Book Review: THE SORROWSTONES

by | Jan 5, 2026 | Book Reviews, Reviews, The Horror Review News | 0 comments

The Sorrowstones
Felix Blackwell
Independently published (November 4, 2025)
Reviewed by Carson Buckingham

The Sorrowstones is a cursed artifact, coming-of-age novel that I blew through in an afternoon—it is that good.

Every Halloween, beginning at age 11, Cole Graves finds a little something extra in his candy-stuffed pillowcase.

A carved figurine…and he receives a different one for each Halloween until age 17.

But not any old figurines. They have the power to bring miraculous improvement to Cole’s life—but with a horrific cost that he doesn’t figure out until it is nearly too late. But don’t judge him for his delayed action. That can be put down to the fact that he was faced with too complex a moral dilemma for a boy his age to wrestle with, even as his world falls apart around him, and so he doesn’t take direct action until he matures a little by his late high school years. All in all, it’s a tough, heartbreaking way to learn that nothing is free. The figurines set off a nightmarish chain of events, somewhat reminiscent of W. W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw,” and Cole makes it his mission in life to get rid of the execrable things, discovering, in the process, that it would be easier to touch up the Sistine Chapel ceiling than to lose these bad pennies. The figurines didn’t just find their way to Cole randomly, and eventually, his mother reveals a horrifying secret about herself and his father, which then causes everything to make sense…and not in a good way.

The takeaway of the book is how monsters can be created through abuse and bullying. The figurines are the physical manifestation of such prolonged torment. And this is the true horror behind the horror, along with the consequences of the choices that we make.

Felix Blackwell is a horror author who is going places, so keep your eye on him. You’ll be thinking about the book for days after you finish it. The writing is darkly beautiful, his characters so real that they practically step off the page, and his pacing is right on. He writes as well, if not better than Stephen King. Brilliant supernatural suspense blended with emotional depth will have you on the edge of your seat until the final shocking page is turned.

I can’t recommend The Sorrowstones highly enough. You’ll be proud to add this book to your personal library. I know I was.  An enthusiastic 5 out of 5 stars.

About Carson Buckingham

Professionally, Carson Buckingham has made her way in life doing all manner of things, most of which involve arson. She is currently employed as a freelance writer on a work release program. In her spare time, she studies forensics, in hopes of applying her new knowledge to eluding the authorities more effectively the next time. She is originally from Connecticut, but now resides in Kentucky—and Connecticut is glad to be rid of her.

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