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Life in the Shadows
A troubled and grieving Livia Moss battles the everyday struggle of functioning with depression and anxiety before the unimaginable happens. Is she going crazy or is there actually such a thing as ghosts? Enjoy the first installment of the Monsters Within series, a group of stories with the goal of exploring the connection between the darkness inside all of us with the darkness associated with the supernatural world.
128 pages, Paperback
Published June 8, 2018
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10 people want to read
About the author
Emily Tallman
3 books4 followersThis Rhode Island native has wanted to be a storyteller since hearing her first bedtime fairytale. She asked for a word processor for Christmas at age four and has kept her promise to Santa by writing every day since.
Her first set of books has been set in motion with the Monsters Within Series. Through this series, Emily hopes to make mental illness a more readily accessible topic.
She writes characters with mental illness as the heroes with the goal that more people will see themselves as worthwhile individuals and no longer just horror movie villains. Emily’s love of the supernatural, science fiction, and fantasy will surely be explored in later works of fiction, romance, and children’s books.
Her first set of books has been set in motion with the Monsters Within Series. Through this series, Emily hopes to make mental illness a more readily accessible topic.
She writes characters with mental illness as the heroes with the goal that more people will see themselves as worthwhile individuals and no longer just horror movie villains. Emily’s love of the supernatural, science fiction, and fantasy will surely be explored in later works of fiction, romance, and children’s books.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 8, 2018
Cold day, warm blanket kinda book.
From the start, I could not help but to feel for the main character, Livia. She is smart, relatable, and in a lot of pain due to past trauma in her life that sunk her into a deep depression. It's easy to root for her but more importantly, I gained a bit more understanding into the difference of a person suffering from depression rather than simply going through an emotionally hard time. Similar to the difference between someone who gets headaches and some who gets migraines.
The supernatural aspects of the book (where all books/movies lose me when they go too far) did not, gratefully, go SUPERNATURAL, staying real-world relevant and believable. The author keeps you guessing whether or not the apparitions, called shadow people, are real, pretty much up to the end.
The only shortcoming (which is why it gets 4 stars instead of 5) is that I wish the book; every scene, chapter, and as a whole, had been longer. Especially when the author was exploring Livia's world; her past, her relationships with her family, and the hospital and how it affected her both past and present. That being said, I found the story fascinating from start to finish.
I did not receive this book for free for a review but I do know the author by association.
From the start, I could not help but to feel for the main character, Livia. She is smart, relatable, and in a lot of pain due to past trauma in her life that sunk her into a deep depression. It's easy to root for her but more importantly, I gained a bit more understanding into the difference of a person suffering from depression rather than simply going through an emotionally hard time. Similar to the difference between someone who gets headaches and some who gets migraines.
The supernatural aspects of the book (where all books/movies lose me when they go too far) did not, gratefully, go SUPERNATURAL, staying real-world relevant and believable. The author keeps you guessing whether or not the apparitions, called shadow people, are real, pretty much up to the end.
The only shortcoming (which is why it gets 4 stars instead of 5) is that I wish the book; every scene, chapter, and as a whole, had been longer. Especially when the author was exploring Livia's world; her past, her relationships with her family, and the hospital and how it affected her both past and present. That being said, I found the story fascinating from start to finish.
I did not receive this book for free for a review but I do know the author by association.
November 14, 2018
A real page turner! The story is captivating from start to finish! The main character, Livia Moss, is remarkably relatable. Ms. Tallman does a wonderful job illustrating Livia's struggles living through depression and anxiety, while also making her the main source of strength in her own story - in a manner I have never encountered in a novel before. The supernatural elements tie in seamlessly with the Livia's journey, and keep the reader guessing right up until the very end. I was practically incapable of putting the book down. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment in this series from Ms. Tallman!
August 28, 2022
Absolutely loved this and can’t wait to start the next in the Monsters Within series! A thoughtful, emotional, captivating book that twists and turns until the last page. The author works precise detail and the perfect level of internal dialogue into this page-turner, making me feel like I entered right into Livia Moss’s psyche.
January 5, 2021
This was an engrossing read from start to finish about a woman experiencing anxiety and depression with some element of the supernatural. It gave me some insight into individuals experiencing mental illness. Thank you to the author for the gift of the book through a giveaway.
January 5, 2024
Great book that isn’t afraid to talk about the real issues people can relate to and how other people treat or think of people who suffer from these issues
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews