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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Olivia is presumed dead, but her triplet daughters find her apocalypse guide and a cryptic message suggesting she might still be alive. This kicks off a journey as the family travels to California to find answers. I liked that we got to see her perspective throughout the book through the guide she made and her Reddit messages.
There's so much that I want to say, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But OMG, wow, what a ride. Let's just say that everyone is hiding a secret, which makes for some amazing drama. Getting multiple POVs was a great way to let us in on all those secrets, and the pacing of the reveals kept me on the edge of my seat. While it did slow down in the middle, I was already too invested to care at that point. The ending? I did not see that coming when I started this book, and I love that for me. LOL.
The book offers a fascinating glimpse into a world reshaped by catastrophic events. We get little hints about what caused the Collapse, and the idea that technology and the internet played a big role is a chilling concept that feels very relevant today. I would have liked some more of that. If you're looking for a post-apocalyptic story that's as much a family drama as it is an adventure, you'll love this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books, for the eARC!
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a wild ride! Fast paced thrilling read that kept me pulled in to find out what happened to the triplets mom. Throughout the book there were tidbits of information about actually surviving an apocalypse. Definitely not what I expected!!
(Audiobook version) This book felt a little too real in terms of apocalypse type: feels like this book could happen tomorrow with the state of the world. Loved the realness, the challenges it brought, and how the author found ways for the world to adapt to new realities. I see it more as a mystery/thriller than horror. I could not put it down, finished it in one day. Overall, the narrator did a really good job. Her pace and pronunciation, change of tones to illustrate different characters were nice. My only issue was the inconsistencies in the accents sometimes. The other thing that bothered me was the number of different POV that made it confusing at times.
Thank you Netgalley, Hachette audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley, Hachette audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
When the world started turning into chaos, Olivia turned to doomsday prepping. Her friends and husband thought she was being overdramatic, but then she was killed in a flash flood. Twenty years later, her triplet daughters, Rosie, Bettie, and Cassie find a box of her belongings that make them question everything they've been told about their mom - and they are determined to find the truth.
I found the overall plot and premise of this story to be really interesting. It is set in a dark, post-apocalyptic world. I would have loved some more world building to get a more vivid picture of the world. At it's core, this is a character driven book about family bonds and trauma. Rosie, Bettie, and Cassie had a strong sisterly bond while also working to find out who they were individually. While a lot of the book focused on Olivia's doomsday prepping, the mystery component pulled me in and kept me guessing.
The audiobook was engaging and easy to understand. The accents were a little bit confusing at times and it was occasionally difficult to know which sister was speaking.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy.
I found the overall plot and premise of this story to be really interesting. It is set in a dark, post-apocalyptic world. I would have loved some more world building to get a more vivid picture of the world. At it's core, this is a character driven book about family bonds and trauma. Rosie, Bettie, and Cassie had a strong sisterly bond while also working to find out who they were individually. While a lot of the book focused on Olivia's doomsday prepping, the mystery component pulled me in and kept me guessing.
The audiobook was engaging and easy to understand. The accents were a little bit confusing at times and it was occasionally difficult to know which sister was speaking.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing story about a family thrown into a complex, post apocalyptic world. The story of each triplet and their parents has its own character and the multiple POV plus the jumping between past and present creates a great complete story of why things happened and how things are later in life. The story keeps you guessing what is happening and has action but nothing to intense. I absolutely loved each triplet and their story along with the father/mother story line. Amazing story and so happy I got to listen and read it!
Thank you netgalley and Redhook and Hatchette Audio for the opportunity to read this!
Thank you netgalley and Redhook and Hatchette Audio for the opportunity to read this!
dark
mysterious
A Mother’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Hollie Overton
Narrated by Eleanor Caudill
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
For Olivia Sullivan, the summer of 2024 was the beginning of the end. Political upheaval, natural disasters, and the looming threat of danger had her spiraling into doomsday-prepping mode to protect her triplet daughters. Then one night, swept away by a flash flood in LA, she was gone. Or so her family thought.
Twenty years later, Rosie, Bettie, and Cassie discover a box of their mother’s belongings that calls into question everything they thought they knew. Did their father tell them the truth? What really happened to Olivia?
This book was not what I expected. From the title, I anticipated something darker or even more biting with humor. The beginning, told from Olivia’s POV, absolutely gripped me. Once the narration shifted to her daughters and husband, the pacing slowed, and I found myself having to backtrack to keep track of POVs. The dystopian backdrop is more subtle here—it stays in the background while the story focuses heavily on family dynamics, secrets, and loss.
There is a mystery thread tied to Olivia’s disappearance, her daughters’ search for answers, and their father’s decline. Add to that human trafficking, environmental collapse, and political upheaval—and it felt like too much was crammed in without fully delivering on any one thread.
That said, I found the concept unique, and I especially loved the “Mother’s Guide to the Apocalypse” Olivia left behind. It gave heart to the story. My recommendation: read this one rather than listen, since the shifting perspectives felt uneven in audio.
Narrated by Eleanor Caudill
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
For Olivia Sullivan, the summer of 2024 was the beginning of the end. Political upheaval, natural disasters, and the looming threat of danger had her spiraling into doomsday-prepping mode to protect her triplet daughters. Then one night, swept away by a flash flood in LA, she was gone. Or so her family thought.
Twenty years later, Rosie, Bettie, and Cassie discover a box of their mother’s belongings that calls into question everything they thought they knew. Did their father tell them the truth? What really happened to Olivia?
This book was not what I expected. From the title, I anticipated something darker or even more biting with humor. The beginning, told from Olivia’s POV, absolutely gripped me. Once the narration shifted to her daughters and husband, the pacing slowed, and I found myself having to backtrack to keep track of POVs. The dystopian backdrop is more subtle here—it stays in the background while the story focuses heavily on family dynamics, secrets, and loss.
There is a mystery thread tied to Olivia’s disappearance, her daughters’ search for answers, and their father’s decline. Add to that human trafficking, environmental collapse, and political upheaval—and it felt like too much was crammed in without fully delivering on any one thread.
That said, I found the concept unique, and I especially loved the “Mother’s Guide to the Apocalypse” Olivia left behind. It gave heart to the story. My recommendation: read this one rather than listen, since the shifting perspectives felt uneven in audio.
This was fun but I expected it to be more about the collapse, not a family drama
* NetGalley ARC *
* NetGalley ARC *