Both Sunset and Destiny's chapters only properly connected at the end of the book. Before this they could have been two completely different books.

Woman may never be left alone during the first six weeks following childbirth, for the devil then has more power over them. Motherhood, like other things in life, contains paradoxical aspects. There is such joy experienced in creation, yet your body and your mind is in a way torched and set ablaze to bring forth new life. Your body no longer looks the way it used to, the healing and recuperation can take a toll and now, suddenly and a little intrusively, there is a newcomer to consider. What makes it worse for our protagonist Lauren is that she has two babies to deal with, when one baby alone is enough to send most running for the hills. Claudia was one of the few nice adults in the story and it was obvious she really cared about Sunset and her siblings.The Changeling Folktale Gets A Modern Reimagining In The Creepy Psychological Thriller 'Little Darlings' ". Bustle. 2019-05-16. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04 . Retrieved 2023-07-04. The other thing you should probably know up front is that I suffered from some postpartum mental health issues, so this book had me on edge for about 90% of my reading. The way Lauren knew how illogical she sounded, even as she tried to convince those around her that she was perfectly sound, felt so authentic! Essentially, those two themes are what the book boiled down to: is folklore real (or at least, certain stories) or is the mother in the story suffering from postpartum psychosis after giving birth to twin boys? Reading as the answer began to (somewhat) emerge was intense because it constantly felt like there was a lot at stake, not just for our protagonist, but for the majority of the major characters of the book. The fact that so much is left up to the readers interpretation worked for me, too, because it really added to the feel that the book, despite its supernatural elements, was somehow very realistic. So is Lauren telling the truth? Is there a sinister woman who stole babies or is she delusional and suffering from mental illness? Or is this more complicated and sinister than we may imagine?

Having said that there are some parts that didn’t work. Detective Harper and her storyline with a reporter didn’t add to the story at all and were in fact distracting,g from the main mystery. Also, the ending did not answer all the unanswered questions, which was sort of disappointing. Heavily borrowed from fables and fairy tales, Little Darlings skillfully walks the line between psychological and supernatural horror. Ingeniously, the reader is left to decide how much to believe when it comes to the ghost stuff. I’m not a big supernatural fan, but little bits injected into a familiar story is perfect and adds a great deal to the already tense atmosphere.Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million! As a mystery/thriller/horror/whatever genre you want to market this as, I found it ok. My intense love of all things involving Welsh folklore should have sealed this as a 5 star read, but I think my expectations were not on par for what this book is meant to offer. That's not a bad thing, just simply a form of miscommunication and overeagerness on this reader's part. Obviously, (and keeping this spoiler free) you are made aware that Little Darlings is considered a paranormal thriller, due to the plot engaging in a tango of "have Lauren's babies been swapped with changelings or is she suffering some form of postpartum psychosis?" I think the reason I was a little let down in this aspect is due to a number of influences. Could it be that, because I have read so many incredible mysteries lately indulging in Welsh folklore that I'm oversaturated at the moment? Could it be that I've just read so many mysteries that I've come to demand an unfair level of "confound me, dammit!" in my reads? It's quite possible. I'm clearly in the minority that I found the pacing to be slow and drawn out, and that could be because of point two. I was immediately drawn into this story and felt a strong connection throughout. The author, Melanie Golding, does a brilliant job building suspense, keeping the intensity of the intrigue engrossing throughout the entire story. The characters were fantastic – I loved the two main characters, Lauren and DS Jo Harper. I could strongly relate to Lauren – Golding did an exceptional job capturing the chaos and exhaustion of a new mom. Notting Hill director Roger Michell has died aged 65". The Independent. 2021-09-23. Archived from the original on 2021-09-23 . Retrieved 2023-07-04.

Lauren’s reflection had deep shadowed holes where it should have had eyes. A vision of horror. She turned away.”

Sutherland, Doris V. (2019-11-26). "Changeling Times: Melanie Golding's Little Darlings". WWAC. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04 . Retrieved 2023-07-04.

I am not super into scary stories but this one had just the right amount of thriller and mystery, with maybe a sprinkle of Stephen King creepiness! If you want a fun and spine-chilling read look for this book in stores May 10, 2019. The child is not mine as the first was, I cannot sing it to rest, I cannot lift it up fatherly and bliss it upon my breast; Yet it lies in my little one's cradle, And sits in my little one's chair, And the light of the heaven she's gone to transfigures its golden hair." ~ From The Changeling by James Russell Lowell

I could not put this one down! If you want a creepy read then this is a MUST READ! On a side note, this has been optioned to film and I hope with all my heart that this happens. This would be perfect on the big screen. An easy 5 Stars! Little Darlings is inspired by those dark and creepy fairytales that I love to be scared by! The idea of changelings, a child secretly substituted by fairies in infancy, has always fascinated me. I knew I had to read this book as soon as I heard what it was about and it definitely did not disappoint! We also get a dose of a more reliable narrator through a second POV character, Jo Harper, a police officer who has taken an interest in Lauren's case. Jo is drawn to the case and continues to dig into it even after being told not to by her boss. Like the reader, Jo isn't sure whether to believe Lauren or not, but she's willing to believe there may be more going on than meets the eye. I liked Jo a lot, and if Melanie Golding's plan is to write more books that feature her as a detective, I am so here for it!