A review by sarahesterman
Little Deaths by Nenia Campbell

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 When I finished this book yesterday, I closed the cover of my kindle, sat up straight (from the bent over bridge troll position I usually read in), took a deep breath, and said to my husband, “10/10; no notes.” While it was a little silly for me to say because nowhere do I rate books out of 10, the sentiment stands. 

 

(Well, maybe there’s one note: I wanted more Powderpuff. But that’s just because I like dogs and have a soft spot for poms.) 

 

I just loved this book so much. Horror/slasher thriller isn’t my usual fare, but damn did Nenia Campbell deliver with Little Deaths. I spent the pages at-once in awe of Campbell’s prose and the details she chose to include—just so fucking good, omg—and also genuinely scared for and invested in the lives of Rafe and Donni. (I will say knowing this was a romance and that the ill-advised pair would be getting their happy ending did help.) 

 

Speaking of the characters. I loved Donni. She felt real and raw, and her choices throughout the book made so much sense to me. I loved the look into the seediness of the scream queen industry. I loved that we got to see her through the eyes of some pretty gross men with the interspersed reviews of her films—and how that affected her motivations. I loved the details about her wardrobe and her dog, and how out of place she felt in the community. More than anything, I wanted her to get hers. 

 

But I also loved Rafe?? I think it could be easy to read Rafe’s POV at face value. He seems so serious. He seems so dangerous. But then you take a step back and you’re like, “Ohhh, he’s just a grown up emo who’s been pining for his stepmother for the last ten years. So much so that he’s still a virgin, basically wrote (successful) fan fiction about her, and has gone so far as to try and recreate her perfume and buy costume jewelry from her movies. A piece of which he wears to meet her for the first time when they reunite.” Like he’s a little bit loser-ish, but in the best way? 

 

 He seemed far less a danger to Donni to me after I realized that. (Which I appreciated, by the way, because she was in enough danger as it was.) And together, Rafe and Donni did make sense. They fit together like two really messed up puzzle pieces. He saw her when no one else did, and my little heart found that very romantic, despite some of his more fucked up actions. 

 

There’s so much else I could say about this book, but I can’t give it all away in the review. But yeah, pretty near a perfect book from my POV.