Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

I found this a pleasant short novella with a unique take on the ghost being a being of angst and a bad death. I love the juxtaposition of the memories of the story as the tale unfolded along with the dementia of the main character's mother. They'd moved to this house for a gentle decline or the possibility of healing from a comforting setting, and the author's play on how that unraveled was well done. Short enough a novella that too much discussion could spoil some of the major points, but pretty well done even though a few tropes were rolled out along the way.

If you're looking for an afternoon's entertainment with some genuine spookiness along the way, you'd do well to give this a shot.

This is a short story, thriller/mystery; there is no spice.

Short story about the memory of evil deeds and what is sanity.  Lots of big issues (mental health, dementia, kidnapping, death of a parent). It is an engaging read to keep you guessing. 

I would recommend this quick, but emotional read as a palette cleanser between more beefy reads. It takes a very short time to complete, but engages the reader from start to finish. On the down side, the last chapter left me wanting more resolution, its not a cliffhanger, but its close.

This was made available to me from #NetGalley to provide an honest review

*Free copy received for honest review*
The story starts out with a local cop picking up and elderly women with dementia- and it just gets better from there, I will say the plot was slow to start for a short book- but the ending was really beautiful. We do get multiple POVs and the writing is to the point and clear. The pacing pickings up towards the 69 percent mark. I enjoyed the different take on of this particular genre!

The story feels really disjointed.

One minute we find out that the mother has died, and in the next breath she is being spoken about as if she s alive with no clear conception of time and no real indication to the reader of a flashback memory until the end of this section. You need to make this clearer to the reader.

Chapter 6 - Yana’s character had an overreaction to dried flowers being discovered in her home. She “screamed” when she saw them. Why? This would be more of a confounding moment than one filled with terror. She does not know the significance of the dried flowers at this point in time, nor does the reader. As it is, they are mysterious and haven’t caused any ill harm at the current time.

Chapter 7 - Seems like an unnecessary filler chapter that honestly made me dislike both Gina and Yana. We are aware that there is some kind of tension between the siblings but no obvious reason why. This chapter read like a petty tantrum between two pubescent girls, not two grown and professional women.

In all honesty, as a horror reader, this fell really flat and boring. I didn’t find it remotely scary or spooky.
The two sisters are irritating characters and I didn’t get to know the mother enough to really connect to care.

The inspiration behind this book is what drew me to want to read it.
A man struggling with the deterioration of his mothers dementia, all set in a spooky house that has unexplainable occurrences happening within.
Unfortunately, I felt this novella lacked the depth to really ignite any fear and I felt it was quite surface level.
I thought the themes of grief, loss, losing your mind and obsession shone through well and worked as a great backdrop for this story.
I feel like it just lacked the darkness I was expecting, which lessened impact of the story.
Nevertheless, I am happy I read The Flowers at Flood House as it was an interesting take on a haunted house.

4.25

I really enjoyed this! I couldnt help but read it all in one sitting even though there were other things I desperately needed to be doing 😭 I had to read it on my ipad (which I absolutely hate doing) because I was having issues with my kobo, but I was having such a good time with the book that I barely even noticed lol

The writing is compulsively readable and easy to immerse yourself in, it kept me entertained the whole time with only minimal moments of boredom. The story moves through a few different timelines, and I honestly enjoyed all of them equally, which is rare for me. They each brought tension, intrigue, and added to the story in a necessary way.

The book is short so it’s hard to explain the plot without giving too much away, just know that even though the synopsis mentions dementia it isnt actually brought up all that much. Personally that didn’t bother me at all and I liked what the book ended up being about, I just wish it was longer 😭

Definitely recommend if you’re after a quick horror novella (with extra short chapters) I'm interested to see what this author comes out with next <3

Okay… Yes. I was in a reading slump and this is what I wanted to read. I devoured it in less than an hour which probably isn’t saying much because it’s a novella but still. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

The suspense was taunting. J.J Walker did such a fantastic job building the story and the memories surrounding the house. I wanted to know what was going on and if everyone was going crazy. I just wish it was a full on book and there was more! I’d definitely read more by J.J Walker.

Thank you NetGalley and After Dusk Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a quick, compelling read — I devoured it in one sitting! The atmosphere was haunting, the writing flowed beautifully, and it pulled me in from the very first page. I definitely want to read more from J.J. Walker after this.

That said, I did find myself wanting a little more when it came to character development. I loved the story and pacing, but I craved a deeper emotional connection with the characters. However it is a novella, so that is to be expected.

Still, the eerie vibe and fast-paced plot made this totally worth it. If you’re looking for something moody and immersive that won’t take you days to finish, give this one a shot!
Thanks NetGalley, J.J. Walker and After Dusk Press for this arc in exchange for my review.

The Flowers at Flood House

“No! Please don’t make me go in there. I don’t want to go back in there. Not with those flowers! Not with that man! Not in that house!”

This was such a fast paced read! I flew through it, reading it all in one sitting.

I loved the opening so much. The first few chapters created an immersive setting, did a great job of introducing our characters and tone of the book.

What I really loved about this story was its description. They were so vivid. Such as “…overlapping in kaleidoscope pockets of color.”

I do wish the story went a little deeper, and took some more time to add details and explore the events happening inside Flood House. I think it would have added some connection to the story and characters. It would have made it more horrifying.

Seth lives alone with his mother, in charge of caring for her and minoring her rapid decline into dementia. She escaped and ended up alone in the town, rambling mysterious mumbo jumbo until Seth could get to her and get her back to the cover of her privacy in home. The basement is covered with an unexplainable rash of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling, but with Mrs. Dorsey's illness, it seems obvious to everyone in this small town that this family might be making up things. This one is short but mighty, containing quite vivid imagery within the short page count. I really enjoyed what I read, and would have loved to read a full length novel based on the flower phenomena itself. I felt like I missed the "why" and would have liked to have walked away with that knowledge. Thank you so much to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an Earc! #afterduskpress #afterdusk #theflowersatfloodhouse #jjwalker

What a whirlwind of a read! This novella gripped me from the very first page and refused to let go. In just a short span, it managed to stir up a storm of emotions! Heart-wrenching sadness, simmering frustration, and raw anger, all packed into a beautifully haunting narrative. And let me tell you: I will never look at dried flowers the same way again. This story has left a mark. The author clearly knows how to make every word count—I can't wait to dive into more of his work.

I enjoyed the twist on haunted house stories, which felt more impactful after reading the author's notes. There are a few scenes that might frighten, but it isn't a particularly scary story. Instead, it's sorrowful and maybe a little cathartic. Several loose ends aren't wrapped up at the end, but I think that works for the novella and it still has a satisfying conclusion. Aside from the twist, my favorite part was how realistic the characters felt.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this!

I found this story extremely interesting. I’m a sucker for haunted houses with backstories, and this one was quite unique in the sense that… is it haunted? Or is it something else entirely? I enjoyed the premise, the relationships, and how it developed.

As this is a novella, it’s around 80 pages so there’s only so much one can include. I do wish there was more backstory to the characters and Flood House, and the ending felt a bit rushed. While the beginning and middle felt well developed, the ending was not enough for me, personally.

Regardless, I found this to be an enjoyable quick read!

An easy horror-mystery read.
The dialogues are simple and straightforward and the plot is not complicated unlike some horror mystery books. Its a fast book, under 100 pages novella.
However, I do find the ending’s revelation a little cliche and underwhelming.
Overall, an enjoyable horror book that hooks you with the storyline (a solid 3.25 rating)

Well. That one, was not for me. I mean the pace is good and the idea seems to be going somewhere but I found the ending quiet underwhelming.

They stayed in the kitchen like statues, listening with alert ears as something unwelcome moved in the room above them.

After reading and loving Waxwing Creek, I jumped at the chance to read this author's work once again. I have no regrets whatsoever.

There's something about J.J.'s writing that instantly draws me in. The way that he sets the tone of the book immediately, letting readers know what they can expect. The way that he crafts his characters that I instantly feel a connection with them. The way that his work, despite being short, can pack the punch of a full novel. All these things combined, makes for a great reading experience.

The Flowers at the Flood House, was a wonderfully written haunted house novella. It was creepy, dark, disturbing, tragic, and has an interesting backstory. I loved the gothic atmosphere, and the imagery. The story flowed well and didn't feel rushed at all. Despite, this being a novella, I didn't feel like I was reading a short book. The story was cohesive, easy to follow and didn't leave any plot holes. This is something I've encountered in other short stories/novellas.
I really enjoyed this one and loved the mention of Waxwing Creek. #iykyk!

Thank you to Netgalley, After Dusk Press and J.J. Walker, for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This had a lot of potential ! The messaging behind this with the idea of memories and how they linger and stay and can be triggered by anything really worked well and I loved the way it was executed ! I do think this would have gotten a higher rating if it was a fully fleshed out book because at points the storyline felt disjointed and jumpy with some things being mentioned and no overall explanation so drew me out of the story at points ! But it was super fast paced and an easy read and I definetly do want to read more from j.j in the future !
Thank you victory editing and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for a honest review !!!

This book was an easy, and captivating read. And while I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a true horror, it was great if you’re considering it more of a thriller. The themes of grief were explored wonderfully, and it really made me feel connected with these characters. I was a little disappointed in the ending, as i wanted to see just a little more of what happens to Seth after the resolution, but overall i would say i’m satisfied with the path this novella took. 3.5 stars for me.

This one did not really feel like a horror story to me.
I liked the different take on the haunted house trope. It's a solid and reliable piece of writing: nothing spectacular here.

3.5 stars

A quick and interesting supernatural novella. I liked the premise and the writing. I feel the characters were alright, but because you’re with them for such a short time, it feels like you don’t know them at all. I would’ve liked to know a little more about the characters and the town so I could fully visualize everything and feel more invested in the story.