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Dear John
When John, a self-destructive nihilist, becomes the only hope for two dying men, one thing is clear: you unite against your enemy, or you don't make it out alive.
John awakes in a nightmare situation. Not knowing why, he's been trapped inside a pit of darkness with two dying men. His only connection to the outside world is their psychotic captor who gazes down on them in what they call, "The Fishbowl." The other men keep John alive for one reason: He is their only hope for escape.
DEAR JOHN goes beyond your standard escape story as it explores love in all its possible forms, from the most wholesome to the most twisted. Through a series of flashbacks that cap off every chapter, we take our nihilistic, self-destructive main character and slowly bring him back to a time in his life when everything was perfect, in stark contrast with his "now," which is falling apart in the most deadly of ways.
C/W: Death, murder, torture (mostly starvation), emotional manipulation, references to male rape (not on screen), Stockholm syndrome, bitter ending in book one to be resolved in book two.
John awakes in a nightmare situation. Not knowing why, he's been trapped inside a pit of darkness with two dying men. His only connection to the outside world is their psychotic captor who gazes down on them in what they call, "The Fishbowl." The other men keep John alive for one reason: He is their only hope for escape.
DEAR JOHN goes beyond your standard escape story as it explores love in all its possible forms, from the most wholesome to the most twisted. Through a series of flashbacks that cap off every chapter, we take our nihilistic, self-destructive main character and slowly bring him back to a time in his life when everything was perfect, in stark contrast with his "now," which is falling apart in the most deadly of ways.
C/W: Death, murder, torture (mostly starvation), emotional manipulation, references to male rape (not on screen), Stockholm syndrome, bitter ending in book one to be resolved in book two.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2024
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 22, 2024
Wow. Didn’t see that one coming! I really enjoyed this book. It gave me Misery vibes and I kept singing Sweet but psycho over and over. Such a good read. I cannot wait for the second book!
** ARC read
** ARC read
February 1, 2024
I received Dear John as an ARC and I am very glad I did.... This was an amazing example of a horror novella. You're dropped right inthe story from page one... And because you are dropped right into what is happening with John. It is a book that bounces between the perspective of current versus past chapters... However , the chapters are clearly labeled , so you are not lost in the shuffle between present and past.
In this book we also meet A and H
And I have to say I did not see the end coming.... This is definitely a book that once you pick it up , you're not going to be able to put it down. But before warrant , it definitely ends on a bit of a cliff hanger , leaving you desperate to know what happens in book two...
In this book we also meet A and H
And I have to say I did not see the end coming.... This is definitely a book that once you pick it up , you're not going to be able to put it down. But before warrant , it definitely ends on a bit of a cliff hanger , leaving you desperate to know what happens in book two...
January 17, 2024
I don't read a ton of horror but I'm glad I read this one. Terrible to read in the absolute best way, this story pulls you right in. It will put you in The Fishbowl with John and that's a place you very much do not want to be! It starts in a bad place and gets worse with every page, taking you and the main character through an experience we all hope we never have. The creeping sense of dread and hopelessness will stay with you for days!
January 13, 2024
This was Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of "Dear John" that was graciously shared with me by the author.
A Bewildering Symphony of Trapped Souls - "Dear John" A Masterpiece Strides into the Abyss
Dear readers, let me dive into the laboriously beautiful and haunting world encapsulated within the pages of "Dear John," meticulously crafted by the mesmerizing wordsmith Nicholas Ferrante. Prepare to embrace a dark love story, as we waltz alongside the enigmatic yet tortured character of John, swallowed whole by the clutches of Jane - a chilling serial murderer and rapist.
Whilst apprehension may grip your heart, it is in this dance with danger that Ferrante weaves an intricately morbid tapestry, like a spider luring its victim. The writer's ability to unmask both the raw vulnerability of his characters and the macabre desires they harbor is a skill that undoubtedly elevates this work to unparalleled heights.
John, a seemingly conventional soul, becomes entwined within the nefarious web spun by Jane. Ferrante's attention to detail paints the relentless despair and sense of entrapment that envelopes John, as if he himself were eternally gripped by tentative hands that seek to squeeze every ounce of life from him. The morbid aura surrounding him and Jane grows thick, suffocating everything in its path.
As the pages tirelessly turn, John's agonizing entrapment heightens the tension to fever-pitch levels. We witness the war that simultaneously wages within his mind, a tormenting symphony of emotions. Ferrante allows readers to grasp the complexity of human fragility and resilience, unveiling layers that are both haunting and breathtaking. We are left breathless, yearning for John's escape, while clinging to a shred of hope that may be his only salvation.
Yet, dear readers, amidst the dark labyrinth, Ferrante finds time to caress our souls with poetic prose that strikes a remarkable balance between light and shadow. Soft interludes abound, offsetting the morose reality that Jane perpetuates. These delicate strokes of beauty serve as an ethereal reminder that even within the deepest abyss, bits of light persist, begging for release.
Nicholas Ferrante's courage in delving into such sinister depths truly sets "Dear John" apart. His writing possesses an inherent ability to make readers quiver and gasp, bound to the story's harrowing twists and turns. Perhaps it is the beauty in this macabre tale that bewitches us, reminding us of our own capacity for both darkness and light.
In conclusion, "Dear John," a mesmerizing masterpiece, combines elements of despair, love, hope, and malevolence in a way that will leave readers emotionally spent yet imploring for more. Ferrante captivates us, dances with our fears and unlocked desires, all while painstakingly peeling back the layers of our own human condition. Prepare to be ensnared within this bewitching tale - but remember, dear readers, the shadows cast in "Dear John" are more than mere ink on paper; they inch ever closer towards our souls.
Five stars are simply not enough to encapsulate the transcendent beauty and haunting poignancy found within these pages.
A Bewildering Symphony of Trapped Souls - "Dear John" A Masterpiece Strides into the Abyss
Dear readers, let me dive into the laboriously beautiful and haunting world encapsulated within the pages of "Dear John," meticulously crafted by the mesmerizing wordsmith Nicholas Ferrante. Prepare to embrace a dark love story, as we waltz alongside the enigmatic yet tortured character of John, swallowed whole by the clutches of Jane - a chilling serial murderer and rapist.
Whilst apprehension may grip your heart, it is in this dance with danger that Ferrante weaves an intricately morbid tapestry, like a spider luring its victim. The writer's ability to unmask both the raw vulnerability of his characters and the macabre desires they harbor is a skill that undoubtedly elevates this work to unparalleled heights.
John, a seemingly conventional soul, becomes entwined within the nefarious web spun by Jane. Ferrante's attention to detail paints the relentless despair and sense of entrapment that envelopes John, as if he himself were eternally gripped by tentative hands that seek to squeeze every ounce of life from him. The morbid aura surrounding him and Jane grows thick, suffocating everything in its path.
As the pages tirelessly turn, John's agonizing entrapment heightens the tension to fever-pitch levels. We witness the war that simultaneously wages within his mind, a tormenting symphony of emotions. Ferrante allows readers to grasp the complexity of human fragility and resilience, unveiling layers that are both haunting and breathtaking. We are left breathless, yearning for John's escape, while clinging to a shred of hope that may be his only salvation.
Yet, dear readers, amidst the dark labyrinth, Ferrante finds time to caress our souls with poetic prose that strikes a remarkable balance between light and shadow. Soft interludes abound, offsetting the morose reality that Jane perpetuates. These delicate strokes of beauty serve as an ethereal reminder that even within the deepest abyss, bits of light persist, begging for release.
Nicholas Ferrante's courage in delving into such sinister depths truly sets "Dear John" apart. His writing possesses an inherent ability to make readers quiver and gasp, bound to the story's harrowing twists and turns. Perhaps it is the beauty in this macabre tale that bewitches us, reminding us of our own capacity for both darkness and light.
In conclusion, "Dear John," a mesmerizing masterpiece, combines elements of despair, love, hope, and malevolence in a way that will leave readers emotionally spent yet imploring for more. Ferrante captivates us, dances with our fears and unlocked desires, all while painstakingly peeling back the layers of our own human condition. Prepare to be ensnared within this bewitching tale - but remember, dear readers, the shadows cast in "Dear John" are more than mere ink on paper; they inch ever closer towards our souls.
Five stars are simply not enough to encapsulate the transcendent beauty and haunting poignancy found within these pages.
January 19, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this from the author and wow, what an intense read! Every time I put it down, I kept wanting to pick it back up again, wondering how (or if) our poor, tortured protagonist and his two new "friends" were going to escape an impossible, and clearly dangerous, situation. I also loved the intermittent asides into John's life as he thinks back, reminiscing, and a secondary horror emerges alongside his present situation. You can't help but feel for the poor guy and what he went through, then to wind up in that situation. The characters are so well-rounded, flawed in some ways, sympathetic in others, all so very human, even the master at the end of the puppet strings. The finale had me gnawing my nails down to the bone, hoping, fearing, wondering how it would all play out. Definitely give this a read!
January 19, 2024
I received this ARC read and I don't even know where to start! You just jump right into the fray when you start reading. You're at the start of the worst of the character's journey (well, what you think is the worst for now). Then you start with counting backwards with what are chapters of the character's past. It's like nothing I've ever read before, and you have no idea where it's going, but all you want is for things to be better and for them to get out, without giving any spoilers away!
Definitely a great story, and I was hanging on with so much hope... I can't give away the ending, although it's not what you think, let's just say that.
Definitely a great story, and I was hanging on with so much hope... I can't give away the ending, although it's not what you think, let's just say that.
January 16, 2024
I received an ARC of this from the author. "Dear John" is an absolute gut-punch of a physical and emotional journey, with a few truly extraordinary third-act twists that manage to feel at once self-evident and thoroughly shocking. The story moves fluidly between past and present, and the author has rendered the main character so vividly that I both loved and hated him. An incredible read.
January 20, 2024
4.5 stars!!!
This Novella checks all the hostage boxes. From backwards psychology to starvation. Jane wants to teach male cheater's a lesson in respect. In her fishbowl there are rules and levels of understanding each other. If you want to survive you will learn manners.
Someone give this book a mini series.
This Novella checks all the hostage boxes. From backwards psychology to starvation. Jane wants to teach male cheater's a lesson in respect. In her fishbowl there are rules and levels of understanding each other. If you want to survive you will learn manners.
Someone give this book a mini series.
January 18, 2024
I absolutely loved this book (received an ARC copy). The story hooks you from the start and leaves you wanting more. Honestly, I feel like this is the kind of book that can get you out of a reading slump.
January 17, 2024
This book had me on the edge of my seat and it was a page turner and there was a plot twist that I was not expecting. I highly recommend reading this don’t walk run to get your hands on this.
January 18, 2024
A masterpiece in character depth...
April 14, 2024
Gritty and intense. If you crave horror you will want to try this one. It's a story of survival that peels away layers to a number of surprising reveals right to the end. Very well written.
July 23, 2024
Chilling
An amazing work of "what if". So well written it keeps you in its grips the whole way through. Can't wait for book 2!
An amazing work of "what if". So well written it keeps you in its grips the whole way through. Can't wait for book 2!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews