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lauradefra 's review for:
A Mother's Guide to the Apocalypse
by Hollie Overton
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.