Thank you to Anna Quinn (the author), Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Night Child. I rated a solid 4 stars.

First off, this book needs a trigger warning. It contains sexual violence and child abuse, including fairly graphic descriptions of both. If this is not your type of book, make sure to pass on it given its content.

When I read the premise of the book, I thought it sounded unique (and I had no idea it involved sexual violence/child abuse from the description, which reveals part of the plot I suppose). I decided to try it out because of the unusual description - a high school English teacher named Nora starts suffering from debilitating headaches and seeing the face of a disembodied child. She thinks she's losing it, or suffering from a severe medical issue. Her home life is likewise falling apart; her spouse is disengaged and impatient with her, and doesn't seem to really care at all about her health issues. The most important people in Nora's life are the students she teaches, and her young daughter Fiona, who she adores.

Scared of what is going on in her head (literally and metaphorically), Nora seeks out a psychiatrist. Her sessions slowly reveal her tragic childhood, one that is coming back to haunt her in the present. Secrets are revealed, and the mystery of Nora's mental and physical health is unraveled as the plot unfolds.

I read this book in a day and a half during a really busy couple of days. The writing is excellent, and while the subject matter isn't something I would usually read (especially a story dealing with child abuse), I was able to tolerate the subject matter because the story was compelling and seemed real. I identified with the characters and wanted to know how the story resolves.

To summarize: a quick but terrifying read through a damaged human psyche.

Kate Quinn does not disappoint! I love to read a book that allows the reader to feel real emotion! This book does it! I felt as I was right in the book with the main character. A great story of a mother, wife, teacher, it told the story in a way that a lot if us who where molested as children could relate to. Her dress was the Valentine's Dress mine was the birthday dress. I highly recommend this book to everyone to read, whether or not you experienced childhood abuse or not. I also liked how Kate developed each character in this novel. For me it was very healing to read I hope it will be the same for others. Hopefully it also shows people what survivors go through. This is a must read

Great book! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Nora Brown is an ordinary everyday english teacher in a slightly stagnant marriage with a wonderful six year old daughter, Fiona. However everyday life starts to fall to pieces when Nora discovers she has to face her past in order to have a future.
I very much enjoyed this book. It would be tempting to disregard this as yet another book about past abuse coming to the surface. However, I felt that this book was better than that. The author approached the subject in a very sensitive manner enabling the reader to empathise with Nora. It made total sense as to why these issues were coming to the surface now and how hard Nora was trying to hold everything together. Little Fiona was a real beacon in this book, a real symbol of hope.
The only issue I had with this book was the ending. It wasn't that it left things unresolved as I could construct the future for most of the characters. It was the abruptness. It was almost as if the author couldn't think of where to take Nora next so ended it rather abruptly in a slightly ambiguous manner.
The book flowed well with a good storyline which made sense. The characters were very three dimensional & believable. None of the characters was particularly nasty, they were just people like everyone else.
I would definitely search out other books by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

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Nora Brown is a high school English teacher, a wife, and the mother to an adorable 6 year old girl, Fiona. One day she sees a face with blue eyes staring at her. Trying to shake the image away, she moves on with her day and her life. The face reappears the next day and whispers about a Valentines Day dress. Nora is completely shaken which brings her to psychologist David who is able to find out the meaning of the face and the dress. Something terrible has happened to Nora many years ago and her subconscious has been able to suppress it for all these years. This book is a sad tale of how deeply childhood events can scar a person, no matter how strong they are. It made me both mad at the perpetrator and sad for the victim and her family. I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Nora’s brother, James, who is there for her every step of the way. This book has a very sensitive subject matter. Anna Quinn did a wonderful job in portraying the hurt felt by all the characters and emphasizing the consequences of this hurt in a very realistic manner.

Thank you to Netgalley, , Anna Quinn, and Blackstone Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A touching,poignant story of a woman coming to terms with her past. The story is charmingly told as we, and Nora, uncover the past she's tried to forget. The book deals in difficult topics but does so in thoughtful way. Mental health is so often stigmatized, and this story was a beautiful testimony to those who work hard through past trauma to heal.

I enjoyed this book so much. I usually don't read books like this but I'm glad I made an exception. I loved all the characters in this book. Nora, Fiona, Margaret, James, John, David. They were all amazing. I was hoping for a little romance with John. He clearly loves her. But the ending was much more realistic and less simplistic than that. It's just the romantic in me. This book was short but packed a big punch. I was really moved when Fiona gave that hummingbird to the girl in the meeting room. I actually teared up. I think this book showed great love and sensitivity regarding an issue that is so horrible. It really snuck up on me. Just like it did for Nora.

The Night Child, A Novel, Anna Quinn

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction.

What an extraordinary read this proved to be. I really wasn't sure what to expect but just went along with the story as it unfolded. 
I felt so sorry for Nora, she thinks she's like most of us, home and family, job she enjoys and life is good. Until it isn't. It turns out her past is connected to her present, and to her future.

Everything is normal until she she's the face of a child, one who seems to know here. Nora doesn't know what to think, probably passes it off as stress, tiredness, all the usual excuses we make when something out of the ordinary happens. We're geared up to Normal, conditioned to think that way and its incredible how contorted our minds can get to keep that, what lies we tell ourselves.  

As the story moves on Nora has consulted specialists, to check her health, physically at first and then she meets with David, psychiatrist, who in his quiet way lets her inner thoughts have free rein.
Its heartbreaking the way the story unfolds, and for that little child I could have cried. sadly its something that happens too often and as individuals we all have ways of dealing, some work permanently, some just for a time. 

Sadly for Nora the more that gets revealed the deeper her issues are seen to be. I loved the support she got from John, her teacher friend but she ought to have got that from husband Paul, but sadly he was already making his own way and this doesn't help her. I hated him, hated him. He could have put his own feelings aside, just for a while, supported the woman he married for love, tried to at least keep things together for their daughter Fiona. she's only 6 and it must have been traumatising for her having mummy away and daddy...well, lets say daddy wasn't the responsible parent he could have been, involving her in his other life. a rsehole!
I've no patience with people like him, sort out your marriage, end it if need be, before moving on. 

Nora has such a struggle, she can't believe herself, so how can she expect others to believe her, and the more we learn the stronger that little child seems, to have overcome such trauma and yet let Nora grow up into a person that fits in with the rest of society, has a family, a job she is well respected in, looked up to. I was so glad she found David.
Then the cracks start, the crumples and rifts deepen and I was wondering - how could/would it all end?

And on that note, the ending...well, its one of those arty, popular, ambiguous endings, where we're led to really put our own inferences on what happens next, and that's what kept this off five star for me.
It works well for others, but for me I want my endings written, I need to know what the author thought would happen, not put my own ideas there. I'm a reader not a writer so though I could mentally imagine what *might* happen next, I really want it laid out there in front of me. 

Excellently written and paced story, that kept me reading til the end. I just wish that end had been more concrete, more solid.  

Stars: four, a great debut read

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Brilliantly captivating, this book is going to be the next buzz in the literary world!

Gripping story, interesting to learn about split consciousness. Nice debut novel

Pacy and well written. The main story seemed very well research although some details of the Irish background didn't ring true for me

The Night Child is a remarkable debut novel that will leave readers hanging on the edge of their seats. It's a story so unique that it gave me chills all across my body. The writing is superb- Anna Quinn writes like a seasoned pro- and the plot is actually terrifying! I highly- and I mean VERY highly- recommend this book!

I haven't read a book from Ms. Quinn I don't know why when this book was so well written a must read

What a fantastic debut novel.

Nora is married with a six year old daughter and teaching English in a high school in Seattle and she enjoys the challenges this presents with some of the pupils. Nora loves her life until one day after class she sees a disembodied face of a child and she is terrorised. When this event is repeated the following day Nora seeks help from a neurologist and then a psychiatrist as she tries to understand why she is hallucinating.

What follows is an incredible journey in which Nora undertakes to discover what has led up to this and the manner in which the mind hides the past in order to protect the individual in the present. The content is dark and disturbing and I found myself totally enthralled by the idea of split-consciousness and horrified by Nora’s background/past and shocked by the outcome of her breakdown.

I was so scared for Nora and concerned for her daughter Fiona – how could she understand what was happening to her mummy? Her colleague John was a diamond and her husband, well say no more.

This is a powerful novel, well-written and great characterisation and the opening doesn’t even hint at how fascinating it is. The descriptions of the terror that took over Nora’s body were inspired. Thank you Ms Quinn. More please.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Nora and Margaret are one and the same. Or are they? Nora is the face the world sees. A mother a wife, a sister. Margaret is a warrior child that helped Nora survive the abuse caused by her father.
This is a very well written book. You can feel the emotions of both Nora and Margaret. You want to just hold both of them and help them feel better. That they are loved and appreciated. The pain that both are feeling is real. One losing her cheating husband, the other losing her place in the psyche of the child she protected.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It deals with a subject that was made known by the personalities of Sybel. A documented case of multiple personalities.
Spectacular! 5 Stars

Ever read a book and are totally floored by the end of the book? Well, The Night Child did that to me. I honestly went into this book thinking that it was going to take a supernatural or paranormal bend. Well, I was 100% wrong. The Night Child is neither. Instead, what I got, was a taut thriller that had me 100% completely hooked. Put it this way, I started The Night Child as my nightly before bed read and I ended staying up until almost 12 am because I couldn't go to sleep without finding out what happens to Nora.

How do I describe Nora? Well in the beginning of the book, she was barely hanging on to her marriage but loved her 6-year-old with a passion and enjoyed teaching English. When she first saw the face, she did the right thing and went to the doctor, who referred her to a therapist. Slowly, I could see her sanity unraveling as she was forced to face some pretty intense memories from her past....her mother's death and her father's abandonment. But there were more to her memories and when Margaret made an appearance in the middle of the book, I knew that something horrible happened to her.

I really wish I could go more into the plot or the characters in this book. But if I do, that would be giving away major spoilers and I really don't want to do that. Trust me when I say that what I write here doesn't even begin to scratch what this book is about.

How many stars will I give The Night Child: 5

Why: A truly thrilling read with great characters and a plotline that will keep you guessing until the end

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning for triggers

Age range: Adult

Why: Language and some mild violence. Also some pretty intense child abuse scenes

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Wow wow wow!!!! My favourite read so far this year. Firstly, thanks for the advanced copy. What a surprise this book was. It took me down a road I was not expecting!

I don't like putting spoilers in my reviews but in order for me to indicate why I loved this book so much, I will probably have a spoiler or two in here. Being a person who has experienced a dysfunctional and abusive childhood, I appreciate the accuracy in which Quinn has woven a story around this subject matter in a very relatable sense. Although I have experienced abuse, I don't know if I could have done such a good job in describing the way in which abusers weave a believable explanation for their despicable behaviour and the shame attached to abuse.

Nora is a teacher that loves her job and has a compassion for students that seem to struggle. Her love of her job and her nuclear family is what brings her the most joy and what she lives for. However, out of the blue, things start to unravel. Her happy existence starts to slip and Nora can't understand what is happening.

I believe that this book most likely depicts what very commonly is happening nowadays. When past secrets come to the surface or are triggered, if these demons have not been addressed or worked through, at some point, I believe we have our time of reckoning. This novel gives an account of exactly this. Confronting, disturbing, raw and believable.

This book I believe will give an insight to those that have not encountered abuse, what it is like to be a survivor. The character development in this novel is breathtaking and so believable. I just wish I knew what happens in relation to John the Principal!!!

Well done on a gripping page turner from start to finish. Thoroughly recommend!

Nora Brown undergoes a psychological breakdown, and with the help of her psychiatrist David, discovers repressed memories that need to be processed. Anna Quinn has done an AMAZING job with this crux. In every chapter, Nora discovers/remembers something new from her past, showing how childhood memories really do scar an adult. With each reveal, the reader will definitely despise the perpetrator more and more, and therein lies the beauty of this book. It’s the kind of book that you can’t put down, because you need to know how it ends.

I would’ve been more comfortable if the book had come with a trigger warning. It explores some topics that could be uncomfortable, to put it lightly, for some people. I’m assuming the label was avoided because it’s also a plot point. Putting this oversight aside, The Night Child is a book that I can definitely see becoming a bestseller.

This book is about one woman’s journey to save herself. As David says, the healing should come from within–this is portrayed brilliantly by Quinn in this book. This is a completely plot-driven book and you should definitely read it if you like fast-paced novels!

Fast, gripping read. My heart aches for Nora Brown. The author did an amazing job portraying the painful, horrific issues Nora survived with great care.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a tough and heavy read. This book deals with sexual abuse and does it well. However, it may be difficult for some to read. Nora is a high school teacher who suddenly feels her life unraveling. As the memories come forward, Nora struggles to stay in the present. Reading this was heartbreaking. The author did a good job telling this story and dealing with some very difficult issues.

Wow. What an incredible debut novel. I'm going to be thinking about this one for months...

Nora Brown is a teacher. A floating face appears in her classroom one afternoon and then again at home the following day. Filled with terror, she meets with neurologists and then psychologists to try and work out why she is hallucinating. Her sessions with the psychologist help her to uncover a deep, dark secret which she has managed to force herself to forget.

The characters in this book are so well written. I found myself completely able to identify with Nora, despite having absolutely nothing in common with her. I really did find myself on the edge of my seat whilst I was reading - I'm not sure I've really sympathised or cared as much about a character before.

I'll admit that from the blurb given, I wasn't especially excited about this book, but it really has got to me. I was beyond gripped right from the beginning of the story, and completely shocked by the route it actually took. I found myself researching 'split consciousness,' something I was fairly unaware of before. I'll take my hat off to Quinn for writing so well about such a complex topic and tying it in so well to such a gripping story.

An absolute page turner - suspenseful, dark and also quite heartbreaking - as I said before, this one will actually stay with me for a while. I can't stop thinking about it. Well done Anna Quinn - I would LOVE to see more from you!

The Night Child by Anna Quinn is a unique novel. A woman suddenly starts seeing a looming child with blue eyes everywhere she goes. The eyes linger and loom and the body is formless. Is this a hallucination? Is it something supernatural? Or is the calling out of a fractured mind?

An interesting and creatively done book. The subject matter will not be for everyone. Read with caution.

Quinn has an engaging and engrossing prose that keeps you turning each page.
You feel like you know Nora and would recognise her if she walked past you in the street. I was completely swept away and attached to every word Quinn had to say.

Nora has just finished teaching a high school English class when a face with startling blue eyes appears above the desks. She’s not sure if she’s losing her mind or has seen a ghost. In a sense both possibilities are true and as the story continues readers begin to understand why. William Faulkner said, “The past isn’t dead, it isn’t even past” and that statement definitely applies to Quinn’s debut novel. It’s not an easy book because of the subject matter—sexual abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, suicide—and it’s not for everyone. I’m grateful to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Child portrays Nora with sensitivity and gave me a real sense of her interior struggles. The writing itself is good and the pacing is fairly quick. However, I would have liked to get a better understanding of some of the other characters. There seemed to be a contrast between the flashbacks—which were quite vivid—and the 1990s events. This may have been intentional on the part of the author and was effective in conveying the devastating effect the past had on her life. But I still would have liked to know more about her husband, her principal, her daughter and a particular student. Toward the end there were a few scenes that did develop the characters in greater depth, especially her husband, but I would have liked more of that earlier on. That said, I’m glad I had the chance to read this disturbing yet honest book

A fractured mind. Old scars. Emotional trauma. This book's synopsis pretty much gives the entire story away, but this book was nicely written and flowed easily. Some of the content was difficult to read about but this author made each scene plausible and believable without glorifying it. None of the characters (including the narrator) were particularly likable but this story firmly held my attention.

▣ Overall, this was a very sad, tragic, and disturbing story. Kudos to the author for writing so eloquently about the themes broached in this book. The ending threw me for a loop because it felt unfinished and yet hinted at new possibilities--an alternate reality in which Nora would ultimately embrace. I wasn't certain how to interpret it, exactly, but definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
“The Night Child” by Anna Quinn begins with Nora, a high school English teacher living in Seattle with her husband and six year old daughter, Fiona. During class one day, Nora begins to see the image of a young child’s face hovering in the back of her classroom, chilling Nora to her core. The face continues to haunt her dreams and her waking life, and when it begins to speak to her, Nora finally seeks out professional help. With the help of a therapist, Nora uncovers some deep secrets from her past that she has been hiding from for years. As Nora begins to examine these feelings and experiences, she begins to realize that she must face her demons or suffer the consequences.
This novel was not what I expected. I’m not sure if I was anticipating a paranormal novel, or maybe a suspense/mystery novel, but “The Night Child” was none of those things. Provocative and uncomfortable, “The Night Child” deals with dissociative identity disorder, suicidal thoughts and actions, and incest and abuse. It is definitely a disturbing novel that is not for a reader looking for a light-hearted escape.
Nora is a complex character, but she is one that is relatable and honest, and a bond develops quickly between her and the reader. As the plot went on, I ran through many possible options of where the book could go (I pondered many things from David’s influence on Nora, to Nora’s husbands’ behaviour and its impact, to a “Catcher in the Rye” type plot line) and I struck out on all three. This novel is not hiding anything, there are no surprises or twists and turns. It is exactly what it is. David is just a therapist, Nora is a troubled woman dealing with many demons, and Nora’s husband is (albeit kind of a jackass), simply a man struggling to keep his family together.
This novel was a good read, overall. The plot line was relatively developed and the characters (as few as there were) were not particularly irritating or brash. It is definitely an intense novel that cannot be taken lightly, and will have an impact on a lot of readers. The psychological part of it held my interest (Again, psychology degree over here) and it was certainly unlike anything I have ever read before. The ending was unexpected and not defined (one of those “did this happen? Or maybe this…?” kind of endings) but still, I trudged on through as I was definitely interested in the outcome of Nora and Margaret. It is a novel worth investigating for anyone with an interest in psychology or mental illness (specifically dissociative identity disorder).

This was an interesting but disturbing story. The journey taken by Nora is make for uncomfortable reading but is ultimately uplifting

There are some major, major trigger warning on this one. I wish there had been some hint that the “big secret” was that her father sexually abused her and I also wish that it hadn’t been so graphic. I’m not sure if I’ve just gotten so used to young adult and middle grade books that handle the subject more delicately, and even though, there was a little hint of what was to come right before the secret was revealed, it was still a huge shock that it was so graphic. Even more shocking was what happened when she told the priest what happened. If you decide to read this, please keep in mind that there is nothing glossed over about the abuse Nora endured.

I can’t speak on the split consciousness rep because that’s not something I have experienced, but I did feel like the mental health rep as far as the therapist and the hospitalization felt pretty real. I’m not sure that they would have allowed Nora to be alone with anyone but other than that once incident, it was fairly accurate.

I also enjoyed Nora’s utter devotion to her daughter, even when she was going through her mental breakdown. I’ve read a lot of novels where the parent gives up caring about their child when things happen and it was interesting to see Nora working very hard to break the cycle of mother/daughter neglect that she had experienced with her own mother.

The one thing I didn’t like in this book was the continued assessment that sex = a sound marriage. I think this story would have been a 5 star for me if Paul and Nora had pulled through this together and if the author hadn’t insisted that if a married couple aren’t having sex, it means one of them are cheating. There are many, many reasons why couples stop having sex and it doesn’t mean they lack love and trust in one another or that one partner is going to cheat.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I would not, however, recommend this to anyone who is easily hurt by sexual abuse.

I'm still trying to process this book, a deeply disturbing read. Nora is struggling emotionally and feels she is losing her mind. We are taken into her therapy sessions and witness to the unveiling of her split personality and deep dark secret. We are treated to a well written account of what is is like to be in this state of mind. There wasn't a linear plot to this one, rather a slow unveiling of the event that caused the trauma. A deeply sad and dark read for me.

Nora Brown is a married High School English teacher with a six year old daughter. One day after class she sees a young girl's luminous face floating above a desk. She is alarmed and scared as most people would be. Questions go through her mind: Is she crazy? Is this from stress? Is this even real? She attempts to continue with her life and then, while away with her husband and daughter, she sees the face again but this time the girl tells her to "Remember the Valentine's Dress". Now she is really alarmed and decides to see medial advice and and eventually meets with a therapist/psychiatrist.

As the story unfolds, it is obvious that Nora is an unhappy woman. Her husband is distant and working long hours. She suspects he is lying but is reluctant to question him directly his true whereabouts. She is worried about a student in her class and her therapy sessions are bringing up a lot of issues for her.

This is a quiet book with BIG issues at play. This book touches on infidelity, secrets, sexual molestation, death, mental illness and suicide. This book will not be for everyone as it touches on some really heavy issues. Having said that, I really enjoyed this book. It is a view into one woman's inner turmoil and downward spiral that occurs when her past no longer wants remain buried. Having to face her traumatic childhood, while watching her marriage fall apart, pushes this woman over the edge.

This is a short novel which packs a punch. I enjoyed the characters of Nora, David and Margaret. This book is really character driven - more so a character study of one woman's' life as everything unravels at once. This is a well written dark book. It was definitely hard to put down. I put this on my currently reading list the end of July but I actually read the entire book today in one sitting. I had to keep reading to learn how this story would unfold.

I received an ARC of this book from Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good book about a very tough subject! It is not a long book, but it is a powerful story! The more you read, the more you are drawn into the story! Highly recommend!

Nora sees a disemodied head floating about the desks in her classroom. No one else sees it. She puts it down to stress, although that really is stress. She sees it again and starts to become a bit discombobulated. She starts to see a counselor but discusses nothing of any consequence until he hears a small child's voice during one of their sessions. Nora is totally unaware of anything. I do not want to give anything away, but the book is a real page-turner, and the end................well, the end is most interesting. . I certainly would recommend it to anyone.

Anna Quinn takes on several sensitive subjects (child abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, teenage suicide) and she does an outstanding job of it. This book is very difficult to read due to the subject matter, yet it is a book we all need to read. These things are far more common than most of us care to admit. This is an exceptional debut novel. My only complaint is that the story ended very abruptly. I wanted to know the rest of Nora's story.

A harrowing and heart breaking read which doesn't sugar coat anything.
Nora is a teacher of English literature and mother to Fiona. As her last class before her Thanksgiving break comes to a close an intense and terrifying event takes place whereby a child's face appears before her and then disappears. She sees this as a sign she needs a break from work and keeping this to herself she sets off on her holiday with husband and daughter. However, this is just the start of things as Nora begins to experience utterly terrifying moments when she sees the vision of the child. Nora begins to meet with David, a psychiatrist who begins very carefully to explore what memories are buried deeply in Nora's mind. As these memories flood over into her present life she begins to unravel and this shows what a fragile line exists with regard to mental health and well being.
The novel focuses on some harrowingly hard to read events Nora endured as a child and moves seamlessly between present day and that time.
I read with ferocity to reach the end and outcome. I found the content very moving and felt great empathy for Nora. In a nutshell it's a story of how resilient children can become and how they might manage situations beyond their control. Later it becomes a story of how an adult addresses this and finds the strength to go forward. Quite amazing!

I would have loved to give this book a 5 star rating as the whole story was so raw, so heartbreaking, so terribly sad that I truly wanted a happy ending, and I suppose hope and the knowledge that she has started to resolve her issues are a happy ending but I just wanted more from the ending. I couldn't put this book down, it gripped me, it was compelling. The writing was sound and the build up of the characters were great, apart from Paul - I just could not connect with him, but perhaps that was the point? For me the let down was the ending, what happened to Nora? Fiona? between Nora and John? It must seemed to leave a lot of loose ends! Other than that it was great!!!

In a short 200 pages, The Night Child offers a thrilling story about Nora Brown, who teachers high school English and lives a quiet life in Seattle with her husband and 6-year-old daughter. On one November day, a girl's face appears above the student's desks and she is left with terror. The Night Child is Anna Quinn's debut novel, examining the impact of traumatic childhood experiences. There were some difficult topics in this novel that should be noted for those who are considering reading this because it maybe difficult for some people, or those who want to avoid situations involving childhood trauma. The writing in this is incredible, and Anna Quinn did a great job as creating this world that grasps the reader and pulls them in. The emotions are genuine, characters are relatable and you feel for them. While at times a very difficult read, it was a powerful journey and story to read.

The Night Child by Anna Quinn is written passionately. I was glued from the first page, and could not put down my Kindle. Nora, the main character, is faced with something many people fear. The Night Child is an emotional, heartbreaking yet hopeful read that will have you calling into work so you can take a day to process your own emotions!

This is a fascinating look at one woman's traumatic childhood and her attempt to block out the past. When Nora begins seeing faces and can't reconcile them with reality, she begins working with a therapist who believes she is suffering from PTSD. Helping her unlock her family's secrets is a difficult process and it takes its toll on her six-year-old daughter and her inattentive husband. Fortunately, she finds inner strength and resilience that allow her to confront her demons and begin to repair the damage that her memories have been guarding all this time. Suspenseful and realistic!

4.5 STARS......This is a wonderful debut novel, Ms Quinn is an extraordinarily storyteller who has done her research well. Fast paced and full of details, the Night Child takes us on an incredible journey not soon to be forgotten.

Nora is a high school English teacher who experiences severe trauma as a child (trauma left vague here purposely to avoid spoilers). Nora begins to experience visions of a six year old child with startling blue eyes. These visions lead her to undergo psychotherapy. Luckily she finds a remarkable therapist who is non judgmental and excellent in his field, he helps Nora get to the core of her struggle.

As the story unfolds, we begin to see the power of the human brain. It never ceases to amaze me how effectively the brain will take over and protect the physical body from what it can't endure. The story goes into detail about Nora's current family life, work life, childhood, her tough road to recovery and finally healing.

The other characters, Nora's daughter, husband, mother, principal of her high school and her brother are all key players and each brought important light and relevance to the story. Her daughter now six years old, a key age, probably triggering the trauma to resurface after being buried for so long. Her husband who is unhappy with her and complains she's cold, only makes sense. Her brother who was there with her in her childhood and triggers some of the events by trying to locate their long lost father.

Excellent read. Well done Ms Quinn.

Many thanks to a Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Exquisitely written. Take a deep breath and then plow head long into this psychological thriller. The author details how a secret kept can tear apart a life. I could not put this book down. I can't even say that much about it, because it will have spoilers. Two thumbs way up!

This was a really creepy, strange sort of story, but once I got into it, I found it hard to put down. Nora has very unsettling experiences, which make her doubt her own sanity. The unraveling of the mystery is artfully done, and the I truly felt for Nora and was anxious to hear what in her past had brought this nightmare back into her pesent. Hard to believe this is a debut as it was so skillful!

Saying this book touched me on a very deep level doesn’t even come close to the impact I felt. It twisted my insides…rattled my brain…tore my emotions asunder. Nora’s destructive clash of past and present are mind-bending—not only for her, but for any reader who possesses even an ounce of empathy and/or humanity. Some scenes are more than a little hard to read, but the book is extraordinary, if one can endure those moments of helpless, emotional drowning. Any writer who can draw readers so thoroughly into a scene that all sense of self is lost, to merge completely with a character, has my vote. Any book that can make me lose myself, steal hours of sleep, and take me to the edges of my own sanity—that book deserves eight out of five stars. I’d give The Night Child at least that many. Sensational to the nth degree.

I think this is a great story told in a truthful heartfelt manner about a woman coming face to face with her buried memories and her struggles to survive and conquer her demons. I really am enjoying the writer's words and the way she brings the past alive.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Anna Quinn, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

THE NIGHT CHILD tells the story of a middle-aged high school teacher who believes she's losing her mind when she suddenly starts hallucinating, seeing flashes of a young girl. She decides to see a therapist, and together, they unveil the many layers of protection formed around her mind and soul.

Disturbing and sad, this book was difficult to read, but the writer's style made it easier. In fact, Quinn's writing was quite beautiful at times. The book's synopsis explicitly states the plot, which can be frustrating for readers, but this isn't a book you'd read for mysterious intrigue. Readers should be warned that the writer explores both incest and child molestation, but that's all part of the main themes: the impact of traumatic childhood experiences and the fragile line between past and present. One line of the book's synopsis beautifully describes this entire book: The Night Child is a story of resilience, hope, and the capacity of the mind, body, and spirit to save itself despite all odds.

This was a tough read due to the graphic and descriptive abuse. It was a very good story and well written. It's difficult to say too much without giving the plot away. This is a real page turner albeit gut wrenching, at times.

Thanks to Blackstone and Netgalley for a copy of this. I loved this one. Some of the phrasing is fantastic, heart-wrenching. I felt Nora so deep down in my core. My only hope is that it will go through another round of editing.

This book was creepy and chilling which scores points with me. As I try to review this book I am realizing I cant say enough good things about it. This book was a book that made me lose sleep and trust me I like my sleep. Highly recommend

What a wonderful book. Life experiences remain with us, some forever and this was a beautifully told tale of one. Great debut!

A story filled with marital turmoil, seeing things that MAY all be in your head, and a mystery of what's really happened in a past you can't remember? Sign me up!

While the themes in this book can be a little tough (i.e. sexual abuse, child abuse, etc.) the book does a great job of not glorifying the heinous acts and you can tell that the author took the time to be considerate of people's emotional capacity while reading.

For a debut novel, this one came out swinging and I LOVED it! Great job with writing in a way that grabbed my attention from the start and I can't wait to read more of your novels!

The Night Child by Anna Quinn was a heart-wrenching and tragic story. This book definitely needs a trigger warning.

Nora Brown is a High School English teacher. She has a young daughter and husband. Her life is generally normal and uneventful. Until one day, she's teaching her class and she sees a ghostly figure of a young girl in the window. She thinks she is completely going crazy and begins seeing a Psychiatrist. And thus begins a journey into Nora's fractured mind.

The best part about the book is Quinn's writing style. Not only is the writing beautiful and well-flowing, but Quinn's story-telling ability made the story so real. This subject matter is hard to read about but I flew through this book in just under 2 days. I really cared for Nora and liked her relationship with the psychiatrist.

Thank you to Anna Quinn, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley for the chance to read this novel in advance! I would highly recommend to people able to handle the subject matter.