Wow! What a story! This was a unique plot. I didn't see anything coming and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I highly recommend this book.

Unfortunately I DNFed this one about 25% in. I was expecting much more spookiness, etc and this just didn't do it for me. Seemed like this was more about having an unplanned pregnancy and parenting complications which just wasn't my bag.

Thank you very much for the review copy!

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

I couldn't put this book down! I loved the idea of comparing a pregnancy to a haunting. The descriptions of the changes pregnancy causes to the body and how you feel like your body doesn't belong to you anymore were spot on, and the detailed descriptions made it feel gory and scary. I also loved the mystery surrounding the visions and dreams Essie is having and the chapters from her ancestor. They really added to the story and everything tied together well at the end. If you like feminist horror, this book is for you! An amazing debut!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a unique storyline and I loved the dual POV. I loved that the book went back in time to help the reader understand the present and how it relates to the current time. This book definitely kept me engaged; however, there were some parts where it was a little slower and I was waiting for it to pick back up a bit. Additionally, I think in my mind based on the cover I was expecting more suspense or thrilling read but it did seem to lack with that at times. But again, the storyline was unique and I was invested in the book and wanted to know what was going to happen! Overall, definitely one that I would recommend!

"She was not exhausted from the work of multiplying cells. That work could be done by a mouse or someone in a coma." I'm still not sure how I feel about this horror novel where one of the biggest horrors is just being pregnant. Essie's birth control fails and although she almost immediately decides to keep the pregnancy, she sees it as an inconvenience that will derail her law school graduation. There's also a curse that causes the women in her family line to lose their husbands shortly after giving birth, but she's not as concerned about that. The plot alternates between Essie's daily life and two women in a previous era. It gets seriously creepy and I was holding my breath for the last few chapters, but I spent the first three quarters of the book feeling extremely critical of the protagonist.

This book is told in both past and present and there are different storylines occurring that revolve around different characters.

The main characters Essie and Sanjay seem to have it all. Then. when Essie becomes pregnant, she's upset with her mixed emotions. Meanwhile, Sanjay is unaffected and happy about the pregnancy because it won't affect his ability to maintain a career. It would be so easy for Essie to become bitter.

There is a lot to unpack with Essie and Sanjay's relationship. Then when you throw in the other couples that Essie had met in the airport, It's already enough to trigger some tears but yet it's only beginning.

The storyline is creative and creepy.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also chose to review the audiobook and found the narration to be fine. It wasn't anything spectacular. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't phenomenal. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for both early copies of the audiobook and ebook. I chose to review them both and the opinions contained within are my own.

Loved this book! So much so I purchased a hard copy. Great story, kept me guessing until the end! I will definitely reach more on this authors books!

No Child Of Mine
Written By Nichelle Giraldes
Published By Poisoned Pen Press in ding out they are expecting and then
Release Date. September 12, 2023

Essie and Sanjay have had a lot going on lately. Buying a house, finding out they are expecting a baby, and now remodeling their home to where they can feel as though it is their dream home.

Sanjay has settled into his job and Essie is in Law school where she finds out that she is unexpectedly pregnant, which she never thought she wanted to be. However, Sanjay now starts spending time away from her. Spending time in the attic pacing, it seems Essie is going through this alone… but is she? Essie is put on bed rest and she starts seeing a woman but in reality she wonders if she is losing her mind. Their lives are then thrown into what we learn is a curse that has haunted Essie’s family forever.
The book has a parallel narrative where you meet Anna and Isabel. Where it adds the necessary depth and suspenseful mystery to the story. The author does an amazing job of thrusting the reader b3tween two different timeframes and keeping the reader completely perplexed and unaware of what will happen next. I felt as though both stories blended well and kept me engaged and entertained from page one.
The build up of the story as well as the characters was perfect but the ending just did not really do it for me. I was hoping for something more explosive but it just did not do it for me. The book overall is a 4 star book for me as the rest was awesome.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me an eArc to read and in return give my honest and unbiased review.

Sadly, I didn't love this one. For something listed as 'horror', nothing truly horrific happened. I actually kind of feel like nothing happened in the entire book. I get there was supposed to be this slow building of dread, but I didn't even feel that. It just felt like a book about a pregnant lady who was extremely unhappy about being pregnant and a curse that wasn't very curse-like. I wanted more curse and less angry pregnant lady.

I enjoyed No Child of Mine as a whole but did find it hard to really get into the storyline and connect with the characters. I didn't hate the dual timeline and it was clear what was going on, but I just didn't get invested. I believe this is because I feel like I went into this one expecting more thriller and horror elements and maybe this has impacted my expectation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“No Child of Mine” is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of a woman’s journey through unexpected pregnancy, marriage, and a haunting family curse. Essie Kaur, the central character, is brilliantly portrayed as a strong-willed, independent woman who must confront the unexpected challenge of motherhood. Her internal struggle and emotional journey are depicted realistically, making her a relatable and empathetic character. Nichelle Giraldes excels at painting a vivid picture of Essie’s transformation, both physically and emotionally, as she navigates the unexpected pregnancy. Her candid exploration of the conflicting emotions that come with unplanned parenthood provides a refreshing and authentic perspective on the topic. The reader is drawn into Essie’s mind, experiencing her doubts, fears, and eventual acceptance.

The novel’s parallel narrative, interwoven with the historical perspectives of Isabelle and Ana, adds depth and mystery to the story. Although initially disjointed, the connection between the two timelines eventually becomes clear, enhancing the overall narrative. The characters in the historical segments are well-developed, and their stories add depth to the present-day events, creating a fascinating interplay. Giraldes masterfully creates an eerie atmosphere within the story, building tension and suspense that keeps the reader engaged. The first half of the book, in particular, excels in delivering a spine-tingling experience, blending the everyday with the supernatural.

However, some readers may find the repetitive elements in the narrative slightly tiresome, especially in the later part of the book. The ending may also leave some wanting a more intense climax. Additionally, the transition between the two timelines might initially feel jarring, but it ultimately ties together cohesively. In summary, “No Child of Mine” is a thought-provoking exploration of womanhood, motherhood, and the unexpected twists life can bring. The story’s unique blend of realism and the supernatural, combined with well-drawn characters, makes it an intriguing and compelling read. While there are minor issues with pacing and transitions, the overall narrative is a solid and engaging piece of work that will leave readers reflecting on the intricacies of modern women’s roles and the generational impact of choices.

When Essie finds out she is pregnant her whole future seems to be turned upside down. Becoming a mother was never a part of her plan - all of her focus has been on graduating and starting her career as a lawyer. The one thing she does know is that she already loves this child tremendously. But as her pregnancy progresses and gets more and more difficult her relationship with her husband, Sanjay, get more tense. He is slowly starting to become someone she doesn't recognize and she's forced to question if the curse in her family that leaves wives without husbands and daughters without fathers is very real.

I expected for this book to be creepy but it ended up being so much more. The themes of women choosing a family over a career, vice versa, or having both was so fascinating. Reading about the hard parts of pregnancy and the inner turmoil pregnant people may have to go through was extremely well done in my opinion. Families are so nuanced and this book shows a side many families have experienced. Well, into you get into the curse of it.

The way that the curse is introduced and explained was so well done. I was so intrigued about what was going on and needing to know what all of the characters introduced in this book had in common kept me invested. I wish I would have learned more about a certain aspect of how the curse came into this family line but overall I thought it was a great, creepy book to read during fall.

Nichelle Giraldes new book, No Child of Mine, is a paranormal thriller that had all the makings to be great but ended up just ok for me in the end. There are a lot of things I liked about the book and the build up to the climax had me predicting a four to five star read…HOWEVER…the climax itself was disappointing and underwhelming. There is a neat and tidy buttoned-up ending that was just a little too simple for our characters to reach after all the hell leading up to it. I’m always here for a haunted house setting, I enjoy a psychological thriller where characters question their sanity, and I like dual timelines, so there were elements in this one I did enjoy. A lot of the book does center on our main character Essie’s unexpected (and not really wanted) pregnancy, so be warned of any triggers surrounding that as you read. Overall, No Child of Mine is a quick and entertaining thriller that I did enjoy up until the “that’s it!?” ending.

The idea of generational curses propels some of the scares, but the origin of this curse feels thin compared to the main narrative of the harrowed mother.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did, I also went into the book blind. I DNF about 50% through. I get the grief of having an unplanned pregnancy, being tortured by morning sickness, feeling like your life is in endless agony. It didn’t read as a horror to me. I didn’t have much hope for the haunted house and generational curse aspects to get stronger as the story progressed. It’s more of a psychological story of pregnancy induced mental decline. For some readers, this would be absolutely horrifying.

I mostly didn’t care for the pov from current day Essie/ Sanjay to decades past Isabelle/Anna. I hated that Isabelle/Anna were told through letters and that it was even included, sometimes I couldn’t tell the difference between the two. I would have rather read a story of Essie and Sanjay alternating povs or just a story about Isabelle and Anna not wanting to be married. The constant back and forth between the two povs every chapter was too abrupt for my liking.

Maybe it was just me but from the title and cover. I thought this would enter demon or ghost baby territory.

"Essie Singh has defined herself by her ambitions, a fiercely independent woman whose only soft spot is her husband, Sanjay. She never imagined herself as a mother. It was never a part of the plan. But then she finds out she's pregnant. As her difficult pregnancy transforms her body and life into something she barely recognizes, her husband spends the nights pacing in the attic, slowly becoming a stranger, and the house begins to whisper.
As Essie's pregnancy progresses, both her and Sanjay's lives are warped by a curse that has haunted her family for generations, leaving a string of fatherless daughters in its wake. When she's put on bedrest, Essie trades the last aspects of her carefully planned life for isolation in what should be a welcoming home, but she isn't alone. There's something here that means to take everything from her."
Thrilling, suspenseful, fast paced. Definitely a great thriller. I give this book 4 stars.
Thanks to Poisoned Press, netgalley, and the author for a chance to post an honest review.
Published Sept 12th, 2023

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my voluntary and honest review. This novel is fantastic! I was pulled into this story like I was a character, and had something to lose myself. Amazing read, highly recommend!

“𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆, 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

After being invited to participate in the cover reveal for this book back in January, my interest in reading No Child of Mine was peaked.

This story overall has a creepy vibe, as paranoia sets in for both Essie and Sanjay, two people meant for each other. The house feels like a character who is waiting to pounce, as furniture moves by itself (I wish that had been explained further), lights flicker, and footsteps echo. Nichelle Giraldes explores motherhood, through Essie’s conflicting feelings when she learns she is pregnant. I felt like the feelings that friends of mine have explained where it seems like you do not belong to your body any longer was described perfectly, especially as Essie learns that she can love her daughter and hate being pregnant at the same time. I really loved the relationship between Essie and Sanjay, as they learn to adapt to the changes in their marriage and in their new house; I was rooting for them to break the curse that seems to plague Essie’s family. The past narrative was interesting too - told through letters and some narration, I at first wondered if I’d bother feeling connected to Ana and Isabel, but I was enthralled as these women were not allowed to be who they wanted, pushed into marriages for the sake of tradition and society. I did hope for a bit more scare factor (there was a lot of buildup that didn’t quite reach the heights I wanted), and the ending wrapped up a little to quickly and neatly - I especially wanted one more chapter to bring things to a fuller close, but overall I enjoyed this quick read.

No Child of Mine is a story of women across generations, the power of destructive and redeeming love, safety, and sacrifice. Giraldes shows much promise in this debut, and I think new mothers in particular will relate to much of this story. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Oooh this novel gripped me immediately and kept me wanting more! A riveting thriller with generational curses and magic. Absolutely loved it!