This book as an Experience with a capital “E.” Though some of the subject matter made me uncomfortable, I was drawn in by the writing and unsettled by the plot.

First, let me say that the quality of the writing in this book is superior to the writing in many of its thriller contemporaries. I was captivated by the author’s writing style and found the book to be especially interesting in the first half while the mystery was unfolding. I figured out the twist halfway through but was still surprised with the way it unfolded.

However, I had some conflicting feelings about the ultimate message of this book. This is pretty hard to explain without spoiling. So broadly, I will say that I was somewhat uncomfortable with the approach this book took toward mental illness and also towards “crazy women.”. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the thriller trope of “is this thing really happening or is this person mentally ill?” I normally enjoy this trope, but in this case I felt rather uncomfortable with the way the subject of the possible mental illness was depicted, especially with regard to some particular issues women face. It verged at times into stereotypes and messages about “crazy women” that I did not enjoy.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the author’s talent - her skill at creating a compelling narrative, her sense of foreboding, and her overall way with words were very enjoyable to read. So this was a mixed bag experience for me. I would definitely love to read another book by this author but I would just rather not see mental illness depicted again the way it was here.

3.5 stars - I would round up for the reading experience, but ultimately am rounding down because the treatment of the subject matter just left me feeling uncomfortable. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book did not do it for me at all - I was hoping for some amazing plot twist but unfortunately this entire book felt like a bad Lifetime Movie Network type of book.

This book was SO twisty, and I never saw the twists coming. I couldn't put it down! Magpie does such a wonderful job of making you question reality. I will say, definitely could have done without the evil mother in law.

Magpie was completely unexpected, but in a good way. It was one of those books that lets you think you know where it's going, and then hits you with a twist you didn't see coming and totally changes how you see the characters and their situations. It is a book about female toxicity and a book about motherhood, a book about friendships, relationships and family in all of its dysfunctional glory.

I understand that the topics covered in the book might be difficult for some people to read about, but I thought that they were dealt with sensitively but also in a way that encourages discussion. Seeing infertility, miscarriage, surrogacy and mental illness through the eyes of the different people involved was very insightful.

A clever and intense psychological thriller that was impossible to put down.

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I would give this 2.5 stars. The premise is not bad, Marisa and her boyfriend Jake are expecting a baby and need some extra cash and decide to let Kate move in with them. But soon Kate is acting overly friendly with Jake.

The beginning of this book is really slow to get started, the middle is fast paced and the end drags again. None of these characters have much depth, nor are any particularly likeable, except for Jake’s dad and that’s probably because we know nothing about him.

I would add a trigger warning for mental illness, as it’s depicted in a somewhat careless, throwaway manner.

AMAZING!! This book had me hooked from the very beginning! Right away I felt like I knew what was going to happen, but did the author throw me for a loop!!!! This story had so many twists, I thought I was actually losing my mind instead of the characters!! The writing and character development was great as well. This story definitely takes you for a ride!

Book Review 📚 📚📚

⭐⭐⭐.5

This is my first ARC and I'm very thankful to be reviewing it ♡

Quick Summary*
This book starts with Marisa and Jake. They start dating, move in together and try for a baby just as fast as I wrote that. 🤷‍♀️ Times get rough with money and they have to get a roommate. Kate moves in and Marisa feels she gets really comfortable too quickly. When the character POV changes to Kate it's a COMPLETELY different situation. So let me just say, you have to read it.

This book shows the severity of mental health struggles, The pain of infertility, and the heaviness it can put on a family.

The ending was pleasant, not what I was expecting. Nice but im sorry to say boring. I know, I know you should be happy with a happy ending but 🤷‍♀️ I wasn't. Definitely worth the read, I'm very grateful I got to read this one early thanks to @simonandschuster

Magpie is a thriller that follows Marisa and Jake, a new couple in a whirlwind romance that decide to move in together and try to have a baby after only dating for a few months. When Jake’s work slows down, the couple decide to invite a lodger into their home to help pay the bills. When Kate moves in, she seems very comfortable in the home. And with Jake. Marisa has to try and figure out if her pregnancy hormones are making Kate’s friendly nature more than it is or if there is something else going on.

Content Warnings in this book for any kind of pregnancy related trigger. Also sexual assault.

This book is such an easy book to get absorbed in. A big twist happens earlier than expected so I found myself wanting to find out what else could happen. So if you want a very fast paced, domestic thriller, this one checks that box perfectly.

My biggest issue with this book is something that I can’t look beyond and it’s that I feel like mental illness is used as a crutch and an excuse for certain behaviors. I do not suffer from the illness in this book so I can’t speak on how true the representation is but it felt very wrong to me the way it was used. I feel like the way the characters handled the situation was in poor taste.

I did enjoy the writing style a lot and look forward to reading more books by this author but this just wasn’t the best for me.

The plot begins with Marisa and Jake in what by all accounts is a super speedy, adoring relationship. They move real quick. Almost immediately Marisa wants to start a family with ultra perfect (aren’t they always?) Jake. But then, the plot thickens as Jake doesn’t actually turn out to be who Marisa thought he was.
Marisa’s plans at a future with Jake seem to fall flat. Mostly because of a lodger named Kate who makes herself a little too comfortable in Marisa’s home. Something isn’t right with her, and Marisa is determined to find out.

Definitely slow to start, and then everything is crammed into the last half of the story.
I found that most of the characters were terribly unlikable, but I could understand why in the end.
The storyline kept my attention and it was not predictable in the least bit, so bravo for that!

Magie is a mix between Gone Girl, Woman in the Window, and something unique that Day puts her own influence into. Marisa and Jake are the perfect couple, trying for a baby and moving into a new home. Their relationship is new, but with Jake's age, they feel that moving quickly makes sense. Enter Kate, the new lodger (renter) that is occupying space in their new home and becoming quite friendly with Jake. Not all is what it seems between the three adults and midpoint through the story, Day brings in the heat.

What I Liked:
- Seeing multiple POVs in different parts of the story
- The back and forth from past to present
- Kate

What I Didn't Like
- I felt that the "ah-ha" moment came too soon and it was rather abrupt
- I thought it was quite predictable and as soon as the "ah-ha" moment came, I played out the rest of the story in my head.

Overall, a great thriller that is a quick read. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, this is a great one!

Admittedly, I requested this book because one of the protagonists shares my name! But I'm glad I requested it and read it because it's a gripping thriller. I've seen some reviews saying that the twist was obvious, but I don't think it was. I didn't see it coming, though once The Big Twist was revealed, I saw the signs, which I think is clever writing. I'm conflicted as to how I feel about the handling of mental illness throughout the novel. On one hand, the author's portrayal reads as realistic with the reactions of those around the mentally ill character being realistic, too. On the other hand, however, I kind of felt like it was a superficial look at a very serious, misunderstood, and misrepresented type of illness. But THAT being said, I'm pleased with the ending that the mentally ill character gets because it's not one you see often. (I'm trying not to give away spoilers in this review, so please forgive the vague references and lack of explanations/examples!)

Overall, Magpie is a good thriller that was great at keeping me absorbed in the story. I also love the name Marisa :)

I really really enjoyed this book! It read like a domestic thriller, though I didn't find it scary. I found it to be more suspenseful, fast, and it kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the split perspective and the themes of motherhood and mental illness. This was a pleasant surprise!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. Magpie is a creepy psychological thriller. I totally did not see the huge twists and turns coming. I really love all the dual narratives in this book. I read this book in one day because I could not set the book down. I enjoyed reading this book and trying to figure out which character was telling the truth. This was a good read for anyone looking for a fast paced twisty thriller read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Elizabeth Day for this ARC of Magpie.

Engrossing story of a young couple and the extreme challenges they face while trying to have a baby. When Jake and Kate have exhausted all methods of trying to have a baby they turn to a surrogate. Much to their surprise and joy they find one right away. The only problem is when things seem too good to be true they usually are. Combine this with an evil, narcissistic mother in law and you have an excellent novel with lots of twists you won’t expect. Full of insights into mental illness and their effects, this novel is excellent and impossible to put down.

Magpies are thought by some to be symbols of good luck and good fortune. Others see them as untidy and of little value. A fitting title for this book that looks at two sides of the same story and how different they can appear. Told from the perspectives of Marissa and Kate, their common experience reflects wildly different points view. A surprising twist explains and complicates the women’s interactions. Add in a few key peripheral characters and the story is complete.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Marisa is trying to have a baby with her husband. They have a roommate who may not be as nice as she claims. Marisa is expecting and her and her husband excited. This book was well written.

When I started reading this book I thought it was going to be at least a 4 star read, by how much I enjoyed it, but then I started feeling a tad disappointed by the second half of the book.
The first half of the book was really intriguing and kept me wanting more of it. By the time the first twist came around it had me totally not expecting it, so I was thinking that this is going to be a book I really enjoy by the end.
That being said that big twist was the only major twist in the book, and afterwards it went nowhere with the plot of the book, and that left me kind of disappointed to be honest, cause I was expecting so much based on the first twist that happened.
Even with the fact that I didn't love the book by the end I have to talk about positives.
This book dealt with some heavy themes like infertility and mental illness quite well, and it did it an honest and emotional way, by reading you can understand what characters are dealing with, and it makes you have compassion for them.
As mental illness was quite a big part of the story I feel like the author went about it pretty well, it didn't try to force the reader to excuse the actions of the character, the book only gave us an understanding of those actions without excusing them on the base of it being due to mental illness.
The writing in my opinion was clever, especially in the first part of the book. The characters were good in a sense of them not being that lovable but even with that you can still understand them and their actions, which i always think is a plus. Because I don't think a character has to be lovable but needs to be understood by the reader.
Now i have to talk about some negatives about the book.
Like I previously mentioned the book only having one twist fell flat for me, because of the rest of the book wasn't even a thriller.
I also had issues with the ending even tho i do understand it, it still fell short for me.
The trope of the evil mother in law also fell flat for me, just due to how overused it is, while bringing nothing to the story.
Not every character had that much development, characters like Chris and Jake felt one note to me, tho Marrisa and Kate i found to have more substance and those two made for the more fun characters.
Overall it was a good and quick read, and I enjoyed what the book had to offer for the most part.

Meet Marissa, who has a heartbreaking past that has finally met the man of her dreams, Jake. After just months of dating they decide to move in together and try for a baby. While their financial situation needs a little boost, they rent out space in their home to Kate, who seems to have little boundaries. Is there something untoward going on with Jake and Kate, or is it just Marisa's imagination?

I felt this book had a great premise and original story line but had a sub par delivery. At times, I felt the telling of the story was rushed and at other times, droned on. I do however applaud the author's ability to make this unpredictable. I was so sure I knew what was coming but taken by surprise a few times throughout. While this may not be my favorite read of the year, it was still worth the read to me.

This book had me hooked from the first page. It is an awesome thriller with a huge twist that I never saw coming. Marisa and Jake move into a new house and are trying to start a family. They run into some money troubles and have to bring in a lodger named Kate who just can’t seem to understand boundaries . Marisa finds out she is pregnant and that’s when the drama really begins .
This is definately a good read for anyone looking for a fast paced twist thriller.

I loved this book! Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this engrossing domestic thriller.

The story is mainly about maternal longing and the extents to which some will go to achieve control over a sense of secure family.

It is told from the dual points of view of Marissa and Kate, both involved intimately with Jake. Annabelle is Jake’s controlling mother who plays a hand in all the characters’ lives.

I loved the twist that came early in the story. Unlike other readers, I did not at all feel that it detracted from the story - only made me read faster and more compulsorily.

5 stars.