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Decimated Dreams
Five years after the demise of Robert Weeks, his shadow still haunts Elsie and Travis.
Along with their young daughter, April, the Morlands have found peace, but when the sun sets, nightmares drag Elsie back to the worst day of her life. Still, it's all in the past, right?
When April claims a man with green eyes taps on her window at night, it's only a matter of time before children begin to disappear again.
Starting with April.
With their daughter stolen and an undead madman seemingly back from the grave, Elsie and Travis have no choice but to return to the twisting, turning streets of Slattery Falls. What will it cost them to get their daughter back and make sure Robert Weeks stays dead this time?
Along with their young daughter, April, the Morlands have found peace, but when the sun sets, nightmares drag Elsie back to the worst day of her life. Still, it's all in the past, right?
When April claims a man with green eyes taps on her window at night, it's only a matter of time before children begin to disappear again.
Starting with April.
With their daughter stolen and an undead madman seemingly back from the grave, Elsie and Travis have no choice but to return to the twisting, turning streets of Slattery Falls. What will it cost them to get their daughter back and make sure Robert Weeks stays dead this time?
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2022
4 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Brennan LaFaro
25 books155 followers Brennan LaFaro is a music teacher by day, horror writer by night, living in southeastern Massachusetts with his wife, two sons, and his hounds. He is the author of the Slattery Falls trilogy, as well as Last Stay, and the horror western, Buzzard's Edge Saga. You can read his short fiction in various anthologies and find him on Twitter at @brennanlafaro or at www.brennanlafaro.com.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 27, 2023
Nail-Biting Suspense!
Small backstory:
Travis and Elsie Morland along with their daughter, April have slipped into peaceful tranquility since all what transpired in Slattery Falls years before and they have tried to get on with their lives. But the town of Slattery Falls has never really been in their rearview mirror as it has just lingered out of reach readying itself to make its presence known once again.
When their daughter April is snatched out of their home and they do not know what happened to her - they finally realize that she might be in the town of Slattery Falls as something or someone has come back from the dead or so it seems so they head back to the town to see if they can find her!
That is about all I can give out with a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued go read this series!
Thoughts:
I was so happy to step back into this series as I wanted to see what happened with the characters and the town of Slattery Falls. This book just kept me in its clutches from the first page as I have hardly wanted to put it down!
The pace of the book just picked up and I was rocking along at a high rate of speed throughout most of the book. I gave up reading anything else and just concentrated on this book as I really wanted to stay focused within this story. I read the last 30% of the book within a couple of hours as
I just could not let it go and the room disappeared around me as I fell deep into the storyline. Another great book by this author and looking forward to reading the last book in this series for the wrap up of everything! Giving this book five "Twisted Terror" stars!
Small backstory:
Travis and Elsie Morland along with their daughter, April have slipped into peaceful tranquility since all what transpired in Slattery Falls years before and they have tried to get on with their lives. But the town of Slattery Falls has never really been in their rearview mirror as it has just lingered out of reach readying itself to make its presence known once again.
When their daughter April is snatched out of their home and they do not know what happened to her - they finally realize that she might be in the town of Slattery Falls as something or someone has come back from the dead or so it seems so they head back to the town to see if they can find her!
That is about all I can give out with a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued go read this series!
Thoughts:
I was so happy to step back into this series as I wanted to see what happened with the characters and the town of Slattery Falls. This book just kept me in its clutches from the first page as I have hardly wanted to put it down!
The pace of the book just picked up and I was rocking along at a high rate of speed throughout most of the book. I gave up reading anything else and just concentrated on this book as I really wanted to stay focused within this story. I read the last 30% of the book within a couple of hours as
I just could not let it go and the room disappeared around me as I fell deep into the storyline. Another great book by this author and looking forward to reading the last book in this series for the wrap up of everything! Giving this book five "Twisted Terror" stars!
October 25, 2022
Huge thanks to Brennan for sending me a digital ARC of this one!
Book one was a blast and when Brennan announced a book two was coming, I was super excited to see where he went with it. Brennan is on a roll right now, with exciting new releases on the horizon and a ton of stuff in the works. His storytelling is solid, quick and powerful and he has a knack for creating characters that you immediately know and root for. Saying that – this one is a sequel and in this case – you definitely need to have read book one to follow along with book two.
What I liked: Set five years after the events of book one, we arrive as Elsie and Travis are trying to continue on with their lives and do their best to remember their friend Josh. They have a daughter now, April, and this is the jumping off point for their return to Slattery Falls. One night, April gets taken, and while the police try and find her, Elsie and Travis know exactly who/what is behind her disappearance and they go in search of them and April.
Over the course of one full novella (book one) and a quarter of book two, I soon realized just how familiar Slattery Falls felt and how easy it was to slide back into this world. LaFaro has done such a solid job with these characters, that even when this book has periods of, let’s call it ‘lightness’ – where we go from scene to scene with minimal between developments, it still works and holds up.
This novella works purely as a set up for book three, which means some questions won’t be answered, but it does a great job of getting us from point A in book one to where we need to be for point C in the finale. The ‘why’ of the novella is the true catalyst for a lot of what happens and guides the characters along nicely.
The ending, while a bit rushed and not as fleshed out as I was hoping for, does what I mentioned, setting us up fantastically for where things need to go for the final book in the trilogy.
What I didn’t like: Even though Elsie and Travis knew who took April and where they were taking her, it still felt a bit like they weren’t as affected as someone would be if their child was kidnapped. For instance, they rush out to Slattery Falls and we get a scene where they sit and chat with the owner of the Bed and Breakfast they’re staying at. It was an odd juxtaposition. Yes, they need to get clues and collect info to find where their daughter is, but at the same time, it came off as very relaxed when they should be wracked with anxiety.
Why you should buy this: If you loved book one, this will be a must read and if you love Brennan’s storytelling, definitely dive into book one before this one comes out. The characters are top notch, the bad guy is a really intriguing bad guy and the town of Slattery Falls is a fantastic back drop for all of the going-on’s that give us readers so much stress.
This was a blast and I’m now going to have to wait for book three!
Book one was a blast and when Brennan announced a book two was coming, I was super excited to see where he went with it. Brennan is on a roll right now, with exciting new releases on the horizon and a ton of stuff in the works. His storytelling is solid, quick and powerful and he has a knack for creating characters that you immediately know and root for. Saying that – this one is a sequel and in this case – you definitely need to have read book one to follow along with book two.
What I liked: Set five years after the events of book one, we arrive as Elsie and Travis are trying to continue on with their lives and do their best to remember their friend Josh. They have a daughter now, April, and this is the jumping off point for their return to Slattery Falls. One night, April gets taken, and while the police try and find her, Elsie and Travis know exactly who/what is behind her disappearance and they go in search of them and April.
Over the course of one full novella (book one) and a quarter of book two, I soon realized just how familiar Slattery Falls felt and how easy it was to slide back into this world. LaFaro has done such a solid job with these characters, that even when this book has periods of, let’s call it ‘lightness’ – where we go from scene to scene with minimal between developments, it still works and holds up.
This novella works purely as a set up for book three, which means some questions won’t be answered, but it does a great job of getting us from point A in book one to where we need to be for point C in the finale. The ‘why’ of the novella is the true catalyst for a lot of what happens and guides the characters along nicely.
The ending, while a bit rushed and not as fleshed out as I was hoping for, does what I mentioned, setting us up fantastically for where things need to go for the final book in the trilogy.
What I didn’t like: Even though Elsie and Travis knew who took April and where they were taking her, it still felt a bit like they weren’t as affected as someone would be if their child was kidnapped. For instance, they rush out to Slattery Falls and we get a scene where they sit and chat with the owner of the Bed and Breakfast they’re staying at. It was an odd juxtaposition. Yes, they need to get clues and collect info to find where their daughter is, but at the same time, it came off as very relaxed when they should be wracked with anxiety.
Why you should buy this: If you loved book one, this will be a must read and if you love Brennan’s storytelling, definitely dive into book one before this one comes out. The characters are top notch, the bad guy is a really intriguing bad guy and the town of Slattery Falls is a fantastic back drop for all of the going-on’s that give us readers so much stress.
This was a blast and I’m now going to have to wait for book three!
October 24, 2022
Decimated Dreams by Brennan LaFaro is the utterly beguiling and harrowing sequel to Slattery Falls. Creepy. Heartfelt. Panic inducing. This book showcases a writer who knows how to turn the screw of horror and unsettle his readers, forcing them to turn the pages and discover how this nightmare ends.
December 13, 2022
What a great follow up to Slattery Falls! After book one ended, I wondered where the series may take the story in book 2. LaFaro managed to take what started as a small town/haunted house story and create a whole world to explore and expand upon in book 2. The book was full of tense moments, humor, scary imagery, and the ending caught me completely off guard. The stage is set to really make book 3 end the series with a bang. If you haven’t read Slattery Falls yet, I suggest binge reading them back to back. Brennan LaFaro has solidified himself as a go to author for me.
December 22, 2022
Riveting and Intense
An awesome sequel to SLATTERY FALLS! And wow, what an ending. I'm looking forward to the third installment. Highly recommended!
An awesome sequel to SLATTERY FALLS! And wow, what an ending. I'm looking forward to the third installment. Highly recommended!
December 13, 2025
Short Review:
This one follows the previous one after some years (5). They now are married and have a field but then their youngling disappears and with the help of a police officer they are investigated Slattery Falls again. Solid sequel.
This one follows the previous one after some years (5). They now are married and have a field but then their youngling disappears and with the help of a police officer they are investigated Slattery Falls again. Solid sequel.
December 13, 2022
Decimated Dreams by Brennan LaFaro is the heart-pumping and tense follow up to Slattery Falls.
This is yet another tale that Brennan has just knocked out of the park. Readers be warned, once you pick it up, you’re not going to want to put it back down until you see how it ends. I highly recommend you go snag a copy of this as soon as you can.
Gosh, I cannot wait to see where Brennan takes these characters next!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
This is yet another tale that Brennan has just knocked out of the park. Readers be warned, once you pick it up, you’re not going to want to put it back down until you see how it ends. I highly recommend you go snag a copy of this as soon as you can.
Gosh, I cannot wait to see where Brennan takes these characters next!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
October 11, 2022
LaFaro writes with the class of Charles Dickens, the ingenuity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the zest of Stephen King. Decimated Dreams spotlights LaFaro’s ability to cultivate a familiar story, only it’s in a way and place you can’t begin to navigate as anything but the spectator. This one had me in a throat grip for nearly the whole trip. To lose a child can be such a fine path to walk, but LaFaro exudes paranoia, near-hopelessness, and the utmost determination to drop every single thing in the world to find your baby. If that ending doesn’t compel you to beg for the next installment, someone should check your pulse… Slattery Falls may have claimed another soul.
January 1, 2023
Loved this second installment in the Slattery Falls trilogy. It had everything I like in a sequel: the perfect amount of sameness and newness (if that makes sense) when it comes to characters, and an ever expanding plot with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved journeying with Elsie and Travis once again and can't wait for the third book later this year. Highly recommend this and all of LaFaro's previous works! He's quickly rocketing to the top of my must-read author list!
May 18, 2023
This was another great book from Brennan. The town of Slattery falls feels like a perfect setting for a story, and the change up in narrative from the first book is a nice change of pace. The story here was intriguing, and the characters are characters that you really feel in love with. I really appreciated the time Brennan took at the beginning to give you a “story so far” as my biggest issue with reading a series, or sequels is I typically have forgotten what happened by the time the next book is out. Fans of the first one will want to pick this up for sure, and the book leaves you needing to read the 3rd. Well done
February 9, 2025
Book two in the Slattery Falls trilogy. Could book one be read as a stand alone? Yes it can and was originally written that way but you’ll be so happy that it continues.
You’ll notice that Decimated Dreams is from the pov of Elsie where Slattery Falls was from Travis’ viewpoint. It’s an interesting change up and gives you more insight into what Elsie is thinking since she has become a mom.
These characters are so much fun but this is a much more serious book. We meet some great new allies but the tunnels and twists in throughout the town of Slattery Falls are so much more sinister.
Just be prepared to jump into book three at the end of this one because, while it is not a cliffhanger, it is shocking and had me immediately flipping open the next book to find out more.
You’ll notice that Decimated Dreams is from the pov of Elsie where Slattery Falls was from Travis’ viewpoint. It’s an interesting change up and gives you more insight into what Elsie is thinking since she has become a mom.
These characters are so much fun but this is a much more serious book. We meet some great new allies but the tunnels and twists in throughout the town of Slattery Falls are so much more sinister.
Just be prepared to jump into book three at the end of this one because, while it is not a cliffhanger, it is shocking and had me immediately flipping open the next book to find out more.
October 31, 2022
Slattery Falls was my first time reading LaFaro and I remembered wondering if he would be a reviewer/podcaster that could actually write or someone that gets by on their friends in the community. Luckily, I discovered LaFaro is a fantastic writer with a wonderful imagination. He's apparently the whole package. I loved Slattery Falls and Noose (which is not part of this particular trilogy), so I couldn't wait to start on the SF sequel, Decimated Dreams. I wasn't expecting a kidnapping story, so I was immediately scared I'd have issues with the story (I'm very sensitive to violence with children in fiction). As it it turned out, you barely read about April at all, aside from talk of finding her (of course). This novella jumps right into the kidnapping immediately and sends the parents (the couple that survived in the first book) on a chase of sorts in locating Weeks, a ghost of sorts that they battled previously in Slattery Falls. The final third of the novel is very cool and twisty, with a cliffhanger ending that leaves you howling, "Oh, shit! Noooooo." Of course, in the interest of providing my full experience for this review, I will note the negatives I had with the book. Though the parents are indeed searching for their daughter the whole time, they do so at what I would consider a very relaxed pace. Had my kid been taken, I would have been clawing at the doors to let me through, every one of them, and I would have been a frantic mess the entire time. But these parents have their wits about them always and let days go by without really showing mental breakdowns. This kind of took me out of the story a lot because I just found it miserable the parents weren't the messes they should have been. Otherwise, Decimated Dreams is well-written, engaging, mysterious, and strange in a very good way. That ending has especially left me dying for book three. I can't wait for the conclusion!
December 13, 2022
In SLATTERY FALLS, Brennan LaFaro gave us a wonderful story about young ghost hunters. DECIMATED DREAMS shows us what it looks like when those same ghost hunters are no longer young and have a lot more to lose, and the things they've disturbed are vengeful.
Reading book one is an absolute must because DD wastes no time in putting the pedal to metal and taking us right back to the epicenter of the events from the previous story. We join Travis and Elsie on a different kind of hunt, one that will be the most challenging and meaningful of their lives.
Weeks, the evil spirit whose presence haunts these stories, has taken their daughter and they have to find a way to get her back.
Those plot points may be the skeleton of this story, but Travis and Elsie (and a new character who is a cop) are the beating heart. These are three-dimensional characters thrown into terrifying situations. New mysteries are uncovered, new details emerge, and more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. There is more to Weeks and his power than we knew possible, and Travis and Elsie will find out just how dark it can get.
The ending of this book is one of those "stare at the page in stunned silence" moments that you have to read.
A tense and exciting entry in this series that will have you anxiously looking forward to book three.
This book, along with the recently released western/horror novella NOOSE, really demonstrate LaFaro's stunning versatility as a writer. He is gifted at crafting supernatural suspense with characters we genuinely care about.
Reading book one is an absolute must because DD wastes no time in putting the pedal to metal and taking us right back to the epicenter of the events from the previous story. We join Travis and Elsie on a different kind of hunt, one that will be the most challenging and meaningful of their lives.
Weeks, the evil spirit whose presence haunts these stories, has taken their daughter and they have to find a way to get her back.
Those plot points may be the skeleton of this story, but Travis and Elsie (and a new character who is a cop) are the beating heart. These are three-dimensional characters thrown into terrifying situations. New mysteries are uncovered, new details emerge, and more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. There is more to Weeks and his power than we knew possible, and Travis and Elsie will find out just how dark it can get.
The ending of this book is one of those "stare at the page in stunned silence" moments that you have to read.
A tense and exciting entry in this series that will have you anxiously looking forward to book three.
This book, along with the recently released western/horror novella NOOSE, really demonstrate LaFaro's stunning versatility as a writer. He is gifted at crafting supernatural suspense with characters we genuinely care about.
February 22, 2023
Brennan LaFaro is definitely a writer to watch out for. Decimated Dreams, the second installment of the Slattery Falls series, was just as fun and fast paced as it's predecessor. This time the story is told through Elsie's perspective, but it's Brennan's own voice that has really shine through both protagonist's. The emotion and wry humour that both Elsie and Travis possess makes them flesh and blood people, more than the standard two dimensional characters usually found in books. The writing flows and the pace builds and builds to that crescendo finish, followed swiftly by a shocking ending that has left me chomping at the bit for the final installment. Check out this series for a fun and fast adventure in horror.
December 22, 2022
Riveting and Intense
An awesome sequel to SLATTERY FALLS! And wow, what an ending. I'm looking forward to the third installment. Highly recommended!
An awesome sequel to SLATTERY FALLS! And wow, what an ending. I'm looking forward to the third installment. Highly recommended!
April 30, 2023
5 ✨
Decimated Dreams is the second in the Slattery Falls trilogy.
I loved this story. It was fast paced and was really a ride from the beginning. I like the plots and twists this one had, and the good connection/explanation that just kinda flowed from the first one and into this one.
I cant wait to read the 3rd installment and more from Brennan!
Decimated Dreams is the second in the Slattery Falls trilogy.
I loved this story. It was fast paced and was really a ride from the beginning. I like the plots and twists this one had, and the good connection/explanation that just kinda flowed from the first one and into this one.
I cant wait to read the 3rd installment and more from Brennan!
January 29, 2023
Slattery Falls
is an excellent standalone, and Brennan LaFaro is all too happy to show why the trilogy is justified. Decimated Dreams is a worthy middle entry to the series. LaFaro knows what the reader is here for: gothic dread, ghostly apprehension and a slowly burning plot of horror that knows when to jam the pedal to the floor.
You can read Zachary Rosenberg full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Zachary Rosenberg full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
February 13, 2023
Brennan has made a super interesting world here, every time he gives a peek into the supernatural elements I'm stoked. His writing has a good flow and never feels boring. Looking forward to book 3!
February 9, 2023
This was a great read. Loved the twists in the story and it rolled perfectly off the first one. I really enjoyed it from start to end. Definitely recommend.
January 23, 2023
It was too easy to fall back into Slattery Falls. Lafaro does a magnificent job of writing the two main characters, Elsie and Travis, and by the end, I really enjoyed their relationship and can't wait to see them in the third installment. The ending and finale caught me a off guard and the Lafaro's ghost, Robert Weeks, has really amped up since Slattery Falls. If I had a criticism of this book it, it would be for readers who need an ending to the story they have invested two books worth. So many of my questions remained unanswered and the third book hasn't been written yet. Overall, loved it.
October 13, 2022
Elsie and Travis are trying to forget what happened five years ago. The evil is not done with them. It takes their little girl. They must go back to Slattery Falls to try and save her. Intense read pulls you in from first page. Unexpected ending.
June 15, 2023
A nice sequel to 'Slattery Falls' for all of us who loved the first instalment! Things slow down a bit, as Elsie and Travis have to find their kidnapped daughter. They know who took her (well, duh...), but coming up with a proper plan is not easy. Their anxiety and desperation feels very palpable; trying to concentrate on doing battle with an evil ghost is a struggle, when your five-year-old daughter is missing. However, they manage to find help from unexpected sources. And, of course, they have to go back to Slattery Falls, a small town far more sinister than portrayed in the first book. There are a couple of changes I didn't like at first, but they ended up working very well in this novel: the change of point of view/the narrator, and the new faces brought in to help. That said, the cliffhanger ending really threw me off and got me impatiently asking for the conclusion!
October 3, 2025
Decimated Dreams
Book #2 in Slattery Falls series
By: Brennan LaFaro
The ghost-hunt of Slattery Falls didn't go so well. The remaining friends just wanted to forget and move on. They have a little girl now ... and the evil thought left behind is now targeting her.
This is the 2nd book in this series and has improved tenfold. The grittiness of the story, the build-up of the characters and the journey to find the kidnapped daughter really gave this grandmom chills. I'm a bit of a real-life ghost buff myself but had I read this when my kids were little? Nope. No thank you.
A little slow getting started but when this story picks up ... I could not put it down. Great read!
Book #2 in Slattery Falls series
By: Brennan LaFaro
The ghost-hunt of Slattery Falls didn't go so well. The remaining friends just wanted to forget and move on. They have a little girl now ... and the evil thought left behind is now targeting her.
This is the 2nd book in this series and has improved tenfold. The grittiness of the story, the build-up of the characters and the journey to find the kidnapped daughter really gave this grandmom chills. I'm a bit of a real-life ghost buff myself but had I read this when my kids were little? Nope. No thank you.
A little slow getting started but when this story picks up ... I could not put it down. Great read!
May 10, 2023
How do you process a book that left your jaw dropped to the floor. I just finished Decimated Dreams and was shocked what was to come for Elsie and Travis. They already had lost their family/friend from dealing with Weeks. They thought they had finished the problem but little did they know it was going to be back with a vengeance. I enjoyed this book just as much as the first book. There is a third book in this series and I cannot wait to read this book.
February 19, 2023
Part two of Slattery Falls. Older with a daughter this story is told by Elsie. She and Travis have a daughter who is taken by the ghost of their past who thought long gone. They travel back to where it all started with new allies they do battle. Well written I couldn't help but care about these characters. A twist ending that i did not see coming recommended
May 29, 2024
A riveting sequel to Slattery Falls. I was hooked from the start. A powerful story of grief and loss under the guise of a haunted house story. Told from a different point of view, it adds a level to the story that makes it so much more compelling. I cannot wait to read the third novel in this series.
June 14, 2024
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
The second book in the Slattery Falls trilogy had a hard time keeping my interest in the beginning. Around the middle, the pieces start coming together and the book ends with a big bang. I'm looking forward to finishing up the trilogy, as that ending was a doozy and I need to know what happens next. 3.5 stars
The second book in the Slattery Falls trilogy had a hard time keeping my interest in the beginning. Around the middle, the pieces start coming together and the book ends with a big bang. I'm looking forward to finishing up the trilogy, as that ending was a doozy and I need to know what happens next. 3.5 stars
July 15, 2023
Picking up five years after the conclusion of Slattery Falls, check out this fast-paced emotional thrill ride.
July 25, 2023
I loved Slattery Falls and, for that reason, I went into Decimated Dreams a little worried. Would the sequel match up to the original?
The answer was a resounding 'yes'.
At the beginning of the book, there's this sense of familiarity - the place, the people - but also something new in as much as the POV character is a different cast member. Seeing what went before from a slightly different perspective was a great way to hook me in and, as with the original book, it wasn't long before the story had me in its clutches and away I went.
The lore built around Slattery Falls is really something else - so jarring it's terrifying and in this second volume, that same sense of horror in its purest form is also present. Decimated Dreams kept me guessing until the bitter end and now has me trying to crowbar the final entry in the trilogy a little higher up the TBR.
The answer was a resounding 'yes'.
At the beginning of the book, there's this sense of familiarity - the place, the people - but also something new in as much as the POV character is a different cast member. Seeing what went before from a slightly different perspective was a great way to hook me in and, as with the original book, it wasn't long before the story had me in its clutches and away I went.
The lore built around Slattery Falls is really something else - so jarring it's terrifying and in this second volume, that same sense of horror in its purest form is also present. Decimated Dreams kept me guessing until the bitter end and now has me trying to crowbar the final entry in the trilogy a little higher up the TBR.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews