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Dark Violin

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Celine's dreams were as innocent as they to master the violin and bring her family back together. But one fateful night, curiosity led her to uncover a secret in her parent's room, a discovery that marked the end of her childhood and the beginning of a nightmare she could never escape.

Her father introduced her to a game that shattered her innocence, while her mother spiraled into madness, leaving Celine trapped in a personal hell. Her mother's sanity crumbled. She clung to a haunting lullaby, whispering a warning that would echo in Celine's mind long after her

"Mommy told me something a little kid should know. It's all about the devil, and I learned to hate him so. He causes trouble when you let him in your room. He'll never leave you if your heart is filled with gloom."

Before madness consumed her, her mother's final warning came like a "Don't let him in, Celine."

But the devil doesn't wait for an invitation. And Celine is about to discover that some doors, once opened, can never be closed. But Celine already knows it's too late. The devil isn't a man with horns or a shadow in the night. The devil is the one who tucks you in, smiles at the dinner table, and tells you to keep quiet. And he's already here.

Some nightmares begin when you wake up.

Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2025

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Nyx Solis

3 books5 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Matt Milu.
127 reviews22 followers
March 25, 2025
3 things: (1) If you choose to read this book, please check trigger warnings… seriously, they are on every third page, (2) The Author is obsessed with cigarette smoke… if you read the story you will totally get that, and (3) The ending of this revenge story is completely OUTRAGEOUS in the best possible way! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
Profile Image for Lizardley.
210 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2025
I did finish this, but at what cost.

Perhaps the most notable thing about this book (aside from the content, but we'll get there) is how much it needed another editing pass. The prose is really atrocious, particularly after the first few chapters. I was willing to forgive the first chapters for just feeling a bit dream-like and detached from reality as a stylistic choice, but when Mira is introduced in what is clearly the normal world, it stops working. The dialogue is often stilted and unnatural, with my personal favorite instance of this being when a characters tells another "'You know, in our culture, plastic surgery is often seen as taboo'". Two scenes begin with very similar descriptions of a character drinking coffee that wasn't a particularly good description to begin with. Considering the importance of music to the novel, it's really unfortunate that the descriptions of music are so nothing and sound somewhat odd (the description of the choir being a prime example). The less said about the sex scenes the better (I will be forever haunted by the phrase "wet pearl"). It often reads like mediocre fan fiction, because where else would you encounter a character unironically referring to "my twisted psyche".

[SPOILERS FOR LATER PLOT INCIDENTS]

The frequent scenes of sexual violence overall just feel... gauche. To be clear, I'm not opposed to the portrayal of sexual violence in fiction; I object when it seems to just be thrown in with little interest in exploration of its complexities and effects. The novel seems deeply convinced that it has a lot of to say about abuse, but it really doesn't. It says that abuse is bad, and sometimes people are just broken and cannot be fixed. This is not as hot a take as the novel seems to think it is, and the exploration of these ideas is one-note and basic. There is no acknowledgement of the fact that almost everyone in the Montreal family can be read as a victim and perpetrator, particularly Ramiro. This isn't to say that he did nothing wrong (he VERY much did), but he presumably was impacted by the culture of abuse that her father created in the household, and the novel never acknowledges that beyond him saying "I'm so fucked up, you're the only person who can love me" (not a direct quote) to Celine. Celine is the only person in the text who is allowed to be harmed and cause harm, but there's no complexity in her portrayal either. She just magically becomes evil after suffering an almost comical amount (including vaguely orgasmic self-harm, which just. Kill me now.). Kevin has dubiously consensual (at best) sex with Mira a few times, but it's just treated as something scary that's happening. It's unclear if Mira remembers what happens, and Kevin never reacts to it (which, considering later revelations in the book, suggests some rather unsavory things about the origins of familial abuse). Mira is quite literally violently raped, but the novel totally glosses over it. It's treated as part of Celine's revenge and Mira is not given much space to react to her rape. SPEAKING OF THAT

[SPOILERS FOR THE FINAL TWIST]

So Mira is a secret trans woman! She was Ramiro the whole time! Celine/Lauren did surgery on her and got her to take hormones this whole time! Oh my god! Don't piss me off! It plays into so many harmful stereotypes about trans women, with them being deceptive, sexually violent, and secretly men. It also treats transition as a kind of body horror, especially because it's done as a way for Celine to emasculate Ramiro, and like much of the on-page rape in this novel, it seems included for shock value more than to really work through Mira's feelings about what happened to her. It's gross and dehumanizing of trans people, and it's a little shocking to me that this plot point is in a book published in 2025.

There are other things that I could complain about, like the plot holes (who the hell is Mira's mother and how did she get involved, why can that small child see ghosts, how does Celine top and play the violin during sex while partially paralyzed) and the way in which everything is either over- or under-explained (the narration drawing specific attention to the parallels between the nature documentary and George's murder twice in two pages vs. the bit at the end where Celine plays the violin in front of her family, including dead people). But, what sticks with me the most is how boring this book was. Scenes occur. Some of the scenes contain explicit incestuous violence. All of the scenes include characters speaking in a way that no human being has ever spoken. It doesn't really get insane enough to be enjoyable in an ironic way until three quarters of the way through the book, which is not ideal.

Do not read this book. There are much better thrillers out there.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Profile Image for Wicked Words.
179 reviews2 followers
March 15, 2025
It is rare for me to DNF a book. I am more likely to suffer through it so that I can leave a thoughtful review about why the book didn’t work for me. But after several days reading this book and only getting 30% in, I have to just admit to myself that I’m done.

For a book with shocking themes of incest and murder, the way this book is written is incredibly boring. Pacing is punishingly slow, the layered storytelling is confusing and ineffective, but the characters are what bothered me the most. Dialogue and even some characters choices are so unnatural that it makes me suspect it was written by AI.

I desperately tried to get into this book but it was not happening for me.

Thank you to Victory Editing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for August Winnett.
2 reviews
March 3, 2025
This book is incredible. It masterfully blurs the lines between reality, imagination, and consequence. Dark Violin brings out the worst of the worst at all of the right times and doesn’t shy away from difficult imagery.

I initially enjoyed the opening. The heavy description of the violin performance brought me a sort of warmth. It was exaggerated, but in a comforting way that almost made you feel the music. This very quickly changed to an incredibly dark place when you learn the subject of the story. Violence, sexual assault, incest, murder, trauma. All are some the worst of the worst crimes , and they are portrayed in such a way to make you either squeamish or sucked in. It’s a difficult read if you are disturbed by such things, but if you can manage it, it’s an amazing story.

Some of my gripes mainly fall within the realm of too much imagery. Yes, believe it or not, you can over describe things. Was it annoying? Yeah. Did it add much to the story? Kind of. Even when it mentioned sun light shining, my vision of the whole book was dark and damp, like a rainy detective novel vibe. I often found myself not paying attention to the visuals. But I stuck it through, read it all, and I couldn’t be more pleased. If someone asked me to describe the entire book, I could. Vividly.

The twists are a big part of thrillers. But I can 100% tell you, this book does NOT follow the easy to follow and guess guidelines of most novels. Every step of the way I was questioning myself and my sanity because I didn’t know what the hell was going on. I knew what was going on, but the amount of twists and changes made it impossible to figure out the ending. I LOVED that.

Overall:
This book is nearly flawless. It combines everything you need in a horror/thriller, and it does it masterfully. The author should be praised for this type of work. My ONLY complaint, is the massive amount of over describing things. Other than that, it’s one of my most favorite books I’ve read in a while.
Profile Image for Victoria.
194 reviews5 followers
February 27, 2025
Wowza!!! Just wow!! It's difficult to describe what I just read, but know that this book is amazingly unique!! I am very stingy with giving 5 star reviews, but this book has definitely earned all 5 stars!!!

The book started out with a few "Content Warnings" to include death, violence, abuse, incest, sexual assault, and trauma. The book does touch on all of those things, however, none of the events go into detail.

The first chapter spent an obscene amount of time describing Celine playing the violin. It was VERY painful to read. I eventually found myself skipping over some of the words and hoping the rest of the book didn't follow in the same manner. Thankfully, it did not!

With Celine's mother suffering from depression, she finds herself a victim of her father's horrific "games". Just how much can one young girl take?

I did find the manner in which this book was written to be slightly frustrating. The book alternated between several different time periods, and it wasn't always easy to determine when each scene was taking place. Additionally, it was somewhat difficult to keep up with all of the different "characters" .

This book is definitely not for the reader who likes quick, easy reads. This books makes you think and question things.

Kudos to the author on writing and publishing a unique, well written must read!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.
Profile Image for Erin Dunn.
Author 2 books102 followers
February 24, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. (Also, I noticed after I read it that this book is available on KINDLE UNLIMITED!!!)

***DEFINITELY READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING***

Well that was MESSED UP (and very icky in some parts) and sickeningly vengeful! The writing style is a little different and the story is dark, tragic, and nightmarish. This is a story that lingers in your mind and haunts you.

I really would LOVE to see this as a movie! I could see just see it in my head with some moody, creepy, and weird cinematography but it would be a really cool story to see brought to life.

The only minor issue I had with this book is that it was a little confusing and hard to follow and figure out what was going on at certain points. However, to be fair it did kind of add to the off putting and eerie atmosphere and everything made sense at the end. I really enjoyed how unnerving and tense this read was, but I still found myself wishing some parts were less confusing.

Overall I enjoyed Dark Violin and would recommend to people who enjoy off putting, bleak, and twisted reads…but definitely check the trigger warnings first!
502 reviews16 followers
March 5, 2025
Nyx Solis delivers a haunting, deeply unsettling psychological thriller with Dark Violin, a novel that lingers in your mind long after the final page. This is not just a story about trauma—it’s a chilling descent into the blurred lines between victim and villain, survival and destruction.

Celine begins as an innocent girl with simple dreams: to master the violin and mend her fractured family. But a single, horrifying discovery in her parents’ room changes everything. What follows is a nightmarish spiral into abuse, madness, and a suffocating sense of isolation. Her father’s monstrous presence looms over her life, while her mother’s sanity disintegrates, leaving only a cryptic warning: “Don’t let him in.” But evil doesn’t need permission—it’s already inside.

Solis masterfully crafts a psychological landscape filled with tension, pain, and a terrifying sense of inevitability. The novel explores the harrowing effects of generational trauma, the darkness that festers in the shadows of family secrets, and the chilling question: what happens when the abused becomes something just as terrifying? The prose is sharp and evocative, immersing the reader in Celine’s fractured reality, where safety is an illusion and escape feels impossible.

For fans of dark psychological thrillers like those by Gillian Flynn and Caroline Kepnes, Dark Violin is a gripping, nerve-wracking read that forces you to question everything. It’s a story of survival, vengeance, and the terrifying truth that sometimes, the worst monsters are the ones who say goodnight. If you’re looking for a novel that will disturb, captivate, and leave you breathless, Dark Violin is an unforgettable journey into the darkest corners of the human psyche.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lazymum.
144 reviews
March 4, 2025
It is a mix-bag blending psychological, thrill, suspense and a little dip into the horror genre. Before diving into the story, it’s important to note that it comes with a few warnings—there are themes that might be unsettling for some readers. So, it’s definitely worth checking these warnings before you start reading.

This is not my usual read, but I found myself fully engaged, and so far, it hasn’t let me down. The standout aspect of this book is the satisfying finale. "Revenge. It's the ultimate satisfaction."
I appreciated how it wrapped up—giving the victim the justice she deserves.

However, I did find certain elements a bit over the top, especially the twists in the end—the explanation of what happened to Ramiro. It is possible, but I still think it's a bit unrealistic. Then there’s Dr. Reyes, who, as the plot unfolds, seems to fade into the background. And Kevin, I hope there's a better ending for the lad.

All in all, I really enjoyed the read. I would rate it around 3.5, pushing it to a 4 because it’s just different and unique in its darker approach. It kept my interest piqued, and although some aspects stretched the bounds of possibility, the overall experience was engaging. This book definitely isn't your typical read, but that's part of its charm!
Profile Image for Horror Reads.
929 reviews335 followers
February 22, 2025
This is certainly a dark, twisted, and bleak book. It twists and turns more than any book in recent memory and the themes of incest, sexual assault, and suicide are prevalent throughout. It's not an easy read, that's for sure, but it's not meant to be.

To try and explain what this novel is about would not do it justice because this is one of those books you have to read to understand. You'll either like it or hate it.

I thought the way the story unfolded and all of the myriad secrets revealed throughout were very well done. I definitely wanted to keep reading just to figure out what was going on. But getting to those secrets can confuse the reader as the book changes perspective without warning, tying it together nearer to the end. That's not a complaint but some people might be put off by it.

My biggest issue was the length. There's certainly a certain amount of filler at times and I think the narrative would have been better served if some of the fluff were removed.

That being said, if you want to read something thats extremely dark and twisted and have your mind melted, I'd definitely recommend this book.
Profile Image for Khara.
106 reviews
January 10, 2026
When I first started this novel, I was unsure and hesitant about the direction. It took some time to acclimate to the switching point of view, but once I was about halfway through, I felt comfortable with the nuance of each voice. This novel took me a on RIDE. I definitely thought I had figured out the basic plot, but with about 30 percent left MY JAW WAS ON THE FLOOR. The story is one of revenge, and if you need trigger warnings when reading, look them up. The author's writing style is complex at times, but I was distracted at times by some of the redundancy in imagery. Would recommend to readers who love family drama, huge plot twists, and can stomach depictions of assault and abuse.

Grateful to NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kristy.
112 reviews
March 10, 2025
While I found the writing style of this book good enough to finish, I did struggle throughout to stay interested. The first few chapters are almost dream-like, which some may find interesting, but for me the storyline felt very disjointed. Avoiding spoilers, I would like to say I did not like the way certain topics were handled, as many of the scenes felt like exploitation of real, life-altering, and defining events, without delving into the complexities of these such subjects, and I did not feel like these topics were handled in a respectful manner. Overall, I would recommend other novels over this one.
Profile Image for Kay Oliver.
Author 11 books197 followers
April 14, 2025
I struggled with this. It's not an easy read. The writing style was difficult to get into, and honestly, I never fully got into it. This story has a lot of triggers, so be sure you're well informed before picking this up. There is a lot of purple prose and unnecessarily long descriptions that give nothing to the plot or the story as a whole. This book's redeeming piece is the ending. The most delicious revenge.
Profile Image for Morgan Cameron.
48 reviews2 followers
February 21, 2025
Thank you publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. I love the premise of this book! I wanted to be fully invested and have my heart shattered, but I couldn't stand the way that this book was written. And couldn't get myself past that. Maybe I will try again sometime.
Profile Image for DarkS.
373 reviews26 followers
June 21, 2025
A chilling psychological thriller that blurs the line between victim and villain, Dark Violin explores pain, survival, and the monsters lurking in plain sight. Dark, intense, and deeply unsettling—read with caution.
Profile Image for Smutty Demi.
575 reviews15 followers
February 9, 2025
This book was fantastic and well put together! The plot is good. The book is dark and creepy and will remain in your head for a long time after you close the book.
Profile Image for moonlitnovels.
46 reviews24 followers
Read
July 21, 2025
DNF at 30% — This book just wasn’t for me. When I first started it, it sucked me in right away until I got a few chapters into it. There are so many different things happening and the chapters are very long, so I ended up losing interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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