The Unbegotten

I’ll be honest this one took a little while to pull me in. The beginning felt slow, but once the story found its pace, I was much more invested.The setting really worked for me. There’s something about a secluded place, the woods, and that eerie atmosphere that immediately makes a story feel more unsettling. I also liked that the characters felt flawed and human. It made the darker parts of the story more interesting because you’re never quite sure what to expect from them.By the second half, I was properly intrigued, and the creepy, unsettling feeling stayed right until the end.Not a perfect read for me, but definitely an atmospheric one that got better as it went.

I love gothic horror novels and so I picked this ARC. It started out a tiny bit slow but it picked up pretty quick. The setting was perfect, back in the woods in a secluded area, a huge thunderstorm threatening overhead and characters that were flawed and human - we'll except for the ones that weren't exactly that. The story was interesting and eerie all the way to the end.

I'd describe The Unbegotten as Gothic horror with a psychological and social conscience. The way it combines supernatural terror with questions about reproductive autonomy, religious extremism, guilt and the human need to believe that our actions are justified. The most frightening thing in this book isn't simply that the cradle-keepers exist. It's that people can construct an entire belief system around suffering and call it goodness.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars | The Unbegotten by Sarah P. Blanchard

Imagine being eight weeks pregnant, working a wedding reception in the Vermont mountains, and suddenly having some creepy women show up who definitely aren't there to help clean up.

This was a creepy little read! Between the storm, the isolated location, and the strange women who seem to have stepped straight out of another century, you just know things are about to go downhill fast.

I enjoyed the mystery behind the women and what they wanted from Susannah. There's something about characters who have a tragic past but are still willing to do some pretty horrific things that makes a story even more unsettling.

I also liked that Susannah wasn't some unrealistic badass who could magically handle everything thrown at her. She's scared, she's outmatched, and she's just trying to survive the night.

Overall, this was a good, quick supernatural horror read with plenty of creepy moments and an interesting storyline. 🖤

I really liked the setup and premise of this story. Susannah is a sympathetic protagonist, and her journey through the story is an interesting one. I thought the group of scary cleaner women were interesting antagonists, but I thought some of the reveals about them towards the end weren't as satisfying as I wanted them to be. Still, the very end was a nice wrap up. The Unbegotten is a solid, short scary story. I received a free copy of this story and write this review voluntarily.

I read the novella The Unbegotten by author Sarah P. Blanchard. 

I went into this story completely blind. I thought the cover was cool, about 140p it’s horror & it’s October. That’s what I knew.  If someone would have given me 100 chances to guess what it was about, or where it was going early on, I’d have been wrong 100 times. And that made the story even better. 

The set up is solid. The situation…yep, opens with lots of people there to be suspish, opportunities for shenanigans. The surrounding natural atmosphere…check.  So much could go wrong. Many chances for jump scares…ways for things to not end well. More than one time I said to the characters “don’t make that decision” because I, the self proclaimed “horror reading subject matter expert” had figured it out. Nope, I had not. 

Now from the blurb: 

“The Unbegotten is a gothic-toned supernatural horror story for readers who love tragic monsters, small-town dread, and a heroine who's outmatched but never out of options.

Susannah is eight weeks pregnant and tending bar at a wedding reception in the Vermont mountains. Then the storm rolls in, and so do the cleaning women.”

The most stripped down idea of the plot itself is not completely new. For me though, this take on it is. Unique, unexpected twists, horror over psychological & social/culturally provocative. I also liked the “gore-lite” sprinkled right where it made sense. 

It’s very well written, suspenseful & “feel the creepy” quick read. I’m already looking forward to the authors other work. 

Definitely recommend. 

I received an read copy. This is my honest and voluntary review. 

The Unbegotten was a quick eerie read that is perfect for a spooky vibe book to wrap up in a cozy blanket and enjoy with your favorite beverage (alcohol is the perfect choice BTW. You will understand why later...lol)

This was my first by the Author and received it as an ARC. It held my interest the whole time, a good creepy story for October! A must read!

This was a pretty interesting horror novella. I loved the concept of this story. I loved the cleaning ladies, that was intriguing. I found this to be suspenseful and captivating. Unfortunately I didn’t really feel the horror, but everyone’s definition differs. Overall a pretty good novella.

The Unbegotten is a short read that never feels rushed. Zombies aren’t usually my thing, and honestly, I couldn’t tell you much about them beyond the whole eating-brains thing. But this felt like zombies with a twist, and I loved the backstories behind the characters.

I was genuinely creeped out at times! I do most of my reading in bed before falling asleep, and there were a few nights when I had to switch to a different book because this one was freaking me out too much. 😂 Creepy, engaging, and with a satisfying ending that ties everything together nicely, this one definitely left an impression.

My one disappointment was catching three spelling errors, especially after a book has gone through the editorial process. One of those errors was in the protagonist’s name, which made it particularly noticeable.

I received an ARC for free and am voluntarily leaving this review. Despite the editing hiccups, I enjoyed this book and plan to check out more of this author’s work!

Enjoyed the book. Good writing. Just not my type book. Will definitely read more of her atuff

A survival horror about the pitfalls of tradwife ideology

Susannah Romero has hit a rough patch. Her ex boyfriend cheated on her. Then, instead of trying to work through it, he packed up his stuff on a day he knew she’d be gone, and dumped her via text message, like a coward. Only a couple of days later, Susannah discovered she was pregnant. Her awful ex had ghosted her, and she isn’t sure what she is going to do. So she keeps going to work at the Steel Penny, where she tends bar with her friend Becca. That’s how she ends up working a wedding gig in a big old barn in rural Vermont, not knowing that it’s about to become one of the worst nights of her life. When the cleaning crew shows up at the end of the night, there’s something strange about them. They look almost sickly. Stranger still, they seem to know Susannah is pregnant, even though she hasn’t told a soul. She can feel them watching her, hear them whispering about her; it’s clear they want something, and they intend to get it.

This was a quick, tense read, and I really enjoyed it! Susannah and her friend Becca were likable, as was James, one of the wedding guests who accompanied the two on a walk after the wedding was over. The background about the women who showed up to clean the venue was not totally believable, but it was still interesting, and it made for some very creepy villains. This is ultimately a story about one of the flaws in tradwife thinking, and asks an important question: when women are defined entirely by their ability to reproduce, what happens to the women who can’t? The answer features a paranormal twist that makes grief and shame visible in the ones suffering such a fate. This is survival horror with gothic sensibilities, focused on an issue society is grappling with in politics and on social media every day. A great read for spooky season, and one that’ll make you think!

Thanks to Eagle Ridge Press for providing an advance reader copy through Inside Story!

I don enjoy a thriller it I don’t think this was my cup of tea. It was too much fantasy for my taste though I thought the book was well written.

I love gothic horror novels and so I picked this ARC. It started out a tiny bit slow but it picked up pretty quick. The setting was perfect, back in the woods in a secluded area, a huge thunderstorm threatening overhead and characters that were flawed and human - we'll except for the ones that weren't exactly that. The story was interesting and eerie all the way to the end.

This was a take on tradwives and zombies that hasn't been done before, and it was quite an interesting concept! It worked well as a novella, and it keeps you interested throughout.

I found this a quick, easy read for a night in. A unique story, that adds a little touch of a fantasy style to an every day suspense novel.

Zombie style mixed with a bit of biblical history and the expectations of being a traditional wife.

Throw in a fantasy twist with the effects of the disappointment and grief that follows when expectations aren't met.

Great idea and it was very well written.

Would recommend to someone looking for a read where you dont have to think much, can just relax and enjoy!