Mia Ballard's "Sugar" is an absolutely unhinged ride that I couldn't put down. Set against a psychedelic 1970s backdrop, this story follows Satara Stratton, possibly one of the most deliciously unbalanced protagonists I've encountered in recent thrillers. When she discovers her husband's affair with her best friend, Satara doesn't just get mad - she gets even, with a side of witchcraft and acid-fueled revenge that makes for one wild reading experience.

The writing is sharp and propulsive, pulling you through Satara's fractured reality as she spirals deeper into chaos. The ending hits you with a twist that I genuinely didn't see coming, though it does feel a bit rushed in execution. If you enjoy your psychological thrillers with a heavy dose of feminine rage, witchcraft, and protagonists who are gloriously off the rails, you'll want to add this debut to your TBR pile.

Thank you to NetGalley and Galaxy Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When 35 year old Satara finds out about her husband Dean's affair with her best friend Lilah, she returns to a life of deceit and death. Having gotten rid of men before she knows it'll be easy to do again but Lilah is determined to expose her guilt. Mixed with witchcraft that Satara uses to make the people around her fall in love she sets off down a deep dark path of lies, deception and murder.

Oh my god! I loved this! This was a really well written psychological thriller. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down, and I flew through this in a couple of hours. I liked that Mia chose to mix the past and present, and we got to see how Satara became the person she is today. Honestly the way this is written you can't help feeling sorry for Satara all she wanted was for someone to truly love her but she went all the wrong ways about it and she wasn't always dealt the best hand in the men she came across but at the same time she's absolutely terrifying and her callousness was shocking. I had no idea the end twist was coming, and it had me shook. I highly recommend this and will definitely be picking up more of this authors work.

Title/Author: SUGAR by Mia Ballard

Page Count: 261 pages!

Publisher: Galaxy Press

Format: NetGalley digital book

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: debut, I think?

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/979833044...

Release Date: October 2024

General Genre: Thriller/Crime/Murder/Witchcraft-Occult

Sub-Genre/Themes: Serial Killers, marriage, infidelity, (historical fiction-I guess), revenge, sex, lust, baking, friendship, witches/witchcraft/spells, murder investigation

Writing Style: Fast pace, thriller vibes

What You Need to Know: "Love, betrayal, murder, and witchcraft. For fans of A Certain Hunger, step into the twisted, psychedelic world of SUGAR, a story about a femme fatale hooked on love and acid in this gripping tale of 1970's suburban chaos where nothing is as it seems."

My Reading Experience: A lighthearted, horny, acid-fueled bloodbath featuring an unhinged, unapologetic female serial killer. This book takes place in 1970s suburbia (although I didn't feel immersed in that kind of setting or vibes at all). The protagonist isn't just unreliable—she's completely untethered, soaring high on psychedelics and rage which feeds her murderous whims. Sometimes her decisions to kill are rooted in selfish motivation or vengeance but other times, she seems to go off looking for opportunities. She's messy and gross so I couldn't relate or empathize with her at all. But that is what makes the story so entertaining. She’s wild, reckless, and feral in her pursuit of indulgence.
The pages fly by in a blur of sex, drugs, and carnage. Ballard writes with an infectious energy, pulling the reader into a world where chaos reigns. And yeah, you’re gonna have to suspend some disbelief here and there as well as overlook some glaring plotholes.
It’s a popcorn thriller, a pulpy, bloody, romp in the sheets.

Final Recommendation: If you love books about messy, rage-fueled women doing terrible things with zero remorse, Sugar will satisfy your craving. Just don’t expect a clean resolution (the author executes a lot of different ideas in the conclusion) or a protagonist who cares about playing by the rules.

Comps: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, Maeve Fly by C. J. Leede, The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

I really loved this, book. Delusional women, feminine rage, and revenge. What more could a reader ask for?

Many thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Galaxy Press for sharing a digital copy, as always, opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I have to give this book a one star review as I have tried twice to read it and I find my interest dwindling very quickly. It feels like a combo of Desperate Housewives and Why Women Kill but not executed as well as it could have been sadly which is a shame.

Literally in love with this book. What a great unlikable narrator, really well done. I sped through it in less than a day, could not put it down!

What starts as a fast paced narration by a cold and calculating woman who kills her husband becomes an over written bitch fit. I was really hyped by the first 5% but then I’m skimming paragraphs before the next 5%.
I think this could be loved by people who relate to the struggle of dissatisfaction and the feeling of isolation. That’s just not me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this, but I had to move on.

I'm not sure what to make of this. At first I was extremely intrigued and I love a good horrible person main character. For the most part the plot was a bit far fetched and then it got explained at the end in honestly a little bit of an insane and dumb way. The ending is where it lost me.

The writing style and pacing was good though and I'd be intrigued as to the authors next steps.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher!

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you mixed Basic Instinct, a love potion, and a touch of witchcraft, Sugar is your answer. This dark, deliciously twisted tale of love, betrayal, and murder will leave you questioning not just your relationships, but possibly your entire existence. Oh, and if you're like me, it'll also make you wonder if you need to up your game in the "disposal of treacherous men" department...KIDDING!

Meet Satara Stratton, a woman who's totally at peace with her dark side — she’s disposed of men before, with the kind of nonchalance most people reserve for picking out produce at the grocery store. But when her husband, Dean, cheats on her with her best friend Lilah (a betrayal so juicy I could hear the gossip swirling), Satara doesn't just cry into her wine glass—oh no. She takes it to a whole new level and dabbles in witchcraft to get what she wants. Because why not mix a little black magic with your revenge, right?
"I wasn't a murderer-I was just a woman wronged."

In a sick & twisted way, I loved Satara. She’s the kind of anti-heroine that gets under your skin (and maybe in your nightmares). She’s cunning, manipulative, and so damn good at bending people to her will that you can’t help but cheer her on… even though you know she's, uh, maybe not the best influence. And just when you think she couldn’t get more captivating, enter a Love Witch. The spells? Too tempting to resist. The chaos? Just getting started.

The 1970s suburban backdrop gives it that anything-goes vibe and let me tell you—nothing is off-limits here. We’re talking emotional manipulation with a side of psychological terror wrapped in a neon-colored, psychedelic haze. It’s like if your mom’s book club invited a few murderers, witches, and, you know, a dash of acid to the meeting.

Also, there's something so deliciously feminist about Satara’s quest for power in a world that constantly underestimates her. She’s out here proving that women can be just as messy, vengeful, and unapologetically hungry for love (and more) as anyone else. But it’s not all about the drama; the book really digs deep into what happens when you give into the darker sides of yourself. Is love worth all this mess? To Satara, it is...love and to be loved in return is all she's ever wanted.
"This is how I viewed love: not just as the most important thing, but as the singular narrative thread weaving through the tapestry of my life. It was a strange, almost clinical obsession, a need to have my identity mirrored and validated by the man who occupied my thoughts. When I looked at a photo of myself, I could tell exactly which man had been the center of my universe at that moment."

Bottom line: Sugar is the kind of book that keeps you reading well past bedtime, questioning whether or not you should start practicing your own witchcraft. It's deliciously dark, wild, and oddly charming. Highly recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, femmes fatales, and anyone who enjoys a little witchy chaos in their reading life. The reason this got four stars vs five is the ending felt rushed. I did not see that twist coming, but it all happened so fast and I just craved MORE! Other than that, so good.

Just… maybe don't trust the Love Witch. Or anyone. Ever again.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Galaxy Press, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on an uncorrected proof that did not sway my opinion either way.

I really enjoyed Sugar. Unique and dark - great for someone who likes a mix of lit fic and horror. Looking forward to seeing what comes next from Mia Ballard.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It took a complete turn that I was not expecting. Stars was a character that I loved to hate and honestly her story was super intriguing and interesting. The pace of the book was fast and I didn’t want to put it down. The ending OMG!! I didn’t anticipate that and my jaw was on the floor

Thank you to Mia Ballard, Galaxy Press, and Netgalley for the ARC!

So. This was something!

One time, I watched a Jenny Nicholson video where she dramatically read published Jeff the Killer fanfiction. This book felt exactly like that! The twists and turns were similarly bonkers and the writing style was juvenile. It felt like something I would've written when I was 15 and trying too hard to be emo. Strangely and probably because of this reason, it's kind of fun! Fun in a similar way that staying up late on a school night reading off the wall Wattpad stories was when I was a teenager.

I think if you're just wanting a quick, female-rage type of story to satisfy some sort of craving this would do the trick. A lot of it doesn't make sense- the plot, pacing, characters, and twists basically change on a dime- so you'd really have to suspend your belief going in. It's not a terrible book, but it could use a lot more editing and preliminary story plotting. It's a (self-published) debut so there could be some better stories in the future. I'll honestly keep my eye out because I'm curious about what this author will do next.

So unhinged and such a riot. The ending was a fantastic twist which I didn’t see coming at all. I love an unhinged female story so this was right up my alley.

A brilliant horror novella with an absolutely unhinged female main character. Has serious grit in the writing that leaves you curious and intrigued.

Unfortunately the writing didn’t quite hook me like the cover did. It felt overwritten and hard to follow.

This book has the most unhinged FMC ever, and I mean that in the best possible way. This was SO FUN!

the review that said this was good for a fans of a certain hunger were so right. think of the housemaid meets a certain hunger. acid filled muderland!

This was so incredibly unhinged. I couldn't put it down. I feel wrong for having enjoyed any of this book, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. It reminded me of a dystopian 70's sitcom where the main character is a psychopath with a tendency to kill when she gets upset. The twist at the end was great, and one the characters may be even more psychopathic than Satara. I would 100% check trigger warnings because there is a ton of disturbing scenes - really the entire book is a disturbing scene but if you are in the mood for horror and women behaving badly give it a go! Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC!

I LOVED THIS. FEMALE RAGEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! no notes. keep doing you babe. whatever you do, I do not blame you and they deserved it anyway.

Sugar pulls no punches—it dives headfirst into its dark and twisted narrative, making it nearly impossible to put down. From the first chapter, Mia Ballard hooked me with this fast-paced, high-stakes story.

We follow Satara Stratton, a protagonist so unapologetically unhinged that you can’t help but root for her, even as she spirals further into chaos. Scorned and betrayed, she embarks on a path of destruction that is equal parts dark and compelling. Satara’s rage, cunning, and raw vulnerability make her one of the most unforgettable femme fatales I’ve read in a long time.

Ballard crafts a world where betrayal and witchcraft collide, exploring the messy, complex dynamics of love and revenge. The result is a story that feels both visceral and unsettling—perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with bold, morally ambiguous female leads.

If you’re looking for a fast, addictive read with an edge of darkness and a protagonist you won’t forget, Sugar is a must-read.