Maybe I just don’t like Sarah Vaughan’s writing. I found Anatomy of a Scandal extremely tedious, and Little Disasters was the same. I slogged through it and finally gave up about 65% of the way through. The story was annoying, the characters idiotic, and the writing boring.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Liz is working and a doctor in the ER when her friends Jess and Ed bring their baby, Betsy in with a head trauma that occurred several hours before. Despite their friendship, Jess agrees with others that feel an investigation into child abuse is warranted. The book is told from several perspectives, mostly Liz, who had a rough relationship with her mother and Jess, who has been struggling since the birth of her third child.

I was sent a widget from the publisher and probably should have declined based on the subject matter, but instead went for it since there seems to be nothing to do but read during lockdown. This was a well written book with a twist I didn’t expect at the end. For most of the book, I felt like I was reading a family drama and a postpartum depression account and couldn’t figure out why it was billed a mystery thriller. That became clear at the end but the mystery took too long to get to and the subject matter really isn’t my thing. I am not a fan or babies or kids really and don’t love books that revolve around motherhood. Not a bad book, just not my thing.

I would like to begin this review by saying that it's very rare for me to not finish a book once I get started. I see it as a commitment to the story to let it unfold in its entirety before I pass judgment. I have finished many books that I've then given 1 star. However, I had to stop reading this around 25% of the way through. Obviously that means I'm reviewing this novel without knowing the entire story, so I'm going to be as fair as I possibly can and base my rating on what I did read.

First of all, had I known the "mystery" that was at the heart of this book, I never would have requested it. The back blurb was very vague and only mentioned "dark thoughts," but I think readers need to know upfront that the main plot point of this novel surrounds a woman with potential postpartum psychosis (not to be confused with postpartum depression). This means that she has frequent thoughts about hurting her child and this could be very triggering for some readers. (This isn't a spoiler, as this is made known to the reader within the first few chapters.)

Now I'm not sure if the character in question actually committed the heinous acts of which she's suspected because I didn't get that far, but the "dark thoughts" she has are extremely unsettling, to the point at times that I felt so disturbed I had to stop reading and go hug my toddler just to fight back the tears. I've read some of the most gruesome of murder mysteries and thrillers in my day, but I guess after having a kid myself, I am just too sensitive when it comes to violence against children to read a story like this. Those with thicker skins may be able to handle it, but I was not prepared for such descriptive brutality against an infant.

My other complaint is how this mother's illness is presented. Given that I only read a quarter of the book, I'm hoping that my initial impression on how the author handles this topic is wrong and that she gets it right by the end. However, it seems to me that the reader is led to believe this is what happens when a mother deals with too much pressure. Anyone who's had a baby can attest to how difficult the first few months with a newborn are and it can be even harder for those who have little to no support. However, women who commit these kinds of acts are mentally ill and not simply stressed by the overwhelming responsibilities of being a mother. I hope that's made clear by the end of the book.

Long story short, I couldn't finish this. The subject matter put a bad taste in my mouth and I was deeply unsettled by the descriptive violence against a baby. That being said, the writing was fine, the characters were believable, and there certainly is a level of suspense overall. Based on the number of good reviews, it's probably a decent enough read if you have thicker skin than I do.

This is not what I thought it would be. It was definitely a thought provoking book and really made you think what you will do to protect your children, even if that means the possibility of losing your children in the process.
I know this happens, the terrible negative thought you may have after having a child. This one was so intense that it made me sad.
The characters were written well, a little jumbled. Maybe it just wasn't the book for me?

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!!

Liz sees her best friend Jess as a stay-at-home mother-of-three with boundless reserves of patience, energy, and love. But when Jess, arrives at the hospital, where Liz works as a nurse, with her young daughter she begins to wonder what's wrong with Jess.

Jess’s daughter, Betsey, has suffered a head trauma, but what is even more perplexing to Liz, is Jess’s lack of concern about the situation. Why didn’t Jess rush her daughter to the hospital when the accident first happened? How did it happen? Something about the way Jess keeps avoiding Liz's questions surprises her and she wonders what is Jess hiding?

Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface—and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself. The truth can’t come soon enough.

I really enjoyed reading this and the ending was surprising since I didn't expect it !!

Didn’t really care for this one. I wanted it to be scarier than it was. There were parts that I had hoped were goin* to turn it around but it never really got there for me. I wasn’t horrible by any means, but it wasn’t anything special. It had potential to be, but didn’t.

I went into this book with the predetermined notion that this was a thriller and/or suspense. While there were moments of this novel that had twists and turns similar to those that are in the genre, I feel that this novel is more related to a drama.

Jess seems to have it all together. As a stay-at-home mom, she is the one that always looks well put together with an endless supply of patience and acceptance of her children. Liz, a friend and pediatrician, finds herself looking up to Jess as a mother. This is until Jess' child comes to the ER with a broken skull, prompting Liz to start asking questions. Is Jess all that she seems to be or is there something that Jess is hiding?

This novel was a quick read and a wonderful depiction of something that our country likes to ignore - post partum depression, Bravo Sarah Vaughan for tackling an issue in an unique way, and in a way that can capture a wide variety of readers as an audience.

Jess is the mom that seems to have it all together. However when her baby ends up in the ER with a skull fracture Liz, one of her closest friends and also a pediatric doctor, is forced to get social services involved. Jess denies ever hurting her baby, but her behavior makes Liz question everything she knows about her friend. Could Jess truly have hurt her little girl or did something else happen to cause something so horrific?

I’m so happy I got this as an ARC! It was a quick read for me. While this book is advertised as a mystery / thriller I don’t think it really fits that genre. It’s definitely a drama with a few twists. I really enjoyed seeing the different POV from all the characters and the background build. As someone who works with kids in the medical field and is also a mother this book really hot close to home. I really enjoyed it!

I loved this book for several reasons. It brought much needed attention to mothers dealing with postpartum depression and who are too afraid to ask for help. And also addresses children with emotional challenges.

It begins with Jess's daughter Betsey being taken to the hospital and then discovering she has a concussion. Soon the police, her best friend Liz, and ER doctors suspect Jess of intentionally hurting her baby.
The story was fast paced and kept me interested. I did not see the twist at the end coming! Definitely recommend.

I consider myself fairly educated and I do read a lot of fiction by European authors but there were a ton of words in this book that just left me scratching my head because I had no idea what they meant
This is one of those books that it's hard to do a review without giving a minor spoiler.
All I will say is that you will come to find you hated the wrong people but for the right reasons! Pediatrician Liz has just found her friend's baby admitted to her hospital with what appears to be a head injury. When the tests prove it is a fractured skull, the questions begin. While trying to separate professional opinion from personal feelings, Liz also finds herself amidst a family tragedy with the decline of her mother's health. As the story reads on, we learn about the tragic past from Liz's family, including the mystery surrounding the death of her baby sister Clare. No one, especially Liz expected what truth was finally revealed as her mother faced a certain soon death.
Jess's story also begins to unfold. What we think we see, the fake sweetness she seems to exude sometimes around baby Betsey is not what it is. This story is kind of Iike an onion with lots of layers. One by one as the layers peel back we see who has been lying and who is telling the truth. So who hurt baby Betsey? You won't know unless you read til the end!

Very good book! A thought provoking and enjoyable read. I was surprised by the ending and was please that it wasn't predictable. I had my mind made up about how the accident happened throughout the whole story and was pleasantly surprised to see I was wrong.

Book Review: Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan, to be available August 2020 from Atria Books/Simon & Schuster

First let me thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this novel in its prepublication stage in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Isabel Dasilva for the personal invitation!

First – let me say an overall wow. It was definitely a page turner. The plot is compelling. What happened to Jess’s baby? Pediatrician Liz Trenchard is in the emergency room when he friend Jess shows up with her baby girl. There is something clearly wrong and the evidence points to an obvious blow to the head. The story Jess tells doesn’t feel right and it gets curiouser and curiouser as time goes on. Without introducing spoilers here about what happens, I can tell you that Sarah Vaughan expertly introduces doubt about Jess and the potential for what may have happened.

The Characters: Liz is a wonderful character with a complex life and a tragic childhood and an abusive, alcoholic mother (Janet) whose early home life and has not only pushed her into her career as a pediatrician but colored many of her thoughts and compassion for what may have occurred. Jess’ husband Ed, who is a workaholic but suddenly starts questioning what may have happened himself, even though in his heart of hearts he believes that there is no way that Jess would have harmed their child.

What I liked: The twist towards the end. I loved how the reveal came slowly. Never saw it coming – which is the best part for me. I loved to be surprised by an author and a plot twist. Great job Sarah! I didn’t really like Jess in the beginning of the book when her OCD was so overwhelming and she kept silent. I suppose that’s a reality – but it kept the suspense so tight in the beginning – which was a good thing.

What I didn’t like – I guess it is surprising that no one else picked up on Jess’ compulsions. Was Ed around so little that he didn’t figure out how OCD she was? Or had she always been like that even prior to children so he just overlooked it all. Perhaps a little more background on Jess’ childhood might explain (did I miss that?) why she was so OCD.

Overall a fantastic read and great for mothers who may be doubting their ability to cope. You’re not as alone as you think you are.

A great read and life lesson! Relatable characters who taught me something about mental health and my friendships with other moms. Though it felt like a slow build in the beginning, I was hooked until the very last word.

What a rollercoaster of a book. The pressure people put on themselves to be perfect. The dark resentments and self centred ness that drives people to do horrible things. How easy is it to miss life changing behaviours.

Love the author and really enjoyed the book didn’t really put it down. Thankyou

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the ARC of Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan.

Liz, a pediatric doctor, has bonded with several women when they were all a part of a prenatal group while they were pregnant with their first born children. Liz gets called into the pediatric ER on a Friday night. As she is leaving the hospital to go home, she sees Jess; one of her friends from the prenatal group. Jess has brought her young daughter Betsey into the ER. Concerned, Liz inquires about Betsey. Eventually, it is determined that Betsey has a fracture to the back of her skill and a subdural hematoma compressing her brain. When asked, Jess claims that Betsey fell and bumped her head; although she didn’t actually see her fall. Further investigation by doctors reveals that the child’s injury is likely due to being slammed down hard on a changing table. Jess is reported to the appropriate authorities resulting in an investigation of the incident and causing tension with her friend Liz.

The incident stirs up memories for Liz regarding her childhood. Liz lost her baby sister to SIDS when she was a child. Liz’s mother, in present day, is suffering from cancer. Liz is struggling to form a connection with her mother as her unpleasant memories of her childhood are consuming her. Liz spots similarities between her mother and her friend Jess. As more is revealed throughout the story, Liz will discover what really happened to her baby sister. She will also discover what really happened to Betsey; her friend’s daughter.

Are her mother and her friend Jess evil? Are they “bad” mothers? Are they telling the truth about what happened to their children? You will have to read and discover for yourself!

Little Disasters is a fast paced suspense/thriller. But, it also sheds light on mental health issues that coexist with motherhood which I appreciated as a woman as well as a reader. Sarah Vaughan has the reader guessing right up the end! Little Disasters is a must read and is due out on 8/18/2020. You won’t want to miss it!

Liz, a pediatrician, is on duty when her fried Jess brings her daughter to the hospital. Betsey is ten moths old and has an injury that doesn’t track with what Jess tells Liz about the circumstances. It becomes obvious that Betsey has a fractured skull, Liz doesn’t want to involve any social agencies, but knows she must whether Jess is a friend or not. Liz doesn’t think that the Jess she knows could possibly have hurt her baby. Or could she? Liz is also grappling with her relationaship with her own mother, who has secrets of her own, I couldn’t put this book down. I’ll be looking for other titles by Sarah Vaughn.

Oo y’all this one was SO exciting to read!! I could not stop reading it after the first page. I just kept on going because the suspense was fantastic! Go and read it now!

Wow, what a book to be reading for Mother's Day!? Without spoiling any of the details...

Jess appears to be the perfect stay at home mom. A beautiful person, with a beautiful home, unlimited patience with her children ... the "perfect life." Until one moment changes it all. Suddenly nothing she does or says makes sense make any even the people closest to her and left without knowing what to think.

Incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. This one pulled at every motherly string in my and left me gasping for breath. A book I won't soon forget and I'll surely be back for more!!

This was a good look at family, motherhood and how different people deal. I wanted to shake some of the characters to wake them up to what was happening. Well written.

3.5 stars

Don’t open this book thinking what you’re about to read is a mystery/suspense/thriller. While it has small elements of that genre, that is not what this book read like to me. If there’s a takeaway from Little Disasters, it is that mental health is important. Please talk to someone!

She is a stay-at-home mother-of-three with boundless reserves of patience, energy, and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything. Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface—and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend and about herself.

If I didn’t find this book to be a mystery/suspense/thriller, how would I classify it? I’m not as familiar with all the genres out there as I’m sure some of you are, so I’m not sure where I would put this book. Perhaps in Women’s Fiction? I guess genre does not really matter but consider this your heads up that this is not what I would 100% call a mystery/suspense/thriller.

What this book was, was too detailed in places. There were long sentences of description that caused me to lose focus. There is one story line that didn’t fit with the main plot point at all, which took this reader's mind further away from the key story. I found the story telling jumbled and slow paced. Well, slow paced despite an ending that screeched to halt leaving this reader unsatisfied. Suddenly, the whole truth comes out, then we’re done! However, the reveal equally surprised and disgusted me and pushed this book from a 3-star to a 3.5-star book.