."

I could not put this one down! If you want a creepy read then this is a MUST READ! On a side note, this has been optioned to film and I hope with all my heart that this happens. This would be perfect on the big screen. An easy 5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book! It was so different than anything I"ve read in a long time. It's so refreshing to read something unique. Once I started reading I couldn't stop! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a creepy, eerie, folksy-like, mystery. And don't even get me started on the last chapter!! The ending...I don't have anyone to discuss with!!!

This book grabs you from the first sentence. I could not put this book down. Lauren, a new mother, faced with twins and a husband that was less than helpful, insists that her babies were switched with evil changelings. Is she crazy or does she know something everyone else doesn't? The story meshes a thrilling mystery with a folklore story and a crime procedural. This brilliant mix keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next. This is a great read and I hope to see more of the dectective Harper in future books.

Oh, this was excellent! I'm writing this review way past my bedtime because there was no way I could go to bed without finishing this book!

<i>Little Darlings</i> is the story of Lauren, a new mother of twins, who is under some serious stress. After an especially hard birth, she is confronted by a strange and menacing woman in her hospital room, who threatens to take Lauren's babies and replace them with her own. Lauren calls the police, but is told she imagined the entire incident. When she returns home, sleep-deprived and dealing with an unhelpful husband, her fears that this woman will take her babies persist. And when she finally ventures out of the house, and her babies are taken and then returned, she is convinced they are changelings and that she needs to get her real babies back. Is there something supernatural going on? Or is Lauren's precarious mental state causing her to imagine the whole thing?

This story was deliciously creepy, and the author did an excellent job of slowly ratcheting up the tension and putting the reader off-balance. The stress Lauren experienced as a new mother was palpable, and it was easy to empathize with what she was going through, even as someone who has never had children. I constantly vacillated between believing Lauren's story and being convinced she was delusional.

We also get a dose of a more reliable narrator through a second POV character, Jo Harper, a police officer who has taken an interest in Lauren's case. Jo is drawn to the case and continues to dig into it even after being told not to by her boss. Like the reader, Jo isn't sure whether to believe Lauren or not, but she's willing to believe there may be more going on than meets the eye. I liked Jo a lot, and if Melanie Golding's plan is to write more books that feature her as a detective, I am so here for it!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers or a good mystery. <i>Little Darlings</i> is creepy, atmospheric, and completely addicting.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding was a perfect novel to read in the lead-up to Halloween. This book is creepy, scary, and unsettling, in the vein of traditional fairy and folk tales. Each section begins with an excerpt from such a tale to set the disturbing mood.

During the worst drought since 1976, Lauren Tanter gave birth to twins. The hospital where she delivered didn’t allow her (rather useless) husband Patrick to stay overnight (is this normal in the UK?), so she was alone, drugged after hemorrhaging. In the middle of the night, she heard a woman singing a creepy lullaby to her own newborn twins. On the way to the bathroom, Lauren asked her to quit singing as it could disturb the other patients. Strangely, the woman’s bay had no hospital bed. She was dirty with stringy hair and her babies were in a basket. The woman asked her to switch one baby. The Tranters’ babies had every advantage; it wasn’t fair. Lauren gathered her twins, barricaded herself in the bathroom, and called 999. The responding officers determined no one was in the ward and referred the case to Mental Health Services. DS Joanna Harper, though, thought it worth investigating, even though the psychiatrist chalked the incident up to postpartum hallucinations.

Frightened, Lauren stayed in her house after she was discharged until she finally met her friends Rosa and Cindy at Bishop Valley Park. Lauren took a walk after her friends departed. Waking up, the twins’ stroller was missing. DS Harper rushed to the park and found the twins with a woman who was struggling with the stroller at the edge of the water. When DS Harper came upon them, the woman ran. Quickly captured, she claimed she wasn’t kidnapping the twins at all; she had found the babies and was returning them.

At first, Lauren was overjoyed. Then, she took the stroller and started running towards the river, convinced that the babies weren’t hers; they’d been replaced with the dirty woman’s creatures. Despite everyone’s attempts to convince Lauren otherwise, she believes that her babies aren’t her own. And, as DS Harper investigates the abduction, she begins to see evidence herself that the boys might not be the real babies.

Little Darlings has lots of provocative elements: changeling babies, a drowned city, a mysterious and similar crime from 1976. Even better, it’s ending is satisfying but ambiguous enough that it leaves the reader unsettled and disturbed, perfect for a horror tale.

Normally I wouldn't do a review this ear

Having been through an experience where I just gave birth and my nurse commented "I won't steal your baby, you can go to the bathroom", which sent me into an all out melt down, where I pulled my baby into the bathroom bed and all, and threatened the nurse. This was so realistic to me. Obviously a lot of women are not in the best place mentally, or hormonally, after going through the exhaustion of giving birth.

I don't want to spoil any of the story. I do want to say I read this in two days and was totally drawn into Lauren's world. I loved Harper and hope she will return for another Golding novel.

The atmosphere this book created was absolutely chilling. I can only hope that Golding will continue to write. This was perfect for Halloween. I loved that the ending wrapped up all the storylines. Bravo Melanie Golding! You have a new fan!!!

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book, it reminded me of Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon, which I loved. In this book, the story alternates between that of Lauren, a mom who just gave birth to twins and is struggling to adjust, and that of Joanna, a police sergeant who eventually investigates a crime that Lauren reports to the police. Lauren's storyline is definitely more exciting as it is difficult to tell if what is happening to her is real or the result of some postpartum psychosis. Additionally, old-timey fairy tales are used to start each chapter, which serves as a reminder that these stories have been around for centuries, and which leads you to wonder: if people have been telling these stories for so long, does that mean there is some degree of truth to them?

I also enjoyed the sections told from the perspective of the police sergeant. I found her character to be a new take on the trope of a police investigator and I enjoyed her perspective. There is also a journalist character who is used to move the story along that I didn't enjoy nearly as much.

I don't want to give anything away about what happens so I will just stop there. But I recommend this book to anyone who likes creepy books that have a psychological angle, and especially those who like fairy tales. I found the book very easy to read, easy to get into, and an overall fun reading experience. I look forward to reading more from this author!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

OMG! What a creepy suspense thriller! This story follows new mother, Lauren who has just given birth to twins. While at the hospital after giving birth she is terrorized by a woman wanting to swap her babies. her pleas for help are ultimately dismissed and just chalked up to a hallucination. Later after coming home her husband has her leave the house after shes been staying in. She takes a leisurely stroll and fall asleep on the beach with her babies to wake up and find them gone! When they are returned to her she claims they are not hers but evil little things. This story was so suspenseful as you wonder whats really going on! I could not put it down...

Wow! This book was so creepy! Lauren has just given birth to twin boys. It was a difficult birth and she is trying to recover while nursing and tending to two infants. Of course anyone who has had an infant or has taken care of one knows you can become sleep deprived very quickly! When Lauren calls the police saying a woman is trying to abduct her boys the nurses and guards find no one around. It is put off as a hallucination, but is it?

This book is a definite page turner!
Real life new mother trepidations meet malicious folklore legend of switching babies with changkings! Did it really happen or is she going mad?

Are you in the mood for a good horror story? One that starts off slow and gradually pulls you in once you've really connected with the main characters? Ahh I have a delicious read if you think you can handle it as it may really spook you.... Little Darlings is a craftily written, truly spooky, creepy tale of twin baby boys switched with mysterious changelings. Their mother is the one person who knows that the switch happened and her desperation increases as the plot starts to build! Introduce a loving husband and a good detective with a mind of her own and the combination is frightfully good!!! Far from a suspense novel, Little Darlings is a nightmare come true for the exhausted new mother Lauren. This story gives me shivers just thinking about it, so I am sure the book and the upcoming movie will do the same to you!!!!

Scary; chillingly realistic! The feelings are very believable as are the happenings. Is it real? Where are your children? Are you sure??

This book had me hooked from the very first. I devoured it, thinking about it when I could not sit and read. The ending is fantastic! It answers some questions, but opens up so many more. I found myself rooting for Lauren and wondering just what might happen next in her life.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading this book. The more I read, the more I loved it! It's creepy and full of suspense! I definitely recommend Little Darlings!

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC I was given of this thrilling book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

First, let me say that I’m a huge freaking fan of Lore. I’m not saying that guaranteed I would like this book or anything, but it definitely help because the little blurb was misleading. This book wasn’t inspired by fairy tales, it was inspired by folklore and if you’re anything like me, you want to draw little hearts on either side of that word. It helps, too, that the use of folklore was done in a really aesthetically pleasing way; not only was the book directly inspired by twin lore and lore about changelings, each chapter was marked with an epigraph from a fairy tale or folktale that marked the theme of the upcoming chapter. These were very well selected and just lovely.

The other thing you should probably know up front is that I suffered from some postpartum mental health issues, so this book had me on edge for about 90% of my reading. The way Lauren knew how illogical she sounded, even as she tried to convince those around her that she was perfectly sound, felt so authentic! Essentially, those two themes are what the book boiled down to: is folklore real (or at least, certain stories) or is the mother in the story suffering from postpartum psychosis after giving birth to twin boys? Reading as the answer began to (somewhat) emerge was intense because it constantly felt like there was a lot at stake, not just for our protagonist, but for the majority of the major characters of the book. The fact that so much is left up to the readers interpretation worked for me, too, because it really added to the feel that the book, despite its supernatural elements, was somehow very realistic.

The character development was pretty on point, too. You never quite knew how you felt about any specific character and sometimes you could like someone and hate them within a handful of pages. One thing never changed for me: I really disliked the protagonist. I'm okay with that: I don't need to like her. Lauren, to me, was hard to root for in many places because of her superficial, sniping inner monologue. She was constantly calling minor characters ugly or putting down their hygiene; it didn't detract too much from the overall readability of the book, but it did make me cringe a little each time. If I actually have any readers who read my blog on a semi-regular basis, you know this has been a recurring theme for me lately, but it’s not my fault. They make the protagonist pretty horrible in the vast majority of books and movies. Lauren, wasn’t as bad as some, she was just shallow. I'm going to put shallow in the meh category when comparing it to what else is out there in terms of horrible characters lately.

When looking for an image to attach to this blog post, one had a blurb across the cover: Most unsettling book of the year! You know what? that's pretty accurate. This book was unsettling because there was such a feeling of ambivalence. I can't go into that without revealing more than I want to give away, but the thing that makes this book work is right up until the end, you just aren't sure what the right choice is for our girl Lauren. This is truly a must read.

https://bibwithblog.blogspot.com/2018/10/folklore-and-neuroticism-review-of.html

Lauren Tranter just gave birth to twin boys and someone is trying to take them from her and switch them with lookalikes. Were they really changed or is she losing her mind? Would you be able to tell the difference?

This terrifying premise grips the reader and makes them come back for more. I could not stop reading this! I wanted something creepy since Halloween is approaching and this fit the bill. Little Darlings links folklore in with modern times, making the reader wonder what is real and what is in the main character's head. I LOVED this book and can't wait to read more from the author.

This book isn't released until April 30, 2019 which is disappointing because it's perfect for <i>right now<i>. Lucky for me, Crooked Lane Books provided an advanced copy and I couldn't help but read it immediately.

That this book and French's new one (which I requested but wasn't given) are two of only three books that I've requested from publishers lately is telling (not that there aren't others I've been interested in, but really trying not to take as many ARCs until my physical to-read pile has decreased).

The set up, a (contemporary) woman has twin baby boys who are in immediate peril of being stolen away to be replaced by changelings, simply couldn't be more tailor-made for me. I don't often write about particular scenes in a novel but I have to say that the opening scenes, of the incredibly difficult birth and after-the-birth of the protagonist is painfully immersive and serves to draw the reader into the always-dual possibilities of the narrative... are the creepy events because there's actually something supernatural happening or are they because of the protagonist's difficult birthing experience/a dissolution of her mind/her relationship difficulties (that, really, one thinks she should've been more perceptive of at least a few moments before committing to a marriage and a life with twin babies)?

On the whole, I was enamored of this debut. It's an adult novel (I specify this because so many fae/supernaturalish-possibly-themed novels are YA) and it's dark and clever. A couple of hesitations: I didn't love how the POV focus shifted towards the end of the novel, and I felt let-down by the author's apparent inability to decide about the possible origins of the events in the novel (as the two probable possibilities are, in my mind, two distinct elements and not something that I would've expected to blend, as she seemed to try and do).

That said, this is still a solid four stars for me and I will absolutely be looking for more from Golding. I can easily let go of the couple of concerns to enjoy her dark narrative and commendable skill with weaving a contemporary narrative with possible-ancient myths and elements.

This is a modern day take on a Grimm's fairy tale. Laura has just delivered twin boys. It was a hard delivery and she's having a hard time adjusting. In time things will be good. Breastfeeding the boys at one time is soon becoming easier. Then on night she hears a voice singing a rather scary song. The woman smells bad, and in a basket at her feet are two babies. The old woman talks of trading babies. Laura is frightened and grabs her babies and hides in the bathroom. On the 999 call hissing sounds can be heard. The terror in Laura's voice is unmistakable. Someone is there. Someone trying to take her children. Why then is no body found when security rushers yo her room?
A great story. Cleverly updated to fit in in this time.

A supernatural being is trying to steal Lauren’s twin boys. Lauren tries to get help, but no one will believe her story, blaming it on post partem depression or hallucinations. Well, almost no one. Police Detective Harper cannot get the case out of her mind even though she has been forbidden to pursue it any further. Then things change when the twins go missing, but were they taken by an unworldly being or is Lauren to blame?

This chilling, supernatural suspense story will have you questioning your own instincts and hoping to soon find the clue that gives you the answer. Is Lauren out of her mind or is there really something otherworldly happening? Very well written and suspenseful to the end, this creepy story will give you chills and heart-thumping moments of horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for an advanced copy for my honest review.

There is nothing more terrifying and no fear as crippling to a parent - especially a mother - as having your children taken. With this fairytale element, it is like Amiee Molloy's The Perfect Mother and The Brothers Grimm stories had a baby, resulting in this novel. A twisting tale that will have you sweating until the very end.

"Mother Knows Best"

Lauren Tanter has just given birth to twin boys, Morgan and Riley. Naturally she is exhausted and in need of sleep. But she knows what she saw in her room in the maternity ward - a woman attempting to take her twins and replace them with her own, "it’s only fair". However, when hospital security and the police arrive, they find no evidence of the possible kidnapper. Furthermore, no one believes Lauren, but Detective Harper, a police officer feels that there might be something to Lauren's story.

Lauren continues to feel unease and doesn't want to leave her home. Her mission is to protect her babies. On a rare outing to the park, the twins disappear from her side, and once found, Lauren is convinced that something is not right, and Lauren declares "these are not my babies"

Little Darlings is inspired by dark fairy tales and folklore. This book is sprinkled with quotes and passages referring to "changelings". The folklore and fairy tales fit seamlessly into this tale and further add to the feeling of dread and provide for an eerie atmosphere. The entire book I was guessing just what was going on. Was Lauren correct, was there some sinister woman attempting to swap babies with her, was Lauren experiencing symptoms of post par-tum psychosis. I love trying to figure things out in books, and this one had me guessing!

This is a well written psychological thriller which is atmospheric with a dark creepy feel. My only complaint is that I wanted this book to be darker, to be even creepier, and more suspenseful. I also thought there were "romances" and "possible romances" in this book which really did not add to the story and in fact detracted from the story to a small degree. I wanted more menacing and heart pounding moments.

Overall, an enjoyable read. It is easy to feel for Lauren as she struggles with caring for two newborns, sleep deprivation, recovering from childbirth and having very little assistance at home. She is struggling with so many things while also being hyper-vigilant attempting to keep her children safe. A creepy tale to read late at night with the lights out! Plus, it just might inspire you to pick up some fairy tales and folklore as the passages used were quite brilliant!

Thank you to Melanie Golding, Crooked Lane books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book will hook you on page one .Lauren gives birth to twins and is exhausted . While in the hospital a strange woman threatens to take her newborns and replace them with changelings . Lauren is terrified to leave her babies and her house . Then the unthinkable happens . Interwoven withfairy myths and a twist on fairy tales this novel sucks you in and keeps you guessing . Has Lauren lost her mind or have her twins berm replaced with changelings ? You will have to be read it to find out . Don’t miss this spectacular, thrilling debut novel

After an intense and prolonged labor, Lauren is a first-time mother to twins. She is mentally and physically exhausted and when she is threatened by a woman in the hospital( who no one else sees), this eerie and frightening tale got my total attention. My thoughts veered between believing Lauren and believing Lauren was losing her mind. Things don't improve when Lauren goes home as she basically barricades herself inside to keep her twins safe.
Whether her fears and paranoia are real or not, Lauren is terrified, and her husband, Patrick is absolutely no help at all(as much as I was rooting for Lauren, I despised Patrick). When Lauren finally finds the strength to leave her house, the unthinkable happens and the twins vanish. When they are found, seemingly unharmed, only Lauren seems to know the truth, these are not her twins and nothing will stop her from getting her babies back. As if this tale wasn't dark and creepy enough already, once Morgan and Riley are returned to Lauren, the tension and suspense amps up yet again. A mother knows her children, right, so this must be a story of mother knows best. Or is it?
Let me just say this book wasn't anywhere near the top of my TBR pile, yet circumstances put me in a place where this was the perfect read. Once I started, I couldn't put it down and that was a good thing since sleep was eluding me anyway. I loved how to me at least, the ending was open to interpretation and I look forward to discussing Little Darlings with my book loving friends. 4.5 shiny stars and a book I definitely recommend.
I received a DRC from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley.

A few weeks ago I found out having kids may be difficult for me. So naturally I did what any normal person would do and read a book about creepy babies to ease the pain. This was one of the creepiest books I've read because it meshes folk tales, fantasy and reality. I know that being a mother is not easy for some, and this was a bold book that made readers question, is something wrong with the mother or are her new little darlings actually changelings?

I read this into the wee hours of the night because it was so creepy and page turner...and also because sleep was not going to happen after reading it! *Nightmares* I am not sure if this is the author's debut (since I don't see any other books under her name), but if it is, well done! A truly atmospheric story perfect for Halloween!

Little Darlings is a creepy psychological thriller that is the perfect read for Halloween.

I received a free e-copy of Little Darlings by Melanie Golding from NetGalley for my honest review.

Lauren, who is eight months pregnant with twins is absolutely exhausted. Finally, the day comes when the twins (Riley and Morgan) are born. Someone has tried to kidnap her twins and replace them with look a likes. Lauren alerts people for help but she has vanished. No one believes her either. They think Lauren has postpartum.

Then when Lauren gets home with the babies, her nightmare continues. Another incident and yet no one believes her. Lauren starts to go down a deep hole and is sleep deprived and very depressed.
Lauren's husband tells her she should get some air and take a walk with the twins. She is sitting on a bench and dozes off. When she wakes, the twins are missing. The twins are found in a short amount of time but Lauren is convinced that they are not her babies, but creatures that look like her babies.

Is Lauren loosing her mind? Is there someone out there who has really taken her babies and replaced them with something supernatural? Will Lauren ever get anyone to believe her?

What is real and what is the product of post-partum depression is the underlying tension behind Little Darlings, the upcoming novel from Melanie Golding’s upcoming novel.

After a traumatic birth, new mother Lauren spends her first night alone in the maternity hospital. She feels distanced from her son’s, and her sleep is interrupted by a strange singing. The next night, someone appears, trying to swap one twin for another- disgusting, dirty things that seem at once listless and too energetic. Panicked, Lauren locks herself in the bathroom and calls the police.

Detective sergeant Harper is assigned to the case. Even when it’s ostensibly cleared, she believes something has happened- the only one who thinks there might be something other than stress to Lauren’s claims.

The question of whether or not the events are real or all within Lauren’s head are never explained- and that’s a good thing. There’s a constant tension that forces you to ask yourself if you truly think Lauren is suffering from post-partum psychosis, or if there’s a natural inclination to disbelieve women, especially new mothers, who say that something is wrong.

The pacing of the plot was meticulous, especially for a mystery. There’s no point in which it drags on, just as there are no points where it seems like things are going a bit too quickly. The timeline spreads over a few weeks, but it seems to work for its intended purpose, a heightened sense of worry that something is going to happen, something unpreventable. Is it supernatural? Have the faeries truly come to take a changeling child?

Though Lauren was hard to sympathize with, Harper invites herself to the reader, a detective with a troubling past that feels different and fresh from so many we’ve seen before, perhaps because hers is so uniquely female. That she was a lesbian was another fresh treat- it made the novel feel like it was actually adding things to the genre, rather than following rote.

A chilly novel for these cold nights, I enjoyed Little Darlings immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!

4 Stars

Little Darlings tells the tale of every mother’s worst nightmare, that her baby was stolen and exchanged for a monster. As fascinating as changeling stories are, I have not found that there are a ton out there. The only ones that I have read before this are The Replacement and the Trylle series, both of which were great. Little Darlings incorporates folklore into the tale as well, giving it a terrifying edge over the other books I mentioned.

This story had me captivated as I felt so bad for Lauren, the mother of two twin boys who were exchanged for changeling babies. I never knew what to think. I found myself doubting her at times like other characters in the novel. Believing that she was genuinely crazy. She also had a husband who was manipulative and emotionally abusive. Lauren was a character who received my genuine sympathy.

The chapters alternated between Lauren’s story and Harper’s, the detective on the case. This alternating storyline ramped up the tension and kept me on the edge of my seat. This story was filled with so much folklore, but it was the dark kind. The combination of all of this made the story spooky and thrilling at the same time.

I was really excited for this one, and while it was great, I wanted it to have a bit more creepy elements to it. The changeling babies were creepy, but I wanted them to be a bit more sinister. Although it wasn’t exactly as sinister as I wanted it to be and at times I felt like Lauren came across as too crazy, I loved reading this book. It had so much folklore at its core and kept me wanting more. I hope that everyone checks this one out, because it was a great read. If you are looking for a dark thriller this book is for you.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Wow. What a book. I tore through this book at a rapid rate, so keen to find out what exactly had happened to Lauren Tranter and her baby boys, Morgan and Riley. Just after giving birth to twin boys, Lauren has a terrifying encounter in the hospital toilet, where a strange woman tries to steal her babies from her. This traumatic events seems to spark a breakdown in Lauren as she copes with live as a new mother to twins, with a husband who could be more supportive. It is hard to share much more of the storyline than this, for fear of spoiling it for future readers. Deliciously creepy. As long as you have not just given birth to twins, get your hand on this book and read it. I believe this is Golding's debut novel, but you would not know it, as she writes in a sophisticated and engaging manner. Hopefully there are many more books to follow.

After a long and grueling labor that leads to an unplanned C-section, Lauren finally gives birth to twin boys named Morgan and Riley. In the immediate aftermath of the birth, Lauren is overwhelmed, in pain, and sleep-deprived. While still in the hospital, Lauren meets a strange and mysterious woman in the maternity ward who has also given birth to twin boys. When the woman suggests that she and Lauren should trade babies (!!), Lauren understandably freaks out. The situation escalates quickly when there's no evidence of the mysterious woman or the second set of twins, and Lauren's mental health is questioned. Did Lauren imagine this woman, or are her babies really in danger?

Things don't really improve when Lauren takes the babies home. Her husband Patrick isn't willing to help much with child care, so Lauren is caring for the twins night and day and continues to worry about their safety. When Lauren sees the mystery woman again outside of their house but she disappears before Patrick spots her, Lauren becomes more scared and frustrated. Will her twins ever be safe? Will she ever get a good night's sleep again? Who is this woman and why does she want Lauren's sweet baby boys?

All of my questions were answered by the end of the book, and I really enjoyed this thriller. Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for me to review!

Little Darlings is gripping with its psychological thrills (and torments). I found that this book was a very quick read since I couldn’t put it down, but it will stay with me for a long time. The subject matter itself is haunting, but Golding’s storytelling pace hangs you in constant suspense, both providing and withholding just the right amount to keep you hooked and questioning what is real and whose perspective you can rely on.

When I first started the book, I didn’t expect Harper to be such a central character, but her point of view and the clarity she provides by always pushing for the truth is refreshing and a clear necessity to execution of the story (catchphrase: it’s not in the budget, Harper!). I would say that there are moments throughout the book where I would rather have seen events transpire through Lauren’s eyes, but as a full-time at-home mom with newborn twins, I can see how the story would feel very confined if she was made the sole main character. The vicarious account of Patrick’s… disloyalty was also a bit frustrating and I wish that could’ve been a bit more fleshed out towards the end with some kind of retribution. I enjoyed learning backstory of the town through Harper and Amy’s research more than I expected, as I am not accustomed to the thrill of crime novels. This, as well as the eerie messages from the epigraphs, added to the aura of mystery throughout.

Golding had me continuously flipping sides over who to trust and I was guessing up until the very end. I’m impressed that this is her first novel and I look forward to reading more from her.

Damn I just loved this book and what a fabulous debut novel from Melanie Golding !!! It starts off quite slow but with an underlying creepiness that just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It’s an atmospheric tale that is beautifully written, addictive, compelling, sinister and I really can’t praise it enough and I’m sad to have finished it even though I raced through it just wanting know what the hell was going to happen. So I can only say read it it’s thrilling, compulsive and deliciously disturbing you won’t be disappointed at all it’s stunning.
My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Horror is my favorite genre, and I can honestly say this book creeped me out more than most I’ve read. I wouldn’t even read it before bed fearing the dreams I may have, and I can’t imagine being pregnant reading it. The story is based on the folklore of changelings. Lauren, the lead in the story, tells everyone a woman tried to exchange her newborn twins in the hospital for her own evil twins. As there is no proof, everyone chalks it up to mental illness/being overly tired/hallucinations, even after repeated sightings later and eventually an abduction attempt. The only person on her side is a police detective sergeant, who has her own past haunting her, making the case a little more personal. The story keeps you on your toes as new details come to light, and even if you think you have an idea of the truth or who was responsible, the ending is still a little bit of a shock and keeps your mind running circles about what has happened. If you’re looking for a good horror/thriller, this will satisfy you, and you also get a good dose of a mystery with police procedurals. All-in-all a great book, and I’ll be curious to see what else the author comes up with in the future, as it says this is her first novel.

I did receive an ARC copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

This is a perfect read for this time of the year, pre-Halloween! The story is reminiscent of Sarah Pinborough and Brothers Grimm. This just knocked me sideways! Lauren gives birth to twin boys. While in the maternity ward a dirty, smelly woman tries to take her children. But, there is no sign of the woman. Lauren feels very unsettled since and avoids going out and when she finally does go out with the twins in their stroller, Lauren sits on a bench and falls asleep from fatigue. When she wakes up, the twins are gone. They are later found but Lauren insists they are not her boys, they are different. The story is creepy, full of faeries and folklore and is just magnificent!

Little Darlings is the debut novel by Melanie Golding. Told through they eyes of Lauren and also Police Officer Harper, this book is a dive into every mother's worst nightmare.

Lauren's twin boys are abducted and then found a short time later, only Lauren insists they aren't her boys. Examining themes of folklore, mental illness and motherhood, this book was a page turner. I read the book in one sitting as I couldn't wait to finish it.

The author develops the characters thoughtfully throughout the book deflecting suspicion through many different characters.

A must read for anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller.

Wow, what a book! I highly enjoyed this book!! It's got a creep factor like no other! A fantastic horror tale! I can't believe it's the author's debut. She's going to have a wonderful career!! I can't wait to read more by her! No spoilers, he he, read it for yourself....if you dare!!!!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
More than five stars!I
All opinions are my own.

Excellent look at a new mother's paranoia - the question is, is it deserved, or is she insane. What I loved about this book is that you just don't know until the very end. Great characters, crisp writing, and tight plotting make this a keeper.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.
Wow, what a terrific book, couldn't put it down!
Lauren gives birth to twin boys, Morgan and Riley. It was a difficult, long birth and she is absolutely exhausted. While in the hospital, she is approached by a bedraggled, foul smelling woman who wants to take her babies. Hysterical, she hides in the bathroom till help arrives. The police arrive and detective Jo Harper is the only one who feels there's something off about the whole situation. When Lauren finally gets home, she's so terrified, she won't leave the house, basically living in one room with them so she can protect them. Her husband is trying to be sympathetic, but isn't particularly helpful and patient. When he finally gets Lauren to go out, she falls asleep on a beach to wake up and find her babies gone. The babies are found, but Lauren knows they are not hers. She's so overwrought they put her and the babies in a mental hospital, under heavy security.
Jo Harper and her friend, a reporter, do background checks and research that bring some disturbing facts to light.
I don't want to give away any more of the story, but will say that it is mesmerising...is Lauren psychotic or is there something sinister at work?
This book is not quite horror, to my mind, but more a disturbing look into postpartum depression, mental health and the eerie possibility that the past can come back to haunt us. The chapters all start with great quotes and passages regarding changelings; very well done, it adds an otherworldly feel to the read.
I felt for Lauren, but particularly liked Jo, and hope that there may be future books that feature her. An addictive read that I recommend highly.

This was a gripping thriller, that I couldn’t put down! There were so many gasping moments! I loved it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

4 creepy motherfucker stars

You know what I should not be doing? Reviewing a book set to release in the April of 2019 in November of 2018. And yet here we are.

I will say the same thing you’ll probably find in every review for Little Darlings- This was a creeptastically entertaining read.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I requested the ARC for this book, but you cannot blame me after that blurb. It really is a very interesting one. And I will say this, Melanie Golding did not disappoint.

I don’t think I need to say anything about this book that the blurb already hasn’t, but this book is a must read for people looking to freak themselves out, because I swear on my life I had legit goosebumps reading it, and knowing myself there’s a huge chance you might share those said goosebumps.

But at the same time, having said all this, there are a few things that are never answered in the book. Like who sends the Twins Tale book to Lauren? I don’t agree with the bullshit comment that it might’ve been her dead mom since this wasn’t that kind of a story. Also what was Patrick’s motive at making everyone think his wife was crazy? We never really get the answer to that, so I’ll just settle for him being a abusive sociopath. Also Harper’s boss was unnecessarily assholic. Like dude she’s solving the bloody case why don’t you just sit back on your fat ass and let her do all the work?!? Seriously, men *cue eyeroll*. And the biggest thing I have a doubt with is was the mother a fairy or a dead woman? If she was a dead woman then how did she come back to give her dead children a better life and how does what works for a fairy changeling work for her kids? And if she’s a fairy why does she have a human past? And if she’s a human mother turned an undead fairy, how the fuck did that even work? Like what has to happen in your human life to turn you into an unsatisfied fairy in your afterlife? Because honestly becoming a fairy is beginning to sound a bit promising lol.

But then again you’re giving me creepy twins singing creepy songs, so Imma overlook all those. Maybe.

Really, it’s a recommended read for everyone other than those who just had twins. I know i don’t plan on having them after this book.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding was a great read. It had the perfect amount of suspense, folk-lore/magic, and police procedure.
Lauren is a new mother of twin boys, on her first night in the maternity wing of the hospital she overhears a woman in the next bed singing to her own set of twins. The woman tells Lauren it's not fair that she has everything and when she is not looking the woman will switch her twins with Lauren's and make it so that no one knows. Lauren becomes hysterical and locks herself in the bathroom and calls 999. Staff at the hospital are convinced that Lauren had a hallucinogenic episode and that no one else on the ward has given birth to twins but Lauren.
She returns home with her husband and her twin sons, but becomes more and more paranoid and is afraid to sleep without the boys in her arms in case the woman returns. At this point a police detective takes interest in the case and it seems like she might believe that Lauren was telling the truth.
My only problem with this book was the husband and the maternity ward who made him go home for the night when visiting hours were over, leaving her alone with the twins to care for after she had just given birth. I also would have liked to have had more insight to the husband's position on the situation and on his feelings for his wife.
Overall this was a great book with lots of intrigue, but it has left with a lot of questions. Would be great for a book club to discuss.

I really enjoyed reading this debut novel. I am so thankful to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read tin exchange for an honest review. Melanie Golding has done a really good job creating this debut novel. It was fantastically written, mainly from Lauren, the mother of the twins, point of view. As a mother myself, I identified with some of the post- pregnancy thoughts and feelings of exhaustion that Lauren experienced. You just can’t help but sympathise for her.

Little Darlings was inspired by dark fairy tales and atwin folk tales, frequently referring to tales of changelings; children that have been secretly substituted by fairies and elves during infancy. The storyline made me question whether Lauren was in fact having a psychotic break due to postnatal depression or if there was in fact a figure after her twin boys. I even thought I had guessed it, with Lauren having a split personality! This is a reason why I thoroughly enjoyed the book, that it kept me guessing right until the final chapter and didn’t give away too much too soon. I would have liked a ‘one year later’ type of chapter just to wrap up the novel entirely.

The storyline included Jo Harper as the reliable policewoman; it dipped into her past slightly, as well as looking at a blossoming romance. Although these were nice personal touches I am not completely sure the purpose.

If you’re looking for a twisty, creepy read, this is definitely a book for you. It is not too dark or disturbing but still provides an airy atmosphere. It is an enjoyable read, especially if you enjoy myths and folklore. I’ve included a link to twin folk tales at the end of this post if anyone is interested in further (creepy) reading materials,.

Little Darlings is available for pre-order now on amazon, released 2nd of May 2019.

This is one of my 2019 recommended reads. I have awarded Little Darlings 4 / 5 stars!

Little Darlings is a well written dark psychological thriller than keeps you on the edge of your seat. Constantly I was torn between believing the main character and thinking that perhaps she was truly mentally ill. The author does a great job keeping you on the fence. The pace of the book was wonderful, there was just enough description and information given to let you paint a clear picture. I found myself enjoying each main character, even the ones you are less apt to like. Also, I really found myself enjoying the folklore added into the story. In regards to the main character, Lauren, the author really hit the head on the struggles as a new mom. Especially one with twins. The exhaustion and sleep deprivation really add to the "messiness" of life. Lastly, the ending... Oh I wish that the author had continued on just a bit. My mind really went all directions with what could potentially happen next.

True horror. Imagine having your newborn babies switched and only you know it. Everyone see's perfect sweet little babies, she see's gray little creatures. Her fierceness keeps her going even when all is against her. The world thinks she's crazy, and she wonders that herself, till.. I'm not telling you more the surprises are glorious to discover unknown.
I could not put this book down. It was such a perfect scary read. I stayed up a couple of nights later than I should have because I had to find out if...then I thought through the events during my work day. I love a book that doesn't let go when you set it down. I can't wait to get ahold of more from this author

I love folklore and anything about faeries so this book appealed to me. I also love a good mystery. This book had me guessing until the end whether Lauren was actually sane or not. Was she suffering postnatal psychosis or was there really a evil woman that traded her babies for changelings? I loved all the descriptions of early motherhood and it made me reminisce of those early days with my own kids. The descriptions of the “changelings” was creepy. I definitely recommend this book and it will make an excellent movie! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

4.5 Stars

"She took a penknife long and sharp aye-o...and pierced the two pretty babes to the heart."

Little Darlings is a beautifully crafted story that blends the realms of reality and the paranormal.

A mother of newborn twins is struggling with an overwhelming new role as a mother. While recovering in her hospital room from a harrowing birth, Laura sees a young unkempt woman with twin babies of her own behind the curtain next to hers. The vile woman attempts to bargain with Laura.

"Give me one of yours. I'll take care of it. You have one of mine..."

Laura is forced to choose. Give the women one of the babies or she will change both so Laura would not recognize them. " I can make sure they look just the same." Laura locks herself in the bathroom with her two boys and calls 999 for police help. And then the woman disappears.

Soon after, the babies seem different. Not only does her husband think that she is suffering from psychosis, but no one else believes her either. Is Lauren losing her mind, or is the curse becoming a reality?

This masterfully written novel is atmospheric, eerie and unexpected. I compulsively read this novel in a short period of time. The birthing experience although long sets the stage for Laura's physical and emotional well being. Then the story turns taking on a dark atmosphere that is chilling and yet heartbreaking. The blending of the folklore with the storyline gave the narrative a credibility that made me rally behind Laura's experience. The characters are all well rounded and layered, especially Detective Harper who is Laura's only hope of finding her real babies.

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scary and brilliant! Is there truth in Lauren's story or is she really psychotic as they say? Such a twisted and wonderful story telling. So much of the folklore around the world are lost in today modern world. This book was the perfect combination of real and unreal of the world.

He really hadn’t seen it. Seen her, the woman from the hospital, the woman in the bushes. But Lauren had, solid and real as the trees themselves; the eyes still glared at her when she closed her own, the image burned there like she’d looked at the sun too long. She was going mad, she must be. That or the woman was some kind of witch, some kind of demon would could disappear at will.

When Lauren gives birth to beautiful, healthy twin boys, Morgan and Riley, the birthing process was less smooth than she hoped, leaving her exhausted, sore. Then, her husband leaves too fast for her liking leaving her, a new mother, alone with the boys in the hospital. When she finds time to rest, sleeping when not feeding her boys, the strange dreams overtake her, terrifying and lingering upon her waking. She is sure in between a state of wakefulness and sleep that she heard another mother with infant twins too, just like her. The next day, the nurses are perplexed, what other patient? What other babies? Trapped in the hospital for yet another night, things take an eerie turn. Is it just a bad reaction from the difficult birth that makes her imagine a filthy, ragged woman is trying to trade her babies for her own vile mewing creatures, or is Lauren’s world becoming a dark fairytale? The police aren’t taking it seriously, the doctors and her own husband are convinced it’s all in Lauren’s head. No one could possibly get in without being seen, not with the secure settings in the hospital. Detective Harper is determined to check on the new mother, despite the assumption it’s just ‘bad trip’. What she sees is a woman who is terrified, and unsure of her own mind. Something about her story pulls DS Harper in, and the hospital visit won’t be the last of it.

Once home with her husband and baby boys, everything feels like a threat, especially the strange gift she receives. Then her husband tells her he plans to head back to work sooner than he promised, leaving her to cope with no support. Wanting nothing more than to get away, a fresh breath, to escape her husband droning on about how good she is at this baby stuff, trying to convince her that she can do it when she knows she needs help, she bolts for the door ready to leave it all behind. Then she sees the frightful woman again, lurking! Patrick doesn’t though, and it feels like her mind is cracking. If no one is there, why is she so frightened? How to explain the strange gift that her friend swears isn’t from her? Before long, Lauren seems the woman’s filthy face peering in the windows of her home, creeping, waiting until the time is right to swap the babies. She holes herself up in the home, locked up, curtains drawn but Patrick won’t hear of it. All she needs is to get out, be in the world again, just get outside. Heeding her husband’s advice, she ventures upriver with the boys and meets her friends Rosa and Cindy, after commiserating over birth stories and mothering, sharing cake and coffee they part ways. Lauren walks to a clearing, upriver where the secluded bench sits. “Sinking down gratefully” Lauren closes her eyes and falls asleep, knowing only of her careless, unintended slumber when she startles awake and sees the baby stroller gone.

So begins the terror that her children must have been taken by the witch even when they are found not far away with another strange woman. Though they are returned to her, Lauren is convinced these are not her babies! That monstrous woman must have taken them, and replaced them with these stand ins for these ‘others’ are not her own! To the raging river, she and the stroller must go if ever her real, flesh and blood human babies will return to her. This mad turn in her behavior has her locked up, but she will know the truth! She will do anything it takes to get her real children back. “They strapped her down. Like a madwoman.” The doctors know it is true that ‘someone took my babies’, for it is a fact and she is simply confused, embellishing on a real incident because they are back now, safe, unharmed! She must play along if she is to be released, despite the constant truth that circles in her head “they are not my boys”. Pretend, pretend they are yours.

Is it in the pretending that she becomes a threat to her children or is something far more sinister truly at work?

This is a nightmare seethed in folklore, quietly believable enough that you don’t have to suspend your disbelief. Lauren is flawed to begin with, surely someone who could create a fantasy through some sort of mental break, but there are things that lend her outrageous imaginings some credibility, and DS Harper is tied to the strange mystery because of her own past. Why does she feel so close to the case? Looking to study the evidence with an open mind when colleagues are quick to dismiss Lauren as a deluded new mother? This was a creepy gem of a novel, add it to your 2019 TBR list!

Publication date: April 30, 2019

Crooked Lane Books

I was a little uncertain about what to expect from this story, due to the supernatural aspect. I'm not a huge fan of fantasy stories or the unexplained mysteries where outcomes are not rationally explained. I was pleased to find that it was more grounded in reality than expected and that most everything did have a logical explanation.

I could sympathize with the main character, Lauren, as she struggled to adjust to motherhood, emotionally and physically. Before even leaving the hospital she believes that she encounters a strange filthy woman who tries to switch her own babies (i.e. creatures) with Lauren's. When help arrives, there's no woman to be seen and Lauren's mental state comes into question. That sets the tone for the story to come.

It was slightly frustrating that she didn't push for more help, especially from her husband, who perfectly embodied the inconsiderate and selfish husband. Refusing to help with night feedings while he was still on paternity leave and moving to a the spare room so his precious sleep wasn't disrupted? What a jerk. And the more his wife obviously needed help the more he acted like it was up to her to get her act together. No wonder she started suffering her postnatal symptoms.

It's not quite a surprise that it just snowballs from there - less sleep, more exhaustion, greater confusion. She does have a few other new mom friends who offer support when they see the state that she's in, thank goodness. It's to meet them that she eventually leaves the house and the central action of the story comes in.
Unfortunately, the events that occur once she loses sight of her children for a few hours seemed (to me at least) the result of too long without proper care and medication. Just a sad downward spiral.as she becomes convinced that they are no longer her real babies.

The detective drawn in to the case, Jo Harper, was a likable character to me, with her own disturbed past and her refusal in the present to give up her on Lauren and write her off as everyone else does. Through her persistence, a link to an older case and the history of their town is discovered, leading to as close of a resolution as there is. Though of course, the reader is left with a sense of ambiguity concerning what exactly happened and how the events unfolded.

I was pleasantly surprised by this story and am greatly looking forward to the next book by this author. Her writing is engrossing and she creates the perfect atmosphere, supernatural though it just may be.

What a fascinating, creepy tale! Reminds me of fairy tales I used to read long ago. After giving birth to Morgan and Riley, Lauren is exhausted and terrified by the woman in the next bed, who wants to take her babies. Is she dreaming, hallucinating or is this really happening? When she gets home, she becomes a recluse, hiding with her boys in her bedroom. After finally being persuaded.that she needs to get out, she takes the twins for a stroll, but while resting on a bench, she falls asleep. When she awakes, the babies are gone, but quickly found, except they aren't her babies, or are they? Deliciously told story, I loved it!

How could I NOT lust after this novel?! Clare Mackintosh, one of my favourite authors, declares that Little Darlings is stunning: “chilling story, beautiful prose”. It’s also been described as Leila Slimani’s Lullaby (which I found deliciously creepy) meets Rosemary’s Baby (one of my all-time favourites). So when I saw it on NetGalley, I had to have it!
The story starts with Lauren and Patrick, about to become parents for the first time, of twins no less. We soon witness the boys’ birth – warning: some of those scenes made my entire reproductive system go on lock-down, I swear I felt my ovaries cringe and hide! Although I found it interesting enough, at that moment I wasn’t captivated by the story yet. In all fairness, I think this has less to do with the actual story and more with me not being a mother myself. I felt Lauren’s emotions – Melanie Golding is quite good at making you empathise with her characters – but I’m sure a parent will feel it much deeper than I ever could.
As the story continues, Lauren struggles, Patrick’s pretty useless, and the situation goes from bad to worse until it all spirals out of control when Lauren dozes off and loses sight of her boys. Before long, they’re back with their mother, and luckily, they’re completely fine! Or are they? Nobody seems to notice anything weird about the boys, but Lauren does. She, the only one who can even tell them apart, is sure that neither baby is her own. And mother always knows best, doesn’t she? But then why won’t anyone believe her? My heart broke for Lauren at this point. That was the moment when I realised that the story had completely sucked me in and I was totally invested and I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. Melanie Golding does a mighty fine job here, hinting, muddying the waters, playing with the duality of emotions versus reason and imagination versus reality, and how on earth does a little old lady with Alzheimer’s fit into this jigsaw puzzle?! Not only could I not figure out which way the story was heading, I couldn’t even decide which way I wanted it to go :-) One thing’s for sure though: it was a fun ride getting there!
Highly recommended for lovers of the changelings lore and / or psychological thrillers with a sprinkling of the supernatural, especially if you like strong female characters and creepy babies.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've already shared my review on Goodreads and my blogpost on Twitter.

This was a cracker of a book. Before I started to read this, I read that it was going to be made into a film. All the way through, I kept thinking, yep, going to be a fantastic film. It was almost written for it. Not all books work, but this will.

Lauren is a lovely person, you can just sense her goodness. Not so sure about hubby. Think she could have done better. But together two beautiful twin boys are born, and then if all goes downhill.

The book captures the imagination as the storyline moves between Lauren, the slightly ‘craxy’ new Mum, and Harper, a detective with a back story, who believes something is not right. Just a little not right, but can’t quite put her finger on it.

I can already sense the ‘feels’ from the film.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane books got the opportunity to read and review.

This is an eerie page-turner of a book! I love how it kept me guessing and managed to throw a surprise twist here and there. The writing is fantastic and so vivid, especially a scene after she's given birth, that it made me physically cringe. Very impressed with this one!



Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Starts off with a bang and never lets up! This book is one fantastic supernatural thriller. It bites down into the heart of fear and the core of motherhood, and sinks it’s teeth in for the full duration with the tenacity of a rabid wolf. Is the main character mentally disturbed, or is she the victim of an aggrieved vicious spirit that will stop at nothing to take her children away? At what point does the mother, the most sacred of protectors against the world, become and innocent baby’s most dangerous enemy? All these questions leave you reeling towards a heart pounding conclusion that leaves you almost emotionally and mentally exhausted. Stephen King could not, himself, have come up with a more harrowing tell to curdle the blood of any loving mother and many fathers as well.

Genuinely creepy! New mother of twins Lauren is exhausted and imagining things, or is she. When someone attempts to abduct her children before she even leaves the hospital she isn’t believed by her husband or the hospital staff. With references to dark fairytales, this book is excellent. The suspense builds as Lauren realizes what she must do to save her own twins. Very unsettling and dark, excellent psychological thriller.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Little Darlings
by Melanie Golding (Goodreads Author)
M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review Nov 19, 2018 · edit
it was amazing

Amazing... "Rosemary's Baby" meets the Twilight Zone. A tour de force Debut work of art by Melanie Golding. A mythical , creepy fairy tale with a psychological thriller component. The twisted and eerie story unfolds in effortless prose that sweeps the reader along. The initial concept involves a possible paranoia of young mother, Lauren ... after an exhausting delivery of twin boys. Even while still in the hospital she envisions an event in which a strange women attempts to steal her babies and replace them with "identical" babies. She locks herself in the bathroom with her babies and calls the police ... none of the hospital staff or even her husband believe this actually occurred and is a result of a psychotic break due to exhaustion. Only Detective inspector Jo Harper suspects there is some substance to her "alleged" event.
After Lauren goes home the story ramps up with intrigue and unexplained happenings that question the her reality ... and question the motives of her husband, who is certainly less than supportive in her postpartum exhaustion and even suggestive of the presence of philandering.
Eventually responding to urgings of friends and her husband she ventures out of the house to meet with friends at a cafe. Afterword to extend her outing in the "fresh air" she strolls through the part with the baby carriage only to be suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. She sits down on the park bench for a "brief" nap, and then suddenly awakens to the awful realization that her babies and carriage are gone. A tense police search occurs while the park is locked down ... only to find the abandoned baby carriage ... however with the babies still inside.
However, Lauren immediately perceives multiple variations in both of the babies demeanor .. and knows that these "babies" are not hers. The narrative ratchets up in a twisted creepy almost mythical storyline the results in an unexpected but satisfying conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Land Books for supplying the ARC for my reading enjoyment in exchange for an honest review. Melanie Golding is immediately added to my Authors to follow list.

This book was exquisite. The writing just blew me away, it was so creepy yet beautifully written I just couldn't stop reading it! Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.
The story is about Lauren and Patrick and the birth of their twin boys. The story begins with the birth of the babies and what follows is both horrifying and fascinating. While Lauren is in the hospital recovering from the birth of her two boys she hears a frightening woman behind the curtain next to her talking to what could be a baby bird or cat and Lauren's imagination goes to work. The doctors feel that she is just overly tired and imagining things. The next time she hears the voice she gets up to see who is behind the curtain where she is confronted by a frightening woman who wants to swap her creatures for Lauren's twins. Lauren grabs her babies and locks herself in the bathroom and calls the police. Again, the doctors write it off to lack of sleep and send them home. Lauren is terrified that this woman will come and take her babies and begins locking herself in her room and refusing to go outside. Her husband finally talks her into getting out with boys for some fresh air and when she falls asleep on the park bench she awakens to her worst nightmare....her boys are gone.
Needless to say this book was really good. I loved the small details like at the beginning of each chapter there was a short poem or story about changelings, it definitely set the mood for the book. I seriously had a hard time putting this one down. I've already been raving about it to my library staff!

This is a creepy book.
The subject matter, missing children , is upsetting and evil connotations make it even creepier.
It is, however, a very good read.
As I read this novel I found myself thinking the mother did it, or the girlfriend or the father...or maybe evil something..
This author has a bright future. Her book was very readable and kept drawing me back to find out what was next.
Te ending was not really what I was hoping for given the rest of the book, but I still very much enjoyed the writing.

Wow! An excellent chilling tale that had me gripped from beginning to end.

After Lauren gives birth to her twins, a woman attempts to abduct them but nobody believes her. A few weeks pass and exhausted from caring for the twins, Lauren falls asleep while resting during a stroll with her babies and awakes to find the stroller and the twins are gone! Fortunately, they are found quickly but Lauren is convinced that they are not her babies. They have been swapped with someone else's!

The story follows Lauren's incarceration in a psychiatric unit since she is considered a threat to her children when nobody believes her claims that her children are not hers and Lauren's fight to get out and do what needs to be done to get her babies back.

Keeps you guessing to the end as to whether Lauren is delusional or events happened as she believes.

Full disclosure: I probably picked the wrong time in my life to read "Little Darlings," the debut novel by Melanie Golding, because my wife is six months pregnant with twins. I would not let her near my copy of this novel, the story of Lauren, her newborn twin boys, and the story of changelings, people who disappear and come back looking like your loved one, but not acting like him/her. I did not really know much about the plot before I started this novel, and I was pleasantly surprised by how fast this story moved along. There were times when I sat down to read and huge chucks of the book passed without me even thinking. If I could afford the time to sit down and read a book straight through, I feel like this is one that would be easy to read in one sitting.

The plot moves at the pace of a mystery, but the characters are well developed and defined, to the point where the reader starts to root for certain characters and hate others. I will say (and maybe this is because I am going to be the father of twins soon) that I wanted to punch Patrick, her husband, hard in the face. There is nothing likable about him, especially in the way that he deals with the new additions to the family. Golding really does such a good job making him a heel and using him as such that none of the actions that he takes throughout the entire book are out of character for him. This consistency in all of her characters makes for a strong novel with a believable story. Because of this the attachment that I had for these characters was much stronger than most novels. For this, I really enjoyed "Little Darlings" and I cannot recommend it enough. I just hope that we don't have similar experiences with twin babies and Lauren and Patrick have.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Melanie Golding and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of this novel.

Wow. This was an exciting, suck you in and don't let go thriller. I read this book in two days, since I needed to know what happened next. Well written, exciting story. I loved it.

Oh boy, this book was really creepy for me, considering is not the genre I usually go for, but OMG I loved it so much. I could not put it down. I was so intrigued from the moment I read the blurb and I am so glad I read it coz it wasn't like anything I've read before.
The storry was told so well and I really fell in love with the author. And I would love to read more of her. Boy I can't wait to see the movie now and I really hope they don't change anything coz the book itself was amazing. Thank you netgalley for this chance and I highly recommend this book.
This storry for sure will stay with me for a long long time. 5 star must read

Little Darlings is a terrifying story that will haunt your thoughts long after you finish it. The original Grimm’s fairy tales are not sweet and innocent; they are bloody, violent, and scary. Folktales that have been told for hundreds of years can be the same. What if they were true? What if the horrible things that happened in them could actually happen to you?

Is getting lost in dark creepy stories one of your favorite things? Then Little Darlings could turn out to be one of your favorite books. As a caution though, if you’re pregnant, this might be one you want to pass on for now.

Lauren gives birth to twins, but while she is in the hospital, someone tries to switch her babies with theirs. But she is the only one in the hospital with twins. The doctors and everyone else, except for one cop, tells her that she is imagining things, that her babies are just fine. And she is convinced they are fine, but she is afraid to fall asleep, afraid that if she does, her two precious boys will be stolen. And one day, she falls asleep. When she wakes up, they are gone.

This book is about a mother’s worst nightmare. I was completely wrapped up in what Lauren was feeling and so thankful that neither of my babies was ever abducted, especially by someone that no one else could see or hear.

There are so many red herrings—or are they?—in this terrifying tale: the river woman, a female friend of her husband, Lauren herself. Yes, there were times that I was convinced the mother was crazy and had done it herself.

Once you start this book, be prepared to stay up all night reading until you reach the end. On every page, there is an undercurrent of something evil and malicious going on.

I was sent a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks #netgalley for a copy of this book for my review. I must acknowledge this book but so close to home for me. My daughter has just given birth to twin boys, so exciting. But Lauren, the main character has just done the same. She believes someone has changed out her babies and the ones she is raising now are not hers. Everyone plays it or to exhaustion and being a new mother. Her husband doesn’t believe her. You must read this book, it is so well written, proves you don’t need blood and guts to scare the Hell out of people. This book is so creepy and I admit, I’ve been watching my grand babies like a hawk since then.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was definitely a book that kept you thinking! I would definitely recommend this book to fellow readers. Thank you!

"The child is not mine as the first was, I cannot sing it to rest, I cannot lift it up fatherly and bliss it upon my breast; Yet it lies in my little one's cradle, And sits in my little one's chair, And the light of the heaven she's gone to transfigures its golden hair."
~ From The Changeling by James Russell Lowell

Lauren Tranter has just been blessed by giving birth to healthy twin boys—Riley and Morgan. As with all new mothers, the lack of sleep and anxiety of being a new mom plays upon Lauren’s health, both physically and mentally. In fact, when she swears that a woman cloaked in black entered her hospital room to steal her babies and exchange them for something insidious, no one believes her, and she’s left wondering if perhaps she did have a mental breakdown. But continued scratchings on the window, glimpses of the woman in black and the deep down fear of knowing her children are in danger puts Lauren over the edge. How far will Lauren go and what sacrifice will she make to protect Riley and Morgan…a mother knows her children, right?

Little Darlings is an addictive nail biter with a sinister fairy tale undertone. So frightening in passages, I found myself pushing the book away. Highly recommend!

Loved this book!! The story was haunting from beginning to end. No one and nothing is what it seems. Having a baby is scary enough without the dangers told in Little Darlings. Read it with the light on.

On the night that Lauren Tranter gives birth to twin boys, she swears another mother in the next room attempts to take swap the twins. Unable to locate the other mother, Lauren is lead down an emotional and terrifying journey.

This book will leave you sleepless, just like Lauren. I was terrified- I may have even checked my closet before bed. Haunting and beautifully written. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to be frightened.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

From the cover...

Deep, Dark, Utterly additive...
Be warned—you can't unread this story. It will haunt you."
-Theresa Driscoll.

In an extraordinary coincidence, I watched the movie, The Changeling, a couple of days before I read this novel.
I became completely absorbed in the movie, the ending sending tears streaming down my face.
At the very end, I was jolted once more when I was reminded that the film was based on a true story, sending chills up and down my spine and taking my breath away.

Two days later, I started reading this novel.....

"The child is not mine as the first was,
I cannot sing it to rest,
I cannot lift it up fatherly
And bliss it upon my breast;
Yet it lies in my little one’s cradle
And sits in my little one’s chair,
And the light of the heaven she’s gone to
Transfigures its golden hair."

From...
Wait for it.....
The Changeling by James Russell Lowell!

And so, from the very beginning, I was a little freaked out, brimming with trepidation to read this book, but I couldn't deny my overwhelming curiosity and anticipation of what was to come in Melanie Golding's debut novel, Little Darlings.


'AUGUST 17TH
PEAK DISTRICT, UK
DS Joanna Harper stood on the viaduct with the other police officers . On the far bank, across the great expanse of the reservoir, a woman paused at the water’s edge, about to go in, her twin baby boys held tightly in her arms. Harper turned to the DI. “How close are the officers on that side?”
Dense woodland surrounded the scrap of shore where the woman stood. Even at this distance, Harper could see that her legs were scarlet with blood from the thorns.
“Not close enough,” said Thrupp. “They can’t find a way to get to her.”
In a fury of thudding, the helicopter flew over their heads, disturbing the surface of the reservoir, bellowing its command: Step away from the water. It loomed above the tiny figure of the mother, deafening and relentless, but the officers on board wouldn’t be able to stop her. There was nowhere in the valley where the craft could make a safe landing, or get low enough to drop the winch.
Through the binoculars, Harper saw the woman collapse into a sitting position on the dried-out silt, her face turned to the sky, still clutching the babies. Perhaps she wouldn’t do it, after all.
A memory surfaced then, of what the old lady had said to her:
“She’ll have to put them in the water, if she wants her own babies back … Right under the water. Hold ’em down.”
The woman wasn’t sitting at the water’s edge anymore; she was knee-deep, and wading further in. The DS kicked off her shoes, climbed up on the rail and prepared to dive.'

'How to Protect Your Child

1. Placing a key next to an infant will prevent him from being exchanged.
2. Woman may never be left alone during the first six weeks following childbirth, for the devil then has more power over them.
3. During the first six weeks following childbirth, mothers may not go to sleep until someone has come to watch the child. If mothers are overcome by sleep, changelings are often laid in the cradle.
Jacob Grimm'

********
Wow!!! ★★★★★ Creepy-fest stars!

As if I wasn't unnerved enough by the flashes from the movie, the changelings, Melanie adds elements of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales to the mix, creating a toxic brew that is an inescapable, mesmerizing, riveting, and extraordinary debut in Little Darlings!

There were moments when I had to clench my teeth together at what Lauren was having to endure. Times I needed to stop reading the words on the pages, close my eyes, take deep breaths, calm my pounding heart, steel my nerves to continue!
After all.... I HAD to see what happened next!!!

Take Theresa Driscoll's warning to heart!!! And believe it!!
My thoughts are not meant to put you off reading Little Darlings.
I'm simply encouraging you.....
No....
I'm DARING you to RISK IT!!

With thanks to NetGalley, Melanie Golding, and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced reading digital copy of this book for me to read and review.
*NOTE
I was unable to find anywhere that said this is an uncorrected proof, not to be quoted from but keep in mind that the quoted part from the novel may change from this copy to the official published novel to be released for purchase in April, 2019.

This really was a very creepy book. And I agree with those who've compared it to Grimm so-called fairy tales. The vibe is certainly there. It's like this book should come with a bookmark of warnings: Behold, herein lies the following nightmare you will have...especially if you are a mother.

It's the BEST book ever for this season, especially if you live in England and dark branches keep brushing against your window at night, while you're still up, deeply into your other world. The moon shines through the blinds. Somewhere in the distance a child screems...no, that can't be? You're so deep into the book, you can't even tell what's real and what's fictional.

I will certainly look out for Melanie Golding's next books as well.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a delicious read! Filled with images of fairy tales and changeling babies it reminded me of my childhood. Let me say, the beginning of this book is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions of birth and the aftermath were so vivid it was hard to read at times. Then the palpable fear of this new mother as she believes her children are in danger, was overwhelming and really very disturbing. And I mean that in only the very best of ways. This was a compulsive page turner. Then to find out this is a debut novel. Mind blown. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

This book was creepy good!! Sucked me right in and didn't let go until the end.

Lauren Tranter has just given birth to twin boys. While recovering overnight in the hospital she is given the scare of her life when a homeless women attempts to kidnap her babies. Muttering something about rivers and swapping babies, Lauren is terrified and anxious to return home. Once home she is too frightened to take her boys outside and stays shut up in her house. Her husband starts to become frustrated and encourages her to meet some friends out. She reluctantly meets her friends and has a great time. The meet up tires her out and she dozes on the park bench. When she wakes up her boys are gone and she is hysterical. Once reunited she is certain the woman from the hospital has returned and swapped her boys out with different beings. No one believes her and she starts to doubt herself.

I really enjoyed this book and could definitely see it being made into a movie. The characters were all believable and likeable (except for Lauren's husband Patrick, yuck). I appreciated all the Grimm and fairy tale quotes at the beginning of each chapter. This story had a little bit of everything: marriage drama, supernatural/paranormal, mystery, etc. It was very well written and I would recommend it!

Loved the book. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I spent half the time trying to decide if Lauren was really experiencing depression or if this other lady from the sea was real. As crazy as it sounds little things in the book like the storybook she received make you wonder. Another theory I had and still am wondering about is was her husband trying to drive her crazy? He seems content at the end on keeping her in the hospital so maybe knowing she was in a fragile state hr tried to push her over the edge to continue his affair. I love that she had the police on her side especially after the camera footage. Even after the book ends it keeps you guessing. I will read this again just to satisfy my curiosity

Almost any one who has ever read Grimm's or other fairy tales or folklore of that ilk (so basically, everyone) can relate to the subconscious thought of the possibility of fairies, trolls under the bridge, and horrid witches who steal your children. Little Darlings will have you wondering if Lauren, a mother of twins with some initial trouble bonding due to a traumatic delivery, has postpartum psychosis or if there really is a woman, real or mythic, trying to steal her babies. Her husband, Patrick, is no help at all from the get-go when he refuses to help out with late night feedings, to being unable to support her emotionally when she is going through her crisis due to his own secretive life. The officer investigating the babies' kidnapping is much more involved and on Lauren's side, to the point of unprofessionally involving a reporter (who may or may not be a love interest) in helping her research the case. Soon to be made into a movie, it should make for interesting watching, indeed!

Melanie Golding's debut novel, Little Darlings, is a frightening mix of fantasy, folklore, delusion and desperation. Little Darlings excels at making you believe in the unbelievable-that the bump in the night is real, that monsters dwell in the deep sea and are coming for your children, that there's danger hiding in every bush, that mothers know everything and will always keep you safe. Logic flies out the window in this harrowing story of newborn twin boys abducted in broad daylight, and the search for the ghoulish sea creature their mother says is the kidnapper. Miss Golding must have one heck of an imagination to come up with a story so freakish it can't possibly be fake. Little Darlings will scare the living daylights out of you and keep you up at night. It's prose is lyrical, it's plot is fantastical, it's ending ambiguous-but all in a satisfying way. So you won't turn off the lights for weeks after you finish Little Darlings? A small price to pay for such a tantalizing treat of a book.

Wow is how I am going to describe this book. It is a chilling, twisting story of a new mom, Lauren Tranter, who is convinced her newborn twin sons have been switched by a swamp woman that only she can see. This isn't my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book. It is kind of a mix of fantasy, fairy tale with a little sci-fi mixed it. This is very well written and I really enjoyed it. I immediately disliked Lauren's husband, Patrick, as he was a real piece of work. I really liked DS Joanna Harper and her role in this book. Great story line and a really great read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren is a new mother of twin boys, Morgan and Riley. She knows she's exhausted, but is she going mad? She is convinced she caught someone attempted to take her boys and rep;ace them with.....what? Then, a month later, she is at the park when the twins disappear. They are found, but she *knows* these boys are not her own. They look like them, but there's something very different and wrong, and Lauren knows it.
She also knows postpartum is real. Everyone looks as her as if she is crazy, even her husband. She must risk it all to find her boys - no matter what.
This book was fantastically creepy! It is a dark thriller that kept my attention the whole way through. Definitely different from the "normal" thriller!
Thank you to Melanie Golding, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book!

Golding delivers what is sure to be one of the books of 2019 with this stunning debut.
A dark fable of changelings in the vein of the Grimm Brothers, it's an unsettling horror story about motherhood and post-natal depression. Golding perfectly captures the world of a new mother, along with the fears of expectation and isolation that often come with it.
The fable of the changeling is one that is known through many cultures, and Golding weaves the notion into the story with a cleverly-constructed plot that keeps you guessing until the final pages. For every supernatural theory there is a equally plausible human one and you are never quite sure if you are experiencing something otherworldly or a mother's mental decline.
Brilliant stuff.

Little Darlings is the first novel by Melanie Golding and I can't wait to see what her next story will be about. Fair warning, there were times I couldn't put the book down and others where the goose bumps wouldn't stop! When I wasn't in the process of actually reading I found myself thinking about this story. I was given an early copy to review.

Remember their names!!

4.5 stars! Don't you love when a thrilling premise is executed perfectly? Little Darlings is super creepy, chilling and a page-turner. This should come with a warning - do not read if you are pregnant!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh gosh, where do I even begin with this review? This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and I'm still trying to process it almost a week later.

Little Darlings tells the story of a woman named Lauren, who gives birth to twin boys. As a new mom, she's a bit stressed, tired, and unsure of herself. Understandable. I think every mom remembers how that can be. But there's something more going on with Lauren. Something more sinister. Lauren knows there is someone there, watching her and her boys, waiting to snatch them away from her. She knows she must do whatever it takes to protect her babies, even though everyone, including her husband, thinks she's acting a bit crazy.

When the unthinkable happens while out for a stroll in the park, Lauren hopes she'll finally prove to everyone she's not as crazy as they thought. But when her babies are returned safe and sound, she insist they're not hers and have been switched with something else. Unfortunately, that just makes everyone believe she's crazier than ever, and they lock her away. But what happens when the others around her start buying into the craziness? Is Lauren perhaps telling the truth? Or has the stress of being a new mother become too much for Lauren to bear, ultimately messing with her mind completely?

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Little Darlings. It was an intense thrill ride that explored the depths of emotion new moms deal with. I liked that the story touched on Lauren's inability to bond with her sons right away. She worried there was something wrong, because every mother is expected to immediately fall in love with their baby. By not doing so, Lauren feared there might be something wrong with her. I related to that, because I went through the same thing with my first. When I had my son, I looked at him and thought, "What am I supposed to do with this baby now? I'm not cut out to be a mom. Take him back." Eventually that went away, but I think it's important for women to know that it doesn't always happen right away, that bond. It may take some time. With my second, I was in love the moment I laid eyes on him. So, yeah. That was a nice touch to the story.

I didn't particularly care for Lauren's husband. I thought he was a useless, rude, unhelpful jerk at times. He put so much pressure, and all of the child-caring burdens, on Lauren, and then he acted like he was a victim of sorts when Lauren had her moment. He frustrated me, and I didn't like him at all.

I did like Jo, though. She's a cop, and she was a character who seemed to have more of an open mind and a willingness to help Lauren. She was probably my favorite character.

The plot moves along at a nice pace, building up the tension and the worry. It's creepy and unsettling at times, and it makes you wonder constantly if Lauren was really insane, or if she was telling the truth, even though it seemed so far-fetched it couldn't actually be true.

Overall, I am so glad I took a chance on Little Darlings. It's a fantastic read that showcases the stigma mothers face when it comes to mental health issues. They're not taken seriously. They're expected to be perfect and capable 100% of the time all the time. Moms aren't allowed to have bad days. They aren't allowed to be stressed or depressed or worried. They're expected to go-go-go constantly. And I really liked that this story shone a light on just how ridiculous that is, and how women need tender love and care after becoming new moms. Help them. Guide them. Treat them with respect. Take them seriously.

if you're a fan of folklore mixed with horror, definitely check out Little Darlings. You won't be disappointed.

Laura swears that she was attacked in her hospital room, shortly after the birth of her twins. She is written off as a tired, new mother when the police are involved. Her husband and the doctors think that she is imagining things. When she gets home, things start to get worse. She starts seeing that woman outside of her house. Again, she is written off as being a tired new mother. Then she takes the twins out for a walk in a park. Where they disappear. The twins are found shortly after being reported missing. But Laura swears that there is something different about them. She needs to bring her boys back. How is she going to do that? Are the myths and legends about changelings to be believed? Or is Laura suffering from a form of postpartum psychosis?

I couldn’t wait to read Little Darlings. From the reviews that I have read, the book was going to be fantastic. So, when I finally got around to reading, I was excited. Little Darlings has earned every bit of praise that has been thrown its way. When a book has me wondering which end is up, it is good!!

I wish that I hadn’t put it off. This book is that good. It is also super creepy. The bit of folklore that the author chose to put at the beginning of each chapter only added to the supernaturalness of the book. I loved it!!

What I also liked is that I didn’t know what was true. Was everything that Laura was experiencing real or in her head? That is what I liked the most about this book. The author did a great job of putting up both sides. And then she does a fantastic job of letting you make your own conclusion at the end of the book. Like I mentioned above, I love it when a book can keep me guessing about what actually happened. Even after it was over.

The end of Little Darlings sent a chill up my spine. Not going to get into it but let’s say that enough doubt is cast that I wondered what happened. The epilogue (well, I wouldn’t quite call it that) was what made me think. It also made me sit and think for a while after I finished the book.

I gave Little Darlings a 4-star rating. This was a creepy book to read. The characters were relatable. The plotlines were fast paced and well written.

I would give Little Darlings an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and cheating. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Little Darlings. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

This left me breathless! The author has created every mother’s ultimate nightmare in this brilliant debut novel. I love the little bits of folklore and mythology intertwined with the story. It reminded me that fairy tales are essentially horror stories, too. The Dark Lady (I just call her/it that) gave me chills highly reminiscent of Koji Suzuki's Sadako.


The story feels like a metaphor on postpartum depression. At the beginning I was brought back to the labor room. It perfectly captured the horror of childbirth, the post op, and the first few magical but very stressful days of having a newborn.
 It speaks of a woman's journey towards motherhood stripped off of the rainbows and butterflies, and with only the gory details laid bare. It's about the ultimate sacrifice of not owning your body anymore, of having little strangers arrive in your life that you try so hard to love, the constant fear, and the huge weight of this lifetime of responsibility.


As a mother, I can say that this also helped me face the nightmares still hidden in my memories. I am grateful to have a wonderful husband who shares parenting tasks with me as equally as possible. But the truth is being a mother is a nightmare wrapped in sweet dreams. Is it worth it? Yes, but as this novel ultimately shows--it just may cost you your sanity.

I loved this book! A magically twisted story of a woman who fears her newborn twins have been abducted. It is not scary, but has some creepy elements, like a dark fairy tale. The author beautifully describes the exhausting and difficult days following childbirth, I found myself relating to the main character. This story makes you question what is real and what is fantasy. A page turner I didn’t want to end!

This was a chillingly creeptastic book! This contemporary version of a dark fairy tale kept me turning pages as the story twisted along. I loved the horror and thriller dimensions of this book. This was a great read for me because it was psychologically thrilling and supernatural horrifying without being gory. I especially loved how this combined elements of so many genres in such a spectacular way. This was unique and I highly recommend it!

This story is about a delusional woman. Lauren has just given birth to twin boys when she believes that they have been switched with another demonic set of twins belonging to a woman who lives in the river. Lauren believes that she must take the twins to the river and put them under water in order to get her babies back. Her husband tries to make Lauren believe otherwise. What a read!

I'm still thinking about this book and it's been about two weeks since I finished it. As a mother I think my heart was a solid boulder in my stomach for most of this book. As a parent we all know that we would go to the ends of the earth for our children and Little Darlings is a prime example of that, just in a creepy, haunting way.

Is Lauren crazy? Is her husband? What's real and what's not? All questions I had the entire time reading this book and even after ending I am still asking those questions. This to me means the author put her work in and gave us exactly what she set out to. These kinds of books are quickly becoming a favorite of mine and I assure you that this one will not be easily forgotten.

This review will have spoilers so please only read on if you don't mind them.

-----------------------------------------------------

The book opens with a pretty graphic birthing scene, which in all honesty almost made me stop reading the book completely. Now I read a lot of gory horror books, but there is something about the graphic detail of childbirth which really scares me. Maybe it is because I don't have children and I've never been through it I just assume it will be the worst moment of my life.

However I continued to read and I'm so glad I did as I really enjoyed this little book. I loved the tone it sets from the moment she has had the children and meets the strange woman trying to steal her babies. I felt on edge during my entire read through and even though I knew there must be a logical explanation as to what is going on, I couldn't help but wonder if her babies were the creatures after all...

You find yourself sympathising and believing everything Lauren had said, you resented her husband on her behalf for not being proactive and helping her with the two newborn babies. You found her friends annoying on her behalf because they were thriving and she wasn't, and you felt her exhaustion and hallucinating state through each turn of the page. It made me want to swoop in and look after the babies for a few hours whilst she had a nap, there is something about her character where you just feel so sad and sorry for her.

Now I believe this book was a look into post natal depression despite them never actually saying that is what she was suffering from, it simply states that she has mental health issues. For someone who doesn't have children yet this terrifies me and now knowing that you could believe the things that haven't happened and then going on to potentially harm your children, wow. It deals with this subject very well, although not throwing the subject in your face it very much brings the seriousness of post natal depression to the surface. It really made me feel sad for her and it moved me deeply that she felt so alone and that she didn't recognise her own babies because of the dark thoughts she was having.

However the one thing which set the book back slightly were the chats with another mother who went through a similar situation, thinking her babies had been snatched and replaced too. Their situations were identical, so was it post natal depression after all or real? You don't get the closure you expect, but I do not necessarily dislike that. I quite like that the ending it left to keep you thinking about it, and it did keep me pondering about the story for a few days.

Regardless of whatever was going on you know that Lauren just loved her babies and wanted what she thought was best and safe for them. You do not end the book disliking her at all, you feel so much for her and her babies.

I highly recommend picking this up if you want a short read that tackles this highly upsetting subject in such a thrilling way and eerie way.

I'm easily lured in by books that promise to unsettle me, but often I am disappointed. I was delighted to find that this was not the case with Little Darlings. Melanie Golding manages to weave together contemporary life and a distinct feeling of folktale that combine for one deeply, deeply creepy novel. It would be a shame to give away any of the plot, but it's definitely worth picking up - in fact, I was pretty devastated that it wasn't out in time to give as a Christmas gift!

When I read the synopsis of this novel, I instantly knew it was the one for me. Little Darlings is the story of Lauren Tranter, and her struggle after giving birth to twin boys. A woman appears in the hospital, threatening to switch Lauren's babies for her own, but is this woman a figment of Lauren's imagination, or is she real? Are Lauren's babies actually changelings?

This is a great exploration of new motherhood, mental illness, and the pervasiveness of legend and folklore. Set in the Peak District, a place you can well imagine fairies and elves could live, Little Darlings is a lyrical yet contemporary story. Golding writes with an impressive flair - her ability to capture so many excellent characters, from Lauren to DS Harper, a police officer who seems to avoid the most commonly used tropes, to Amy the journalist. Little Darlings is truly such a brilliant book, I can't quite believe it's a debut.

4.5 stars for the amount of goosebumps and chills this gave me as I was reading it. An unsettling tale about the realness of postpartum depression paired with paranoia and being dismissed as crazy, Little Darlings was the creepiest thing I’ve read in recent memory.

No one really tells you how it is when you have a baby - this was so detailed with the labor, the pains, the tearing and blood, that it gave me a mental panic attack just thinking about having to go through that process someday (probably very soon). And the aftermath of not wanting to leave home and being afraid that someone will harm you and your newborn babies, I know it’s a very real fear some women have to endure so to have it paired with the darkness of the prospect of having changelings in place of your babies is so disturbing.

In regards to the main characters, I really only liked one of them. Lauren was filled with paranoia and a real sense of urgency from the moment she encountered the river lady and she just felt like a broken damsel in distress the entire way through. Jo/Harper was the fearless woman I needed and was searching for to balance out the unsteadiness of character from Lauren. Patrick, the mansplaining husband who I disliked more and more with every chapter, was utterly useless. The entire book was so creepy and eerie - a perfect literary example of a nightmare. I’m no stranger to fairy tales or Brothers Grimm stories, but when it’s retold in a contemporary setting with a realness that makes you think “what if….” - it’s haunting.

I really enjoyed this terrific novel! Although I was left with more questions than answers, this novel was fantastic. I recommend it to any reader who favors novels of psychological suspense. I found the background information regarding the worldwide myths of changeling babies very interesting. I did a little internet research on these myths & found some of the same information as Ms. Golding noted in this novel.
Were the babies Morgan & Riley replaced by Selver & Bishop? Was the river mother Betty Fairweather, a mill worker during the late 19th century who could operate four looms at once? When the divers discovered the partial skeleton of a female along with 2 small bodies in the reservoir, were these the bodies of Betty Fairweather & her sons?
What actually happened to Lauren Tranter? Was she a woman suffering from post partum depression who merely imagined her twin babies were changelings? Or did something bizarre occur?
Why did Patrick Tranter overstate his wife’s mental illness?
For a debut novel Melanie Golding has proven herself to be a very gifted author. I plan on reading her future novels.
Thank you, Net Galley and the publisher Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read & review this terrific novel.

A weirdly scary story. It’s gripping and intense. It will give you nightmares and make you question the sanity of people. The author tells a horrifying tale of a mother losing her mind after the birth of her children. She gets no support from her spouse and creates and incident that is a tangled mess. It is creepy and sad at the same time. You will not be able to put it down until the end.

A creepy and atmospheric story that contains elements of the Grimm Fairy Tales.

In the maternity ward, a mysterious woman appears in Lauren’s room at night and tries to take Lauren’s twin boys and replace them with her own creatures. The doctors and husband put it off as Lauren just seeing things due to exhaustion, but Lauren knows the truth. What will a mother do to save her twin boys?

This book really incites paranoia because it rides on the aged old fear of new mothers losing their newborns. In this book, a newly made Mum goes hysterical when she believes her two newborn twins have been swapped by faeries, and no one believes her even till the very end.
It is terrifying, it is gripping, and worst of all it is relatable.
It makes me actually fear having kids and if the book manages to do that, then I think it has succeeded.

This book is not without weaknesses though. I felt that the scene where Lauren escaped to swap her babies should have been covered in more detail. So what actually happened underwater? Also, what were the motivations of that faerie Mother who swapped her kids only to be thankful to have them back few days later? Then, what’s the point of swapping?
The book has potential to be even more enthralling, if it explores deeper into how the faerie babies carried themselves, and the motives of the faerie Mother. More time should also have been spent on why the perpetrator looks like Lauren, and sounds like Lauren (according to the cyclist witness and the CCTV tape). It was never explained why.
So that’s one star gone for all that.

I requested this book back in November from Net galley and completely forgot about it until searching through my kindle TBR list. It sounded interesting enough so I started it yesterday evening. Well...I stayed up way past my bedtime devouring this book, it has such a unique concept. So much so that it's hard to put this book into one genre. It has elements of a psychological thriller, horror and dark fairy tale/folklore.

I went into this thinking it was a psychological thriller so I was very suprised to discover it was a whole lot more. This whole book gave me Rosemarys Baby vibes which is a positive as it's one of my favourite movies, talking of movies this is already being made into a film and I can definitely see why and I will also be watching the movie adaption as soon as it is released, definitely my cup of tea.

This book filled me with so many emotions. Not only was it seriously creepy but it touched the serious topic of post partum anxiety and psychosis. I think it is due to the fact that my youngest is only 5 months old so the worries and concerns that Lauren has at the start of the book really hit home and I could relate to a lot of what she was thinking and feeling and also the utter trauma she faces, you really do feel for her. It truly was terrifying in parts but not in the cliche way a horror usually is, this is on a more phsycological way that really gets you thinking about everything Lauren is going through. Again, this is probably because I am a mother and my Baby is still very young.  I'm not saying that only other parents will find this utterly creepy and disturbing because I am sure this would give everyone a huge shiver up the spine.

It is very cleverly written so you are always going backwards and forwards in terms of what you think Lauren is experiencing, one minute I was convinced it's post partum psychosis that Lauren is experiencing then the next paragraph the writer makes you question yourself and think "no could it really be...??"

My only small dislike with this book, which stopped me giving it 5 stars was the chapters which included the detective and her love interest Amy the reporter. I found these chapters that focussed on these characters were slightly unnecessary and didn't add any substance to the book for me.

I would love to read more of Melanie Goldings books in the future if they are in anyway as good as this one. This book is released on 2nd May in the UK.

Thank you Net galley and Crooked house books for sending me the digital ARC of this book. All views are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book! What a STORY!!! I truly thought one thing and something else would happen. The ending was a huge surprise.

A mother’s worse fear…what happens when the newborns you just gave birth to have “changed”? New mother Lauren is about to find out, she swears that her newborn twins are crying different, singing, and are having eye color changes…but are they? Or is she just crazy? This book was great, the suspense slowly built up and you would think one thing and something totally out of left field would happen. Very unsettling and a read that will keep you up…until the haunting end.

Lauren Tranter is exhausted. After the rough birth of her twins and complications after, Lauren just needs rest. Yet she cannot, especially after a woman tried to take her children and replace them with creatures. No one believes Lauren but she knows what she saw. A month later, Lauren's twins disappear from the park and when they are found, Lauren knows that something is wrong with them. The twins look the same to everyone else, but a mother knows her children best. Lauren learns that if she wants to get her own children back, she must do something unthinkable.

I loved Little Darlings by Melanie Golding. I never knew whether I should trust Lauren or if she was going through some sort of postpartum depression. I loved the back and forth of wondering if this folk tale of changelings were true or if Lauren was wrong. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to more from Melanie Golding.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and the author, Melanie Golding, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Little Darlings in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
It is not very often that i get scared from reading a horror novel, nor from watching a scary movie. That being said. I got chills down my spine while reading this book.
I thought the storyline was well written and thoroughly unnerving. It felt so terrifyingly real.
Well worth a read.

This highly readable debut from author Melanie Golding is a clever and creepy reinterpretation of classic folk- and fairy-tales. An elegant melding of crime fiction, fantasy, and horror, it tells the story of a young, isolated mother convinced that her newborn twin baby boys have been switched with "changelings" by a malevolent fairy creature. She is dismissed as unhinged by local law enforcement, except for a rogue police officer convinced there is more to the story than meets the eye.

Every sentence is infused with suspense and dread. The visceral imagery conjured straight from the darkest fairy tales will keep readers trying to decide who is telling the truth until the final page. I also thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of excerpts from fairytales and folktales from around the world, providing context for readers who may not be as familiar with some of the lore alluded to in the novel.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Melanie Golding, as well as NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

LOVED this! Total page turner and I feel kind of bad writing about it because I read a galley and it doesn’t come out until spring, but mark it down on your wishlist because this is so good. Lauren, our main character, gives birth to twins. She’s exhausted, underslept, and overwhelmed, but she knows what she saw….in the middle of the night, a woman crept in and tried to replace Lauren’s babies with her own…creatures. This book was like a modern day take on a Grimm’s fairy tale (LOVE), and it had undertones of Rosemary’s Baby and The Changeling (I’ve read the former, not the latter). Aside from being compulsively readable and totally creepy it was also an honest portrayal of the challenges of new motherhood.

I found this book to be a twisty, mind-teasing, heart-wrenching story that left me questioning my own judgment at times. This puts the reader in the same predicament as the main character, who I found easy to relate to as a new mom myself. The folklore aspect was extremely interesting and intriguing to see how it played out. I also really enjoyed the strong, female detective and the variety of narrator viewpoints presented, although it made it difficult at times to know who to believe. This book was an exciting and refreshing change from my usual mystery reads and really
provides something unique.

Creepy premise almost made me not want to read it - but once started, I couldn't put it down. This is a definite page turner! I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

I've always been a huge fan of mythology and fantasy and it was so cool to see that blended so seamlessly with modern thriller-style writing. This book was a delight.

Creepy chilling a mother gives birth to twins that she is asked to exchange.There is a supernatural eerie goythic feel to this unputdownable book.So well written so multilayered.grab this book highly original .highly entertaining.#netgalley litledarlings #crookedlanebooks,

At times I loved this book at others it took a bit to get through. The characters were well developed and had rough edges as all people do. The husband character was who I had the most trouble with. I simply disliked him and the parts he was in were had to get through because of my extreme dislike.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So creepy - I loved it!

Little Darlings went by so freaking quickly. I honestly couldn't put it down! In it, you will meet Lauren and Patrick. They seem like a lovely married couple expecting their darling babies. However, Patrick's real colors come out rather quickly once those little devils are born. He's the only working parent, since Lauren quit her job. So he makes sure to tell her that he needs to sleep at night instead of her. He may help her every now and then but the twin babies are her job day and night.

I instantly hated Patrick. He's a douche and a terrible husband/father. I wanted Lauren to open her eyes when it came to him, but that didn't happen until the end. Mostly because his secrets came out in the open. Again, I hated him so freaking much!

Then there's Lauren. I have no idea how she's alive because that women barely sleeps. She constantly taking care of the kids. These boys, which Patrick has no idea who is who, were adorable but the devils basically. I don't even like kids right now so I would probably murder my husband if he didn't help with kids - especially if they were twins.

On top of all this family drama, there's sort of a folk tale spin on it. A lady came to visit Lauren at the hospital, after she gave birth, and said that she wanted her kids or to trade at least one of them. See she also had twins but they were changelings. Again, it was creepy and that's pretty much why I devoured it.

Ever since this exchange, Lauren has been constant watch over her two boys, Morgan and Riley. Then one day Patrick tells her to go outside, which was a big no no in my book. So much shit went down after that day and it's why I completely hate Patrick.

This book had so many twists and turns. It also had so many freaking secrets coming out, all Patrick's by the way. It will definitely make you feel for Lauren, hate Patrick, and probably creep you out about babies. I loved this book and I definitely need another one by this author!

A traumatic twin birth can be bad enough, but to be haunted by a Something that wants your babies takes it to a new level of nightmare. This is the situation facing Lauren Tranter as she tries to protect her precious boys, with no help or understanding from her husband, medical professionals or the police.
I loved this book - it was well paced, characters engagingly written and the folktale elements seamlessly entwined into the modern day to give a story that is a little different to many on the shelves today.
I was sad when it ended and look forward to reading more by the author in time.

It all started with the birth of adorable twin boys, then an old book turned up. In Little Darlings the author takes you from ancient fairy tales to modern psychiatric facilities. It is left to you to decide whether this family has been visited by ancient evil or mental illness. Well written and exciting.

Wow! This book kept me hooked all the way until the end! I couldn’t put it down. It was SO good!!

This book was so amazing! It keeps you guessing and then second-guessing. It had me jumping at shadows all night. I read it in about 30 hours, I couldn't put it down. Thank you so much, netgalley, for providing me with an eARC of this. novel. Her prose and storytelling are so spot on and I was gripped by Lauren's authenticity as a new mother. This is creepy and mysterious and Harper is my hero. Well done, 5 stars are a rare occurrence from me!

Little Darlings is a fascinating mix of supernatural thriller, women’s fiction and European folklore.

The main character Lauren is constantly being challenged by her surroundings, her private life and her state of mind. She’s pregnant with twins and the examples of fatigue, duress and hormonal imbalance create a plausible landscape of anxiety and stress that many women report feeling just before and after childbirth.

Wondering what will happen next as she waits in the hospital to give birth, Lauren is terrified of what this change might mean to her marital relationship and when something extremely strange happens it only adds to the tension. Her well-drawn and likeable character is very easy to identify with and relate to, and I believe that many readers will connect with her, because she’s willing to share feelings that most of us might only admit to our best friend.

At the moment when his wife needs him the most, Patrick, Lauren’s husband seems to be suffering a mid-life crisis. He’s an unreliable character, because he’s painted as immature, emotionally distant and rather selfish.

Patrick seems to view his wife as the person who must take care of the domestic chores and somehow also care for a set of newborn twins 24/7. His singular contribution is the money to pay for all it. Patrick’s unwillingness to share the duties at home with the babies is old-fashioned and stereotypical, but it effectively creates a sounding board for Lauren to speak of the many challenges a woman might face in a traditional relationship after childbirth.

Jo Harper is a savvy policewoman, a maverick and Ultra athlete who is the perfect character to sense that something isn’t quite right after something bizarre happens to Lauren in the opening pages. Harper is fearless, listens to her gut, doesn’t always do what she’s told and is the only real ally that Lauren has. Without this intelligent, curious and strong character, the story would certainly have gone in a much different direction.

The truth was only evident to Lauren and Harper, the only two characters in the story who trusted their instincts. There is an important lesson in that for us all, which also ties into the origins of folklore.

The unraveling of personal relationships, fear of change, and loss are tied perfectly in together as the plot moves forward. Lauren’s emotional growth and perseverance to protect her children is very realistic.

While the antagonist is clearly written, the second greatest hurdle may be the differences after the honeymoon phase of a relationship was over and how this deeply affected how Lauren and Patrick interacted with each other afterwards.

There were creepy elements throughout the story, but I would have loved to see a bit more of it, especially in the description of the twins.

Dark, sensory details are painted in to remind us of something happening and keep the reader guessing. The unknown threat blooms into a crescendo of true danger and peril to Lauren, her children and the future of her family. The psychological cycles a woman goes through after childbirth were written spot on, and well played through the active scenes.

The changes observed in the twins after something horrifying happens, the way they smile, and the way that they cry was absolutely chilling. These minute differences are invisible to people other than their mother. In many ways it shows the primitive bond between mother and child that is sometimes so strong, it defies reason and it is powerful enough in this story to put the babies in grave danger.

The author effectively gave validity to the gruesome image of a Crone, while painting a mystical crossroads between this world and another, where the rules were much, much different. A dark fairy tale many of us may be familiar with is cleverly inserted with a light, and subtle touch.

Although the beginning moved a bit slow, after the story hooked me at about 11% in my Kindle, I could not stop reading it.

Little Darlings is an unusual mix of genres and a well-written novel with enough realism, Gothic horror and human emotion to make the reader wonder until the very end, what is real and what is imagined.


Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received in E-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What would be your reaction to a woman trying to take your babies? I would totally freak out and go crazy on that lady!
Little Darlings is such a creepy edge of your seat read. Lauren Tranter has just given birth to twin boys and while still in the hospital a horrid woman is trying to steal her babies while she sleeps. Just given birth, being exhausted and taking care of not 1 but 2 little ones it's a lot on a new mom. Her husband, the doctors and the detective think it's all in Lauren's head.
But Lauren is sure that a river woman wants to exchange her strange babies for hers. When it does happen Lauren feels she must do something to get her own sons back. A gripping story that'll make you wonder what is real and what is not. As a mom this book gave me chills and I felt for Lauren but sometimes I did question her mental state. A must read and a must buy for me!

This book does a great job of weaving together a haunting story of of folklore and postpartum depression. Lauren has recently given birth and as she struggles to adapt and bond with her babies she is attacked by a strange woman wanting to steal her babies.

No one believes Lauren, she is just an exhausted new mom overwhelmed and in need to rest. Her fears that there is someone out there is written off by hospital staff, her husband and friends. The only one that seems to give her story and fears any weight is a Detective Harper who goes well out of her way to ease Lauren's fears and get to the bottom of what is going on. I really liked how these two women interacted, Harper really wants to help Lauren that there is something else going on other than a woman suffering. You really feel for Lauren as she struggles with her growing paranoia and her worthless husband. The author really does a good job of showing how women are thrown headfirst into motherhood and as they struggle people start to turn a blind eye to it. While still strong in folklore its got a solid base in a realistic issues many women face every day.

I really liked the folklore within the story. There is enough backstory to make this more than just a story of mother struggling. A forgotten mother reaching through time to be found and put to rest, folklore of changelings and what mothers once did to protect and bring back their own children.

There is a budding romance between two characters that felt out of place in the book but I was still rooting for them. Overall, this is a really strong and well written books.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. Wowwww! I just finished this book in one sitting. The story is utterly captivating from the very first that I couldn't not finish it or put it away for later. I can't believe that this is the Author's debut book, I will for sure read all her books in future. My sincere thanks to the publisher for giving me an ARC.

Super creepy! Hardly slept! I loved this one! Neil Gailman fans will loveeee also fans of Sarah J Mass will enjoy! So good!

This book was very much creepy in a good way.  I enjoyed the story of missing/replaced twins. The book kept me reading more to find out what would happen next.  It was so good I almost could not put it down when I needed to.  A new mother is always tired but twins makes it that much harder.  What a great book! *This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

Holy cow. I can’t even begin to describe the ride I was on with this book. Twists and turns and trying to figure out which character was to be believed. It starts as a perfect family story and then becomes a little twisted fairy tale. This book really quickened my pulse towards the end. So unlike anything I’ve read before, I loved the darkness to it. And the end...all is well. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy. I highly recommend. 5/5 ⭐️

This book was EXACTLY what I like in a "horror" novel: wildly, believably creepy, but no gore! Seriously, it is something that any mother would get a shiver up her spine thinking about. This is only the second novel I have ever read that had the "Changeling" theme, and I liked this one MUCH better than the first.

The story of Lauren and her twins was set in the present day, but borrowed themes of folktales from long ago. Combine that with the added bonus of an underwater flooded town from the 1800's, a psych ward, and a spouse with questionable loyalty, and Little Darlings ticks off many boxes for a novel that is as entertaining as can be.

I will be recommending this debut novel to anyone who likes modern fairy tales, light horror, or domestic suspense. It contains all those elements.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced ecopy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Little Darlings, is a debut novel by Melanie Golding. A well-written creepy read with a dark fairy tale aspect. What a great debut!! I love reading new authors and this one will definitely be added to my favorites list.

The main characters are Lauren and Patrick Tranter, new parents of twin baby boys. Lauren is quickly feeling overwhelmed after the birth and gets little help from her husband. Patrick is a little jerk…once the babies are born his true selfish side comes out when he doesn’t want to help Lauren out.

My favorite character would have to be Detective Sergeant Jo Harper. Jo has issues from her past that haunt her making Lauren’s case something that she couldn’t brush off. When no one else believes Lauren, Jo does. Jo is a “fly by the seat of your pants” kind of police officer. She isn’t a dirty cop but she doesn’t always follow all the correct procedures. She had a chance to try for an inspector job but she likes the hands-on part of investigating, she doesn’t want to be stuck in an office.

Little Darlings is an atmospheric tale that kept me interested throughout. The build up to the ending was spot-on. I would recommend this book to those who love psychological thrillers mixed with a little supernatural and dark fairy tale. Thanks so much to author, Melanie Golding and Crooked Lane Books for providing me a copy of this book.

Part fairy tale, part mystery and part horror, Little Darlings is a creative and chilling tale of a mother, and her twin baby boys, and what happens to the three of them, soon after their birth. Shortly after the story begins, Lauren Tranter encounters a woman in the hospital, who wants to trade her babies for Lauren's. She called for her after she locks herself and her boys - Morgan and Riley, in the the bathroom in her hospital room. When help arrives, there is no one there but Lauren and the babies, and everyone thinks that she is simply overtired and needs to sleep, or for some, that she is losing her mind. However, Lauren knows what she saw and knows there is a danger to her boys. She tries everything she can to keep them safe. One day, about a month after they were born, Lauren and the boys go to the park to see her other Mom friends and their babies. She takes a walk, and sits on a bench... just to take a rest. Sometime later, she wakes up and her babies are gone. What is this Mom to do? She will do anything to get her babies back. Even something completely unthinkable.

Has this review grabbed your attention? The book will take your attention and hold it until the end of this strange, creepy story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Little Darlings, in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars. When I received the ARC of "Little Darlings" a few months ago, I was super excited and determined that I would read it right away. It already had a few glowing reviews, and the description of the book made it sound like exactly my kind of read. Babies, folktales, things that go bump in the night.. definitely my kind of book.
What I didn't count on was that I would get super freaked out and not want to read it. I usually read late at night/early in the morning while nursing my baby. Melanie Golding did an amazing job describing post-partum depression/anxiety with a horror twist/element. Main character, Lauren Tranter, has just had twins and is convinced that something is out to get her babies. I didn't have twins and I am lucky to have wonderful support with my husband, but I felt her exhaustion and craziness a bit too much.
The start of the book was a bit slow, but once I got about 40% in the book, I had to know what was going to happen. Definitely had to stop a few times and check out the goosebumps I got from reading. I'm sure that it mostly had to do with my own baby being with me while I read, but it was one of the creepier, more unsettling books I've read. I wanted to hold by baby a bit closer when I finished.
Unfortunately, the only character I didn't like was the main female detective. I almost always wanted to the viewpoint to go back to Lauren (the viewpoint changed between these two lead characters). I felt that the minor romance in the story detracted from the rest of the story. The men in the story were all one-dimensional, but it's forgivable since the story isn't about them. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed, especially from Lauren's viewpoint.
I enjoyed this book a lot and wish it success on its upcoming April release!
Thank you Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Melanie Golding for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was certainly a creepy one and I am very happy to have read it!

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding ..
Book Review 📖 #lukewhoreviews
——
I can’t believe this is a debut novel 😱! What a joy ride this book was!
Little Darlings follows the story of Lauren a new mother of little twin boys, as the story progresses we find out that Lauren is being haunted/harassed by a unknown woman, who also has twins of her own! What will happen 👀 y’all will have to read the book! Oh my lord it’s insanely crazy!
——
Little Darlings is a top class Thriller, but Melanie manages to throw in some dark gothic and paranormal, the genres blend perfectly together, I couldn’t get enough of this story, the twists, the turns, it’s a definitely a race to the finish!
——
Lauren finally manages to get out of the house and meet her girl friends at the local park, after finishing her coffee she goes and sits by the lake, Lauren falls asleep by accident and when she wakes, her twins are nowhere to be seen 😱 which leads us to meet the lead detective in the case “Harper”!
Harper is told countless times by her superior to stand down on the case, but she’s determined to find out what is happening with Lauren and the strange unknown swamp Women and her Twins!
——
It’s very rare when I read a book that it plays heavily on my parental fears! After becoming a parent, some books are extremely hard to read! I wouldn’t say this one was hard to read, but it sure made me get them parental twinges! - we all know what our children look like right! And know one can tell us differently!
——
“Let's trade one.. that way we'll have one of each - that way at least one of each gets the good life. Why should YOU have all the good stuff? I'll make them look the same... I promise....” WOOOOAHH this sentence literally gives me all the chills!! 👻
The ending was absolutely fantastic and my heart was in my mouth the whole way! I can’t wait to see what she does next 🙌🏼✌🏻👏🏼
——
An easy 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From me, I will recommend this to be added to everyone’s TBR!
It’s also already been picked up to be a Film 🎥 and I can’t wait for it to come out!

When I first read the blurb of this book on Netgalley, I was averse of reading it. Imagine that, to be afraid of even starting to read the book! I was right though. Ladies, please reconsider if you are soon due to bring a child on this world. It will haunt you if you do read it. Now, all caution aside, the book is definitely worth reading. Never boring and predictable, so chilling and terrifying. It was so stressful and captivating! The only thing that confused me a bit, is one unresolved puzzle at the end of the novel as if asking for the continuation of the story. I'll gladly look for new DS Jo Harper's adventures, but this particular one should not have a sequel. Do not worry though, that one puzzle is easy to guess with a bit of our own imagination; it is just my personal preference to have every tidbit neatly resolved by the end of the reading. Each character, from Harper to Amy to Lauren and her husband, was complex and believable. Their flaws made me strive for the proper, meaningful conclusion of the story, not for what I would wish to happen to the characters. I noticed it is soon due to be adapted for film. Rightly so, DS Harper sounds like a perfect protagonist for a new crime TV series, and the story itself is so spooky and unique it'll definitely be a talk of the year.

Melanie Golding’s Little Darlings is one of the most unsettling and addictive novels I’ve read in a long time. It hooked me from the opening scene and kept me on the edge of my seat (and looking over my shoulder!) until the very last page.

Inspired by some pretty creepy folklore, in the vein of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, the story follows exhausted new mom, Lauren Tranter, who has just given birth to identical twin boys. One night while still at the hospital, Lauren wakes to find a filthy woman dressed in rags in her room trying to take Lauren’s babies and replace them with some creatures that she is carrying in a basket. Lauren screams, grabs her babies, and locks herself in the bathroom, but when help arrives, there’s no sign that anyone has been there aside from Lauren. Everyone chalks the incident up to Lauren just being so tired from taking care of her twins, but Lauren cannot be convinced that no one is trying to take her babies.

A month passes and Lauren is still terrified that someone is after her children, but reluctantly agrees that it’s time for all of them to get out of the house. She takes the twins to the park, where she dozes off from sheer exhaustion. When she wakes up, her babies are gone and she just knows it’s the woman from the hospital. The police are called, and a search ensues, and thankfully the babies are located and returned to Lauren quickly. Except that Lauren takes one look at these babies and swears that they aren’t hers. She is convinced that they’re changelings and is prepared to resort to drastic and desperate measures to get rid of them and get her boys back.

If she’s wrong, however, it will cost her everything she holds dear…

One facet of Little Darlings I really liked was how well developed and relatable both of the main characters are. Even though my son is now 11, I still vividly remember the crushing exhaustion that went along with those first few weeks after he was born. Because of that, I immediately felt a connection to Lauren and felt tremendous sympathy for her, especially when her husband wasn’t being as helpful as he could be. I also very much remember being hyper alert to any and all things that could possibly harm my baby. The author does an incredible job bringing to life Lauren’s fears about her babies, as well as her growing frustration that no one believes what she is trying to tell them. The intensity of Lauren’s emotions made Little Darlings such a powerful and gripping read.

The other main character is a police sergeant named Harper who takes an interest in finding out what really happened in the hospital, even though the rest of her department and everyone else has written this off as some kind of postpartum psychotic episode that Lauren has experienced. I liked Harper right away because she comes across as a bit of a rebel, always pushing the envelope, if she thinks she needs to investigate something further. What draws her to Lauren’s case is something from her own past that still haunts her, and I loved the added layers Harper’s backstory added to the overall story. It made her just as compelling a character as Lauren, which was ideal since the story is presented from each of their points of view.

Aside from giving me these two characters that I was immediately so invested in, I also loved that the suspense level was just off the charts and that I was kept guessing. I didn’t know what to believe. Had someone really been in the hospital room? Is Lauren right in the park when she swears her babies have been swapped out for changelings? Is there a real suspect at large or is there something supernatural afoot? Or is everyone else right and Lauren is truly suffering a mental health crisis? I wanted to know the answers to these questions so badly that I just couldn’t put the book down and ended up devouring the entire story in less than two days. This book is the definition of a page turner!

The only real issue I had with Little Darlings was that I couldn’t stomach Lauren’s husband. I found him utterly unlikable and didn’t want to believe that a new dad could be as selfish and clueless as he was. I’m sure the author drew him that way to make it even easier to sympathize with Lauren, but that man seriously needed a swift kick in the pants.

If you’re a fan of creepy folklore and addictive thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Little Darlings should be on your must-read list.

“Little Darlings” is a combination of a psychological thriller and a supernatural horror novel. The story is told in the third person, alternating between Lauren’s point-of-view and the point-of-view of DS Jo Harper who investigates various incidents involving Lauren. It is a unique, haunting story that stays with you long after finishing it.

Lauren has just given birth to twin boys Riley and Morgan. She had a difficult delivery and her husband, Patrick, isn’t helpful. Patrick is unlikable from the beginning and does nothing to help Lauren’s fragile state. The reader doesn’t know if someone really tried to abduct Lauren’s sons or if it’s just a hallucination of a sleep-deprived, mentally ill woman. DS Harper is at least willing to look into the situation. Her investigation adds a large dose of reality to this otherwise supernatural story of Lauren being convinced someone is out to take her babies and replace them with “changelings”. The details of Jo’s investigation, along with folklore about changelings at the beginnings of the chapters make Lauren’s situation seem even creepier.

I don’t want to say too much more so I don’t spoil the suspense of the story. The book is strange and creepy, and I was surprised at how much I liked it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Author Melanie Golding for the digital ARC in return for my unbiased review

Blurb! as they say it better than i ever can!

Everyone says Lauren Tranter is exhausted, that she needs rest. And they’re right; with newborn twins, Morgan and Riley, she’s never been more tired in her life. But she knows what she saw: that night, in her hospital room, a woman tried to take her babies and replace them with her own…creatures. Yet when the police arrived, they saw no one. Everyone, from her doctor to her husband, thinks she’s imagining things.

A month passes. And one bright summer morning, the babies disappear from Lauren’s side in a park. But when they’re found, something is different about them. The infants look like Morgan and Riley—to everyone else. But to Lauren, something is off. As everyone around her celebrates their return, Lauren begins to scream, These are not my babies.

Determined to bring her true infant sons home, Lauren will risk the unthinkable. But if she’s wrong about what she saw…she’ll be making the biggest mistake of her life.

wow what a take on a domestic horror/thriller i say horror as to me the premise as a mother myself was horrifying, after the birth of twins an attempted kidnap of them and then they do go missing, everyone is so thrilled they are found but what if you know they are not yours? how do you convince others without seeming crazy yourself?

in a world with now much more understanding over postnatal depression and psychosis i found this book such a perfect mix of psychological understanding and creepy horror

fantastic novel really enjoyed

Follow my review and reading life in squares in Instagram @booksandemma

Whew. I need a minute to process this one, because it was intense, messed up, twisted, and GOOD.  So let's say you have newborn twins, you are sleep deprived, you have no help from your sorry jerk of a husband, a river woman is trying to steal them when you do sleep, and hangs around your house letting you know she is waiting. Then you fall asleep for a hot minute and wake up and they are gone! Oh, and no one believes a word you say when you tell folks that they aren't your babies when you get them back, and these 'creatures', aka babies, start messing with you when no one is looking. What would you do??? This would literally be the worst possible scenario, but guess what, it all happens to Lauren.  And guess what, I enjoyed every single minute of it, trying to figure out what in the world was going on, whether it was all in her head or whether she was telling the truth.

The use of changelings (e.g. a fairy child left in place of a human child) was well done and fascinating.  It left me second guessing myself on what was really happening, as I am just not that familiar with this concept.  The ending was not unrealistic which was good, because obviously with this premise it certainly could have been.

The detective side of the story was a little distracting from the rest.  DI Harper is a good detective, using her gut instincts to break big cases, but in this one she had to constantly rely on a reporter for what appeared to be basic research skills, which seems odd and a bit unrealistic given her history.

Overall this was 4 stars - I loved the story, the tie-in of old folklore/fairy tales, and the creep factor. This is Golding's first novel, a solid debut. Also, not surprisingly, it has been already been optioned for the big screen.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy of the book to review.  This review is part of the blog tour for this book.

This book was creepy to the max. It hit me right in the heart, as a mother of three little ones. I was right there with Lauren feeling all of her emotions. I’m not sure how many times I yelled at my kindle app “why will no one believe her?”. It was beyond frustrating to see Lauren continually dismissed. Enter Harper, she was a wonderful character with her own motives pushing her onto this case and she certainly maintained the balance from all of those who thought Lauren was “ill”.

The combination of fairytale, thriller and folklore was definitely pretty cool. And I can honestly say the only part of this book that I disliked was Patrick. 4 stars, must read!

This book was a non stop read of the creepy psychological variety. The book opens with Lauren and her husband Patrick in the hospital as Lauren gives birth to twin boys, Riley and Morgan. While initially Lauren is afraid she won’t love them, that fear is quickly dispelled, but it’s replaced by a more disturbing fear: someone is trying to take the babies.

There’s an epigraph at the beginning of each chapter that grounds the book in the idea of the changeling, an ancient folkloric concept that the real baby is taken and replaced by an elf baby or an ice baby or in Lauren’s case, a river baby. And if this was the straight up thrust of the novel, it would have been almost a cliché.

But Golding – and this is a first novel, which is remarkable – instead creates doubt in the mind of the reader as she paints a picture of a woman so exhausted and overwhelmed by twins that she could be delusional. Still in the hospital, she makes an emergency call to the police while locked in the bathroom, reporting that someone is trying to steal the babies. The call is dismissed and Lauren is referred to mental health services instead.

Lauren does agree to go home shortly afterwards though she feels far from ready – and who, newborn in tow, hasn’t had that feeling on leaving the hospital? – but her husband is sure it will help her to be at home. However it’s just as overwhelming at home, especially as her husband takes his earplugs and heads for the spare room to get a good night’s sleep. As she’s breastfeeding, he points out, he can’t be much help.

Lauren feels completely alone and overwhelmed. Understandable. But she’s sure someone is trying to get in the house and she gets her husband to put three locks on her bedroom door, to protect the babies. Her husband is skeptical, but she can’t get past a vision of an old woman with a basket in her hospital room who wanted to trade babies with her.

Her husband finally gets her to agree to leave the house, but when she heads out, she’s sure she sees the old woman lurking in the bushes. She perseveres however and does go out, only to have the babies snatched away. Though they are found, she is sure they have been changed out and are no longer her own dear twins.

Golding provides ample evidence for each point of view. Lauren is definitely having some sort of psychotic break or experiencing postpartum depression, but on the other hand the twins, as described after their return, do seem different. The resolution is simultaneously gripping and ambiguous and for the entire read, you’re inside Lauren’s head. It’s hard to judge the reality of what she’s feeling because it’s as though you’re feeling it yourself. This is a masterful first novel, and when you finish it, you’ll be thinking about the ending and trying to decide for yourself what might really have happened.

This book was great! It’s a fast paced thriller that you don’t want to put down!! I’m breathless after reading it.

I love Grimm’s Fairytales. Love them! So when I seen this book was like that I couldn’t pass it up to review. I so happy I didn’t! It was phenomenal! I brushed up on my Faerie folklore within these pages and I was reminded why I fell in love with them when I was a small child.

Lauren is not like most pregnant women. When she goes into labor she couldn’t have been expecting the pain and fear of what was to come. I wholeheartedly believe she had postpartum depression. I, myself, suffered from it and it’s not a pretty disease. Not pretty at all. It’s like you want all these feelings you hear other moms talk about but when you look at your beautiful baby there’s nothing there but anxiety. I felt so bad for her and I still do. What she went through in this book is not for the faint of heart.

She suffered and lost so much in a small amount of time. Everything she went through made her stronger and a better mom. Sometimes it takes one little look or one little mishap to make us realize how much we love our children.

I do have some things that I feel like as left unanswered. I need to know more about her husband. I had/have a lot of questions and I know they won’t go away until I talk about it with someone. Hopefully the author as I think she can be the only one to give me insight.

I’ve never read a book by Melanie Golding and that will be the only time you will read that sentence. Her words were poetry on a bright sunny morning until the dark clouds started rolling in. The twist she leads us through was nothing short of remarkable. I already added it to one of my top reads this year. I really hope there’s another because I need closer.

Little Darlings is a deeply dark, haunting, mesmerizing and very atmospheric tale about a mother´s unconditional love and unsurpassable instinct.
This grim fairytale, based on a legend about changelings, starts on a hot summer day on which Lauren gives birth to adorable and healthy identical twins Morgan and Riley. Traumatized by her birth experience, in pain and very sleep deprived, she starts seeing a dark-haired "river woman", who wants her babies instead of two creepy creatures in her mud stained basket. Although the police and her husband Patrick are convincing her the woman is just a figment of her imagination, the result of her post-natal hormonal unbalance, she knows ...She knows her babies are in great danger. And she knows the four staring eyes, transformed from blue to green, are not the ones of her own babies. And when everyone else hears regular cries from two newborns ...She hears the two monsters speaking to her, asking her to return them to where they came from ...to the river.
This book challenges the reader´s imagination, driving him to question what is real and what is just a product of a confused mind of a mother who would crash every possible barrier to protect her little darlings.

I am crossing my fingers that this is, in fact, the beginning of a series starring Jo Harper. Please, please, please let this be true! This was a perfect combination of detective novel, psychological thriller, and supernatural mythology! I truly didn’t know what to believe throughout this novel, but believe this! It’s a creepy thrill ride (think Baby Teeth vibes here).

I would STRONGLY recommend not reading this if you are pregnant or recently gave birth (it will give you nightmares). Everyone else should definitely give this one a try, because it’s great! Those babies are so disturbing - and so is the story.

I will certainly be reading anything Melanie Golding writes.

Little Darlings is the type of book that will keep you up at night!

Lauren is a new mom with beautiful, healthy twin boys. Things take a dark turn when she is certain there is someone is her hospital room. Someone who is threatening to take her babies!

The even bigger problem is no one is believing her. Was there ever really a woman there or is it all in Lauren’s head?

Finally, Lauren is released from the hospital, but one afternoon at her local park, her babies are taken! Luckily, the stroller is quickly found - with twins in it - who certainly LOOK alike Lauren’s babies....

But she is certain these are not hers.

I was gripped from the first chapter. This is a must-read for fans of thrillers and dark twists. Loved all the references to Grimm’s fairy tales. I’m still sleeping with the lights on!

Well ladies and gentlemen, I have finished this at last! It is 1:30 in the morning and all I have to say is HOLY SMOKES that was a fun ride. This book was sort of peculiar to me in the sense that I did not truly care about the story in the beginning. Upon reading the first half of the book, I found myself slightly bored and thought of the mother's (Lauren) personality as eye-rolling and slightly agitating. Then, I remembered back to when my children were born and how rough those sleepless nights were and how I never could have done that by myself, much less whilst fearing for the lives of my children, so I get it. I forced myself to carry on through the dry dialog and I am so glad that I did! The last half of this book was thrilling and made the first have completely worth it. I feel the book isn't quite deserving of a full 5 stars just because the story was left a little open ended and solved one too many mysteries, but all in all I feel this was a great read and would CERTAINLY recommend!

I've recently gotten into reading stories based on folklore so I was very happy when I won Melanie Golding's first novel through Bookish Firsts and Crooked Land Books. The novel offered up a creepy retelling of Irish folklore involving changelings set in modern day and addressing mental health and postpartum psychosis. The protagonist was a strong-willed female detective who was admirable in her diligence to follow her intuition. There is a crime and a mystery which may or may not be fully resolved at the end, however the end is satisfying. Ms. Golding's depiction of new motherhood in the first 6 weeks postpartum is spot on. I wanted to wring the husband's neck several times. The addition of changeling folklore at the beginning of each chapter created a chilling atmosphere that propelled the reader through a well-written novel about the sleep-deprived mind and the power of superstition.

Absolutely brilliant.

This book had me questioning my own sanity at stages. The character development was incredibly detailed to the point I felt the emotions the characters were going through with them.

The novel scared me at stages and I had to stop reading, but the story was so good I instantly picked it back up.

I loved the sinister undertones and the references to old folklore throughout.

Little Darlings is a truly creepy fairy tale set in a modern world. I very much like these kinds of stories.

The lead character is Lauren. She gives birth to twin boys, They are still in the hospital when one night Lauren experiances something strange. She sees a woman who has twin boys just like her and she wants to replace hers with Lauren’s babies. She manages to escape and calls for help. But when it becomes obvious she is the only one who saw her she starts to get paranoid. How would we react if something like this happened to us? If no one belives what we saw was real? As the story goes on we delve deeper into Lauren’s mounting paranoia. We get to know in painstaking detail what happens to Lauren, what she is going through.

I received this ARC from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Thank you very much, I really enjoyed this story. I highly recommend Little Darlings to dark fairy tale lovers, you will love this book.

Melanie Golding first novel, Little Darlings, is a brilliant and creepy tale sure to make an parent want to check in on their children. This is a great story for anyone who is a fan of Neil Gaiman or Stephen King. This novel brought memories of when my children were born. I remember being at the hospital with my wife and not wanting to take my eyes off of our newborn. My fear that my child would be mixed up somehow and switched was very real and Little Darlings does an excellent job bringing that fear to life. I absolutely loved this novel and I look forward to reading future novels from Melanie Golding.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh. Normally I am not a fan of thrillers where you don't know whether something mystical is happening or not. However, with Little Darlings it really works. This is the story of new mum Lauren who, after giving birth to twins, starts to really struggle with motherhood and finds changeling stories filling her mind. Her husband Paul is not as helpful as she'd hoped he would be and it culminates in Lauren being convinced her babies have been swapped with fairy alternatives. To get them back though, she must make a dark decision...

This is a fairly straightforward story for a thriller but honestly that is one of the book's greatest strengths. The whole time you are guessing whether there is a mundane explanation for Lauren's beliefs or whether perhaps something magical has occurred. The book never loses focus of this key element and as a result, it is a tightly-wound and atmospheric read. You're kept at a slight distance from most of the characters but again, it really works. Can you trust Lauren's perception as our narrator? Is her husband just selfish or is he up to something more sinister? The detective character adds a much-needed outsider viewpoint and her thoughts mirror that of the reader's. It all adds up to a great reading experience and Golding clearly has writing talent.

I will not give anything away about how the story ends or whether the book crosses into full-fledged fantasy or not, but rest assured that the ending is both satisfying and excellently built to. This is a fantastic debut novel from Golding and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her future work. If you enjoy thrillers that slowly suck you into their world and deal with some harsh aspects of reality at the same time, I highly recommend checking this out.

Overall Rating: 4/5