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.

This is my first Delilah S. Dawson book and while I've heard great things about Bloom, I'm not sure how to feel about this.

I enjoyed the way she created atmosphere and quiet tension in this story, but I can't say I enjoyed her writing style as a whole or her characters. For one, it felt like the writing dragged here and there, with too many unnecessary descriptions and repetitions, and stuff that added nothing to the story. The characters were just not very likable and they were a bit strange, I can't quite put my finger on it. I didn't HATE them, but I didn't like them either.

Also, while there's a creepy mystery here, I don't feel like the plot was executed well at all. The ending felt RUSHED, like she didn't want to write anymore and found the most convenient, easiest way to give the story some kind of conclusion. As a result, there are many loose ends and it's just... not good.

Some of the twists aren't shocking in a good way, they're shocking as in "Okay, she literally pulled this out of nowhere and I can't believe it," and others were obvious, so it's just messy. Overall, while I liked the premise and the way she created the atmosphere, I can't really say I liked this story.

My biggest issue is how dissatisfying it is. The first question that came to mind when I finished this was: "Why did I read this? What was the point?" and that's never great. I can't say it was a waste of time, cause I liked some elements of it, but I can't in good conscience say this was good or recommend it 100%. Give it a shot, I guess!

Dawson is a great story teller but this book felt disjointed. Was it a horror? An almost romance? Who knows! The setting was the best thing about this book. The retreat was in the middle of the woods, no cell service, peaceful.... a place a lot of us would love to be able to spend some time at.
The characters were flat, the plot was repetitive and there were so many loose ends. The ending felt rushed and not fleshed out completely, almost like Dawson decided she was done and that was that.

"In this highly atmospheric thriller from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of The Violence, a young woman hopes to reinvent herself at an isolated artists' colony...only to be drawn into its dark, twisted past. Sarah Carpenter is starting over.

She's on the run - leaving behind her unsupportive, narcissistic ex-boyfriend and alcoholic, abusive mother - and headed for a new beginning at Tranquil Falls, a secluded artists' colony on the grounds of a closed hotel. There, with no cell signal or internet to distract her, she hopes to rediscover her love for pottery and put the broken pieces of her life back together.

But when Sarah uncovers the body of a young woman while digging a hole for a pit kiln, things start to fall apart. Her fellow artists begin to act in troubling ways. The eccentric fiber artist knits an endless scarf. The musician plays the same carousel song over and over until his fingers bleed. The calligrapher grins with ink-stained teeth. Not to mention the haunting dreams Sarah has night after night.

When she discovers glass shards in her clay, Sarah wonders if someone is out to get her - or if she's losing her grip on reality out here in the wilds, where the pounding of the waterfall never, ever fades. As she investigates the beautiful valley and the crumbling resort looming over them all, she unearths a chilling past that refuses to remain buried..."

Well, it won't remain buried if you keep digging holes for a pit kiln! In all seriousness, this is THE BOOK everyone is talking about this October.

I would read Delilah S. Dawson's grocery lists at this point, everything she publishes is pure gold and she is tragically under-hyped. I need MORE from her!

Thank you to RandomHouse and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.25 stars

The first half read as ominious lit fic, which I was ok with because I very much enjoy Delilah Dawson's writing style. However, I was missing the terror. The book had a spooky vibe and you knew something was coming, but we had to wait awhile for it.

Once the book hit the 65% mark, the terror really ramped up and it was nonstop until the end. I loved the story in both the past and present. I assume readers were supposed to focus on the resolution we got in the past, but I was wanting more answers about the other artist attendees that we didn't get. I understand the focus was meant to be on the women but I liked some of the male characters and I wanted to hear about what truly happened to them.

Additionally, I'd love to know the backstory on how the artist retreat really came about. We got a snippet but I was so fascinated by the whole history of the property.

Either way, Delilah Dawson's horrors are a no-brainer for me. She ends all her chapters on cliffhangers and immediately picks it up in the next chapter, so you don't have to wait. The care given to victims in the story was amazing and the protagonist was likeable in so many ways. She showed courage, resiliency, and growth.

Overall I'd recommend this one.