Review of Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was super fun and unique. I loved the creepiness and the cult vibes but it also had elements of a regular thriller as well. I listened to the audio and quite enjoyed that. It started off slow for me but then picked right up and kept going. I loved the main character.

Quick synopsis: Maeve is living a mostly anonymous life in the city when she suddenly hears from her cousin Andrea. She hasn’t seen her since they escaped the cult they grew up in and she’s thrilled. Before she knows it she’s lost her job and moves to the Catskills with Andrea and her husband. But things don’t stay calm for long and she soon realizes she may not have escaped her past.

While this domestic thriller/cult read didn't completely disappoint I found it to be a slow build with some predictable twists.
I did enjoy the well written creep factor and horror yet I wasn't on the edge of my seat either. I am most definitely terrified of the idea of Andrea though lol!
The cover is awesomely creepy and lends well to the childhood cult background. I would recommend this book and look forward to discovering more by author.

5 stars. This was a pre-order and a 2022 release that did not let me down. I am absolutely BLOWN away by this debut from Anne Heltzel. It's a slow-build character analysis into Mauve and her reuniting with her cousin. As the story unfolds it becomes obvious that one of them escaped their terrible childhood while another is in the throws of it. The ending was so intense! I will say this needs a big warning for sexual assault and forced pregnancy and I would also not recommend reading this if you are pregnant or have had a traumatic pregnancy or are fearing your birthing process because this will not bring you peace at all. I loved this one. An absolutely remarkable look into motherhood and the desire to not be one in a world of women telling you it's the most important thing in the world. Plus, I love a good cult book and this one does it right. Full review to come.

I just completed my #12hourreadathon and only finished one of my two current reads and OMG what a great story and fantastic on audio! Maeve grows up in a cult that worships mothers and female children while men and male offspring are seen as disposable and are there if at all to serve. Maeve breaks away at 12, wildly driving a car & a tragedy occurs. She is soon adopted and taught by her adopted parents never to bring up the past. They try to shield her from the publicity of the cult's news even as it is reported as dismantled. Maeve is safe now. She grows up to be an editor, working in NYC and casually dating a bartender who is just one step above friends with benefits...as far as Maeve is concerned. She keeps people at arm's length. When her cousin (who she lived with in the commune of the cult) reaches out to her and befriends her, Maeve is so happy; she craves the closeness they shared as children and wants to break out of her shell. Her cousin and her husband live in a mansion in the Catskills & invite Maeve to stay with them. Maeve visits, but winds up leaving to go back to the city. But when everything is slowly but surely taken from Maeve, and she has nowhere to turn... damn if her cousin isnt right there to give her a place to stay. BUT AT WHAT COST???
I knew something wasnt right about that woman and omg things go reeeeallly crazy, creepy, and the ending put chills up my spine.
5 star thriller & so happy that I dug into this last night & was able to finish it todat because it had me biting my nails and freaking out. This just came out this week. Its fantastic @macmillan.audio thanks as always for approving me for fantastic stories told masterfully by amazing audiobook productions!!!
#justlikemother #anneheltzel
#macmillan #audiobookstagram
#thrillerreads @anneheltzel

Just Like Mother was a wild ride! This book was so twisted, but in the best ways. The cult of Mothers was intense and frightening to read about, yet I could see how this could be something that happens in real life. I felt so bad for the cards that were dealt to Maeve and her cousin, Andrea until you start putting pieces of the puzzle together of Andrea's messed up ideas. Which includes murder, kidnapping, lies, and pretending that a AI doll is a real baby. I can understand what grief can do to one person, however Andrea is messed up in more than one way. The ending was amazing and I loved that final twist on the last page.

I was super excited to get this book on Netgalley, and, yes, I realize I'm super late to the game, but life just happens sometimes. Anyway, this one was a real letdown for me. I just didn't really care for it at all, but I didn't absolutely hate it, so it's getting two stars. Plus, I did really enjoy the beginning.

My main problem with this book was Maeve's complete inability to put two and two together. Maybe I'm just naturally suspicious and have read way too many scary books, but I saw everything coming from a mile away, and that's just never fun as a reader. Also, I would not classify this as a horror novel at all. It's just not scary, like at all. Again, maybe I'm just a jaded reader, but this one just didn't do it for me.

Everyone else seems to be really loving this one, so definitely don't let my little ol' review stop you from reading. We all have different reading tastes. This one just wasn't for me.

A super big thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. :)

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book for my honest review. I loved the creepy aspect of this debut novel, and the cover gives way to help set the stage for the tale of Maeve and the Motherhood Collective.

The author weaves together this story in such an eerie way, always keeping you on the edge of your seat. As a reader we can clearly see the writing on the wall, so to say, but following along as Maeve comes to the same conclusions and realizations is both frustrating (how can she not see what's happening!!?!!??) and intriguing (what's going to happen next??).

4/5 stars for this debut thriller.

Just Like Mother is an interesting and modern take on a cult story. From the beginning it was clear that things would go poorly, and I couldn't stop reading until I knew HOW they would go poorly. This title would make for a great book club pick!

"...More Power in a Mother's Hand Than in a King's Scepter"

Such a profoundly disturbing book, depicting some horrifying events that many may find triggering. It made me look at motherhood, its role and responsibilities, in an entirely different way.

Compassion, nurturing, and unconditional love, especially toward children, are "supposed to be" innate feminine traits, but the women who raised Maeve are hateful, selfish, spiteful, and unconcerned with nurturing anyone. It's no wonder to me that Maeve doesn't see motherhood as a goal to aspire to.

Just Like Mother is a complicated, shocking story. I don't quite know how to describe it without giving away the plot. It was a real roller coaster ride.

Thank you to author Anne Heltzel, Tor books, and NetGalley for the gift of a free advanced reader's copy. My review is freely given, not out of any obligation, but simply to spread the word about an excellent book.

I enjoyed this quite a bit - the reader sees all the boundaries the protagonist is neglecting, and can see what's happening coming a mile away, but it makes sense and is believable that she does not. There's a point where it does start to feel a little rushed; this is definitely strongest in the beginning.

JUST LIKE MOTHER

DNF at 65%

I had to DNF this one.

I struggled with a few things going on in this book. Some of the points I had problems with verge on spoilery so I’ll do my best to explain without giving away plot points.

First of all most of the dialogue felt unrealistic and weird. Especially the dialogue between Maeve and Andrea. I could tell part of it was on purpose and I felt it might make sense later but I just couldn’t read to that point.

Some of the plot hinges on the fact that I’m going to believe that one cousin would go about persuading the other cousin in this way and I just didn’t buy it.

The way the characters are constructed feels like they are hollow and simply an accumulation of behaviors acted out. I appreciate when characters behaviors make sense and when characters have an arc. None of that happened here.

My biggest complaint though is that some of the transitions between between scenes are confusing. The passages go from one scene to another without really telling me the reader it’s happening making it unnecessarily hard to read.

I would try another Anne Heltzel book as I think some of the problems I had with this book were plot related.



Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy!

I'm going to start out saying that while there are lots of fiction (and nonfiction) books written about cults, this is probably one of the few about a female-led cult! I loved the contrasting characters of Maeve and Andrea. Maeve, haunted by memories of guilt and Andrea determined to be successful in life. I was able to perfectly imagine the main setting for this book-Andrea's sprawling estate mansion filled with creepy dolls! Without giving away the plot, while some parts were predictable (in a good way!), I have to admit, I didn't see the ending coming and really enjoyed the wrap-up and possible lead into a sequel (which would be really awesome). There might need to be some kind of trigger warning (not sure if the book industry is doing this yet) for sexual assault, but with that being said, the scenes weren't too graphic, but nonetheless could be triggering to some trauma victims. All in all, 5 star read from me. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

Thank you Netgallery and Ms. Heltzel for the opportunity to review this book.
Ms. Heltzer definitely knows how to put a creep factor into a book. Right from the beginning I was drawn into the book wanting to know more about the main character Maeve's past. When a long lost cousin re-enter's Maeve's life, the reader begins a journey of twisted reality as the author intertwines snippets of the past with her cousin's bizarre behavior. The main character does suffer a lot of trauma and the book could be a trigger for some readers. Overall, Ms.Heltzel does a marvelous job of creating a gripping horror story. After reading this book I doubt you will ever look at motherhood, or dolls for that matter in the same way.

Andrea and Maeve are cousins who grew up in a cult called The Mother Collective until it was raided by the government when Andrea was eleven and Maeve was eight. They were split apart at this time, and it takes years later to find each other again. Maeve is excited to start this rekindled relationship with her cousin. She immediately sees that Andrea is a successful business woman, and when they start to meet, Maeve trusts her, even though they had not seen each other in years. This trust is put into the wrong person, of course, and in the end, Just Like Mother is a novel of psychological horror, family that is evil, and a past that cannot be outran.

Most of the book is a great amount of waiting and build up to the final quarter of the novel. This buildup is sluggish at times, and I wish that there was more of this time spent exploring their childhood in the cult. There are strong themes and arguments on motherhood, raising children, and contemporary views versus traditional roles on the fulfillment of womanhood through bearing children. I did not hate the scenes where Maeve and Andrea are arguing about having and raising children, but I wish this time was spent on their childhood at the cult instead. The roles of the men in this novel are also interesting. They are purposefully sitting in the backseat, obediently following their strong willed spouses while they dp most of the hard work. There is a reverse Stepford Wives vibe to the the actions of the men in this novel, like they are built to be a minor character in the lives of all of the powerful women. Each man in this novel is written this way, almost as a bothersome accessory. This is not so much something I see as a complaint as much as something I see as a very heavy handed foreshadowing.

There are elements of Just Like Mother that are not as sharp as they could be, and there are times when Anne Heltzel gets a little deep into her arguments between the women about the pros and cons of motherhood. It does move a little slow through the first two-thirds, but the end turns very quickly, the danger ties everything together pretty well, and it’s a good novel.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maeve was rescued from a cult when she was just a child. Since then she has dreamed of reuniting with her cousin, Andrea. They had a special bond back then and Maeve has been looking to find her for years. Maeve uploads her DNA to all the sites and is thrilled when she's finally matched with Andrea. They are reunited and Maeve is thrilled. But something seems off and Maeve can't quite figure out what.

This was the creepiest book I've read in awhile. The author does a great job of building a feeling of dread. You know something bad is going to happen to Maeve, you just don't know what or when. However, Maeve makes so decisions that the reader probably would not in her situation. I found myself mumbling about her terrible judge of character throughout the story, but I couldn't put it down.

If you enjoy a good gothic type horror story check this book out. It definitely reminded me of stories like the Wife Upstairs and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

This book was absolutely horrifying. Before I get into the review I will say that rape is mentioned in the book and does happen on page while the character is unaware. The characters in this book are difficult to like, aside from the MC but for me, this book turned my stomach, gave me goosebumps and will probably give me nightmares.

Just Like Mother is the well written story of Maeve and Andrea. Two girls who were born and raised in the Mother Collective, a cult of fanatical woman and motherhood. They were rescued as young children and have been out of touch until Maeve happens to do a DNA test and finds her.

From there, Andrea is a fixture in her life with her perfect family of her, her husband, their successful, well, Andrea's successful business. And then there's Emily, the face of the business while Andrea handles the workings. And the workings include lifelike baby robots.

Maeve works at a publishing house, has a casual f-buddy relationship with a stoner bartender named Ryan and alopecia. She doesn't have a family.

When Andrea comes back into her life, it's apparent she'll do anything to keep her there. It's like she's not really herself unless Andrea is there.

We find out about the cult and their background throughout the story and it's dark. The way people, men were treated and what we find out about the cult. It's very much "women are powerful because they can have babies. That's their vocation, their divine duty."

The book does touch on the fact that that's transphobic and ignores the fact that there are people who can't have children and those who simply don't want them. It's very much anti feminist. And those are the character's words.

I won't spoil anything but it is a good book, if not a heavy read given the current political climate around reproductive right's and how the fight for them can end up transphobic.

This book messed with my head. It made me nauseous. And it was well written.

Giving this book five stars feels weird because it was a good book, well written, and made me wildly uncomfortable. So do with that what you will.

I will say, that if you have issues around pregnancy, forced birth, rape, don't read this book. Always protect your peace and mental health first.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

Review- 4.5
Maeve grew up in a cult with her cousin Andrea called The Mother Collective. They escaped at ages 8 and 11 but their memories still haunt them. Maeve was adopted and Andrea was forced into foster care. The two reconnect after taking DNA tests on the same website and immediately hit it off. As things start going wrong in Maeve’s personal life, Andrea offers to take her into her home. The more time Maeve spends with Andrea, the more things appear to be off.
I have loved horror movies for as long as I can remember and I’ve finally started reading the horror genre. Holy cow, this horror novel did not disappoint. This book was pretty fast-paced and I could not put it down. This has a quiet a few triggering scenes and things get really weird as the story moves along. The creepy factor in this book sent chills down my spine several times. I would compare the reading experience to that of watching a scary movie. You know things are creepy but you can’t help but continue. The ending was absolutely 🤯 and not something I expected at all but I think was fitting ending for this book.
Thank you Tor Nightfire & NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Maeve has escaped the cult called the Mothers when she was 8 years old. She lives in a small apartment and works at a publishing company. When the cult was caught by the law, Maeve and her friend Andrea were separated living in different foster homes. Just when Maeve thought she would never see Andrea, she gets an email from the DNA test sample group (hoping she would find Andrea). Saying hey found someone related to her — maybe a cousin. Andrea decides to write and find out who it is. Andrea responds with happiness and wants to meet. Andrea meets her in a cafe for breakfast. They tel each other what happened since they last saw each other. Andrea is wealthy due to her company that she created. She asks Maeve to visit er at her home in the Catskills. Maeve agrees to do that. After Maeve has been there for a while, she is raped by Andrea’s us and. Andrea becomes pregnant with twins. The longer she is with Andrea, the more memories from her life in he cult reappear making her more uncomfortable. Will Maeve be able to leave Andrea’s home? Will she be able to get anyone to help her?

The author builds an ominous atmosphere throughout the story. It is a creepy novel. Maeve’s tenacity and trauma kept me invested in her story to the end. It is truly a horror story that includes some violence.

4ish stars! This was creepy. I quite enjoyed how this was written full of little teases. You know something is off from the beginning. Later on, even though the reveal seems predictable, there were points when you thought the truth would be revealed and then it wasn't. It seems almost unbelievable that the main character could be so oblivious, and at points it's annoying, but in the spirit of the story, she's blinded by her need for family and connection.
The story offers good brain food for some feminist discussions. The desire for motherhood, motherhood from a cisgendered lense, men's role in family, etc. think there was opportunity for this to be even more terrifying if we learned more about the motherhood cult. Other than reproducing, what is the why driving people to this cult?

Just Like Mother was one of the better books I've read in a while! It is apparently the adult debut by new to me author Anne Heltzel. This is one of those books that I was drawn into by the cover (yes I judged a book by its cover and this one certainly delivered! ) I loved how it was told in alternating past/present time periods. I would just love to have learned more about the cult The Mother Collective that Maeve and Andrea grew up in -I was really intrigued with that part of the book. - perhaps that could be a prequel or something someday. Fast forward to present day where Maeve and Andrea reunite when they have found one another via a DNA test. Things are not exactly as they seem with Andrea -she is playing some mind games with Maeve and it takes Maeve a little while to figure this out. Overall Heltzel has delivered a really creepy book! Are there some things in it that are a bit unbelievable - sure! Just go with it though - its overall a great book.