Feral Creatures of Suburbia

D. Liebhart has now become a favorite of mine!
The characters are so real and their troubles so true to many in these crazy times.
Mothers today and always attempt to put their children first and in this story with three moms, we see the pain, hurt and love that goes into these decisions to protect our kids when it may not be the very best choice.

I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it for anyone who wants to meet these ladies and their teens.
It makes you think and wonder if we really are doing or did do it right!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for this lovely ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.

A complex, engaging and powerful novel which deals with heavy issues. Really enjoyed the multiple POVs different voices and feelings as it puts their stories in a more intimate setting. This book delves into the complex relationships between parents and teenaged children, the difficult challenges facing adolescents with peers/school and coping with the dying process.
One of the MFC is dealing with a terminal diagnosis. I found Crystal to be a wonderful, straightforward character with a huge heart. Crystal and Varvara’s relationship was beautiful and their ability to share humor in a devastating situation was heartwarming.
The mention of Asperger’s and the autistic traits Crystal exhibited was an educational benefit to the story.
The ending was beautiful yet heartbreaking and I was sobbing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ouch!! That hurt. In a wonderful, deep, emotional way. This is one reason I read. To be consumed by a story so painful & profound that I want to smack myself & wonder why I sometimes think I have it so hard……Of course, I know this is fiction but the truth is that these hardships exist, even more than we realize. And like most women, mothers, I have ample hardships. Thankfully not to this degree (as of today). This is an immersive story of mothers trying their best when faced with daunting odds. It’s layered & deep & awesome. Painful subjects dealt with in a factual & clinical manner. That’s just about the only way cuz buckle up if we let our emotions drive!!🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️❤️

One of the most thought-provoking, gripping and emotional books I have read in a while, this story will stay with me for a long time.

Rotating between four POVS, three middle-aged women and a teenage girl, this novel does not shy away from exploring difficult themes, and does so in a way which is sensitive and informative. All POVs blend together seamlessly and without confusion, in a way which many other books simply do not manage. I found myself entirely attached to each of the MCs and there was not a single POV I was less interested in. All characters felt fully fleshed out and unique, which allowed me to care deeply for them.

This is a novel which will make you think and have you on edge until the very last page.

Due to the subject matter of this book, I feel it appropriate to mention there are numerous aspects which may be triggering and upsetting to readers such as self harm, suicidal thoughts, transphobia, racism, antisemitism and gun violence.

I thought this was fantastic. I loved the characters. The portrayal of motherhood is spot on. This whole book has massive trigger warnings so beware of that. Five stars!

Growing up in a time where social media nor cellphones had yet to arrive on the scene, I cannot imagine the immense pressure and cruelty that impacts kids such as Myra whom feel ignored and unwanted based upon simply who they are. It is these types of messages that could skew the thoughts of somebody like Logan and Sebastian that would make anyone feel unsafe even in a picturesque town such as Albuquerque and a small school such as AP. This book is truly real as it exposed what truly families go through when trying to help their children feel loved and applauded because if who they are and becoming. It was terrible what happened to Crystal but as her demise unfolded, so did her willingness to tell the truth what really happens when people encourage each other to "fight cancer". Vee and David were truly perplexed with Myra but they realized that she was just a girl who really wanted to fit in. Julie was the saddest case of all that she tried so hard to protect Logan but at the end she had to sacrifice that in order to ensure others were safe. This book is tough at times to read but absolutely well worth it.

In the book Feral Creatures of Suburbia by D. Liebhart there are three main female characters. Each brings her own set of ideals of what a family should be with upbringing a child. Each is a mother who is trying her best to raise a loving child during their teenage years. Do you really know what is happening in your child's mind is brought up time after time. How to you handle the child's growing pains/issues of those teenage years and handle your own daily problems that life throws at you. Can you reach out to a friend and will they understand enough just to be a friend. The author cleverly included many scenarios of motherhood. I enjoyed this second book by this author and would highly recommend reading this one as well.

I loved this book and enjoyed the stories surrounding the three main characters, who were all strong female women. It took a little bit to warm up to the each of their stories but once you get entangled into their lives it was quite a ride. I definitely had strong emotions for all of them at one time or another in the book. I really liked Myra and felt her struggles with her teenage years. I did have a problem with Logan and Sebastian in the story, but I think that is what D. Liebhart wanted us to feel. This book discussed some pretty heave issues, but it was a very thought provoking novel with lots of emotions. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this advance ARC.

Happy Publication Day

I read House on Fire by the same author last year and while I thought the writing was excellent, I found the subject matter super depressing (I knew it would be going in), I had issues with some of the plot points and I was disappointed with the ending. In my opinion, Feral Creatures of Suburbia was far superior and a 5 star read for me! I literally couldn't put the book down. I woke up early and stayed up late reading which is always the sign of a great book!

The book is told from the point of view of three moms: Julie, Vergara and Crystal. Julie is a single mom whose son Logan goes to middle school with Vergara's daughter Myra. Julie learns that Logan is racist, misogynistic and antisemitic from a peak at his private messages with his best friend on Instagram and she is very worried about what her son might be capable of. Vergara has a very supportive stay at home husband and father but they both worry about Myra who is depressed and withdrawn. Crystal has an older, recently married son who went to the same school as the other women's children. She finds out that she has terminal cancer and decides to hide her diagnosis from her son so that he doesn't cancel his upcoming honeymoon. All three women are career women who work at the same hospital and Vergara and Crystal are good friends as well as colleagues. While Crystal's caustic humor may have made her my favorite character, I felt that all of these women were unique and well developed.

The fourth point of view is from Myra, Vergara's daughter. It seemed that in addition to Myra's depression, she may have also been on the spectrum. I probably didn't relate to Myra's chapters quite as much as the mothers, but I understood by the end of the book why Myra's viewpoint was necessary. This book is about mothers and the great lengths that we go to insure our children's wellbeing and happiness. It's torturous to be a mother sometimes because we worry so much about our children. This book definitely captured all those feelings and I love the way that Myra grew to appreciate her mother and knew how much she loved her by the end of the book.

While the subject matter of this book is difficult, it is such an important read especially at this time. I both laughed and cried while reading this book and it will stick with me for a really long time. I think it would be a perfect book for a book club discussion.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, D. Liebhart and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I am so glad to have been given the opportunity to read this very thought-provoking book.

Julie, Varvara and Crystal are three mothers who are challenged by motherhood and haunted by the decisions they make. Varvara’s daughter Myra is overly dramatic and given to exaggeration. At what point should her mother, stressed by problems at work, stop paying attention to Myra’s threats? Crystal’s love for her son is so strong and boundless that she keeps her illness secret and tries to deny him the time she has left. And Julie, Julie knows that her son is violent, a misogynist and a racist. What will she do with that information? And, more important, what will he?

As Feral Creatures of Suburbia rushes toward an inevitable violent conclusion, we watch June and Varvara desperately seek help for their children, help that is not forthcoming. Varvara and her husband send Myra to counselors but no one gives a diagnosis for her behavior or provides medicine. From this psychological thriller’s first page to last, Myra remains on a waiting list for specialized care. Julie follows her son Logan’s hateful posts on social media but has no idea how to help him. Crystal tries to protect her son but when he tells her what he wants, she realizes that is what she wanted to hear. D. Liebhart delivers beautiful, haunting prose and thoughts that will stay with you long after to read the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and D. Liebhart for this ARC.

In a Nutshell: A contemporary indie drama focussed on tricky mother-child relationships. As the title indicates, quite a few ‘feral creatures’ in this plot. Complex characters, interesting plotline with real-world issues, excellent ending. Much recommended!

Plot Preview.
Albuquerque, USA.
Underconfident Julie doesn’t know how to deal with her teenage son Logan anymore. Once an adorable child, he has morphed into a potential hazard for himself and the community.
Intellectual Varvara faces enough struggles in her job as a medical researcher, but her toughest task is knowing how to handle her “over-dramatic” daughter Myra.
Blunt-to-the-point-of-rudeness Crystal has had a long successful career as an emergency nurse. But when she receives a terminal diagnosis just around her son’s wedding, she knows she must do all she can to hide her illness from her son for as long as possible.
Three mothers. Three children. One crisis that brings all of them together.
The story comes to us in the third-persona perspectives of the three mothers and of Myra.


Bookish Yays:
😍 Three mothers with three teen/adult children, but three distinct mother-child storylines. One focuses on protecting others from their child, another is about protecting their child from hurt, and the third wonders whether their child needs protection or not. Tough love, blind love, overprotective love – each has its own complications. The individualistic nature of the three character perspectives keeps the novel interesting.
😍 The main characters: Most characters in this book are as endearing and loveable as the protagonists in a contemporary domestic thriller. 🥴 But when this is combined with a layered portrayal and an difficult dramatic situation, the proceedings become interesting. I loved the complex personae of the three mothers, who, though aggravating, have their strengths as well.
😍 Though there are four perspectives, their presentation is always in the same rotational order – no random shuffling. I love how the events interlink slowly over the course of the novel. It is initially tough to figure out why Myra was the only child to have her own narrative, but all becomes clear later. I did prefer the moms’ perspectives much more than Myra’s.
😍 Loved the plotline and the writing approach. The titular use of ‘feral creatures’ is justified through the plot, though it is tough to decide who is feral and who isn’t. I enjoy these kinds of novels where I can put myself in a character's position and wonder what I'd have done under similar circumstances.
😍 The ending is excellent. I love that there's no redeeming arcs or unrealistic behavioural turnarounds for those who are supercilious in their attitude towards others. Character personalities are maintained till the end. We see the added layers under their exterior façade as the story proceeds, but their core remains the same throughout. This is my favourite part of the writing – the believability of the people and their actions.
😍 The medical content in the book, whether through Crystal’s job or her illness or her SM channel, is excellent and enlightening. I later discovered that the author is a nurse. No wonder the information feels so real!
😍 The focus on the struggles of parenting today’s teens (Long sigh!) whose access to information is instantaneous and whose online lives are mostly unknown to parents. It also helps that each of the three women is in a different parenting situation, thereby giving us an insight into various parenting modes.
😍 The cover: stunning. Always love it when indie authors invest in the cover as well!

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 It is a little tricky to keep track of the numerous characters and their interconnections. The digital copy with its ‘Search’ facility helps. Of course, after a point, the relation across the people and their perspectives becomes clearer and easier.
😐 There’s inclusive rep across the major and minor characters in terms of race, gender and sexual preference. The racial reps aren’t forced in and don’t go over the top. However, Myra’s sexual preference seems to have been mentioned just for inclusivity points; it is never used in the story. Another character is trans; his arc is used much better.

Bookish Nays: (Might not be a nay to many.)
🙄 Myra was too much of a teen to be relatable, and also kinda annoying. I’m not fond of YA novels, and her track was YA to the core. The word ‘asshat’ comes too many times in her vocab. I didn’t get why that word had to be used when she was already throwing F-bombs regularly.


All in all, the yays far overpower the rest. The book has strong Jodi Picoult vibes, with its complicated characters, multiple perspectives, intense drama, and ethical dilemmas.
This indie novel never once felt indie. The cover, the writing, the plot development, the layered character detailing, the realistic drama – almost everything felt spot on. I enjoyed most of the book but the final few chapters truly elevated my experience. This is the author’s second novel, but the first time I’ve read her. Based on this experience, I’d love to keep an eye out for her future works.
Definitely recommended to those who enjoy contemporary drama with several relevant social themes. This isn’t for those who want a happy mommy-child story or who prefer likeable characters. Do check the triggers though – there are quite a few.

4.5 stars, happy to round up. (Go, indie authors!)

My thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing the DRC of “Feral Creatures of Suburbia” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Content warnings: (THESE CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS.)
Homophobia, transphobia, anti-Semitism, racism, misogyny, mental health issues, self-harm, suicidal tendencies, bullying, terminal diagnosis, school shooting, cancer, death.

"Feral Creatures of Suburbia" presents the interconnected narratives of three mothers—Crystal, Varvara, and Julie—each grappling with individual challenges while navigating the complexities of raising adolescents in a demanding environment. Julie's ostensibly ordinary teenage son unveils deeper issues, Varvara confronts her daughter's emotional distress, and Crystal struggles with a terminal illness while striving to shield her son from harsh realities. The narrative examines critical themes such as gun violence, mental health, and the influences of social media, illustrating the lengths each mother will traverse to protect their children from fear and secrecy.

This narrative has extensive emotional intensity, reflecting the multifaceted challenges of parenthood and the often-overlooked tribulations that families confront. The character development is amazing as we witness their imperfections and vulnerabilities which makes them relatable and authentically human. This novel is a profound examination of motherhood, the intricate bond between parents and children, and the societal pressures that influence their existence.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, this title is genius!! This book focuses on three different mothers, in different stages of life. The three women are all tested in different ways. How far will they go to protect their children? I absolutely loved this!