My Two Cents (Book Review): PORCELAIN LULLABY by Blaine Daigle

In author Blaine Daigle's latest release, "Porcelain Lullaby," brothers Nate and Jake reunite after years of estrangement to track down the source of a mysterious message Nate receives from their long-dead mother. Orphaned as children, the boys grew up in foster care, and both bear significant psychological scars from a multitude of traumas that are revealed throughout the course of the story. Their search for answers leads to the Pennsylvania back country, and the sinister Meadowland Orphanage, where their mother had lived as a child. Although abandoned for decades, Nate and Jake soon discover there is still something very much awake and alive inside the hulking building's crumbling walls -- a terrible secret that, once revealed, could shatter both of their fragile psyches.

Daigle's strong suit as a writer lies in his ability to craft wonderfully descriptive narrative. Meadowland isn't just a setting; its decrepit hallways feel alive, and it's as much a character as the humans occupying it. Daigle's plot builds slowly, the tension simmering until reaching the inevitable boiling point of the story, and as it does, the horrors Nate and Jake encounter likewise build in intensity and malicious intent. There are some truly frightening creatures in this tale, a unique and chilling twist on the "haunted doll" trope. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say, Rose would give Annabelle a run for the money when it comes to terrifying.

We just had a big snowstorm where I live, so reading "Porcelain Lullaby" was a great way to while away some of the hours. It's dark, disturbing, and original. If you like haunted house stories where the ghosts run more than skin deep, "Porcelain Lullaby" will be your jam.

"Porcelain Lullaby" is available here.