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The Sorrowstones
"They've traveled the dark of forever. Now, they're yours."
A collection of wicked idols has appeared in Westmaple, falling into the hands of eleven-year-old Cole Graves. They come bearing wondrous gifts, and Cole quickly falls under their spell.
Soon, horror descends upon the quiet town. One by one, the statues unleash ancient curses that throw the boy's world into chaos. Shadows encroach upon his mind as the people he loves meet hideous ends.
At first a weird mystery, the arrival of the Sorrowstones sets off a nightmarish saga of death and madness—and Cole's dark quest to get rid of them.
A collection of wicked idols has appeared in Westmaple, falling into the hands of eleven-year-old Cole Graves. They come bearing wondrous gifts, and Cole quickly falls under their spell.
Soon, horror descends upon the quiet town. One by one, the statues unleash ancient curses that throw the boy's world into chaos. Shadows encroach upon his mind as the people he loves meet hideous ends.
At first a weird mystery, the arrival of the Sorrowstones sets off a nightmarish saga of death and madness—and Cole's dark quest to get rid of them.
346 pages, Paperback
Published November 4, 2025
735 people are currently reading
2826 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
November 20, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Fear is elusive for me, at least as it pertains to the media I consume. In other ways, fear is omnipresent in my life, but rare is it that I find a movie or book that truly disturbs me. My desensitization is nearly absolute.
That’s why it’s so special when I come across something that lingers and crawls underneath my skin, whose imagery burrows into the recesses of my mind to find residence, whose details feel hauntingly and infectiously real.
Enter Mr. Felix Blackwell, whose first book had similar effect on me, but took a step back with his second. Let’s just say he makes a glorious return in his third. This is his best book yet, and put simply, it’s one of the best horror novels I’ve read. This will be in contention for book of the year for me.
I can’t escape those terrifying stones, and their understandable, but detestable, allure. The characters were brilliant. I felt every emotion Cole did as though they were happening to me. I mourned the loss of his friends and family, and I empathized with his dalliances with greed, envy and wrath.
What a book. Don’t miss it.
Fear is elusive for me, at least as it pertains to the media I consume. In other ways, fear is omnipresent in my life, but rare is it that I find a movie or book that truly disturbs me. My desensitization is nearly absolute.
That’s why it’s so special when I come across something that lingers and crawls underneath my skin, whose imagery burrows into the recesses of my mind to find residence, whose details feel hauntingly and infectiously real.
Enter Mr. Felix Blackwell, whose first book had similar effect on me, but took a step back with his second. Let’s just say he makes a glorious return in his third. This is his best book yet, and put simply, it’s one of the best horror novels I’ve read. This will be in contention for book of the year for me.
I can’t escape those terrifying stones, and their understandable, but detestable, allure. The characters were brilliant. I felt every emotion Cole did as though they were happening to me. I mourned the loss of his friends and family, and I empathized with his dalliances with greed, envy and wrath.
What a book. Don’t miss it.
December 27, 2025
Felix certainly knows how to build a story, keep you sucked in and how to end it with a bang. I loved the building more than the ending but gory heart pounding moments and really interesting characters had me staying put. Almost as if this book was a Sorrowstone itself.
November 27, 2025
Sorrowstones comes as a surprise.
I didn't know what to expect from Sorrowstones, because I went with minimal information. I really loved Stolen Tongues and was eager to read another Felix Blackwell's.
It turns out Sorrowstones is a really good story! It reads like a gory coming-of-age.
It read like a breeze, I didn't even notice it was a long book (for my standards) because it flowed easily, without any lulls.
My only complaint is that I was never scared, which is what I was looking for with this author.
I didn't know what to expect from Sorrowstones, because I went with minimal information. I really loved Stolen Tongues and was eager to read another Felix Blackwell's.
It turns out Sorrowstones is a really good story! It reads like a gory coming-of-age.
It read like a breeze, I didn't even notice it was a long book (for my standards) because it flowed easily, without any lulls.
My only complaint is that I was never scared, which is what I was looking for with this author.
November 8, 2025
...𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑰 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.
An absolutely stunning coming-of-age horror tale that grips you from the first page and gradually builds in intensity until the final shocking end. Cole Graves is eleven years old, and after a night of trick or treating, he finds an odd little statue among his assortment of candy. He has no way of knowing that that one little statue, along with several more that will follow, has come into his possession to shower him with wondrous gifts--his anxiety and health issues lessen, his family's fortune will grow--but life demands duality. The sorrows that Cole avoids must be visited upon another.
This was a completely immersive reading experience. There was an aching sense of nostalgia around Cole and his friends, perhaps because when we look back at the past, it's through a much softer lens than how we actually experienced it. Cole's devastating losses begin immediately, and each one tore at my heart. As I was reading, I wondered if this was this supposed to be kind of moral test for Cole; that once he realized what was happening, he would reject the gifts the statues bestowed upon him to keep his friends and family safe. Since the story follows Cole through much of his high school years, the reader sees his growing maturity and realizes that while it would be unfair for an adolescent to wrestle with such a complex moral dilemma, it's something that a mature teen could understand.
I lost all sense of time and space while reading this book, and if the author's intent was to cast a spell on his reader, he certainly succeeded. Cole's journey was difficult to endure at times, but I was so deeply invested, I couldn't bear to look away. Prepare to clear your schedule and invest some time because once you start, you won't be able to put this down. I ordered a signed copy from the author but grabbed it off KU as soon as it was released. Highly recommended. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
An absolutely stunning coming-of-age horror tale that grips you from the first page and gradually builds in intensity until the final shocking end. Cole Graves is eleven years old, and after a night of trick or treating, he finds an odd little statue among his assortment of candy. He has no way of knowing that that one little statue, along with several more that will follow, has come into his possession to shower him with wondrous gifts--his anxiety and health issues lessen, his family's fortune will grow--but life demands duality. The sorrows that Cole avoids must be visited upon another.
This was a completely immersive reading experience. There was an aching sense of nostalgia around Cole and his friends, perhaps because when we look back at the past, it's through a much softer lens than how we actually experienced it. Cole's devastating losses begin immediately, and each one tore at my heart. As I was reading, I wondered if this was this supposed to be kind of moral test for Cole; that once he realized what was happening, he would reject the gifts the statues bestowed upon him to keep his friends and family safe. Since the story follows Cole through much of his high school years, the reader sees his growing maturity and realizes that while it would be unfair for an adolescent to wrestle with such a complex moral dilemma, it's something that a mature teen could understand.
I lost all sense of time and space while reading this book, and if the author's intent was to cast a spell on his reader, he certainly succeeded. Cole's journey was difficult to endure at times, but I was so deeply invested, I couldn't bear to look away. Prepare to clear your schedule and invest some time because once you start, you won't be able to put this down. I ordered a signed copy from the author but grabbed it off KU as soon as it was released. Highly recommended. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
January 13, 2026
After "Stolen Tongues" (which I loved) and its prequel (which I absolutely hated), "The Sorrowstones" took me completely by surprise, since I was under the impression that Felix Blackwell had stopped writing. Fortunately, this ended up being far from true, and the new novel is the best kind of return one might have hoped for! Blackwell's writing has never been stronger: honed to perfection, no troubles with the pacing, nor with characterization - everything flows naturally, and this time the characters' voices do sound (mostly) different. To be honest, the writing style is very much reminiscent of John Durgin, Nick Roberts, and Jay Bower: balanced, sober, always to the point, neither too introspective nor overly descriptive. This allows for the ideas to come through clearly, and the book does have some incredible concepts! It employs the cursed object horror trope with finesse and originality, building up a complex story on it, with several twists and creepy moments. It'd seem there's an entire mythology lurking behind the Sorrowstones, and I for one would really enjoy delving deeper into it!
The story itself is sad, so sad that, despite the upper YA themes and the YA atmosphere of the book, it may not be appropriate for that age. The situations, psychologically speaking, feel quite adult: mental issues, death, disfigurement, more death, financial troubles, disease, intense bullying, teen shootings, disastrous life decisions, and, yes, even more death. The dog survives, but teen minds do get frightfully disturbed - to the point of commitment to a mental institution. In fact, it beggars belief how the young protagonist can handle so much loss - but there's actually a Sorrowstone taking care of that, as well as for many other twists driving the plot forward. This is a story solidly based on the supernatural: it's explicitly about the mysterious figurines of the title, though not so much about their origin as their impact on whoever owns them. And the poor guy who owns them in the book, goes through hell (not literally) throughout his teenage years, some times blessed by a Sorrowstone suddenly coming his way, other times utterly destroyed by it.
I loved the ending! Especially the last lines, which are filled with such horrible imagery that, all things considered, it felt like experiencing a real nightmare! It gives a bleak tone to the book, somewhat through revealing the whole forest and abandoning the trees. I really hope there'll be a sequel, or at least a couple of novellas filling the few questions left unanswered - or even a book about the history of the Sorrowstones. Highly recommended!
The story itself is sad, so sad that, despite the upper YA themes and the YA atmosphere of the book, it may not be appropriate for that age. The situations, psychologically speaking, feel quite adult: mental issues, death, disfigurement, more death, financial troubles, disease, intense bullying, teen shootings, disastrous life decisions, and, yes, even more death. The dog survives, but teen minds do get frightfully disturbed - to the point of commitment to a mental institution. In fact, it beggars belief how the young protagonist can handle so much loss - but there's actually a Sorrowstone taking care of that, as well as for many other twists driving the plot forward. This is a story solidly based on the supernatural: it's explicitly about the mysterious figurines of the title, though not so much about their origin as their impact on whoever owns them. And the poor guy who owns them in the book, goes through hell (not literally) throughout his teenage years, some times blessed by a Sorrowstone suddenly coming his way, other times utterly destroyed by it.
I loved the ending! Especially the last lines, which are filled with such horrible imagery that, all things considered, it felt like experiencing a real nightmare! It gives a bleak tone to the book, somewhat through revealing the whole forest and abandoning the trees. I really hope there'll be a sequel, or at least a couple of novellas filling the few questions left unanswered - or even a book about the history of the Sorrowstones. Highly recommended!
November 8, 2025
Felix Blackwell has done it again. This book is chock full of both heart and horror. I had to read it within 48 hours because I couldn’t tear myself away from the story, and I already look forward to re-reading it to spend more time with the characters. 100000/5 stars.
November 24, 2025
Anxiety. This book is pure anxiety. It was so good, but I'm also glad to be done with it!
P.S. The dog survives
P.S. The dog survives
November 16, 2025
It’s November 16th as I write this, and The Sorrowstones stands as my favorite novel I’ve read this year.
Be cautioned. It’s bleak, but there are lessons to be learned.
The Sorrowstones is a story set in the early 2000s (my favorite decade) The YA tone initially reminded me of IT, but the similarities end there. Felix uses that nostalgic feel as an entry point before pulling the reader into a somber and unforgiving story about a teenager confronted with constant moral dilemmas brought on by the Sorrowstones.
The story opens with Cole, the young protagonist, as he describes the death of his best friend. His voice carries the innocence of a YA perspective, and this warmth makes the characters instantly relatable (he starts off being unpopular and ignored by the young gals at his school). That early tenderness soon contrasts the growing darkness around him as he encounters the artifacts and begins making impossible choices between helping himself or helping others. This is where the theme (as I interpreted it) that human suffering is inevitable and our decisions have lasting and profound impacts on people.
At the center of the story is a mysterious set of objects known as the Sorrowstones. They grant Cole confidence, strength, and progressively more otherworldly abilities. These moments of relief are shadowed by a rising awareness that the stones don’t just help him, but affect others. Cole weighs whether easing his own pain is worth what it costs the people around him. I am not sure what Blackwell’s exact mission was with this story, but for me the stones functioned as a metaphor for the things, or even the people, we cling to when life becomes unbearable. The story asks: What do we rely on to soothe our wounds, and who suffers because of it?
As the story progresses, Cole begins to face the consequences of his decisions. His sense of identity blurs under the pressure of his pain and guilt. The more he relies on the Sorrowstones, the more he questions whether he recognizes the person he is becoming. A deep human truth is revealed: Suffering is inevitable, shapes people, and quite simply, sucks.
The Sorrowstones is bleak, but a cautionary tale. The story illuminates the ways we confront our inner demons and the silent damage that follows when we refuse to face them (and affects others). It leaves the reader with the lingering understanding that suffering is universal, but how we carry it determines who we become.
A thousand stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Be cautioned. It’s bleak, but there are lessons to be learned.
The Sorrowstones is a story set in the early 2000s (my favorite decade) The YA tone initially reminded me of IT, but the similarities end there. Felix uses that nostalgic feel as an entry point before pulling the reader into a somber and unforgiving story about a teenager confronted with constant moral dilemmas brought on by the Sorrowstones.
The story opens with Cole, the young protagonist, as he describes the death of his best friend. His voice carries the innocence of a YA perspective, and this warmth makes the characters instantly relatable (he starts off being unpopular and ignored by the young gals at his school). That early tenderness soon contrasts the growing darkness around him as he encounters the artifacts and begins making impossible choices between helping himself or helping others. This is where the theme (as I interpreted it) that human suffering is inevitable and our decisions have lasting and profound impacts on people.
At the center of the story is a mysterious set of objects known as the Sorrowstones. They grant Cole confidence, strength, and progressively more otherworldly abilities. These moments of relief are shadowed by a rising awareness that the stones don’t just help him, but affect others. Cole weighs whether easing his own pain is worth what it costs the people around him. I am not sure what Blackwell’s exact mission was with this story, but for me the stones functioned as a metaphor for the things, or even the people, we cling to when life becomes unbearable. The story asks: What do we rely on to soothe our wounds, and who suffers because of it?
As the story progresses, Cole begins to face the consequences of his decisions. His sense of identity blurs under the pressure of his pain and guilt. The more he relies on the Sorrowstones, the more he questions whether he recognizes the person he is becoming. A deep human truth is revealed: Suffering is inevitable, shapes people, and quite simply, sucks.
The Sorrowstones is bleak, but a cautionary tale. The story illuminates the ways we confront our inner demons and the silent damage that follows when we refuse to face them (and affects others). It leaves the reader with the lingering understanding that suffering is universal, but how we carry it determines who we become.
A thousand stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 8, 2026
Well-written story and certainly interesting enough to draw you in. However, despite this, I did find that the interludes between incidents were far apart enough that the anticipation lost its grip on me a few times and I found myself wishing that the novel were either shorter, or that the dread could've been built up more throughout. Not to compare one book with the other but since the two are written by the same author, I'll just say that Stolen Tongues had me in a chokehold from start to finish in contrast to this one.
November 8, 2025
This was WILD. I in no way, shape, or form expected any part of this book. It definitely had an unsettling and creepy vibe. I was hooked from start to finish. I really liked the characters, and I gotta give a shout out that Thor was my favorite (obviously). I don’t know what I expected with the ending, but it fits. If you’re looking for an unsettling but entertaining book, this might be the one.
December 3, 2025
Felix Blackwell just further cemented himself as my favorite author with Sorrowstones!
Sorrowstones dives deep into grief, loss, tragedy, and mental health. I’ll be honest, I did have to take a time off from reading it. It gets HEAVY. However, I’m so glad I picked it back up!
Cole is just a kid who was dealt a shitty hand and is fumbling his way through life, trying to make things better for everyone. Trying to stop the hurt for the people he cares about.
I don’t usually find myself pondering things when I finish a book but this one’s different. I found myself considering how much of an impact one could make upon other people and how that goes onto affect others. Every interaction creates a ripple effect in the world, one person after another.
Sorrowstones is going to hang out in my head for a while but that’s okay with me.
Sorrowstones dives deep into grief, loss, tragedy, and mental health. I’ll be honest, I did have to take a time off from reading it. It gets HEAVY. However, I’m so glad I picked it back up!
Cole is just a kid who was dealt a shitty hand and is fumbling his way through life, trying to make things better for everyone. Trying to stop the hurt for the people he cares about.
I don’t usually find myself pondering things when I finish a book but this one’s different. I found myself considering how much of an impact one could make upon other people and how that goes onto affect others. Every interaction creates a ripple effect in the world, one person after another.
Sorrowstones is going to hang out in my head for a while but that’s okay with me.
December 17, 2025
There is just something about this author’s writing style that always takes me along for the ride. He gets my attention and keeps it, lulling me into a false sense of calm before shocking me with an unexpected twist.
While I did find his novel Stolen Tongues to be much scarier, this one was more psychologically scarring…in a good way, if there is such a thing. I became very invested in the characters and rode their wave of fear, anger, hurt and shock.
The ending was ok but the book altogether is definitely worth the read. 4.25⭐️
While I did find his novel Stolen Tongues to be much scarier, this one was more psychologically scarring…in a good way, if there is such a thing. I became very invested in the characters and rode their wave of fear, anger, hurt and shock.
The ending was ok but the book altogether is definitely worth the read. 4.25⭐️
January 1, 2026
Felix! What a comeback! This book is masterfully crafted, with deep, meaningful characters that you become attached to. You experience all the emotions felt by Cole and his friends. This book is heavy hitting in all the right ways. Absolutely a must read.
November 9, 2025
This book was worth every single second I've spent hoping for/waiting for a new Felix Blackwell release. The Sorrowstones is engaging and immersive in a way I didn't expect, though being familiar with Blackwell's work, I should have known that this story would absolutely devour my attention. Any explanation I try to offer around WHY you should read this book is going to fall short, but I'm going to try anyway: The Sorrowstones is an excellent depiction of "be careful what you wish for" horror, showcasing how the things we covet can come with a price we were never prepared to pay. I cannot recommend this book enough, so if you're a horror reader, take some time to show The Sorrowstones and Felix Blackwell some much-deserved support!
December 1, 2025
This is one of those cases where a book's cover made me want to read it. (Probably because it utterly freaked me out and, tbh, I give a start every time I look at it, LOL).
This darkly disturbing story grabbed my interest right away and is one of my fastest reads this year, because I legit couldn't wait to see what happened next. It's a creepy, gory, coming-of-age novel, with a lot of disturbing scenes and suffering (and vomit!). But lots of original and unique ideas (imo), and even a bit of a love story that I wanted more of.
My one critique is that the protagonist's POV is often related in sophisticated language that doesn't seem to fit the character at this point in his life, and periodically took me out of the narrative--I mean, I did a lot of reading as a kid, so by the time I started high school, I had a pretty good vocabulary. However, I'm confident that Freshman Me didn't pepper my speech with words like "ensorcelled," "turgid," and "palpated."
"The Sorrowstones" was a bleak but engaging read, and its ending makes me hope for a sequel. Looking forward to reading more by Blackwell.
This darkly disturbing story grabbed my interest right away and is one of my fastest reads this year, because I legit couldn't wait to see what happened next. It's a creepy, gory, coming-of-age novel, with a lot of disturbing scenes and suffering (and vomit!). But lots of original and unique ideas (imo), and even a bit of a love story that I wanted more of.
My one critique is that the protagonist's POV is often related in sophisticated language that doesn't seem to fit the character at this point in his life, and periodically took me out of the narrative--I mean, I did a lot of reading as a kid, so by the time I started high school, I had a pretty good vocabulary. However, I'm confident that Freshman Me didn't pepper my speech with words like "ensorcelled," "turgid," and "palpated."
"The Sorrowstones" was a bleak but engaging read, and its ending makes me hope for a sequel. Looking forward to reading more by Blackwell.
January 6, 2026
I think this year I’m going to try and do reviews more? This probably won’t continue all year but…while it’s stuck in my head let’s start strong I reckon.
Anyways, my second book by Felix and Stolen Tongues REALLLLYYYYY changed my entire reading world last year I had never gotten the feeling of being freaked out or needing to turn the light back on to read a book until then. NOW, with that being said do not go from stolen tongues thinking the vibes will be similar (this is not a bad thing), while I didn’t get freaked out, or feel those same needs reading this I was still sucked into this book so heavily (and I will never touch a mini statue (and calling them sorrowstones from now on) of anything ever again just incase LOL).
From the time I read stolen tongues I KNEW i’d continue consuming Felix Blackwell books, and after this one that just solidifies that statement.
Anyways, my second book by Felix and Stolen Tongues REALLLLYYYYY changed my entire reading world last year I had never gotten the feeling of being freaked out or needing to turn the light back on to read a book until then. NOW, with that being said do not go from stolen tongues thinking the vibes will be similar (this is not a bad thing), while I didn’t get freaked out, or feel those same needs reading this I was still sucked into this book so heavily (and I will never touch a mini statue (and calling them sorrowstones from now on) of anything ever again just incase LOL).
From the time I read stolen tongues I KNEW i’d continue consuming Felix Blackwell books, and after this one that just solidifies that statement.
November 25, 2025
Absolutely knocked it out of the park. This book was gripping, creepy and foreboding. I am so glad Felix is back, and has only honed his skill. I won’t forget this story anytime soon and the mystery of the Sorrowstones, or the human condition and how our fortune can be the misery of others.
For those of you new to Felix’s books, or those who have been around a while, please give this story a read!
For those of you new to Felix’s books, or those who have been around a while, please give this story a read!
November 12, 2025
A good return for Felix, who apparently had quit writing after Stolen Tongues and the prequel. This is a coming of age story about a teen trying to navigate school, and all that comes with it - girls, friends, bullies (god, the bullies!), whilst also trying to deal with strange, brutal occurrences that appear to be happening to those close to him since he came into possession of some strange statues.
The story was well written, and you had to feel for Cole and everything he went through. There's a lot of emotion in these pages, and I'm sure people will relate through their own experience of school. The images throughout the book are a nice touch, and the effects of the statues are very disturbing. I did feel the book dragged a bit during the middle, but it ramped up again towards the end. And what an ending it was!
Definitely worth your time.
The story was well written, and you had to feel for Cole and everything he went through. There's a lot of emotion in these pages, and I'm sure people will relate through their own experience of school. The images throughout the book are a nice touch, and the effects of the statues are very disturbing. I did feel the book dragged a bit during the middle, but it ramped up again towards the end. And what an ending it was!
Definitely worth your time.
December 7, 2025
I DEVOURED this!! I read in 3 sittings, and would’ve finished it in 1 if I didn’t have a lot going on this week. Wow! one of my favorite reads of the year.
December 10, 2025
Creepy as hell, really hoping he makes a second book!
November 13, 2025
Cole Graves lives a difficult life like any teenager. When he happens across an idol on Halloween, things drastically begin to change for him.
This is a great coming of age story that is an easy read but manages to touch on some heavy subjects such as bullying and mental health.
Felix has a prose that is elegant and rhythmic. He brings a unique touch to the horror genre and is the gift that keeps on giving.
When Felix announced his retirement from writing, saying I was devastated was an understatement. The Sorrowstones was nothing short of an incredible return to writing for him. I always feel honored to read his art.
November 22, 2025
Felix Blackwell has this way of writing that pulls me in from the first page, and then the punches just keep on rolling until it’s over. I loved the opening of this one just as much as I loved the opening to Stolen Tongues, which I often tell people is my favorite prologue I’ve ever read.
I wish we could’ve gotten just a little more insight into the Sorrowstones and their creation and backstories, but I adored this book just the same. Felix Blackwell is an auto-buy author for me, and I’m so happy to see him back in the writing game.
I wish we could’ve gotten just a little more insight into the Sorrowstones and their creation and backstories, but I adored this book just the same. Felix Blackwell is an auto-buy author for me, and I’m so happy to see him back in the writing game.
December 10, 2025
3.5
this book had just a little too much narrative on highschool bullying for my taste
this book had just a little too much narrative on highschool bullying for my taste
November 11, 2025
This book was so shockingly good that it has made it to my Trophy Reads list that is no easy task, I don't pick favorite books all willy-nilly, I want my top reads / trophy reads to be something special and this book didn't just surpass "I think it'll be good" it soared over that assumption.
I have read one other book by Felix Blackwell and I wasn't the biggest fan. I saw one of my favorite indy authors speaking highly of this book and thought "what the hell, I'll give it a try". I really try to not base my opinion on the author on one sole book I didn't like and I'm SO happy I did. The Sorrowstones is hands down one of the best books I've read this year and I've read over 100 since January SO it's fair to say that's a compliment coming from me. What makes it so good? literally everything. Am I being dramatic? probably so but in all seriousness... its that good.
The Sorrowstones is a coming of age book where you follow Cole through some pretty significant years of his life. You are there to witness some of a teenagers important firsts along with watching his life turn both upside down and right side up. You are taken through this horrifying ride when each stone finds it's way into Cole's life. There were moments where I audibly sighed, gasped, and even shed some tears throughout this book. I never knew what was coming next, never even tried to think of where we would end up in this book and never knew who was safe and who wasn't. By the time the ending came I was a mess of emotions. I didn't have anyone to talk to about finishing it and honestly me having to sit with my thoughts made me think on it that much more which in turn made me overthink things way too much. By the time I laid down to go to bed, I was sad all over again for things I had already processed in this book. It truly tugs at your emotions.
The ending was either going to make or break this book - in my opinion at least. And I think it ended perfectly. There isn't a happily ever after in this story. Well I mean I guess you can find something that is considered a "happily ever after" but you'd have to really be an optimist. This was just such a genuinely good read. It had that creepy factor but it didn't lean on subjects that you would think in a book about supernatural objects that curse people.. it was more the real world aspects of the book. The idea that while yeah sure, these stones are there are they are bad but there is more horror in knowing someone is seconds away from totally snapping and here comes a bully pushing that person over the edge. Here is a totally normal family on the brink of disaster but from the outside you'd never know. It's subtle hints dropped throughout the book that make you pause and think "this could actually be me or my neighbor" - minus the haunted stones of course.
I am thoroughly impressed with Felix and this book. It was well worth the wait and Him making a rare appearance in publishing this. I know he is into hiding away but I truly hope he steps out again and gives us another amazing read.. he has definitely won my respect with this book.
Absolutely recommend this to anyone who will listen. Absolutely 5/5 stars earned here.
I have read one other book by Felix Blackwell and I wasn't the biggest fan. I saw one of my favorite indy authors speaking highly of this book and thought "what the hell, I'll give it a try". I really try to not base my opinion on the author on one sole book I didn't like and I'm SO happy I did. The Sorrowstones is hands down one of the best books I've read this year and I've read over 100 since January SO it's fair to say that's a compliment coming from me. What makes it so good? literally everything. Am I being dramatic? probably so but in all seriousness... its that good.
The Sorrowstones is a coming of age book where you follow Cole through some pretty significant years of his life. You are there to witness some of a teenagers important firsts along with watching his life turn both upside down and right side up. You are taken through this horrifying ride when each stone finds it's way into Cole's life. There were moments where I audibly sighed, gasped, and even shed some tears throughout this book. I never knew what was coming next, never even tried to think of where we would end up in this book and never knew who was safe and who wasn't. By the time the ending came I was a mess of emotions. I didn't have anyone to talk to about finishing it and honestly me having to sit with my thoughts made me think on it that much more which in turn made me overthink things way too much. By the time I laid down to go to bed, I was sad all over again for things I had already processed in this book. It truly tugs at your emotions.
The ending was either going to make or break this book - in my opinion at least. And I think it ended perfectly. There isn't a happily ever after in this story. Well I mean I guess you can find something that is considered a "happily ever after" but you'd have to really be an optimist. This was just such a genuinely good read. It had that creepy factor but it didn't lean on subjects that you would think in a book about supernatural objects that curse people.. it was more the real world aspects of the book. The idea that while yeah sure, these stones are there are they are bad but there is more horror in knowing someone is seconds away from totally snapping and here comes a bully pushing that person over the edge. Here is a totally normal family on the brink of disaster but from the outside you'd never know. It's subtle hints dropped throughout the book that make you pause and think "this could actually be me or my neighbor" - minus the haunted stones of course.
I am thoroughly impressed with Felix and this book. It was well worth the wait and Him making a rare appearance in publishing this. I know he is into hiding away but I truly hope he steps out again and gives us another amazing read.. he has definitely won my respect with this book.
Absolutely recommend this to anyone who will listen. Absolutely 5/5 stars earned here.
November 19, 2025
Cole is a preteen boy in the late 90’s who loves to hang out with his 3 besties doing regular preteen boy shit. Everything is normal in his life until one Halloween night he goes trick or treating in an affluent neighborhood where he receives a strange figurine from an unknown source. Everything is downhill from here…
What a freaking comeback! This book had me hooked from the very first page. A mix of 90’s/2000’s nostalgia, gore, suspense, and heartbreak; the perfect recipe for a 5 star horror novel! So good that I couldn’t put it down until I finished it! It’s been a while since I read a book that made me want to call off work to finish (I didn’t though, don’t worry)🤣 still finished it in less than 24 hours!
Welcome back, Felix MOTHER F’N Blackwell! 🙌🏼
What a freaking comeback! This book had me hooked from the very first page. A mix of 90’s/2000’s nostalgia, gore, suspense, and heartbreak; the perfect recipe for a 5 star horror novel! So good that I couldn’t put it down until I finished it! It’s been a while since I read a book that made me want to call off work to finish (I didn’t though, don’t worry)🤣 still finished it in less than 24 hours!
Welcome back, Felix MOTHER F’N Blackwell! 🙌🏼
December 9, 2025
Very dark.
Sorrowstones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Felix Blackwell
I promise I am not being dramatic when I urge you to start this book with caution. If you have any present or prior issues with your mental health, find a buddy to read this with or at least someone who is available to talk to you about the heavy subject matter.
Felix is an excellent story teller. This one pulls you into a VERY nostalgic world for the majority of us and then pretty much destroys everything we have fond memories of. I'm talking nearly a blackout on the trigger bingo board. If he was any other author I would believe he wrote this book out of spite for everyone who said ST wasn't scary. I firmly do believe Carrot sat on his shoulder during the first draft process squawking "hurt them more".
Sorrowstones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Felix Blackwell
I promise I am not being dramatic when I urge you to start this book with caution. If you have any present or prior issues with your mental health, find a buddy to read this with or at least someone who is available to talk to you about the heavy subject matter.
Felix is an excellent story teller. This one pulls you into a VERY nostalgic world for the majority of us and then pretty much destroys everything we have fond memories of. I'm talking nearly a blackout on the trigger bingo board. If he was any other author I would believe he wrote this book out of spite for everyone who said ST wasn't scary. I firmly do believe Carrot sat on his shoulder during the first draft process squawking "hurt them more".
December 5, 2025
This book was DEPRESSING (in a good way), very "The Curse of the Monkeys Paw" meets "Drag Me To Hell" and I loved it.
Felix has a way of writing that's just so easy to get hooked and suddenly you're half way through. Him staying in his wheel house of "eldritch horror" but this one felt different. Less cosmic more ancient curse. I love he keeps his beings and monster vague so readers can interpret them differently based on how they view the entity and what's evil.
Another great one, make a 4 book series and then you can retire Felix, I need more!
Felix has a way of writing that's just so easy to get hooked and suddenly you're half way through. Him staying in his wheel house of "eldritch horror" but this one felt different. Less cosmic more ancient curse. I love he keeps his beings and monster vague so readers can interpret them differently based on how they view the entity and what's evil.
Another great one, make a 4 book series and then you can retire Felix, I need more!
November 26, 2025
Felix Blackwell has always been a must read for me. He absolutely knocked it out of the park with his return to writing. If you weren’t a fan of Stolen Tongues this book is a whole other animal and I highly recommend it. Easily one of my top books for 2025.
The horror is impeccable. You can feel the absolute dread and tragedy these characters go through as well as the allure of the stones. All around a fantastic return and completely different from his previous works.
The horror is impeccable. You can feel the absolute dread and tragedy these characters go through as well as the allure of the stones. All around a fantastic return and completely different from his previous works.
November 18, 2025
I’m sure I’ll have to add onto this review at a later date because I am still digesting this book. But holy crap, this book is phenomenal.
There’s this way that Felix Blackwell writes horror that absolutely captivates me. You can feel the terror and the trauma right along these characters. And Cole certainly goes through it in this book.
Every time I think that we’ve seen the height of Felix’s talent, I’m wrong. He only gets better with each book, and I am left completely speechless at the end of this one.
One of my favorite reads of the year, hands down.
There’s this way that Felix Blackwell writes horror that absolutely captivates me. You can feel the terror and the trauma right along these characters. And Cole certainly goes through it in this book.
Every time I think that we’ve seen the height of Felix’s talent, I’m wrong. He only gets better with each book, and I am left completely speechless at the end of this one.
One of my favorite reads of the year, hands down.
December 9, 2025
Captivating and unique
What a captivating and unique story, a real page turner that I could hardly put down. I really felt for Cole as he kept amassing his good fortunes while others around him suffered.
Loved the German shepherd Thor, what a good boy.
Not too scary and only a few gory/ violent parts, I would recommend this to anyone wanting a really creepy story.
What a captivating and unique story, a real page turner that I could hardly put down. I really felt for Cole as he kept amassing his good fortunes while others around him suffered.
Loved the German shepherd Thor, what a good boy.
Not too scary and only a few gory/ violent parts, I would recommend this to anyone wanting a really creepy story.
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