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Dear Laura
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Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but theres a catch: hell only tell her what he knows in exchange for something...personal.So begins Lauras sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre
...more
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And this is where I stand up on a soapbox and preach about indie/self-published horror fiction.
I don't know how I came to know about Gemma, I believe she submitted her collection, CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE to me for a review and I was very attracted to the grisly cover so I said, "YES PLEASE" and I also asked if she would send her book to our Night Worms crew of reviewers as well. She obliged.
That collection is AMAZING. I am forever singing its praises. Gemma Amor is so insanely talented. Not only ...more
I don't know how I came to know about Gemma, I believe she submitted her collection, CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE to me for a review and I was very attracted to the grisly cover so I said, "YES PLEASE" and I also asked if she would send her book to our Night Worms crew of reviewers as well. She obliged.
That collection is AMAZING. I am forever singing its praises. Gemma Amor is so insanely talented. Not only ...more
Video review: https://youtu.be/u6hG66NbGkU
Chapter 29, paragraph two...
Chapter 29, paragraph two, is some of the best writing I've come across. The rest of the book is great, but that one paragraph wrecked me. My highest possible recommendation.
Chapter 29, paragraph two...
Chapter 29, paragraph two, is some of the best writing I've come across. The rest of the book is great, but that one paragraph wrecked me. My highest possible recommendation.
Dang! This book sure is a kick in the teeth. I picked Dear Laura up after hearing good things about it from people whom I trust know their shit when it comes to book recommendations. The writing is excellent, the characters authentic, and the prevalent gloom and despair that hangs over you as you read are suffocating. Dear Laura broods throughout, leaving you to feel dirty, angry, and a whole mother-load of other emotions. I finished this knowing that I'll be reading more from Gemma Amor in the
...more
Dec 10, 2019
Lilyn G. | Sci-Fi & Scary |
added it
Note: Gemma reviews movies twice a month on Sci-Fi & Scary. However, I did not receive this book from her for review consideration and I will not be letting her contributor status influence the following review. Source for Dear Laura is Kindle Unlimited.
I was reluctant to read Dear Laura because, quite frankly, books involving human evil aren't really my jam. However, Gemma Amor is a great self-promoter and promoter of other people's work, so I decided to give it a read.
Dear Laura is a ...more
I was reluctant to read Dear Laura because, quite frankly, books involving human evil aren't really my jam. However, Gemma Amor is a great self-promoter and promoter of other people's work, so I decided to give it a read.
Dear Laura is a ...more
As soon as Gemma Amor announced the release of this novella, I instantly headed over to Amazon to purchase it. I am utterly hooked on her stunning and effortless stories. They are grim but deeply human, and quite reminiscent of Tim Lebbons early work. Between Amor, VH Leslie, Gwendolyn Kiste, Nadia Bulkin, Lucy Snyder, and so many more, the past few years have seen almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to women writing horror.
...more
Review to follow...
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
Another A+ creepy read from Gemma Amor, nobody is surprised here. 🖤 Seriously, though, I just think she's such a talented, brilliant author. This little story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the stakes felt so much higher than I expected them to based simply off of the synopsis. There's a lot more going on here than you realize at first glance. And that ending? Bittersweet, but flawless. I loved the time jumps between modern, adult Laura and her life as a teen, receiving
...more
I honestly do not even know where to begin with this. Can I just say it was bloody brilliant and move on? Okay, okay... I guess I can say some more things about why I loved it.
Well, first of all... I have read a few things from Gemma Amor and the way she writes about loss and grieving is unlike anyone else. She can take those emotions and build any story around them I think. In this story, Laura loses her friend Bobby when they are young to a man i a van in the woods. And she never forgot it. ...more
Well, first of all... I have read a few things from Gemma Amor and the way she writes about loss and grieving is unlike anyone else. She can take those emotions and build any story around them I think. In this story, Laura loses her friend Bobby when they are young to a man i a van in the woods. And she never forgot it. ...more
Dear Laura,
I hope this review finds you well. God, I don't even know how old you'd be now. I have just finished reading what happened to you inside those pages - Your friend Gemma Amor did such a wonderful job telling your story - and I was blown away. I knew instantly that I had to write you a letter, although I pray this one is better received than the many you received for all those years ( I'll use a stamp so you know its safe and no yellow envelopes, I promise!) so, here it goes. This is ...more
I hope this review finds you well. God, I don't even know how old you'd be now. I have just finished reading what happened to you inside those pages - Your friend Gemma Amor did such a wonderful job telling your story - and I was blown away. I knew instantly that I had to write you a letter, although I pray this one is better received than the many you received for all those years ( I'll use a stamp so you know its safe and no yellow envelopes, I promise!) so, here it goes. This is ...more
I devoured this book in one sitting. Gemma captivated me with this story of a young girl that witnessed her friend get into a van and was never seen again. She started getting letters on her birthday from the abductor. He wanted something personal of hers in exchange for more information of her friend.
It was heart wrenching. Being 13 is hard enough. But watching your friend get kidnapped and then get targeted by the creep that did it? This poor girl.
I LOVED THE ENDING. I actually read the last ...more
It was heart wrenching. Being 13 is hard enough. But watching your friend get kidnapped and then get targeted by the creep that did it? This poor girl.
I LOVED THE ENDING. I actually read the last ...more
Dear Laura is a scary novella that certainly has that creeptastic feel! It has all the things you need in a horror book: fear, anxiety, grief, wondering what will happen next, hope, love, and more. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages!
This little book comes highly recommended and boy, does it pack a punch. It's just long enough to give the right amount of detail, without losing the the threads of story, which is very important in a novella. I read this in two sittings, one late at night, and then the next morning. It's that compelling.
The focus of the story is thirteen year old Laura, whose teenage boyfriend, Bobby, disappears from her life very suddenly. And then the letters start coming...
I'm not going to go into any more ...more
The focus of the story is thirteen year old Laura, whose teenage boyfriend, Bobby, disappears from her life very suddenly. And then the letters start coming...
I'm not going to go into any more ...more
Quid pro quo, you suffer, I suffer...
Rather suddenly, Gemma Amor - author of 2018's Cruel Works of Nature - has released a short novella circling our addiction to answers. On a personal level, this alone speaks to me deeply, as I am also the kind of person to obsess on the "why" of things. As such, Dear Laura immediately had me hooked, sitting upright or twisting in place (squirming for release, if you will), as I eagerly followed the story along. It's suspenseful, disturbing, and absolutely ...more
Rather suddenly, Gemma Amor - author of 2018's Cruel Works of Nature - has released a short novella circling our addiction to answers. On a personal level, this alone speaks to me deeply, as I am also the kind of person to obsess on the "why" of things. As such, Dear Laura immediately had me hooked, sitting upright or twisting in place (squirming for release, if you will), as I eagerly followed the story along. It's suspenseful, disturbing, and absolutely ...more
4 Stars
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this novella. I've followed Gemma on Twitter for a long time and have meant to check out her work for such a long time because I've heard nothing but good things. They were right!
The last time Laura saw her friend, he was getting into a strange van. She's been haunted by his disappearance, but her world is rocked when she starts receiving disturbing letters from the man who claims to have taken him. He sends her a strange letter on her birthday ...more
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this novella. I've followed Gemma on Twitter for a long time and have meant to check out her work for such a long time because I've heard nothing but good things. They were right!
The last time Laura saw her friend, he was getting into a strange van. She's been haunted by his disappearance, but her world is rocked when she starts receiving disturbing letters from the man who claims to have taken him. He sends her a strange letter on her birthday ...more
3.5⭐ rounded up
"Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom."
Dear Laura is the second book I've read by Gemma Amor, and her stories are always intriguing. Dear Laura has a fairly grim plotline, and it focuses on themes like guilt, grief, sadness, loneliness, and mental health. This is not a light read.
I was interested in seeing how everything would turn out, but I feel like a lot of the book was just waiting ...more
"Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom."
Dear Laura is the second book I've read by Gemma Amor, and her stories are always intriguing. Dear Laura has a fairly grim plotline, and it focuses on themes like guilt, grief, sadness, loneliness, and mental health. This is not a light read.
I was interested in seeing how everything would turn out, but I feel like a lot of the book was just waiting ...more
When Laura sees her best friend, Bobby, get kidnapped, her world is turned upside down. Then she gets a unstamped letter from a stranger, that calls himself X, saying he knows where Bobby is. Laura gets a new letter every year, on her birthday. The letters offer clues to Bobby's location in exchange for something of Laura's. This begins their relationship of quid pro quo and Laura's quest for closure.
I read this in one sitting after some starts and stops related to the beginning of the school ...more
I read this in one sitting after some starts and stops related to the beginning of the school ...more
I rarely read novellas...why...I have no idea! I think its because Im afraid itll lack a lot of things: world building, character development, a satisfying conclusion, etc...
Well, luckily, I did not not experience any of that with this novella. Even though this story is a short read its very powerful. I could really feel the emotions portrayed in this book. The grief. The rage. And the disgust. I felt it!!!
If more novellas are like this one: packed with a punch, short and to the point, then I ...more
Well, luckily, I did not not experience any of that with this novella. Even though this story is a short read its very powerful. I could really feel the emotions portrayed in this book. The grief. The rage. And the disgust. I felt it!!!
If more novellas are like this one: packed with a punch, short and to the point, then I ...more
Loved it. Dark, nasty and made me cringe more than once, especially the tooth scene. Only deducting a star because I felt like the reveal was gonna build to a massive twist, but unfortunately it was slightly underwhelming. I was still thoroughly satisfied though because of how real it felt. Definitely worth your time.
I picked this book up today and tried to finish it in one sitting because I didn't want to stop reading. I settled for 2. The story grips you right from the very start. Laura is in an unfortunate and horrifying situation, plagued with guilt and abuse for most of her life. This was an excellent book by Gemma Amor and I can't wait to read more!
Where do I begin!? This was a much more harrowing story than I was prepared for beginning the book. But it was a beautiful, graphic and tragic tale that will stay with me a long time!
He took her life in a way far worse than dying.
Laura's best friend is abducted when she is 14 years old and the abductor starts to send her letter and ask for things. In return he will tell here where Bobby is. I am a fan of stories about sinister penpals. I am sure I won't be the only person to draw comparisons to Dathan Auerbach's Penpal.
This book is haunting, It's hard to read without manifesting feelings of being watched or needing to look over your shoulder. As the letters progress and the ...more
Laura's best friend is abducted when she is 14 years old and the abductor starts to send her letter and ask for things. In return he will tell here where Bobby is. I am a fan of stories about sinister penpals. I am sure I won't be the only person to draw comparisons to Dathan Auerbach's Penpal.
This book is haunting, It's hard to read without manifesting feelings of being watched or needing to look over your shoulder. As the letters progress and the ...more
"Because once a secret has grown old, and burrowed itself like a tick under the skin, it is harder to dig out than she could fathom."
Dear Laura by Gemma Amor is the graphic story about Laura, on every birthday she receives a letter from a stranger. This person tells her he knows where her missing friend Bobby is however he will only reveal details to her if she gives him something personal back. This goes on for years and reaches a point of great danger. After years of humiliation, Laura decided ...more
Dear Laura by Gemma Amor is the graphic story about Laura, on every birthday she receives a letter from a stranger. This person tells her he knows where her missing friend Bobby is however he will only reveal details to her if she gives him something personal back. This goes on for years and reaches a point of great danger. After years of humiliation, Laura decided ...more
First, this book is so well-written. I really like Amor's writing style. Clean and crisp, with just enough descriptors to feel.... special. It moved me through the book at a fast-pace, and I felt better for having read this.
The alternating storyline is well-conceived. Past flips with present, and you start to really understand how we came to this place. You have empathy for the character, and with a ticking time clock marking down what could be a terrible end, you'll finish this book in one ...more
The alternating storyline is well-conceived. Past flips with present, and you start to really understand how we came to this place. You have empathy for the character, and with a ticking time clock marking down what could be a terrible end, you'll finish this book in one ...more
This was phenomenal!
This dark, twisted gem of a tale is a story about obsession; obsession in its many layers. It's ballsy and evocative. Gemma Amor is definitely an author to watch out for if you like a nuanced writing style, and horror with substance.
This dark, twisted gem of a tale is a story about obsession; obsession in its many layers. It's ballsy and evocative. Gemma Amor is definitely an author to watch out for if you like a nuanced writing style, and horror with substance.
Fans of Penpal, you MUST read Dear Laura!
All I can say is WOW!!
DEAR LAURA is full of love, grief, anxiety, and fear.
I would advise to go in blind. Highly highly recommend!
DEAR LAURA is full of love, grief, anxiety, and fear.
I would advise to go in blind. Highly highly recommend!
Synopsis: Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but theres a catch: hell only tell her what he knows in exchange for something...personal. So begins Lauras sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre acts of humiliation and harm, yet no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape her correspondents demands. The
...more
Me reading this book was another #bookstagram made me do it moment that I am so grateful to have had. This was my first venture into the mind of Gemma Amor, and my only complaint is that I wished the book was longer so I could have lived there just a little longer. Seriously, Gemma is a horror author to keep your eyes on!
This is a story of Laura, who at 13 witnessed her best friend get into a van without a strange man never to be seen again. As if that is not traumatic enough, the abductor ...more
This is a story of Laura, who at 13 witnessed her best friend get into a van without a strange man never to be seen again. As if that is not traumatic enough, the abductor ...more
Book Review - Dear Laura by Gemma Amor 📚
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Sometimes, all you could do was give in. Sometimes, you just had to let the night win. Lose the battle, win the war.
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First and foremost are you in need to read a little harrowing story? Well my good friends I present to you Dear Laura!
The story follows Laura who receives a letter on her birthday in a Grimey yellow envelope from a mysterious X, the letters revolve around her old childhood friend turned sweetheart who one day willingly got into a van with a ...more
.
Sometimes, all you could do was give in. Sometimes, you just had to let the night win. Lose the battle, win the war.
.
First and foremost are you in need to read a little harrowing story? Well my good friends I present to you Dear Laura!
The story follows Laura who receives a letter on her birthday in a Grimey yellow envelope from a mysterious X, the letters revolve around her old childhood friend turned sweetheart who one day willingly got into a van with a ...more
Laura needs to find her best friend who has been missing for years. But to find him, she has to follow the clues given to her by the man that took him. Has the man been giving her all the clues over the years as prank? Or was Laura the one hes really been obsessed with? Was taking her friend just a way to get to her? How far will she go to find her friend?
This book was amazing. It was recommended to me by my friend, Sadie. Sadie told me to read it as soon as I got it. And I received the book and ...more
This book was amazing. It was recommended to me by my friend, Sadie. Sadie told me to read it as soon as I got it. And I received the book and ...more
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I'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. I'm also writing, producing and acting in two shows, 'Calling Darkness', and 'Whisper Ridge', out in 2019. My first anthology of short stories, 'Cruel Works of Nature', was released in 2018, and my next book is the ...more
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. I'm also writing, producing and acting in two shows, 'Calling Darkness', and 'Whisper Ridge', out in 2019. My first anthology of short stories, 'Cruel Works of Nature', was released in 2018, and my next book is the ...more
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“Sometimes, all you could do was give in. Sometimes, you just had to let the night win. Lose the battle, win the war,”
—
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“Everything can change. A life can alter beyond recognition in the time it takes to simply let go of someone’s hand.”
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