Courtney Hickling, Author

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📚 Why BookTok Won’t Love The Missing Reflection

Not every book is meant for every reader, and that’s a good thing.

Here’s a quick, honest breakdown of why The Missing Reflection might not be a BookTok favorite… and why the right readers tend to love it anyway.

• It’s not a romantasy: No sword fights, dragons, or chosen ones

• It’s not a spicy romance: There is a romance subplot, but it’s a slow burn that develops across the series

• It’s a slow-burn paranormal mystery: Tension builds quietly, not explosively

• There are no jump scares: The unease creeps in instead

• It may leave you feeling unsettled… and questioning your reflection a little longer than expected

If you prefer atmosphere, symbolism, eerie small towns, and mysteries that trust you to be patient, this book might be exactly your kind of read.

📖 Want to grab a copy? Head to www.courtneyhickling.com/books.

Now I’m curious 👇

Do you prefer slow-burn tension or fast-paced chaos when you read?

#Lemon8Books #IndieAuthorLife #ParanormalMystery #BookishThoughts #SlowBurnReads

1/8 Edited to

Reading The Missing Reflection was a refreshing change from the usual fast-paced plots dominating paranormal fiction. Instead of dragons or flashy magical battles, the story draws you in with its carefully crafted atmosphere and nuanced characters. What I enjoyed most was how the tension mounts incrementally—no abrupt scares, just a creeping unease that stays with you even after closing the book. The subtle romance subplot unfolds slowly, which felt more authentic and allowed deeper character development over time. If you prefer stories that respect your patience and invite you to unravel mysteries alongside the characters, this book fits perfectly. The eerie small-town setting adds layers of symbolism and mood that linger with you, making you reflect—quite literally—on the theme of identity and perception. Unlike typical BookTok favorites known for high-energy drama or spicy romance, The Missing Reflection offers something different: a quiet, thoughtful narrative that challenges readers to pay attention to the details and embrace slower storytelling. This makes it a hidden gem for those who appreciate atmospheric and psychological depth in paranormal mysteries.

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