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Stolen Tongues #1
Stolen Tongues
A romantic cabin getaway doesn’t go exactly as planned. High up on the windswept cliffs of Pale Peak, Faye and Felix celebrate their new engagement. But soon, a chorus of ghastly noises erupts from the nearby the screams of animals, the cries of children, and the mad babble of a hundred mournful voices. A dark figure looms near the windows in the dead of night, whispering to Faye. As the weather turns deadly, Felix discovers that his terrified fiancée isn’t just mumbling in her sleep – she’s whispering back.Originally a contest-winning story on reddit.com’s horror community NoSleep, Stolen Tongues has received widespread acclaim and has been optioned for film.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,128 reviews
October 13, 2021
I freaking LOVED this! One of the scariest horror novels I’ve ever read — I legit slept with the lights on. This has MAJOR something is watching you from the woods vibes, and you can make out a shape but you can’t exactly see it. It’s terrifying. I was so impressed by it, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I was so genuinely creeped out.
Reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/ZuJK4T4tkRQ
Reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/ZuJK4T4tkRQ
January 25, 2024
the prologue got me thinking this could be 5 stars... but how are you going to be so self aware about exploiting native people in fiction that you... exploit native people in your fiction? the author explicitly said he didn't like how native people were used for their information, history, and folklore to bring depth to white stories yet... here's an author doing just that. blackwell uses a native american 'boogyman' to create atmosphere and tension, only using native people in the story as educators and spiritual guides to the extent that the only deaths in the novel are 2/3 of the native people mentioned. the two white main characters are saved by literally just speaking the truth about what the female protagonist forgot as a kid and then the bad guy goes away... meanwhile the two native people, a father and son (who only exist to help the MCs and have decades of experience on this 'haunted mountain'), are the only people to die to the creature... nahhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2021
Of the 20+ reading-related Facebook groups I’m in, the “Books of Horror” community is by far the most active, harmonious, and supportive. One by one, members started reading and raving about Stolen Tongues, Felix Blackwell’s self-published, crowd-funded horror novel that originated as a super popular series of stories titled “My Romantic Cabin Getaway” on the NoSleep subreddit. It’s a viral sensation that’s gone viral again.
It’s also better familiarized me with the term “creepypasta,” which my trusty pal Wiki defines as: “Horror-related legends that have been copied and pasted around the Internet. These Internet entries are often brief, user-generated, paranormal stories intended to scare readers.”
And yes, Stolen Tongues did scare this particular reader. Based on Blackwell’s fiancee’s sleep disorder, the story follows the couple as they visit a snowy cabin in the woods where creepy voices and happenings plague them at night. The prologue itself is near perfection, and I read it twice. I also had a hard time reading the book before bed, because it’s that unsettling. Not in a splatter/gory way, but just spine-tingling.
There’s no escaping the fact that Stolen Tongues is self published though, and the absence of an editor’s polish is noticeable. In many ways it reads like a first draft, but there is a whole lot of promise here.
Finally, for my indie author friends (or aspiring ones), I thought it would be helpful to share parts of a post Felix made in the Books of Horror FB group last month (August 2021):
“Today my novel Stolen Tongues hit 500 ratings/reviews on Amazon. Before it was discovered by Books of Horror, it sat at around 170. This is a huge deal for me, considering that less than 10% of people who buy a book leave a review for it (or so I've read)…
…Authors don't do this very often, but I want to give you some transparency into how your support has directly affected my life as an indie author. About 11 months ago I bought a new bed for me and Faye, and it turns out I bought the worst piece of crap ever because it imploded and became a hammock about a month ago. If you've ever slept in a terrible bed, you know how much it can affect your work ethic, your mood, and your body. We started crunching numbers and trying to decide if we could afford a new one. Books of Horror bought us that new bed, and this time I did the research and got the RIGHT one…
…Your support has also secured several months of the SHOCKINGLY expensive medication I take for a chronic nerve disorder. That feeling of security is invaluable to me, and combined with the new bed, I'm actually able to sleep at night and have the hideous dreams that inspire all my writing…
…I want to share some of the feedback I've gotten on Stolen Tongues, and how I grapple with it. People have said that the book is:
-too long
-too short
-super scary
-not scary at all / boring
-too many info dumps / over-explaining
-classy
-tasteless
and:
-not enough is explained
-the end sucks
-the middle sucks
-not gory enough
-the characters are overwritten
-the characters are underdeveloped
etc.
This cross-section of opinions has really revealed to me that as a writer, you'll never be able to please everyone, so you must write with the goal of telling the story that YOU want to tell.”
For those wanting to hear more from Felix (and see him), he also made this video to thank the group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBwpK...
Stolen Tongues is available as an ebook (included in the Kindle Unlimited program - no audiobook option) and in paperback.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
It’s also better familiarized me with the term “creepypasta,” which my trusty pal Wiki defines as: “Horror-related legends that have been copied and pasted around the Internet. These Internet entries are often brief, user-generated, paranormal stories intended to scare readers.”
And yes, Stolen Tongues did scare this particular reader. Based on Blackwell’s fiancee’s sleep disorder, the story follows the couple as they visit a snowy cabin in the woods where creepy voices and happenings plague them at night. The prologue itself is near perfection, and I read it twice. I also had a hard time reading the book before bed, because it’s that unsettling. Not in a splatter/gory way, but just spine-tingling.
There’s no escaping the fact that Stolen Tongues is self published though, and the absence of an editor’s polish is noticeable. In many ways it reads like a first draft, but there is a whole lot of promise here.
Finally, for my indie author friends (or aspiring ones), I thought it would be helpful to share parts of a post Felix made in the Books of Horror FB group last month (August 2021):
“Today my novel Stolen Tongues hit 500 ratings/reviews on Amazon. Before it was discovered by Books of Horror, it sat at around 170. This is a huge deal for me, considering that less than 10% of people who buy a book leave a review for it (or so I've read)…
…Authors don't do this very often, but I want to give you some transparency into how your support has directly affected my life as an indie author. About 11 months ago I bought a new bed for me and Faye, and it turns out I bought the worst piece of crap ever because it imploded and became a hammock about a month ago. If you've ever slept in a terrible bed, you know how much it can affect your work ethic, your mood, and your body. We started crunching numbers and trying to decide if we could afford a new one. Books of Horror bought us that new bed, and this time I did the research and got the RIGHT one…
…Your support has also secured several months of the SHOCKINGLY expensive medication I take for a chronic nerve disorder. That feeling of security is invaluable to me, and combined with the new bed, I'm actually able to sleep at night and have the hideous dreams that inspire all my writing…
…I want to share some of the feedback I've gotten on Stolen Tongues, and how I grapple with it. People have said that the book is:
-too long
-too short
-super scary
-not scary at all / boring
-too many info dumps / over-explaining
-classy
-tasteless
and:
-not enough is explained
-the end sucks
-the middle sucks
-not gory enough
-the characters are overwritten
-the characters are underdeveloped
etc.
This cross-section of opinions has really revealed to me that as a writer, you'll never be able to please everyone, so you must write with the goal of telling the story that YOU want to tell.”
For those wanting to hear more from Felix (and see him), he also made this video to thank the group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBwpK...
Stolen Tongues is available as an ebook (included in the Kindle Unlimited program - no audiobook option) and in paperback.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
November 6, 2024
**edit**
It’s November 2024 and I saw a post on reddit today from the author trying to explain his character choices etc… At the end he still stands by how he wrote the book so what was the point of that post years later?? Your book still sucks. I’ve noticed he likes to do this quite often, even going as far as having some fake Goodreads account go back and forth in the comments. Like take your criticisms and suck it up bro. If you’re really looking for a helpful tip, cut out the constant adverbs and create more dynamic characters.
I’m going to start by saying it baffles me to see people label this “ The Scariest book I ever read!” It wasn’t scary at all. There is barely any build up, tension, dread, anxiety or anything really to these scares. The scares are popped into certain parts of the story and over in literal seconds. Almost the equivalent to a tacky jump-scare in an Indie horror film. I guess I can see this book scaring my child or someone who is easily frightened.
It’s extremely repetitive and I contemplated not finishing it. I read a review on here that mentioned how disappointed they were with the ending so I continued to see if I felt the same way and I have to agree. I don’t understand how “the hollow one” completely backed off the second she said “Enough” We’re talking a creature that literally stalked and haunted this girl to the point of obsession and demented love and it ends that abruptly?? It is definitely rushed. As an author, you should leave readers with answers. Thorough explanations or at least some type of foreshadowing or hint at what could be the reason for things. It’s lazy writing at best.
Character development is almost non-existent. Even the setting isn’t fleshed out or descriptive enough to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
The word “suddenly” was used so often that it’s burned into my mind. Adverbs are not your friend when writing a novel.
Also, I don’t understand how the prologue reeled people in for being absolutely “terrifying.” It’s odd to me how the prologue was focused on the parrot but the parrot is only mentioned one or two other times in the story.
The meaning behind the number “5” is predictable and honestly a let down. I wanted something mind blowing but instead I was left with confusion. Why is it important to “the hollow one?” I feel like a lot of elements of the story are never explained. Why was the wedding ring so significant? What about the dream catchers?” Side note: dream catchers are meant to protect against nightmares, so I’m unsure how the spin on them in this story even makes sense. What about the basement and whatever broke out of there?
The afterword blew my mind. Blackwell goes on to talk about the exploitation of Native American culture, stories, characters etc, only to do the very thing he spoke against. Two major Native American characters are killed off when they should be the ones with knowledge to defeat this “spirit”/“creature” considering its native to their land. Yikes.
I may get jumped here by all the “fans” for this negative review but if I purchase something, I have the right to review it so I don’t really care about the hate I’ll get for my review. If it should be titled anything it should be “Stolen Time”
It’s November 2024 and I saw a post on reddit today from the author trying to explain his character choices etc… At the end he still stands by how he wrote the book so what was the point of that post years later?? Your book still sucks. I’ve noticed he likes to do this quite often, even going as far as having some fake Goodreads account go back and forth in the comments. Like take your criticisms and suck it up bro. If you’re really looking for a helpful tip, cut out the constant adverbs and create more dynamic characters.
I’m going to start by saying it baffles me to see people label this “ The Scariest book I ever read!” It wasn’t scary at all. There is barely any build up, tension, dread, anxiety or anything really to these scares. The scares are popped into certain parts of the story and over in literal seconds. Almost the equivalent to a tacky jump-scare in an Indie horror film. I guess I can see this book scaring my child or someone who is easily frightened.
It’s extremely repetitive and I contemplated not finishing it. I read a review on here that mentioned how disappointed they were with the ending so I continued to see if I felt the same way and I have to agree. I don’t understand how “the hollow one” completely backed off the second she said “Enough” We’re talking a creature that literally stalked and haunted this girl to the point of obsession and demented love and it ends that abruptly?? It is definitely rushed. As an author, you should leave readers with answers. Thorough explanations or at least some type of foreshadowing or hint at what could be the reason for things. It’s lazy writing at best.
Character development is almost non-existent. Even the setting isn’t fleshed out or descriptive enough to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
The word “suddenly” was used so often that it’s burned into my mind. Adverbs are not your friend when writing a novel.
Also, I don’t understand how the prologue reeled people in for being absolutely “terrifying.” It’s odd to me how the prologue was focused on the parrot but the parrot is only mentioned one or two other times in the story.
The meaning behind the number “5” is predictable and honestly a let down. I wanted something mind blowing but instead I was left with confusion. Why is it important to “the hollow one?” I feel like a lot of elements of the story are never explained. Why was the wedding ring so significant? What about the dream catchers?” Side note: dream catchers are meant to protect against nightmares, so I’m unsure how the spin on them in this story even makes sense. What about the basement and whatever broke out of there?
The afterword blew my mind. Blackwell goes on to talk about the exploitation of Native American culture, stories, characters etc, only to do the very thing he spoke against. Two major Native American characters are killed off when they should be the ones with knowledge to defeat this “spirit”/“creature” considering its native to their land. Yikes.
I may get jumped here by all the “fans” for this negative review but if I purchase something, I have the right to review it so I don’t really care about the hate I’ll get for my review. If it should be titled anything it should be “Stolen Time”
April 30, 2022
A romantic weekend in a cabin on Pale Peak sounds like a wonderful opportunity for Felix and Faye to celebrate their engagement. Unfortunately things do not go as planned. Something in the snow is watching them, listening to their very dreams and takes a great interest in the pair… something that wants to know everything there is to know about them.
This book has been coming highly recommended from multiple sources and frankly, I was all about it. It started off a "Creepy Pasta" on the No Sleep Reddit board, and I do have a love for those internet horror stories. Whenever one becomes a full fledged novel, I feel a little bit of joy (the Patient and Pen Pal for example)… and I must say, I understand why this one gets some love.
This has, without a doubt, one of the most chilling openings I've ever read. I'm a pretty seasoned horror reader, but I had goosebumps and was looking at the pages just going "oh shit." Had it just been that as a short story I would have called it an all time great.
It was not a short a story though, and as things stand it is still an enjoyable novel, but sadly not the masterpiece of terror that it started with.
The biggest problem with this book is that it feels so repetitive. We keep going through the same motions. Fall asleep, weird things in the night, tall figure running away… keep repeating with some variation on the same thing. As a reader, after a while, what was frightening became overdone and a touch boring. I was more than halfway through the book at the beginning of the month, but set it down and read several other books because I was tired of the repetition and needed something else for a bit. It really hurt the story for me, and honestly I think the book would have been better had it been cut down to more of a novella length.
Complaints aside, it's a fairly enjoyable read, and given the overwhelmingly high ratings among my friends, this likely doesn't bother many readers as much as it did me. I absolutely suggest horror fans give it a shot, and I do hope it works well for you. As for me, it's an enjoyable read, but I wished it would have hit me more consistently. 3/5 stars
This book has been coming highly recommended from multiple sources and frankly, I was all about it. It started off a "Creepy Pasta" on the No Sleep Reddit board, and I do have a love for those internet horror stories. Whenever one becomes a full fledged novel, I feel a little bit of joy (the Patient and Pen Pal for example)… and I must say, I understand why this one gets some love.
This has, without a doubt, one of the most chilling openings I've ever read. I'm a pretty seasoned horror reader, but I had goosebumps and was looking at the pages just going "oh shit." Had it just been that as a short story I would have called it an all time great.
It was not a short a story though, and as things stand it is still an enjoyable novel, but sadly not the masterpiece of terror that it started with.
The biggest problem with this book is that it feels so repetitive. We keep going through the same motions. Fall asleep, weird things in the night, tall figure running away… keep repeating with some variation on the same thing. As a reader, after a while, what was frightening became overdone and a touch boring. I was more than halfway through the book at the beginning of the month, but set it down and read several other books because I was tired of the repetition and needed something else for a bit. It really hurt the story for me, and honestly I think the book would have been better had it been cut down to more of a novella length.
Complaints aside, it's a fairly enjoyable read, and given the overwhelmingly high ratings among my friends, this likely doesn't bother many readers as much as it did me. I absolutely suggest horror fans give it a shot, and I do hope it works well for you. As for me, it's an enjoyable read, but I wished it would have hit me more consistently. 3/5 stars
November 27, 2021
This hit the ground running and didn't stop. Problem is, after a while the adrenaline wears down and you realize you've been running for 3 hours but can't remember why or where you're going.
The beginning is a banger for sure. I was hooked. But the rest didn't live up to that potential. I wasn't submerged in this skin walker/monster storyline. It had the backbone of a Goosebumps book. Just no legs to hold it up. All action and no attachment.
It became very repetitive. Quick gruesome scene after quick gruesome scene. Just flashes of gore. But we didn't stop long enough to see the characters losing their sh*t. Which they should have been doing. Like this book is horror for sure.
I don't understand why the author has the same name as the main character. I'm sure he explains it somewhere but I haven't found it. If the book is supposed to come across like it's a true story told by the author, it is not told through the text in any way.
I don't know. This is fast paced and fun in certain ways but you're gonna find it hard to make it to the end.
The beginning is a banger for sure. I was hooked. But the rest didn't live up to that potential. I wasn't submerged in this skin walker/monster storyline. It had the backbone of a Goosebumps book. Just no legs to hold it up. All action and no attachment.
It became very repetitive. Quick gruesome scene after quick gruesome scene. Just flashes of gore. But we didn't stop long enough to see the characters losing their sh*t. Which they should have been doing. Like this book is horror for sure.
I don't understand why the author has the same name as the main character. I'm sure he explains it somewhere but I haven't found it. If the book is supposed to come across like it's a true story told by the author, it is not told through the text in any way.
I don't know. This is fast paced and fun in certain ways but you're gonna find it hard to make it to the end.
February 7, 2025
This was a rather pleasant, shudder-inducing story. I wouldn’t say anything was necessarily scary, but it had a lot of creepiness to it. The suspense it built up before each big reveal or occurrence was written masterfully, and for a 300 pager, kept my interest longer than most others would have. For some reason, books on certain topics, ie ghosts, exorcisms, and hauntings, just don’t peak my inner horror fanatic. That’s not to say that I won’t read those types of books, but it takes a lot of convincing for me to do. I tend to navigate grisly real world horror, or something with at least one creature running around. The reason that I’m drilling this into the ground is much a compliment to the author here, especially as I read this over two days. Fans of the aforementioned horror subgenres will absolutely adore this story. I do feel that it dragged on at several points, but not too much to hurt the story or characters, which it balanced well. All in all this was enjoyable, and I can definitely see why it is being developed into a movie.
December 16, 2021
get this white savior shit out of here.
March 13, 2024
This book was everything I wanted it to be. The atmosphere was incredible and was easily the best part of this book. That added a creepy feel to everything that happened, make me feel unease when I was reading it in all the best ways.
The characters were likable and flawed. The author also did a great job, given good representation of the indigenous community.
The only thing I didn’t wake up about this book and this really isn’t a complaint. is that some of the scenes and in the throughout but a bit rushed. On one hand, I would’ve loved to have moments and weld on a little longer, and experience them to their fullest, rather than just a quick summary of moving onto the next thing. On the other hand, it’s great to leave the reader want more. Under the edge of my seat, and never board about what’s going on.
A lot of times, I say a book could’ve been shorter, and it would’ve been better for it. This is when the few times where I think a book could’ve been longer, it would’ve been better.
The characters were likable and flawed. The author also did a great job, given good representation of the indigenous community.
The only thing I didn’t wake up about this book and this really isn’t a complaint. is that some of the scenes and in the throughout but a bit rushed. On one hand, I would’ve loved to have moments and weld on a little longer, and experience them to their fullest, rather than just a quick summary of moving onto the next thing. On the other hand, it’s great to leave the reader want more. Under the edge of my seat, and never board about what’s going on.
A lot of times, I say a book could’ve been shorter, and it would’ve been better for it. This is when the few times where I think a book could’ve been longer, it would’ve been better.
September 16, 2021
In all my years of reading horror, this was the first and only book that has actually scared me and made me want to sleep with the light on. Everything from the atmosphere to the imagery made this book a horror masterpiece. PLEASE go read this book.
August 10, 2025
What Makes Five?...
STOLEN TONGUES
by Felix Blackwell
3 1/2 stars. There will be spoilers at the end, but I'll give ample warning before you get there...
Deep in the Rockies...
Atop a peak, howling with wind, sits a lone cabin with no neighbors around for miles...
Felix and Faye were house-sitting for friends who were honeymooning, caring for their two dogs and parrot in the snow-bound cabin...
The parrot was very intelligent...
He learned many words as well as the appropriate use of the words...
That night, after the couple went to bed, the parrot began saying:
knock knock...
Which was the parrot's way of saying someone was at the door...
Felix got out of bed to see what had disturbed the parrot so late at night.
As he went downstairs, the parrot began saying:
Warmer! Warmer!...
Seeing nothing outside in the darkness, Felix climbed the stairs to go back to bed, when suddenly parrot began screaming:
Colder! Colder!...
The bird became fixated on the glass slider door, and now the dogs were agitated and pacing...
Looking again out the glass door...
Felix saw only blackness... the bird was now cowering at the bottom of his cage and shaking...
The dogs started snarling at the slider door, and the door began rattling in its frame. Felix flew to the door and yanked it open while the frightened parrot screamed:...
Warmer! Warmer!
At the first rays of sunlight, Felix and Faye, shaken, packed up, took the animals, and fled the cabin for home...
But...
The being in the mountains followed them home. The local Indians knew the creature as the hollow one...
Because...
It is formless like water until it fills a vessel, and the creature seemed obsessed with Faye and what makes 5...
Now you might read this review and think this sounds like a very scary story, and in parts, it was so terrifying that I actually slept with the lights on, but there were a few problems with it.
SPOILER ALERT: There were loose ends; the major loose end for me was a lead-up to what might be in the basement of the cabin, but it was never addressed by the book's end.
I found it annoying that Felix used the term "my fiancée" instead of Faye too often. Faye was acting like a possessed woman, but Felix stayed with her anyway when most rational people would have called it quits.
Finally, the reveal, which took pages and pages to lead up to, was anticlimactic, leaving me feeling like there had to be more than this lame explanation.
The book was scary in parts but a slog to get to those parts.
STOLEN TONGUES
by Felix Blackwell
3 1/2 stars. There will be spoilers at the end, but I'll give ample warning before you get there...
Deep in the Rockies...
Atop a peak, howling with wind, sits a lone cabin with no neighbors around for miles...
Felix and Faye were house-sitting for friends who were honeymooning, caring for their two dogs and parrot in the snow-bound cabin...
The parrot was very intelligent...
He learned many words as well as the appropriate use of the words...
That night, after the couple went to bed, the parrot began saying:
knock knock...
Which was the parrot's way of saying someone was at the door...
Felix got out of bed to see what had disturbed the parrot so late at night.
As he went downstairs, the parrot began saying:
Warmer! Warmer!...
Seeing nothing outside in the darkness, Felix climbed the stairs to go back to bed, when suddenly parrot began screaming:
Colder! Colder!...
The bird became fixated on the glass slider door, and now the dogs were agitated and pacing...
Looking again out the glass door...
Felix saw only blackness... the bird was now cowering at the bottom of his cage and shaking...
The dogs started snarling at the slider door, and the door began rattling in its frame. Felix flew to the door and yanked it open while the frightened parrot screamed:...
Warmer! Warmer!
At the first rays of sunlight, Felix and Faye, shaken, packed up, took the animals, and fled the cabin for home...
But...
The being in the mountains followed them home. The local Indians knew the creature as the hollow one...
Because...
It is formless like water until it fills a vessel, and the creature seemed obsessed with Faye and what makes 5...
Now you might read this review and think this sounds like a very scary story, and in parts, it was so terrifying that I actually slept with the lights on, but there were a few problems with it.
SPOILER ALERT: There were loose ends; the major loose end for me was a lead-up to what might be in the basement of the cabin, but it was never addressed by the book's end.
I found it annoying that Felix used the term "my fiancée" instead of Faye too often. Faye was acting like a possessed woman, but Felix stayed with her anyway when most rational people would have called it quits.
Finally, the reveal, which took pages and pages to lead up to, was anticlimactic, leaving me feeling like there had to be more than this lame explanation.
The book was scary in parts but a slog to get to those parts.
November 14, 2025
FINALLY
A horror book that explains what the heck is going on and why! My prayers have been answered 🙌
I will say this felt a tad too long and the ending was a little weird but the spooky vibes are so so present in this it’s worth it. If you like to read about possession and family members that must have something against you cause why are you hiding such big secrets definitely pick this up immediately. I also really appreciate the care the author put into having indigenous representation that felt real and un-stereotypical.
A horror book that explains what the heck is going on and why! My prayers have been answered 🙌
I will say this felt a tad too long and the ending was a little weird but the spooky vibes are so so present in this it’s worth it. If you like to read about possession and family members that must have something against you cause why are you hiding such big secrets definitely pick this up immediately. I also really appreciate the care the author put into having indigenous representation that felt real and un-stereotypical.
September 12, 2024
This is a tough book to rate and review because my feelings on Stolen Tongues are a bit scattered at the moment, so bear with me, folks.
If I rated Stolen Tongues solely on the horror element, it would be a 5-star read. There are descriptions in this book that gave me chills, had me looking over my shoulder at night, and made me nervous to peek out the window (especially because my windows all face the woods!). Felix knows how to tap into the primal elements of what freaks us out, and I'm impressed by how well he kept it up — despite a few slow moments, for the most part, I was unsettled from start to finish.
That said, I can't rate an entire novel solely on the creep factor. Most of the characters in this book felt flat and uninspired, as well as frequently self-contradictory. There are a great number of plot threads that are left loose in the end, and I was left with more questions than answers.
The most frustrating element of Stolen Tongues, however, was the Native American representation. I'd read social media posts where the author discussed his desires to provide positive, nuanced characters and to avoid making the mistakes that we see so often, so I went into this with a (mostly) open mind. That said, I can't help but feel like Felix ultimately made the exact same mistakes he preached against: the Native American representation lacked depth, felt halfway stereotypical, and — spoiler alert, click the spoiler tags at your own risk —
✨ Representation: three side characters are Native American (see review for notes on this)
✨ Content warnings for: possession, being stalked by an entity; spoiler-y warnings:
———
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If I rated Stolen Tongues solely on the horror element, it would be a 5-star read. There are descriptions in this book that gave me chills, had me looking over my shoulder at night, and made me nervous to peek out the window (especially because my windows all face the woods!). Felix knows how to tap into the primal elements of what freaks us out, and I'm impressed by how well he kept it up — despite a few slow moments, for the most part, I was unsettled from start to finish.
That said, I can't rate an entire novel solely on the creep factor. Most of the characters in this book felt flat and uninspired, as well as frequently self-contradictory. There are a great number of plot threads that are left loose in the end, and I was left with more questions than answers.
The most frustrating element of Stolen Tongues, however, was the Native American representation. I'd read social media posts where the author discussed his desires to provide positive, nuanced characters and to avoid making the mistakes that we see so often, so I went into this with a (mostly) open mind. That said, I can't help but feel like Felix ultimately made the exact same mistakes he preached against: the Native American representation lacked depth, felt halfway stereotypical, and — spoiler alert, click the spoiler tags at your own risk —
✨ Representation: three side characters are Native American (see review for notes on this)
✨ Content warnings for: possession, being stalked by an entity; spoiler-y warnings:
———
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August 19, 2025
This book started off REALLY great, then got boring and repetitive. 2.5 (lowering it down to 2 stars). I’m sorry! It was just not a good fit for me at all.
It really got my attention right from the very beginning! I was thinking to myself, this is so unique the way it is all set up. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next. Then the novel started taking a completely different turn (one in which I was not expecting) and just ruined it for me. The cover is creepy, the Audible was creepy and great, the storyline itself had great potential. It was such a strong build up, just to be let down by the boring and repetitive middle to the ending part. I was seriously considering this to be an easy 4-5 star read, until things took a turn. I have read a book by him in the past and absolutely loved it.
Content warnings include death, gore, suicidal thoughts, fear, body horror, blood, miscarriage and stalking. People that love to read about folklore, the creepy pasta story and paranormal enthusiasts might really enjoy reading this!
Just because I was not a fan of this horror novel doesn’t mean you won’t love it! I think people should definitely give this one a chance. It has a lot of high ratings! I read it on KU!
It really got my attention right from the very beginning! I was thinking to myself, this is so unique the way it is all set up. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next. Then the novel started taking a completely different turn (one in which I was not expecting) and just ruined it for me. The cover is creepy, the Audible was creepy and great, the storyline itself had great potential. It was such a strong build up, just to be let down by the boring and repetitive middle to the ending part. I was seriously considering this to be an easy 4-5 star read, until things took a turn. I have read a book by him in the past and absolutely loved it.
Content warnings include death, gore, suicidal thoughts, fear, body horror, blood, miscarriage and stalking. People that love to read about folklore, the creepy pasta story and paranormal enthusiasts might really enjoy reading this!
Just because I was not a fan of this horror novel doesn’t mean you won’t love it! I think people should definitely give this one a chance. It has a lot of high ratings! I read it on KU!
April 10, 2022
Took ages to read this, I know. But in actuality I read it in two sittings because I was away visiting Scotland for the first time in two years and it was amazing to see family and explore some nature.
This is such an eerie, tense atmospheric read and is written in a detailed way.
The fear of the unknown has a continuous rhythm in this one and the author does not waste time with unnecessary descriptions and details.
Highly recommend to horror fans.
This is such an eerie, tense atmospheric read and is written in a detailed way.
The fear of the unknown has a continuous rhythm in this one and the author does not waste time with unnecessary descriptions and details.
Highly recommend to horror fans.
February 9, 2023
What makes 5?
Felix Blackwell (who also happens to be the author of this book) and his fiancé Faye celebrate their engagement at Faye’s family cabin on Pale Peak. A storm soon ensues, leaving them stranded. They begin to hear strange noises coming from the surrounding woods and a dark figure watches them from the window. When Faye begins to have nightmares, sleepwalks, and whispers to the creature outside, they abruptly leave the cabin. However, after returning home, It is obvious that something is wrong with Faye. What actually happened to Faye in the cabin? Can she be cured?
This creepy, atmospheric, and haunting story has recently been the subject of much horror book buzz. Some readers say it’s super scary and others say that is not. Naturally, curiosity got the best of me. When I saw the audiobook available on Hoopla, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.
The audiobook is perfectly narrated by J.S. Arquin. He really captures the eerie tone which adds to the macabre and ominous plot.
The prologue is BRILLIANT and probably one of the creepiest things I have ever read. It instantly grabbed my attention and I couldn’t wait to read more.
But, while the rest of the plot was ominous and disturbing, it unfortunately did not measure up to the 5 star prologue.
I mostly had a problem with the reason why Faye is haunted by the creature. While trying to avoid spoilers, it just didn’t seem plausible for her to be that disturbed by the trigger event. I wish that “5” referred to something more profound.
However, Blackwell successfully explores many Native American myths and legends, which according to the author’s note, is the inspiration behind this book.
So, is it scary? No, just creepy and disgusting (a lot of vomit)!
4/5 stars
Felix Blackwell (who also happens to be the author of this book) and his fiancé Faye celebrate their engagement at Faye’s family cabin on Pale Peak. A storm soon ensues, leaving them stranded. They begin to hear strange noises coming from the surrounding woods and a dark figure watches them from the window. When Faye begins to have nightmares, sleepwalks, and whispers to the creature outside, they abruptly leave the cabin. However, after returning home, It is obvious that something is wrong with Faye. What actually happened to Faye in the cabin? Can she be cured?
This creepy, atmospheric, and haunting story has recently been the subject of much horror book buzz. Some readers say it’s super scary and others say that is not. Naturally, curiosity got the best of me. When I saw the audiobook available on Hoopla, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.
The audiobook is perfectly narrated by J.S. Arquin. He really captures the eerie tone which adds to the macabre and ominous plot.
The prologue is BRILLIANT and probably one of the creepiest things I have ever read. It instantly grabbed my attention and I couldn’t wait to read more.
But, while the rest of the plot was ominous and disturbing, it unfortunately did not measure up to the 5 star prologue.
I mostly had a problem with the reason why Faye is haunted by the creature. While trying to avoid spoilers, it just didn’t seem plausible for her to be that disturbed by the trigger event. I wish that “5” referred to something more profound.
However, Blackwell successfully explores many Native American myths and legends, which according to the author’s note, is the inspiration behind this book.
So, is it scary? No, just creepy and disgusting (a lot of vomit)!
4/5 stars
July 20, 2021
This would have been better as a short story. It was super creepy and effective...the first time. But then the author goes on to describe the same events another dozen times, and it loses a lot of the horror. Also, was anyone else bothered by the constant repetition of "my fiancee"?
And finally - some books are better without closure. I would have traded the answers for an ending that didn't feel quite so pat and flat.
And finally - some books are better without closure. I would have traded the answers for an ending that didn't feel quite so pat and flat.
December 16, 2021
Faye and Felix are celebrating their engagement at her parent's cabin up in the snowy mountains. Suddenly strange things begin to happen. Unexplainable things. The faint cries of babies can be heard coming from in the woods behind the cabin. A dreamcatcher of bones and skin hanging in a tree. Soft whispering is filtering out from the tree line and to Felix's horror his wife is whispering back. What is stalking Faye? Can Felix undercover long ago buried secrets of her family to save her soul?
Mr. Blackwell has an unique writing style. Once you adjust to that you are in for a frightening read. I loved how he incorporated Native American history into the plot. The only complaint is there was some unfinished plot threads. Other then that a lovely horror book.
🐱🐱🐱🐱
Mr. Blackwell has an unique writing style. Once you adjust to that you are in for a frightening read. I loved how he incorporated Native American history into the plot. The only complaint is there was some unfinished plot threads. Other then that a lovely horror book.
🐱🐱🐱🐱
February 10, 2022
Terrifying!!
I’m a huge fan of folklore tales and stories, and ‘Stolen Tongues’ by Felix Blackwell, is a terrifyingly great book. I had been looking forward to reading this, as I’d seen and heard awesome reviews. I don’t scare easily but I was truly creeped out reading this. It had the hairs on my arms standing up, and my eyes were watering with fright. This was thoroughly enjoyable, and I give it 5 stars, just on the fear factor alone. I highly recommend!!
I’m a huge fan of folklore tales and stories, and ‘Stolen Tongues’ by Felix Blackwell, is a terrifyingly great book. I had been looking forward to reading this, as I’d seen and heard awesome reviews. I don’t scare easily but I was truly creeped out reading this. It had the hairs on my arms standing up, and my eyes were watering with fright. This was thoroughly enjoyable, and I give it 5 stars, just on the fear factor alone. I highly recommend!!
December 10, 2021
This was honestly a hard rating. If I was going by the first part of this book - it would be 4 or 5 easily. I am pretty much never scared of horror anymore, but there were parts in this story that legit scared me. The prologue was top notch scary. Well done Felix on that.
The first 100 pages are completely worth reading, I wish it had been a short story. It would've been much more effective but the author decided to throw in all kinds of poor Indigenous rep and confusing plots that went nowhere.
I'm heading into spoiler territory now, you've been warned.
I probably would've given this book three stars, just on the scares alone until I got to his little essay on why he felt, as a white man, that he could write Indigenous rep and then I got real salty. He goes on and on and onnnnnn about how little Indigenous rep there is in popular literature and Hollywood and goes on about the tropes and problematic elements when it is there and how he wanted to do something that was better and then completely disregards everything he says and writes stereotypical Indigenous characters and throws them away half way through the story in a completely pointless fashion. Yep, he kills both of the indigenous characters off, but don't worry the main white guy mourns them so I guess it's ok? Yikes. They have their faces removed for the creature to wear their skin, but he actually says the creature scalped one of them. Really? Couldn't have just said he took off their skin? Scalped is the word you choose to use? Yikes again. But, tell me again how you are writing more positive and inclusive indigenous rep. *bangs head on desk*
The second half of this book was honestly a mess. You really start to realize how one dimensional the main characters are when you have to spend way too long with them - there just wasn't anything to them. It would've been fine for a short story but for something that clocks in at 300 pages, no. WHAT THE HELL WAS THE POINT OF THE CELLAR? Oh yeah, there was none. What is the lead up to the number 5? A bunch of who cares... I kept thinking they were going to throw in some big revelations about the number 5 and I would be shocked but it never happened, it was just a bland reveal. The ending was a lot of meh as well.
Why is this getting a 2 and not a 1? Because the scares in the first were excellent. The author just didn't follow through on a lot of the things he was throwing at us in the story and then fell into the poor representation trap after telling us how he wouldn't. It also got fairly repetitive by the end.
I know this is a VERY popular book in the horror community and I'm sure I'll make some people cranky with my review, but that's ok.
The first 100 pages are completely worth reading, I wish it had been a short story. It would've been much more effective but the author decided to throw in all kinds of poor Indigenous rep and confusing plots that went nowhere.
I'm heading into spoiler territory now, you've been warned.
I probably would've given this book three stars, just on the scares alone until I got to his little essay on why he felt, as a white man, that he could write Indigenous rep and then I got real salty. He goes on and on and onnnnnn about how little Indigenous rep there is in popular literature and Hollywood and goes on about the tropes and problematic elements when it is there and how he wanted to do something that was better and then completely disregards everything he says and writes stereotypical Indigenous characters and throws them away half way through the story in a completely pointless fashion. Yep, he kills both of the indigenous characters off, but don't worry the main white guy mourns them so I guess it's ok? Yikes. They have their faces removed for the creature to wear their skin, but he actually says the creature scalped one of them. Really? Couldn't have just said he took off their skin? Scalped is the word you choose to use? Yikes again. But, tell me again how you are writing more positive and inclusive indigenous rep. *bangs head on desk*
The second half of this book was honestly a mess. You really start to realize how one dimensional the main characters are when you have to spend way too long with them - there just wasn't anything to them. It would've been fine for a short story but for something that clocks in at 300 pages, no. WHAT THE HELL WAS THE POINT OF THE CELLAR? Oh yeah, there was none. What is the lead up to the number 5? A bunch of who cares... I kept thinking they were going to throw in some big revelations about the number 5 and I would be shocked but it never happened, it was just a bland reveal. The ending was a lot of meh as well.
Why is this getting a 2 and not a 1? Because the scares in the first were excellent. The author just didn't follow through on a lot of the things he was throwing at us in the story and then fell into the poor representation trap after telling us how he wouldn't. It also got fairly repetitive by the end.
I know this is a VERY popular book in the horror community and I'm sure I'll make some people cranky with my review, but that's ok.
July 1, 2021
The door rattled gently in its frame, as if someone had pressed an ear against it. The silence was only broken when Faye whispered, "Don't open it."
Stolen Tongues follows a couple on a vacation in a remote snow-bound cabin. When they hear voices outside calling to them, they realize they're being stalked, not by someone but by something.
Her movements were not cute and clumsy, like those of a sneaky child on Christmas eve. They were robotic. Inhuman. She moved down the hall like a meth-addicted zombie ballerina and stopped at the stairwell.
This book is chalked full of creepy fun! The author does an amazing job creating distinct and spine-rattling visuals that will simultaneously make you cringe away and turn to the next page. The characters are likeable and empathetic. The writing is fast-paced and easy-to-read. This is a book that I'm sure will stay with me long after I'm done.
Stolen Tongues follows a couple on a vacation in a remote snow-bound cabin. When they hear voices outside calling to them, they realize they're being stalked, not by someone but by something.
Her movements were not cute and clumsy, like those of a sneaky child on Christmas eve. They were robotic. Inhuman. She moved down the hall like a meth-addicted zombie ballerina and stopped at the stairwell.
This book is chalked full of creepy fun! The author does an amazing job creating distinct and spine-rattling visuals that will simultaneously make you cringe away and turn to the next page. The characters are likeable and empathetic. The writing is fast-paced and easy-to-read. This is a book that I'm sure will stay with me long after I'm done.
Read
July 27, 2021Unfortunately I will not be finishing this story. I am in the major minority on this one as there are lots of people that gave it four and five stars. The story starts out great with lots of spooky atmosphere, but then it kind of goes downhill for me as there is too much repetition of what is happening within the story.
I will give just a small taste of what happens without giving away spoilers:
Felix and his wife Faye go to a cabin in the mountains to get away from it all, but while there they start hearing voices in the woods and all around the cabin. Faye has always had trouble with sleep walking and even talking in her sleep, but things become strange when she starts talking in her sleep to whatever is outside their cabin.
That is about all I am going to give on a small taste but the problem with the story was that it continues to be that way with her talking in her sleep every night with the voices that are outside of the cabin. Even after they leave the cabin and go back home - whatever was there at the cabin seems to follow them and she continues to talk in her sleep to the voices.
I was up to the 49% mark and it was the same thing throughout with the sleep talking. I just do not like a repetitive story. The writing style was great though so I might see what else this author has out there and try another book he wrote. It was interesting though how the author wrote the book in first person and wrote himself into the story as he is the main character, Felix. Other readers might like this book, but it was just not for me. Since this book is a "dnf" I will not be adding stars as I don't rate books I don't finish.
I will give just a small taste of what happens without giving away spoilers:
Felix and his wife Faye go to a cabin in the mountains to get away from it all, but while there they start hearing voices in the woods and all around the cabin. Faye has always had trouble with sleep walking and even talking in her sleep, but things become strange when she starts talking in her sleep to whatever is outside their cabin.
That is about all I am going to give on a small taste but the problem with the story was that it continues to be that way with her talking in her sleep every night with the voices that are outside of the cabin. Even after they leave the cabin and go back home - whatever was there at the cabin seems to follow them and she continues to talk in her sleep to the voices.
I was up to the 49% mark and it was the same thing throughout with the sleep talking. I just do not like a repetitive story. The writing style was great though so I might see what else this author has out there and try another book he wrote. It was interesting though how the author wrote the book in first person and wrote himself into the story as he is the main character, Felix. Other readers might like this book, but it was just not for me. Since this book is a "dnf" I will not be adding stars as I don't rate books I don't finish.
September 7, 2024
Okay. In retrospect, the author and the main character having the same name should have been a sign.
Oh well.
This was perhaps the worst, most grueling horror novel I have ever read. And believe me, I do not mean grueling like 'lots of gore' or 'lots of shock value.' Oh no no. I mean grueling in the sense that there was CLEARLY not enough material to write an entire 300+ page novel, and it suffers for it. I have rarely been faced with a book that drags this hard. I'm telling you it was dredging the fucking ocean. If I had to listen to the narrator sing-song that stupid lullaby one more time, I was going to start pulling my own hair out.
At the 30% mark or so, this book became a hate read. So here come the ranting, cathartic spoilers. You've been warned.
Faye and Felix, dear god, how I loathe you. You were in a horror novel and didn't even have the decency to die. You should have died. I have never encountered a pair of such profoundly idiotic characters that managed to make it through to the end. For some reason our only casualties were two Native Americans - the people who had a clue about what was going on - but these two brainless chuckleheads get to sail off into the sunset. Bullshit, I tell you. They had all the dimension of a piece of printer paper. Faye was a useless mewly mess for the entirety of the novel. Her spine aspires to be al dente. Felix was a whiny brat whose head would explode like a broken pressure cooker if he tried formulating a full thought. Frankly the only interesting characters in this book WERE Tewe and Nathan, which was why I kept reading initially...it seemed like the author did good research and I was hoping to see some broken stereotypes.
And then they both died. Off-page. Because apparently the monster can mow them down easy-peasy but Felix The Emetophobe is a bad bitch who survives several face-to-face encounters.
Fantastic. Wow. Amazing. 0/10.
So anyway, the plot. The circular plot. The plot that moved at the pace of a snail and kept. Repeating. The same. Things. Over. And. Over. Again. Faye's possessed! Faye does weird shit at night! There are voices outside the window saying nonsense! Oh my god, a nightmare! Oh my god, Faye's doing a bad impression of The Exorcist again! Guys, guess what, more voices!
Kiiiillll meeeeeeeeee.
By the time Felix had the second showdown with the monster I was done. By the third, I was actively hoping it would kill him. Also, the way this narrative BEAT ITS POINTS into you over and over again was truly infuriating. It walked up to the line of condescension and just leap-frogged right over it. Look, this book isn't complex enough to have subtext, it's just text. I know this might come as a shock, but, like.
I can read. 😐
Around the time Faye and Felix decide to visit someone who HAS A NEWBORN BABY, my eye started twitching. The level of stupidity between these two is apocalyptic. They are sitting here, hundreds of pages deep into this thing, COUNTLESS episodes of Faye-the-weeping-sleepwalker Doing Weird Shit, and they go, you know what we should do?
Put this crazy bitch near a baby.
And the narrative expects me to be mad at Becca for not being all open and honest? HAH! Fuck off!
Anywho. We get to the twist of the story (which was glaringly obvious at least in part.) I was hoping for something a little intense, like maybe Faye accidentally killed a younger sibling. At least that would explain the family's need for secrecy. But what's the big reveal?
A miscarriage.
A miscarriage that happened 20 years ago.
Now look. Don't get me wrong. Losing a baby is tragic. Truly. My sincere empathy for people who've gone through this. But...what was the need for secrecy? You're telling me that Faye - who was five at the time this happened - was so deeply disturbed by the event that she blocked it from her mind? And that you assumed that now that she's a grown-ass woman, she couldn't handle learning about it?
What is this bitch made of, spit and paper mache?
This was supposed to be the monumental twist. The Big Reveal. The reason for the number FIVE. (We know this because it's mentioned no less than three times there's a big glittery five written in the scrapbook, guys! Because that's what the five thing is all about! It's in the scrapbook, guys! Look at it! LOOK IT'S THERE! Do you get it!?)
(...But are you SURE?!)
Armed with this utter REVELATION! our heroes Felix and Faye confront the monster and tell him the meaning of the number. And THEN!
Drumrolls, everybody!
It just kinda...fucks off into the sunset. 💥Tadaaaaaa.💥
Yep. Right. Mhm. Riveting, I tell you. Truly satisfying.
Apparently we really wanted to drive home the disappointment though, because the epilogue is literally just Felix holding our hand and veeeerrrryyyy slooooowwwlllyyyy explllaaaaaaiiinnninnnnggggg what happened, because we're very stupid (like his Fiancé, the poor fragile thing!) and need to have this cut up into bite-sized pieces and fed to us. Anything we didn't know the answer to gets a marvelous lol, idk! What was in the basement? Who knows! What were the dreamcatchers about? Who cares! The End! :D
I'm so goddamn glad I listened to this free through my library. I would have felt bad if I had to beat down the door of a Barnes and Noble to get my money back.
Oh well.
This was perhaps the worst, most grueling horror novel I have ever read. And believe me, I do not mean grueling like 'lots of gore' or 'lots of shock value.' Oh no no. I mean grueling in the sense that there was CLEARLY not enough material to write an entire 300+ page novel, and it suffers for it. I have rarely been faced with a book that drags this hard. I'm telling you it was dredging the fucking ocean. If I had to listen to the narrator sing-song that stupid lullaby one more time, I was going to start pulling my own hair out.
At the 30% mark or so, this book became a hate read. So here come the ranting, cathartic spoilers. You've been warned.
Faye and Felix, dear god, how I loathe you. You were in a horror novel and didn't even have the decency to die. You should have died. I have never encountered a pair of such profoundly idiotic characters that managed to make it through to the end. For some reason our only casualties were two Native Americans - the people who had a clue about what was going on - but these two brainless chuckleheads get to sail off into the sunset. Bullshit, I tell you. They had all the dimension of a piece of printer paper. Faye was a useless mewly mess for the entirety of the novel. Her spine aspires to be al dente. Felix was a whiny brat whose head would explode like a broken pressure cooker if he tried formulating a full thought. Frankly the only interesting characters in this book WERE Tewe and Nathan, which was why I kept reading initially...it seemed like the author did good research and I was hoping to see some broken stereotypes.
And then they both died. Off-page. Because apparently the monster can mow them down easy-peasy but Felix The Emetophobe is a bad bitch who survives several face-to-face encounters.
Fantastic. Wow. Amazing. 0/10.
So anyway, the plot. The circular plot. The plot that moved at the pace of a snail and kept. Repeating. The same. Things. Over. And. Over. Again. Faye's possessed! Faye does weird shit at night! There are voices outside the window saying nonsense! Oh my god, a nightmare! Oh my god, Faye's doing a bad impression of The Exorcist again! Guys, guess what, more voices!
Kiiiillll meeeeeeeeee.
By the time Felix had the second showdown with the monster I was done. By the third, I was actively hoping it would kill him. Also, the way this narrative BEAT ITS POINTS into you over and over again was truly infuriating. It walked up to the line of condescension and just leap-frogged right over it. Look, this book isn't complex enough to have subtext, it's just text. I know this might come as a shock, but, like.
I can read. 😐
Around the time Faye and Felix decide to visit someone who HAS A NEWBORN BABY, my eye started twitching. The level of stupidity between these two is apocalyptic. They are sitting here, hundreds of pages deep into this thing, COUNTLESS episodes of Faye-the-weeping-sleepwalker Doing Weird Shit, and they go, you know what we should do?
Put this crazy bitch near a baby.
And the narrative expects me to be mad at Becca for not being all open and honest? HAH! Fuck off!
Anywho. We get to the twist of the story (which was glaringly obvious at least in part.) I was hoping for something a little intense, like maybe Faye accidentally killed a younger sibling. At least that would explain the family's need for secrecy. But what's the big reveal?
A miscarriage.
A miscarriage that happened 20 years ago.
Now look. Don't get me wrong. Losing a baby is tragic. Truly. My sincere empathy for people who've gone through this. But...what was the need for secrecy? You're telling me that Faye - who was five at the time this happened - was so deeply disturbed by the event that she blocked it from her mind? And that you assumed that now that she's a grown-ass woman, she couldn't handle learning about it?
What is this bitch made of, spit and paper mache?
This was supposed to be the monumental twist. The Big Reveal. The reason for the number FIVE. (We know this because it's mentioned no less than three times there's a big glittery five written in the scrapbook, guys! Because that's what the five thing is all about! It's in the scrapbook, guys! Look at it! LOOK IT'S THERE! Do you get it!?)
(...But are you SURE?!)
Armed with this utter REVELATION! our heroes Felix and Faye confront the monster and tell him the meaning of the number. And THEN!
Drumrolls, everybody!
It just kinda...fucks off into the sunset. 💥Tadaaaaaa.💥
Yep. Right. Mhm. Riveting, I tell you. Truly satisfying.
Apparently we really wanted to drive home the disappointment though, because the epilogue is literally just Felix holding our hand and veeeerrrryyyy slooooowwwlllyyyy explllaaaaaaiiinnninnnnggggg what happened, because we're very stupid (like his Fiancé, the poor fragile thing!) and need to have this cut up into bite-sized pieces and fed to us. Anything we didn't know the answer to gets a marvelous lol, idk! What was in the basement? Who knows! What were the dreamcatchers about? Who cares! The End! :D
I'm so goddamn glad I listened to this free through my library. I would have felt bad if I had to beat down the door of a Barnes and Noble to get my money back.
March 9, 2025
Felix Blackwell’s Stolen Tongues is an eerie, spine-chilling horror novel that had the hairs on my arms standing up more than once. With its isolated winter setting and an ever-present sense of dread, the book masterfully builds an atmosphere that lingers long after you turn the last page.
From the very beginning, the tension is relentless, drawing you into a story that feels disturbingly real. Blackwell’s writing is immersive, making every whisper, shadow, and unexplained sound feel as if it’s creeping just beyond your own periphery. The pacing is gripping, never too slow, never too rushed, pulling you deeper into its unsettling mystery.
While the ending may not be as strong as the rest of the novel, (which is why it got 4 stars instead of 5) the journey is an absolute thrill ride. The first three quarters are some of the most effective horror storytelling I’ve read, keeping me hooked and genuinely unnerved.
Final Verdict: Stolen Tongues is an unforgettable horror novel packed with suspense and dread. Its eerie atmosphere and chilling moments make for a gripping read that will have you double checking your surroundings. If you’re looking for a book that makes your skin crawl and the hairs on your arms stand up, this one delivers in every way.
🖤🖤🖤🖤- four out of five!
From the very beginning, the tension is relentless, drawing you into a story that feels disturbingly real. Blackwell’s writing is immersive, making every whisper, shadow, and unexplained sound feel as if it’s creeping just beyond your own periphery. The pacing is gripping, never too slow, never too rushed, pulling you deeper into its unsettling mystery.
While the ending may not be as strong as the rest of the novel, (which is why it got 4 stars instead of 5) the journey is an absolute thrill ride. The first three quarters are some of the most effective horror storytelling I’ve read, keeping me hooked and genuinely unnerved.
Final Verdict: Stolen Tongues is an unforgettable horror novel packed with suspense and dread. Its eerie atmosphere and chilling moments make for a gripping read that will have you double checking your surroundings. If you’re looking for a book that makes your skin crawl and the hairs on your arms stand up, this one delivers in every way.
🖤🖤🖤🖤- four out of five!
January 11, 2025
The beginning was GREAT! The ending was AWESOME! But the middle was like a scratched record of repeating the following: Talking in sleep… Hearing voices outside… Tapping on the windows and doors… Repeat 10 times! 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
December 21, 2021
3.5🌟 maybe?? I have so many conflicting thoughts
July 6, 2022
Initially, this novel starts out with a fantastic short story that works as a preface for the book. It’s spooky and leaves you with questions. I think as far as short stories (5-20 pages) goes, Blackwell has a talent for that.
However, novel length (what I call long-form writing, though I have no idea it that’s a real term or the right term) stories don’t seem to be his foray.
It started off fine, and to be fair, their are some pretty creepy descriptions, but it became increasingly monotonous, describing basically the same things over and over, night after night. We get it. By now we’re basically getting a tiresome overview of their continued creepy nighttime happenings and I personally have lost interest.
Blackwell also switched back and forth from referring to Faye as either “Faye” or “my fiancée” far, far too much. There were points when he could have referred to her as her sisters “sister” or other things, but it was constantly “my fiancée” to the point where it seemed that she was his possession. His and only his. While he talks about his love for Faye, and works to try to help her in any way he can, this story is overwhelmingly about him.
Now, let me say that that is totally okay, because, if written well, hearing the story of someone witnessing and experiencing a loved ones trauma can be powerful and important. Sadly, I didn’t feel that with him.
I felt that he thought himself to be her savior and that she was incapable. She was “His Fiancée” and she was just the basic catalyst for his heroic behavior. It’s a narrative that’s been done to death and when it’s also badly written, it’s pretty unbearable.
Everyone was always keeping things from Faye even though she was described as sort of vaguely strong, apparently she couldn’t handle certain truths.
I found myself rolling my eyes at certain family revelations that I thought were just sort of cliche dramas that are also somehow sort of unlikely. More of an easy way out, an easy explanation, rather than something that felt real, visceral and shocking.
Even the characters were underdeveloped and information about them was often just sort of clunkily divulged. The banter seemed forced and fake.
While we all crave answers, it’s important to base the supernatural stories in a realistic foundation in order for the reader to be able to suspend their disbelief to the more mystical/otherworldly aspects. And there is an important thing that some writers don’t understand and it’s a tricky line: some stories need explanations while others don’t. You should never be lazy and uncreative, giving your audience no answers because you, the writer, had none. It should be a conscious decision to better the story. The same goes for explanations and closure. Some things in life simply cannot be explained and if it isn’t realistic that the character would get answers, sometimes we, as readers, shouldn’t get them. It’s terrible writing to have everything fall into place in a “as luck would have it” or “we stumbled across the very things we needed” way. That’s not how life works. Sometimes we get closure, sometimes we don’t.
And this writer had a whole lot of “as luck would have it” moments.
No thanks.
However, novel length (what I call long-form writing, though I have no idea it that’s a real term or the right term) stories don’t seem to be his foray.
It started off fine, and to be fair, their are some pretty creepy descriptions, but it became increasingly monotonous, describing basically the same things over and over, night after night. We get it. By now we’re basically getting a tiresome overview of their continued creepy nighttime happenings and I personally have lost interest.
Blackwell also switched back and forth from referring to Faye as either “Faye” or “my fiancée” far, far too much. There were points when he could have referred to her as her sisters “sister” or other things, but it was constantly “my fiancée” to the point where it seemed that she was his possession. His and only his. While he talks about his love for Faye, and works to try to help her in any way he can, this story is overwhelmingly about him.
Now, let me say that that is totally okay, because, if written well, hearing the story of someone witnessing and experiencing a loved ones trauma can be powerful and important. Sadly, I didn’t feel that with him.
I felt that he thought himself to be her savior and that she was incapable. She was “His Fiancée” and she was just the basic catalyst for his heroic behavior. It’s a narrative that’s been done to death and when it’s also badly written, it’s pretty unbearable.
Everyone was always keeping things from Faye even though she was described as sort of vaguely strong, apparently she couldn’t handle certain truths.
I found myself rolling my eyes at certain family revelations that I thought were just sort of cliche dramas that are also somehow sort of unlikely. More of an easy way out, an easy explanation, rather than something that felt real, visceral and shocking.
Even the characters were underdeveloped and information about them was often just sort of clunkily divulged. The banter seemed forced and fake.
While we all crave answers, it’s important to base the supernatural stories in a realistic foundation in order for the reader to be able to suspend their disbelief to the more mystical/otherworldly aspects. And there is an important thing that some writers don’t understand and it’s a tricky line: some stories need explanations while others don’t. You should never be lazy and uncreative, giving your audience no answers because you, the writer, had none. It should be a conscious decision to better the story. The same goes for explanations and closure. Some things in life simply cannot be explained and if it isn’t realistic that the character would get answers, sometimes we, as readers, shouldn’t get them. It’s terrible writing to have everything fall into place in a “as luck would have it” or “we stumbled across the very things we needed” way. That’s not how life works. Sometimes we get closure, sometimes we don’t.
And this writer had a whole lot of “as luck would have it” moments.
No thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
Stolen Tongues was all the rage in a book group I just joined. I decided to grab a copy when I saw rave reviews claiming it was the scariest novel they've read in a while. The opening was strong, and the setting and atmosphere were well established. However, the plot got repetitive very quickly, and much of the initial creepiness was lost. The book is just a little over 300 pages but it felt much, much longer. I was also disappointed by the underwhelming ending.
Also, the author's afterword on writing Natives in fiction had me shaking my head. He mentioned that he consulted his colleagues about including Native characters in Stolen Tongues, "...and their hesitation...was uninamous." Still, he went ahead with it anyway,
Also, the author's afterword on writing Natives in fiction had me shaking my head. He mentioned that he consulted his colleagues about including Native characters in Stolen Tongues, "...and their hesitation...was uninamous." Still, he went ahead with it anyway,
May 16, 2022
Sinister, supernatural story about things going awry for a couple in an isolated, snowy cabin.
April 23, 2023
Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell is a gripping and terrifying horror novel that draws on folkloric elements.
'There is a brief moment at night when the brain is neither awake nor asleep, but somewhere in between. In that moment, I sometimes hear things – distant voices or odd sounds.'
This story follows Faye and Felix, a newly engaged couple who decide to spend some time in a secluded cabin in the woods, only to encounter sinister voices and malevolent forces that threaten their lives.
I was hooked by this novel from the start, as it created a palpable sense of dread and suspense. The author did a great job of building up the atmosphere and the mystery, making me feel like I was in the cabin or home with the characters. I also liked how the novel explored themes of identity, memory and trauma, and how they affect our relationships.
However, I have to say that the second half of the novel did not quite live up to the expectations that the first half set. I felt like some of the scenes became repetitive and predictable, and some of the twists and revelations were not as shocking or satisfying as I would have liked or expected them to have been. I also thought that some of the character's actions and motivations were not as convincing or consistent as I had hoped early on. This could have easily been a five-star read if only for it being edited a little harder and therefore a slight reduction in its page count.
'I heard voices up on that mountain. I didn’t dream it. Someone was out there, walking around in the freezing dark, calling out to my future wife.'
Overall, I enjoyed this novel a lot, but I wish it had maintained the same level of quality and intensity throughout.
'There is a brief moment at night when the brain is neither awake nor asleep, but somewhere in between. In that moment, I sometimes hear things – distant voices or odd sounds.'
This story follows Faye and Felix, a newly engaged couple who decide to spend some time in a secluded cabin in the woods, only to encounter sinister voices and malevolent forces that threaten their lives.
I was hooked by this novel from the start, as it created a palpable sense of dread and suspense. The author did a great job of building up the atmosphere and the mystery, making me feel like I was in the cabin or home with the characters. I also liked how the novel explored themes of identity, memory and trauma, and how they affect our relationships.
However, I have to say that the second half of the novel did not quite live up to the expectations that the first half set. I felt like some of the scenes became repetitive and predictable, and some of the twists and revelations were not as shocking or satisfying as I would have liked or expected them to have been. I also thought that some of the character's actions and motivations were not as convincing or consistent as I had hoped early on. This could have easily been a five-star read if only for it being edited a little harder and therefore a slight reduction in its page count.
'I heard voices up on that mountain. I didn’t dream it. Someone was out there, walking around in the freezing dark, calling out to my future wife.'
Overall, I enjoyed this novel a lot, but I wish it had maintained the same level of quality and intensity throughout.
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