A review by explicitmoxley
Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel

dark tense medium-paced

4.25

I found this book very predictable, but oddly enough, I think it had a positive effect on the reading experience.  It’s like I know what’s going on, you know what’s going on, everybody knows what’s going on except our main character, Maeve, whose desperation for love and belonging along with recent tragedy are clouding her judgement to a severe degree.  I thought the “twist” ending (meh) was a bit much, though.  
It would have been much better if it had been subtler, rather than essentially confirming the reader’s suspicions about the adoptive mother being involved with a cult.  I think that about a lot of horror with a “bad ending,” though.  Sometimes less really is more and a vague ending is more sinister and disquieting than spelling it all out for the reader.

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