Such a Good Mother- A Novel by Helen Monks Takhar
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Web ID: 18023746good except for the middle
"Such A Good Mother" starts out strong and catches your interest from the start. The middle dragged and the characters were aggravating me. I kept putting the book down disgusted. More private school drama than I want to read. I am glad I kept reading. Chapter 39 took a big turn and then I loved all the big reveals. All of a sudden it went, Gone Girl. This galley was given to me by NetGalley.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Very good
Things aren’t always what they seem and that is certainly the case with The Circle. Smart characterizations and hard to put down. Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not for Me
This moved much slower than I was expecting it to. About halfway in, I just gave up. There was none of the thriller vibes that I expected. It was just a bunch of women behaving badly.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Dark and Twisted
What's it about (in a nutshell): Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar is a dark and twisted psychological thriller about the lasting effects of being bullied and a mother's need for her child to have a better life than she has known. Initial Expectations (before beginning the book): The cover is very creepy with a woman who must be watching a group of women because you can see them through a window reflected in her sunglasses. The little teaser on the cover says, "some women would do anything for their children," which sends chills down my spine. The blurb is rather long but also reflects the dark creepiness of the cover. I can just imagine what lengths a mother would go to, so my initial expectations are that this will be a dark and twisty psychological thriller. Actual Reading Experience: This story starts off relatively harmless with a school tour of the local school. The mother who is taking the tour, Rosie, lives just across the street and is looking for the school she wants her young son to attend. The school seems perfect, but she feels like an outsider and doubts her chances of getting her son in. And that's when the fun begins, with one creepy turn after another until all of the secrets are unveiled. Then the story becomes intensely dark and shocking, with one surprise following another until the very end. Of course, this review will be relatively brief so as not to give away any of those secrets, but let's just say my jaw hit the floor as the story ratcheted up the thrills to unbelievable heights. The narration is in the first person, with Rosie, our courageous mother, telling her tale. As with all first-person narrations, you can assume there is at least a bit of unreliability, but this aids in the shocking revelations so that the reader doesn't see them coming, or at least I didn't. Never underestimate the lengths a mother will go for their children as the cover teases. The pace stays fast throughout, with the thrills increasing as the story progresses. The story tells of a pin that signifies membership into an exclusive mom's group, the women in that group, and a host of minor and major events that occur with this particular group sitting right in the middle of the fray. The twists start slowly and then grow to such a breakneck speed toward the end that it becomes hard to keep up but keep up I did and enjoyed every minute of it. The characters are deliciously devious and well-developed enough for the reader to realize the boundless depths of their darkness. The good characters never stood a chance, but who is good in this story? Everyone has a bit of darkness that can be tapped into with the right incentive. I also loved the use of Instagram in this story. We all know how insidious and powerful social media is. This story shows that in concrete ways, leaving no doubt about this observation. To Read or Not to Read: If you enjoy dark and twisted psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, you will love Such A Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Disappointing
The Woolf Academy requires no fees for students but parents are expected to do their part to support it. Tonight, the parents are headed to an auction at the Academy when they see a woman’s body by the outdoor gym equipment. Her death means there is a vacancy for a woman at Woolf’s top table with Amala Kaur. Rose and her husband Pete are looking to enroll their young son, Charlie, in the Academy. Rose had attended the same school years ago when it had another name. At the time, she was bullied and called Rotten Rosie. Rose meets Amala and it so happens that the woman is taken with her and invites her to be a part of what is called the Circle, a group of women who work directly with Amala for the school. As Rose becomes more involved in the school and sees behind the scenes of it all, she is shocked to see what is going on. Can she continue with this and she becomes deeply embedded with the secrets? Straight out I will say that I did not like this book. Jacq was the only character with morals and the rest disgusted me. I admit that I really had to push myself to finish this book. It’s dark and off-putting. I cannot even imagine people behaving like this. There was so much hype given to this book and I was really looking forward to reading it. Sorry. Not for me. Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A good mother will go to any lengths...
Rose O’Connell's father was a con artist. She has been living under the shadow of his influence and reputation all her life, but dreams of more. Now working at a bank and married with a child ready to start school, Rose has her eye on The Woolf, an exclusive academy across the road from her apartment. The Woolf is run by Amala Kaur, a charismatic woman who is living the life of luxury and respect that Rose wants, and who might help Rose get it for herself when she is invited to join the exclusive Circle of four mothers who enjoy special privileges in exchange for their tireless efforts on behalf of the school. But Rose finds that "more" comes with a price, and "more" isn't always good; what lengths will she go to in order to give her son a better future? I enjoyed the book, and it definitely held some surprises, but I didn't really like or identify with Rose O'Connell, which (for me) makes it harder to engage with the book. However, one of my biggest issues with Rose throughout most of the book became an "ah-hah" later (I always try to avoid spoilers, so I won't say anything more than that), and for that I give the author kudos.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved it!
Rose O’Connell wonders when, or if her life will ever become easier. After a traumatic childhood, she married the brother of her best friend, but they have struggled financially their entire marriage. She has been unable to get an accounting position, or even move up at the bank where she works, thanks to her father's criminal past. Rose is so tired of barely making ends meet, and now that their son is old enough for school, she wants more than anything for him to be able to go to the prestigious Woolf Academy Once she makes it inside those school gates she discovers that there is an elite and secretive Circle—a tight-knit group of wealthy mothers, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur—who rule the school. When the mysterious death of one of the Circle’s members creates a vacancy, Rose dares to hope she could fill it and transform her life. Amala’s shocking decision to invite Rose into her clique provokes resentment among the Circle, especially when her fortunes, self-esteem, and status start to soar. But Rose soon realizes the true price of being on the inside. Far from being a dream come true, the Circle proves her worst nightmare. Unlike the woman she replaced, can Rose escape with her life? I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Yes, it was fairly obvious that joining "the Circle" could only end badly, but this was like train wreck that you just couldn't look away from. I really liked Rose, watching her evolve as a character and a person. Amala was someone you really did not like, and wanted to see them get what was coming to them. This book is more of a "guilty pleasure" than a thriller, but it is definitely worth the read!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
An unexpected surprise!
A solid 4.5 stars! Deep, dark & thought-provoking! Not at all what I was expecting. After finishing “Such a Good Mother.” I had to go back & read parts to make sure I hadn’t missed any clues that hinted at the conclusion. Takhar’s evolution of Rose and the subsequent downfall of Amala was unbelievable. Her character development is very well done. Looking forward to her next work!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com