Seed

by Ania Ahlborn

With nothing but the clothes on his back—and something horrific snapping at his heels—Jack Winter fled his rural Georgia home when he was still just a boy. Watching the world he knew vanish in a trucker’s rearview mirror, he thought he was leaving an unspeakable nightmare behind forever. But years later, the bright new future he’s built suddenly turns pitch black, as something fiendishly familiar looms dead ahead.

When Jack, his wife Aimee, and their two small children survive a violent car crash, it seems like a miracle. But Jack knows what he saw on the road that night, and it wasn’t divine intervention. The profound evil from his past won’t let them die…at least not quickly. It’s back, and it’s hungry; ready to make Jack pay for running, to work its malignant magic on his angelic youngest daughter, and to whisper a chilling promise: I’ve always been here, and I’ll never leave.

Country comfort is no match for spine-tingling Southern gothic suspense in Ania Ahlborn’s tale of an ordinary man with a demon on his back. Seed plants its page-turning terror deep in your soul, and lets it grow wild.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal, Fantasy, Audiobook, Horror Thriller

221 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2011

About the author

Born in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.

Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.

Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.


For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn

Reviews

[LTJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Seed” by Ania Ahlborn started out with such a bang I was instantly hooked. That first chapter was incredible and I thought it was an awesome way to set the tone of this novel thanks to a huge ZOMG moment. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but it was fantastic and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.

Now, before I begin my review, I definitely need to let everyone know of the two major trigger warnings I found when it comes to this novel. There is major violence against pets and children that is very graphic and descriptive. If either of these triggers you, please do not read this novel.

Moving along, I truly enjoyed reading this novel. Ahlborn has an excellent style of writing as this is the second novel of hers I’ve read after “The Shuddering” which I gave a 3/5. I liked that novel but felt it needed more horror and less romance. That wasn’t the case at all with “Seed” as the tension, buildup, and unique way of telling this story with dual timelines done seamlessly were great with a ton of horror.

This was a very creepy, disturbing, and horrific read. If you love horror novels about demons, possessions, and all the creepy stuff that comes with all things fiendish, this is all that and then some. I also loved how Ahlborn had some fun references to “Christine” and “The Stand” by Stephen King. She even mentioned “Spaceballs” which is one of my all-time favorite movies growing up which added another nice layer of immersion for me. LoL anytime you can naturally mention Barf in a book is always good.

All the characters were great with Jack leading the charge since I loved everything he was about and especially his backstory as to what made him tick. The layers of depth with him being the main protagonist were absolutely remarkable. I felt all sorts of different emotions with his journey and that little bit of mystery to his character as to why things happened in his childhood and now in his adult life were fascinating.

“Seed” is such a genuine pageturner that I simply could not put this down. I made lots of faces while reading all the scary parts as they were terrifying as I read deep into the night. I loved all these moments and the only thing I can say that I didn’t like all that much were the few parts of this novel that dragged on a bit. I wasn’t too bored or anything but I think if this novel was maybe 30-40 pages fewer by omitting the repeated dialogue of what already transpired, this would have been a perfect demonic read.

The ending was exhilarating as I didn’t expect what happened to go down at all. I was shocked and couldn’t believe it ended that way. It was a drop-the-mic moment that left me mystified and genuinely creeped out. Needless to say, there are some crazy moments of gore, bloodshed, and everything else in between. There’s no holding back here and considering how extreme things got from the 80% mark, this was a wild ending to a memorable read.

I give “Seed” by Ania Ahlborn a 4/5 as I had a blast with this novel and am so glad I finally read it. I actually enjoyed this a whole lot more than “The Shuddering” as this added a fresh and modern twist to demonic horror. The characters were solid, the plot twists were very good, and I’ll never forget such a twisted ending. My only complaint is I wish some of that excessive dialogue at around the halfway point wasn’t there as it broke up the natural flow of the craziness found all throughout this novel. Besides that, I highly recommend this novel to those that love horror with an evil twist. Mr. Scratch is here.

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing more scary to me than a “creepy kid” possession-style horror. Probably because of watching The Exorcist and The Omen at such a young age, and just the notion of something sinister hiding within the innocence of a child is the most terrifying thing.

Jack and Aimee Winter, along with their two young daughters Abby and Charlie, are involved in a car accident. All al of them survive, but Charlie has not been acting the same since. Aimee starts to fear her own daughter, but Jack is hesitant to vocalise his own thoughts and feelings, because he has seen this all before. It happened to him as a child and drove his own mother Gilda to the depths of despair.
Can Jack save Charlie from suffering the same fate? What is the full story of what happened to Jack decades earlier?

Ania Ahlborn’s talent really shines here. There are some standout horrifying moments of shock and gore, but the true horror here is in the build up of what is happening to Charlie and then how it links to her Dad Jack’s, past.
I love when horror books read as though you’re watching a movie, and I absolutely could see this one being made into a movie some point in the near future…! I have read that Amazon have picked up the rights to it and they are correct in doing so!

”But that’s how the Devil worked, making his appearance when you least expect it”

4.5 Stars 💀🖤

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Buddy Read with Latasha and some peeps over at Horror Aficionados*

Well, that was creepy right from the get go and then it sort of fizzled out for me and then picked back up.

The creepy little Charlie girl freaked me right out!



Jack and his family, wife Aimee and daughters, Charlie and Abby get in a wreck one night on the way home. Jack thought he saw something in the road and so did Charlie. From then on out it's crazeville.

This book is about possession, but some of it wasn't explained good enough for me. But who can explain why there are possessions and such. Maybe that is all there is, right?

That ending though . . . that was some messed up stuff!

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 30%. I hate doing this, but with a book thats over 240 pages, if I’m not finding anything interesting by a third of the way in, I can’t force myself to stick with it. It’s a shame, too, because I’d waited quite a while to read Ania Ahlborn. Heard quite a bit about this author, so when the premise and characters fell flat for me, I was just very disappointed by the experience. And clearly I’m in the minority here, but saw other reviewers with the same thoughts, which makes me glad to not be the only one. I’m sure someone will get all frisky and attack me for not reading all the way through, and that’s fine. Somehow they think typing aggressive words will either change my opinion, get them attention, or make themselves feel better. But it won’t. Or even better are the ones where they tell you that you’re not intelligent enough to handle such a groundbreaking story. So silly. Needless to say, all childish and unnecessary. But hey, it’s their journey and I can only wish those people well. The biggest issues here for me were that the characters were very bland and uninteresting, even Jack, who seemed to be primed as the main focus. The story had quite a slow pace and. while it just seemed to start picking up around the 25% mark, it then dipped again quickly after. I can tell the level of effort that the author put in, and that’s commendable, but I think this was just a case of a mismatch between my preferences and the writing style.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Winters have a car accident. From that moment on their youngest child, a daughter named Charlie is changed. She seems to be evil, sees a shadowy character named Mr Scratch. How is her father Jack involved in this? What happened in his youth and why did he leave his parents? Extremely intense case of demonic possession with a nasty twist at the end. Her best novel so far. Incredibly tight and creepy small town horror. You can easily imagine the story as a movie. Highly recommended!

[mark monday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seed is a story about a cute little girl and her somewhat feckless father and a bad case of possible demonic possession. it is less about a Bad Apple and more about Does a Bad Apple Fall from a Bad Tree? it features a possible supernatural presence known as Mr. Scratch. it includes a great little scene that simply has a mom tying her child's shoes. i was really creeped out by that one. good scene!

i have an open mind when i read horror. it is one of my favorite genres so i like a lot of different things.

i like a tale of slowly building tension, one where the characters and place are slowly built up and then increasingly weird things begin to happen, one where the author doesn't show their hand all at once. or a tale where the characters are so richly developed that i feel like i know them and i actually feel anxious for their safety as if they were living beings. or a tale where the sinister, strange, and sometimes violent things may sometimes be inexplicable, but they don't feel random... instead they are rooted in a kind of elemental or even metaphysical menace. where that menace doesn't just appear on the scene as an obvious authorial tool for Pure Evil. the evil doesn't have to make sense to the characters, but it has to make sense to me. or sometimes i like my horror with a writerly, literary kind of flair, a sort of epic of melancholy and dread, or a journey into terrifyingly alien waters. a rich, dense kind of horror. i like horror that is well thought-out: a trap for readers. evil characters may appear, the evil may be bizarre, but it has an internal logic, one that is organic to the plot. i like smart, sensitive, emotional, and/or boundary-pushing horror... but sometimes i also like horror that is basically trashy thrills and quasi-sleaziness where i read breathless, sometimes turned on, usually turned way off, but a tawdry and fun horror-adventure from beginning to end that i may feel guilty about but still guiltily enjoyed. and finally, i am always on the look-out for what the novel accomplishes in the end. i don't need resolution, but i do need to feel the author is trying to do something interesting or resonant or - barring those two - something that isn't just trying to upset me (that's easy) but that is trying to actually surprise me. crazy cheap thrills - fine, but soulless cheap endings - no way.

unfortunately, except for its cheap and rather soulless ending, Seed is none of the above. Bad Seed!

__________

however i am just one voice. if you like stories of demonic possession, you may want to just toss my opinion into the garbage and give this one a go. the author is clearly a gracious and intelligent sort, so i will not be saying a word against her!

__________

okay, i just bumped this one up by 1 star. for that scene with the tying of the shoelaces. it was quite good.

[Blake Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second greatest pleasure in reading is opening a favorite author's new book. But the greatest, for me at least, is discovering a new voice. It's deciding to give that sample a shot, getting through those first few pages, and becoming awestruck with the mounting feeling that you're reading something different and new and masterfully created.

It doesn't happen often. There's so much to read, and life is simply too short to slog through bad, or even mediocre books.

Such was my attitude as I began to read SEED by newcomer Ania Ahlborn, a story about the Winter family living in the deep south, struggling to come to terms with strange occurrences in their house (and themselves).

My hopes weren't high. This was a first novel, and even more than that, it was billed as horror. I love horror, and I've read, watched, and written quite a bit of it. So I'm very choosy.

By the end of page one, I knew one thing—Ahlborn could write. This was carefully constructed prose by someone who slaves over their sentences, word by word.

By the end of page two, I knew she had a story to tell.

But it was more than just that. It was that "mounting feeling" as each new screen appeared that Ahlborn didn't just have a story to tell. She was knocking it out of the park. In short, I couldn't believe how good it was. How well she had drawn her characters.

And most importantly...

How freaking scary it was.

And not the cheap, "go-for-the-gross" shocks that seem all Hollywood is capable of manufacturing these days. I'm talking about an intimate portrait of a family falling apart. This is not about a haunted house, but something infinitely more unsettling. Haunted people.

The ending of SEED is every bit as twisted, gut-wrenching, and horrifying as Stephen's King's PET CEMETERY, and that's no easy feat.

Great horror, like great comedy, instills you with that twinge of discomfort and then it just keeps ratcheting it up. It takes you to places you're not sure you can handle or want to see. But if the writing is good and we care about the characters, we can't stop ourselves from turning the pages.

SEED is great horror—a dark, fearless, unflinching blast of suburban spookiness that reminded me of early Stephen King.

This is easily the best debut novel—in any genre—that I've read in years.

-Blake Crouch, February 2012

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book. It was recommended by several other readers I trust, so I thought I would give it a shot.

It was very different from anything else I've read recently. The story was told through alternate chapters/sections going from the past to the present. I won't get into the story line as plenty of others already have. I will say that the ending of this book absolutely ROCKED!

I originally thought that perhaps "Seed" was the first of a series because by approximately 90% into the book the story showed no signs of winding things up. Then I sat down to read the final 10%, and things definitely wound up, just not in a way that I had EVER suspected. It was VERY original and that's what I am looking for most these days, originality.
I will be watching for anything else by this author.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a creepy read!

Small backstory:

Jack Winter and his wife Aimee along with their two daughters, Charlie and Abby are involved in a car accident which was caused from something that Jack saw in the road and though they are okay things start going awry with one of their daughters (Charlie) not too long after the accident and the family has to deal with a demonic presence in their home which slowly tries to take over Charlie.

That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more you will need to read the book!

Thoughts:

This story was intensely creepy and kept me spooked out throughout the story. The pace was fast along with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I have a few more books that I need to read by this author which I will be doing that in the future. Giving this book four "Sinister Spooky" stars!

[Lady MacDeath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, how had I never read anything by this author before!!! This was creepy good from the beginning to the end. I thought it was going to be an urban legend kinda book, but it was a creepy demonic possession one, with a very creepy 6 year old kid. That’s all I’m going to say, because I don’t want to spoil it, but I recommend y’all read this if you haven’t already!!

[Johann (jobis89) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Jack knew those eyes, and it terrified him that they had found him again."

Jack Winter fled his rural home when he was just a boy, thinking he was leaving his nightmare behind forever. Now, years later, him and his family are in a car crash and he sees glowing eyes that he recognises... the evil thing that had followed him as a child has found him again.

This is my second Ahlborn book after The Devil Crept In and I'm already hailing her as my Queen of Horror! It takes a lot to leave me feeling unsettled before bed, and Ahlborn definitely delivers with this one. I was going to sleep in strange hotel rooms imagining shadows in corners... thanks for the restless nights!!

One of my favourite things about Ahlborn's books is her writing, she has a way with words, and writes dialogue between characters in the most believable way. She is also a fan of pop culture references (much like Joe Hill), which I dig very much - there were a few King references in here that I particularly appreciated.

Ahlborn isn't afraid to go to DARK places in her storytelling, and as an avid horror reader, I really appreciate that. Too often when I read horror I can predict the upcoming ending, or you can tell that a horror author is holding something back... afraid to write something TOO polarising? Ahlborn doesn't do that, she doesn't chicken out of pulling some punches. There's nothing I enjoy more than reading a book and thinking to myself "holy shit...they won't go THAT dark" and then they do! I think this is why Pet Sematary is still my favourite King book. I was pretty new to reading horror and I was SHOOK that King went down such a dark path. Seed is also delightfully dark!

My only minor annoyance with Seed is some of the decisions that Jack made as a husband and as a father... but hey, if characters didn't make dumb decisions every now and again, we wouldn't have half as many great books as we do!

Already looking forward to my next Ahlborn - she has yet to disappoint. 4 stars.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It was you, it was me, it was us, it was we."

Ania Ahlborn's books seem to be hit or miss with me. This is my 4th book of hers and I will say it's the best one I've read so far. I really didn't care for The Neighbors or The Bird Eater because one I found cheesy and the other just boring. Not the case with Seed. This book delivers some seriously chilling moments. A possessed child is something I will always gravitate to in a story and this one does deliver in brutal fashion.

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO CREEPY and bleak as hell, but what else can I expect from Ania??

[Fifi’s Bookshelf · Rating 1 out of 5]

Has anyone ever read a book so terrible that it actually pissed you off? To give you an idea of how much I disliked this book, I have read over 1500 books in my lifetime. Out of all of those, I have given, probably around less than 10 books 1/5 stars. Rating a book this low is an extremely rare occurrence for me. Yes, this book was that bad. Let's go through the positives and negatives, now, shall we? Prepare yourself, this review is going to be an extremely long rant.

Negatives:

First, this book is supposed to be horror. Where's the horror because I sure as hell don't see any! This book didn't even FEEL like a horror novel until the last few pages and by then it's too late to redeem yourself so I'm not even giving them credit for that. What's sad is that this book didn't even attempt to have any semblance of creepiness. It's like you didn't even try. When a reader picks up a horror novel, they want tension, creepiness, high stakes, and scares. There were no elements of a good horror novel in this. I don't even know how to classify this book because classifying this book as horror is insulting to the entire genre. The "scares" were just predictable and underwhelming.

The second issue is the unoriginality. This was actually my biggest issue with this book, even more so than lack of scares. This was the most generic, unoriginal, sad excuse for a horror story I have ever witnessed. Not to mention it was boring as fuck. I would understand if this were the author's first horror novel. Then I would have blamed it on unintentional copying due to inexperience in the horror genre. But this author writes predominately horror, so she's clearly familiar with the genre. So why the unoriginality? The supernatural occurrences and weird going ons, were all things that have been done IN BASICALLY EVERY HORROR MOVIE ALREADY. Not one thing happened that I haven't already read before in a horror novel or seen before in a horror movie. Not one thing. This whole book was one giant copycat. I feel like I've read this book before even though I've never read this book before.

If you want to write about child possession, an admittedly overused trope in horror, that is FINE and that isn't the problem here. Let me give you an example of a book that used an overdone trope but was executed perfectly. Behind Closed Doors is a domestic thriller about a woman held captive and tortured by her new husband who turned out to be an evil little bastard. Has this idea been done to death already? Yes. Was this book still one of the most well written thrillers I've ever read? YES. Why? BECAUSE IT HAD ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A GOOD THRILLER. Tension, an emotional connection to the characters, a sense of urgency, a great plot, ALL THINGS THAT A GOOD THRILLER SHOULD HAVE. So Seed has no excuse. If a horror novel lacks originality, it can make up for it in other ways such as tension, scares, and memorable scenes or characters. Bottom line, it has to be at least remotely interesting and make the reader want to keep reading. This book was neither original nor interesting so what does it have? NOTHING. THIS BOOK HAS NOTHING GOING FOR IT.

The third issue is more of a personal thing. Yes, I acknowledge that this isn't the author's fault nor does this have anything to do with her writing; it's more of a personal thing. My pet peeve, BIGGEST PET PEEVE, is when they kill the dog in novels. Especially in horror novels. It actually is a trigger for me and it gives me high levels of anxiety and makes me really angry. Call it a stupid thing to get anxious about if you want, but I, being a pet parent, am really touchy when it comes to the topic of animals. In fact, if I had known about this I wouldn't have even read this book to begin with. Again, this is a personal thing and has little to do with the author's writing but the reason why I am including this reason in my review is because I want to state that it IS POSSIBLE to write a situation like this in a tasteful manner. Let's go back to Behind Closed Doors as an example. That book handled a similar situation so tastefully that it actually didn't flare up my anxiety. WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW WAS EVEN POSSIBLE. In fact, Behind Closed Doors ended up being one of my favorite books I had read that year and I would recommend it to anyone. So yes, I admit I am extremely biased when it comes to the treatment of animals in books but don't just assume that I'm bashing this book just because of the dog thing. This author still could've handled this more tastefully and there are many other reasons why this book was terrible.

Side note: I would like to dedicate this review to Nubs the dog, who deserved better than this. This one is for you Nubs. *moment of silence

My fourth issue was the predictability. I guessed the ending from a mile away. Also, I could literally tell you everything that happened in this entire book in one paragraph because NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL HAPPENED for most of it. And I LOVE how the big "unveiling" at the end wasn't anything we didn't already know or figure out on our own. Oh joy! And the "big reveal" was described as something that "destroyed his world" as if it wasn't shit he didn't already know. Nice.

Positives:
lol

Summary:
This is the most generic, predictable attempt at horror I've ever witnessed. While I typically will still give 2 stars to books I disliked (because I think 1 star is too harsh and I rarely give books 1 star) I gave this book 1 star because I disliked it so much it hit a nerve.

In all seriousness, seasoned horror fans, don't waste your time.

[Zoeytron · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something terribly wrong in the Winter household. It begins with the subtle sound of scratching, then skittering noises, soon turning into a lurking shadow, a glint of teeth. The insidious darkness is creeping in, pooling like blood. Sleep becomes impossible, you don't dare close your eyes for fear of it drawing closer.

Keep a lookout for a bearded man who cruises the back roads in a rusty red pickup truck late at night. He almost seems familiar, but you can't quite place him . . . is he friend or foe?

Another reviewer mentioned a simple scene with the mom tying her little girl's shoelaces as rating high on the creep factor. Couldn't agree more. Second in line in the creepiness queue is that same kid watching SpongeBob Squarepants over and over with her soulless eyes.

[Cina · Rating 2 out of 5]

*CONTAINS SPOILER*







Where do I begin? I was gifted this book and the first few chapters seemed really interesting. However, after the accident and Charlie started becoming "sick" the book for me rapidly went down hill. I felt a sense of anger towards Jack as he sat quietly and watched Charlie unravel knowing what was going on with her. He never at any point told his wife, said something, or acted in some form to protect her. Even when there was no shadow of a doubt what was plaguing his daughter he didn't fight for her.

Sign after sign, tense moment after another, as his family falls to the hands of evil....he sat and held all of his knowledge within. Frustrating! This is where I felt the author could have really spun a tale of good vs bad, the love of a father vs the evil that takes his child, but instead what we did get was a man resolved in the fact that his child is lost and basically he can not win the battle.

The full story of Jack and what really happened in that secret cemetery never really unfolded. As a reader I just got glimpses, what happened in there? did he sell his soul? what was he promised or given? why was he allowed some much time before the demon appeared outside of Jacks's assumptions?

I am not a lazy reader and can fill in the blanks but I am a greedy one and desire more. What did the demon tell Charlie before he took over? when did it happen? how? This could have been a superb tale, you can tell by certain aspects in the book but it for me, fell flat.

In the end, when Jack decides to return home....you hope for this epic battle, but what you receive is not necessarily a plot twist or even exciting. From the time Charlie is possessed there is a sense of build up, to something epic...it's already been made known that the entity that has her is about mayhem and death. So what she does for me wasn't surprising...what surprised me was that even at this moment with all his internal conversations when opportunity to end the battle so to speak he does nothing. I'm a parent and I understand the reasons why not but as he said, Charlie was gone.

Sighs...good can't win all the time but it would have been better in this case if it broke even.

Although I gave this book 2 stars, I would still recommend it because it had potential and for what it is, quick read and interesting enough plot it's not the worst book I ever read.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wooow. This was intense! 🤯 rtc

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book that started it all for Ania Ahlborn. I can see why this launched her into her successful horror writing career.
There is some great mood building here where the reader is very nervous for our story's characters: The Winters family, but the family themselves are not nervous enough which creates yummy tension.
We, the reader, get insight into what's going on through the main character, Jack. We're in his head most of the time and he's pretty unreliable. We're not sure about Jack the more we get to know him.
In fact, he makes some choices as a father and a husband that I was really unhappy with.
As a parent, this one was an uncomfortable read. I really feel unsettled when I have to watch children in precarious situations--especially demon possession. It's a trope that really scares me.
I usually read at night so there were a few times where I went to bed with jittery, little thoughts--a fear of the dark and I LOVE THAT!
My only complaint was that I was really frustrated with Jack. I can't go into a lot of detail but there were things that didn't quite add up for me--some decisions he made that I felt were not entirely consistent with his character given his experience and familiarity with the situation he was dealing with. And the wife, Aimee, there were things I wish she would have done as well but having said that, this is how I feel in a lot of horror books & movies. As a "real" person in these paranormal or demonic situations, there wouldn't be a story because I'd just be like "I'M OUT! Done! See ya!" And what kind of story is that? Lol
I did love the ending though, I'm always a fan of a good horrific climax/ending. Overall, this was an entertaining read. I was turning pages very quickly and I was eager to see how this would play out. It didn't cover any real 'new ground' in the genre, per se, but it did develop a really enjoyable, lip biting experience for the reader. A fun read!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, that ending!!!

Seed is a fresh new take on one of the oldest tales: Possession.

It was you, it was me, it was us, it was we

Seed is my fourth Ahlborn novel and it is my favorite so far. It's dark and twisted and highly entertaining. I recommend for anyone who likes their creepy kids mixed with a little devilish intent.

[Paul Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seed by Ania Ahlborn has been patiently sitting on my kindle waiting to be remembered until recently I came across the audiobook and at just over 6 hours immediately thought, yep that’s easily doable in a day, perfect.

Seed is an almost perfect slow building horror, it plans and executes a clinical attack on your emotions as the screw gradually turns and the tension ratchets to unbearable levels. It all starts with a car crash, as the protagonist and driver of the car Jack, sees something at the side of the road, something rooted deeply in the terror of his childhood.

Things deteriorate from that moment on, youngest daughter Charlie takes on the child from hell persona of Damianesque proportion and this family is about to suffer nightmares that grip the reader as tightly as the most terrifying homicidal maniacs bear hug.

'She knew there was only one way to get rid of the prickle that had burrowed into her heart: get up, stand over her sister again. Stand over her and wait until she stopped breathing.'

Seed was Ania Ahlborn’s debut novel and it really is a tremendous piece of work, it's not long, the author seriously doesn't beat about the bush and over describe, and I was heavily invested in the story, the characters and this family's plight. So you couldn't really ask for anything else and I'll certainly be reading more from Ania Ahlborn.

Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...

[Deeksha Bhardwaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏’, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏’ 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏’ 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒂?”

𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒃
Seed follows Jack Winter, who has spent his entire life running - from something hiding in the dark, until now. And this time, he isn’t the only one who sees it. When his six-year-old daughter Charlie begins to change, Jack is faced to relive the nightmares and watch, as his family breaks apart.. consumed by the shadows hungrier than ever..

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
Okay! I have realised that after every few books, I crave horror and this delivered😍 And to read this at night was one of the best and the worst decision ever!🤩

The plot instantly captivated me with the 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸, 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀. I looved the atmosphere and the way everything was building-up, keeping the suspense yet giving us glimpses of the horror lurking around👀

𝗜. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱. 𝗡𝗼𝘁. 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻.. not even for one second. Even when I was feeling sleepy, this book kept me awake😧 I just wanted to know what was going on, wanted to read those dreadful and disturbing moments that kept me hooked!

And it has everything a horror book needs - creepy and gory scenes, captivating plot, unsettling suspenseful ambience, confusion and chaos, and DARKNESS.. complete darkness.

The way Charlie acted was veryy scary! 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴😰.. I’ll never forget that face, even if it was in my imagination. The scenes were graphic and terrifying.. everything is so visually there in your mind, you just can’t help but feel it..

Plus, I loved the depth of Jack’s character. His actions, even though questionable, were understandable. His past and his nightmares told us the dilemma he was going through.. and Charlie, 𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿.. She was so smart and sweet, when not giving her creepy smile😅

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.. 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁.. 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱-𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴🤯.. messed-up but amazing and totally unpredictable. The timeline jumps in the plot connect the story wonderfully, keeping the suspense intact.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏
Overall, an incredibly amazing horror story of demonic possession, spiralling into a series of disturbing and scary events.. with an unpredictable ending and horrific moments, this book is worth reading for horror lovers.

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[Nicole Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

This is one of my spooky month’s pick. Seed is definitely a slow burn. Trigger warning for animal abuse and child abuse.

An auto accident with Jack and his family puts everyone in a tailspin. He sees something (that just isn’t right) in the woods just before the crash. Ever since Jack was young he’s seen something he wasn’t too sure of and all he remembered was the things eyes. There are some parts that are a bit boring(or was I just sleepy?). There were also some spots where it was a bit confusing and so I tried to slow down or back up and re-read.

I didn’t particularly like the mother character (Aimee) in this book. She was a bit “extra” and didn’t make much sense (to me). Jack (the dad) never really spoke up for himself so this weird dance occurred between them both that I couldn’t really quite understand.

The family dynamics were a bit off for me and the ending (about the last 20 percent) seemed a bit rushed. Even though it seemed like I didn’t like a lot of the book, there were some exciting parts (creepy kids are really creepy)
and it was overall a pretty entertaining book.

[Stepheny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's the thing.

I've been busy lately. I haven't had a lot of free time to write my reviews because I was recently promoted at my job and unfortunately that means I have to actually work at my job instead of killing a few hours a day on goodreads with my fellow book junkies. Now I have to read and then try to hammer out my reviews when I can.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem.

But normally I don't forget that I read a book.

In fact- I don't even remember the last time I forgot that I read a book.


But this book? Forgettable. I couldn't tell you a single character's name. What we have here is a classic case of great potential meets poor execution. An original storyline that was juuuuuuuuust on the verge of being something great.


The things I remember are the major plot points- I could give you a passable 7th grade book review if needed.

If i had to sum it up in a word I'd use atmospheric. It was great in that sense. It was like reading a classic horror story where you just know doom is lurking around the corner! You're scared to turn the corner. Only, when you turn the corner you just find an average boring person looking for a smile and a nod back as they go on their boring path.

Whenever I got excited that this would be the grand moment, it just fell flat and I would roll my eyes.

I enjoyed the originality of the storyline and think it could have been a lot more in the hands of a better writer.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Driving home from a family outing, Jack sees glowing eyes in his path. He swerves to avoid whatever it is that might be in the road and flips his car. Everyone is okay; at first . . . Soon after the accident? Well let’s just say things are very far from ok. Jack’s youngest daughter develops a high fever and begins acting very strangely. It’s later revealed that she also “saw the eyes” and things spiral out of control from thereafter.

It turns out Jack has been suppressing memories of those damn soul-sucking eyes since childhood but now they’ve come back to wreak havoc on his lovely little family. As things get increasingly bad for Jack, his wife and their two daughters, his memories start to come back but in a vague way instead of a big revealing flood. This increases the dread and the tension and succeeded in keeping me guessing for a long while.

I thought this story was everything it was set up to be. It was eerie, haunting, chilling, horrific, all of that and it contained above average characterization and great southern atmosphere (I don’t live there but I have visited. Does that count?). Jack and his wife are struggling financially but they love each other and their life. Like any couple they have their issues but they stick it out. They were relatable. When things begin to get devastatingly awful and hopelessness creeps in, all of the cracks in their marriage begin to show. You may not like some of the ugly things that come out of one of their mouths but it always feels real. It’s hard to be nice and stay calm and cool and perfectly loving when crap keeps building and building and then a whole heaping pile of it gets dropped on you. I felt for them, I really did and their portrayal felt honest to me.

I enjoyed the way the story was written with its slowly dished out flashbacks that reveal Jack’s secrets to both him and to the reader. When it was revealed early on that Jack once used a cemetery as his playground I have to admit that it really creeped me out because as a child I also frequented my local cemetery. It was the perfect place to roller skate and scare ourselves silly and, of course, no one bothered me when I went there to read. Now I’m thinking I should’ve picked someplace, anyplace, else to loiter.

In the end I was left with some niggling questions like who was that truck driver, for starters? Things were brought up that weren’t addressed well enough for my nosy self thus I can only give it a four even though it ended quite dreadfully perfect without a prettified ending which I very much appreciated. Anything else would’ve felt like a cheat to me. The world isn’t always a nice place and horror is often a reflection of that awful truth. I love that the author didn’t flinch away from that ugliness. This was a horror novel through and through and I’m looking forward to reading what the author comes up with next.

Narration Notes: Eric G. Dove narrates this work and his voice sounded familiar so I looked him up. He also narrated Covet which was a very different sort of book than this one. His voice was so funny in that book and he really brought some of those crazy characters to life. In Seed, Dove does a decent enough job but if someone had asked me (they never ask me!) I would’ve chosen someone with more of a darker tone to his voice for this tale of creeping dread. His voice was just a wee bit too casual and didn’t seem to fit with the tone of the book but he tried and it wasn’t what I’d consider awful by any means. I feel his voice would be better suited to lighter material or perhaps a light-hearted mystery or noir novel. His female child voices just didn’t work for me and there are two of them in this story. Still, if you love audiobooks and a good old-fashioned horror tale don’t let my comments put you off. It’s a good one and well worth a few hours of your time.

[Cyna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even two hundred pages are too much for this shallow story that offers nothing but tropey horror movie shenanigans that probably wouldn't even be scary in the environment that they're shamelessly cribbed from, and are even less impressive when just described. Seed is an incredibly generic haunted house/possession movie copy+pasted into book form, except without any of the depth of character, plot, or atmosphere that that change in medium might allow for. No unique or interesting mythology to get sucked in by, populated by stock characters, narrated by a useless puppet muzzled and directed by plot convenience, and worst of all, not even remotely creepy, there is literally no reason to waste your time reading this book. Go watch Sinister instead.

[11811 (Eleven) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a demonic possession novel other than The Exorcist that is not only worth reading but is outstanding in its own right.

Read 2012 and 2015.

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen King vibes but make it short and punchy. Spooky, weird, intense, with a totally diabolical ending that really delivers.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNUx4esA/

[Stu Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This story...

I've read a few of Ania's books and this one is definitely my favourite. The shuddering was a fun creature-feature that I'd also recommend. Whatever she writes about- It's always consistently fun and entertaining.

Seed is a top-tier story about the possession of a father and his daughter. Likeable-relatable characters, great storytelling, perfect pacing, decent writing, and It's even a little unsettling. I listened to the audiobook, and It was great. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories about possession - The Exorcist, etc.

4.5 Stars.

[Latasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRAVO!!!! this book is fantastic. I haven't read a book this scary since reading Adam Neville's the ritual years ago. the characters are great & realistic. the story is great, scary & keeps you hooked. i just loved it! you should read it too! <3 calling the demon /devil mr. scratch is great! i love that!

[Shandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial thoughts: Well fuck me sideways...that was a scary ass book!!!! Review to come...

Actual rating: 4.5 stars. No spoilers!

Review:

I started this book all smiles and happy, like this lil guy...



Then BAM!!! The craziness kicked in and I was scuuuurrrrred!!!!

So everyone who knows me knows how much I love scary anything, and horror books. I have been reading more and more of them lately. I often do pay a little attention to the average star rating when choosing a book, so I was hesitant with this one being mid threes. I held off, but it just lurked in the background....it kept calling to me. I'd look at it's cover, I'd read the synopsis...then I'd get scared that it would suck, and be a waste of my time, so I'd walk away. It got to the point where I couldn't ignore the intense screaming coming from the pages of this book, so I finally decided to read it. My only regret is that I did not pick it up sooner!!

Creepy kids scare the pants off of me! So this one hit a nerve. We meet a family of four while driving in their car. Jack, the father, isn't a rich man and Aimee had accepted this fact a long time ago. She loved Jack for Jack. They drove a beat up, old car and lived in a small home. Abby was the older sister, and Charlie the younger. As they are driving along, Jack sees something in the road and swerves. He ends up rolling the car. Everyone seems fine on first look. Aimee is livid with Jack and accuses him of falling asleep. He tries to tell her he saw something, but she isn't having it. Charlie whispers to her father that she saw it too...that's when things start to change in their home.

As we delve deeper into the story, we learn that something had always been a little off about Jack. Slowly, things start to change in his daughter. Jack is the only one that truly knows what's happening. But he has no clue how to save his daughter.



This book definitely had me scared!!! I didn't even realize how wrapped up in the story I was until one night, I'm laying in bed reading. My husband is asleep next to me. The dogs are laying in bed. The windows are open.



All of a sudden, the bedroom door SLAMS shut!!!! I squeal and levitate off the bed!! My husband jumps up, "What's going on?!" as he's reaching for his gun. I start hysterically laughing, and he's trying to figure out what the eff is going on. Haha. Needless to say, I was beyond engrossed.

I'm knocking off a half a star because I would've liked to know more about the history of this entity, and who really is that guy in the truck? It earns 4.5 from me for being able to wrap me so far up in it and scare me silly! It was a fun ride!!