The voice didn't work for me. There were a lot of easy clichés in the writing that most readers would process as appropriate for this casual conversational narrative style, but to me they interrupted my reading flow. Things like "My fingers went cold and my head swam," for instance, stop me cold. Most readers skip over these kinds of sentences as if they were 'beats,' but to my way of reading, it makes it hard to focus on the story, kind of like reading something through a window pane covered in frost. I will not be sending this on to Goodreads or posting it elsewhere because this is not a review, but just a declaration of "not for me."

I chose this book based on the creepy doll face alone. Muwahahahahahaha! Just Like Mother is marketed as horror, and it is definitely in the psychological horror genre but is also a great choice for thriller lovers who often shy away from the gore of traditional horror. Seriously, ladies, you NEED to read this fabulous book written with us in mind (bonus: can use for the book set in a nonpatriarchal society PopSugar challenge prompt!).

Following two timelines of cousins raised in The Mother Collective, a feminist cult in rural Vermont, who meet again in adulthood, Just Like Mother explores a lot of heavy topics: feminism, women's empowerment, fertility choices, grief, family, and what money can buy. It makes you ask, "How far would you go for your family or your daughter?" and "Can you ever escape your past?" Anne Heltzel has written a fast-paced, read in one sitting, psychological masterpiece. There is one particular jaw-drop scene that I would rank up there with SK's hobbling scene in Misery... no further details as you just have to experience it.! And THAT ENDING!!!! Perfectly done! Anne Heltzel has written a book that will stay with me a very long time! READ THIS BOOK!!!

Thank you to NetGally and Tor/Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

I'm not a fan of pure horror/gory/slasher murder type movies/books, but I do love a good mystery, thriller horror story and this one kept me reading! It was eerie and mysterious even though sometimes the plot was predictable, the way to get there was uncertain enough, that I was compelled to keep reading to find out! The book begins by describing Maeve and her cousin Andrea's dysfunctional and traumatic childhoods in a dystopian, matriarchal cult. The both escape to try to reassemble their lives, as "normal" adults, when they. meet up again 25 years later. Maeve felt stuck in life and was astounded at how successful Andrea had become. What is the secret to Andrea's success? Maeve will soon find out... I wish there would have been a bit more resolution for the beginning--information about who the original Mothers were and how it began. I also would have liked an ending that felt more complete and resolved. I truly enjoyed this book (would love an adaptation for Netflix or HBO or HULU!) and look forward to reading the author's future works.

Just Like Mother follows the life long journey of a woman and her cousin after 'escaping' a cult as children. It contains talk of infertility and does include some other darker themes and topics. As far as holding my attention went, it lost me for a minute about a third of the way in as it started getting repetitive when it came to the way our main protagonist viewed the people in her life - from the cousin she reconnected with to the man she was sort of semi-dating to the coworkers that just sort of maybe liked her on a good day. Once a few things were revealed, the book grabbed my attention again and I was able to finish strong the story of a woman named Maeve.

First thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor for this advance readers copy!

This book was sick. That’s in a good way. How horrifying to be caught up in this situation our main character Maeve ends up in! This ending shook me to my core. Creepy!!!

The book was a bit predictable and just would not have worked if the characters had been more well rounded and thought out.

This book is creepy, slimy, and made me so mad in parts I was grinding my teeth. Art of all kinds is meant to elicit emotions, and this book certainly did a good job of that. The only thing I thought this book didn’t do a good job of was surprising me in any way. It was very predictable. Does that mean it wasn’t entertaining, a total page-turner, creep-tastic, and I don’t recommend it? No way! I totally recommend it, it entertained the heck out of me, I couldn’t put it down, and it was so freaking creepy. I mean… dude. It was creepy in more than one way too. And downright slimy and deceitful too.

I described this book to my mom and sister as “[insert famous actress’ famous lifestyle company’ meets Rosemary’s Baby but with no demons]”, and that about sums it up. It’s maybe a touch deeper than that when you get to all the deeper themes, but that’s the basic gist of the book. It’s in those overlying themes where you get the creepiness and some of the sliminess, but it’s in the deeper themes where you get most of the sliminess, deceit, and those parts that made me so mad I was grinding my teeth.

This book, in essence, is about all the ways in which women deceive and wrong other women. How we judge each other in a million different ways, even if we don’t ever say what we’re thinking. How we, as women, say we love all women, but question if we really do: some still venerate the mother and the virgin but look down on any woman who is neither. We say we love all women, but does that include the nonbinary, the transexual, the gender fluid, or anyone else whose gender identity might not have always come with the “parts”? When do we count a woman a traitor? Do we even have the right to call any woman a traitor at all? Or are we all just trying to survive being a woman altogether?

There’s also a subtle and unforgiving streak in this book about how our worries regarding men are still valid, no matter that in this book it’s the women you need to watch out for. It’s not a huge part of the book, but it matters.

I don’t even know how to describe the creepy scenes and stuff that happens in this book. Let’s just say Heltzel knows how to paint a picture with her words. She knows how to stage a scene with vivid sentences and haunting details. Some of those scenes are stuck in my head, and they probably won’t come out for a while.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Tor Nightfire for early access to this book in exchange for fair and honest review.

This is one of the most twisted books I’ve read in a long time. It feels weird to give it 4 stars when the act of reading it was so uncomfortable, but once I got into it it was hard to put down.

We follow Maeve as she reunites with a cousin she was separated from when the compound of the cult they were raised in was raided. Maeve has a lot of trauma, obviously, and trusting people is difficult for her. Through out we get flashbacks to her time at the compound and the things that happened to her there. Content Warnings: Rape, Self Harm, Loss of a child, also implied child abuse, graphic violence

I don’t really want to say much more about the plot then that because there’s enough foreshadowing that I think readers will see the end long before Maeve does, though it’s done with enough tension and suspension to carry the book forward.

The writing is fine. There are a couple of sex scenes I didn’t need, the dialogue felt stiff and kind of awkward in places. But for the most part it was fine and didn’t detract too much from the book.

I think the biggest thing about this book is how timely it is. It was harrowing to read with everything going on In the US surrounding Roe V. Wade. It felt very much like a less subtle metaphor for that, though I could be reading too much into it.

Otherwise- if cult-horror is your thing, this would absolutely be one to check out. Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the eARC.

I was really excited to read this novel as it seemed to be in my genre of favorite reads. Unfortunately, there were a lot of things about this book that went beyond disturbing for me. I am a huge fan of horror and psychological thrillers, but the abuse, rape and imprisonment was a little too much for me.

I love a good cult story and JUST LIKE MOTHER delivered on a whole new creepy level! If you think the cover is unsettling, just wait until you start reading!

From the beginning I thought I knew where this story was okay to lead me, but I was completely wrong. Heltzel took my expectations and blew them out of the water. This book reads like a season of American Horror Story with all of the jaw dropping revelations and weird twists you can’t get enough of as you watch. There’s something not right about all of the characters you meet, but just what is it? JUST LIKE MOTHER’s premise is impossible for me to talk about in great detail without giving too much away. What I will say is that if you enjoy cults, stories set in remote locations, and being completely creeped out, this one's for you!

I highly suggest taking a look at the trigger warnings listed on Storygraph because there are a lot of tough topics covered in this book.

A huge thank you to Tor Nightfire for my gifted copy!

In her debut adult novel, Anne Heltzel layers on the creepy atmosphere while poking at society's obsession with motherhood. She draws Maeve as such a traumatized and vulnerable character, keeping everyone at a distance to protect herself. We can't help but want her to get a win after her childhood in a matriarchal cult known as the Mother Collective, from which she fled. Her escape incited a raid of the Mothers' compound and effectively separated Maeve from her closest friend and cousin, Andrea. Years later, she and Andrea reconnect at a time when her adoptive father has died, her adoptive mother is in memory care, and she is let go from her job. Rich, successful, and charismatic Andrea becomes Maeve's only lifeline at a time of desperation. As their new relationship develops, Maeve comes up against old fears. Turns out, she can't get around them. She's got to go through them. So do we.
[Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book.]

Holy $#!% !!! That was unexpected.
I think I may be obsessed with this book, but I’m still trying to process my inner turmoil.
You want creepy, messed up, cultish, post-feminist (maybe?) feminism mixed with horror and completely wild head-shaking moments? #JustLikeMother serves it up.

Not perfect. Some holes. A lot of suspension of disbelief required, but take this one as it is, and go in knowing as little as possible. Pick it up, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about some seriously effed up stuff. All the trigger and content warnings.

Thank you to MacMillan Tor-Forge and Netgalley for providing me with access to an ARC of Just Like Mother in exchange for my fair and honest review.

The prologue got my attention! It's obvious there is a commune where the majority are women. The women are all called 'Mother' by the children. The two main children are Andrea and Maeve, where Andrea is the favored. Andrea and Maeve are best friends with a few years that separate them.

There is a male child, simply referred to as Boy. Maeve is quite taken with him and tried to care for him. It is one night that Maeve defies the Mothers and flees.

Maeve grew up in a normal home under foster care, she still pines for her cousin, Andrea, and constantly searches for her online. It is years later that on a whim, Mae does a DNA test and makes a connection with Andrea.

Andrea is a successful businesswoman with her own company called New Life making lifelike dolls for women. It's not long before Mae becomes enmeshed in Andrea's life and finds that she needs Andrea.

Maeve was always told that she was a bad apple, but little does Mae know that being bad is actually good for her.

This was a creepy story, but I found it entertaining! I'd say it falls more into being a thriller than
a horror story. The ending was a complete surprise and I didn't expect that.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Macmillan-Tor/Forge and I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Where do I start with this book? Okay, so the cover is super creepy but it totally fits this creepy cultish book! You know I am all about the cultish type books! I gave this 5 stars because I am still thinking about it even though I read it like 2 months ago! I may need a copy on my bookshelf.

Maeve and Andrea grew up with each other as cousins until one night when something tore them apart. Fast forward to the future and they have finally been reunited. Everything seems to be going so well. Andrea has made it to the top and is very successful. Maeve is not so successful and relies on Andrea more than she'd like. Then things start going awry and I'll leave you with that.

There is some definite creepy things that occur in this book and trigger warnings as well so do be aware of that aspect. Otherwise, grab this book and hold on tight!

So, I think I had too high of expectations coming into this book. It was certainly creepy, but the pacing was off. I felt like the information came too slowly at points, but then by the time a twist was coming I’d already guessed it. The concept is fascinating and I still really love it, but I’m not sure it hit the mark for me.

Just Like Mother was an absolutely trippy ride! I especially enjoyed seeing the past and present between the different chapters and how Heltzel weaved both stories together.

While I saw pretty much every twist coming, it didn't take away from how much I was enthralled by everything happening.

Great debut!

Shades of Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives, and The Handmaid's Tale! This book creeped me out from the get-go. Several young girls live in a house with Mother-Mother with the lazy eye, Mother with the blonde hair, Mother with the baby in her belly-and no men. Andrea, the oldest, is the favored one. Her "cousin" Maeve, 3 years younger, is always in trouble and gets locked in a dark closet as punishment. Something awful happens at the home. We really aren't told much about the Collective except through Maeve's young eyes and in flashbacks. This adds to the creepiness of the story. Fast forward 20 years when Andrea and Maeve reconnect through a DNA database. They really are cousins. Andrea is a life coach and runs NewLife, developing a line of creepy very realistic AI dolls to help clients through grief and stress. Through a string of bad luck Maeve ends up without a job, home, or any money so Andrea invites her to live with her on her remote estate in upstate New York. I should have expected some of the twists by this point, but I really didn't. The ending made my skin crawl. Thanks to netGalley for giving me an ARC copy. It was an entertaining read.

I wanted to like this book so much, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and was so excited when I snagged a copy from @netgalley! Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I found myself waiting for the “good stuff” to start and I was incredibly bloated until about the 70% mark. Then all of a sudden things started happening and I was hooked… then the ending just killed me.

Maeve escaped a cult that believed women ruled everything - they kept men to procreate only. When Maeve escaped at 8, her closest cousin Andrea who was 11 also was free. Maeve was adopted and went to grow up and work in publishing in New York City. She decides to do a DNA test and is pleasantly surprised Andrea has also done the test. The two connect and hit it off. Andrea owns a life coaching company that helps new mothers, though Andrea lost a baby herself several years back. Maeve never wants children, and while Andrea seems confused by this, she’s okay with it - or so we think. Things start going horribly wrong in Maeve’s life and Andrea is there to take her in. Then things get strange and Maeve isn’t sure she’ll get out unscathed.

I feel like there was so much u necessary build up that went into this store. Like I mentioned I didn’t even feel like the book truly started until it was almost over! Then I was like OMG what a ride…and the ending! As much as I didn’t see it coming, I really didn’t like it. It felt undone and like a final in your face. I like closure at the end of a book. While this book wasn’t for me exactly I still give it 3 stars and can see why some people have enjoyed it so much!

In Just Like Mother, Maeve and her cousin Andrea are inseparable until the night it all changes and Maeve is separated from her cousin and the group of Mothers she considered her family. But years later, when Maeve has exhausted herself trying to locate her long lost cousin does Andrea randomly appear out of nowhere. While Maeve is living paycheck to paycheck, Andrea has been living in wealth, having started her own brand and lifestyle organization based on motherhood. When a series of unfortunate events leads Maeve to move into Andrea's large mansion in upstate New York, Maeve is relieved to be with family, no longer feeling alone. But then things take a turn, and it all comes crumbling down.

This novel was a slow burn at first, slowly picking up speed until you are barreling ahead towards the end. Heltzel has created a creepy story about a Cult and the lasting effects it has on it's young members, Andrea and Maeve. This disturbing book will have you feeling all sorts of helplessness and paranoia! A totally original plot with Stepford-like characters, While the book is somewhat predictable with a lack of twists, it still possesses a disturbing and interesting storyline that has you wondering how it will all turn out. More backstory on the Cult would have been fun, but I don't believe the book suffers from the lack of it. Emily and Micah's characters are a little pointless and blaise but some of their dialogue and actions contributed to the main plot.

More suspense than horror, it's worth the read.

3.5 stars, but rounding up because I think others will like it!