Really enjoyed this Love Witch-esque story about a female serial killer! Once it got started, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

I was so enthralled throughout this, and the ending? JAW. DROP. Pearl vibes through and through and I'm so here for it.

I received Sugar by Mia Ballard for free and I leave this comment voluntarily.

First things first, there are lots of triggers in this novel so first check them and then read them. This is not for faint of heart for sure. Let's back to the review.

OMG what did I read? This was a roller coaster and it never stops from the first sentence to the last sentence. Sugar is about Satara, our unreliable narrator, her past and present, and her sins. I do not want to spoil anything but I read lots of mystery and contemporary fiction with unhinged characters but I did not read something quite like this. It is like a chess game and you scream in every chapter like what?! Very good debut novel. If you enjoyed the movie Strange Darling, you will also like Sugar but I think Sugar is way better than Strange Darling. What a novel, I still feel weird. Thanks to Mia Ballard, Galaxy Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

SUGAR
What a debut!! At no point did I know what was going to happen in this novel! I truly couldn't predict most of this one. I ended so many chapters with my mouth wide open. This takes place in the 70's but it also feels timeless. Honestly, feminine rage is timeless. And this novel takes feminine rage and puts it at the forefront.
Sugar felt new to me and also so familiar because it's so hard to be a woman, that's just a fact. I really don't want to give too much away on this one. Go in with your rage and I promise you'll have a good time.

I absolutely loved every single part of this book. Unreliable narrator, feminine rage and a female serial killer - does it get any better? The serial killer MC is just looking for love and will do anything to get it. There’s so much in this book and I loved everything!

3.5/5

I will start by saying that as a man, I am not the target audience for a book like Sugar. With that being said, Sugar is a great story of feminine rage. Is killing good? Absolutely not. Is Satara justified in killing? That's up to you to decide. Check for triggers before reading.

This felt like a black mirror episode. I loved it! It's such a fun, fresh, & freaky read; a woman scorned is my favorite. The plot twist was my favorite part; it added a sweet layer of revenge! You never root for the lovesick killer, and that's okay; we're not meant to. Incredible writing for a debut novel. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Option 1: fold laundry and do chores around the house OR
Option 2: ignore my responsibilities and finish a #book about an #unhinged female serialkiller ???

I’ll let you guess which option I picked 😅

But in all seriousness, Sugar by @galaxygrlmia aka Mia Ballard was SO worth staying up til 1am and not finishing my housework for 😏

I really don’t want to give anything away, because it’s one of those books that, you just have to be there and experience it for yourself, ya know?
But I will say, that Satara was the perfect Villian and this has been one of my favorite books of 2024.
This books would make a a fantastic movie or series👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mia Ballard's Sugar is an exhilarating, uninhibited ride into the mind of a woman whose desperate quest for love results in violence and murder. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, fully endowed with systemic sexism, the novel offers a compelling exploration of female empowerment, rage, and obsession, all intermingled with themes of betrayal, witchcraft, and personal devastation.

The story centers on Satara, a 35-year-old woman, hewn from a childhood of painful memories and experiences of rejection that create the unrelenting character she becomes. This story is about such a woman at the core, in her relentless pursuit of love and deep yearning for a connection beyond superficial beauty. But upon finding the betrayal, especially in relationships, Satara's reaction is to become brutal in a killing spree that begins with the infidelity of her husband. The novel explores her psyche as she grapples with the fine line between love and violence, drawing readers into her twisted world with captivating, often chilling prose.

Fast-paced and furious, the pace of the book opens with a very bloody act of vengeance that immediately sets a series of murders in motion-all escalating and all based upon Satara's warped perception about love and the need for retribution. The novel is told mostly through the eyes of Satara-one of those deep, deep dives into the mind of a psychopathic woman who, in her own strange way, can still be related to. The story really shows the layers of her personality, and one almost feels sympathy for her-most especially when unveiling the traumatizing incident from her childhood that fuels her need for revenge. Manipulations and her capability of not being found out by people around her-these are suspenseful and intriguing layers.

The novel does an outstanding job of depicting Satara's compulsive need for love and attention-a perfect balance between making her a lovable, despicable character. The blending of dark humor and disturbing scenes keeps the reader on the edge, simultaneously horrified and enthralled. The plot took several unexpected twists, especially toward the ending, where shocking revelations completely changed all that had been happening. Without giving spoilers, the ending is absolutely brilliant and simply jaw-dropping; it clinches Sugar as a must-read.

While this is a page-turner and sometimes thrilling novel, it is not for the squeamish: there are graphic violence scenes, and the raw emotional content level could be triggering to some readers; however, for fans of dark, twisted obsessions and revenge stories, Sugar delivers.

Sugar, with a cover so bold it's only fitting of the story, comes blazing onto the scene, guns already armed and aimed. You see, Satara is at dinner when she realizes her husband has been having an affair with her friend and therefore must die. The ramblings of her angry mind- told in first person POV- feel like a rage filled fever dream with the reader sprinting just to catch up. Satara then makes a plan, kills and buries her husband- all within the first chapter.

It soon becomes clear that like this book, Satara is chaotic and unhinged. She sees red when wronged and has unhealthy obsessions with men out of her grasp. Her life is defined by the attention of men, likely stemming from a traumatic relationship with an older man when she was 15. What it has shaped her into is a woman who needs a man's love as validation- and if she is wronged, she's slice and dice a brother.

This was such an interesting and unique character study, I'm not sure I've ever read anything like it. Satara isn't quiet and demure in her real life and she doesn't do a very good job of covering up who she really is. Her husband is 'missing'? She's wearing red lipstick and towering heels. It's like she has no control over her emotions and the need she has inside her is all consuming. Do you want her to get hers or do you want her to get away with it all? I was a little iffy about the entire but the rest of it was just pure entertaining chaos. Pick this up and enjoy the wild ride!

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op for my earc.

I started Sugar with a lot of excitement because the premise sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I struggled with the writing style, which kept me from fully connecting with the story. I wanted to love it, and there were definitely some interesting ideas and promising elements, but the pacing and writing didn’t quite draw me in the way I’d hoped.

While it wasn’t quite my cup of tea, I can see how it might resonate with readers who enjoy a unique narrative voice or don’t mind a slower, more experimental style. Sadly, it just didn’t click for me personally. I’d still encourage others to give it a try if the premise sounds appealing—it may be a better fit for a different type of reader.

"I had concluded that I would always be someone men wanted, but never wanted to keep"

This book encapsulates feminine rage. Satara (also known as Sugar) finds out her husband is having an affair with her best friend and decides to take actions into her own hands. A sequence of events from the past to 'now', we get to know Satara, who she is, what she stands for and how we got to current day including some pretty cool magical elements!
Satara is a morally grey character, she's done bad things but justifies them with what she believes to be good reasons. I found Satara unbearable and narcissistic and found it difficult to relate to her but perhaps thats a good thing? I wanted to see her downfall and that really drove my reading.
There is a reoccurring pattern in Sugar that is predictable and repetitive and left me feeling uninspired to finish but as you read onwards, the ending really picks up. The ending was oh so gripping and really did cement my intrigue and enjoyment so I am glad I pushed forward.

American Psycho meets My Sister, the Serial Killer.
A chaotic, infuriating and thrilling time.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of Sugar 🍒

Our female MC Satara goes properly unhinged after learning of her husband’s affair with her best friend Lilah. She murders him for it, and we follow her life as people start to ask questions where he might have gone.

I breezed through this book, as the writing style was right up my alley. The unhingedness of Satara was fun; we love to see a woman scorned and do absolutely everything about it.

The finale was a bit too grand for me though; too much happened in too short a time, so when I finished I felt a bit overwhelmed, despite the rest of the book being so easy and chill (though still very fun).

The cover is absolutely STUNNING and the book is just as STUNNING, BEAUTIFUL, AMAAAZING!!! I was literally obsessed omg I couldn't put it down

OKAY!!!! First of all look at the cover!!!! I kno so gorgeous ahhhh🤩🤩🤩
If you like unhinged female rage, witches, psychedelic experience and 70s suburban chaos ya gotta read this one

Sugar was so much fun! Not only is this true female rage with an unreliable narrator who is unapologetically bad, it also served as poignant social commentary on mental health. On the surface, Satara's husband Dean has been cheating on her with her best friend Lilah, so she kills him and pivots to her next victim—husband-to-be—contacting a Love Witch this time around to ensure her love is true and unshakable, seeking a level of obsession she always seems to find herself in toward men but they never find themselves in toward her. At the same time, Lilah is on a mission to prove Satara's guilt, and Satara takes the reader on a journey through her troubled, terrifying past, where she's often used—sometimes groomed—then discarded, before she takes justice into her own serial-killing hands.

Ballard is a beautiful writer. The prose was flowery but not pretentious, and I felt like she did a great job with the pacing and building up to the climax. I found the twists and turns to be a little predictable but well-executed and not at all cheesy. I loved the end so much!

This is a great book for people who love women's rights and women's wrongs and find themselves saying, "Good for her!" when she snaps.

5 ⭐️s
1 🌶️
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Galaxy Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Trigger warning: this story is a bit of a bit of a gore-fest, mystery yet tentacles of horror.

Mia Ballard’s Sugar is a darkly compelling psychological thriller that plunges readers into the chaotic world of 1970s suburban America. The story follows Satara Stratton, a 35-year-old woman who discovers her husband Dean’s affair with her best friend, Lilah. This betrayal lights ignites a bundle of dynamite with a slow burning fuse.

From the first page, Sugar hooks you with its intense and twisted storyline. Ballard masterfully crafts a tale of feminine rage and empowerment, set against the backdrop of a time when women faced significant societal challenges. Satara’s character is addictive and compelling.

The novel’s strength lies in its ability to blur the lines between desire and devastation. Satara’s interactions with the Love Witch add a supernatural element that enhances the psychological tension with spells and manipulation.

Ballard’s writing is vivid and evocative, painting a psychedelic picture of the 1970s that feels nostalgic yet nightmarish.

The pacing is brisk, with each chapter revealing new layers of deceit and danger.

Sugar is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy stories with strong, flawed female protagonists and a touch of the supernatural. Mia Ballard has delivered a novel that is both captivating and disturbing, a true testament to her skill as a storyteller.

What a delicious and gripping dark tale of vengeance and feminine rage. Sugar quickly draws the reader in and continues to keep them on high alert with its fast-paced and incredibly intriguing writing. The story truly embodies and envelopes you.

Satara is the perfect mix of both iconic and absolutely insane - and she knows it. She thrives in the messy, dark and psychotic space she's trapped in and remains somewhat relatable with her desperate need for love despite this. It's very easy to find yourself rooting for the fmc along the way, no matter how unhinged her demeanor is.

The beauty of Sugar lies in its unpredictability. Every twist and turn feels fresh, as if the ground beneath you is constantly shifting, and just when the reader thinks they got it all figured out, the book takes them in a completely different direction.

This one was a trip. Satara is one of my favorite types of FMC.. you should probably hate her, but you can’t. The only thing preventing me from 5 stars was the decline in the story towards the end. It starts off so fast paced and I wanted the energy from start to finish. Overall, an incredibly unique story / debut novel from this author!

This is a really great book about female rage. So many times I didn't know if Satara was being serious or sarcastic with her actions, but I was enthralled in the story right from the start.