**3.5-stars rounded up**

💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙

Dearest is a unique take on the New Mother story and an impressive debut. I really enjoyed the topics explored, as well as the Supernatural bits and Body Horror.

In this story we are following, Flora, who just had her first child, a girl, Iris, 6-weeks ago. Iris arrived a little early and unfortunately, Flora's husband is still deployed, so she's left to navigate these early stages of 1st-time parenthood alone. As adorable as Iris is, it's not an easy thing. As time passes, Flora feels herself slipping. Her sleep-deprived brain is playing tricks on her and she's struggling navigating the endless lonely days.

When it reaches the point where Flora feels like she's losing it, she receives an unexpected visitor; her estranged mother. Even though her mom hasn't been a part of her life in years, Flora hesitantly accepts the help being offering. Her mother agrees to stay with her and Iris, at least until her husband returns. Even with her mother around, Flora is still experiencing odd occurrences that cause her to believe something is going on in the house, or like someone is after her and Iris. Is it in her head, or are there actually much darker forces at work?

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The audiobook was fabulously narrated by the author herself, which I felt was a nice touch. It felt like experiencing the story exactly how the author wanted it to be told, and I think she did a great job with it.

Stories of new motherhood are sometimes tough for me to relate to, or become invested in. NGL, I've had a few that have annoyed the heck out of me, but I never felt that way here and had no problem becoming invested in Flora's story. I did love the overall mysterious vibe and how in depth it explored feelings of isolation, as well as the oftentimes complicated mother-daughter relationship. Additionally, Walters's Horror descriptions were great, including some stellar Body Horror, which I always love to see.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy women-centered Horror, or weird 'is it supernatural, is it not' stories. I would also highly recommend the audiobook format, should you have that available to you.

Thank you to the publisher, Hachette Audio and Mulholland Books, for providing me copies to read and review. If this Walters debut, I cannot wait to see what's up next!

Obsessed does not begin to cover it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audio arc that was expertly narrated by the author! I absolutely loved this. This book was the perfect blend of spooky, thrilling and twisty! I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future!

The theme of motherhood is one that has been growing in focus for thriller and horror books over the years and is 100% something I’m here for! I think there are so many fascinating ways the theme can be taken that I’m always up to see what an author will scheme up.

First off, I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I mean come on! How am I not supposed to be intrigued by this one? And then there’s the synopsis…yeah put those two together and I was instantly sold on snagging a copy!

Walters has delivered an unsettling horror debut that takes a nod from the thriller genre with the fast pacing. I was instantly on edge when I started this one. I love when creepy, unexplained things are happening in a house. Are they real? Are they in the imagination of our narrator? Walters does a great job of playing with those questions and making the reader regularly second guess if they should be trusting Flora while Flora is also busy deciding if she trusts herself.

There’s a fantastic generational motherhood aspect with this story that examines the challenges of being a new mother, how different people handle it, and mental health. Mix in a handful of long buried family secrets and things spiral out of control quickly in this story.

I wanted just a bit more from the ending, but what Walters delivered fit the pacing and overall fever dream mood of the story completely.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Jacquie Walters!

This one was creeeeepy, and sometimes I was like - what is happening here?

Definitely did not listen before bed.

Narrator did a great job of upping the creep factor.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC.

OMG, I loved this. Immediately five starts for horror lovers, especially those of the female or AFAB persuasion. A horror take on postpartum, the book hit all the buttons for me. 10 out of 10!

Excellent! I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this story. The audio of this title is my preferred method of ingesting this title. The author narrates the audio and she does an amazing job. It was definitely a treat!! I am always excited to listen to author narrated books.

I was immediately immersed in characters, the setting, the story, all of it. Turns out this is paranormal horror. Given the genre of the book, there is always a risk of becoming cheesy but this book had me shaking my head in disbelief. The author conjured up images in my head that will give me nightmares!

***trigger warnings***

Flora is a new mom struggling to care for her 6 week old daughter Iris. With her husband deployed, flora is absolutely exhausted. Then she starts hearing and seeing things. They can't possibly be real can they? Flora is caught between reality and something else where her fears as a mother mingle with her past.

This is my first by this author and i will definitely read more!

4 out of 5 stars

This was a brilliant, creepy and frightening novel. I loved how atmospheric this was. Jacquie Walters did a fantastic job not only as the author with a creeping sense of dread but she is also the narrator. I really enjoyed this because it felt really personal and believable. I will say that my heart was actually broken. I really felt for Flora.

Wow, I loved this. A creepy horror story that feels like a fever dream but is also emotional and heartfelt -HOW?! Instant 5 stars.

Jacque Walter’s knows how to grab her readers attention and hold tight. This book hit close to home as I am a newly first time mom- although I am happy to report no beetle sightings over here for me 😅.

Dearest is about Flora, a new mom to beautiful baby gir Iris. She’s tackling the first weeks of motherhood alone as her husband is on deployment. Her dad and stepmom helped a bit in the first weeks but had to return home. Eventually Flora reaches out to her estranged mother, which results in her showing up on Floras doorstep ready to help. And this my friends is when Floras story went from weird and a bit creepy to downright supernatural.


I couldn’t stop listening to this book- I needed to know who was going crazy. Was it Flora, her mother, or heck even times I thought it was me. 😂.
5 starts to Jacquie on this book; I cannot wait to read more!

3.5 rounded up — Right off the bat, I think I benefited for having listening to this vs reading it because the atmosphere is helped by the sort of unhinged nature of the author’s voice. It feels frantic and twisted, something I attributed almost solely to the audio.

If I think about the content itself, it really didn’t give me any real thrills, just mostly disgust over some of the details. I didn’t find the mother’s presence very scary or looming. It was more like a severe mental breakdown instead of haunting, at least until the end. Our main character is more irritating than sympathetic and I was just worried about something happening to the daughter instead of the other.

I was just expecting much more and it didn’t get to the peak I wanted from it, based on the description. It did have a lot of merit though and that’s where I give it the benefit of the doubt.

This book is really just breastfeeding horror. I had no interest in finishing. The repeated breastfeeding descriptions were unnecessary.

This was a thrilling, creepy novel that will have you hooked as you listen along. An enjoyable book that I would recommend to others. This was my first novel by this author and I look forward to more.

Listening to DEAREST by Jacquie Walter’s was a very pleasant (and shocking) surprise. I’m not a huge horror fan, so I was a bit reluctant to give it a listen. In the end, I’m so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a try because I ended up really enjoying it. When I think of horror, blood, guts, murder, and gore immediately come to mind. Thankfully, DEAREST was pretty tame in that department. Sure, there’s a bit of blood, a LOT of creepy crawlies, and some icky moments, but it’s pretty manageable overall for a horror lightweight like myself. I especially loved how themes of new motherhood, complex mother-daughter relationships, marriage, and family drama were incorporated into this novel. I think that’s why it worked so well for me. If you’re a fan of dark and creepy reads with a good mix of horror, mystery, and the supernatural, then you gotta give this one a go. Oh, and I highly recommend the audiobook as the author herself narrates, and does a phenomenal job with it. It’s a super duper solid debut that’s perfect for spooky season!

This was such a rollercoaster of a book! Flora is a newly struggling mom who is desperate enough to reach out to her estranged mother for help. When her mom shows up on her doorstep one day, things start to get strange. I really enjoyed this book, it was a page-turner and definitely kept me on my toes. It took a turn that I was not anticipating and got super weird, but in the best way possible. *Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Mulholland Books for the opportunity to listen to the ARC of this book.*

This was a creepy debut, all the more creepy because it explores the fears of new mothers. I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator, they really brought the main character to life. The story was a fast paced novel that definitely grasps the readers attention and doesn’t let go. Flora is a new mother, her daughter is only 6 weeks old and she is struggling to adjust, especially since her husband is currently away in the military and she is alone. She loves her daughter but struggles with how exhausted she is and managing all the tasks of mother hood. Despite being estranged for years she welcomes a visit from her mother to help her, but despite the support strange things are happening and she’s not sure what’s real anymore. While the twists weren’t quite as twisty as I would have liked I found the story creepy and entertaining. A great debut and I’m excited to see what else this author comes up with. I did like the epilogue even if was what I expected. Definitely a story that will linger in my mind, the perfect story for spooky season.

Dearest by Jacquie Walters is an excellent horror debut! I loved reading about the protagonist's journey through new motherhood, as well as all of the complicated family dynamics she has going on. Not to mention the downright CRAZY supernatural shenanigans that took place. I can't wait to see what Walters writes next!

Jacquie Walter’s “Dearest” starts off strong, with an eerie, slow-burn horror that brings to mind a mash-up of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Mommy Dearest”. The early sections have an unsettling atmosphere with an intense focus on themes of motherhood, including lots of breastfeeding, clogged nipples, all the joys, which adds to the creep factor. There’s a constant sense of dread in the first three-quarters, but unfortunately, the final act falls flat. After such a compelling buildup, the last quarter of the book feels lackluster and fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Still, the book’s early intensity makes it worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley for an ALC.

TW/CW: Language, anxiety, depression, toxic family relationships, postpartum depression, death by suicide, death of child, attempted murder, mental illness

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Flora is a new mom enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early. With her husband still deployed, Flora navigates the newborn stage alone. But as the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur.

Just as Flora becomes convinced she is losing her mind, a surprising guest shows up: Flora’s own mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken in years. Can they mend their fraught relationship? Or is there more Flora’s mother isn’t telling her about the events that led to their estrangement?
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Genre: Horror
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
2. Story flowed
3. Characters were well written
4. Tons of crazy things happened

What I Didn't Like:
1. Stories using the mental illness woman as a plot

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

Jodie is so terrible. She laughs at Flora for wanting to disconnect from wifi because a man hacked into the baby monitor. It's very rational to be upset that somebody's been watching her baby for so long.

Love that Jodie is reading Yellow Wallpaper.

I'm seriously wondering if Jodie is trying to gaslight Flora and trying to take the baby.

Omg omg omg Jodie is feeding Iris on her breast...... Omg omg!!!!

Yeah, no I would not be trying to help Jodie into the house. She is losing it! She is breast feeding her granddaughter and then goes outside to burn a tusk. Girl you can still call 911 without wifi! Get help to yourself.

I thought they had no electricity so how is she having a hot bath. Did she just know that her water heater would work? I get that she maybe has a gas water heater so maybe that's why it's working.

I'm sorry I just find it creepy that her mother is breastfeeding the baby and now she's rubbing her shoulders while she's in a bath. This all just seems so creepy and overstepping so many boundaries.

Oh my God and now she's trying to kill her...

---- her mother is dead.... What....!

Ohhhhh Flora had a twin that drained but Michael didn't see it so he wasn't sure what happened. He also covered the story of what happened to protect Jodie.

This all took a twist and Flora lost a leg and is pregnant. Like it was all insane.

So this whole time the tusk was protecting Flora just it was from her mother.

Final Thoughts:
Whoa - so much happens in this book and I wasn't ever bored. The writing made this book move along so seamlessly.

The characters were flawed and so completely messed up, but in a fascinating way that kept me dropping me mouths many times as I read this book.

I kept thinking if you have children you'll relate and if you don't have kids you'll be thankful you don't.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the advanced ebook. Thanks to Hachette Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dearest is a solid paranormal debut about the horror of being isolated, both mentally and physically, as a new mother, and inherited matrilineal trauma.

There’s a dreamlike quality to the writing style that makes us see the world through the eyes of exhausted new mom Flora as she worries that she could be losing her mind.

This story has some twists that you don’t see coming - in part due to the fact that this book does a great job, through Flora’s exhausted narration, of confusing what is real, what is imagined, and what exactly is going on.

Occasionally a chapter will begin with a definition with some term related to motherhood. I get why these are added, but I don’t think they add anything to the narrative, and end up disrupting the flow of events in the audiobook. This is my only real gripe with the storytelling of this one, and this is a strong debut overall.

The author narrates this one herself, and Walters does a great job. I like it when authors narrate their own books, you can really get a sense for the author’s exact intentions (with different scenes, the tone, the delivery of lines) through their narration. Walters does a good job creating different voices for a variety of characters and it is easy to follow this story, even when the narrative isn’t the most straightforward.

Nothing is spookier than having a baby, and this book did not disabuse me of that notion! I really enjoyed this audiobook-- typically I'm suspicious of authors narrating their own work, but for the most part Walters did a fabulous job. While I think it lost a little momentum at the end (very very common in horror and mystery novels, I find), this was genuinely spooky and surprising.