In The Tall Trees

Little Voices #1

by Angel N. Van Atta

In The Tall Trees

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Novella, Suspense, Survival, Fiction, Horror Thriller

112 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2023

About the author

Angel Van Atta writes horror as a way to spread the same kind of hope that she so needed as a little girl and outside of the world of fiction only really ever found as an adult. The kind of hope that tells you that good often overcomes evil and that anything is possible if you just believe. Her stories are vivid and chilling as well as heartwarming and fast paced. She invites you to walk with her in her imagination. A place that can be just as dark as it is light.

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molasses From a Child's POV...

IN THE TALL TREES (Little Voices Book #1)
by Angel Van Atta

No spoilers. 3 stars. I'll confess right away that I only read 30% of this book before throwing in the towel...

The story is told from a child's (Mella's) POV...

Mella is a little girl living in a cabin in the woods with her little brother and her pregnant mother...

Mom has an iron collar with a chain around her neck. The chain is attached to the floor...

The chain and collar allow mom to move through the cabin, also allowing access to the back and front porches...

When Dad periodically visits this family, sometimes he brings groceries, sometimes not...

Dad has to account for time and money spent with Mella's family to his other family because Mella's family is a secret...

When Dad says goodbye to their secret family, Mom has bruises and other injuries inflicted during Dad's stay...

Okay, I know I'm again going against the grain here, but for such a short story, it really moved along like molasses.

The story is told from young Mella's POV, and I kept waiting for the dialog and plot to pick up, but at 30%, it dragged along with baby talk and a repetitive, stagnant plot.

I read some of the other reviews before I gave up to see if the storyline picked up the pace, but one reviewer wrote that nothing different happened until the last 20%. Well, I had no intention of reading baby talk through another 50%.

IMO, this would have been better as a shorter story if using childish talk to tell the story.This is just my opinion because there are many more reviewers who really liked this novella, so take that into account.

For me, this was just too slow moving, and I lost interest quickly.

[Peter Topside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was an unexpectedly raw, intense, and upsetting experience. Thank you to the author who shares some very deep, personal experiences akin to the story here. I’m so sorry that you had to experience such hardship and loss. For what it’s worth, from one PTSD sufferer, also from a very troubled childhood, to another, you have my deepest empathy. I so appreciate your openness about everything. The story itself is heartbreaking and extremely upsetting, taking the reader on an emotional rollercoaster through the eyes of a very young girl, Melanie. Her strange living situation with her mother and baby brother, and, of course, her ‘daddy’ will keep you guessing. You just want to scoop this little girl up and hug her with all your might, and the ending is so satisfying that you may tear up. I loved everything about this story and, again, thank the author for her contributions.

[Carl Bluesy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @angelwriteshorror for giving me a copy of In the Tall Trees. There is something special about the mind of a child. This is something the author understood very well!

Kidnapping stories are always so terrifying because of how raw and real they can be regardless of the age. So with this story it has all ages with it being a mom living in captivity with her daughter and baby. But it is the young daughter’s perspective we follow and get to experience the story through.

The innocence Mella holds through all she been though by the start of the story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. As the story is happening we get to see her learn and understand the horrors of her world.

The strong character work stood out as the best part of this book for me. It made everything that happened hit so much harder! From start to finish this story had me hooked!

I loved every minute I spent with this story and I’m so excited to start the sequel. It’s easy to see why this is included in the indie horror brawl, this was an absolutely incredible read!

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Mella, Mella. Where are you going?

I think Mella did a good job telling us her story. She put things in words that not only she could understand, but also she helped us understand what she meant.

The author drags her feet on telling us who is the bad man. No problem, I had already figured it out.

I already knew that Charles and Alix wasn’t married. I already knew that Alix was kidnapped.

What I figured out on my own didn’t make the story less compelling for me. It didn’t make it less interesting or less appealing for me.

The plot was just as good as it should be with the details which were offered. The characters are very similar to your expectations. They are all pretty much good in their roles.

And you are pleased at the outcome. So you get a good ending pretty much.

Five stars. ✨✨✨✨✨

[Pisces51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

IN THE TALL TREES [2023] By Angel Van Atta
My Review 4.0 Stars

This novella was the 2nd May/June 2024 Group Read presented by the book club Horror Aficionados. This time around Kenneth is offering us an opportunity to meet with Guest Author, Angel N. van Atta, and significantly “In the Tall Trees” marks Angel’s debut work but
is also part of FB’s Books of Horror 2024 Indie Horror Author Brawl.

“In The Tall Trees” is a horror story told through the perspective of its “little hero” Mella. You will be mesmerized by the world as it is seen through Mella’s eyes. She must summon the courage to brave what is beyond the tiny house in the middle of the dense forest with its tall trees and lurking shadows. Mella’s fate, and the life of her injured mother Alix and her baby brother Peter hang in the balance.

It is my opinion that the author did an excellent job, and in fact was a unique reading experience for me. I experienced the story as it unfolded as an adult, yet I was reminded every step of the way that the first-person narrator was a child talking. I have read nothing even similar to this that I can recall. The genre designation that is at least partially applicable is “Kidnapping Thriller”. The author’s writing technique of deploying the First Person POV of a confused and frightened child renders it unique.

Lest we forget that this story is still horror, it is as Kenneth stated in the beginning a part of the 2024 Indie Horror Author Brawl. This competition is not something I am familiar with, but I would venture to say that for an author’s debut work making the list is noteworthy.

Lastly, as I stated in my preliminary notes after finishing this diminutive tour de force by Van Atta, I have never read anything quite like it and it is unique that a child’s POV is deployed as a laser focus to instill in the reader an immediacy which is sheer “hold your breath” horror for the safety and future of one small family’s deliverance from the torture by one delusional man. It appears to me that the topic of child trafficking is finding its way into more than a few novels I have been reading recently. It is truly gut-wrenching to read about this soulless problem and its prevalence. But reading about a single case, hearing and seeing it through the eyes of a child is absolutely excruciating. I might add that the words from the author at the end broke my heart.

Thanks to the book club HA in general and to Kenneth in particular who found another standout read for us members to flex some our unused muscles.

UNIQUE EXCURSION FROM IN THE TALL TREES TO THE LIGHT BEYOND THE FOREST

[Devi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww.. I just wanted to hug Mella. It felt too real that I had to remind myself that I'm reading fiction. The brutal reality is that the author drew it from her own experience.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written and engrossing story.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, brace yourselves for this one, you're going to feel stuff, even the most hardened of you out there, you're going to feel stuff and you're probably going to want to have some tissues at the ready too! And I say all this with high praise because Angel has written a story so powerful, so heartbreaking, so terrifying, yet so beautifully poignant and brilliantly addictive, it will stick with you for a long time. And when you realise that this book is based on true events, personal to the author, it hits so much harder! Also, the way it is written, in the voice of a very young girl (4 years old, I think) makes it tug at the old heartstrings even harder, making it more real, more visceral! Just, incredible 🖤

Mella and her mother fear The Bad Man, the Bad Man being their father and husband doesnt make him any less scary, except on the rare occasions when he's happy. But, it does make it confusing for Mella, she loves her Daddy so much, but she hates it when he brings the Bad Man home with him. They are a dirty little secret, her, her mother and her baby brother, locked and chained up in a house in the woods, that nobody knows about, except for them and her Daddy.

Mella's imagination when she's hiding in her room and in her head is brilliant, but so sad. Along with the way she rates her family's moods by colours, showing us her innocence and vulnerability clearly. Her excitement mixed equally with fear and trepidation each time her Dad arrives at the house, and her confusion at what is happening to her Mother when he is there, gets more sad and horrific with each chapter. In fact, each paragraph, from beginning to end of this book increases the pain and fear you feel along with this girl.

And when The Bad Man starts to appear before her in the night, her terror starts to become even more of a reality and things take a horrific turn. She needs to be strong now. The fear she feels is palpable, but her strength is incredible. She knows Petey and her Mum need her, and once the realisation hits her of just how and who The Bad Man really is, she becomes even stronger. And when secrets are revealed, they are shocking and unexpected and Mella doesn't want to believe them, but she has to, and she has to do something, before it's too late!!

This is a different kind of horror, this is true horror and will have such a massive impact on even the toughest horror fans. It's such a deep, dark rollercoaster ride of emotion. Completely gripping, horrifying and heart rending. My heart was literally in my mouth at the halfway mark, I was holding my breath, not wanting what I thought was going to happen, to happen, willing it not to happen, the absolute dread I was made to feel gave me goosebumps and almost caused a panic attack.

This story totally got me in the feels. I sobbed, more than once, and had to set the book itself down a couple of times to take a breather and pull myself back together to continue! Beautifully horrific, this will literally rip your heart out, stomp all over it, then put it back in, just so it can be ripped out and stomped on all over again! This will live in my head for a long, long time. This book destroyed me, and then I read the afterword and it destroyed me all over again! And then I had to come back to it, to write up my review, and to do my review photo and it got me AGAIN!!

I dont think a book has ever affected me as much as this one did. I became so utterly invested in this little girl's plight, willing her on, living through every detail, every choice, every action with her. Phenomenal stuff! It actually reminded me a little bit, in places, of Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, only this was so much more traumatic and unnerving for its realness!

A true tale of survival, in more ways than one!!

[renee w · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ first I want to thank Angel for gifting me an arc of this book. Overall, this was a very sad book. It is the story of Melli ,her mother and her little brother Peter. They live in the middle of nowhere literally and there is also literally no escape as they sit and impatiently wait for the bad man to come. This is a gut wrenching story told from the perspective of a child. I gave it 4.5 ⭐️ only because I would’ve liked a little bit more of an epilogue.

[Ghoul Von Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

[TW/CW: Language, drinking, toxic family relationships, sexual abuse, physical abuse, gaslighting, kidnapping, mental abuse]

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Mella lives in a tiny house in the middle of a dense forest with her mommy and her baby brother, Pete. Sometimes her daddy comes and with him often the bad man comes, as well. Mella knows that she, her mommy and little brother are a secret family living where nobody knows they are, but she can't remember why that is or why her mommy is chained to the floor. In The Tall Trees is a story told through the eyes of our little hero as she must brave what's out there, lurking in the shadows, to save all that she knows and loves in the world.
Release Date: July 18th, 2023
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 107
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good despite some spelling errors
2. Heartbreaking moments that the author threw you into the story with
3. For such a short story it felt so full of characters and emotions

What I Didn't Like:
1. Some paragraphs came of unnecessary and rambled on

Final Thoughts:
At first I hated the way it was written in a child's voice but as I progressed it help to bring the tone of the book to life. The abuse seen through a child's eyes who was only raised with this dynamic was interesting. Reading the authors note about herself being kidnapped really helped in understanding the effects of what happened.

I can't believe how much the author was able to fit into this short novella. The author kept me on the edge my seat going between emotions of hate to sadness.

I can't wait to read book #2!

IG | Blog

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark my words. You’ll be hearing the name Angel Van Atta for many years to come. She is simply one hell of a writer. If you’ve done your homework, you know that In The Tall Trees is a gut punch, a realistic journey down a nightmarish trail of brutal abuse, physical and psychological, through the eyes of Mella, a kindergarten aged little girl. Van Atta does a remarkable job capturing Mella’s inner-voice. You truly feel like you’re inside the head of this poor little girl, as she’s forced to deal with the atrocities happening in front of her. I talk all the time in my reviews and editing about suspension of disbelief, and making a 6-year-old character realistic is no easy feat. So many legendary writers have tripped over this literary land mine. Not Van Atta. She nails it perfectly, and the story transcends because of it. I can’t wait to see her next book pop up in my feed.

5 Duct Taped Feet out of 5

[Erin Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it. The story idea seemed like a good one.
BUT so far, at 23% in, the entire book is written in a "baby voice" young girl's perspective. "momma" this and "daddy" this and broken english and and and....I have skipped through a ridiculous amount of the book already and have missed nothing. Stopping the book. Not coming back. I wish it would have skipped over into talking on a more adult level or from the mother's perspective and back to the kid. I can guess what kind of horrible things are to follow but I do not enjoy reading this style.

[STEPH · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG. I can’t remember the last time I cried over a book. This was so, so heartbreaking—I just wanted to hug and protect Mella the entire two hours I spent reading it.

The author did an incredible job narrating the story through a child’s eyes. The way she managed to deliver such an emotional punch in a novella is admirable. How she brought Mella to life in so few pages is beyond me.

And that main villain? OMG. I want ten pages dedicated to his punishment. He deserves to rot in hell for what he did. I hate him.

Pick up this book. If you’re looking for something raw, powerful, and capable of forming an instant emotional connection—this is it.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly an incredible read – haunting, compelling, meant to hit in the feels. And it does. It does! What a story of survival and recovery!

Told from the point of view of a very young girl, Angel Van Atta’s new novella ‘In the Tall Trees,’ crosses the thriller category, dives into the domain of ‘domestic suspense,’ and becomes a real literary achievement, one of those that deserve to be read widely. It seems to be inspired by real cases of long-term captivity (e.g., the case of the Austrian Elizabeth Fritzl, kept for more than two decades in a dungeon by her father; when she finally emerged, she was 42 and had seven children by him), with a nod to novels such as Donoghue’s ‘Room’; Van Atta herself, however, confesses her own involvement as a child in a similar experience with her father - the corresponding Bad Man in her story. Here we have Mella, a very young girl living with her pregnant mother and her baby brother deep in the woods, after being kidnapped and taken there when she was two years old. Mella’s world has been shaped by movies and cartoons, to the point that she can see voices as colors and hear words as comic books text effects. Isolated in a very small cabin, her mother chained to the floor, Mella tries her best to understand what’s going on, insists on loving her Daddy who visits from time to time bringing food and second-hand toys, and wants to avoid the Bad Man hiding in him, who comes out when she and her mother say something ‘wrong.’ His presence is enough to make her home feel queasy and claustrophobic, though her young mind can’t parse the situation in these terms.

Van Atta plays with language, spelling and etymology, reconsiders the relation of perception to reality, and shows a deep understanding especially of the daughter-mother bond. She shines when the horror of the situation creeps into the writing, without herself acknowledging it - something which would effectively remove any vestiges of youthful innocence. She’s obviously counting on the reader’s own empathy to bring into life the terror pervading the child’s daily shenanigans; the unacknowledged, maddening terror that drives most of the book’s story-telling devices.
To be clear, ‘In the Tall Trees’ is not simply the portrayal of a horrific situation from the perspective of a child. The author has a story to tell, and this means going beyond the gut-wrenching and traumatizing narrative, and reaching a beautiful and cathartic ending. It gave me closure, which I truly appreciate. I recommend it enthusiastically.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disliked the child POV.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank the author for gifting me this ARC and 4.5 because I didn’t want to stop reading. Told from the perspective of a child and so much happens in such a short read.. but 100% worth it. Survival and recovery and an overall emotional read.

[Mickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I cry 'cause there's nothing else I can do but that. I'm too little. I'm not a big girl. I'm just a me. and I'm alone."

This was an absolutely incredible story told from the POV of a young child named Mella. It was beautifully written and filled with so much heartache. I sobbed my way through this as Mella tries to understand why this man she loves so much continues to hurt her Mummy and scares them so much. I really didn't expect to bawl as much as I did, but once I started, I couldn't stop. I want to give this one all the stars because it truly deserves it.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I cry 'cause there’s nothing else I can do but that. I’m too little. I’m not a big girl. I’m just a me. And I’m alone."


This little book shattered me. Mella continues to live in my heart rent-free, and I am sure she will for a long, long time.

Have you read or watched the film "The Room"? This short book is easily comparable, but for me personally, I found it even harder to stomach. Maybe because not only did the book highlight little Mellas plight but also her mother's ( who is heavily pregnant) and baby brother Peter.

To say this book will shatter your soul is an understatement. Van Atta has a truly unique way of writing horrific content while doing so poetically. The love that little mella has for her family will make your heart swell, and every disgusting injustice she endures will rip it out over and over again. It's been a while since I've read a book that has my emotions ping-ponging from one extreme to another. I smiled, I cried, I held my breathe and at times, I wanted to toss my phone across the room.

Told from the perspective of a small child, it isn't as in-depth as a book told by an older narrator. However, I can't imagine this story being told any other way. By reading Mellas word, you can truly feel and be completely immersed into the horror of it all. Horrific things are horrific no matter how you spin the coin, but as adults, we have an advantage of a deeper understanding of things. Mella doesn't have that. Mella has a "daddy" who is cruel. Mella, as an innocent child, struggles to separate her "daddy" from the bad man. She struggles with guilt over how she still loves this evil man.

This book is so many things. "In The Tall Trees" is heartbreaking and haunting, but it is also beautiful and cathartic. I can't recommend this book enough.

[Leigh Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mella is only five years old. She lives in a house in the woods with her momma and baby Petey. Momma says they're not safe. When Daddy comes to visit, he sometimes brings the bad man, and it never ends well for momma. Can Mella be brave and save her whole family?

My first by Angel Van Atta but definitely not my last. This book was so unique. The narrator is a five year old child, and the author did an outstanding job with it. We get to see Mella's world through her innocent and wonder-filled eyes. You will feel every emotion reading this book. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be rooting for Mella like you've never rooted for anyone before. And ultimately, you'll be glad you picked this up.

Now excuse me while I go hug my children 🖤

[christy - pr0bablyreadingsmut · Rating 5 out of 5]

this tore my heart to shreds. i’ve never wanted to hug and protect fictional people more than this little family. beautiful and heartbreaking

[Angel Gelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s a sea of shadows in the tall trees, and I’m just a little mouse, and the big bad wolf is gonna eated me all up.”

A beautifully-written and captivating story about a mother and her two young children who are being held against their will. Told from the perspective of a very young girl named Mella, readers get to experience the abuse and horrors as they unfold. It is a haunting and heartbreaking story as Mella struggles with her feelings of love, distrust, fear and anxiety. Tension is ripe throughout the story, especially during the latter half where the suspense is palpable.

Van Atta is an incredible author who brings the ugly face of domestic violence to light and empowers a child to face the shadows within the tall trees.

[John The Crippledgimp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well.....just fuckin wow.... Angel N. Van Atta i got a issue with you.... You made me emotional and i wasn't ready damn it.This book was a emotionally gripping intense read. I was blown away by how the writing style was so effective. This book kicked me right in the face. The way it is told through the eyes of this brave little girl, the tension the emotion the author is able to create is phenomenal. I highly highly recommend this 20 outta 10 this is a top read for me this year just bravo Angel N. Van Atta

[Deisi Marquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hated this book when I first started reading it. I hated how similar my own story was to Melanie's. It was triggering. I hated the thought of people reading this for entertainment. I kept reading anyway. I read the authors note at the end of the book, and I immediately felt seen and horrible. How could I assume the author didn't have her own personal story to tell? I started crying. I felt super shitty. I cried for the little Deisi's and for the little Angels that grew up with bad men. When we experience something so awful, it's hard to imagine that my father isn't/wasn't the only bad man out there and that many children are living this awful reality today. I praise Angel for writing something to make people think and for putting her trauma out there for the world to read. She's stronger than I ever could be.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was one enjoyable book. Heart thumping, gut wrenching.
I enjoyed the way it was told in the way of the little girl, with the different spelling to the words like a child. I thought at first they were spelling errors, but werent.

Im glad i got the opportunity to read this book. It certainly tugged at you and made u feel u were right there.

The author is a superb writer

[Gemma 🖤🧸🌷 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This blew me away!!! I loved seeing Mella’s little world in the trees through her perspective. It was truly heartbreaking and inspiring. Im excited to see the big world through Mella’s eyes in the next book

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I love it when Daddy makes me feel like this. Like he loves me all the way and would never leave us alone out here. Like I’m special and he loves me most out of all his children. Even the unsecret ones.”

Well I didn’t expect to bawl my eyes out reading this, but I did…. A few times. So get your Kleenex handy for this story!

It’s a horrifying tale, showing the monsters that hide within other people. Mella is a child that must become a hero and face her fears. The lives of her mother and brother depend on it.

I was completely invested in this story from page 1 and couldn’t stop until the end. It was sickening to read a lot of scenes with “Daddy” in them, but Mella and her mother did find moments of joy in the darkness. I loved poor, sweet Petey as well. I just wanted to grab the three of them and protect them from Charlie.

The afterword by the author is very moving as well, and you can see through the writing that Angel poured her heart and soul into this work. Many hugs to you, I can’t imagine that this was easy to write.

[bookish_consent · Rating 4 out of 5]

While both unsettling and depressing , this is so well done. I loved the used of a child narrator to add emotional depth. This book made me feel so much for the kids, I just wanted to scoop them up and get them to safety. Thank you to this author for putting so much of yourself into this book!

[MK Richberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read for me, especially since it comes from a child's pov.
There's a few intense moments throughout the book where you're really rooting for Mella. The atmospheric writing is really done well in helping create that tension.
It reminded me of the game Among the Sleep, which I also enjoyed.
The baby talk kept pulling me out though. I have a young child around Mella's age and it read to me more like Tommy Pickles then how a 3-4 year old would talk.
The ending also blurred reality and dream, which felt confusing. Not sure if it was intentional or not. But those were the only two "complaints" I had and why it's 4 instead of 5 stars.

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you ready to have your heart crushed by your own helplessness? I have never wanted to hug and comfort a main character more than this. A little girl of pure innocence, too small to know the evils that surround her.
Told from the perspective of a four year old and so well done it hurts.

[McKailla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really good idea for a book but it fell a little flat for me. I think that the story from the child’s perspective is such a good premise for a book but reading the entire thing in the baby voice was a bit much and it was a little repetitive.