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The Heart of a Child
Eleven-year-old Ava O’Brien has always been quiet, observant, and just a little different. But when she tells her parents about a day at school that ended in horror, they’re left shaken and uncertain.
Ava’s story is classmates blindfolded and led into a hidden basement, masked figures performing unthinkable rituals, and a darkness so suffocating that it still haunts her dreams. Her details are vivid, her fear palpable—too vivid to dismiss as fantasy.
Teddy and Barbara O’Brien want to believe it’s all in their daughter’s mind. But as cracks form in the facade of their small-town life, they realize Ava’s account may be more than a story. If she’s telling the truth, then evil is closer than they ever imagined—and it’s been watching all along.
The Heart of a Child is a harrowing journey into the unknown, blending supernatural terror with the raw vulnerability of childhood. Perfect for fans of The Exorcist and Hereditary, this is a story that will linger long after the final page.
Ava’s story is classmates blindfolded and led into a hidden basement, masked figures performing unthinkable rituals, and a darkness so suffocating that it still haunts her dreams. Her details are vivid, her fear palpable—too vivid to dismiss as fantasy.
Teddy and Barbara O’Brien want to believe it’s all in their daughter’s mind. But as cracks form in the facade of their small-town life, they realize Ava’s account may be more than a story. If she’s telling the truth, then evil is closer than they ever imagined—and it’s been watching all along.
The Heart of a Child is a harrowing journey into the unknown, blending supernatural terror with the raw vulnerability of childhood. Perfect for fans of The Exorcist and Hereditary, this is a story that will linger long after the final page.
- GenresHorror
213 pages, ebook
Published February 24, 2025
14 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Adam Cosco
9 books71 followersAdam Cosco is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose work dives deep into the shadows of the human psyche. A graduate of the prestigious American Film Institute, Adam cut his teeth in Hollywood before turning his focus to novels—crafting stories that blend horror, psychological suspense, and dark satire.
His novels—Little Brother, Say Goodbye to Jonny Hollywood, Lowlands, The Heart of a Child, and his latest mind-bending thriller The Dream Killer—have captivated readers with their atmospheric dread and sharp psychological insight.
Fearless, provocative, and impossible to ignore, Adam Cosco writes the kind of stories that leave a mark.
His novels—Little Brother, Say Goodbye to Jonny Hollywood, Lowlands, The Heart of a Child, and his latest mind-bending thriller The Dream Killer—have captivated readers with their atmospheric dread and sharp psychological insight.
Fearless, provocative, and impossible to ignore, Adam Cosco writes the kind of stories that leave a mark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
January 23, 2025
This was a heavy hitter of a story! I just kept hoping that good would overcome evil, instead, to my shock, the tale just got darker and more twisted.
Reminiscent of the “satanic panic” era, a young school girl tells her parents about the rituals and sacrifice she was witness to at school. Her tale starts a media firestorm, but is then proven to be confabulated. Is what she saw real? Are Satan’s forces able to manipulate the law and twist truth? Or is it possibly the wild imagination of a mentally unstable child?
Now, we follow Ava as she returns to the site of her traumas: her hometown. Readers will see if her truth can be believed, if the cult really does exist, and if her life is still in danger.
Thank you to BookSirens & the author for a copy!
Reminiscent of the “satanic panic” era, a young school girl tells her parents about the rituals and sacrifice she was witness to at school. Her tale starts a media firestorm, but is then proven to be confabulated. Is what she saw real? Are Satan’s forces able to manipulate the law and twist truth? Or is it possibly the wild imagination of a mentally unstable child?
Now, we follow Ava as she returns to the site of her traumas: her hometown. Readers will see if her truth can be believed, if the cult really does exist, and if her life is still in danger.
Thank you to BookSirens & the author for a copy!
June 7, 2025
An eleven year old girl named Ava witnesses her whole class at school put into a trance-like sleep one by one with only a tap on the head by the evil school principal, Angela. Ava is able to stay awake, and later tells her parents a horrible account of what went on.
This is an adaptation of a screenplay, but it still reads like a screenplay rather than a novel. Each movement, each expression, each scene is described in drawn-out detail. Oh, the melodrama! Here’s a sample of the writing: “Teddy O’Brien, still half-dressed in a crumpled dress shirt, works at unbuttoning his cuffs, while Barbara stands in front of the wide, gleaming full-length mirror. Her earrings dangle, catching the soft light, until she carefully, methodically, removes them”. I could have found a better example, but I didn’t want to have to spend any time rereading.
The subject was serious, but it seemed very corny to me. I ended up skimming frequently. Because I went through this book “speed reading”, it was a mercifully quick read. If it ever makes it to the screen, the trailer will be announced by that guy on TV with the ominous nasal voice that says, “rated R-rrrrrr”. 👻
The characters are only developed by what the reader can “see”, such as physical descriptions and facial expressions, or what we are told. The evil characters are not fleshed out at all. They seem like boogeymen, and the main antagonist, Angela, is so villainous she seems cartoonish. The end was no surprise to me.
The premise was good. There was an actual “Satanic panic” in the 80’s, and an actual school made the news. If this horror fiction read had been more believable and less fantastical, and if more effort was made in converting this from a screenplay to a novel, I believe it could have been something I would have liked much more.
Just not for me. 1.5 stars.
This is an adaptation of a screenplay, but it still reads like a screenplay rather than a novel. Each movement, each expression, each scene is described in drawn-out detail. Oh, the melodrama! Here’s a sample of the writing: “Teddy O’Brien, still half-dressed in a crumpled dress shirt, works at unbuttoning his cuffs, while Barbara stands in front of the wide, gleaming full-length mirror. Her earrings dangle, catching the soft light, until she carefully, methodically, removes them”. I could have found a better example, but I didn’t want to have to spend any time rereading.
The subject was serious, but it seemed very corny to me. I ended up skimming frequently. Because I went through this book “speed reading”, it was a mercifully quick read. If it ever makes it to the screen, the trailer will be announced by that guy on TV with the ominous nasal voice that says, “rated R-rrrrrr”. 👻
The characters are only developed by what the reader can “see”, such as physical descriptions and facial expressions, or what we are told. The evil characters are not fleshed out at all. They seem like boogeymen, and the main antagonist, Angela, is so villainous she seems cartoonish. The end was no surprise to me.
The premise was good. There was an actual “Satanic panic” in the 80’s, and an actual school made the news. If this horror fiction read had been more believable and less fantastical, and if more effort was made in converting this from a screenplay to a novel, I believe it could have been something I would have liked much more.
Just not for me. 1.5 stars.
November 25, 2024
Adam Cosco's "The Heart of a Child" takes its inspiration from the Satanic Panic popularized in the 80's through media and fiction. The story in the book blows up quickly, and it's fortunate that it's fictional. It begins predictably with a 11-year-old girl charging her carers with sexual abuse and murder during abhorrent rituals, a couple of classmates stand by her, the rest do not remember, the police and the media get involved, and eventually her claims are challenged; but that's merely the beginning of the story, as it soon develops into its own thing. Most of the book depicts police, parents and carers getting drawn into a maelstrom of ambiguity and psychological horror (a couple of triggers should be mentioned at this point: painful death of family members and depictions of child murder; but there are probably more). Things, however, clear up only towards the end; keeping the review spoiler-free, I won't even indicate the direction the story went. Cosco's writing is perfect for this kind of story: calm and mostly descriptive, occasionally too cold and distant perhaps for the harrowing scenes it describes, but adequate overall. If you enjoy horror with a strong dose of thriller and suspense, this is the book for you!
November 9, 2025
Another heart stopping, jaw dropping novel from Adam.
The twists at the end shattered me 😩😩😩
I do feel that parts of the story (mainly Angela) could of been more developed 🖤
The twists at the end shattered me 😩😩😩
I do feel that parts of the story (mainly Angela) could of been more developed 🖤
February 20, 2025
The Heart of a Child is dark, heavy, and utterly unsettling. Ava’s story hooked me instantly, and by Chapter 5, my eyes were like this: 🫣🫣. The creeping dread and eerie atmosphere will stick with you.
April 3, 2025
Barbara and Teddy O’Brien desperately want to believe their daughter, Ava, an anxious, watchful eleven-year-old, when she breaks down and describes an alarming incident that occurred during the school day with her classmates.
With no proof and unreliable witnesses, Barbara, along with almost everyone else, is inclined to dismiss Ava’s bizarre account of rituals and masked figures as a product of her daughter’s overwrought, febrile imagination, but Teddy is not so sure…
Cosco’s tightly wound and unsettling horror is split into two halves, ‘Then’ and ‘Now’ which are set twenty years apart. The opening, and indeed the entire first half, is a masterclass in tension, paranoia, and rising fear set within the simmering, suffocating atmosphere of the O’Brien household.
There is darkness and dysfunction within the family. Discordant resentment flickers between Barbara and Teddy, Ava’s acute, fearful sensitivity vibrates from the page, and the entire narrative is drenched in a claustrophobic, creeping unease.
The reader is privy to the fundamentals of what happened at the school with the principal, Angela Spire, and her son, Ruben. However, as doubt is cast on Ava’s account and her classmates falter in corroboration, the reader begins to question whether the highly strung Ava is entirely dependable.
Cosco heightens this confusion by shifting the narrative back and forth between the children and parents with their frantic, frightened reactions, police interviews, and the seemingly bemused, composed Spires.
He also interleaves details of the unnerving interviews conducted by a child psychologist with several of the pupils, including Ava. All these disordered elements build a stifling, mentally cluttered version of events, complementing the main characters’ emotionally combustible states.
Cosco’s prose is deliberate and controlled yet peppered with visceral jolts and a tangle of symbolic suggestions. He writes with a focused intensity, and his descriptive language, especially in relation to Gregory Lighthill, the unctuous news reporter, is so insightfully sublime it borders on the amusing.
As the ‘Then’ section draws to a shocking close, Cosco homes in on Teddy. There is something damaged within him that may or may not be connected to what took place with Ava and which has horrendous consequences.
The second part of The Heart of a Child finds Ava as a divorced, single mother. She’s struggling financially and emotionally, haunted by past traumas and afraid for her seven-year-old daughter Olivia’s safety.
It’s a credible trajectory. Cosco competently pitches the narrative forward by two decades whilst still maintaining the earlier skin-crawling sense of a deeply malign agency swirling around Ava, whose vulnerabilities have increased with age. She becomes embroiled in a disturbing psychological game with several intriguing developments and revelations from the past and present.
Notwithstanding, the malevolent core of the novel lies with Angela Spire. Cosco depicts her with chilling brevity, enhancing the unknown to tease the reader with exactly who she is and what she might be capable of.
As the narrative gathers monstrous menace, so does Angela. Personally, I felt shivers of Rosemary’s Baby in the last parts of the novel, although the story is quite different. Further, Cosco sets the reader up for a couple of obvious conclusions in Ava’s personal life, yet brutally removes these.
There are a couple of areas with a touch of descriptive repetition, and Olivia occasionally grates. Cosco also engages in a slight conflict with several elements in the remaining pages but distills them neatly into the conclusion, which is somewhat unexpected and yet, given the unremittingly bleak and disquieting tone of the novel, is apt.
The Heart of a Child is an insidiously good little horror, slithering through the reader’s mind with predatory preternatural vibes. Highly recommended.
With no proof and unreliable witnesses, Barbara, along with almost everyone else, is inclined to dismiss Ava’s bizarre account of rituals and masked figures as a product of her daughter’s overwrought, febrile imagination, but Teddy is not so sure…
Cosco’s tightly wound and unsettling horror is split into two halves, ‘Then’ and ‘Now’ which are set twenty years apart. The opening, and indeed the entire first half, is a masterclass in tension, paranoia, and rising fear set within the simmering, suffocating atmosphere of the O’Brien household.
There is darkness and dysfunction within the family. Discordant resentment flickers between Barbara and Teddy, Ava’s acute, fearful sensitivity vibrates from the page, and the entire narrative is drenched in a claustrophobic, creeping unease.
The reader is privy to the fundamentals of what happened at the school with the principal, Angela Spire, and her son, Ruben. However, as doubt is cast on Ava’s account and her classmates falter in corroboration, the reader begins to question whether the highly strung Ava is entirely dependable.
Cosco heightens this confusion by shifting the narrative back and forth between the children and parents with their frantic, frightened reactions, police interviews, and the seemingly bemused, composed Spires.
He also interleaves details of the unnerving interviews conducted by a child psychologist with several of the pupils, including Ava. All these disordered elements build a stifling, mentally cluttered version of events, complementing the main characters’ emotionally combustible states.
Cosco’s prose is deliberate and controlled yet peppered with visceral jolts and a tangle of symbolic suggestions. He writes with a focused intensity, and his descriptive language, especially in relation to Gregory Lighthill, the unctuous news reporter, is so insightfully sublime it borders on the amusing.
As the ‘Then’ section draws to a shocking close, Cosco homes in on Teddy. There is something damaged within him that may or may not be connected to what took place with Ava and which has horrendous consequences.
The second part of The Heart of a Child finds Ava as a divorced, single mother. She’s struggling financially and emotionally, haunted by past traumas and afraid for her seven-year-old daughter Olivia’s safety.
It’s a credible trajectory. Cosco competently pitches the narrative forward by two decades whilst still maintaining the earlier skin-crawling sense of a deeply malign agency swirling around Ava, whose vulnerabilities have increased with age. She becomes embroiled in a disturbing psychological game with several intriguing developments and revelations from the past and present.
Notwithstanding, the malevolent core of the novel lies with Angela Spire. Cosco depicts her with chilling brevity, enhancing the unknown to tease the reader with exactly who she is and what she might be capable of.
As the narrative gathers monstrous menace, so does Angela. Personally, I felt shivers of Rosemary’s Baby in the last parts of the novel, although the story is quite different. Further, Cosco sets the reader up for a couple of obvious conclusions in Ava’s personal life, yet brutally removes these.
There are a couple of areas with a touch of descriptive repetition, and Olivia occasionally grates. Cosco also engages in a slight conflict with several elements in the remaining pages but distills them neatly into the conclusion, which is somewhat unexpected and yet, given the unremittingly bleak and disquieting tone of the novel, is apt.
The Heart of a Child is an insidiously good little horror, slithering through the reader’s mind with predatory preternatural vibes. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2025
This book reminded me of the McMartin Preschool case. It was good, kept me hooked but felt a little corny at times.
June 17, 2025
Books are, in my opinion, the only place where good is rewarded and evil is defeated. And I'm used to that. That's exactly why this book shook me and disappointed me, made me angry and brought out all those worst feelings because I didn't expect such an ending.
The story is great. One day, 11-year-old Ava tells her parents how her teacher took them to a basement where satanic rituals were taking place. With two other boys, Ava tries to show that it's not a child's imagination and fabrication, but the evil and distrust of adults simply swallow that story and bury it deep in the dark secrets of a small town. And it's easiest to turn a child's mind and convince them that something is just a figment of their imagination. Unfortunately, this leads to a breakdown in Ava's family. We then see Ava, who has grown up and has her own child, and how she decides to let the world know the truth and decides to fight against the dark forces. Ava puts everything at stake to stand by her own words and take a stand against true and pure evil.
As I said, the story is very good. Somehow, while reading it, I had the impression that it could have had much more potential and that we didn't manage to get to the depth of the characters. What is Ava really like, why is Angela the way she is and where did things go wrong in her life, etc. I know, then the story would be much longer than it is. In fact, I like that it's not too long and that the author didn't stretch the content too much just to make it longer. But the ending was definitely surprising. For me, it was terrible (but not in a negative way) because it didn't give my mind what I needed. And that is that evil can be defeated and that evil people can be held accountable for their actions. It just left a very bitter taste in my mouth. But kudos to the story. In my opinion, it's definitely worth reading.
In any case, big thanks to the author and BookSirens for allowing me to read this book, which I genuinely enjoyed. My review is voluntary and has not been influenced by anyone.
The story is great. One day, 11-year-old Ava tells her parents how her teacher took them to a basement where satanic rituals were taking place. With two other boys, Ava tries to show that it's not a child's imagination and fabrication, but the evil and distrust of adults simply swallow that story and bury it deep in the dark secrets of a small town. And it's easiest to turn a child's mind and convince them that something is just a figment of their imagination. Unfortunately, this leads to a breakdown in Ava's family. We then see Ava, who has grown up and has her own child, and how she decides to let the world know the truth and decides to fight against the dark forces. Ava puts everything at stake to stand by her own words and take a stand against true and pure evil.
As I said, the story is very good. Somehow, while reading it, I had the impression that it could have had much more potential and that we didn't manage to get to the depth of the characters. What is Ava really like, why is Angela the way she is and where did things go wrong in her life, etc. I know, then the story would be much longer than it is. In fact, I like that it's not too long and that the author didn't stretch the content too much just to make it longer. But the ending was definitely surprising. For me, it was terrible (but not in a negative way) because it didn't give my mind what I needed. And that is that evil can be defeated and that evil people can be held accountable for their actions. It just left a very bitter taste in my mouth. But kudos to the story. In my opinion, it's definitely worth reading.
In any case, big thanks to the author and BookSirens for allowing me to read this book, which I genuinely enjoyed. My review is voluntary and has not been influenced by anyone.
December 11, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book reminded me of the many news stories circulating during the late 1980s of daycare centers and preschools that engaged in satanic rituals and sexual abuse. In the end most of the reports were proven to be untrue.
The pure evil in The Heart of a Child is satanic, complete with human sacrifice. The motivating factor for the antagonist is power; the power to use, manipulate and control others. And, the evil is widespread amongst those who are in positions of authority within their chosen professions.
The Heart of a Child follows Ava from the time that she is a child and into adulthood. As a child Ava tried to expose the truth of the evil in her school, but the power of evil stopped the truth from coming out. When Ava is an adult she tries again to get someone to believe her about the evil she witnessed, and just when it seems that she will succeed Ava's seven year old daughter is taken. In the end Ava is forced to make a decision that changes her world forever.
This book reminded me of the many news stories circulating during the late 1980s of daycare centers and preschools that engaged in satanic rituals and sexual abuse. In the end most of the reports were proven to be untrue.
The pure evil in The Heart of a Child is satanic, complete with human sacrifice. The motivating factor for the antagonist is power; the power to use, manipulate and control others. And, the evil is widespread amongst those who are in positions of authority within their chosen professions.
The Heart of a Child follows Ava from the time that she is a child and into adulthood. As a child Ava tried to expose the truth of the evil in her school, but the power of evil stopped the truth from coming out. When Ava is an adult she tries again to get someone to believe her about the evil she witnessed, and just when it seems that she will succeed Ava's seven year old daughter is taken. In the end Ava is forced to make a decision that changes her world forever.
January 8, 2025
Oh my word! What a book! No slow build with this one. It hits you hard word one and keeps going through out this amazing book. I would call it a horror book after finishing it with psychological vibes.
If you like to read books involving good verses evil, psychological trauma, abuse, loss of loved ones, murder, mind control, mystery, occult, covens, horror and wow so much more. Then this is a must read!
I get a little confused when there’s a lot of characters in the story. But I made my little notes and had no problem at all.
This story surrounds little eleven year old Ava O’Brien. And follows her into adulthood with her having divorced (Alan) and a child (Olivia) of her own.
This deals with the mystical, occult. Kind of a psychological thriller too.
In Ava’s case she and others were manipulated and mind controlled. With strange things occurring even into adulthood.
A horrific event that was covered up and in so doing she lost someone closest to her. That was supposed to be there to protect her as she grew up. To help her grow into a healthy adult. Unfortunately this was Ava’s life. Her past is always a shadow lurking close..waiting, always a part of her.
The past is still here, twisting, suffocating. And it all goes back to her old principle Angela Spire’s.
They can erase memories, twist reality, make the world forget.
I would say beware in deciding to read. Might want to check any trigger warnings.🥺.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you like to read books involving good verses evil, psychological trauma, abuse, loss of loved ones, murder, mind control, mystery, occult, covens, horror and wow so much more. Then this is a must read!
I get a little confused when there’s a lot of characters in the story. But I made my little notes and had no problem at all.
This story surrounds little eleven year old Ava O’Brien. And follows her into adulthood with her having divorced (Alan) and a child (Olivia) of her own.
This deals with the mystical, occult. Kind of a psychological thriller too.
In Ava’s case she and others were manipulated and mind controlled. With strange things occurring even into adulthood.
A horrific event that was covered up and in so doing she lost someone closest to her. That was supposed to be there to protect her as she grew up. To help her grow into a healthy adult. Unfortunately this was Ava’s life. Her past is always a shadow lurking close..waiting, always a part of her.
The past is still here, twisting, suffocating. And it all goes back to her old principle Angela Spire’s.
They can erase memories, twist reality, make the world forget.
I would say beware in deciding to read. Might want to check any trigger warnings.🥺.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 12, 2025
You told the truth. If you hadn't said anything..."
There's a new novella in town, everybody, and its calledThe Heart of a Child —and holy hell, BATMAN! This book was nothing short of perfection. Chef’s kiss 🤌🏼I don’t think I’ve read anything by Cosco before, but after this? Oh, I’ll be devouring everything he writes.
This novella captures the raw vulnerability of childhood and blends it with spine-chilling supernatural horror.
Ava O’Brien is the kind of character who lingers in your mind long after the final page. She’s quiet, observant—far too perceptive for an innocent 11-year-old who sees things she shouldn’t see, carrying a fear so vivid it seeps into your bones.
Broken into two parts—Ava as a child and Ava as an adult—Cosco seamlessly weaves these timelines together, never breaking Ava’s character. The same fear that haunted her as a little girl still grips her as a grown woman, returning to the eerie neighbourhood and that old farmhouse, where painful memories refuse to stay buried.
At just 176 pages, this novella delivers pure tension. It’s slow, it’s creepy, and you know that with every page you turn, dread inches closer. You can’t look away. You have to know the truth.
What sets this book apart is that Cosco doesn’t just rely on the usual possession scares. The Heart of a Child is layered—it unearths the darkness hidden in small-town secrets, proving that evil doesn’t just lurk in the shadows. Sometimes, it’s right beside you, watching, waiting.
And the kicker?
What they discover will make you feel sick to your stomach. When the truth finally comes out… Oh. My. God. I can’t tell you so i won’t. This is a story you have to experience for yourself. It’s not just horrific—it’s traumatic.
Thank you to book sirens for the ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There's a new novella in town, everybody, and its calledThe Heart of a Child —and holy hell, BATMAN! This book was nothing short of perfection. Chef’s kiss 🤌🏼I don’t think I’ve read anything by Cosco before, but after this? Oh, I’ll be devouring everything he writes.
This novella captures the raw vulnerability of childhood and blends it with spine-chilling supernatural horror.
Ava O’Brien is the kind of character who lingers in your mind long after the final page. She’s quiet, observant—far too perceptive for an innocent 11-year-old who sees things she shouldn’t see, carrying a fear so vivid it seeps into your bones.
Broken into two parts—Ava as a child and Ava as an adult—Cosco seamlessly weaves these timelines together, never breaking Ava’s character. The same fear that haunted her as a little girl still grips her as a grown woman, returning to the eerie neighbourhood and that old farmhouse, where painful memories refuse to stay buried.
At just 176 pages, this novella delivers pure tension. It’s slow, it’s creepy, and you know that with every page you turn, dread inches closer. You can’t look away. You have to know the truth.
What sets this book apart is that Cosco doesn’t just rely on the usual possession scares. The Heart of a Child is layered—it unearths the darkness hidden in small-town secrets, proving that evil doesn’t just lurk in the shadows. Sometimes, it’s right beside you, watching, waiting.
And the kicker?
What they discover will make you feel sick to your stomach. When the truth finally comes out… Oh. My. God. I can’t tell you so i won’t. This is a story you have to experience for yourself. It’s not just horrific—it’s traumatic.
Thank you to book sirens for the ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 1, 2025
I received this in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you !
This story was horrifying, I am not even a parent and this was just horrifying, I thought about myself as one of the kids when I was in school, I dont need kids to see this was truly a bizarre story that if I had been a parent, how do I even deal with it?
Ava tells her parents a wild story about her classmates being blindfolded and insane rituatuals happened to them and this isn’t some broken kids nightmare, this is vivid, this is something that’s haunted her.
Is this a parents nightmare or is this a very very over active kids imagination, maybe she’s been sneaking horror movies or something, you have to hope right?
Because otherwise, what other horrors are going on , and is it just the school or does this run deeper, to the town and the very foundation that everything they know is built on ?
This story is dark, and just rolls into darker and darker territory with every single page turn, and you will drown in it, how do things turn out?
Well I wont say, but what a rollercoaster.
Well worth the read.
Thank you !
This story was horrifying, I am not even a parent and this was just horrifying, I thought about myself as one of the kids when I was in school, I dont need kids to see this was truly a bizarre story that if I had been a parent, how do I even deal with it?
Ava tells her parents a wild story about her classmates being blindfolded and insane rituatuals happened to them and this isn’t some broken kids nightmare, this is vivid, this is something that’s haunted her.
Is this a parents nightmare or is this a very very over active kids imagination, maybe she’s been sneaking horror movies or something, you have to hope right?
Because otherwise, what other horrors are going on , and is it just the school or does this run deeper, to the town and the very foundation that everything they know is built on ?
This story is dark, and just rolls into darker and darker territory with every single page turn, and you will drown in it, how do things turn out?
Well I wont say, but what a rollercoaster.
Well worth the read.
January 17, 2025
I wanted to give it five stars, but I wasn’t a huge fan with how it ended. It was a fast read and I really enjoyed it up til the end. Once it was over, I did research about what it was kind of based off of, the daycare controversy years ago. It’s sad to think what adults can do to a child’s mind.
This book is a story about a young girl named Ava who experienced something in school that was disturbing and unjust. Her dad believed her, but it didn’t seem like anyone else did. It ate her dad alive too since he committed suicide. Now as an adult, Ava, who hasn’t gotten over that time as a child is writing a book about the real story and she’ll stop at nothing to find out the truth.
It’s satanic, it’s thrilling, and it’s messed up. It’s a great book overall though.
This book is a story about a young girl named Ava who experienced something in school that was disturbing and unjust. Her dad believed her, but it didn’t seem like anyone else did. It ate her dad alive too since he committed suicide. Now as an adult, Ava, who hasn’t gotten over that time as a child is writing a book about the real story and she’ll stop at nothing to find out the truth.
It’s satanic, it’s thrilling, and it’s messed up. It’s a great book overall though.
January 29, 2025
This story starts off pretty fast paced and gets into things very quickly. It's a hard hitting story that does leave you thinking. I think the story was written well, it was descriptive and it did keep you hooked in wanting to know if the children were telling the truth. Was the satanic cult real? Did the children really see and experience what they were saying? I don't want to delve too into the story as I do think you should go in spoiler free.
I think if you like a horror/thriller type of atmosphere you would enjoy this story. A good read all in all! By
Thank you to Book Sirens and the author for sending over a copy of this story.
I think if you like a horror/thriller type of atmosphere you would enjoy this story. A good read all in all! By
Thank you to Book Sirens and the author for sending over a copy of this story.
January 14, 2025
This is my first ARC of the year and I hate that it took me so long to finish it.
This is absolutely captivating from the beginning, though it was a little hard for me to keep up as it felt like we were jumping around between perspectives, even through the end. However, that’s the only downfall to the book. The writing was absolutely on point and painted a wonderful, and sometimes grotesque, mental image of each scene. I loved that the vast majority of the book had me on my toes, just waiting to see what Angela could possibly do next to Ava and her family/previous classmates. It gets very dark towards the end with the deaths, but I am absolutely here for it.
This is absolutely captivating from the beginning, though it was a little hard for me to keep up as it felt like we were jumping around between perspectives, even through the end. However, that’s the only downfall to the book. The writing was absolutely on point and painted a wonderful, and sometimes grotesque, mental image of each scene. I loved that the vast majority of the book had me on my toes, just waiting to see what Angela could possibly do next to Ava and her family/previous classmates. It gets very dark towards the end with the deaths, but I am absolutely here for it.
February 27, 2025
This was a fantastic read. Beautifully written and will have you on the edge of your seat. For those who like satanic/cult stories, this is definitely for you. A dark and twisted story. What happens when you are told your entire childhood to tell the truth, but no one believes you? Chaos happens.
Ava knew that nothing could slow the heartbeat that still pounds in her memory, the dark echo of a nightmare she can not escape.
Fear is a weapon wielded by the unknowing.
Ava knew that nothing could slow the heartbeat that still pounds in her memory, the dark echo of a nightmare she can not escape.
Fear is a weapon wielded by the unknowing.
December 1, 2024
The Heart of a Child is a well-written but DARK novel. Ava is a young girl who reports horrible acts of ritual abuse from her teacher and principal of her school. Her parents immediately report this to the police, and the students are interviewed as well. Satanic panic ensues. Coming forward has repercussions.
This book is really creepy and not for the faint of heart, but horror fans will enjoy. Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the ARC.
This book is really creepy and not for the faint of heart, but horror fans will enjoy. Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the ARC.
December 14, 2024
I was fortunate enough to get an advanced copy of this book and let me tell you this story is dark. “The heart of a child” is a chilling story and like other reviews have stated “it feels straight out of the Satanic panic era”. It’s filled with a sense of dread and unease and not for the faint hearted but raw and a bitter pill to swallow, a very well written bitter pill.
February 1, 2025
Definitely not for the feint of heart.
In my book, Ava made three fatal mistakes……………
THE FIRST: She should have ignored her mother and not told of what she saw.
THE SECOND: After leaving her hometown, she should never have returned. Especially not with her daughter. She should of had her mother come to them.
THE THIRD: Ava chose life when she should have chosen death.
I received a free Advance Reader Copy of The Heart of a Child through BookSirens and have chosen to leave a review.
In my book, Ava made three fatal mistakes……………
THE FIRST: She should have ignored her mother and not told of what she saw.
THE SECOND: After leaving her hometown, she should never have returned. Especially not with her daughter. She should of had her mother come to them.
THE THIRD: Ava chose life when she should have chosen death.
I received a free Advance Reader Copy of The Heart of a Child through BookSirens and have chosen to leave a review.
June 6, 2025
Holy sh**. Heck ya Adam! I happened to stumble upon a post about this book being free in my Books of Horror group on Facebook and immediately downloaded it. I finished it in one sitting! Things get bad…and then worse, and then it’s jst…all downhill from there. There is no cliche “sike! We actually have a fun and happy ending” I loved it!
Also, sick book cover 👏🏼
Also, sick book cover 👏🏼
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
I really liked this book it’s cult related and you never know what’s going to happen next, a quick read which I like. And holds your interest. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
March 18, 2025
This book broke my heart in so many different ways. I was on the edge of my seat, I experienced the grief as if it were my own, I was mad, I wanted to scream. The action was fast-paced and so many parts left me breathless. A great read!
June 19, 2025
A unique story
This is a very original novel. He starts at a hundred miles an hour and just keeps speeding up. It's a great story that does not end in any way that you can imagine.
This is a very original novel. He starts at a hundred miles an hour and just keeps speeding up. It's a great story that does not end in any way that you can imagine.
February 4, 2025
What a thrill ride!!!! This book never let up on the suspense and just got darker and darker! Loved it!
June 19, 2025
If you like horror I think you’ll like it! It was ok, I liked the twists throughout. And how it’s almost like she is writing the book I’m reading… kind of a chuck palanhniuk type twist at the end.
November 17, 2025
Good book, read it in a day. Very fast paced...
....but that ending. What the hell...
....but that ending. What the hell...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
I wish I knew more of what this was before going into it. Absolutely disgusting. I could not finish it.
November 22, 2024
This book felt like it was ripped out from the Satanic Panic headlines of the 80's. I was curious as to how it would play out and I was happy with the results. As a mother it hit home, and kept my interest. Cannot wait to read more from this author.
January 31, 2025
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; 3.5 stars rounded up. This was one of those horrors that is stressful because of the way other characters act, and one of the twists didn't feel very twisty, but I loved the way it was written, and there was a moment of notable horror that I completely didn't see coming. It was great to be taken by surprise!
September 17, 2025
I will be honest I read this book in one sitting.
We follow a group of students who witness something terrible in their childhood, even though their parents believe them, nothing about the story seems to be true. As it haunts them as they grow up they come back as adults to face what was happening and hopefully get the answers they have been searching for after all these years.
We follow a group of students who witness something terrible in their childhood, even though their parents believe them, nothing about the story seems to be true. As it haunts them as they grow up they come back as adults to face what was happening and hopefully get the answers they have been searching for after all these years.
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