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.

Negative Images
Rebecca Schier-Akamelu
Publication Date: July 22, 2025

4.5 / 5

I had a great time with this creepy horror novel that approaches grief in a pretty interesting way:
After Anita's husband passes away, she begins being followed by an N.I. - a negative image, which is a darker version of your dead loved one that brings guilt and grief and negativity.
Many suddenly have them, but not everyone. Why do only some people have negative images following them around? What do they want?
People become suspicious and scared, and those with negatives begin to be ostracized by those without... And it's quickly getting worse as people become more afraid.
Oh, and also the negatives are suddenly able to make physical contact, and they also begin driving some to attempt suicide.

A creative, dark, uniquely designed story that I recommend to anyone looking for a spooky time.

Thank you Net Galley and Rebecca Schier-Akamelu for this ARC.

This book was so good.
Very creepy, I couldn’t put it down.

It follows Anita Walsh a grieving widow who is now haunted by her husbands negative image.
Someone who looks like her husband, knows everything her husband should know, but is definitely NOT her husband.
With more and more people getting negative images, people are scared.
How do you get rid of one?
How can you grieve properly when you’re being haunted?

This premise, a new take on haunting, really pulled me in!

A worldwide phenomenon begins in which people’s deceased loved ones seemingly return to them as a “Negative Image” (NI) entity that follows them around with dark holes for eyes and insults that only the afflicted can hear. Apparently, the NIs’ only goals are to tear down and destroy those to which they return.

Naturally, the public panics and spreads rumors and lies about the afflicted—even proposing imprisonment—under the guise of “safety.” The narrator teams up with another person affected by the new pandemic of sorts to figure out why the NIs are there and what they can do to get rid of them.

Sometimes, I was annoyed by both the romantic subplot/tension and the cheesy dialogues/internal monologues. In addition, I feel the ending was rushed and maybe even a bit too simple of a wrap up.

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this. The events and investigation were intriguing, and the exploration of grief was well done.

I would recommend it to anyone looking for a unique supernatural horror and I think it is a pretty good debut!

"It was like looking into nothingness, and she’d opened her mouth wide to say something— and her mouth was cavernous and black, too, framed only by the lurid red of her lipstick."


Heavy on grief horror. Some of the characters are haunted by entities known as Negative Images. They have someone close to them who has passed and these entities mess with their head, ultimately, figures out what makes them tick and try to destroy them in the process. What these negative images ultimately want is for the characters to off themselves. Everyone with a Negative image is going to wind up killing themselves sooner or later. And that is probably the only way to get rid of them. BUTTTTT, someone with a Negative Image can become Negative themselves. They have to figure out a way to stop the cycle and fast.

I was intrigued by the premise and plot - plus the cover also drew me in since it is similar to the Intercepts novel cover which I have finished before this. It had creepy moments and a bleak atmosphere. What I like about it is that it reminds me of the movie 'Lights Out' and the entity named Diana. My only problem is that I find some parts dragged and it was hard to connect with some of the characters. The ambiguous ending was ok though I felt it was kinda rushed.

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🖤

3.48✨

Negative Images is one of those books that quietly creeps under your skin and stays there. It's part psychological horror, part grief-fueled drama, and it does a fantastic job of blending eerie supernatural elements with deeply personal emotional weight. The writing is sharp and unpretentious, which makes the more unsettling moments hit even harder.

What really stands out is how Schier-Akamelu explores the idea of grief not just as sadness, but as something that can warp perception and reality. The main character’s journey is both heartbreaking and gripping, and the world-building around the “Negative Images” concept is genuinely original.

If you like horror that’s more about atmosphere and psychological tension than gore, and if you’re into stories that dig into human emotion in a raw, unflinching way, this is definitely worth your time.

Thank you to Netgalley, Rebecca Schier-Akamelu and the publishers, Rising Action, for allowing me a copy of this novel.

Negative Images tells the story of Anita, a newly widowed woman who, whilst dealing with her grief of the sudden loss of her husband, also has to contend with the return of his Negative Image (NI). Negative Images are a new phenomenon sweeping the world where those who have recently passed away return to their loved one as a negative version of themselves in a ghost-like form, hell-bent on tormenting and destroying the one they have returned to.

As more and more people are "infected" with an NI, the world starts to panic. A charismatic figure takes the opportunity to tap into the public's fear and uses that to rally people against those who have an NI, ultimately leading to the proposal that all those who have one are isolated for the "safety" of everyone.

Anita, after joining up with Joshua, another person suffering with an NI, starts to investigate what might be causing the NIs. What then transpires is a race against time as Anita and Joshua search for answers, whilst evading forced isolation or succumbing to the horror inflicted on them by their NI.

I thoroughly enjoyed Negative Images, although I wouldn't classify it as a horror, more a sci-fi/supernatural thriller. I wasn't sure I was going to like it initially as there was something about the writing style in the first few chapters that I just couldn't get on with, but I'm glad I persevered.

Schier-Akamelu's descriptions of the NIs were excellent and the comparison to them moving in ways similar to a stop-motion movie was perfect and I could easily see them in my mind's eye…and it was creepy!

The story deals with themes of loss, grief, betrayal, isolation, persecution, fear of the unknown and there's no way of not comparing it to real-life events and the unfair way in which certain groups of people are "othered" with seemingly no basis - it's heavy on the idea that we fear what we don't understand.

The book, a debut from Schier-Akamelu, is well written, flows very well, and is easy to read. I cared about the characters and what happened to them and whilst it wasn't scary, there were some good tense moments where you just knew the NI was about to do something horrible…and had you biting your nails waiting for it to happen!

All in all, a really solid debut - 3.75 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Schier-Akamelu for this ARC!
I was really impressed with this book and it's concept of the afterlife. The movie 'White Noise' kept popping in my head while reading, while not the same concept as the movie there was similar elements. These characters go thru some sad times and I definitely felt the emotion come thru. Still have chills and I can still here the noise of the 'NI'. I can't wait to see what this author has planned for the future.

People begin to be haunted by a negative image, a cruel echo, of the people they have lost. Not everyone, but many people. The scariest part of this book isn't the negative images: it's the society around them and how ostracized (believably) our characters, and myself as a reader rooting for them, felt. I found this book to be intense and dark-- a great debut! I am excited to read more from this author.

This was a good book. It is dark, disturbing and eerie! It was very well written, clear and easy to read. It is a one of a kind twist of a ghost story! It really made me feel anxious throughout most of the book. It captured my interest at the very beginning, because a lot happens! This book had me hooked from start to finish and had me feeling creeped out in the best possible way. It is so different from anything I have read and brought an amazing twist.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

Negative Images is a chilling psychological horror debut that delves deep into grief, identity, and the supernatural. Anita Walsh, still reeling from her husband's sudden death, finds herself haunted not only by grief but by his "Negative Image"—a new phenomenon where the deceased prey on those they loved in life, turning intimate memories into nightmares. This spectral figure uses their shared past as a weapon, systematically dismantling her friendships, career, and self-worth. Desperate for escape, Anita plunges into a quest to sever the ghostly bonds that tie her to her tormentor.

Schier-Akamelu crafts a gripping narrative that explores the psychological horrors of grief and betrayal. The pacing is deliberate, allowing for a slow build of tension that keeps readers on edge. The exploration of societal reactions to the phenomenon adds depth, highlighting how fear and superstition can lead to dangerous ideologies. Anita's journey is both haunting and poignant, making Negative Images a standout in contemporary horror literature.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Schier-Akamelu mixes psychological horror with some deep stuff about memory, loss, and trying to run from your past. It follows Anita’s story in a really personal way, but also shows a bigger picture of a messed-up society. It did feel a bit slow in some parts and I zoned out a couple times, but overall I thought it was a pretty interesting read.

I was locked in. I was glued to the Kindle. I started reading and didn't stop until I finished the book at 3am. I was scared to go to the bathroom in the dark. lol An EXCELLENT supernatural thriller.

After Anita loses her husband, Dan, she is devastated. Then Dan starts appearing to her. But it isn't the Dan that she knew in life. He is taunting, cruel, and seems bent on destroying her. The weird thing is, this is happening to people all over the world. News of these "ghosts", called Negative Images, or NIs, is all over television and the internet. Why should anyone who doesn't have one care? Because they can see their friends and family's Negative Images, although what they see and hear is distorted. People with NIs are ostracized as their NIs break them down emotionally and make work and community life impossible.

Anita teams up with Joshua, whose late fiancée passed about the same time as her husband, to try to determine why this is happening and if there is any way to rid themselves of their NIs. As their NIs become more and more aggressive, a charismatic man rallies the scared masses against people who have Negative Images. You know, to protect our children and communities.

There is definitely some heavy allegory here that was not lost on me. The story had me thinking about the pandemic and about groups in America that have been and/or are being "othered" by our government. It is timely and thought provoking.

My interpretations aside, this suspenseful ghost story is great at face value. It had me hooked from page one. I was emotionally connected to the characters and felt their grief, frustration, anger, outrage, sadness, and in happier moments, their hope. I needed to know why they had these Negative Images and what would ultimately happen to them.

I can confidently recommend this one. Do consider your emotional state, given that the book deals heavily with loss and grief.

Thank you Rising Action Publishing Co. and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was an interesting premise, but I was hung up on the writing style, it wasn't working for me tone wise, and was a little too simplistic for me. I think I'd probably enjoy it more as an audiobook.

This is a deeply emotional and thoughtful grief horror story that really made me think so much. It has so many parts with resonance to today's events, the pandemic, social media, our culture of misinformation, and it blends all of these things in a really insightful way that also never loses sight of telling a really engrossing and entertaining stories. The characters, especially Anita and Joshua, are all incredibly layered, full characters that make good and bad choices but always human and understandable. The negatives are really freaking scary, the idea of them is terrifying and tragic, but Schier-Akamelu's descriptions are so vivid it's going to really be hard to shake this world for a long time. If anything, I think this book could have been longer, especially the ending, because I think there is just so much to explore in this theme, As it is, though, this is a really great debut and I will be looking out for all of this author's work in the future.

4.5 Stars rounded up

Wow, what a ride! Negative Images wastes no time diving straight into the horror. By page 10, I was already double checking my locks and flipping on every light in the house. This is psychological horror at its finest. Deeply unsettling, incredibly creative, and completely immersive.

The premise is nothing short of brilliant: the dead return, visible to everyone, but only the person they "loved the most" can hear the cruel, grotesque things they say. That idea alone is chilling, but when paired with the global implications of society debating whether this is a pandemic, and should we be isolating those afflicted? This becomes a truly mind bending experience.

Rebecca Schier-Akamelu’s writing is sharp, emotionally resonant, and gripping. The pacing kept me glued to the page, and I tore through the entire book in just two sittings. It's the kind of story that stays with you long after it’s over.

Honestly, this would make an incredible film. It’s eerie, thought provoking, and haunting in all the right ways. An absolute must read for fans of psychological and speculative horror.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Rebecca Schier-Akamelu, and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Schier-Akamelu masterfully blends psychological horror with social commentary, exploring themes of loss, memory, and the lengths to which people will go to escape their pasts. The narrative is both intimate and expansive, delving into Anita’s personal struggles while also painting a broader picture of a society on the brink..
It was a little slow at times for me and I lost my attention a few times but overall it was an interesting read!

Thank you NetGallery for the opportunity to read this book!

You know that nagging voice in your head that tells you you’re awful and everything you do doesn’t matter and you’ll never be good enough? What if that voice was externalized and materialized in the form of a dead loved one?

This becomes the reality for this world. This is what becomes the reality for Anita, Joshua, and many others. Living in a world that does not understand why people are being haunted by their dead loved ones, their “Negative Images”, creates a hostile environment for anyone who has one. This psychological horror was worth reading!

#ThxNetGalley #RebeccaSchier-Akamelu #NegativeImages