Melanie Golding takes the changeling folklore and gives it an even creepier twist in her debut novel. Beautifully written, Little Darlings brings every mother's nightmare to life when Lauren Tranter--an exhausted mother of newborn twin boys--falls asleep in the park only to wake and find her babies have been stolen. Although the twins are ultimately found, Lauren insists her boys have been swapped with something far more sinister. Perfectly paced and richly imagined, anyone who enjoys dark fiction will find Little Darlings to be a perfect addition to their library.

I wnjoyed the concept of this story. I did feel it dragged a little. I didn't quite connect with any of the characters much. Though the storyline played out well enough. I just wasn't very interested or kept well into the story like I thought it would.

When I started this book it felt really creepy and ominous and I really enjoyed it, however, I just couldn’t find myself getting into the plot any deeper than the first couple chapters. I think there’s a lot of potential here and perhaps it was just me and this isn’t my type of book but I think this could be a great story for someone who’s into this sort of plot and likes things a little bit darker and creepier.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

DNF at 11%
I don’t know how long fathers are allowed to stay in the hospital after the babies are born. But they LITERALLY JUST HAD twins, let him stay in the room overnight? But if I think for too long about the little I read of Patrick, the more I got really angry at him. He uploads a picture to Facebook without checking WITH HER. And this is like just after she gave birth – you could’ve waited a few hours to post it? I think I must’ve only read about three scenes with him in it and I didn’t want to know anymore.

This is another one where the writing tried to be flowery and more than what it turned out to be. So another bit of disappointment. I think that’s my issue with a lot of adult thriller novels – there’s something about the writing that just doesn’t do it for me.

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!

Melanie Golding's novel "Little Darlings" has one of the creepiest premises of any book I have ever read. That being said, I couldn't put it down and loved it!

Thanks to Crooked Lane books for the free book.
One of my favorite classes that I took in college was about fairy tales and their dark origins, so I loved this modern take on a twin tale. It is a backlist - I'll be getting to the sequel soon - but I'm glad I didn't read it until now. I'm not sure I could've handled this story while pregnant and then having a newborn. But it was perfect for now. The plot is the modern day and the added horror elements to everyday life kept me so engaged. I questioned everyone and everything. I wanted to know who was on Lauren's side, while simultaneously hating her husband the entire time. Lauren knows someone is out to get her twins, but no one else believes her. This book is full of paranoia, women being brushed off, and mental health woes. I liked the pacing and the police procedural aspect. It was a solid, creepy story, and I can't wait to read the next one.

This was an unexpected hit! There was such an intense feeling of unease all the way through the book and the use of folklore and myths made for unsettling reading when mixed with the exploration of mental health. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

A truly creepy and scary story that gives you feelings of a cool winter evening. A story that would remind you of telling myths by the campfire. A great winter/Halloween read. Creepy, scary and will stay with you for a long time.

A psychological thriller with magical, fantasy elements that I wasn't prepared for. An interesting story, nevertheless.

I really liked this one. And, some of the narration sounded super creepy, as intended I’m sure! It really had me hooked from start to finish!

A terrifying tale of new motherhood, mental health, and questioning your own sanity. Chilling, yet unmissable!

Becoming a mom is difficult enough, add in the new fear of losing your babies. In this story worst fear occurs when Lauren experiences losing her babies, but to everyone else, they are physically still there. So is she crazy? The suspense was slow to build and terrifying as a mom. The ending was unexpected but fit into what was happening.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. Unfortunately, it is not for me. Since I didn't finish it, I will not post a review on Goodreads. Thanks again and best of luck!

Creepy, creepy read. Take the anxiety of a new mother and folklore of changelings and throw it together and you have this book. We’re her kids really hers or did postpartum play into the madness. The book explores those deep fine lines and just made me say wtf.

I’ve realized that Melanie Golding is a little too….. Something for me. I thought I would enjoy her work but can never get into it to pick it up.

This book was perfect for this Halloween month as it is definitely creepy, scary and a bit unsettling. I can’t even imagine going through all the things Lauren faced after giving birth. From being alone in the hospital to believing her twins were not hers. This had a lot of intriguing elements: a drowned city, changeling babies, a eerie similar crime from 1976, you name it. Loved the ending, I think it was very satisfying and it also disturbing!

The book just didn't live up to my expectations - I was just expecting more. I love a interesting take on the retelling of a fairy tale. I kept expecting the story to take off and ended up feeling that there was missing. Great idea and just not enough follow through.

My Review: Brilliantly Creepy

I think labeling this as a mystery/thriller is a misnomer because it isn’t what you would expect from that genre. However, this is a really unique story and I could not put it down!

The Pros: What Worked For Me

The focus on postpartum depression was done so well. I may not be a mother but I have seen women experiencing postpartum depression, and the way the author spoke on this topic was captured so well! I think it is important for everyone to understand the emotional turmoil that a woman can face after giving birth – so kudos to the author for bringing it to the forefront!
The atmospheric writing sold this book for me! It is lyrical and haunting and had me creeped out!
I love the incorporation of magical realism in this story. I don’t know much about Welsh folklore but it was so interesting!
Throughout the book, the author plays mind games with the reader: are the babies changelings or is this a product of the mother’s mental state? It’s an interesting question and I’m still wondering now!

The Cons: What I Didn’t Like

I didn’t care for the police procedural elements of the story. It just wasn’t done well and detracted from the more interesting parts of the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was a unique take on motherhood and touched on some topics that I felt were very important. Also, changelings are so cool and creepy!! If you haven’t checked this book out, do yourself a favour and grab it now!!