3.5
Apart in the Dark
By Ania AhlbornPublisher Description
Two terrifying novellas from bestselling author Ania Ahlborn, “a great storyteller who spins an atmosphere of dread literally from the first page” (Jeff Somers).
The Pretty Ones
New York, 1977. The sweltering height of the Summer of Sam. The entire city is gripped with fear, but all Nell Sullivan worries about is whether or not she’ll ever make a friend. The self-proclaimed “Plain Jane” does her best to fit in with the girls at work, but Nell’s brother, Barrett, assures her that she’ll never be like them. When Nell manages to finally garner some much-yearned-for attention, the unthinkable happens to her newfound friend. The office pool blames Son of Sam, but Nell knows the awful truth…because doing the devil’s work is easy when there’s already a serial killer on the loose.
I Call Upon Thee
Maggie Olsen had a pretty ordinary childhood—swimming and sleepovers, movie nights and dad jokes. And then there were the other things…the darker things…the shadow that followed her home from the cemetery and settled into the corners of her home, refusing to let her grow up in peace. Now, after three years away from the place she's convinced she inadvertently haunted, and after yet another family tragedy strikes, Maggie is forced to return to the sweltering heat of a Savannah summer to come to terms with her past. All along, she's been telling herself, it was just in your head, and she nearly convinces herself that she'd imagined it all. But the moment Maggie steps into the foyer of her family home, she knows. The darkness is still here. And it's been waiting for Maggie's return…
The Pretty Ones
New York, 1977. The sweltering height of the Summer of Sam. The entire city is gripped with fear, but all Nell Sullivan worries about is whether or not she’ll ever make a friend. The self-proclaimed “Plain Jane” does her best to fit in with the girls at work, but Nell’s brother, Barrett, assures her that she’ll never be like them. When Nell manages to finally garner some much-yearned-for attention, the unthinkable happens to her newfound friend. The office pool blames Son of Sam, but Nell knows the awful truth…because doing the devil’s work is easy when there’s already a serial killer on the loose.
I Call Upon Thee
Maggie Olsen had a pretty ordinary childhood—swimming and sleepovers, movie nights and dad jokes. And then there were the other things…the darker things…the shadow that followed her home from the cemetery and settled into the corners of her home, refusing to let her grow up in peace. Now, after three years away from the place she's convinced she inadvertently haunted, and after yet another family tragedy strikes, Maggie is forced to return to the sweltering heat of a Savannah summer to come to terms with her past. All along, she's been telling herself, it was just in your head, and she nearly convinces herself that she'd imagined it all. But the moment Maggie steps into the foyer of her family home, she knows. The darkness is still here. And it's been waiting for Maggie's return…
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3.5
CAT 🏳️⚧️🍉
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“I really enjoyed my time with both of these novellas. I adore Ahlborn’s penchant for gloomy tales that verge on the nihilistic, and that’s what I got. I do feel these are some of her worst examples, though; not necessarily bad, but they pale in comparison to her other works I’ve read. I got the feeling throughout like I’d already read or watched these stories done better in other media, which left me craving for something more than what’s on offer. The foreword and afterword make it clear these stories are very personal to Ania, so that does add a little… something. You know what? Sure.
My personal ratings would be: “The Pretty Ones” (3.5/5); “I Call Upon Thee” (4/5).”
Carmen Rose M
Created 7 months agoShare
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“#1 slow twist ending. It was the slowness, it left me so bored #2 reallll good just felt a little too similar to seed (a 5 star read) for it to be a favorite”
Bscheer81
Created 7 months agoShare
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“I love this author but these novellas were no where near as good as other books I have read by her.”
Stephanie Klein
Created 9 months agoShare
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About Ania Ahlborn
Ania Ahlborn is the bestselling author of the horror works Brother, The Devil Crept In, Within These Walls, The Bird Eater, The Shuddering, The Neighbors, Seed, If You See Her, the novella collection Apart in the Dark, and the thriller Dark Across the Bay. Born in Ciechanow, Poland, she now lives with her family in North Carolina. Visit her at AniaAhlborn.com or follow the author on Facebook and Instagram.
Other books by Ania Ahlborn
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