Once again, Chelsea Bieker has outdone herself. Her writing is visceral, haunting, and unlike any prose out there. I will read anything she writes - she captures the struggle of womanhood unlike any female writer that I have read. Outstanding.

My thanks to NetGalley and little, Brown & Company for the ARC of Chelsea Bieker’s Mad Woman.

Content warning: intimate partner violence, murder, generational trauma

Two,things attracted me to the synopsis of this book: the premise of a woman changing her identity to escape her traumatic childhood and the setting in Portland, OR. Having grown up in Portland, I had more of a sense of connection to the area and the types of all natural, raw food, vegan, organic, prebiotic munching, health obsessives like the main character. She is like one of Gwenyth Paltrow’s GOOP devotees, intent on preserving her body in every way, except for this protagonist that drive is a manifestation of a need to control a life that felt out of control in childhood. So much about this book works beautifully… right up until the twist at the end and the resolution, which I found less satisfying.

The protagonist’s voice, though, her desire to be a perfect mother and wife (no such thing), to not repeat her mother’s life choices or allow the violence her father visited on them both, all felt quite real. So did her shopping addiction, her desire to connect with another woman seeking something different. All of it lays the groundwork for the conclusion. When she hears from her mother, imprisoned for her father’s murder, she fears her husband will learn who she really is and what her background was. She goes into a (very privileged) tail spin of exercise, health food stores, supplements, shopping, relying first on her mother in law and then on a total stranger to nanny her children. Admittedly I found it hard to empathize with a woman with so much privilege no matter her background. I raised three boys, two of whom were twins, and never had a nanny much less prebiotic fiber gummies and shopping sprees.

Yet, the book is still a page turner. I was leaning toward a five star rating until the twist and conclusion. I cannot pinpoint what sat wrong with me there, except to say that it seemed less plausible than all that had gone before. At any rate, the book is still compelling and the mystery surrounding so much of Clove’s life comes out much as traumatic memories do, incomplete, patchy, over time, and not always accurate.

oh man what a great book!!! I have not read anything else by Bieker but I was still excited to get my hands on this one based on the blurb and buzz. I immediately fell in love with what this book had to say - the way it explored trauma, love, family, domestic violence, and the myriad ways we can be haunted.. I'm not a mother so I couldn't relate to that element but felt that Bieker conveyed it so honestly and with so much heart, in a way that was just so dang gripping from start to finish.

a couple complaints would be that I, for some reason, didn't always like Clove as much as I wanted to? I found her obsession with bougie holistic stuff a lil cringey. also found that some parts of the plot felt a little unrealistic but maybe that was just me!

either way, I really enjoyed this one and definitely think it will be very well received by others once it's published! 4.5 rounded down

thanks netgalley and little, brown and company for the arc :)

An easy 5 Stars for this incredibly complicated and layered novel about the complexities of motherhood and friendships between women. The writing was absolutely stellar, with a painfully honest and raw character-driven narrative that reveals some of the deepest insecurities and fears that lurk within motherhood. I could have easily devoured this book in a day or two. The writing is flawless and captivating. But I read it very slowly, taking time in between to reflect on the characters. They are very flawed.

At times angsty, the main character, Clove, vacillates between reflecting on her own childhood horrors and her relationship with a mother who refused to leave a bad situation, and her current state as a mother herself. She’s anxious and fearful, often revealing an inner monologue that some of us mothers are afraid to utter out loud to even our closest friends, but is so relatable.

This book makes the reader feel things. True emotions such as anxiety, doubt, fear, and uncertainty. It challenges how we see ourselves as mothers and how we fit in this world.

I would read another book by this author in a heartbeat. I highly HIGHLY recommend it!

This book was brilliant. I tend to love a good "Mommy Issue" book... It was creepy and weird but also raw and real. The characters were well written and the story line was easy to follow and kept me engaged the entire time. This book was personal, very personal. I sense many readers will find this book therapeutic and validating in a strange little way.

Madwoman began as a character-driven novel. Clove had so many things going wrong for her that I didn't expect much to happen other than perhaps a flee from home and the care of her two small children. I couldn't be more wrong. When Clove receives a letter from her mother, the story moves to a suspenseful mystery and thriller novel.

CB is a fantastic writer, and though I enjoyed Clove's description of all the wellness products she indulged in, I also loved the plot twists and turns. This novel deserves a wide readership!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. Little, Brown, and Company will publish the novel on September 3, 2024.

that was an amazing cover and made me want to read this book. It had a great overall feel to the book and I thought it used the themes of motherhood and loss perfectly with this book. Chelsea Bieker has a great writing style and was able to create a great collection of characters in this story that made me care. I enjoyed the overall story and thought it was everything that I was hoping for.

If there is anyone out there who knows what abuse can do to the children then you can relate to this book, It is a great story and makes awesome sense to take the time to read it. It can really make you think of people you may know or yourself included who have seen this horrible issue. I am so glad that I got to read it. Thanks friends!

At the core of this book is living with domestic abuse and how that trauma injures your daughter. Clove is married to a loving man and has two children. She is overwhelmed. She wants her children to grow up safe and normal without any of the vestiges of her own abuse. The book flashes back to Clove’s childhood where her father beats her mother within an inch of her life but she won’t leave. Clove grows up feeling responsible for her mother. She lies to her husband and never tells him about her childhood. The book takes a couple of turns to make the story suspenseful. Clove addressed most of her thoughts to her mother, which emphasized how important that relationship is. The story is propulsive but I didn’t understand the organic grocery emphasis. I think it could have been edited down.

Many thanks to Little Brown and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Cried in the middle of the night
Said “What the F?” more than once
Had stirred feelings of my own mama drama

The style of writing (narration) wasn’t what I was used to or what I would normally pick up but it worked so well for this story. The voice was so convincing that at times I was like, “Wait. Is this person/her story real?”

Do not even get me started with The Butcher - totally pictured Jeremy Allen White.

Overall, this is a story that will stick with you and make you think about your own relationships a little deeper - or even make you feel a little more grateful for the good ones.

MADWOMAN is a beautifully written, dual-timeline story of Clove, a woman who has escaped a childhood plagued by domestic violence. The past timeline was unflinching and poetic. The present-day timeline was also intriguing - exploring the unavoidable legacy of violence in Clove's life. Bieker's depiction of motherhood in the age of social media really resonated with me, as did her reflections on parental anxiety .

About 3/4 of the way through the novel, it took a turn I didn't expect - becoming more of thriller, and despite the twists and turns that I am sure many readers will love, I found myself actually yearning for less - less reveals and gotchas - and more inner revelations for the wonderfully complex main character I was rooting for.

This will be one of my top reads of the year. Newly postpartum I deeply identified with Clove and her intense feelings about being a mother…pack on the commentary about the patriarchy and you have a perfect novel. I will be thinking about it for the days and months to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

I wanted to love this book, and there were parts I really enjoyed, but it was just “okay” for me.

The main character became less likeable and relatable as the book went on, and made me struggle to connect with the story. I understand that she was going through a crisis, but the choices she made angered me.

There was a twist regarding another character that I predicted, so the excitement fell flat. I think had I not expected it, I may have rated the book higher.

Overall, everything wrapped up too nicely and I just didn’t love it. I did like the author’s writing style, but just don’t think this was the book for me!

Madwoman is a meditation on motherhood, memory, healing, and cycle breaking. I was enthralled the entire time. Bieker manages to tell a story that is both compelling and real.

I guess I’m in the minority after reading the reviews and ratings for Madwoman.
Clove is a young stay-at-home mother who is struggling with her two children ( who are out of control). She’s maxed out her credit cards and is an online shopaholic. Her husband works from home but has no idea what Clove does with her days and their children. He suggests they get a nanny so that she can pursue a writing career. Clove’s childhood was violent and abusive and these subjects are at the core of the book, enabling her shopping addictions,how she is raising her kids and conducting her everyday life.
A letter from her mother, who we presumed was dead, brings Clove’s childhood and early adult life flooding back. And enter a young woman into the mix who befriends Clove and becomes the nanny.
I wanted to like this book but at times it was a frustrating read. It took a long while ( til I was almost finished) to start really enjoying it.
I’ll round my score up to 4 but would actually give it a 3.5.

Thank you to Little Brown and Co and to NetGalley for my eARC.

Holy moly this book!!! What an absolute ride. I loved GOD SHOT, Bieker's debut, but I was not expecting this thrilling page-turner as her novel follow-up. Filled with mystery and adrenaline, this book is going to be huge this fall.

Clove is a mother of two, and has a secret past to hide (even from her adoring yet somewhat bland husband). Her new life begins to unravel, though, when she receives a letter from her mother who is in prison. One wrinkle - Clove believes her mother thinks she is dead. It is so fun going into this book not knowing much more because the twists and turns are brutal and unexpected.

There is not much better than a thriller written by a literary fiction writer. Both the plot and the writing are so clear and concise, cutting and sharp. Bieker does a fantastic job getting her point across, creating believable characters (both empathetic and not), and creating such a gripping story. I can't wait for everyone to read this.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Clove is married to a loving husband with two children. For years she has kept the secret of her childhood, the abuse her mother and she suffered at the hands of her father, which ultimately led to murder. When she receives a letter from prison she is afraid her past will catch up to her. Will the truth come out? Can she and her family survive it?

A page turner that explores the complicated role that is motherhood. Madwoman caused me to think, “what would I do? every chapter.

How do you raise a daughter when your husband is abusive? How do you start over when you don’t know if you can fully trust anyone? There are hard questions women face as they grow up in this world and Chelsea Bieker tackles them. This is a powerful novel written as though you are in the main character, Clove’s, thoughts as she recalls her current and past events to her mother.

What seems to be the life of a privileged woman (who frequents expensive health stores, has thousands of social media followers, and stays home with her children), is quickly unraveled after receiving a letter in the mail from her mother, Alma.

Domestic violence and abuse are at the core of this book. The complication of relationships and how decisions are not as black and white as they seem makes for a compelling story.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an ARC of this thought provoking book.

Clove, mother of two has worked hard to overcome childhood trauma she endured in an abusive home. She’s found a husband deemed safe who is nothing like her abusive father. Her balanced life is threatened when she receives a letter from prison. Her mother is begging Clove tell the truth of what happened the night her father was murdered.

I finished this book in 2 days. I was so moved by this story. It detailed domestic violence, breaking generational trauma and character growth. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

I was so so excited to read Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker because I loved her first two books and I loved this book too!! It’s about a mother of two, Clove, who receives a letter from her mother in prison and becomes obsessed to maintain her life from her secret past. This is the perfect literary thriller featuring a compelling female main character who pulls you thoroughly into her world of health food stores, mania and conviction to herself. Bieker has proven herself to be a master at writing women and exploring the mother and daughter relationship. I couldn’t help but read this book right away as soon as I got it and devoured it in three days. It’s one of my faves of this year!