This book was okay. I found it predictable in some places and kind of rushed in others. I did enjoy it though

This was okay but there wasn’t anything particularly special about it. It was too predictable for me and I expected it to be more creepy and atmospheric. Sadly, not for me.

A one of a kind book that I needed to read with the lights on. This was a wild ride for sure! I’m not easily rattled, but there were definitely parts of this book that creeped me out and the ending is absolutely skin-crawling!

Although I did enjoy this quite unique storyline, it's not my favourite psychological thriller from this year. The middle section of the book was quite testing, and at times I debated whether to continue or not.

Honestly think it'd make a great TV show!

Although I found the opening chapter of this brilliant (the scene with the girls in the forest and Bloody Mary was deliciously creepy) however I found it lost its way a little bit as the story progressed.

I found Maeve an interesting character. Growing up in such a secluded, closed off cult where all manners of horrific things happened will certainly affect your adulthood. And for Maeve that manifests as someone who's a bit of a loner, with no steady relationship to speak of and general loneliness. And an aversion to children. Can't say I blame her. Andrea I disliked. And not just because she's supposed to be unlikeable, but more because we as the reader never really delve the depths of her motivations and therefore I couldn't connect with her actions. A lot is disbelief was suspended. Same goes for Tyler. And Micah.

I also think the plot kind of got away from itself and the messages it was trying to get across about feminism, motherhood and this idea that the only thing women are good for is making babies and being the perfect mother and wife. It all gets a bit convoluted and ridiculous as the story goes on, with some weird stuff happening with the timeline along the way to try and 'fit' into the narrative (I'm talking time between sex and finding out you're pregnant.... It's takes more than a day people).

Some good elements, but I wish we'd spent more time with the cult and less time with the weird, futuristic creepy baby new age group.

This is a great psychological thriller. Strong, original storyline and good, creepy atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this one, it kept me hooked the whole way through, even though i did guess the twists that didnt take away from the feel of the book.

That freaky cover alone made me desperate to get my hands on this read. As soon as we officially came into spooky season, I got stuck straight in.

The novel has two timelines, exploring the past and present. The book is pegged as horror, but the prologue's eerie atmosphere fades after the first chapter, reducing the horror element in my opinion. The cover seems to be the main reason it is categorised as such, which is a shame.

Although intriguing, the story's best parts are the beginning and the end, with the middle being just alright. The lag in the middle did make it feel a bit of a slog to get through at points. I feel like the author could have explored the cult's dynamics to give a better understanding, that might have lifted the middle for me.

The protagonist's naivety was an attempt to build up a surprise factor for the ending, which was good but predictable. The Stepford Wives' ideal mother goal resembled the cult's practices.

Overall, a decent thriller with a unique concept and a few surprises, but horror depends on the reader's interpretation. The reader should be cautious about the trigger warnings before reading.

I don't know what I expected but it wasn't this, Im not sure how the book was pitched or why on earth I thought it was sci-fi but that's on me. Once I grasped the plot I really enjoyed it. I had a sickening dread in my stomach throughout and had to put the book down several times to regroup. With ties to cults, motherhood, desperation and influence. It was a thrilling thriller.

I raced through this book in two days (only stopping because I needed to sleep and work because being an adult sucks). It was such a wonderful take on the horror genre that is cult-based. There were times when I wanted to SCREAM at the main character to THINK and get herself out of situations. It felt like watching a horror movie where you are screaming at the TV, which I love to do regularly. I enjoyed the characters and the sheer intensity that surrounded the whole book. And….it was downright creepy. I had been looking forward to this one for ages and the cover had drawn me in instantly. It did not disappoint. Addictive.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I really wanted to read this last year when it was released in the US and was so excited when I saw it on NetGalley!

This is a horror/thriller/literary fiction novel following Maeve who escaped from a cult called “The Mother Collective” when she was eight years old. She has spent years trying to find her cousin Andrea who was also removed from the cult as they were separated during the raid. After pretty much giving up hope Maeve receives a message from Andrea on a DNA ancestry website and the two connect again. Before she knows it she’s immersed in Andrea’s world in her upstate New York mansion surrounded by robot babies. Yes you read that right. Andrea is CEO of NewLife which is a life coaching company that mainly focuses on motherhood and has recently developed a line of AI babies to support grieving mothers and to prepare expectant mothers. As Maeve continues to spend time at the mansion she realises that certain things echo her past and that she might need to confront it to survive what happens next.

This was extremely interesting and had a lot of interesting commentary on motherhood and womanhood in general. The main character doesn’t want children while her cousin and her friends are obsessed with being mothers and having babies as they feel that is “all women are made for” which creates some interesting conversations and conflicts. The plot itself was well paced, I read this in pretty much one sitting because I wanted to see what happened at the end. I wouldn’t say this novel is scary per se, it’s definitely eerie though and you can tell something is wrong beneath the perfect veneer of Andrea’s life.

In terms of characters I thought Maeve was a good main character and definitely very strong for the most part but at times she could be extremely naive. I as the reader could see what was going on, the red flags were just coming at her and she was completely ignoring them which seemed out of character for me. So many of the twists were obvious and if there’s one thing I hate it’s waiting for the character to understand something I already do.

Apart from that the writing was really beautiful and the plot was unique and thought provoking. I definitely recommend this if you like the sound of the premise. I would describe this book as a car crash (in a good way), you want to but you can’t look away. It gets very dark at times so please check trigger warnings. This will be released on 26th September this year so go ahead and pre order it!

Women cult leaders and reproductive rights seem a popular topic for writers (E.g Growing season, Helen sedgewick, silence project, The power naomi alderson) - or maybe its just my choice of books.
However Ms Heltzel managed to carve out her own path, and I whizzed through the well written novel with a clever ending. Although on reflection the day after, I realise I'm not sure of the Mother's beliefs or the motives for many of their actions, which is a shame.
Thank you to netgalley and Verve for an advance copy of this book.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I loved the idea of this but I found the dialogue a little bit stiff and unnatural. There were also a few plot points that seemed very unrealistic. However I will say there were points that were so uneasy (in a good way) and tense where I was texting my friend saying “I know somethings weird here I just don’t know what yet”

I've been loving this book's title and the creepy doll cover of this book since it first released.

I was honestly underwhelmed by the first three quarters of the book because it feels like you're just waiting for the train wreck to come. It's wasn't nail biting so much as annoying that Maeve couldn't see what I could.

But the last part was fantastic and creeped me the f*** out. The book's take on motherhood/womanhood is chilling and I'm definitely going to be thinking about this for a while.

Thanks to Netgalley and Verve Books for the e-copy!

3.5/5

After reading the blurb I definitely wanted to read this book. Unfortunately for me it did not live up to what was promised. I found it very slow and there was too much filler. It was too long would have been better as a novella. The best part was the last third when the author went completely over the top. Avoid this book I wish I did.
I will not be posting a review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in return for an honest review.

Well, this is a bit of a wild ride!

SYNOPSIS:

"The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.

When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory."

MY THOUGHTS:

🤰🏻 This story eerie explores the complexities of mother-daughter bonds.

🤰🏻 Heltzel skillfully portrays the complexities, conflicts, and unconditional love that can exist within these bonds, mainly through the protagonist Maeve.

🤰🏻 Maeve and Andrea's relationship is utterly intriguing and mysterious, which made for compulsive reading.

🤰🏻 Heltzel blends psychological suspense with literary fiction, which made this such an addictive story.

🤰🏻 As Maeve start to unravel the truth about her past and attempts to understand her present reality, we soon discover there's a web of secrets, manipulation, and hidden motives that keep you turning the pages.

🤰🏻 I loved Heltzel's writing, it's so vivid, descriptive, immersive and atmospheric, it's this style that made the book feel like horror, suspense with a large splash of contemporary fic.

🤰🏻 Not only does this story explore motherhood, but it also digs deep into the sense of identity, belonging, nature vs nurture and the perceptions of truth and reality.

🤰🏻 The writing, the premise, the protagonist, and the dark plot twists make this such a compelling read that stayed with me for a while after reading.

Tragically I can’t give this book a proper review as it was archived the day I got a notification saying I’d been accepted to review it, but it is very much in my TBR pile and I hope to read it soon as it sounds excellent!

This book had me so uneasy and on edge the entire time I was reading it. Two of my favourite feelings 😉 I knew the shit was going to hit the fan and almost everyone in this book knows it too apart from our MC which builds a solid amount of tension alongside delivering the reader with a hefty sense of guilt and frustration as you sit back and slowly watch her entire world unravel. Taking a good look at society’s views of femininity and womanhood, I absolutely love that the author took an attitude which still strongly circulates today and turned it into a cult full of fanatics!! If you like the sound of Rosemarys Baby mixed with The Handmaids Tale and a dollop of Servant then this is the book for you.

I have this book 4.5 stars

The last time Maeve saw her cousin, Andrea, was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in.

Two decades later Andrea suddenly reappears in Maeve's life where she has worked hard to build a normal life for herself.

If you're looking for a book based around a cult then look no further. This is a wild ride of a book that I don't want to delve into as I feel you need to go in somewhat blind.

It took my a good chunk of the book to actually like Maeve, at first she annoyed me but I soon warmed up to her.

Full of twists, turns, and toxic relationships this is an addictive read.

This book was crazy, a wild ride from start to finish! I kinda realised what was going to happen before it started but it was so much more f**ked up than I could have anticipated! It was amazing, I couldn't put this book down.
The pacing is perfect and I was literally left speechless at the end! As if the cult element wasn't bad enough we have creepy as all hell AI dolls 👀
An intense build up to a quick spiral and a jaw dropping ending this one left my skill crawling! I highly recommend to horror lovers. An easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me and I will be investing in a physical copy for my shelf 👶

I loved the description but the book wasn’t exactly the same.

There are pointless parts in this story, aiming for a horror vibe maybe? Regardless they don’t hit the mark and the writing is slow slow slow fast slow.

Couldn’t really get into it.