Read This If:
•Want a light thriller
•Big Little Lies vibes
 
Thoughts:
The first chapter was giving me Big Little Lies vibes, which I was really excited for. But unfortunately, I found this to be a slow start with characters I had little investment in. Things finally started to pick up after the halfway point. That ending was wild between Rose & Amala, it had me on the edge of my seat with all the twists & turns.

What I didn’t like:
•Slow start
•I wasn’t invested in the characters for most of the book, until very end

I could not get into it. I think it felt like she would be a whinner mom. As a reader, I like connecting with the characters soon.

3.5/5 stars
Rose is desperate to overcome her past (a father who was a notorious con artist) and provide a better life for her son. The best way she sees of doing this is by sending him to the Woolf Academy, a prestigious school nearby. However, Rose soon finds that not all the perks are available to all parents. Only those who are part of the elite circle get these perks. After the death of one of the members, Rose finds herself part of the circle. But what are the costs of being part of it?

I really liked the first part of this book. However, when Rose becomes part of the circle, I found I didn’t like basically any of the characters. There were some good twists at the end, but overall I didn’t like it as much as the first part.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was fantastic! Well paced thriller that was difficult to put down. Vibes of The Husbands by Chandler Baker and The Stepford Wives weaved into a captivating unnerving tale of a woman trying to have it all.

Such a Good Mother is a slow-burning thriller perfect for fans of Stepford Wives. Rose O'Connell is struggling to survive with her rocky marriage and son struggling to fit in at his prestigious new school. There is a close-knit group known as the Circle that pretty much rule the school. When a member mysteriously dies, Rose hopes to fill the vacancy in the group but quickly learns that everything isn't what it seems and there's a price to pay to be in the group. The writing is fantastic and taut. There are plenty of twists throughout. Highly recommended!!

This one was almost very Stepford wives plus a small town person who wants to be part of an It type group. Perfect for the suburban mother.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!


I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

**Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

On paper, this book has all the elements of a thriller I would love: a ridiculous elite school! Unstable rich women! Secrets from the past! But the execution fell flat. I found the plot over-the-top and unbelievable, and I'm pretty generous with my thriller standards. The "villain" characters felt like caricatures of themselves, and the subplot about the main character's father was distracting. I found myself skimming towards the end just to be able to finish it.

this book was just ok for me, it took me a long time to get involved with it and even with the twists it was a slow more detached read. Rose aspires to better things for her family. She is thrilled to get invited into the circle but be careful what you wish for, all is not what it seems

I loved this. Very well written. You think you know what's going on, and well, then maybe not. It did make me wonder exactly when the con started, which, in turn, made me like it even more. It's been over a week since I finished this book and I'm still thinking about it!

Wow. Such a great read! Loved this fresh new look at societal pressures packed with twists and turns. The action just never stops. Great cast of characters that kept me totally invested in the story.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Such A Good Mother started out sooo promising. A woman who believes that she deserves more out of life, she’s just waiting for the opportunity. That moment comes when she gets an exclusive invite to one of the most prestigious schools around, The Woolfe. She enrolls her son, and even though he is having problems adjusting, it’s not enough for her to back out. While she takes on more responsibility, she gets more and more tangled in the web of Amala, the head of school who only does things for her own gain.
So, first half of the book was good. I don’t mind when characters make dumb decisions(hello, that’s part of the drama!) but; Cass was so ridiculously selfish that it almost made me sick. Her poor son was just a pawn in all of this and he deserved better. The last 1/3 of this book was just bonkers. The twists were just meh and the ending left me just like… ok? I wanted to cheer for someone, but there was nobody to cheer for. 2.5⭐️ Rounded to 3.

Such a Good Mother is a twist on the 'mean girls' trope. Rose wants to better her son's life by getting him into the prestigious Woolf school. The problem is that she needs the approval of Amala, alpha-female of the school's inner circle. Such a Good Mother is a real page turner. I found myself intrigued by how far Rose would go in order to be a member of the inner circle. As the daughter of a grifter, Rose has had a lifelong education in how to set up, and capture, a mark.
As much as I loved the book, I did have reservations about the main character. At one point, she does something so terrible that I could no longer root for her. I had been hoping that she would use her background and smarts to get the better of Amala. Instead, something else happens. I won't give the ending away, but I wish the author had gone in a different direction.
Overall, though, I really did enjoy this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’m definitely in the minority with my 2 star rating but this story fell flat for me and I could not connect with any of the characters. DNF at 50%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my review.

This was such a good book. I couldn't hardly put it down. It was heart pounding. Although some things were a little predictable but none the less I loved the story and characters.

Rose O’Connell is trying to be the best mother she can be. When her son is offered a spot at the most prestigious school, she feels she will do anything to make sure he is taken care of. In this school, there is a select group of moms, The Circle, who everyone wants to be a part of. When one of the members are found dead, Rose finds herself amongst these women. How far is she willing to go to provide for her son and have the life she’s dreamed of?

It took me a while to get into this book. I found myself super annoyed with the main character (which is probably the point). Actually, the only character I didn’t mind was Charlie, the son. Books about mothers providing for their families no matter what are always hit or miss for me. As a mom, I want to do what’s best for my daughter, but responsibly and not irrationally.

I think the writing style was good and I didn’t think there was anything necessarily wrong with the book, just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

For much of the book, the story is average. The main character, Rose, is the daughter of a con man, whose cons were not always successful, which made her childhood difficult. Rose blames her father for her life not being more successful. She is also upset at the gentrification of the neighborhood where she grew up, where the homes are out of her price range, and the school she attended is now an elite private school (The Woolf Academy). However, Rose sees the Woolf Academy as an opportunity to obtain a better future for her son, Charlie, and in the process, a better life for her and her family. Rose comes across as a somewhat pathetic character, but also a relatable character, as any parent can understand the desire to help ensure their child has a brighter future.

The CEO of the school trust, Amala Kaur, is very influential, and the women/mothers upon whom she chooses to bestow her favor, known as "the Circle", benefit greatly as a result. Charlie is offered a place at the Woolf Academy, but his start is rather rocky. However, a vacancy arises in the Circle, and Rose is offered the spot (much to the annoyance of the other members, and the surprise and confusion of women who had coveted that spot). Things start to improve for Charlie and for Rose and her husband, Pete. However, membership in the Circle comes at a cost, one that may not be worth it. As things start to fall apart for Rose, and the reader wonders how she is going to get out of the mess she has created for herself, the author throws in two major twists that result in the book ending on a high note.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar is a juicy, delicious thriller set among the parents of an exclusive private school in the suburbs. Perfect for anyone who wants a mom version Gossip Girls. Highly recommend!

Rose wants more for her son and she believes that the prestigious and competitive Woolf Academy will provide it. She is desperate for him to gain entry and although she cannot afford the extras nor even an outfit for the recruitment meetings, she attends and attempts to gain his entry.

Early on she recognizes that there is a powerful mother's group identified by their circle pins that are behind all of the workings of the school. By luck, she befriends the leader of the group and just like that, her shy son gains entry! But what exactly has he gained entry too and has Rose signed on for an agreement that she can't possibly follow through on. If you ever felt that you needed to keep up with the neighbors,the metaphors in this novel will surely strike a cord. If you like dark school stories, domestic thrillers and underdog heroines, then Such A Good Mother is for you! #RandomHouse #Netgalley #Netgalleyreads

I received a complimentary copy of Such a Good Mother from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This novel was pretty frightening. These are the kinds of people I avoid at all costs! I was so emotionally engaged that I actually became physically ill from a particular situation at one point and I almost did not finish this book. (Obviously I did pick it back up and finish it, but I was still emotionally broken clear through the resolution!) You wouldn’t catch me dead near any of those witches—especially not Amala, the ring leader. This novel was so well written and I was so involved, that it truly stressed me out!