Fantastic thrilled fast paced I enjoyed it so much this book kept me guessing from start too finish this is worth a read

Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan delves into the world of postpartum depression, help for new moms, and the inner turmoil of knowing what is right but wondering if you might be wrong.

I went into this book thinking it would be a twisty psychological thriller but it really isn't. Liz is a pediatrician who is on call the evening her good friend Jess shows up to the ER with her 1o month old daughter Betsey. Jess tells Liz that little Betsey had fallen at home and hit her head. Jess didn't really think it was serious, but decided to bring Betsey to the ER for a quick check just in case. As Liz examines Betsey, she begins to question if Jess is telling the truth and Jess is very vague in her answers. Liz knows that Jess is a terrific mother of three and they have been good friends for many years. But now Liz questions if she really knows Jess at all. Betsey has indeed suffered a severe head trauma and Liz questions why it took Jess six hours to bring Betsey in? As the examination goes on, Liz knows she has no other choice but to report the injury to the authorities and social services and the police soon arrive to investigate the situation. Jess is surprised by what is transpiring and things begin to go from bad to worse.

This book is told in alternating POVs (Liz and Jess) and jumps in times from present, to past when Liz and Jess took a childbirth class together, to even further in the past to Liz's childhood. Things were exposed to show what a good mom vs a bad mom would look like. There was discussion over being a perfect stay at home mom vs a guilt ridden working mom. While this wasn't the taut psychological thriller I was led to believe it would be, this book was pretty good and I think readers of Sarah Vaughan will enjoy Little Disasters.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

As a mother, it is your duty to keep your children safe.

Little Disasters explores the complexities of motherhood and the connections you maintain with your children and other parents.

A story of many little disasters, with large effects.

3 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

LITTLE DISASTERS reminded me of THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell in the way that it was so emotionally stirring. It was very thought provoking and complex and showcases the lengths mothers will go to to protect their children.

The concept of this book is fascinating. We follow a group of 4 Moms in London, England who are just trying to be the best Wives and Mothers to their group of children. Liz, a pediatric doctor whose relationship with her alcoholic mother is very strained and estranged. Jess, the mother of three including a 10 month newborn daughter, Betsey, who unfortunately survived a skull fracture and had serious complications like seizures and she had to stay overnight in the hospital. Charlotte, who has an Only son George and has been trying to do IVF for years, seems to be stuck in an unhappy marriage and has Feelings for Ed...Jess' husband.

For the majority of the book, we go back and forth between our three main characters, all providing a different perspective on this whodunit. This book has a heavy emphasis on Depression, Motherhood, Fatherhood, Physical and Verbal Abuse, and the delicate intricacies of close female friendship. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, I genuinely literally could not put the book down and read it in one sitting, stayed up all night wondering what plot twist the author was going to throw at us next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books for an ARC to read and review.

Motherhood is not easy. There are some days that are so fun, but there can also be days that are incredibly hard.

Four expecting mothers meet at a prenatal course, and become fast friends. They all have their first child within weeks of each other, and are able to lean on each other.

Fast forward a few years, and a few more children. One of the mothers Jess, who has always been very attentive, loving, and the picture perfect mother, comes into the ER with her new baby. By the luck of the draw, Liz, another mother from her prenatal class is the doctor who provides care. When they find a lump on the back of the baby’s head an investigation launches into neglect.

This was an emotional read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Had a tough time with this one. Started out strong but I found myself struggling to finish it for some reason

Felt like this one was a little drawn out. I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it just fell short for me.

*Thank you @atriabooks for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

I didn’t love this book. There was quite a bit of repetitive and clunky dialogue, and I feel like the first half of the book moved slowly as a result. I have never read anything by this author, but I did expect the story to be more fast-paced based on the description.

I received this book for free through netgalley. I DNF this book at around 40%, I wasn't a fan of the child abuse trope. I didn't feel like there was anything mysterious or exciting in the book to keep me coming back for more, and I instead had to force myself to continue reading. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the review copy of this book.

I can usually predict the twists and endings in most books, but I didn't see one of these ones coming. More of a domestic suspense drama rather than mystery/thriller. Overall, I enjoyed this one and it kept me engaged. Interested in more from this author.

TW/CW: child abuse

3.5 rounded up to 4⭐️. I was expecting a thriller going into this, but it’s definitely more of a domestic drama with a few suspense moments sprinkled in. It reminded me of British crime dramas I used to always watch, like Broadchurch. Small, close knit community of parents and kids, and an event that sets everyone on-edge.

Definitely some TW for pretty descriptive thoughts of child abuse.

I wonder what it says about me that I like books with such dark subject matters so much, but this one was very thrilling! I really loved the mental health portrayal here as it didn't demonize the person experiencing it but still showed the seriousness of the situation.

Review coming soon. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

4 of 5 Stars
Pub Date August 18, 2020
#LittleDisasters #SarahVaughn #NetGalley

I read this one a couple months ago. It was an ok thriller. Not sure it will stay with me for very long. If you like books about trust issues between friends, this may be for you. I just felt it dragged at times.

A good read about motherhood and postpartum depression. Definitely makes you think and realize you don't always know what's happening behind closed doors. I saw the first twist coming, but definitely didn't see the second. 4 stars!

One minute changes everything. I am several years passed my postpartum depression but it was so spot on that I know the author did a lot of research. There were parts of this book that were tough to read, and other parts where I couldn’t wait to turn the page. I was glued to this book and read it in less than 24 hours. Great job!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

When pediatrician Liz Trenchard is called into the ER by a junior doctor she is surprised to see that the baby daughter of her friend Jess is the patient. Jess says the baby has been crying all night and then started vomiting but when Liz examines her she finds a head injury that Jess can't adequately explain. However, Liz knows that Jess, stay at home mother of three, is the perfect mother all other mothers are jealous of, so what happened for baby Betsey to have a head injury? This tale of mothers and parenting will resonate with many mothers who have experienced the long and often lonely hours of dealing with an unsettled baby. In trying to work out what has happened to Betsey, Liz is also forced to look at her own relationship with her mother and events that happened in her childhood. Although not a thriller, this book kept me engaged the entire time, waiting to see what was coming next. It's also about the love and pain women can deal with after having a baby. A really good book!