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Book 210📚 5⭐️

OOOOOOOOOOOO!!! What the actual FUCK.

Definitely one of my tops for 2023!! This story is absolutely WILD.

And that ending?!😱🤯

Biiiitch you‘ve GOT to be kidding.

Um. So, this story about a woman who escapes a matriarchal cult when she was a child and is later reunited with her estranged cousin is bonkers. And not necessarily in a good way. It just seemed to go from one unbelievable thing to the next. I read it all, which explains the rating…but really it felt sort of breathless and the characters were under developed. There was unrealized potential here. Mediocre at best.

Disturbing, impeccably paced, and memorable. One of the best psychological horror novels released in the past 5 years.

Just Like Mother started with a bang: my jaw was left agape, wondering how much someone would be affected by the living conditions that the children survived, and acknowledging that this actually happens in real life!

This novel is described as a "suspenseful modern gothic debut," and she definitely lives up to that expectation.

I appreciate what I think this novel was trying to do, which was to point out the absurd pressure on women to procreate. However, parts of this book were so over-the-top ridiculous and disturbing at the same time, that I couldn't rate it higher. Nice try though. The topic of motherhood can certainly be horrific.

Maeve and Andrea were raised in a men-free cult called The Mother Collective. When Maeve is 7 the children are put into foster care/adoption. Many years later Maeve reconnects with Andrea through a DNA test.

There are many warning signs that Maeve ignores, causing me to be very frustrated with her. It is only when her life is in danger that she finally wakes up to the truth. I felt the plot was pretty predictable. The ending was a bit chilling.

A very creepy tale about a woman who thought she had escaped The Mother Collective. Slow burn thriller that was just too creepy.

Eerie cult novel with a dystopian flavor. Skin-crawling with a ton of creepy moments & situations. Moves at a steady clip with some good twists & unsettling moments that rank high on the psychologically messed up scale. Somewhat predictable, but disturbing. The protagonist can be dumb, making ridiculous choices & oblivious to some strong “this is a trap“ vibes, but it's still a good, fun read with good intrigue & excellent ick character.

This was somewhat creepy but mostly I just found it to be campy AF. Maybe it‘s my ‘rona brain, but I found myself laughing hysterically at bits that I don‘t think I was meant to. Still it was an entertaining read and I‘m always up for a cult narrative.

This cover isn‘t creepy at all.

Psychological thrillers are definitely my jam. But that maybe applies to all of the things. Books. I like books. For sure.

Jk. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I could not put it down.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

7-21-22: My 70th finished book of 2022! This story from start to finish was insane, but I loved it. It surprised me numerous times and made my skin crawl. Maeve, is in search of her cousin, Andrea, who she hasn‘t seen in over 2 decades. When they finally reconnect, Maeve is invited to spend some quality time reconnecting with her only true family member. That‘s all I can say! You have to read it to get all the twists and turns!

Reminds me of when I was little and I had a baby alive doll that I couldn‘t take care of whatsoever

Family. Can‘t live with them …. Can‘t …. Live… With…. Them. #thatisall

When you combine, cults, motherhood, and creepy baby like AI dolls, you get one twisted, unsettling read. I‘m unnerved by cults and women cults so this his all the special dark vibes for me. Highly recommend!

3¾⭐The first ¾'s of this felt like it was just meandering, directionless even. Then the last ¼ came along and I was like…oh, well this just got interesting. Did the ending make up for the rest of the story? Yeah, sort of…but not completely. That cover though, especially with the one jaundiced-looking eye…super creepy. If you‘re wondering if a doll plays a part in the story other than just being on the cover and giving out creepy vibes. Oh yeah!

I loved this book. It was not horror but more of a thriller and I loved the plot. It kept me interested and engaged. I just picked this up on a whim with my audible credit and I'm so glad I did. Skin-crawlingly creepy. It's a MUST READ for thriller fans and fans of thrillers that involve family Dynamics and cults! So much fun, I'm sad it over 😢

#NetGalley #AudioARC

Chilling tale about two cousins who grow up together but get separated when they are young only to reconnect as adults.

This creative thriller deals with motherhood, cults, and what happens when science is used for personal gains. Heltzel had some gory moments in this book that made my skin crawl. The build-up is slow at first but once the story takes off it spirals into a wild ride.

I was let down with my first Audible pick this month so I did some digging in new books and came up with this. It sounds like a captivating tale, not quite horror but definitely beyond the average thriller. I'm going to indulge today and listen!

Happy Publication Day! I really enjoyed this darkly horrifying book. Maeve and Andrea are cousins mistaken for twins, despite the three year difference. But after growing up in the same home, at eight, their family is broken and it‘s only by chance the cousins are reunited. But this doesn‘t lead to happier times as it‘s quickly apparent that Andrea has plans for Maeve- plans that Maeve wants no part of. Engaging & original, I couldn‘t put it down!

Now Available! 🥳🎉📚

Book Review- https://www.boleybooks.com/2022/02/18/just-like-mother/

#boleybooks #JustLikeMother #anneheltzel #netgalley #bookbeast #bookjoy #bookrelease #bookbuds

This book filled me with such unease from the start. Although the horror mounts slowly, the dread is ever-present. This isn‘t necessarily a twisty book, as the ones you should fear are evident early on, but it still manages to fling a few shocks at the reader on its way to the big finish.

My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4367693454

This novel is creepy, dark, gothic, and chilling! Andrea and Maeve grew up together as cousins but lost touch after being adopted. Maeve rediscovers her friend and that‘s when things turn sinister. Now I‘m waiting for this to be a movie as the pictures in my head are buzzing my brain!
Thanks to #NetGalley for this exploration of friendship, motherhood, and betrayal!

Tackle the TBR 🤓📚 #boleybooks #bookblog #Justlikemother #anneheltzel #bookbeast #bookjoy #netgalley #bookbuds
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