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The Children and The Gods #1
The Child
Sarah is worried. More than worried. Sarah is terrified. Her young daughter Emma hasn't been herself lately, and it's getting harder and harder to keep the whole thing under wraps. Especially when Nadine, the nosy neighbor from next door, is starting to suspect something and Sarah's sister Jess just shows up unexpectedly, making everything even more difficult for Sarah. If there is one thing Sarah does understand about Emma, one thing she is absolutely sure of, it's that she loves her more than words could ever say and she would do anything to protect her child. Will her mother's love be enough to save her little girl? And will she be able to figure out what happened to her precious child before it's too late to bring her back?
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2024
61 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Angel N. Van Atta
21 books309 followersAngel 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
August 21, 2024
Angel Van Alla knows how to write children!
I was hooked on the story from the very start! The opening scene was killer, it was gritty and get that perfect horror vibe. The same goes for the finale as well it was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
The middle of the book took it’s time to explore the character aspects as well as a horror aspect of a very well-rounded story where you care about the characters and the horrible things happened to them it hit your heat hard!
I’ve read Angel Van Alla newest book 1st and I found it very interesting to see her style in this earlier book. I have plan to read her entire work and I’m reading enjoyed seeing her progression as an author. She’s definitely improved as a writer, but that doesn’t mean this book is anything less than great. It was just courtesy how you grow up and I look forward to seeing the whole journey!
Have you read any of her books before if so, what was your favorite?
I was hooked on the story from the very start! The opening scene was killer, it was gritty and get that perfect horror vibe. The same goes for the finale as well it was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
The middle of the book took it’s time to explore the character aspects as well as a horror aspect of a very well-rounded story where you care about the characters and the horrible things happened to them it hit your heat hard!
I’ve read Angel Van Alla newest book 1st and I found it very interesting to see her style in this earlier book. I have plan to read her entire work and I’m reading enjoyed seeing her progression as an author. She’s definitely improved as a writer, but that doesn’t mean this book is anything less than great. It was just courtesy how you grow up and I look forward to seeing the whole journey!
Have you read any of her books before if so, what was your favorite?
November 29, 2022
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
Narration 5/5
January 4, 2023
This is my first book by Angel, and its not going to be my last by a long shot! The opening PARAGRAPH grabbed me by the proverbial balls, then I was hit by all the emotions, sadness, fear, happiness, horror….all in the first chapter!!
Imagine being terrified of your own child, knowing something evil is within them and there is nothing you can do but to continue to love and care for them as though nothing has changed….
You have to sit back and watch as they wreak havoc and death around you, and pray they dont turn on you!
This was a fantastically gripping read, it was chilling, creepy, captivating, gory, gruesome and full of breath holding tension! There were some great descriptive death scenes, Angel has you really feeling for the characters, even the ones that only appear briefly, i.e George the truck driver!!!!
It's a tale of pure evil, of childlike manipulation, heartbreak and grief. It truly wrenches at your heart! It does also contain details of abuse, mental and physical, and of animal harm! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from that brutally brilliant opening to its beautifully supernatural ending. I may have even shed a tear, just a small one!
If you like creepy kids, possession and evil……this one is most definitely for you! You may even want to sleep with the lights on for a while after reading! 😉🖤
Imagine being terrified of your own child, knowing something evil is within them and there is nothing you can do but to continue to love and care for them as though nothing has changed….
You have to sit back and watch as they wreak havoc and death around you, and pray they dont turn on you!
This was a fantastically gripping read, it was chilling, creepy, captivating, gory, gruesome and full of breath holding tension! There were some great descriptive death scenes, Angel has you really feeling for the characters, even the ones that only appear briefly, i.e George the truck driver!!!!
It's a tale of pure evil, of childlike manipulation, heartbreak and grief. It truly wrenches at your heart! It does also contain details of abuse, mental and physical, and of animal harm! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from that brutally brilliant opening to its beautifully supernatural ending. I may have even shed a tear, just a small one!
If you like creepy kids, possession and evil……this one is most definitely for you! You may even want to sleep with the lights on for a while after reading! 😉🖤
December 27, 2022
How far would a mother go to protect her child, even if she knew something evil made itself at home inside the kid’s body? That’s a question that may seem black and white when you aren’t in the situation, but this book goes a wonderful job of making the reader think long and hard about that. There are some real creepy moments in this book! Angel didn’t skimp on the gore either! I did this book on audio, and I wish I had read it in paperback instead as the narrator, while great, sounded too cheerful in some spots that really should have been building more dread with a serious tone. Overall, this book was a blast and I’d highly recommend it.
May 4, 2023
Insomnia Fuel!
Small backstory:
Sarah is trying to figure out what is wrong with her daughter, Emma as she seems to be the same but not the same as something is lurking within her daughter. Emma will have blood on her clothes and Sarah is at a loss at what Emma has been up to until things start revealing themselves of Emma's antics which ends up with Sarah becoming terrified of what Emma has been doing. Emma has the capability of making things happen when things around her do not go her way, but how far will she go before it is too late?
That is about all I can give on a small taste and if you are intrigued then go grab this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I have owned this book for awhile so I am happy that I finally stepped into it as this book drove my insomnia a few nights as I just could not put this book down! This story really takes off about the 40% mark and I read almost half the book within just a few hours.
The pace is fast and once I was past the 50% mark the story escalated and there was no way that I was going to slow down as I wanted to see what was going to happen next! Looking forward to stepping into the rest of the books by this author as I have books two and three simmering on my kindle. Giving this book five "Twisted Terror" stars!
Small backstory:
Sarah is trying to figure out what is wrong with her daughter, Emma as she seems to be the same but not the same as something is lurking within her daughter. Emma will have blood on her clothes and Sarah is at a loss at what Emma has been up to until things start revealing themselves of Emma's antics which ends up with Sarah becoming terrified of what Emma has been doing. Emma has the capability of making things happen when things around her do not go her way, but how far will she go before it is too late?
That is about all I can give on a small taste and if you are intrigued then go grab this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I have owned this book for awhile so I am happy that I finally stepped into it as this book drove my insomnia a few nights as I just could not put this book down! This story really takes off about the 40% mark and I read almost half the book within just a few hours.
The pace is fast and once I was past the 50% mark the story escalated and there was no way that I was going to slow down as I wanted to see what was going to happen next! Looking forward to stepping into the rest of the books by this author as I have books two and three simmering on my kindle. Giving this book five "Twisted Terror" stars!
March 5, 2023
Absolutely fantastic! As a mother this book was ooofff but also oohhhh and ahhhh (the ending)… Beautiful written, with extraordinary characters, even “the child” and the ending.. omg the ending. I could not predict the ending.
Sarah is a widow and is raising her daughter, Emma, alone. She has noticed changes in her. He extreme bright green eyes that seem to glow, Emma’s extreme mood changes, her disappearances, and when she appears again she is covered in blood, feces etc. Sarah is sure that her daughter is possessed by an entity, but she is not sure how to get rid of it. And she can not upset “it”. Because there are consequences. And her real daughter is still inside of the body. She can feel it. What to do? A mothers love is strong. Very strong. This is a journey others have traveled and failed. But is she strong enough? Will she succeed or will she die?
A MUST-READ!
Also: Trigger warnings!
Sarah is a widow and is raising her daughter, Emma, alone. She has noticed changes in her. He extreme bright green eyes that seem to glow, Emma’s extreme mood changes, her disappearances, and when she appears again she is covered in blood, feces etc. Sarah is sure that her daughter is possessed by an entity, but she is not sure how to get rid of it. And she can not upset “it”. Because there are consequences. And her real daughter is still inside of the body. She can feel it. What to do? A mothers love is strong. Very strong. This is a journey others have traveled and failed. But is she strong enough? Will she succeed or will she die?
A MUST-READ!
Also: Trigger warnings!
May 26, 2024
I had really mixed thoughts about this one. It started off strong, and I was so excited to keep reading. After that, the story sometimes got a little confusing, jumping to back stories from different characters and then coming back to the main story without anything to let you know this was happening. On top of that, some of the chapters were loooong. My kindle showed one chapter was 75 pages. Because of this, at times, it felt like the story was dragging a little.
I did end up really enjoying the book, though, and now I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series.
I did end up really enjoying the book, though, and now I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series.
June 24, 2024
What would you do to protect your child? Even if said child started acting differently and came home covered in blood more than once? Even if the neighborhood cats started disappearing and unexplainable things started to happen around her? Sarah has to decide just how far she will go to save her "child" and how much she is willing to sacrifice.
This is the third book I've read by this author, and unfortunately, it did not hit the same for me as the other two did. It just felt so long and drawn out, even though it's a relatively short book. There were long chapters of unnecessary information about people who were barely relevant to the central plot that dragged on for so long. I also wasn't a fan of the dialogue, but it was easier to overlook than the long side chapters.
I did really love the gory scenes and the vivid descriptions of the monstrosities carried out by the "child." They were incredibly detailed and easily visualized. Definitely check trigger warnings before diving in.
The ending definitely wrapped up the entire story nicely because I was really confused the entire time about the reason the "child" was here in the first place. I'm glad that was explained, although I hated waiting until the very end for it. I guess that did build suspense, though. I will probably take a break from this series before reading the rest of the books, but the ending definitely piqued my interest.
I was provided a free e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
This is the third book I've read by this author, and unfortunately, it did not hit the same for me as the other two did. It just felt so long and drawn out, even though it's a relatively short book. There were long chapters of unnecessary information about people who were barely relevant to the central plot that dragged on for so long. I also wasn't a fan of the dialogue, but it was easier to overlook than the long side chapters.
I did really love the gory scenes and the vivid descriptions of the monstrosities carried out by the "child." They were incredibly detailed and easily visualized. Definitely check trigger warnings before diving in.
The ending definitely wrapped up the entire story nicely because I was really confused the entire time about the reason the "child" was here in the first place. I'm glad that was explained, although I hated waiting until the very end for it. I guess that did build suspense, though. I will probably take a break from this series before reading the rest of the books, but the ending definitely piqued my interest.
I was provided a free e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2023
Holy smokes! This book opens with a bang!
Angel has a way of writing that brings you viscerally into the scenes you’re reading. Her words perfectly reflect the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions; I was a fly on the wall to the story that unfolded. Learning the background stories of side characters and the origin of “The Child” made for a detailed tale that leaves you feeling sated at the end.
Thank you so much Angel for a copy to read & review! Also peanut butter slices with pickles?? Is that actually good 🤔??
Ps so happy Banjo found a nice new owner 😭
Angel has a way of writing that brings you viscerally into the scenes you’re reading. Her words perfectly reflect the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions; I was a fly on the wall to the story that unfolded. Learning the background stories of side characters and the origin of “The Child” made for a detailed tale that leaves you feeling sated at the end.
Thank you so much Angel for a copy to read & review! Also peanut butter slices with pickles?? Is that actually good 🤔??
Ps so happy Banjo found a nice new owner 😭
January 26, 2023
This is a very well written novel by a great indie author, she wrote great characters and great story line. She adds just the right amount of blood and gore to make you crave more. She is another author that I wouldnt hesitate to read more from!
April 2, 2023
There was a waaayyy too descriptive part on animal torture/slaughter so trigger warning! Other than that it was a great book but I will say the ending was a tad corny with the origin story of the child. But I can appreciate her take on Lillith.
May 18, 2024
Wow!! This is such an amazing and beautiful story! There’s the horror and fright element in the book, but also such deep meaning in these pages. The book is so well written and I couldn’t put it down!! This is such an intense and gripping story of love and especially a mother’s love. Love can overcome evil!
August 12, 2023
"Abraham died. He didn’t do it of old age or natural causes. Unless you count a small child slicing you up with an old-fashioned barber’s razor as natural."
YEAH that is opening to this beastly book, hey I love kids but I feel like Stephen Cooper and now Angel are trying to encourage me to get sterilised.
I mean seriously this book is deep, eerie and frankly terrifying. Sarah is a single mom, which has its challenges but she is getting by. Until her daughter Emma started to change, I cannot tell you how incredibly creeped out I was reading this book. Angel does an incredible job at building suspense and making you connected with the characters. I mean, if I see a kid crying in the middle of the street with Green eyes I am walking away the opposite direction. Because this book has convinced me to avoid the little beast!
She builds such a great selection of characters for her victim pool so you can't help but like them. But also feel a gut shot when they meet an untimely and very gruesome demise.
I love the way that innocence is the bait, but the Child also has the ability to show a person the most desire. Pulling them in like an angler fish waving a shiny light in front of an unsuspecting fish. The detail of the gore and horror is outstanding, honestly the scene in the sewers was horribly unnerving. Considering that this thing is taking the form of a child, just makes it all creepy. Then you have the scenes with Emma and Sarah, which portrays the inner turmoil this mother is experiencing. I mean, her head is screaming at her that something is wrong and that the thing sleeping in daughter's room is not her. But her heart and instincts as a mother are telling her this is still her baby. Which is even more heartbreaking for the reader as we follow Sarah's story to get to the truth.
But we also get a look into the worlds of two other characters, both feeling the sting of heartache. Shelly and Kelly are both incredibly complex characters. But it also gave a very intense look into the different dynamics, honestly my heart hurt when I read how Shelly's mom spoke to her. But the sad realisation hits you that this relationship is common in some households. I know I can relate, but I think that's why it hit me hard. Because I know what it's like to be the child of resentment, but to an extent nothing as bad as what Shelly went through. Then we have characters like Ralph, who infuriate and anger the reader Angel did a perfect job at creating an asshole. I really wanted to see this nasty abusive shithead get what was coming to him. But each character that crosses Emma's path learns that this little girl takes no prisoners. The story builds and builds but the ending… I did not see that coming. But the the ending moral really does hit the feels, so well done Angel for giving me fear and heartache.
YEAH that is opening to this beastly book, hey I love kids but I feel like Stephen Cooper and now Angel are trying to encourage me to get sterilised.
I mean seriously this book is deep, eerie and frankly terrifying. Sarah is a single mom, which has its challenges but she is getting by. Until her daughter Emma started to change, I cannot tell you how incredibly creeped out I was reading this book. Angel does an incredible job at building suspense and making you connected with the characters. I mean, if I see a kid crying in the middle of the street with Green eyes I am walking away the opposite direction. Because this book has convinced me to avoid the little beast!
She builds such a great selection of characters for her victim pool so you can't help but like them. But also feel a gut shot when they meet an untimely and very gruesome demise.
I love the way that innocence is the bait, but the Child also has the ability to show a person the most desire. Pulling them in like an angler fish waving a shiny light in front of an unsuspecting fish. The detail of the gore and horror is outstanding, honestly the scene in the sewers was horribly unnerving. Considering that this thing is taking the form of a child, just makes it all creepy. Then you have the scenes with Emma and Sarah, which portrays the inner turmoil this mother is experiencing. I mean, her head is screaming at her that something is wrong and that the thing sleeping in daughter's room is not her. But her heart and instincts as a mother are telling her this is still her baby. Which is even more heartbreaking for the reader as we follow Sarah's story to get to the truth.
But we also get a look into the worlds of two other characters, both feeling the sting of heartache. Shelly and Kelly are both incredibly complex characters. But it also gave a very intense look into the different dynamics, honestly my heart hurt when I read how Shelly's mom spoke to her. But the sad realisation hits you that this relationship is common in some households. I know I can relate, but I think that's why it hit me hard. Because I know what it's like to be the child of resentment, but to an extent nothing as bad as what Shelly went through. Then we have characters like Ralph, who infuriate and anger the reader Angel did a perfect job at creating an asshole. I really wanted to see this nasty abusive shithead get what was coming to him. But each character that crosses Emma's path learns that this little girl takes no prisoners. The story builds and builds but the ending… I did not see that coming. But the the ending moral really does hit the feels, so well done Angel for giving me fear and heartache.
May 18, 2022
It sounds cliché but there truly is nothing like the love between a parent and child, to look down at their little face and recognize so much while still being so bewildered by their actions.
What happens when that munchkin is instead inhabited by a seemingly evil presence then? Do you still love them in spite of their evil inclinations? Or despite them?
Part extreme horror, part folk horror, part body horror, The Child by @housewyfwithapen Angel Van Atta takes you on a ride that is absolutely not what you would expect.
The characters are so fully fleshed out that empathy and sympathy were the two feelings I carried the most. You learn to actually care for the child along with the family, and the ending was so bittersweet that I felt moved to tears. It really has left me sitting here, thinking about what I would do in that situation.
And trust me - my little bright eyed hooligan gives me plenty of reasons to suspect demon possession….. I still love her though. Life isn’t as boring with her around.
Top notch read. Everyone should run and get this on KU.
What happens when that munchkin is instead inhabited by a seemingly evil presence then? Do you still love them in spite of their evil inclinations? Or despite them?
Part extreme horror, part folk horror, part body horror, The Child by @housewyfwithapen Angel Van Atta takes you on a ride that is absolutely not what you would expect.
The characters are so fully fleshed out that empathy and sympathy were the two feelings I carried the most. You learn to actually care for the child along with the family, and the ending was so bittersweet that I felt moved to tears. It really has left me sitting here, thinking about what I would do in that situation.
And trust me - my little bright eyed hooligan gives me plenty of reasons to suspect demon possession….. I still love her though. Life isn’t as boring with her around.
Top notch read. Everyone should run and get this on KU.
August 30, 2022
A pretty solid extreme horror debut with a lot more monster horror than the evil little ginger girl on my paperback cover implies. The focus on nasty deaths mixed with sketches of grimy home life in between reminded me a bit of something New English Library or Hamlyn might have put out, mostly in a good way.
As for the negatives: I found that certain words being written in all capital letters for emphasis sort of grates after a while (I'd prefer italics). Otherwise, there's a surprising lack of noticeable typos for a self-published book.
This last thing is just personal preference, but I wish there were a few scenes of the titular child, Emma before her possession for some contrast. We hear all about what a sweet kid Emma was before, but we never actually see it, which lowers the stakes.
Also picked up The House At The End of The Lane, so I’ll probably read that soon too.
As for the negatives: I found that certain words being written in all capital letters for emphasis sort of grates after a while (I'd prefer italics). Otherwise, there's a surprising lack of noticeable typos for a self-published book.
This last thing is just personal preference, but I wish there were a few scenes of the titular child, Emma before her possession for some contrast. We hear all about what a sweet kid Emma was before, but we never actually see it, which lowers the stakes.
Also picked up The House At The End of The Lane, so I’ll probably read that soon too.
August 12, 2022
Demonic possession and creepy kids are my favourite subgenres so combined they make for an awesome story as is the case with The Child by Angel Van Atta. Right from the very first page I could tell this was gonna be fun and I wasn't wrong.
Sarah is terrified of her young daughter, Emma, and for good reason. She's changed, there's something very wrong with her, and this means great danger for everyone in her vicinity, including her own mother. But a mother's love knows no bounds and Sarah will do anything to protect and try and bring back the girl hiding somewhere within this dark entity.
The first chapter is a good indication of how Angel doesn't hold back at all in this sometimes gory novel, with some good creepy scenes and a truly terrifying little antagonist! And all mothers will relate to Sarah, desperate to save her little girl. Great story!
Sarah is terrified of her young daughter, Emma, and for good reason. She's changed, there's something very wrong with her, and this means great danger for everyone in her vicinity, including her own mother. But a mother's love knows no bounds and Sarah will do anything to protect and try and bring back the girl hiding somewhere within this dark entity.
The first chapter is a good indication of how Angel doesn't hold back at all in this sometimes gory novel, with some good creepy scenes and a truly terrifying little antagonist! And all mothers will relate to Sarah, desperate to save her little girl. Great story!
June 9, 2022
What a beautiful book.
Though if you've read the first chapter you'll probably be wondering why on earth I said that. Admittedly this is not a book for the faint hearted. I am a gore lover myself, but the author really does have a way of describing things! At times the disturbingly, beautiful visuals were enough to even turn my stomach. However, this talent also includes beautiful visuals too. I also have to say that I really appreciated the character introductions, even for the lesser ones, and I felt empathy and love for characters that I would usually avoid in real life.
Definitely a book I can see myself reading again.
Though if you've read the first chapter you'll probably be wondering why on earth I said that. Admittedly this is not a book for the faint hearted. I am a gore lover myself, but the author really does have a way of describing things! At times the disturbingly, beautiful visuals were enough to even turn my stomach. However, this talent also includes beautiful visuals too. I also have to say that I really appreciated the character introductions, even for the lesser ones, and I felt empathy and love for characters that I would usually avoid in real life.
Definitely a book I can see myself reading again.
June 5, 2022
Remarkable, unforgettable
A wonderful, and sometimes terrible story, that explores pure love, terrifying evil, and the possibility of a mother's love to surround, protect, and keep the evil beaten back, and turned to kindness, and goodness. This is one of the most unusual stories I've ever read. Now, you should read it too.
A wonderful, and sometimes terrible story, that explores pure love, terrifying evil, and the possibility of a mother's love to surround, protect, and keep the evil beaten back, and turned to kindness, and goodness. This is one of the most unusual stories I've ever read. Now, you should read it too.
July 30, 2022
This was my first Van Atta book, and I've already ordered the second. This author has a wonderful range of descriptive prose perfect for the horror genre. The tension built, particularly for me in the scenes between mother and daughter were so well written. A fantastic read, and I look forward to devouring more of Van Atta's titles!
July 12, 2024
I was so disappointed I ended up DNF this book.
The premise is around a child called Emma who seemingly has some evil spirit within her causing her to harm animals and humans alike. The first chapter sucked me in and I was intrigued to keep going. Unfortunately I found myself not wanting to read and after 6 days and getting only 30% in, I decided to down tools and move on. I’m not one for not finishing a book usually but for some reason with this one I couldn’t push past whatever it is that was putting me off. If I’m honest I’m not even sure what it was that made me not want to continue, nothing specific and perhaps it’s just not the book for me.
On reflection, the better things were the detailed death scenes, the detail of the gore and horror. However, on the flip side I felt the timeline was off, we seemed to be introduced to characters and lots of what felt like unnecessary back story however, whether that then tied up would perhaps come later. It also seemed to jump without anything obvious to highlight the jumps and so I was confused a little about the story. When I put it down it was showing the next chapter was 39 minutes long. Sometimes I can push past that but it seems an excessively long time when other chapters are only 4 minutes.
The writing was good and I could see how it might work as a scary movie especially with the first chapter being so gripping but unfortunately for me, I just wasn’t enthralled enough to keep going. I imagine if you’re looking for a gory, gruesome, monsterous story this might be what you’re looking for.
For full transparency I was offered a free e-book copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is around a child called Emma who seemingly has some evil spirit within her causing her to harm animals and humans alike. The first chapter sucked me in and I was intrigued to keep going. Unfortunately I found myself not wanting to read and after 6 days and getting only 30% in, I decided to down tools and move on. I’m not one for not finishing a book usually but for some reason with this one I couldn’t push past whatever it is that was putting me off. If I’m honest I’m not even sure what it was that made me not want to continue, nothing specific and perhaps it’s just not the book for me.
On reflection, the better things were the detailed death scenes, the detail of the gore and horror. However, on the flip side I felt the timeline was off, we seemed to be introduced to characters and lots of what felt like unnecessary back story however, whether that then tied up would perhaps come later. It also seemed to jump without anything obvious to highlight the jumps and so I was confused a little about the story. When I put it down it was showing the next chapter was 39 minutes long. Sometimes I can push past that but it seems an excessively long time when other chapters are only 4 minutes.
The writing was good and I could see how it might work as a scary movie especially with the first chapter being so gripping but unfortunately for me, I just wasn’t enthralled enough to keep going. I imagine if you’re looking for a gory, gruesome, monsterous story this might be what you’re looking for.
For full transparency I was offered a free e-book copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2024
The Child
Angel Van Atta
⭐⭐⭐
Sarah has a daughter, Emma and she is terrifying. Sarah will also do anything to protect her even if that means covering up some sinister behaviors.
Sarah realizes that her daughter isn't herself and quickly becomes terrified of her. But a mother's love knows no bounds and Sarah does everything in her power to protect her precious child. Neighborhood cats quickly begin to vanish and people from the community mysteriously turn up dead.
Does Sarah have what it takes to continue to protect the child or does it all come falling down like a house of cards?
I really wanted to and tried to like this book. There is nothing wrong with the writing, in fact, Angel writes with a poetic touch that is a rare but beautiful talent to have when it comes to writing horror.
My issues with this particular title was that there was a lot of unnecessary and at times boring banter and dialogue that was not pertinent to the story or even added anything at all. I also found the chapters to be a bit too long but that's just my personal preference.
What I did like was the graphic imagery of the gore. Angel manages to paint a vivid picture that leaves these scenes in your mind like a well done slasher film.
Overall, I have this book 3⭐ due to the lengthy chapters and added dialogue which I previously mentioned. I feel this would be a lot more attention keeping if it was shortened to a novella. The story is great and I love the idea. I will eventually read the rest of the series. I have loved all of Angel's other works I have read.
Angel Van Atta
⭐⭐⭐
Sarah has a daughter, Emma and she is terrifying. Sarah will also do anything to protect her even if that means covering up some sinister behaviors.
Sarah realizes that her daughter isn't herself and quickly becomes terrified of her. But a mother's love knows no bounds and Sarah does everything in her power to protect her precious child. Neighborhood cats quickly begin to vanish and people from the community mysteriously turn up dead.
Does Sarah have what it takes to continue to protect the child or does it all come falling down like a house of cards?
I really wanted to and tried to like this book. There is nothing wrong with the writing, in fact, Angel writes with a poetic touch that is a rare but beautiful talent to have when it comes to writing horror.
My issues with this particular title was that there was a lot of unnecessary and at times boring banter and dialogue that was not pertinent to the story or even added anything at all. I also found the chapters to be a bit too long but that's just my personal preference.
What I did like was the graphic imagery of the gore. Angel manages to paint a vivid picture that leaves these scenes in your mind like a well done slasher film.
Overall, I have this book 3⭐ due to the lengthy chapters and added dialogue which I previously mentioned. I feel this would be a lot more attention keeping if it was shortened to a novella. The story is great and I love the idea. I will eventually read the rest of the series. I have loved all of Angel's other works I have read.
January 5, 2024
This is my second book that I've read from Angel Van Atta. I enjoyed reading it but certain parts were tough to read. I can tell that she was inserting parts of her real life into the story. It's a different kind of horror for sure and one that hits home. Just imagine if you knew an evil spirit took over your child, but it's not as black and white as that.
I shall read the others in the series.
I shall read the others in the series.
June 15, 2024
I was not prepared for the emotional journey I went through reading this book. The characters are so well written, and I couldn't help but empathize with all of them.
From the first page of this book, I was hooked. It made me cry. It made me angry, and it made me want to hold my son that much closer to me.
Angel Van Atta is truly an incredible author who can paint pictures so vividly with just her words.
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.
From the first page of this book, I was hooked. It made me cry. It made me angry, and it made me want to hold my son that much closer to me.
Angel Van Atta is truly an incredible author who can paint pictures so vividly with just her words.
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.
May 30, 2024
Wow. Just WOW. Exquisite. My only complaint is …why wouldn’t Luigi have just had a new pizza made? Why would he hold up the order when he could just make new pizza and try it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2024
I have yet to encounter an author who can write such effective, excellent horror with the amount of heart in it that Angel Van Atta does. The Child started out chilling me to the bone and left me with tears in my eyes at the end. I absolutely can’t wait for more in this series!!!!
October 8, 2025
This was a fairly gruesome read, but actually really addictive once I’d read a few chapters. A child being possessed by a part demon isn’t a blurb that would usually pull me in, but it was well-written, as realistic as it could be for the genre & ended with a satisfying twist. Kudos to the author, I’m a convert.
July 15, 2024
5/5
This book had me hooked from the opening chapter. She really knows how to write about creepy demonic possessed children
This book had me hooked from the opening chapter. She really knows how to write about creepy demonic possessed children
November 4, 2023
Listened to this one on audio. The narration was great, the storyline seemed like it comprised of a very simple main plot point and was padded with random segues into random characters' back stories. Found the foreshadowing to also be a little too obvious for my tastes. I did enjoy where the story went and the explanation for what the child really is, but overall this book was not for me.
September 1, 2022
Sarah is one terrified mom, he daughter Emma hasn't been herself lately and it is getting harder to keep it under wraps. When her nosey neighbor starts to suspect something isn't just right . Then her sister shows up and just makes everything even more difficult . The one thing that Sarah does know for sure that she loves Emma and will do anything to keep her child safe and let her know that she is loved unconditionally. But will her love be enough to keep Emma safe and bring her back from what ever is holding her hostage.
This is one of those books that have such good characters .Sarah is a mom who has lost her husband and now her child isn't the child she was before . Sarah is worn out she is just tired of what she has to do to keep Emma safe . But deep down inside her she is a strong woman with a fight in her . She will take on what ever is going on and win. Emma well what can you say about her , she is well she really isn't human . She may come off as sweet at times but she is calculated and actually a scary menace to those people she thinks have wronged her . There are moments when you see the sweet little girl that she is but those are far and few between. Jesse is the big sister who comes to the rescue of Sarah and Emma . She is a no nonsense woman who shows up at the right time. She is like the breathe of fresh air that Sarah and Emma needed . The characters are so well written and complex the author has balanced the empathy and the sympathy for each character .
This is one of those book where once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down . It starts out as an extreme horror book , trust me do not read the first couple of chapters before bed . Then is kind of morphs into a folk lore / horror book . I really got sucked into the story and was on the edge of my seat most of the time . Emma really kind of creeped me out but at the same time I really just wanted to wrap her up and hug her . The characters are very well written and you will love or hate them depending on moment in the story . I think you should add this book to your fall reading list . So check it out if you love some good ole horror.
This is one of those books that have such good characters .Sarah is a mom who has lost her husband and now her child isn't the child she was before . Sarah is worn out she is just tired of what she has to do to keep Emma safe . But deep down inside her she is a strong woman with a fight in her . She will take on what ever is going on and win. Emma well what can you say about her , she is well she really isn't human . She may come off as sweet at times but she is calculated and actually a scary menace to those people she thinks have wronged her . There are moments when you see the sweet little girl that she is but those are far and few between. Jesse is the big sister who comes to the rescue of Sarah and Emma . She is a no nonsense woman who shows up at the right time. She is like the breathe of fresh air that Sarah and Emma needed . The characters are so well written and complex the author has balanced the empathy and the sympathy for each character .
This is one of those book where once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down . It starts out as an extreme horror book , trust me do not read the first couple of chapters before bed . Then is kind of morphs into a folk lore / horror book . I really got sucked into the story and was on the edge of my seat most of the time . Emma really kind of creeped me out but at the same time I really just wanted to wrap her up and hug her . The characters are very well written and you will love or hate them depending on moment in the story . I think you should add this book to your fall reading list . So check it out if you love some good ole horror.
July 24, 2022
I loved the opening line of this book.
Abraham died. He didn’t do it of old age or natural causes.
Unless you count a small child slicing you up with an old-fashioned
barber’s razor as natural.
I'm not sure if it was the writer's intent to use sarcasm at the end, but it hooked me. The story is well written, and the dialogue is done very well.
This book is not for the faint hearted. I love reading gory stuff and the author really delivers. At times the disturbingly, beautiful visuals were enough to even turn my stomach. However, this talent also includes beautiful visuals too.
If you love horror, you'll enjoy the book. Kudos to the author.
Abraham died. He didn’t do it of old age or natural causes.
Unless you count a small child slicing you up with an old-fashioned
barber’s razor as natural.
I'm not sure if it was the writer's intent to use sarcasm at the end, but it hooked me. The story is well written, and the dialogue is done very well.
This book is not for the faint hearted. I love reading gory stuff and the author really delivers. At times the disturbingly, beautiful visuals were enough to even turn my stomach. However, this talent also includes beautiful visuals too.
If you love horror, you'll enjoy the book. Kudos to the author.
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