an interesting entry in the “horror about mothers” category, though certainly not my favorite. this had a lot of great moments, still, it just didn’t quite connect with me as strongly as i think it wanted to, particularly the ending. still, moulton crafts a story that keeps the pages turning and all eyes on what comes next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Tantrum.

First, great cover! It's what made me want to read Tantrum.

Second, I read The Insatiable Volt Sisters which I didn't like but did like some parts of it.

Third, I thought this was going to be a straight up horror novel like Damien from The Omen or The Bad Seed.

Instead, it's horror-ish hiding behind social commentary about how hard it is to be mom and a parent and a daughter and the main character's tumultuous relationship with her mother and traumatic childhood.

Yes, let's all blame mom because that's what everyone and society does. This is very true.

There are some gross, bloody scenes but it's not really horror.

It's just graphic and some readers might take offense or feel squeamish.

The narrative drags due to the constant monologuing Thea does about her upbringing and how her mom messed her up, Lucia, on and on and on.

The reveal about Lucia and Thea's origins is anti-climatic. I didn't dislike it and I didn't love it. It was almost expected by then since I had a feeling Lucia wasn't Damien.

Too bad.

"I eat."

Funny, nasty, and a fun time.

Tantrum is a short novel about a mother who might have given birth to a monster. Thea has had two previous children, who are near perfect, but of course, her third is maybe a literal demon. It's a jolly fun ride and can be a nice beach or plane read. Moulton's writing is breezy and easy to read; you get caught up in her beautiful prose and interesting plot that you forget you're reading a less-than-200-page masterpiece. I loved it!

This was such a good read! The author wrote the characters perfectly, from the nosey neighbor to the kind but unaware husband. I felt Thea’s anger through the whole book. The author did a great job telling Thea’s backstory through flashbacks and later having Thea come to terms with her past in her own chaotic way with the help of her daughter, Lucia.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC. Due to be published August 5th, 2025

Genre: Horror/Dark humor
Publisher: Putnam
Pub Date: Aug 05, 2025

“Tantrum” takes dark humor to the extreme. I only kept reading because I was curious if the mom was insane or maybe suffering from posttraumatic stress or if she really delivered birth to a monster. When I read the ridiculous answer on what was really going on, I laughed. To the author’s credit, she did a good job of balancing horror and humor. Still, I cannot bring myself to recommend this book since it wasn’t for me. But if you enjoy morbid humor, give this one a try.

This should be right up my alley, but unfortunately I did not like it.

Maybe it's a disservice that I read Victorian Psycho earlier today and absolutely loved it, and that had a similar unhinged woman/monster/murderer/cannibal angle with a wry sense of humor that fully nailed the tone in a way that felt effortless. Maybe there's something about mothers to monstrous children that I just don't really enjoy as subject matter (We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Push both didn't land for me).

Okay, so I should talk more about what this book is rather than comparing and contrasting it to other books. This is women's fiction inexpertly couched in Horror. The humor they're clearly aiming for is fairly consistent, but never felt funny to me. Maybe a narrator could bring it to life, but mostly it just sounded... mean. The main character is very burdened and has a victim complex and her sarcasm isn't the kind that's in on the joke. It's just bitchy and off-putting. And it's very obviously trying soooo hard.

Which is a real shame, because it chafes even more when the book essentially becomes a therapy session where they enact a hypothetical conversation to reach catharsis and healing (and it's not short either-- it basically takes up the entirety of Part III which is the last section of the book). It feels a little preachy, but mostly just raw in a cringe sort of way where I don't feel comfortable with how much they're exposing their emotions and tender, beating heart to me. I desperately want to look away and let them have their moment of healing and please please please don't bring me along as a spectator.

It's also all wrapped in this really heavy-handed magical realism metaphor for feminism and misogyny and patriarchy, but handled in what feels like a really toxic/messy way? And they all but drop the pretense during the therapy enactment scene.

Apparently other reviewers are enjoying this so maybe I'm in the minority. But I was considering DNFing in the 13-18% range and can only say that it further and further devolved into something very unpleasant to experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review. This book felt like a weird anthology of related fever dreams. I loved it. Generational trauma, imposter syndrome, maternity horror, mommy issues, weird (oddly self aware) baby, this book had it all. Also, it was hilariously ridiculous. I will be recommending this to so many people. No notes. 4.5 stars (I wish it was longer)

Little Lucia is a decidedly spooky kiddo, triggering unease in weary mother Thea from the moment she is born. Thea's fears are cemented when Lucia executes a bizarrely violent act as a toddler at the start of the story. Needless to say, the kids are not alright.

You know that I love a good "creepy child" horror book, but make no mistake, this is not Children of the Corn; this story moves far beyond the scare-factor of a classic fear-inducing horror novel. Thea's plight reflects relatable systemic inequities and frustrations, and the resultant rage, experienced by many women in our day to day lived experiences. In this way, Thea's inner monologue, while dripping with ire and fury, is also somewhat cathartic. Not to mention, darkly humorous: after being told that her "clock is ticking," Thea ruminates, "clocks don’t tick anymore, bitch." Something I hadn't even considered, as someone who has been told this exact thing several times since turning 40. (Note that I am reviewing an advanced copy, so text may change).

I will say too that this book ended up being unexpectedly poignant for me. Although I don't have children (there's that clock again), I found myself relating to Thea and her frustrations; learning about her backstory made her that much more relatable and endearing. Relatedly, Lucia's journey is not what I would have expected -- but that is all I will reveal about that. This story kept me guessing until the end and gave me much to ponder, and I was completely attached to both Thea and Lucia by the end. My only wish would have been for a greater explanation post-reveal, but perhaps this was a conscious decision to uphold the mystery.

Who would enjoy this book? The obvious answer would be to point to more "creepy child" horror, but like I said, this story moves beyond this old trope, so I am going to make two unexpected recommendations. First, for those who enjoyed Naomi Alderman's The Power, a story that involves a terrible power tied to the unique frustrations that women experience. Second, perhaps strangely… Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, because sometimes "the monster" is not always the real monster. And maybe we are all a bit monstrous after all.

Thank you to Netgalley, Rachel Eve Moulton, and Penguin Group Putnam for sending me an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This story was unassuming - I thought it was just going to be about another demon child making her mother crazy but I was, thankfully, very wrong. Sometimes the monster is what is passed down to us from generations, not who we truly are. I love the way female rage was shown in this book and how it was embraced by the end. There was something beautiful about this, and I enjoyed reading it.

I loved this one and can’t wait to recommend it to people. It was funny and moving. I will definitely be getting a copy for my home library.

Holy. Heck. You know those books that start out at about a simmer, keeping us hooked, wondering what will happen, then we get rapidly turned up to a raging boil? This is that. A wild novella that left me with my jaw on the floor. There was a lot of themes and emotions going on underneath the surface, but I shall not spoil that. We follow Thea, who is convinced her baby girl is a monster ... like an actual monster. The more Thea thinks about it, the more she uncovers her own suppressed memories, and the questions keep piling up. At the end of the story, we get our answers. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the ARC. This one publishes August 05, 2025!

Have to say this is a first for me, maternity horror

If you want a book with weird mom vibes, horror, and some odd ends then this is for you!

In this story we meet and follow Thea has her anxieties rise while adapting to adding a 3rd child to her family. Because unlike the first two children this new one is showing signs of being a monster.

I liked it and found it easy to relate to because postpartum is hard AF! and something all women experience on different levels. Enjoy the weird in this book, I promise it makes it so good!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and the author for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow. I really didn't expect this to touch the soft, vulnerable parts of me. The theme of exploring matrilineal generational trauma via the cheeky, yet terrifying premise of a mischievous monster baby...was just brilliant.

This was sharp. Bizarre. A wee bit gory. Darkly humorous. With a vise-like grip on your heart, this offers so much.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc of Tantrum. This is a really short horror book. I really enjoyed it. Thea is having her third baby. The pregnancy was smooth and easy so she isn't worried at all. But when the nurse hands Thea the baby after she delivers, she notices her baby has a full set of teeth. Thea knows she gave birth to a monster. This book was creepy, but I was obsessed with it.

If I'd started the book any earlier in the day, I would have finished it in one sitting. Rachel Eve Moulton did an incredible job with this short, but powerful story of motherhood, daughterhood, and womanhood as monstrousness. I loved Thea and Lucia from the moment they came onto the page. Their story of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and realizing that you're more than you seem had me hooked. I always connect to mother-daughter stories, but this one is absolutely something special. It is rare to find a book that is the perfect amount of horror and fierce motherhood love story, but it is almost miraculous to find it in just 192 pages. I can't wait to read more of Moulton's books!

This book was really strong for about 65%. I was really enjoying reading about Thea's mom issues and trauma and how it was affecting the way she looked at Lucia. Especially as Lucia seemed to be a physical manifestation of her fear and horror. However, when Lucia started talking and locked the two of them in the baby's bedroom I felt extremely pushed out of the story. If the resolution is that Thea stops fearing Lucia after all, why is it happening so soon? Why would I keep reading the remaining 35% if I'm no longer scared that Lucia is actually a demon come to eat them all up?

I may continue reading, but I truly lost all my interest at this point.. and I was really interested!

Gloriously weird, creepy and endearing! This surprised me in so many ways. It was a creative portrayal of generational trauma; the hunger women suffer from when forced to ignore their shame and rage; the release that comes with confronting and digesting it all. I connected with the main character's toxic self-reliance and loved seeing her finally accept support. The final confrontation with her mother made for an incredibly satisfying resolution. Who knew something could make your skin crawl and heart warm all at once??

--

"When did I become so passive-aggressive? Maybe it comes naturally with motherhood, especially if motherhood doesn't come naturally."

"Female rage is hardly a rarity. We are all about to burst - a simmering pot of violence that the world has yet to know. Why would anyone be surprised that we've reached out midpoint in life and are finally willing to lose our shit for the rest of recorded history? Where is rhe rage supposed to go?"

"The selfishness of parenthood hits me. The fact that I thought I could make people and that somehow in making those people I would better understand my own life and purpose."

"It's the ones who don't seem to need you that need you the most."

Maternity horror for the WIN!
If you are in for a kooky/weird mother horror, this is the one.
Postpartum is hard as f, but damn she’s rly going through it huh? The generational trauma runs deep with this one.
The whole vibe of the book gave a campy 80’s horror flick mixed in with PP & navigating motherhood with multiple kids. The more you read, the weirder it gets, which happens to be some of my fav books. I was rooting for the FCM til the very end. Keep your mind open, expect the weirdness & you’ll have a blast reading this!
I can’t wait to read more by this author. 🖤

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for this ARC.

This was a scary concept to think about and worked well as a story in the genre. I was invested in what was happening and how the characters were used in this storyline. Rachel Eve Moulton has a strong writing style and it was everything that I was looking for in this type of book. Thea was a great character to follow and thought it was so well written.

"Tantrum" by Rachel Eve Moulton is a fierce and unflinching novel that delves into the complexities of female anger, desire, and identity. This bold and provocative read follows a young woman named Heather as she navigates the challenges of modern womanhood, including toxic relationships, societal expectations, and the struggle to find her own voice.