Member Reviews

This was a great read and a pretty quick one as well. It was a little predictable but still entertaining.

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I gave this book 4 stars! It was a good story and once I picked it up I did not want to put down! I will be looking for more from this author!

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I did enjoy this, although I found it quite predictable and a bit slow at times, especially through the middle. I found my attention would wander elsewhere as I was waiting for something to happen. When things did start happening, it felt a little rushed and came to conclusion fairly quickly

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Really enjoyed reading this book, had me hooked from the beginning! Will definitely read more books from this author

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This was my first from this author and it was an intense ride! So many twists and turns. I didn't not see the ending coming at all! I do enjoy these type of books where I feel like I know how it's gonna end and then something crazy happens

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This is the first book that I’ve read by the author and it won’t be my last. Great plot and great character development. Held my interest throughout the whole book. Will be reading more by this author.

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A twisty, turny story that will have you guessing until the end. The twist at the end got me.

That characters will annoy you, intrigue you and I felt a little bit sorry for female lead. So many secrets, imposing family members and trauma from the past.

This book will grab your attention and keep you engaged.

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If you’re looking for a thrilling twist; look no more!
Good Bad Mother was such a fun and quick read. I did not expect the plot twist that came with this!

The writing style is not my favorite, it was still such a good book . I highly recommend the read!
#GoodBadMother #NetGalley #booksbooksbooks #booksonaburger

There was too much emphasis and mention that there was a secret

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I absolutely loved this debut read from Anya Mora! The mysterious letters that kept appearing added an irresistible, page-turning element that had me up late into the night. The setting—Cutter's Island—was the perfect eerie backdrop for this gripping thriller.

I’m eager to read more from Anya Mora and truly appreciate Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Good Bad Mother. If you're looking for a suspenseful read that will keep you hooked until the very last page, I highly recommend this one!

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𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you love:

✨Dual time lines
✨Unexpected ending
✨Discussion of postpartum struggle
✨Creep factor
✨Explosive plot twists
✨Faithful friends

This book is an incredible, unpredictable, anxiety provoking domestic thriller.

So you must be wondering what this gem of a book is about. The Good Bad Mother is about Amelia, who currently lives the life of luxury with her adoring new husband and brand new baby girl, in a beautiful home on an exclusive island off the coast of Seattle. On the surface Amelia appears to have it all. But behind that perfect facade, she has deep dark secrets and a past she wants to remain hidden. But someone on Cutters Island is digging up Amelia’s past, leaving anonymous notes, threatening to reveal her secrets and make her pay for the mistakes of her past. The stress of being a new mother, keeping secrets and running from her past are catching up with Amelia. She is starting to unravel. But now with the threatening notes, Amelia begins to spiral. The reader makes assumptions but be careful what you believe. All is not as it seems!

Good Bad Mother is the first book I’ve read by author Anya Mora and I’m so happy Bookouture and NetGalley introduced me to her.

#bookreview #bookstagram #newreleases #thrillerbooks

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Psychological Thriller

The perfect life- until it’s not. Will she unwind the past and find her baby in time?

The blurb for this was so dramatic, “Because I am not a perfect wife. I am not a good mother. But I am the perfect liar. No one knows what I have been through to get this life. And they shouldn’t underestimate how far I’ll go to get my baby back…”. I couldn’t wait to get started!
Amelia describes Timothy as the perfect husband but the more I read the less I believed that. The suspense built as did the need to know what did Amelia that night in her past? Timothy’s family and friends angered me more than once but this contributed to the drama of the reveals and ending. Big shock twist at the end with only some bits I found predictable, still really enjoyable.

Thank you so much to @bookoutre and @netgalley for this ARC!! I loved it ♥️

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I was totally gripped by the first half of this book, and then it totally dropped off for me. I felt the need to provide an alternative ending, in which Hazel, by divine cosmic justice, gets into a car accidents causing the death of both Timothy and Celeste. The reader is left wondering if this "accident" was intentional, despite Hazel being arrested for vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. The epilogue concludes with Meadow meeting Sylvie and Hazel in prison for *family bonding time*

But seriously, why did the Sterlings just ride off into the sunset when they sucked? You absolutely know Timothy was going to keep Amelia locked up in custody battles until the end of eternity. She left that plot hole wide open, when it could have been solved so easily.

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I loved this first read by Anya Mora. The letters that kept showing up added a lot to the page-turning, keep me up at night part of this thriller. The setting, Cutter's Island, was perfect for this book. I hope to see more from Anya Mora and am always thankful to Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced copy of "Good Bad Mother." I recommend this book if you are looking for a book to keep you up at night or to finish in one sitting.

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This book dives into the idea that the past always comes back to haunt you—especially when secrets are involved. The protagonist keeps a deep, dark secret from her husband, which inevitably causes problems. While I understand that secrets in relationships are common in fiction, it felt frustrating that such a major secret could go unnoticed for so long. Love may be blind, but to this extent?

The novel also highlights the dangers of living near in-laws who don’t like you—especially when they have a soft spot for your husband’s former lover. The family dynamics are intense and messy, adding layers of intrigue. The characters were well-crafted, and the plot was engaging, keeping me turning the pages.

That said, while the story maintained the author’s signature style of suspense, some elements felt predictable or overly dramatic. The themes of secrecy and complicated family relationships were compelling, but at times, they leaned into cliché territory.

Overall, the book had strong character development and an interesting plot. It captured the tension and intrigue I expect from this author, and I’ll continue reading more of their work.

Rating: 3.5/5 – A solid, engaging read with some familiar tropes.

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Told from multiple perspectives, this one kept me on my feet until the final, twisty reveal. While this was far-fetched and redundant at times, it still kept me intrigued as to where this was going. The writing style was similar to a McFadden read and is great for a flight or beach read. Three and a half stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

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4 1/2 stars

I'd like to thank netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with the ARC for Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora.

Told in different timelines, Amelia a new Mother is having a rough time. She hardly ever gets to see her husband who is always working as a cop. His Mother is breathing down her neck and she feels like she can never do anything right. The gaslighting that she receives is disgusting and I have not had a character that I hate as much as him in a long time. This is a thrilling novel.

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Amelia as she is now known as has a past life that she has kept hidden from the few people that she allows into her life, even her new husband and his family .
Now this is all being threatened by someone who knows and is in intent on taking away all that she now loves .
A brilliant book from start to finish.

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Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Good Bad Mother

This one took a bit to get into. Lots of back-and-forth and insecurities with Amelia that could’ve been cut down A LOT. Very drawn out and very vague, until about half way.

Good twists though.!

2/5 ⭐️

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First of all, great cover. Im always attracted to a great cover. I really wanted to love this book but the ending was disappointing. It was too predictable. I didnt really connect with the characters.

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This was a really well done psychological thriller novel and had that concept that I was looking for from the description. Anya Mora has a great way of telling the story and keeping the reader engaged with what was happening. The characters worked well in the story and was hooked from the first page. I'm glad I got to read this and was enjoying the suspenseful atmosphere going on through this.

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