I thought that this book was ok until the beginning of the second part. I think if the point was to get people to believe delusions that there really need to be convincing parallels between behaviors and actions between the two women. It just felt like the book switched around and was like this is what is really happening now. You just need to be on board are ready to go with it. This just seemed ridiculous Also, the partner seemed to just be a void and a complete pansy of a man. He was written poorly and was just drug around in the book. He wanted a child, however was not close to done with being one. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

About 20% into this book I almost stopped reading it because I wasn’t sure where it was going. Boy am I glad I didn’t stop! What a wild ride. The first plot twist shocked me! I didn’t see it coming at allll. The rest of the story played out quickly and suspensefully, keeping me doubting every single character until the very last page. A slow burn to start but once it started going I couldn’t put it down!

“Marissa and Jake are a perfect couple. And Kate, their new lodger, is the perfect roommate-and not just because her rent payments will give them the income they need to start trying for the baby of their dreams. Except-no one is truly perfect. Sure Kate doesn’t seem to care much about personal boundaries and can occasionally seem overly-familiar with Jake. But Marissa doesn’t let it concern her, knowing that soon Kate will be gone, and it will just be her, and Jake and their future baby”

OK. This was a suspenseful read, and very engaging in the beginning and the way things were going, I thought I almost had it figured out. The twist I thought was coming was not at all what I expected. Then, the story took a different direction and can’t say I was disappointed. I can’t explain it but I went along with it and it wasn’t so bad. So hopefully the little sway that this story took doesn’t disappoint anyone.

TW: infertility issues, motherhood, surrogacy, mental health

Thank you @netgalley, @simonandschuster and author for this advance digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting story with lots of twists and turns. A great beach read. Well thought out plot and characters well developed.

What a good thriller. I did guess that there was an unreliable narrator very early on but I think it is because I read too many thrillers. The language and imagery used worked well for the book and had me laughing at times. I would have liked a more twisted ending but I still enjoyed it overall. I do find that infertility is used a lot in books and it does make me wonder if people who have dealt with infertility enjoy reading about it?

This review is one of the more difficult that I have attempted to write, because it is difficult to discuss this book without spoilers, and I do not like spoilers! This is a fast-paced read with extremely well-developed characters. The tension is continuous, and midway through the book the reader is confronted with an enormous twist that was likely unforeseen. Being a mental health professional, I saw it coming, but the read was still enjoyable, as I wanted to see how the story played out. I did not agree with the exploitation of the mentally ill subject ( being relegated to life in the country rather than receiving proper care by a mental health provider), but in reality, there are probably many incidences in which this would actually take place (society seems to devalue mental health treatment). While the undercurrent is continually dark, the book ends with threads of hope and healing. Themes of abandonment, mental illness, infertility, surrogacy, and motherhood are woven through the story and could trigger some readers.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Publishing, and Elizabeth Day for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Big twists you won't see coming, especially that first one. Already looking forward to Elizabeth Day's next twisty thriller. A fresh take on a tired trope, yet masterfully pulled off. Brava!

Another title for this books could have been "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss: The Novel". I was hooked from page one. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Day threw in another twist. I couldn't put it down. For fans of thrillers, this book is a must. Take care when reading, however; pregnancy, fertility, and motherhood play a major role in the plot. If these topics are sensitive for you, Magpie might be a difficult read.

This was a really great book. It kept my interest with the twists and turns to the end. Once I thought I figured it out I realized I had not. Really great book.

I am sorry to say this was a 2 star (at most) read for me. I thought the book started out with promise, but then took a complete nose dive. There was a lack of content and a lot of unnecessary over detailed descriptions. I was expecting a thriller and found it quite drawn out, no tension or build up. I would not recommend this book.

I loved this book. I didn't see the huge twist coming! I highly recommend this book by Elizabeth Day!

The synopsis of the book was very intriguing, I was engrossed, and was eager to finish. However, the ending sort of fell flat to me.. I would recommend this book.

This was the kind of book that you think you have figured out until you reach a point and realize that everything you thought is wrong. It’s rare for an author to surprise me, but this one did. While some of the characters were weaker than others, they all came across as believable. Anyone who has tried for a baby, experienced mental health issues or had a disagreement with a family member will find something to relate to.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Magpie by Elizabeth Day is a thrilling debut that will leave the reader questioning everything they know. Marisa and Jake seem like the perfect couple-until they endure fertility struggles. When they decide to save some money and rent out a room to the stylish, overly familiar Kate, Marisa becomes suspicious of her motives. Jake's complicated relationship with his mother continues to cloud over their happiness once Marisa is finally pregnant. Marisa's suspicions of Kate are ramped up as Kate seems to know way too much about Marisa and Jake-to protect her baby Marisa will risk everything. Full of twists and turns this is one novel you won't want to put down!

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I ended up liking this is -ish, but it was tough going for a while. Marisa is a difficult character to like, and when Kate starts to tell her side of the story, she also seems distant and analytic, reporting her feelings in a way that didn’t make me feel them along with her. This story is about motherhood, but I can’t tell you much more about it without giving too much away.

The author uses the phrase “the smile didn’t reach her eyes” multiple times, and while I understand this, it’s already become a cliché, and one that an author can’t use more than once per novel, let alone multiple times.
The psychological wackiness of this is compelling and page turning. It gets better at 30 percent, more interesting at 50 percent, and much better at the end—you can decide if you want to not enjoy 90 percent of a book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MAY 3 in the United States.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elizabeth Day for the opportunity to read this eARC.

For all the mamas out there, this book really feels like a punch to the gut. I was completely hooked by fifty pages in. Would you let the perfect stranger into your perfect home with your perfect baby? How many people have you trusted your children with?
Magpie had me second guessing everyone I have ever let put a hand on my children. This is a gripping tale that will have you flipping pages and staying up way to late to finish!

Well I didn't see that twist coming!. I read this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. I want to write more, but don't want to ruin the story. It is best if you go into this one blind. It was completely unexpected and an overall excellent read. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for a chance to read this e-ARC prior to publication for my honest review

Magpie focuses on two women. Marisa moves in with relatively new boyfriend Jake and is excited to try to have a baby. For economic reasons, they take in a boarder, Kate, who takes an uncomfortable interest in Jake and has no respect for boundaries. I was gobsmacked by the twist in the middle of the novel and anxiously read on, but the second half of the book dragged a bit to the rather lackluster ending.

This book is so up my alley, I knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I needed to read it and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect, and the dual POV, though it didn't last long. I thought the writing was so well done because in the beginning I was truly rooting for the wrong person and ultimately didn't realize who I would end up disliking. This book reminded me of the movie Hush that starred Gwyneth Paltrow back in the 90's but with an updated twist. TWs of infertility and surrogacy gone slightly wrong, just fyi.

When a couple chooses to have a child via a surrogate their lives take several turns. A page turner to the end