DNF

Not Her Best Work

Honestly, I wanted to give this higher than 3 stars, but the ending killed it for me. Are we just supposed to believe that everything that happened was just because Stevie’s supposed schizophrenia? I felt like it was a cop-out.

3.5 stars
Honestly creepy and and fun to read.. good time overall for horror lovers.
I can't give it a higher score simply because the book does take a while to suck you in (slow burn) but the later chapters are a lot more interesting for sure.. the author dod a good job of setting a view point of a child..

3.5 rounded up cause I love Ania ahlborn.

This creepy book about creepy children was good. I almost wanted more....something. maybe gore? Maybe, I'm not sure. But it was a good read!

Five Caffeinated reasons to turn on the lights and read The Devil Crept In

Ahlborn presents us with an unreliable narrator a ten yeat old boy named Stevie. His father abandoned them, and his mother has a live-in boyfriend who sets the house on edge. Stevie stutters, suffers nightmares and has had uncontrolled fits that set him apart from his peers. His lone friend is his next door neighbor and cousin, twelve-year-old Jude. Jude isn't well liked in the neighborhood, and despite his mother's smothering is quite the misfit himself. You feel compassion for Stevie, and find yourself wanting to believe and aid him.

The town of Deer Valley is creepy. It is nestled up against the woods. There seem to be no pets, yet there is an abundance of feral cats. Everyone appears to know everyone, and judgments are passed around like candy at Halloween. Both boys come from depressed homes. Jude's father died, and his mother's lights have dimmed. Stevie's father abandoned them, his brother Dunk is awful towards him, and the family quietly moves around Terry, the abusive boyfriend.

Ahlborn weaves a tale that is addictive, quickly pulling you in, even as you question everything. While we spend most our time with Stevie, we also get the perspective of another, and these chapters will horrify you. These sections add images to Stevie's fears. As we read we realize we are reading past and present timelines that become merged into the present. This was brilliantly done as it enhanced the terror, as it shed light on unimaginable horror.

The horror itself was dark and gritty. Honestly, read this on an empty stomach. Ahlborn made it all seem very real to Stevie. However, things would happen that had me questioning what Stevie saw. Was it pure evil playing tricks? Is Stevie crazy? Or is something dark and sinister living in the woods? You'll have to discover that for yourself.

The ending was clever, horrifying and creeptastic. It left this reader's heart racing. I fully intend to pick up more titles by this author. Fans of Nick Cutter, Lovejoy and Stephen King will find Ania Ahlborn's twisted imagination delightful. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

The beginning was unsettling and uncomfortable… then by the middle I was like “what the… why… how…ewww..” so great book!! Read for summerween, my second (and not last) book I’ve read by this author. Love the way she tells stories, and the way she ends them.