Atmospheric and spooky - this book had me turning the pages from about the halfway point. The isolated location, dark places and even darker dreams were scary! Some things were left unknown/unresolved at the end, but I'm pretty sure that was on purpose. And the twining of unreality and reality as very well done!
Note: If you are sensitive to triggers, please check the trigger warnings.

I’ve enjoyed most of Dawson’s work and this was no exception. The writing is fantastic as always. The book toes the supernatural line and has great pacing. The abandoned hotel was definitely the stuff of nightmares. Most of the characters were likable but ultimately a bit surface.

Similar to how I feel to some other authors, this one waffles on the supernatural aspect but relies heavily on some type of unspoken knowledge transfer without ever really committing to a supernatural presence. It tends to feel a bit convenient at times. Dawson also doesn’t answer so many of my questions. The symptoms some characters experience are never explained and we also aren’t given clarity on some of the things that happened. There’s a bunch of speculation at the end without any real defined outcomes which definitely left me wanting more.

I definitely vibed with the book but do wish the story had gone a bit deeper. I would’ve happily read a longer book if it had included more resolution.

I still recommend this book but it is heavy on the sexual violence and could definitely be triggering to some readers. There’s also some animal death so please check tw if those may be an issue. This wasn’t my favorite of Dawson’s books but I still look forward to reading more of her work.

This book started out strong. I was really into it for the first 1/3rd of the book. Then the story went in a bunch of very different directions. By the time it got to the end, it felt rushed and incomplete. Most of the characters were more outlines of real people than well developed. If the author had cut out one or two of the threads, I think they would have come together in a much more satisfying way.

3.75 rounded up. I was INTO this story until the very end where it just kind of ended abruptly and some storylines weren't really cleared up.
Sarah Carpenter is running away from her old life and her terrible ex-boyfriend. She is trying to find herself through her pottery again and ends up at an artists' retreat called Tranquil Falls. Since Sarah is sharing space with a misogynistic bully, she tries to build an outdoor kiln. But the space she digs into unearths an unmarked grave and seems to wake up a restless spirit. Soon, all the artists start acting strangely. And Sarah herself is having weird dreams. Sarah will have to break the rules and explore the old "spa" if she wants to find out the truth of Tranquil Falls and woman who seemed to be buried alive.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this e-arc.*

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

Thoughts: This was a bit of an odd book. At first it seems pretty straight forward, scary haunted mansion type of vibes. However, mid-book things get pretty odd and the ending felt very unsatisfying. Prior to this I have read Dawson's Blud series (which I liked) and her Hit series (which I liked but she never finished). I have also read a number of her short stories, which range from okay to good.

Sarah is trying to start over. She has fled her abusive boyfriend and her alcoholic mother and is taking up pottery again (something her boyfriend forced her to give up). To do this, she has applied for and won a place at Tranquil Falls, a secluded artists' colony. However, Sarah starts having weird dreams and finding dead bodies. Then things start to spiral out of control when the other residents are acting strangely possessed. Sarah's only bright spot is a young photographer, Ingrid, who loves the macabre and is determined to explore the old resort on the property.

This started out very creepy and atmospheric. It was odd how many dead bodies Sarah got involved with right away in the story. I loved the creepy little cabins and enjoyed when Ingrid and Sarah started exploring the mysterious old resort building. Unfortunately, things start to get weird and not make as much sense as the story continues, and I can't really get into that without spoilers. I will say that there is a ton of sexual abuse of women by men in the second half of this story, which was disturbing.

The ending also felt just very unsatisfying in general. The main characters just kind of leave and don't find out what happens to the other artists or the colony. Now on to spoilers...

----------------------------------------------------------------
SPOLIERS START
<spoiler>
Sarah starts having strange dreams about being sexually abused by her husband (she doesn't have a husband) but she seems to be in the body of a girl from the past who stayed at the resort. The only explanation we get for this is that Sarah's boyfriend was also sexually abusing her (which Sarah doesn't know at the time) and somehow this made her receptive to the spirit's influence. We never really understand what the spirits want; maybe it's for people to know the resort wasn't only a resort? This feels really unresolved.

Then there is the whole twist at the end where Sarah's boyfriend manages to track her down to the middle of absolutely nowhere and tries to drug and rape her again but the spirits get involved and possess her somehow. I also never understood why the girls' spirits were randomly possessing the other artists. That hadn't happened in previous years but why was it happening now?

If this all sounds confusing, that's because it was confusing and nothing really made sense.

SPOILERS END
</spoiler>
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My Summary (3/5): Overall this book was a bit disappointing to me. I loved the creepy atmosphere and the character trying to rebuild her life in the beginning. However, the strange sexual abuse and possessions that started taking place in the second half of the book were never explained well and felt odd. Some of the twists at the end felt very contrived and the ending was very unsatisfying. Dawson has always been kind of hit-and-miss for me and her more recent books have been more miss than hit. I probably won't seek her books out in the future.

Sarah needs a new start and an artists retreat in northern Georgia is exactly what she needs. between her narcissistic ex boyfriend and self centered mother this time away from both of them and the world given the retreat is secluded, will give her pottery some new life. except for the fact that this retreat takes a deadly turn.

okay enough dramatics. this book is overwhelmingly average. I am true neutral in the most 3 star sense of the word. this book is predictable (not necessarily bad?) and our main character is, just fine? not me rally or emotionally, rather she’s just kind of there. as in you could’ve had any of the other side characters replace her and I honestly would’ve been more interested. the side characters really stood out to me as well as the setting but as far as plot goes, this is about as okay as I can get.

some creepy moments but nothing I would warn any weak stomached people away from though there are some heavy triggers I would look out for!

all in all this was fine. if you love this author yay! if not, maybe start somewhere else?

as always thank you to netgalley and del ray for a copy for my honest review!!

4.5 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com & goodreads.com today.


Holy ****. I am still in shock and shaking over this incredible novel. Part thriller, suspense, and horror, it is a tough one to put down.

Sarah has escaped an abusive relationship and is headed where her ex can’t find her. Tranquil Falls. It’s an artists’ retreat hidden in the south, with no connection to the outside world. No wifi. No cable. No phone service. Just an old abandoned hotel and some artist cabins.

Only this ends up being anything but tranquil. Sarah uncovers a secret grave. Her studio partner is a loud, offensive misogynist. Then she starts having some really creepy dreams. Dreams that don’t feel like dreams, but more like an alternate reality.

When the goth photographer befriends her, Sarah finally feels like maybe she can get through the next three months in this place. But Sarah’s dreams start getting stranger, and weird things start happening around the campus. Suddenly Sarah isn’t so sure she wants to stay in this place.

Truly an epic, frightening story about ghosts and spirits and alternate realities. I honestly could not wait to finish this novel to know how things would turn out for Sarah. Delilah Dawson has one freaking incredible mind to have come up with this wickedly scary story. Do not read if you’re prone to nightmares, because this is one from start to finish.

I read Bloom earlier this year and absolutely loved it, so I was super eager to read more from Delilah S Dawson! I do have Guillotine and The Violence lined up on my shelves waiting for me to read them soon too.

One of my problems with this book is that it felt a little bit too long and it dragged on in places where there wasn't a lot happening (Sarah really does just walk back and forth a lot in this story) but I loved the atmosphere and the eerie feelings that this resort gave! I feel like I've been reading a lot of books lately that explore women's struggles and I did like the way it was portrayed throughout this book, with the dual 'timeline' of Sarah and the history of the resort that she discovers through dreams.

I loved all the weird stuff that was happening, and it seemed like the ghosts of the resort were really getting to all of the artists who where there for the retreat.

My other issue with this book is the ending, which for how long this book was felt very rushed and unfinished. Although the very last sentence or two felt very fitting, and you can kind of imagine what happened after the events of the book. The reveal of the bad guy at the end of the book felt a bit too convenient and I kind of wish it had been resolved in a different way, but overall I had a good time reading this, especially because the themes and the majority of the book were super enjoyable.

Thanks to Del Rey and Netgalley for the ARC!

A nicely creepy and atmospheric thriller/horror novel. Sarah thought the artists colony would be her salvation but it's not- it's a nightmare that forces her to question her own mental health. I'd not read Dawson before (and this isn't really my genre) and I now see why she has so many fans. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

I got about 64% through after much effort, and I decided I just didn’t care anymore. The book’s prose is fine…Dawson does a great job with the atmosphere and suspense. But the characters were so lifeless, I just didn’t care for them,

I want to first preface this review with, I do not read a lot of horror. But it is fall and getting closer to Halloween and so I usually fit a few in this time of year. It will Only Hurt for a Moment is a stand alone novel with a really cool and spooky setting. Tranquil Falls is in the middle of nowhere and completely cut off from the world. It used to be a place the posh went to “recover” and “take the waters”, now the old hotel is condemned and fenced off but the surrounding area has been set up as an artist’s retreat and Sarah needs to retreat from her live of the last few years.

Her fingers twitch for social media, for that pleasant, slot-machine call of scrolling. Somewhere, a baby wombat is getting weighed in a mixing bowl, and a rescue kitten is having a name reveal, and a high school friend is thanking Jesus for the new Chick-fil-A milkshake flavor, and Sarah is missing it all. She tells her brain to calm down and relax; her brain tells her to find a button and click it.

Sarah couldn’t wait to get to Tranquil falls. She has just escaped her mentally abusive boyfriend and is looking for a restart to her life and her love of building pottery. This is supposed to be the perfect place but there are issues from the beginning. She ends up in a cabin not meant for the artists and the person she needs to share the shop with is a loud jerk with some issues playing well with others. Still she can do this; she is going to get back to her life before she let a man derail her dreams.

“You seemed different in your application essay,” Gail says wistfully. “Everyone is different when they want something,”

The setting really makes this book. Old cabins in the woods, trails throughout going to various spots and the looming old hotel that is forbidden. It sets the gothic tone so well and helps to build the suspense of the story with all the spooky feelings. I think I liked the setting and descriptions more than anything else in the story. Especially once Sarah makes it inside the forbidden hotel that has been shut off for a hundred years.

Sarah’s time in Tranquil Falls is strange. Her dreams seem to be invaded by the ghost of someone from that time. Through those we learn of the hotel’s history and secrets until those final moments when we learn how the fire started and why it shut its doors forever all that time ago. It is an interesting way to build the tension and mystery while also making us question how reliable is Sarah as the narrator, as in our glimpses of her past it is clear she has experienced some trauma she is suppressing.

Besides the setting, I liked a few of the characters at the artist retreat and wanted to know more about their lives. Especially when they all start doing some strange stuff like only writing one word in calligraphy on a paper before tossing it to the floor, knitting a never ending scarf or playing a creepy old time song over and over again.

I did have some issues with this book though. There were a few times it didn’t seem to know what it wanted to be horror, romance, both. There is an almost romance that I was ready to get behind until it just fizzled due to some weird stuff happening, but then we never get closure on why the weird thing happened and where it went. I also warn anyone sensitive to rape that there are a few scenes. While well written with just enough detail before drifting out, but clearly rape was involved, it was unsettling and could be difficult for some readers. My last complaint is that the ending seemed really rushed and there were numerous things that seemed unresolved or left open. I don’t know if that is just because this was an arc and there will be some revisions after but as is the ending was a let down. I couldn’t decided if they were so unresolved because Dawson wanted to do another book at the Tranquil Falls or because she wanted the reader left in the dark to the fates of various characters and the Artist retreat.

I would say for the spookiness and setting this book is well worth a read for those that enjoy horror, but go in knowing that the resolution at the end may be unsatisfying.

Sarah buys these e-books on a discount site and devours them like popcorn. Something about terrible things happening to women is comforting to her, probably because she’s a woman to whom terrible things have happened and it’s reassuring to know she’s not alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Ray as well as the very talented author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
“NetGalley #DelRay #RandonHousePublishingGroup-Ballantine #DelilahSDawson #ItWillOnlyHurtForAMoment
Title: It Will Only Hurt For A Moment
Author: Delilah S. Dawson
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Ray
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Themes: Feminism, independence, camp setting, domestic abuse
Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, lack of familial support, rape, animal death, murder, gaslighting

This is another great one from this author. Delilah S. Dawson has earned a spot on my auto-read list. Sarah Carpenter has finally gotten away from her abusive ex-boyfriend as well as her needy and abusive mother. She’s escaping to the secluded Tranquil Falls to an artists’ retreat. She’s hoping to revive her love of clay sculpture. Things take a dark turn, however, when she finds the old corpse of a young woman while digging an outdoor kiln. The situation seems to worsen with each passing day. This novel has an eclectic cast of characters and kept me riveted for the most part.

This is the third book that I’ve read by Ms. Dawson. It was as compelling as the previous two. The cast of characters really enhanced my reading experience. I loved meeting each character and learning his or her different quirks and personalities. There were a few I loved to hate, like Bernie and Gail. I found myself yelling at both of them in my head a lot. I loved learning about the different types of art and their mediums. I also loved touring each studio and the cabins that the reader saw the inside of. I had a beautiful image in my head throughout the book. I suppose I should call it cinematic. I loved that!

The ending left something to be desired. While I liked the general idea of what happened, I needed a little bit more information and details. Why was Sarah at the heart of a lot of the happenings at Tranquil Falls? What was with the animal mutilation? It seemed like there were a lot of loose ends and a very rushed end after a lot of build up. This was disappointing as I really enjoyed the journey. I still say it’s worth a read.

All in all, this book had its problems, more so than the other books that I’ve read by Delilah S. Dawson. It’s still a fun journey and I still recommend it.

Sarah's on the run from her no good ex and finds her sanctuary, an artist getaway in the mountains, isn't all it cracked up to be. Cut off from civilization, she tries to focus on reclaiming her art... until she finds a skeleton in an unmarked grave.

Is she losing her mind?
What a fever dream.
I loved this. Like - really loved it. It's the perfect time of year to get snuggly with a good, creepy story. Add in some feminine rage? Omg - perfection
I love Delilah's love of story and her way of working through horrific instances on the page. This story took me less than a day and gave me goose bumps. There were scenes that were intensely uncomfortable to read - and I beg everyone to PLEASE check trigger warnings and take care of your mental health - but I appreciated how they were written. As a mental health practitioner, I appreciated the true to portrait she paints of women's treatment.

Not everyone is going to appreciate this story but for those who do, it's fabulous.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and DelRey for the chance to read this.

This was great for the creepy vibes and successfully atmospheric setting. It is a good October read that’s unsettling, sad, and even a little liberating. For me, there was a bit too much that wasn’t fully answered or explored. We get this retreat’s history and the implications of it, but I would have like more on what it’s doing and has done to people over time.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

With an eclectic cast of characters, readers will be drawn into this dramatic thriller. Sarah is running away from a bad situation and finds herself in an even more precarious one. The setting of the story is described in creative detail by the author which puts the reader in the story. The plot moves steadily as clues are uncovered. It is easy to follow along as the story develops and unfolds.

This was one of the most heartbreaking yet liberating books I’ve read in a long time. It had heart, hauntings, tragedy, and more.

Our MC Sarah is fleeing her ex boyfriend after realizing her relationship was abusive. She’s found what she thinks will be a fresh beginning at an artist retreat at an old “luxury spa” from the 1800’s.

Her tranquility is cut short after she discovers a long buried corpse. Strange things start happening at the retreat, people start acting weirdly, and soon things take a sinister turn.

This is a perfect mix between thriller and horror, with some supernatural stuff thrown in. I enjoyed the writing style and loved following Sarah along this journey of discovery about not only herself but the hotel’s past. She starts out meek and afraid but turns into a badass of a woman.

This book portrays what it was like to be a woman in the 1800’s, and how men so often then (and still now) believe women are mentally unstable because of their unwillingness to bow down to their every whim and craving.

This is by far one of my favorites, and i intend to buy a physical copy to have on my shelf.

Thanks to netgalley & Random House Publishing for this arc!!

It Will Only Hurt for a Moment releases October 22nd!!

Sarah Carpenter, on the run from an emotionally abusive ex, gets accepted into an artist's retreat at Tranquil Falls, a secluded artists’ colony on the grounds of a closed hotel. She plans to start making pottery again - something she had to give up when she moved in with her ex. There is no cell signal or internet to distract her,, which is perfect. But things go wrong from the time she arrives, and when she goes to dig a hole for a pit kiln and discovers an unmarked grave, things begin to get even weirder. Her fellow artists begin acting in troubling ways - the musician plays an old-timey carousel song over and over until his fingers bleed, the eccentric fiber artist knits an endless scarf, broken bits of stained glass are found in freshly opened packages of clay, and everyone is having strange dreams and going into trances. As Sarah begins to investigate the history behind the crumbling hotel, she discovers a dark history the owners want to keep hidden, no matter what.

Looking for a spooky ghost story to read this Halloween? Look no further. This book was excellent. I couldn't put it down. As the artists got eliminated one-by-one, Sarah (the pottery resident) and Ingrid (the photography resident) teamed up to do detective work (& ghost hunting on Ingrid's part) around the old hotel. Sarah kept having visions through the lens of one of the women who was "treated" there at the hotel, and wanted her story to be heard. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good paranormal story!

Haunted artist retreat, gothic vibes, and feminine rage.

Sarah Carpenter escapes a bad relationship and heads to an artist retreat to rediscover her love of pottery. What she finds at the retreat is a bit more than she bargained for. But when Sarah uncovers the body of a young woman while digging a hole for a pit kiln, things start to fall apart. The other artists begin to act strangely and there are mysteries on the property that will soon take a dark turn.

I found the story of the girl named Emily that Sarah found buried was a really intriguing story. I felt terrible for the life that Emily endured and I enjoyed the flashback to her life. I liked the other artists in the book and the atmosphere, I could really picture the retreat. The only thing I didn’t like was every chapter she mentioned Kyle, her abusive ex boyfriend, it got a little annoying because she was going to the retreat to get away from him, but never stopped mentioning him.. Besides that I really loved the story!

Add this book to your spooky season TBR!

Thank you to RandomHouse and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Substance Abuse, Animal Death, Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, Misogyny, Self-harm (graphic), References to Abortion

I’ll start by saying I loved Bloom and Guillotine by Dawson. They’re two of my faves for the year and some of my favorite novellas ever. I have yet to read a full length novel by this author but I went in with the highest of expectations. Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me.

What did I love? The atmosphere, the backdrop of a dilapidated mansion creating a perfect gothic setting, the chilling flashbacks, and the tension. The first chunk of this book held a lot of promise for me and I was dying to see where it all went. I found myself feeling a little unsatisfied by the ending. There was such a slow build and I expected the payoff to be worth it. But so much happens in the last 40 pages, and a lot off page. It just felt like what was the point? I think if this had been condensed to a novella or a slightly shorter book, it might’ve been more effective. I don’t like finishing a book and having more questions than answers.

Overall, there’s a lot to love here but I was hoping for a stronger ending to tie everything together.