Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted copy of this novel!

This one has SUCH a unique premise, I was immediately hooked! I read the majority of this one in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. Equal parts eerie and thought-provoking, I kept putting myself in the FMC’s shoes - and I’m not sure how I would have dealt with her situation. I thought the imagery of the negative images was spot on, and the character development lended itself well to the story. I do wish there was a bit more substance to the ending as it felt like it was missing something - but I also didn’t want this one to end! Definitely recommend giving this one a read for spooky season.

This sounded so good, the premise being one of the more original that I've seen for many years. So sad that I didn't enjoy the reading experience at all. I had a very hard time connecting with the characters and the plot. Turning the page and realising that I had no clue what just happened. The writing style is not making it easy for the reader and the pacing is so slow. The combination makes this a very boring and confusing read.


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

What if you lost a loved one, only to be taunted by their 'negative image' after their death? A mean, cruel and dangerous ghostly version of who they were when they were alive. Everyone can see them, but only you can hear the terrible things they say to you. Shunned by society, those affected become isolated from everyone around them who are frightened by the spectral images that follow the victims.

This is what happens to Anita Walsh after her husband's sudden death. Alone with no one to help her, she connects with a client who is also being haunted by his deceased wife. Together, they are desperate to find the answers to why their loved ones have returned to torment them.

A frightening supernatural horror which explores the impact of grief and betrayal. The 'Negative Images' in this story and their continued harassment of their victims is exhausting and terrifying. While I felt the start of the story progressed a little too quickly, I'm glad I kept reading as the story drew me in and would recommend this book for those that enjoy this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I went into this book feeling excited for the story (who wouldn't enjoy a supernatural ghost story) however about halfway through the book I became bored and lost interest in the story.
Thankyou to Net galley and the publisher for an arc of this book.

Thank you Rising Action for my gifted copy!!

Negative Images had a premise that should have smashed it out of the park. I was immediately intrigued. But truthfully, I felt like I was lurched into this story mid sentence. It made it hard to catch my footing with the writing style, and that, in turn, made it hard for me to connect with the story. I am super bummed about that, because this sounded like it would be absolutely incredible.

3.75 Stars

I'm mad. I know I don't need to be this upset, but I absolutely hate reading about spouse betrayal; I can't stand it. The combination of that and this book not being horrific just bummed me out. The only reason I can see this being considered horror is because of the experience of having someone you know die and yell terrible things at you, stalking you, and driving you insane with their vibes. It's funny when I say it, but it felt like total psychological warfare and was a bit relatable. When going through grief, it’s surprising how many negative thoughts people experience.
I loved the teamwork between Anita and Joshua, realizing that they could find a way to solve the mystery of Negative Images and rely on each other when everyone else turned against them. The slow development of their relationship was very sweet and made the book enjoyable for me. After proving myself right about what was going on with Dan, I didn’t care about him or Anita wanting to help him. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery of the story and the relationships between some of the characters, but there were a couple of things that just didn’t hit the spot for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Act Publishing, I received an ARC for an honest review!

This is such a fabulous idea for a book. Unfortunately, the execution was poor and I was bored throughout.

Grief horror with supernatural elements that kept me turning the pages.

When someone you love dies, imagine if a Negative Image of them came back and attached itself to you for everyone to see and fear? You can’t escape and know of no way of getting rid of the NI. Then, it begins to do things, bad things. No two cases are exactly alike. While the NI resembles your loved one, something about them is very different. It’s more than enough to make the average person go mad.

Anita loses someone she loves. When the NI returns to haunt her, quickly things spiral out of control. The most dangerous element in this story, besides the NI which has an agenda of its own, is society’s response which for me was the most horrific and disturbing aspect of the book.

A very creepy, interesting premise which could have used some added depth and layering. This one did remind me of White Noise in several respects and is a spine-tingling albeit tame horror read that moves at a steady pace written with straightforward prose. It’s a worthwhile read, especially for readers who want some chills but can do without overly graphic or explosive horror and the descriptions are effective.

I would pick up this author’s next book without hesitation.

4.25/5

I really enjoyed this ghost story! The negative images are such a unique (and unfortunate) concept. This is the first book I have read from this author and I was really impressed with the story and the writing. With that being said, I will certainly be keeping this author on my radar.

When I tell you that you couldn’t pull my kindle out of my hands, YOU COULD NOT PULL IT OUT OF MY HANDS. I was pulled in from the beginning and it never let go. The idea of a Negative Image was so eerie and I wanted so badly to know why it was there, if the person was maybe still deep down in the NI, if there was a way to get rid of them or help them cross over. The way people panicked felt so real. I loved our main character, I felt so bad for her. Grief horror will always be my favorite and I think this was done flawlessly. Thanks to Rising Action Publishing for my eARC.

This is an absolutely fascinating and haunting horror read. Imagine a world where one day some people’s dead loved ones come back to publicly haunt them and a worse version of their living selves. These “negative images” can only talk to those they are directly haunting but appear to everyone and are scary, unsettling, and incredibly negative. Generally speaking, these negative images are very mean to those they are haunting.

In this book, we follow a woman who gets a negative image and teams up with a man who also has one to try to find a root cause and solution. This is an interesting societal portrait as well— it’s interesting to see how people react to this “epidemic” and treat their friends and families afflicted with negative images.

Super fast paced and scary! Would recommend to horror lovers. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eArc!

Stilted dialogue, thinly written characters, and an under-developed world made “Negative Images” a tough read for me. But, I completely see this being a great introductory novel to those wanting to dip their toes into the horror genre.

There was a lot of potential in this book, but ultimately, I feel like there was a missed opportunity for something great.

Ghost like creatures come back to haunt the closest person of the recently deceased. They appear like the person who died but with black eyes. They can be seen by everyone, but only the loved one that they have attached to is able to understand what they're saying. To everyone else, when they speak, it just sounds like static.

It was a very interesting idea for a book. I loved how unique it was. It just felt like the resulting book was an unfinished concept. The ending felt rushed and didn't fully explore the interesting parts of the idea or flesh out the details. I feel like the last third of the book written differently could've made for something really good and different.

This is a debut, though, so I feel like I have to give the author some slack because their writing will only improve with time, and this was a create idea just lacking some execution.

Thank you, Rebecca Schier-Akamelu, NetGalley, and Rise Action Publishing Co. for the ARC of this book.

This was definitely a unique ride. I’m still a little unsure how I feel about it, which I guess says something in itself. The writing style kept me turning pages - moody, atmospheric, and with just enough intrigue to hold my attention even during the slower stretches. It started off strong, giving off “Shutter”-like vibes (which I loved), but then took a turn I did not quite expect: the Negative Images themselves becoming active characters. Creepy? Yes. Surprising? Also yes.

That said, I was hoping for a little more. The ending seemed a bit chaotic and rushed, and honestly left me with more than a few unanswered questions. While that is not an issue for many people, I tend to like stories that leave no stone unturned.

Overall, it was a solid psychological horror with heavy grief undertones. While it did not blow me away, I would still recommend it and am definitely interested in reading more by this author.

To be trapped with a Negative Image of another person for the foreseeable future?! 😱😭💔 Yeah, sleep with THAT thought for a night and you'll definitely have some feelings about this book...

Such a well written and gripping story that kept me enthralled with the plot until the very end 👀

What a debut Rebecca Schier-Akamelu 🤩👏🏻✨ and thank you to Rising Action Publishing Co. & NetGalley for the ARC 🖤

I was really excited to start reading this one as the synopsis sounded amazing (who doesn’t want to read about awful ghosts that look like your loved ones and terrorize you?). Only…the story wasn’t great. The writing didn’t work for me and the story itself was kind of boring which was surprising. I ended up DNF-ing it at 30% as I couldn’t get into it and kept putting it aside.

What a unique book to portray grief.

Negative Images is an engaging horror story that explores death and grief. The story follows Anita, who just lost her husband, Dan and while she is still processing the grief and settling into her new life, she discovers that Dan has come back to life, starting to haunt her. A negative image is a worldwide phenomenon in which the individual that passes away persists in stalking their loved ones; they could be affecting your mental health, guilt-tripping, and being aggressive. At first, it was not clear what the purpose of the negative image appearing and haunting their loved one was, but the concept was well done. However, I don't feel much connection to the character, and I feel like the story dragged out a little bit.

Overall, I enjoy my time reading this. Thank you, Netgalley for this Arc

I was able to get this ARC through NetGalley.

This book gave off creepy vibes the entire time while uncovering a different form of grief.

Starting off with a worldwide occurrence when someone’s loved one is deceased, and then returning as a Negative Image or NI. They follow the family member that’s still alive speaking only in a way they are able to understand. Not only are they appearing in gruesome ways the things they are speaking are incredibly unlike them.

As this phenomenon continues to grow throughout the world the worry and fear intensify. What happens when the NIs go too far? How can you properly grieve when you are in constant fear??

I enjoyed this book and the exploration of grief. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy story revolving around what ifs that haven’t been explored before.

I really enjoyed this read. It gave me the same bleak vibes I felt when I read Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie, only more dark and nightmarish. Going into this epidemic, not knowing what causes the negative images and the extent of their capabilities was terrifying. The ending was a bit lackluster, but I still really had a good time with this one. With this having such an interesting premise and engaging style of writing, I’m excited to see what this author comes up with next.

When Anita loses her husband, Dan, it is vicious and shocking to her system. While she is still experiencing that grief and settling into her new life, she discovers that Dan has come back to life- with a much darker twist. The news starts showcasing the Negative Image, which is a copy of the individual that passes away that persists in stalking their loved ones. The haunting image of the NI leaves behind nightmarish scenarios, not solely because it's impossible to grieve when the person you just physically buried shows back up to follow you around. I think the concept was very cool, but it didn't deliver for me mostly because I felt no connection to any of the characters. While stellar in theory, the execution fell flat for me. What was tangentially spooky could have really been upped with a touch more focus on the details and characters. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me the chance to read and review an Earc! All opinions are my own.