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.

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!

Lauren and Patrick are very excited to meet their new twins. It is only after a difficult delivery that things start to go terribly wrong.
Are the voices real? Is there someone trying to steal Lauren’s babies? What about the old stories about fairies switching babies.
Melanie Golding has you sitting in the edge of your seat. I would definitely recommend this book.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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,

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 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 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.

Little Darlings is very atmospheric and dark. The dread seems to ooze from every page and I was just waiting for something to creep out of the corners. So, before I begin I feel I must put a warning. If you are a mom and have ever struggled with post partum depression or anxiety, this book will be hard to read. With the terrible things Lauren witnessed and the fear and anxiety she feels in the book, I had to put this book down for days at a time. This book lurched my stomach and at times felt suffocating. I really hated Lauren's husband and wanted to reach into these pages and slap him!

All that said though, Little Darlings was super creepy and relied heavily on old folktales (did I mention they are extraordinarily creepy and dark?).

Normally I give a brief synopsis of the book, but with Little Darlings I don't want to give anything away. If you love mystery/thrillers sprinkled with horror, then you will love this. The book is a bit of a slow burn, but once it gets going, it doesn't stop.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooker Lane Books for this ARC of Little Darlings.

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.

This book is about every mother's worst nightmare; what if the child you brought home after giving birth was not your child. Lauren, the mother, is not quite sure what is going on with her babies but she knows something is amiss.

I really enjoyed this book as it is well written and so creepy the storyline is something I have never read before. Not a really fast paced book but it does keep you reading and turning those pages. Can't really say much more about this book or I will give out spoilers. You just need to read it and let the creepiness and uneasiness set in. You'll really like this book. Can't wait to read more from this author.

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.

I really liked this book!
It started out pretty well and had me hooked to it right till the end. I generally prefer strictly thriller books, but this one was crossed over into fantasy and I was not sure if I'd like it. Surprisingly, it was really good. However, the ending could have probably been better. That cliffhanger didn't sit well with me. But that's now a reason I'll have my eye out for Melanie Golding' next.

This was definitely a creepy read considering what happens to the twins in the book and I don't even have kids to worry about.

Lauren has twins, Riley and Morgan, in the hospital. While she's resting after the birth, she encounters an odd woman who tells her that she wants to make a trade, her babies for Lauren's. When Lauren says no, she is haunted by the woman. Lauren's babies go missing one day and they believe it to be an abduction case but Lauren knows better, she knows her children were stolen by that woman. When her babies are returned to her, she knows that they aren't actually hers, they're different. Lauren decides to risk everything to get her babies back, no matter the cost.

I was enticed by this novel because of the description, I've always been into the fey and changeling stories and this one was no different. It does have a slight twist that features Lauren's mental state as well, which was an interesting aspect to focus on. I was surprised because there are two POVs, Lauren's and Harper, the detective on the case....or rather, who is making this into her case.

I didn't really see a point in the romance between Amy and Harper, just because it didn't really go anywhere and didn't aid in the story much. I think if there was going to be a romance aspect, it should be more crucial or important to the plot. Amy just helped Harper sporadically, and more towards the end of the novel.

I absolutely hated Patrick, not because he was poorly written or because he was a flat character, but because he didn't care about anything that his wife was worried about. He literally tells Lauren that his job is more important than the fact that she just gave birth to twins, and tells her that she's on her own with taking care of them. What a horrible father and husband!

The mental health aspect of this novel, along with the unreliable narrator, really made this a unique read, one that I wasn't entirely expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed. At times, the pacing felt a little slow, although it didn't hinder my reading.

I was given an ARC of this novel on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hmmm this book was slow for me to get into at first but the story picked up bout 5o% in. Then I got hooked and had to find out what happened!!!! Lauren has twin baby boys and seems to be having a hard time with them. She swears that someone tried to take her babies while still in the hospital but no one believed her. They thought she was delusional. Until one cop started digging deeper and the crazy truth comes out. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review.

**ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

-Little Darlings comes out April 2019!




This is a creepy, psychological thriller about a new mother who is convinced her twins have been swapped with something evil.

Lauren is a new mother, and on the night of her twin boys, Riley and Morgan’s birth she is visited by a woman who tries to steal them and replace them with her own babies, creatures. But yet nobody believes Lauren, they say she made it all up.
When Jo Harper picks up the case out of curiosity she starts to think something isn’t quite right here and maybe Lauren really did see a woman in her room that night.


So we swap chapters between Lauren and Officer Jo Harper and this is a wild ride.

I was so into this I could not put it down. I was so creeped out and yet convinced I figured it out more than 3 times and never did. You never know what’s real and what’s not in this story.


This is an amazing thriller that actually gives you thrills. My heart was pounding, I was spooked and worried and just. Omg



Patrick ( the father) will make you mad throughout this book, he’s a lousy ass husband and a lousy ass father and I can’t stand him. At all. He has no redeeming qualities to me and I love Lauren.

This is a 4.5 instead of a 5 because the writing was confusing at first and somethings I didn’t understand because it’s mainly British words, I’m American and British slang I believe, so not the authors fault. But also because the ending kind of left me wanting a little bit for something different and confused me a lot. Definitely excited to read some more from Melanie though.


Blog post:
https://kristinsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/little-darlings-by-melanie-golding/