Review: Mother May I

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

Started reading: May 12th 2021

Finished the book: June 9th 2021

Pages: 324 / 12:51:47

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

Published: April 6th 2021

Source: Storytel

Goodreads score: 3.90

My score:

Synopsis

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

My thoughts

I love it when you see a review on another blog, and get enthusiastic to read the book and then it's a 5-star book! Ethan totally made me want to read this book, and it was a hit! Thanks, Ethan! I've been listening to audiobooks since a while and I notice that when the author narrates the story, it just gets an extra layer. The authors know exactly how they want to deliver some sentences or feelings. The author really made this an experience by her narration.

Pros

• Flashbacks: The story felt so much more real because Bree, the main character, tells more about her history with some of the other characters. The POV also switches to a friend of Bree and I loved the choice to let a side-character narrate some of the chapters as well. This gives the story depth and I just loved getting to know all and everything about the characters in this book and their lives.
• Tension: Boy, oh boy. The tension in this book is REAL. I felt like just driving around in my car all the time so I could listen to this book. It was easy to just drop back into the story after taking a break. Some really thrilling things happen at the beginning of the book and I wondered: Hmm, this is only the start, where is this going to go?! This book is a really good thriller and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
• Truth?: I LOVE books that leave spots open for your own interpretation. Some questions in this book are never answered. And I think that is risky, because if an author leaves to much open, that can be a total mis in a book, so they must really look for that balance and that was perfect in this book. The big questions are answered, but what is the truth about some of the smaller things? You may never know...
• Dark: This is one of those books that does not have all that much joy in it. The itsy bitsy parts of light come from Bree that loves her children to death and will do anything for them. But the other parts and the things that are happening make for a dark, dark book and I just love me one of those every now and then.

Cons

I wouldn't know...

Overall

If you're curious about this book, I would definitely recommend the audiobook. It's a real experience with the author narrating the story. This is a must-read for thriller lovers that aren't afraid of a dark story. The truth has some spots that are left open for your own interpretation and I feel like that's such a smart move. It makes you second guess some of the characters and I felt like I got all the answers that I needed, but still had that nagging feeling of not knowing the whole truth. Love it!

Thanks for reading!

I'd love to talk books; please let me know what you think about this book review.

Other opinions on this book

"Chilling, thought-provoking, and hauntingly written, Mother May I kept me on the edge of my seat with its breathless race against time."

- Megan Miranda, NYT bestselling author

"An addictive domestic suspense, Jackson's latest book asks how far a mother will go to protect her child."

- Parade

"Gripping... The dark secret at the novel's heart rings all too true. Jackson knows how to ratchet up the suspense."

- Publishers Weekly