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

Negative Images boasts a unique and imaginative take on a haunting, delivering a captivating and suspenseful experience from start to finish.

In this debut novel some people start to suffer from a phenomenon where they end up haunted by a apparition resembling their dead loved one. Other people can see them but only the person haunted by them, can hear all the abuse they hurl at them. Society starts calling them Negative Image.

I enjoyed the concept of the story and found the aspect of how society reacts to, and starts to deal with, this new kind of "pandemic" really interesting. I also found the authors writing style very straight forward and easy to read.

From a story perspective I felt that things progressed quite slow and revolved around similar scenes for too long. Towards the end there comes more twists and turns but the story conclusion felt little rushed and I wish we had started preparing for the climax earlier.

Still an overall enjoyable reading experience and I'm keeping my eye open for the authors future work as well.

Do you believe our loved ones are still with us after death? Are you sure you'd want them to be...?

Negative Images is a unique, imaginative take on a haunting. The death of Anita's husband leaves her unmoored and grieving, but the presence of a dark force resembling her late partner appears, whispering horrors that only she can hear, with sunken eyes and warped features. And she isn't the only one who finds themselves suddenly haunted.

I commend the author for such an interesting premise and thought provoking exploration of grief. I found the writing to be concise, at times almost too much so, and I wanted Anita's late husband Dan to feel a little richer as a character, but I think this is well worth the read for the imaginative world the author builds! I couldn't help but reflect upon the parallels to the way our society responds to profound grief and the existence of the negative images, the darkness of those thoughts whispered...

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the ARC!

Negative pictures captured my attention from the very beginning and is one hell of a “ghost” story! I wouldn’t necessarily class this book as a horror, but if you love all things creepy and paranormal, you will LOVE this book!

Negative pictures follows the story of Anita, a women who’s husband was killed in a tragic accident, that has now come back as a “negative image” of himself to torment her - turning loving memories into nightmares. Only a few people are unlucky enough to have a negative image of a passed love one attached to them and it is unclear as to why. She quickly finds comfort and friendship in Joshua, who he himself is being tormented by the NI of his fiancé, as together they try to solve this mystery.

As society struggles with the rising horror and threat these NI’s may bring, a charismatic extremist pushes a radical solution to keep the afflicted separate from the rest of the world.

Anita and Joshua must work together to prevent the breakdown of themselves and their community.

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 to the concept of a “ghost story”.

I do wish the ending had slightly more resolve, but I could easily see potential for a sequel to come out of it. Despite that, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book at all, and even as a stand alone book, I thought it was remarkable.

I will definitely be recommending this book and can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

I recently read Negative Images by Rebecca Schier-Akamelu, and it was a captivating and suspenseful experience from start to finish. The novel centers around a photographer named Elena, who becomes entangled in a web of mystery and danger after her work, which captures haunting and unsettling images, leads her to uncover secrets that someone is desperate to keep hidden.

What really drew me in was the way Schier-Akamelu created a sense of unease and tension. The pacing was spot on, and the suspense built slowly as Elena’s investigation deepened. Each new twist and revelation kept me on edge, and I found myself second-guessing everything, which made the book all the more engaging.

The character development in Negative Images was excellent. Elena is a compelling protagonist—smart, determined, but also vulnerable. Her growth throughout the story felt natural, and I appreciated the way Schier-Akamelu explored her inner conflict and personal dilemmas. The supporting characters were equally well-drawn, and the relationships between them felt authentic and complex.

Negative Images by Rebecca Schier-Akamelu is a gripping and thought-provoking thriller that expertly weaves mystery with psychological depth. From the start, the novel builds an eerie, immersive atmosphere, pulling readers into a story filled with secrets, shifting perspectives, and unsettling revelations. The writing is sharp and engaging, keeping the tension high throughout.

The protagonist is compelling, navigating a complex web of truth and deception that makes for an intriguing and emotionally charged journey. Schier-Akamelu balances strong character development with a well-paced plot, though some twists feel more predictable than others. Still, the novel’s exploration of identity and perception adds depth, making it more than just a standard mystery.

The pacing is solid, steadily unraveling the story before delivering a satisfying and well-executed conclusion. Negative Images is an intelligent and absorbing thriller—an easy 4-star read for those who enjoy mysteries with psychological complexity and a haunting edge.

Negative Images 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! I wouldn’t necessarily put it in the horror category, more of like a paranormal ghost story. However, I can understand why it is in the horror genre. It played out like a movie in my head. It is dark, disturbing and eerie! It was very well written, clear and easy to read. The only thing that I was not fond of was the ending. Will there be a sequel to this book? I hope so!

Negative Images is a book about how a woman’s husband passed away, only to come back as a creepy “Negative Image” of him that follows her around. Not only is she dealing with her own grief, she has to look at her Negative Image husband; who has black eyes and looks distorted. She is not the only one that has a negative image, the society has them as well. I rate this a 4 out of 5 star rating Be sure to read the content warnings before delving into this haunted ghost story.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Schier-Akamelu, and Rising Action Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is expected to be released on July 22, 2025!

Really unique premise, I wouldn't say it was a true horror book though. More supernatural thriller. Very intriguing premise with very interesting characters but I felt like the book just ended with no real resolution. It felt very unfinished to me. Up until the end, I loved it!