The hype, the glowing reviews, the gorgeous cover… I wanted to like this more. A lot more.

I liked Satara, in all her murderous, vengeful, acid-fuelled glory.

The book is set in the ‘70s (which really confused my dumb ass when the chapter heading was ‘present day’ and there was nothing in the first chapter to place it as a decade other than the actual present), with flashbacks to Satara’s past.

I was enjoying this. Seeing Satara become more unhinged and wondering what she was going to do next. And then the penultimate chapter…ruined it for me. It felt like a juvenile twist, shoehorned in with a chapter of exposition.

The epilogue brought back a little satisfaction, but overall the book fell flat for me.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

I requested this on a whim, and boy am I glad I did! The writing really worked for me and the story kept me hooked. It was the perfect mix of plot and character work, I can't wait to read more for this author.

This book! I loved everything about it: Mia’s writing, the plot, the characters. I was hooked from the first chapter, and it was relentlessly engaging until the very last word.

This was a very dark read (as expected, given the synopsis) and might not be for everyone. It touches on some heavy topics, such as rape and sexual assault, so I would recommend people check the trigger warnings if they avoid books with certain types of content.

There was a lot happening in this book, which made me a little apprehensive. Around half way in, I had no idea where the plot was going and had a lot of questions! But the various threads are all brought together perfectly, with such a brilliant and satisfying ending that left me feeling SO glad to have picked this up.

I’ll be recommending this to anyone who loves an unhinged and gory story as much as I do!

Oh to be a woman in the age before camera surveillance so you could kill all the men who had ever wronged you and get away with it.

I really enjoyed this up until the last 70 pages or so where it goes completely off the rails and loses any and all credibility. There was so many random twists with no set up or foreshadowing that felt really nonsensical. The beginning where you find out her husband is cheating and when the she kills him? Perfection. But it just gets progressively more ridiculous and hard to believe.

A strong start and a great premise but it tries to do too much.

“SUGAR” is a Mind-Melting Fever Dream You Won’t Want to Wake Up From!

Grab your bell-bottoms and shake up a martini because SUGAR is about to take you on one wild ride through the neon-lit streets of betrayal, lust, witchcraft—and murder! This book is like a 1970s acid trip dipped in poison and sprinkled with just enough glitter to keep you grinning as the chaos unfolds.

Satara Stratton—housewife, lover, murderer—ain’t your average anti-heroine. She’s deliciously wicked, with a thirst for power, blood, and revenge that just won’t quit. When her husband’s affair with her best friend Lilah sends her spiraling into familiar deadly territory, it’s all knives out and no apologies. Her hunger for blood is palpable as she gleefully sharpens her skills, leaving behind a trail of bodies like discarded lovers in her twisted love game.

With every chapter, the stakes climb higher, like a fever that builds until you’re teetering on the edge of total insanity. The addition of a Love Witch and her tantalizing spells gives this story a bubbling undercurrent of magic and madness, where hearts are puppets, and nothing is ever as it seems. Satara’s descent is mesmerizing, seductive, and just a little bit terrifying. She bends the wills of those around her like she’s playing a game of Twister in a funhouse mirror, but when it comes to her own heart? Well, let’s just say there’s no spell for the kind of love she’s after.

The bloodlust that fuels Satara’s every move makes this story sizzle with intensity. Each murder feels like an art form—dark, twisted, and thrilling—and her unrelenting chase for control will keep you on the edge of your seat. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, SUGAR pulls the rug out from under you with an unexpected twist that’ll leave your head spinning—no spoilers, but brace yourself for one last shock.

This book is a beautifully chaotic swirl of Big Little Lies meets YOU, but soaked in acid and set to a funky 70s soundtrack. It’s fast-paced, electric, and completely unhinged in the best possible way. You’ll want to read this in one sitting because each twist will leave you gasping, and the characters will haunt you long after the last page.

If you love your thrillers with a psychedelic punch, bloody vengeance, and a side of witchy vibes, SUGAR is your next obsession. Just remember, once you step into Satara’s world, there’s no looking back.

This novel had potential but ultimately fell flat for me. While I understood the main character, the horror leaned too much on shock value rather than depth. The dialogue felt off, and the setting—supposedly spanning the '50s to '70s—lacked a clear sense of time. There were also a few editing issues, including spelling mistakes and random tense changes that pulled me out of the story. Overall, it was an okay read, but nothing particularly memorable.

This was an okay addition to the female rage horror genre. I definitely think it could have been a bit more fleshed out in a lot of places but this is more of a novella than an actual novel so that is understandable. I definitely understood the main character though I did feel Ballard leaned a little to much on the taboo of this book than creating actual horror. Overall this was a decent book but nothing all that special.

I didn’t know what to rate this at first but I gave it 3.5 quite good !! Thanks to NetGalley for sending me the ARC for this book 😊♥️ I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t read spice this wasn’t categorized as adult when I requested it but you could tell that it’s for adults early on the book so the was a mention of sex multiple times not all of the scenes were explicit and honestly i was SHOCKED because the I was so focused on how UNHINGED the FMC was that i didn’t see this coming so I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t read spice but overall very enjoyable

I owe a huge thank you to NetGalley, Galaxy Press, and Mia Ballard for allowing me access to an ARC of Sugar in exchange for my honest review - thank you so much!

This novel was everything I have ever wanted and more. Anybody who has had a glimpse into my reading habits knows that I have an especially deep fascination for psychological thrillers that revolve around women. Not just any thriller, but the unhinged feral woman archetype that is getting a rapid-fire come-up in the book world. This novel is especially reminiscent of Maud Ventura's My Husband which was an another top tier read for me. I know an unhinged women novel hates to see me coming.

Before I get into the novel itself, I need to heavily praise Ballard's debut work. Her writing is so lyrical and flows so beautifully across the page. I was mesmerized with how she weaves this work. If I were to make judgements on that alone - I would be keen to see any and all new works she puts out in the future. She does an incredible job at balancing moments of beauty with moments of raw horror so well. Expertly written and very generous with providing and omitting details that leaves the reader questioning motives, plot points, and where the story is going. Mia Ballard, your mind!

Now, I'd like to get into the narrative itself. Set between the duration of the 1950's to the 1970's, Sugar introduces us to Satara, thirty-five year old our main character, with whom we share first-person perspective with for the majority of the novel. I felt that this choice was instrumental in allowing the reader to see the world through Satara's eyes - no matter how warped it became. We accompany her from her teenage years, her twenties, and into her thirties - though it is not a linear journey - as her tragic life story is spun and as she begins to rely on micro-dosing acid everyday. Now this is not a spoiler as it acts as the focal point of the novel: she is a killer and her victim is her adulterous husband.

And in a psychedelic and glamorous 70's backdrop, it first seems to be one of those "good-for-her-he-had-it-coming" sort of plots. But there is so much more revealed as Satara's life begins to unravel. At her core, I believe all that she ever truly wants is love (or maybe, control). She is both the abused and the abuser, the offender and the defender, the lover and the hater - Ballard's perfect balancing act again at play.

I really enjoyed that it is set in the tumultuous setting of 1970s United States - which was such a frenzied time for the country for so many reasons. It was also a wise choice for the fashion (thank you for giving us so much information on her outfits - such a fun detail) and the lack of cameras posted absolutely everywhere. It does make this work feel more believable.

The only thing flaws that I noticed were a few minor things within the structure and plot. I did notice a few discrepancies in switching from first-person to third-person narration for Satara but I am assuming this may get caught in a final edit. I also noticed a few sentences without periods, but that I am more willing to overlook. The one plot-specific note I had was that I wished there had more development of Satara's relationship with her mother - it isn't integral but since she is mentioned (more than once), I felt that could have built her motives, personality, and understanding of the world even further.

If you enjoy Maud Ventura's My Husband - this novel is probably for you. If you enjoy writer-director Anna Biller's 2016 film The Love Witch - this novel is probably for you. If you enjoy the old femme fatale trope and the new-ish female rage trope - this novel is specifically for you!

I'll start this review by saying, that if I could, I'd give this book 7 stars. I was provided an ARC of Sugar by Netgalley and I'm grateful.
For the sake of being honest, I need to point out that initially, this was a classic case of judging a book by its cover (which, in this case, seemed to have worked out pretty damn well). After I was hooked by the cover, I read through the blurb and I just knew this one would be right up my alley.

The book tells the story of Satara, a 35-year-old woman in the 1970s in suburban Orange County. After discovering her husband's affair with none other than her best friend of six years, she decides the only logical conclusion is to murder him. Not a hard feat, after all, she killed enough men before him.

Starting in this book, I was hooked from page one. There wasn't even 1 page that made me stop and need to drag on and if I would've had a physical copy, I'd have probably highlighted 3/4 of the entire book.

Mia Ballard has a style you don't get to read often. Her articulation is both, poetic in a sense that leaves you thirsty for more and effortless to grasp. The way in which she writes her protagonist makes it not only easy to immerse yourself, but I found it even rather hard to not be on Satara's side through the book, even as it grew progressively unhinged and it became clear just how depraved her character was.

While it's clear from page one that Satara is no sane person, the true extent of her mind only gets clear, after we discover the various throwbacks and men of her past. A woman wronged too many times, she gets progressively more deranged as time moves on. And while I as a reader knew that nearly all of Satara's actions were wrong, I couldn't help but understand her, feel for her, and even be on her side the whole time. Even as the air thickened for Satara and it became clear just what she really was capable of, I was secretly rooting for her. (We support women's rights and wrongs and all that?)

Just when you start to question where the story is heading, wondering what Mia's goal with this plot is, the twists and turns start to happen out of nowhere and suddenly, everything makes sense and you ask yourself how you couldn't have put it together sooner.

And still, in the end, I felt a twisted sense of satisfaction and couldn't help but think "Good for her".

I would like to point out, that I felt a bit like Satara's use of LSD through the book was somehow transferred to me in the sense, that this book felt like pure drugs. I just wasn't able to put it down, even going as far as reading on my phone while cooking my dinner and showering. I finally finished it at two in the morning, and yes, it's worth the less than four hours of sleep I got.

I will probably recommend this book everywhere now and will be insufferable and won't shut up about it. I will even go as far to say, that this might just be the best book I've read so far this year and I fear it won't be topped anytime soon.

3.5 stars.
The story itself was AMAZING. From the plot, the back story, the main character, everything. Interesting, addictive, entertaining.
However, I do think it shows that this book is a debut. My ebook had a lot of misspellings, there were sections written in past tense and suddenly it changed to present for a sentence.
I think with another round of editing it would’ve been perfect.

WOW this one wa sa brutal, vicious little thriller filled with ominousness and dark ideas from the start all the way to the end

I enjoyed this book! I am a sucker for a book about a psychopathic woman and this one didn’t disappoint! I didn’t see the ending coming at all and thought it would end quite differently than it did.

It was a quick read due to being less than 200 pages, I think it could have been longer as I’d liked to have heard more about the backstory of the different relationships throughout the books. The 70s backdrop was fun but it sometimes felt like it was a present day story that had been transplanted into the 70s after being written.

I really enjoyed the writing style and I thought the characters were well written. The book was overall a lot of fun and I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc! This book had me on the edge of my seat to the point where I devoured it in the same day I started it. A delightful twist, recommend this read to any psychological horror fans with a touch of “hex the patriarchy”

Thanks to NetGalley, Galaxy Press, and Mia Ballard for the ARC!

Sugar is a novel that follows Satara through two decades of her life, each era defined by the men who have betrayed and disappointed her. “Feminine rage” and “good for her” tropes meet head to head in this debut, which starts off with Satara’s plan to kill her cheating husband.

I was interested in premise of this book, and overall the story is entertaining. Satara’s chaotic behavior kept me locked in, as she is one of the most unhinged main characters I’ve seen in a book. There are a lot of moments in this book where, despite Satara’s crazy, I could empathize with her.

However, this book gets a 2.5/5 stars for me because I do think this could have benefited from a little more editing. Some of the dialogue felt a weird and there are a few plot points that left me confused. Also, for a book set in the late 50s through the late 70s, there didn’t feel like a lot was tethering our main character to that time period (except maybe for the copious amounts of acid). While I don’t expect the same level of accuracy or immersion in this as I would a historical fiction, I couldn’t help but feel like this book could have been set in any decade.

Ultimately, Sugar is a really interesting and thrilling book. It’s worth a pick up if you enjoy books from the perspective of the villain. There are quite a few jaw-dropping moments, including a twist I didn’t see coming.

"When I looked at a photo of myself, I could pinpoint exactly which man had been the center of my universe at that moment. Each captured smile, each distant gaze was a timestamp of obsession. Even now, when most of them were dead-unfortunate casualties of my intensity-their impact lingered."

I really liked this debut novel from Mia Ballard - I think it fits in well with other books in my favorite subgenre (unhinged female narrator) along with My Husband, Gone Girl, and other similar titles. I was surprised at the ending - a cherry on top of an already enjoyable book. The most pleasant part of this book is that it is entertaining from the first page until the last.

Weird, creepy, hallucinogenic and PERFECT - a great fall beach book if such a thing can exist. Reminds me a LOT of YOU, in that i didn't ever want it to stop.

This is me, writing my first review in English but boy or should I say girl? Girl oh girl, what a ride. Couldn't resist writing a review because this story got me feeling things!! I was picking this up for a smooth start into spooky season just to find one of my favorite reads this year. The writing got me hooked and obsessed with the story (like Satara with potential boyfriends, ha). I loved the dynamics, the brutality and the pace; everything I’ve read just made me want more, more and more. No wonder I nearly finished this in one sitting. And it’s more than „just“ horror. Some parts are so clever and twisted that it feels like pointing fingers at typical tropes and sexism. And Satara? What should I say about the woman that literally invented the word unhinged. Following her story was a wild ride and I enjoyed every bit of it. From magic, to revenge, to plot twists, this book has it all and it’s a perfect read for everyone enjoying a fun, bloody story smashing all second thoughts and restraints. Go get them girl (but really, how did Mia Ballard make me root for a killer-wife?! Kudos!!)

This book is like taking a shot of 70s acid-fueled madness and chasing it with a cocktail of betrayal, witchcraft, and a femme fatale who’s more dangerous than your average scorned wife. Satara Stratton discovers her husband is cheating on her with her best friend, and rather than crying over it, she goes full *Basic Instinct* meets *The Love Witch*—with some literal spell-casting for good measure. (Sorry for the references, but it’s hard to resist!)

This book is like *Big Little Lies* on a heavy dose of psychedelics, with Satara wielding newfound witchy powers that send her spiraling into an unapologetic mess of manipulation and murder. And honestly, you kind of root for her even as she goes completely off the rails, because who doesn’t love an unhinged anti-heroine pulling the strings?

With shades of *Kill Bill* energy and *American Horror Story: Coven* vibes, *Sugar* is fast, twisty, and drenched in some dark, delicious feminist chaos. So if you’re into thrillers that feel like a neon-colored acid trip with a side of spellwork and a dash of femme fatale charm, this one’s for you. Sorry again for all the references, but it’s just that wild of a ride!

"She gives me a sentimental smile, one that tries to reach her eyes but falls short. It's a mask, but then, aren't we all wearing masks tonight?"
Genre:
-horror
-gen adult fiction
-crime thriller
-women's fiction
Dark
Psychological
"It's time to play my part, to weave another layer into the intricate game l've set in motion."
Meet Satara, a woman in her mid-30s with a cheating husband that she just can't get over! So, like any reasonable woman, she comes to the only logical conclusion, that she must murder him! The boo starts right as she comes to this decision and then spends the rest of the pages jumping back and forth in time, explaining her actions, how the past has influenced the present and will she be able to get away with the murder in the present.
"This is how I viewed love: not just as the most important thing, but as the singular narrative thread weaving through the tapestry of my life."
For fans of:
Maeve fly-cj Leede Hysteria - ali Seay
Youthjuice
The eyes are the best part- Monica kim