I really enjoyed the narrator for this and was rooting for the protagonist despite her flaws. It didn't stand out as anything profound but it was an enjoyable read

I wanted to love this, but I think I ultimately ended up liking the plot more than the actual story. This was about Providence, a woman who is freshly out of jail after she ran her mother over with her car 13 years ago. Her mother has since recovered and even though they are estranged, she's shocked to find out her mother is missing. Providence makes the decision to go back to her hell hole of a small town, face some of her demons, and try to get answers on what exactly happened to her. I think the reason I didn't connect with any of the characters and was unable to rate it higher is because I just didn't like them. I wanted to like Providence so much because I do think she has a good heart, but she ultimately just ended up saying the same things over and over without a ton of context. Her father was horrible, yes, but we were never really told exactly how. Just the same small little snippets. I should also add in that there was lots of talk from Providence about how she self harmed to deal with her past and it was... graphic. I did rate it higher then I normally would after taking into account it was a debut novel and I would still recommend to an avid reader. But if you're someone who only reads 1-2 books a month, this would be a skip for me.

I feel like this was such a great redemption story of Providence reunited with her family and getting the ultimate revenge on her father. Unfortunately, this can be all too common in the real world and a lot of people can probably sympathize with what her childhood was like with a father who was a violent drunk and a mom who wouldn't leave him and ultimately paid the price. It was very sad what all she had to go through but I am so glad she got the happy ending she deserved.

This one was a fast-paced read and consistently entertaining throughout. Although it was entertaining and fast-paced, I didn't overall love it- the book was stressful rather than suspenseful. I did enjoy this author's writing and will pick up a book from them in the future, I just don't think this one was for me. However, I think there is a large audience for this book, and I will be recommending the audio to others that I think would enjoy it.

“It boils my blood to think of people settling into their living rooms to consume my mother’s tragedy. They think of themselves as bystanders, but they’re fiends, nourishing themselves with someone else’s suffering.

There is nothing Americans love more than butchered women. Nothing captures our imagination so completely.”

An emotional and dark thriller, Everything Sweet Is Bitter follows Providence as she unravels the mystery of her mother’s disappearance while confronting the weight of her own lived trauma. The audiobook narration was outstanding, perfectly capturing the intensity and vulnerability throughout the story. While a few loose ends left me questioning some of the plot choices, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a single day. Definitely read the author’s trigger warning at the start of the book before diving in.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I was really impressed when I found out Every Sweet Thing is Bitter was Samantha Crewson's DEBUT book. I really enjoyed it. I felt she wrote amazing characters. There was murder, family drama, found family, and of course the twists. I really enjoyed listening to this. Lindsey Dorcus was the narrator and really made the book. Overall it was a great edge of your seat mystery thriller. Right when you think you know whats going to happen a new twist slaps you in the face.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

Providence Byrd is one of the most interesting main characters I have read in a book. She is deeply problematic and her story is heavy. This involves a lot of toxic family dynamics and addiction. I would make sure you are ready for this story before you start.

My only note is that I like to think I have an extensive vocabulary and yet I had to look up words... a lot. Overall, this was a great story and an amazing start for Samantha Crewson.

When I saw that this was on BOTM, I immediately requested the audio to check it out! The performance and voice were solid and kept me engaged throughout.

The plot itself follows Providence Byrd who returns home to search for her missing mom—the same woman she was arrested for attempted murder after hitting her with her car years earlier. While this may have driven their relationship further apart, Providence was never out to get her mom—she wanted her abusive father dead, the man she believes is responsible for her mother’s disappearance now. Providence can’t leave until she tries to save her mom and sisters from the man whose presence has scarred them all in more ways than one.

This is dark and twisted in ways were difficult to hear in moments. Being a teacher, I’m aware of how trauma can appear in different ways in kids’ lives, but hearing their innermost thoughts over time is jarring. It’s hard to consider people, so young and innocent, wrecked inside and out forever. The trauma does, however, make a clear connection between the characters, their actions, and the development of their relationships.

The plot twists near the end in a way that, upon reflection, I feel could’ve been picked up. That said, I didn’t foresee it, so it caught me off guard. The didn’t seem to be significant repercussions of the twist in the end—which I recognize is for the greater good of the story’s overall ending. Overall, it felt a little weak or incomplete.

The bows are tied neatly and the story resolves smoothly after a great deal of chaos, leaving the sweet to overpower the bitter in the end.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty dark book about a family with addiction issues. I thought the story moved well. I thought I had it figured out, but was surprised.

The narrator was okay but she didn’t really do different voices for the characters. I thought that would have improved it.

I enjoyed this book and the audiobook narration. The narration was wonderful, it really brought the characters to life. 13 Years earlier, Providence ran over her mother and was arrested. Now present day, her mother has gone missing, and Providence returns home to help search for her. Reconnecting with her estranged sisters and father, along with old friends. This book was tense, emotional, unpredictable, and a quick read. Thanks, Netgalley and the publisher, for the advanced reader copy!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rep : Lesbian MC, Includes Native American Side Characters, Self Harm

🏳️‍🌈Queer Thriller
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Complicated Family Dynamics
🏚️Small Town Setting
🚓MC Went to Prison
❓Missing Mum

What I Liked
1) I absolutely loved the audiobook experience! I think the narrator perfectly suited the MC and really expressed the emotions she was going through well.

2) This book had me absolutely hooked! I expected this to be a pretty basic thriller going in but then discovered this book has so many layers. Complicated family dynamics, the failure of the prison system, dealing with childhood abuse, realising those who we idolised in childhood should have done more to help and then the actual mystery unravelling. I think this book could be very triggering for some people but also very healing so I'd definitely recommend checking a full list of trigger warnings.

3) So many of the scenes felt real. There is a scene where the abusive father comes home angry and everyone is trying to do everything perfectly to not trigger him into a rage. The tension in that scene was amazing and I think this book has some of the most realistic portrayals of dealing with abuse from parents I have ever seen.

4) I am always looking for more queer thrillers as I think they are severely underrepresented in the genre and if you feel the same I definitely recommend picking this one up!

What I Disliked
1) I think the reveal of what happened was just ok. I didn't find it very satisfying but I think all the other elements of the story certainly made up for it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Samantha Crewson for this ALC in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved the first 75% or so of this book, but the ending felt rushed and the twists just seemed obvious and not well thought out or intricate.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved all the twists and turns towards the end! Great story! And well written. I was eager to find out how the story would turn out!

Thank you Netgalley and Samantha Crewson for arc in exchange for honest review.

The premise of this story was very intriguing and I was curious where it go. Providence wasn’t a likable character but she went through so much pain and suffering at the hands of her parents , I felt bad for her and her sisters when it felt like everyone else in community turned a blind eye.

Overall I enjoyed the story and was going to rate it 4 stars but the ending didn’t leave the best taste in my mouth. Seeing what the fate was for her different family members was frustrating and it felt like some characters weren’t needed for the story. I’d still recommend this novel as it had good scenes .

3.75 star review of Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter

What it’s about:
Thirteen years after a violent act that tore her family apart, Providence Byrd returns to her small hometown to search for her missing mother—and confront the abusive father she believes is responsible. As old wounds resurface, she must choose between revenge and redemption, while navigating fractured relationships with her two sisters.

My thoughts:
This is a gritty and twisty, trauma-filled family saga about three daughters scarred by their father and a past that won’t stay buried. The story explores toxic family dynamics, flawed and morally gray characters, and the power of chosen family. I enjoyed the book—it’s messy, emotional, and compelling, with a dark undercurrent that lingers. If you like dark family sagas this one is worth a look!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

providence was aiming for her abusive father when she reversed the car and hit her mother. in the way these things seem to go, her mom tells the authorities that there was never any physical abuse happening at home and that providence just had a major attitude problem. this saddled providence with a criminal record that would change the trajectory of her life.

thirteen years later, providence's mother goes missing and she heads back to town to meet up with sisters grace and harmony, one of which desperately wants to reconnect and the other, well. she just wants providence to stay in her lane and stay out of the way.

this was a gritty exploration about the ripple effects of abuse and addiction, teasing apart the emotions related to being betrayed by someone that you're supposed to be able to trust the most in the world on behalf of a person that's constantly choosing to hurt you. i think if you go into this book expecting a thriller, then you're going to be disappointed. this is no classic "thriller". there's no real twists, just the dissection and eventual outcome of one woman's bad choices and how those choices inherently changed the lives of the children she was supposed to love.

TW/CW: Language, toxic family relationships, domestic abuse, physical abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism, death by suicide (attempt), cutting, sex (graphic), abortion, Alzheimer's, blood, violence

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Thirteen years ago, Providence Byrd threw the family car in reverse and ran over her mother. Even though she survived, that single instant of teenage madness made Providence a felon and irrevocably altered her life. When her mother disappears years later under suspicious circumstances, Providence tells herself that returning home is her chance to find closure after a prolonged estrangement from her family. Never mind that this is only half of the truth: she’s also returning to finally confront her abusive father, Tom Byrd. Nothing can stamp out Providence’s certainty that he is guilty of whatever terrible thing has happened to her mother.

As the search unfolds, Providence is haunted by the wounds of her past, none of which cut as deep as the distance between her and her younger sisters. Harmony and Grace are both uniquely scarred by her attempted matricide, and both have their own idea of what reconciliations might look like – if reconciling is even possible. Harmony urges Providence to make their father pay for his sins; Grace begs her to end the cycle of violence that has haunted their family for generations. As her thirst for vengeance collides with her desire to heal her relationships with her sisters, Providence must decide which she values more: revenge or redemption.
Release Date:
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. I liked Providence

What I Didn't Like:
1. 1,000 mentions of choke cherry pie
2. Lame ending
3. Story falls flat by the ending

Final Thoughts:
Wow that ending was so lackluster. Connors dad killed her. Then Providence goes to her dad's and kills him. Oh but everything works out and she gets everything she wanted.

Is it me or are synopsis' getting longer?God, they are actually hating her because she hit her mother. I get it but she survived. They are just acting like she's dead or something.

This book feels like so much back and forth that I was looking forward to the end to come. I just thought it was okay for what it was but the circles around how her mother is missing and her dad was terrible just kept hitting us over the head with it. One time - okay, twice - yeah, but more than that and it was too much.

Drove me up the wall the amount of times I read choke cherry pie, which is a pie over never heard of before this book.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for letting me review this audiobook, Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter.

This thriller was impossible to stop or even pause while listening to. You could not dislike the characters in this novel. They all have internal and external issues they are fighting, but that makes the reader, want good things to happen to/for them even more.

This audiobook was so gripping because one person in a family is basically disowned due to an accident that was meant for someone else. However, the main character seemed to be the most put together than the rest of the family and friends, even though she was the one who was sent to jail.

The title of this book, is one in a biblical perspective. There is a lot of religious parts in this book, and the daughter that was sent to prison is the only one in the family that seems to know the Bible. The family was raised religious, but were all far from a religious family.

This novel shows that no matter what a person has done, they can still be redeemed and loved. It also shows that the person sitting next to you at church, could be a killer, domestic abuser, or molester. It really makes you think about this when/if you go to church. A family may be raised in the church, but the family could be completely terrible.

You will want to root for the main character, even though everything (the mistakes) is thrown at her feet and anything bad is the main characters fault. However, are they all her fault? Are they all her mistakes? Can she be redeemed? Can everyone in this novel be redeemed?

Read this book to find out. I highly recommend this novel, because you fall in love with all of the characters, even more so, with their flaws.

#ad mad love for my advance copy @crookedlanebooks #partner
& @dreamscape_media + @netgalley #partner for the ALC

🅴🆅🅴🆁🆈 🆂🆆🅴🅴🆃 🆃🅷🅸🅽🅶 🅸🆂 🅱🅸🆃🆃🅴🆁

What a fantastic read this was!

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter by Samantha Crewson is an emotional thriller/mystery that is impossible to put down. Providence is a relatable character with a gut-wrenching background.

When their mom goes missing, Providence comes back home - but not everyone is happy to see her face. Having spent five years in prison for running over her mother, coming home is bitter-sweet.

A wonderful - though tough - read that I fully enjoyed. I loved the exploration of sisterhood, even if on a sadder note. You can see how generational trauma - violence against women, alcoholism, etc., has far reaching consequences and destroys everything in its path.

I also love how the story touches on the real issues that reservations face. All the liquor stores, which I feel were a strategic move, and the issues they cause. Though some reservations declare themselves as “dry” there’s nothing stopping liquor stores from being places just outside the reservations. I watch a phenomenal documentary on it once but cannot for the life of me remember what it was called.

Def recommend this one.

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter tells the story of Providence Byrd, a woman who returns to her hometown to her two sisters and dad after her mother disappeared. Several years prior, Providence spent time in prison for attempting to run her mom over with a car and as the story unfolds we learn what actually happened on that day all those years ago, the abuse Providence and her sister’s endured, as well as the recent disappearance of their mom.

I’m surprised by the lower ratings on this book, because I enjoyed it a lot and it was close to a 5 star read for me. It was a slow burn mystery and I found myself invested in the story despite the slow pace at times.

Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to an advanced reader copy of the audiobook of Every Sweet Thing is Bitter. This was a strong debut novel and I look forward to reading future work by Samantha Crewson.