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No Child of Mine
When Essie Singh and her husband, Sanjay, move into their new home, they expect to do renovations, they don’t expect to be confronted with a curse that threatens both their relationship and Sanjay’s life.
Essie has always seen herself as someone defined by her ambitions, a cold and independent woman, whose only soft spot is her husband. She never imagined herself as a mother, but then she finds out she’s pregnant. As her difficult pregnancy transforms her body and life into something foreign to her, her husband spends the nights pacing in the attic, and the house begins to whisper.
As Essie’s pregnancy progresses, both her and her husband’s lives are warped by a curse that has haunted her family for generations, leaving a string of fatherless daughters in its wake. Essie must confront the past and end the cycle of violence or risk losing her husband and damning her own daughter to the same fate.
Essie has always seen herself as someone defined by her ambitions, a cold and independent woman, whose only soft spot is her husband. She never imagined herself as a mother, but then she finds out she’s pregnant. As her difficult pregnancy transforms her body and life into something foreign to her, her husband spends the nights pacing in the attic, and the house begins to whisper.
As Essie’s pregnancy progresses, both her and her husband’s lives are warped by a curse that has haunted her family for generations, leaving a string of fatherless daughters in its wake. Essie must confront the past and end the cycle of violence or risk losing her husband and damning her own daughter to the same fate.
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First published September 12, 2023
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February 19, 2024
Sanjay and Essie have been a couple since high school and throughout college. Having put her post-grad studies on hold for Sanjay, Essie is now looking forward to her turn to finish her medical degree. In another turn of bad decisions, Essie also agrees to move into an old house to please her husband. Childless and seemingly happy about it, an unexpected pregnancy occurs in tandem with creepy things happening in the home. Essie is having severe doubts about becoming a mother, filtering in and out of the progressing pregnancy, along with severe morning sickness. There are some haunted severe house vibes when Essie's husband suddenly starts spending the entire night, every night, pacing the attic. Before her eyes, he becomes a former shell of himself, and she can do nothing while on bed rest. A family curse is taking hold. The women in Essie's family only give birth to daughters, and their husbands are affected by the curse.
Ana and Isabel's story enthralled me, and I couldn't wait to get to their chapters! Not that Essie and Sanjay were dull, but there was a lot of repetition of complaining about her pregnancy, morning sickness, and ghostly occurrences. The story attempts to bring about supernatural tension with the creaks in the house and doors creaking open. Sadly, there wasn't enough suspense or horror in this book. The chapters containing the letters between Ana and Isabel, women of a century or more ago, paint a picture of an illicit love affair between best friend and their subsequent marriages. A deal with the devil creates havoc for all future generations.
No Child of Mine is an excellent epistolary story on one side and a modern marriage on the other, with smoky, ghostly happenings tying the two together. I enjoyed the letters between the lovers the best. Essie's relationship with her husband is unbalanced, and she never seems to accept the pregnancy she chose to continue. I kept trying to determine whether that had to do with the haunting.
The ending was abrupt and disappointing, and it's where this tale lost me the most. Without giving away spoilers, it seemed far too simple of a solution for the book's depth. There is macabre imagery, but in dreams only, and the dreams felt very repetitive. I'm unsure about the purpose of the repetitive dreams and extending that narrative for so long in the book. I don't think it helped the story's pacing, but it only bogged it down. There is a sense of isolation and madness, but not all for the protagonist, and the isolation doesn't drive the Gothic feel in the story. I'm left wondering how to categorize the story. Things between Sanjay and Essie were unclear, and then new information was revealed at the end, which spurred Essie to stand up and make things happen for her family in a way she was unwilling or unable to accept. I found it hard to connect to the main characters. The only thing I found enjoyable were the chapters with Ana and Isabel's letters.
Rounded down to 2.5 stars🌟
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers Poisoned Pen Press for the ADC in exchange for an honest review.
Ana and Isabel's story enthralled me, and I couldn't wait to get to their chapters! Not that Essie and Sanjay were dull, but there was a lot of repetition of complaining about her pregnancy, morning sickness, and ghostly occurrences. The story attempts to bring about supernatural tension with the creaks in the house and doors creaking open. Sadly, there wasn't enough suspense or horror in this book. The chapters containing the letters between Ana and Isabel, women of a century or more ago, paint a picture of an illicit love affair between best friend and their subsequent marriages. A deal with the devil creates havoc for all future generations.
No Child of Mine is an excellent epistolary story on one side and a modern marriage on the other, with smoky, ghostly happenings tying the two together. I enjoyed the letters between the lovers the best. Essie's relationship with her husband is unbalanced, and she never seems to accept the pregnancy she chose to continue. I kept trying to determine whether that had to do with the haunting.
The ending was abrupt and disappointing, and it's where this tale lost me the most. Without giving away spoilers, it seemed far too simple of a solution for the book's depth. There is macabre imagery, but in dreams only, and the dreams felt very repetitive. I'm unsure about the purpose of the repetitive dreams and extending that narrative for so long in the book. I don't think it helped the story's pacing, but it only bogged it down. There is a sense of isolation and madness, but not all for the protagonist, and the isolation doesn't drive the Gothic feel in the story. I'm left wondering how to categorize the story. Things between Sanjay and Essie were unclear, and then new information was revealed at the end, which spurred Essie to stand up and make things happen for her family in a way she was unwilling or unable to accept. I found it hard to connect to the main characters. The only thing I found enjoyable were the chapters with Ana and Isabel's letters.
Rounded down to 2.5 stars🌟
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers Poisoned Pen Press for the ADC in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
No Child of Mine follows Essie Kaur, an ambitious young woman who has recently found out that she is pregnant for the first time.
Essie is in a very loving marriage with her husband, Sanjay, whom she adores, but in spite of that, Essie is less than stoked about the news.
In fact, privately, she's pretty upset about it. Essie is currently in law school, almost through, ready to take the bar exam early the following year, how is she going to make that work now? The baby will be three months old when she is supposed to sit for the bar?
Essie keeps a lot of her feelings to herself; well, most of them honestly. She's afraid people will judge her for not having the ecstatic, happy reaction society teaches us we are supposed to always have.
She wants to be happy. She loves the little being growing inside her, she really does, but that love is being shadowed by a lot of other darker emotions right now.
As the Reader, we sit inside Essie's head as she struggles with these emotions, her changing body, her changing relationship and her ever changing reality.
While some of it borders on repetitive, I feel like as a person who frequently suffers from repetitive thoughts, it still made sense to me. I could imagine being Essie and having these same exact thoughts over and over.
In addition to Essie's perspective, we also get a historical perspective following two women, Isabelle and Anna.
It's unclear initially how these women are connected to Essie and her story, but as their narrative evolves it becomes clear where it is going. This aspect adds the impetus behind some of the darker elements in the present perspective.
Particularly, what's going on with Sanjay.
As a soon to be 45-year old woman, who made a conscious decision at a very young age to never have children, these types of stories revolving around pregnancy and early motherhood either drive me crazy, or I end up connecting to them in a powerful way.
Regardless of the final outcome, I do enjoy picking up stories that involve these themes, because I like to see what sort of new elements, or perspectives, various authors will bring.
I think Giraldes did a great job of writing Essie's perspective.
To me, Essie's concerns and emotional struggle was 100% believable. She was a woman who had a plan for her future, who had sacrificed to reach her goals, and so close to the finish line had everything up-ended while her husband still got to live his dream.
I was nodding along in many parts, even yelling words of support for her. The only issue I had with this story really, and it's a minor one, was the connection between the historic perspective and Essie's present perspective.
For me, there were times, when it felt a little too disjointed. By this I mean, the transition between the two sometimes seemed jarring; like it wasn't as fluid as I would hope.
Essie's sections felt so straight forward, but for Isabelle and Anna, my brain was working overtime trying to figure out why it was even included. Because of this, for at least the first half, every time it switched perspectives, it kicked me out of the story.
At times, I felt a bit like I was reading two separate books.
With this being said, there is a certain reveal that happens, where after that, it started making sense. Plus, additional things were happening in the current perspective, where you could feel that distinct influence from the past.
Giraldes brought it around. It was eventually cleared up and tied together by the end. Although, one final nit-pick is the ending was too abrupt for my tastes.
Overall though, this is a very solid story. I think it provides a lot of food for thought, as far as a women's role in the modern world, as well as interesting commentary on women's issues spanning generations.
Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me copies to read and review. I found this quite absorbing and am looking forward to picking up more from this author.
Also, I would definitely recommend the audio format. The narrator did an incredible job bringing it to life and making it compelling. I feel like it's a great way to take in this story.
No Child of Mine follows Essie Kaur, an ambitious young woman who has recently found out that she is pregnant for the first time.
Essie is in a very loving marriage with her husband, Sanjay, whom she adores, but in spite of that, Essie is less than stoked about the news.
In fact, privately, she's pretty upset about it. Essie is currently in law school, almost through, ready to take the bar exam early the following year, how is she going to make that work now? The baby will be three months old when she is supposed to sit for the bar?
Essie keeps a lot of her feelings to herself; well, most of them honestly. She's afraid people will judge her for not having the ecstatic, happy reaction society teaches us we are supposed to always have.
She wants to be happy. She loves the little being growing inside her, she really does, but that love is being shadowed by a lot of other darker emotions right now.
As the Reader, we sit inside Essie's head as she struggles with these emotions, her changing body, her changing relationship and her ever changing reality.
While some of it borders on repetitive, I feel like as a person who frequently suffers from repetitive thoughts, it still made sense to me. I could imagine being Essie and having these same exact thoughts over and over.
In addition to Essie's perspective, we also get a historical perspective following two women, Isabelle and Anna.
It's unclear initially how these women are connected to Essie and her story, but as their narrative evolves it becomes clear where it is going. This aspect adds the impetus behind some of the darker elements in the present perspective.
Particularly, what's going on with Sanjay.
As a soon to be 45-year old woman, who made a conscious decision at a very young age to never have children, these types of stories revolving around pregnancy and early motherhood either drive me crazy, or I end up connecting to them in a powerful way.
Regardless of the final outcome, I do enjoy picking up stories that involve these themes, because I like to see what sort of new elements, or perspectives, various authors will bring.
I think Giraldes did a great job of writing Essie's perspective.
To me, Essie's concerns and emotional struggle was 100% believable. She was a woman who had a plan for her future, who had sacrificed to reach her goals, and so close to the finish line had everything up-ended while her husband still got to live his dream.
I was nodding along in many parts, even yelling words of support for her. The only issue I had with this story really, and it's a minor one, was the connection between the historic perspective and Essie's present perspective.
For me, there were times, when it felt a little too disjointed. By this I mean, the transition between the two sometimes seemed jarring; like it wasn't as fluid as I would hope.
Essie's sections felt so straight forward, but for Isabelle and Anna, my brain was working overtime trying to figure out why it was even included. Because of this, for at least the first half, every time it switched perspectives, it kicked me out of the story.
At times, I felt a bit like I was reading two separate books.
With this being said, there is a certain reveal that happens, where after that, it started making sense. Plus, additional things were happening in the current perspective, where you could feel that distinct influence from the past.
Giraldes brought it around. It was eventually cleared up and tied together by the end. Although, one final nit-pick is the ending was too abrupt for my tastes.
Overall though, this is a very solid story. I think it provides a lot of food for thought, as far as a women's role in the modern world, as well as interesting commentary on women's issues spanning generations.
Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me copies to read and review. I found this quite absorbing and am looking forward to picking up more from this author.
Also, I would definitely recommend the audio format. The narrator did an incredible job bringing it to life and making it compelling. I feel like it's a great way to take in this story.
September 8, 2023
Love, marriage, pregnancy, motherhood, and a family curse....
Essie is a happily married woman who is working on completing her law degree. She and her husband, Sanjay are both shocked when she learns that she is pregnant with their first child. The morning sickness is relentless and Essie doesn't feel in control of her body. Plus, Sanjay has started spending more time in his office in the attic, leaving Essie alone, listening to the house whispering to her.
This book is told through two timelines. In the past timelines readers meet Isabelle and Ana. Two women who are in love with each other but are married to men. With two timelines, I usually enjoy one more than the other. I found myself being very invested in the timeline in the past. I knew that there was going to be a connection to it and the present. I was fully invested in Ana and Isabelle's tale of longing, love, and being separated. I felt for them and enjoyed their letters.
I had both the book and audiobook version of this book. I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life. This was a hard book for me to rate. I found it to be gripping and interesting but as other reviewers have mentioned, it is very repetitive.
I did enjoy the mounting tension and dread in the book. I found that to be nicely done. My big beef is the repetition, and I wanted more creepiness, more scary moments. With hearing whispers and seeing dark smoke/images, I was hoping for a more sinister or creepy feeling read. I didn't find this to be scary or horrific because the characters didn't come off as being frightened by what was happening.
Then ending while it made sense, didn't pack the punch I was waiting for. It seemed to happen too easily, in my opinion.
I do feel that the author pulled off the two timelines nicely especially the timeline in the past.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Essie is a happily married woman who is working on completing her law degree. She and her husband, Sanjay are both shocked when she learns that she is pregnant with their first child. The morning sickness is relentless and Essie doesn't feel in control of her body. Plus, Sanjay has started spending more time in his office in the attic, leaving Essie alone, listening to the house whispering to her.
This book is told through two timelines. In the past timelines readers meet Isabelle and Ana. Two women who are in love with each other but are married to men. With two timelines, I usually enjoy one more than the other. I found myself being very invested in the timeline in the past. I knew that there was going to be a connection to it and the present. I was fully invested in Ana and Isabelle's tale of longing, love, and being separated. I felt for them and enjoyed their letters.
I had both the book and audiobook version of this book. I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life. This was a hard book for me to rate. I found it to be gripping and interesting but as other reviewers have mentioned, it is very repetitive.
I did enjoy the mounting tension and dread in the book. I found that to be nicely done. My big beef is the repetition, and I wanted more creepiness, more scary moments. With hearing whispers and seeing dark smoke/images, I was hoping for a more sinister or creepy feeling read. I didn't find this to be scary or horrific because the characters didn't come off as being frightened by what was happening.
Then ending while it made sense, didn't pack the punch I was waiting for. It seemed to happen too easily, in my opinion.
I do feel that the author pulled off the two timelines nicely especially the timeline in the past.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
October 29, 2024
3⭐
Genre ~ ghost fiction
Setting ~ not sure
Publication date ~ September 12, 2023
Est Page Count ~ 333
Audio length ~ 10 hours and 19 minutes
Narrators ~ Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Lauren Ezzo, Lindsey Dorcus
POV ~ single 3rd in the present (Essie), dual 1st in the past (Isabelle & Ana)
Featuring ~ dual timeline (which I missed the memo for because I didn’t have a clue for a while), tough, unwanted pregnancy, closeted lesbians married to men, repetition up the yang
@0% ~ boogidy boogidy time…hopefully 🤞🤞
@54% ~ not terrified yet
Can totally be read home alone in the dark during a storm because there isn’t a scary, creepy or horrorish vibe whatsoever. Pretty disappointed about that. Curse shmurse 🙄
Overall, this was fine as a debut, I suppose, and the twist was fine, as well.
Narration notes:
Yay for 3!! They all did a fabulous job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ ghost fiction
Setting ~ not sure
Publication date ~ September 12, 2023
Est Page Count ~ 333
Audio length ~ 10 hours and 19 minutes
Narrators ~ Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Lauren Ezzo, Lindsey Dorcus
POV ~ single 3rd in the present (Essie), dual 1st in the past (Isabelle & Ana)
Featuring ~ dual timeline (which I missed the memo for because I didn’t have a clue for a while), tough, unwanted pregnancy, closeted lesbians married to men, repetition up the yang
@0% ~ boogidy boogidy time…hopefully 🤞🤞
@54% ~ not terrified yet
Can totally be read home alone in the dark during a storm because there isn’t a scary, creepy or horrorish vibe whatsoever. Pretty disappointed about that. Curse shmurse 🙄
Overall, this was fine as a debut, I suppose, and the twist was fine, as well.
Narration notes:
Yay for 3!! They all did a fabulous job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
September 12, 2023
Happy Publication Day!
I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. However, Nichelle Giraldes spins a fascinating tale of hardships, love, grief, and what it can really be like to grow another human being within yourself.
Essie comes from a long line of women. These women have daughters that must succumb to an everlasting family curse- the love of their lives must die.
Essie is hugely independent and stubborn when it comes to how she has planned out her days. She will become a lawyer and be successful in her career. She had to wait while her husband, Sanjay, took steps toward an architecture degree first. So when she learns of her unplanned pregnancy while finally able to step her feet into a classroom, it does not come lighthearted. She’s far behind and feels that she deserves to focus on herself. Her entire life will change and she isn’t sure if she wants that. But in the end, she loves the life she is creating. When she must endure a terrible pregnancy full of pain and isolation, she becomes cognizant of forces that can irrevocably transform her life into one without love. Without Sanjay.
This novel is marketed as horror. I don’t necessarily agree with that notion. There were creepy moments sure, but nothing that would keep me up at night. I want gore. I want jump scares. I wanted more!
Every other chapter was also a blast to the past. At first, I really didn’t like it. Another book with the plot surrounded by something that happened ages ago. I’m kind of over that trope, so it didn’t settle well with me. In the end, it makes sense, but still…
Overall, I gave it 3 stars. It was quick and entertaining, but I don’t believe I’ll find myself thinking about it again. A huge plus was that it did have a different feel and type of plot line that was unique and I honestly found it refreshing!
Trigger warning- If you have strong feelings about pregnancy and motherhood, you might want to skip this one!
A great thank you goes out to Nichelle Giraldes, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. However, Nichelle Giraldes spins a fascinating tale of hardships, love, grief, and what it can really be like to grow another human being within yourself.
Essie comes from a long line of women. These women have daughters that must succumb to an everlasting family curse- the love of their lives must die.
Essie is hugely independent and stubborn when it comes to how she has planned out her days. She will become a lawyer and be successful in her career. She had to wait while her husband, Sanjay, took steps toward an architecture degree first. So when she learns of her unplanned pregnancy while finally able to step her feet into a classroom, it does not come lighthearted. She’s far behind and feels that she deserves to focus on herself. Her entire life will change and she isn’t sure if she wants that. But in the end, she loves the life she is creating. When she must endure a terrible pregnancy full of pain and isolation, she becomes cognizant of forces that can irrevocably transform her life into one without love. Without Sanjay.
This novel is marketed as horror. I don’t necessarily agree with that notion. There were creepy moments sure, but nothing that would keep me up at night. I want gore. I want jump scares. I wanted more!
Every other chapter was also a blast to the past. At first, I really didn’t like it. Another book with the plot surrounded by something that happened ages ago. I’m kind of over that trope, so it didn’t settle well with me. In the end, it makes sense, but still…
Overall, I gave it 3 stars. It was quick and entertaining, but I don’t believe I’ll find myself thinking about it again. A huge plus was that it did have a different feel and type of plot line that was unique and I honestly found it refreshing!
Trigger warning- If you have strong feelings about pregnancy and motherhood, you might want to skip this one!
A great thank you goes out to Nichelle Giraldes, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2023
Thank you to the publishers at Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of No Child of Mine.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🤰🏼 have ever been pregnant
👻 believe in ghosts
❤️ would do anything for your true love
👥 enjoy dual POVs
• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄
After Essie and her husband Sanjay move into their new home, strange things start happening.
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Essie and Sanjay have finally bought a house. High school sweethearts, they are now in their late 20s and Essie is finally going to pass her Bar and become a lawyer. An unexpected pregnancy forces her to put her plans on the back burner. But Essie isn’t just dealing with nausea; there’s a strange, unexplained presence in the house, and it’s changing Sanjay. Is the family curse her grandmother always warned her about coming true?
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was a really fun and fast paced read. I enjoyed the multiple POVs between Essie and two women, Isabel and Ana, that, at first, I wasn’t sure how were connected to Essie’s story. Eventually, it all starts to come together, and I loved the big reveal. I also related easily to the main character; pregnancy was very hard and uncomfortable for me with almost nonstop nausea until over halfway through. This wasn’t your average ghost story which made for a fun twist.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🤰🏼 have ever been pregnant
👻 believe in ghosts
❤️ would do anything for your true love
👥 enjoy dual POVs
• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄
After Essie and her husband Sanjay move into their new home, strange things start happening.
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Essie and Sanjay have finally bought a house. High school sweethearts, they are now in their late 20s and Essie is finally going to pass her Bar and become a lawyer. An unexpected pregnancy forces her to put her plans on the back burner. But Essie isn’t just dealing with nausea; there’s a strange, unexplained presence in the house, and it’s changing Sanjay. Is the family curse her grandmother always warned her about coming true?
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was a really fun and fast paced read. I enjoyed the multiple POVs between Essie and two women, Isabel and Ana, that, at first, I wasn’t sure how were connected to Essie’s story. Eventually, it all starts to come together, and I loved the big reveal. I also related easily to the main character; pregnancy was very hard and uncomfortable for me with almost nonstop nausea until over halfway through. This wasn’t your average ghost story which made for a fun twist.
September 7, 2023
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
All in all, I enjoyed this. This was a very strong 3.5 haunted horror book that I rounded up to 4 stars. I thought the character of Essie was great. And I loved the backstory we get on Isabella. The writing and pace was solid too. The main reason why I did not give this 5 stars is that I wanted the “darkness” to be darker and have a better explanation of what it was and where it came from. That said, the heart of this book is Essie and Sanjay’s love story and it was wonderful.
"No Child of Mine" follows law student Essie Kaur. Essie has followed her husband Sanjay so that he could fulfill his dreams of being an architect. Now it's her turn. When they buy the house of their dreams though, things start to go wrong. Smells that only Essie can smell. Sounds and voices of people that can't be there. And when Essie finds herself pregnant, she realizes a family curse she has always made fun of, may not be fake after all. The book shifts from the present with Essie and then to the past following a young woman named Isabel who is devastated after her best friend marries and moves away.
I liked Essie a lot. Here's a woman that knew her own mind and what she wanted. I loved that Giraldes had her as ambivalent as having a baby since she realized that her life was going to change and it was not going to be what she wanted it to be. Essie and Sanjay work a lot too. I think that Giraldes was smart enough to give us enough of their teen and now adult love story that you end up rooting for the couple throughout the book.
Isabel took a while to get a handle on. At first I thought she was being way too overly emotional about her best friend marrying and then....well things get slowly revealed. I was curious what was the date in the past that Isabel lived in. I assume at least 1800s or so? And I think that only because of the description about food and dresses. But, I ended up not liking this character, you will get to why that is when you read the book though. That said, Giraldes did a great job developing her and the character of Ana (Isabel's best friend).
The writing and flow worked very well. There are just hints of darkness and scares around the corner every time Essie is at home.
I really liked the ending though though the solution was just a tad too neat.
FYI also read this for HA’s challenge and it works for the “tricks” slot. A darkness is trying to trick people.
All in all, I enjoyed this. This was a very strong 3.5 haunted horror book that I rounded up to 4 stars. I thought the character of Essie was great. And I loved the backstory we get on Isabella. The writing and pace was solid too. The main reason why I did not give this 5 stars is that I wanted the “darkness” to be darker and have a better explanation of what it was and where it came from. That said, the heart of this book is Essie and Sanjay’s love story and it was wonderful.
"No Child of Mine" follows law student Essie Kaur. Essie has followed her husband Sanjay so that he could fulfill his dreams of being an architect. Now it's her turn. When they buy the house of their dreams though, things start to go wrong. Smells that only Essie can smell. Sounds and voices of people that can't be there. And when Essie finds herself pregnant, she realizes a family curse she has always made fun of, may not be fake after all. The book shifts from the present with Essie and then to the past following a young woman named Isabel who is devastated after her best friend marries and moves away.
I liked Essie a lot. Here's a woman that knew her own mind and what she wanted. I loved that Giraldes had her as ambivalent as having a baby since she realized that her life was going to change and it was not going to be what she wanted it to be. Essie and Sanjay work a lot too. I think that Giraldes was smart enough to give us enough of their teen and now adult love story that you end up rooting for the couple throughout the book.
Isabel took a while to get a handle on. At first I thought she was being way too overly emotional about her best friend marrying and then....well things get slowly revealed. I was curious what was the date in the past that Isabel lived in. I assume at least 1800s or so? And I think that only because of the description about food and dresses. But, I ended up not liking this character, you will get to why that is when you read the book though. That said, Giraldes did a great job developing her and the character of Ana (Isabel's best friend).
The writing and flow worked very well. There are just hints of darkness and scares around the corner every time Essie is at home.
I really liked the ending though though the solution was just a tad too neat.
FYI also read this for HA’s challenge and it works for the “tricks” slot. A darkness is trying to trick people.
February 26, 2023
Thanks to Netagalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced reader copy. Essie's story and history captivate you from the beginning of the story. The story is told between a few women from her family, which keeps you guessing where this "curse" started. The pregnancy is unexpected, and her husband, Sanjay, plays a major role in this thriller. How will everything end up? Turn the pages, and you will uncover the buried secrets in Essie's dreams that come to reality. Watch your back; this one is spooky.
August 28, 2023
No Child Of Mine is told on two timelines. In the current day, we have Essie and her husband Sanjay, and several generations earlier we have Ana and Isabelle, two women who were profoundly in love in the days when it was just impossible for women to be together.
From the book's description I was expecting a scary read but mostly what I got was a love story interspersed with bouts of morning sickness. Or morning noon and night sickness since poor Essie seemed to be plagued with vomiting at all hours of the day and night, and although I remember what that feels like from my own experience, it did get a bit repetitive to read about crackers and nausea and bile for so many pages.
I enjoyed the characters from the past more than the present day and learning how the curse came to be. An awful curse born of both love and selfishness has taken fathers from their daughters for generations in Essie's family.
I had hoped there would be some spookiness in Essie's new house but other than some whispering and an object occasionally being displaced nothing much happened. Even when the curse began to take hold there wasn't any suspense. The ending seemed too simplistic after so many generations had suffered this curse.
You may enjoy this one more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press.
From the book's description I was expecting a scary read but mostly what I got was a love story interspersed with bouts of morning sickness. Or morning noon and night sickness since poor Essie seemed to be plagued with vomiting at all hours of the day and night, and although I remember what that feels like from my own experience, it did get a bit repetitive to read about crackers and nausea and bile for so many pages.
I enjoyed the characters from the past more than the present day and learning how the curse came to be. An awful curse born of both love and selfishness has taken fathers from their daughters for generations in Essie's family.
I had hoped there would be some spookiness in Essie's new house but other than some whispering and an object occasionally being displaced nothing much happened. Even when the curse began to take hold there wasn't any suspense. The ending seemed too simplistic after so many generations had suffered this curse.
You may enjoy this one more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press.
March 2, 2023
Rating: 3 stars.
This was an okay read for me, I liked the dual timeline and how the stories came together in the end, the haunted house aspect and the writing style was good. What I missed was the suspense, I think you could have made the house so much creepier if that had been more majorly a focus, it was very much just a side storyline in this. The past timeline remained very surface-level, I didn't love the letters and I don't think you really got to know the characters there.
This was very slow burn, not much happened for most of this, but I didn't feel like the ending was worth the waiting. I wish there had been more action and suspense in the end, it was just kind of a letdown. Still, for a debut, this was pretty solid. I would read more from this author.
This was an okay read for me, I liked the dual timeline and how the stories came together in the end, the haunted house aspect and the writing style was good. What I missed was the suspense, I think you could have made the house so much creepier if that had been more majorly a focus, it was very much just a side storyline in this. The past timeline remained very surface-level, I didn't love the letters and I don't think you really got to know the characters there.
This was very slow burn, not much happened for most of this, but I didn't feel like the ending was worth the waiting. I wish there had been more action and suspense in the end, it was just kind of a letdown. Still, for a debut, this was pretty solid. I would read more from this author.
September 13, 2023
Basically going into this book blind, I was delighted to realize it involved a creepy haunted house.
A newly wed couple buys a fixer up and happily plans a future for themselves and their potential careers. A surprise pregnancy, has Essie struggling to come to terms with all she has to give up by being pregnant. She is also reminded of their families curse by her grandmother, as every previous generation has lost the love of their life.
Essie refuses to believe in the curse and will stop at nothing to ensure her husband has a long life.
Combining a nightmarish pregnancy and a haunted house this was a great debut novel.
Thank you PoisonedPen Press for the gifted EARC.
3.5 stars
A newly wed couple buys a fixer up and happily plans a future for themselves and their potential careers. A surprise pregnancy, has Essie struggling to come to terms with all she has to give up by being pregnant. She is also reminded of their families curse by her grandmother, as every previous generation has lost the love of their life.
Essie refuses to believe in the curse and will stop at nothing to ensure her husband has a long life.
Combining a nightmarish pregnancy and a haunted house this was a great debut novel.
Thank you PoisonedPen Press for the gifted EARC.
3.5 stars
September 28, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
nevermind
October 17, 2023DNF @ pg. 45
I'm sure this book is fine, but it's not what I wanted to read. I don't mind pregnant characters, but I'm not interested in an in-depth review of the intricacies of pregnancy. And I hate reading letters in books. Some other reviews mentioned this wasn't as creepy as they'd hoped, so to me this seems less like a thriller and more like something that belongs in the fiction-lit section of a bookstore.
I'm sure this book is fine, but it's not what I wanted to read. I don't mind pregnant characters, but I'm not interested in an in-depth review of the intricacies of pregnancy. And I hate reading letters in books. Some other reviews mentioned this wasn't as creepy as they'd hoped, so to me this seems less like a thriller and more like something that belongs in the fiction-lit section of a bookstore.
March 18, 2023
The headstrong Essie Kaur is in the process of finally getting her law degree after delaying it for a few years for her husband, Sanjay. However, she gets the shock of her life during a visit to the doctor when she discovers she is pregnant.
Pregnancy wasn’t part of the plan; she had so much she wanted to do. It was not such a pleasant thought for Essie but she decides to continue the pregnancy.
Indeed, pregnancy is a delicate time and often women are expected to make more sacrifices than men when it comes to pregnancy and raising a child while men are celebrated for doing the bare minimum. Imagine striving hard for your dreams only to find out that you are carrying a child and would have to change all your plans and delay getting your degree again for a few years.
Initially, I was wondering if there was any connection between Isabel, Anna and Essie. Later on, it is revealed that the three women are connected by a generational curse that sees their husbands stolen from them.
Told between different POVS and timelines, this story is perfect for women who have gone through pregnancy, and those who like spooky reads and fast-paced stories.
Thank you to the publishers at Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of No Child of Mine.
#nochildofmine #NetGalley
Pregnancy wasn’t part of the plan; she had so much she wanted to do. It was not such a pleasant thought for Essie but she decides to continue the pregnancy.
Indeed, pregnancy is a delicate time and often women are expected to make more sacrifices than men when it comes to pregnancy and raising a child while men are celebrated for doing the bare minimum. Imagine striving hard for your dreams only to find out that you are carrying a child and would have to change all your plans and delay getting your degree again for a few years.
Initially, I was wondering if there was any connection between Isabel, Anna and Essie. Later on, it is revealed that the three women are connected by a generational curse that sees their husbands stolen from them.
Told between different POVS and timelines, this story is perfect for women who have gone through pregnancy, and those who like spooky reads and fast-paced stories.
Thank you to the publishers at Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of No Child of Mine.
#nochildofmine #NetGalley
September 11, 2023
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
The multi-cast narration really made this story stand out! All the narrators did a wonderful job and it was very easy to listen to for long periods of time. The story takes place in two different timelines, the past and the present, and I found all the curse stuff from the past really intriguing. I liked how everything was explained and I had no questions by the end of the book. I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery, fantasy, and some suspense!
The multi-cast narration really made this story stand out! All the narrators did a wonderful job and it was very easy to listen to for long periods of time. The story takes place in two different timelines, the past and the present, and I found all the curse stuff from the past really intriguing. I liked how everything was explained and I had no questions by the end of the book. I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery, fantasy, and some suspense!
September 17, 2023
Sadly, I didn't love this one. For something listed as 'horror', nothing truly horrific happened. I actually kind of feel like nothing happened in the entire book. I get there was supposed to be this slow building of dread, but I didn't even feel that. It just felt like a book about a pregnant lady who was extremely unhappy about being pregnant and a curse that wasn't very curse-like. I wanted more curse and less angry pregnant lady.
March 13, 2023
Wow! I hadn’t heard anything about this book but it he title and cover daughter my eye! I can not wait to read more by this author!
Not everyone wants to be a mother but most mothers will do anything for their children.
Not everyone wants to be a mother but most mothers will do anything for their children.
November 11, 2023
No Child Of Mine
Written By Nichelle Giraldes
Published By Poisoned Pen Press in ding out they are expecting and then
Release Date. September 12, 2023
Essie and Sanjay have had a lot going on lately. Buying a house, finding out they are expecting a baby, and now remodeling their home to where they can feel as though it is their dream home.
Sanjay has settled into his job and Essie is in Law school where she finds out that she is unexpectedly pregnant, which she never thought she wanted to be. However, Sanjay now starts spending time away from her. Spending time in the attic pacing, it seems Essie is going through this alone… but is she? Essie is put on bed rest and she starts seeing a woman but in reality she wonders if she is losing her mind. Their lives are then thrown into what we learn is a curse that has haunted Essie’s family forever.
The book has a parallel narrative where you meet Anna and Isabel. Where it adds the necessary depth and suspenseful mystery to the story. The author does an amazing job of thrusting the reader b3tween two different timeframes and keeping the reader completely perplexed and unaware of what will happen next. I felt as though both stories blended well and kept me engaged and entertained from page one.
The build up of the story as well as the characters was perfect but the ending just did not really do it for me. I was hoping for something more explosive but it just did not do it for me. The book overall is a 4 star book for me as the rest was awesome.
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me an eArc to read and in return give my honest and unbiased review.
Written By Nichelle Giraldes
Published By Poisoned Pen Press in ding out they are expecting and then
Release Date. September 12, 2023
Essie and Sanjay have had a lot going on lately. Buying a house, finding out they are expecting a baby, and now remodeling their home to where they can feel as though it is their dream home.
Sanjay has settled into his job and Essie is in Law school where she finds out that she is unexpectedly pregnant, which she never thought she wanted to be. However, Sanjay now starts spending time away from her. Spending time in the attic pacing, it seems Essie is going through this alone… but is she? Essie is put on bed rest and she starts seeing a woman but in reality she wonders if she is losing her mind. Their lives are then thrown into what we learn is a curse that has haunted Essie’s family forever.
The book has a parallel narrative where you meet Anna and Isabel. Where it adds the necessary depth and suspenseful mystery to the story. The author does an amazing job of thrusting the reader b3tween two different timeframes and keeping the reader completely perplexed and unaware of what will happen next. I felt as though both stories blended well and kept me engaged and entertained from page one.
The build up of the story as well as the characters was perfect but the ending just did not really do it for me. I was hoping for something more explosive but it just did not do it for me. The book overall is a 4 star book for me as the rest was awesome.
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me an eArc to read and in return give my honest and unbiased review.
August 7, 2023
Rating: 2.29 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 2/5
-Cover: 5/5
-Story: 2/5
-Writing: 4/5
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
-Horror: 1/5
-Thriller: 1/5
-Suspense: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: No
Hated|Disliked|Meh|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved|Favorited
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.
Where do I even start in this shit storm? Well the MC is unlikeable in the beginning or hell a good chunk of the book. She is rude for no fucking reason. Besides that you know those people who just shove in your face over and over again about them being pregnant or wanting babies and it gets to the point where you snap? Yeah, she does this about NOT wanting a baby. Look, I don't want kids of my own but you just did way too damn much. I don't know how many times in each chapter you have to freaking remind the damn reader you don't want kids. WE FREAKING GET IT. She clearly had options. It was RIGHT THERE and you decided to let her keep it and just... drag on and on and on about it.
Besides that we had two women back in the day who didn't want to be married to men, which we all can understand. They were more bearable. Hell I always looked forward to their chapters.
In the end the concept of the story could have been SO GOOD if she would have dialed the MC back.
-Characters: 2/5
-Cover: 5/5
-Story: 2/5
-Writing: 4/5
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
-Horror: 1/5
-Thriller: 1/5
-Suspense: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: No
Hated|Disliked|Meh|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved|Favorited
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.
Where do I even start in this shit storm? Well the MC is unlikeable in the beginning or hell a good chunk of the book. She is rude for no fucking reason. Besides that you know those people who just shove in your face over and over again about them being pregnant or wanting babies and it gets to the point where you snap? Yeah, she does this about NOT wanting a baby. Look, I don't want kids of my own but you just did way too damn much. I don't know how many times in each chapter you have to freaking remind the damn reader you don't want kids. WE FREAKING GET IT. She clearly had options. It was RIGHT THERE and you decided to let her keep it and just... drag on and on and on about it.
Besides that we had two women back in the day who didn't want to be married to men, which we all can understand. They were more bearable. Hell I always looked forward to their chapters.
In the end the concept of the story could have been SO GOOD if she would have dialed the MC back.
March 27, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this ARC. No Child of Mine is a slow burn novel that unfortunately missed the mark for me. I went into this book thinking it would be horror, but it felt more like a thriller, because nothing too shocking happens. I did enjoy how the story comes together throughout and they were parts that creeped me out. I also think some parts could have been left out and the ending felt rushed to me. All that being said, I did enjoy this read! It was a unique plot that kept me interested to continue reading.
This is a debut novel that I felt was written well and it was very creepy/atmospheric at times. I enjoyed a lot of the themes used and I would be open to reading more from this author in the future.
This is a debut novel that I felt was written well and it was very creepy/atmospheric at times. I enjoyed a lot of the themes used and I would be open to reading more from this author in the future.
June 4, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC. This is a good debut from this author, I enjoyed the thriller and supernatural elements and it kept me reading to find out how the links between past and present would come together. Unfortunately, it took a while to get there and I found that it dragged and was slightly repetitive in places, with characters repeating the same actions. There were a lot of good elements here, I just feel it could have been made great with some tighter editing. The sapphic historical love story told through letters was, I felt, more compelling than the present day narrative of the pregnant MC confined to her house and feeling like she is losing her mind and her husband. There was scope for it to go deeper into some kind of psychosis, and I feel like it could have been darker than what it was. Still, I enjoyed the story, the author is clearly talented and I would be interested in reading more of her work.
September 8, 2023
Going through a haunting in general can be scary but that on top of being pregnant - doesn’t sound like a good time. Poor Essie is going through this very scenario but bed ridden. This wasn’t horror, there were some elements but not much in my opinion. This was mostly about pregnancy and motherhood and that’s not really something I like to read about. Some of it was a little cheesy as well. I thought it was repetitive and way too much filler. The alternate point of view from the past was more interesting than current day.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
October 14, 2024
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Nichelle Giraldes for letting me read “No Child of Mine” in exchange for an honest review.
This is a brilliant read. There is no other way to describe it.
It is extremely well written. Essie's character is so relatable that while reading I felt like I was Essie. I didn't imagine a character, I basically imagined myself moving through endless hallways, suspecting something is off but unsure, trying to balance work and personal life with fear and jump scares in between.
This one's spooky. Watch out. It is also a slow plot, not filled with many twists and turns. However, even though it is not action packed, it draws you in from the very first page. It is one suspense plotline that follows the main character throughout the book and keeps you on your toes, quickly flipping between chapters.
This book impressed me. It's very unique. Nichelle Giraldes, you're a genius. I will keep my eye on you from now on!!
This is a brilliant read. There is no other way to describe it.
It is extremely well written. Essie's character is so relatable that while reading I felt like I was Essie. I didn't imagine a character, I basically imagined myself moving through endless hallways, suspecting something is off but unsure, trying to balance work and personal life with fear and jump scares in between.
This one's spooky. Watch out. It is also a slow plot, not filled with many twists and turns. However, even though it is not action packed, it draws you in from the very first page. It is one suspense plotline that follows the main character throughout the book and keeps you on your toes, quickly flipping between chapters.
This book impressed me. It's very unique. Nichelle Giraldes, you're a genius. I will keep my eye on you from now on!!
August 27, 2023
This is a Gothic horror, and I'm generally drawn to and enjoy Gothic horror, but I didn't really enjoy this book. The main reason is because the story seems mostly about morning sickness and how protagonist, Essie, is resentful of the fact she is having a baby. This may be where the story is for a certain reader, because the many scenes of hospital checkups and other medical appointments (that don't add to a horror feel) are not of interest to me.
For a Gothic horror, it is light on the elements of the sub-genre. In a lot of ways it felt more like a possessed house, or character possession horror, more than Gothic. The sense of romance between the characters was stronger than any sense of horror. The book felt confused to me. The house did not feel menacing enough. The supernatural/paranormal element was barely noticeable for most of the story. There is macabre imagery, but in dreams only, and the dreams felt very repetitive. I'm not sure about the purpose of the dreams being repetitive and extending that device for so long in the book. I don't think it helped the story move along at all. There is a sense of isolation and madness, but not all for the protagonist, and the isolation didn't drive the Gothic feel in the story. I'm left wondering how to categorise the story.
What this book needed was Sanjay's POV, because the slow-burn story with Essie's POV was not working for me. I would have removed most of the interrupting chapters from Ana and Isabel, which are a past narrative and most of their history is not required, and add Sanjay's POV. Maybe to show his change of emotion or show what was changing his personality. The reason I say this is because it wasn't shown vividly enough through Essie's POV. The observations weren't strong enough. Maybe it was written this way to add intrigue and suspense. But Essie's reactions were strong enough to add the suspense I needed.
I can see in the story the attempts to bring about supernatural tension. Creaks in the house, doors creaking open. That sort of element was used in the book, and used often. But the thing that was missing is the heightened psychological tension because of those things. Creaks and the like need strong reaction to be creepy and foreboding. Sadly that was missing in this book.
I would have loved to enjoy this book more than I did because the concept is so interesting. It looks like this book is receiving favourable reviews from many readers, which is great. As I said, this may be a book for a certain reader.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for proving a free copy of this book for an honest review. All comments are my own.
For a Gothic horror, it is light on the elements of the sub-genre. In a lot of ways it felt more like a possessed house, or character possession horror, more than Gothic. The sense of romance between the characters was stronger than any sense of horror. The book felt confused to me. The house did not feel menacing enough. The supernatural/paranormal element was barely noticeable for most of the story. There is macabre imagery, but in dreams only, and the dreams felt very repetitive. I'm not sure about the purpose of the dreams being repetitive and extending that device for so long in the book. I don't think it helped the story move along at all. There is a sense of isolation and madness, but not all for the protagonist, and the isolation didn't drive the Gothic feel in the story. I'm left wondering how to categorise the story.
What this book needed was Sanjay's POV, because the slow-burn story with Essie's POV was not working for me. I would have removed most of the interrupting chapters from Ana and Isabel, which are a past narrative and most of their history is not required, and add Sanjay's POV. Maybe to show his change of emotion or show what was changing his personality. The reason I say this is because it wasn't shown vividly enough through Essie's POV. The observations weren't strong enough. Maybe it was written this way to add intrigue and suspense. But Essie's reactions were strong enough to add the suspense I needed.
I can see in the story the attempts to bring about supernatural tension. Creaks in the house, doors creaking open. That sort of element was used in the book, and used often. But the thing that was missing is the heightened psychological tension because of those things. Creaks and the like need strong reaction to be creepy and foreboding. Sadly that was missing in this book.
I would have loved to enjoy this book more than I did because the concept is so interesting. It looks like this book is receiving favourable reviews from many readers, which is great. As I said, this may be a book for a certain reader.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for proving a free copy of this book for an honest review. All comments are my own.
September 17, 2023
“And in a way, the babies were right; who were they but pieces of their mother stitched together into a tiny, new body?”
Essie has never imagined herself as a mother. Children were never a part of her plan. But when she finds herself pregnant, even though she is scared, she surprisingly finds herself loving her unborn child fiercely. As pregnancy transforms her body and she tries to keep up with her law school classes, her husband Sanjay becomes increasingly anxious and distant. Meanwhile, her grandmother insists that their family is haunted by a curse that has left generations of daughters fatherless. And the house that Essie is confined to on bed rest whispers to her at night.
What a creepy and atmospheric read! From the very beginning of the story, you could feel the stillness of the house radiating off the pages, as if there was something else living there. I also really appreciated how the author was not afraid to address how much sacrifice goes into motherhood. From how much a pregnancy changes a mother’s body, to the fact that the health of the mother at times comes second to that of the baby, I found a lot of it to be very relatable. Thankfully, during my pregnancies I did not have a generational curse to worry about though! Told in dual timelines and from alternating points of view, the secrets of the past unfold as Essie struggles to make sense in the present. Perfect for spooky season, this was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!
“No Child of Mine” is out now! Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog
Essie has never imagined herself as a mother. Children were never a part of her plan. But when she finds herself pregnant, even though she is scared, she surprisingly finds herself loving her unborn child fiercely. As pregnancy transforms her body and she tries to keep up with her law school classes, her husband Sanjay becomes increasingly anxious and distant. Meanwhile, her grandmother insists that their family is haunted by a curse that has left generations of daughters fatherless. And the house that Essie is confined to on bed rest whispers to her at night.
What a creepy and atmospheric read! From the very beginning of the story, you could feel the stillness of the house radiating off the pages, as if there was something else living there. I also really appreciated how the author was not afraid to address how much sacrifice goes into motherhood. From how much a pregnancy changes a mother’s body, to the fact that the health of the mother at times comes second to that of the baby, I found a lot of it to be very relatable. Thankfully, during my pregnancies I did not have a generational curse to worry about though! Told in dual timelines and from alternating points of view, the secrets of the past unfold as Essie struggles to make sense in the present. Perfect for spooky season, this was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!
“No Child of Mine” is out now! Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog
October 26, 2023
I’m kind of feeling like pregnancy thrillers are saturating the market right now. I seem to be avoiding them when I can. If you’re going to write a thriller about a pregnant woman, you need to change it up and make it original. I think this book accomplished that.
No Child Of Mine is more about choosing to become a mother, and the battle between choosing a career or family. In this book, the protagonist doesn’t want to be a mother. She’s not happy about getting pregnant. She makes a choice for her family, more then herself. Most of the book is her struggle to figure out how to put herself first, to achieve her personal goals, while carrying the child. It’s a struggle, and it seems like nature and her husband are trying to stop her.
All while this struggle is happening, another narrative keeps popping in. It’s from centuries ago, and tells of the strife of women and family before our liberation. I had a hard time figuring out where this played into the main story, until they merged in a very creepy supernatural way. From that point the book goes in another direction and becomes a ghost story mashup. I was totally all in at this point.
I did enjoy the story. I do think the morning sickness took up too much space in the book that could have been used for more creepy stuff, lol. But like I said, I’m kind of exhausted from the trope. Luckily, the book redeemed itself in the second half.
No Child Of Mine is more about choosing to become a mother, and the battle between choosing a career or family. In this book, the protagonist doesn’t want to be a mother. She’s not happy about getting pregnant. She makes a choice for her family, more then herself. Most of the book is her struggle to figure out how to put herself first, to achieve her personal goals, while carrying the child. It’s a struggle, and it seems like nature and her husband are trying to stop her.
All while this struggle is happening, another narrative keeps popping in. It’s from centuries ago, and tells of the strife of women and family before our liberation. I had a hard time figuring out where this played into the main story, until they merged in a very creepy supernatural way. From that point the book goes in another direction and becomes a ghost story mashup. I was totally all in at this point.
I did enjoy the story. I do think the morning sickness took up too much space in the book that could have been used for more creepy stuff, lol. But like I said, I’m kind of exhausted from the trope. Luckily, the book redeemed itself in the second half.
dnf
March 6, 2023I ended up DNFing this book 25% in. The premise of the book sounded interesting which is why I choose this title. However, the main character (Essie) was not a good person. She was rude (as evidenced in her interaction with the doctor), self centered (when she went out with her husband and “friends” but didn’t care to interact with the female friend), and self righteous (in the interactions during the study group). All this makes her husband look down right saintly compared to her, which is not a good thing. I understand that this is probably setting her up for a change in motherhood but she is simply unlikeable and not someone I want to “interact “ with. The secondary story of the letters was interesting but slow.
Which leads me to the reason why I chose to just DNF this book. At a quarter of the way in to the book, there should be more to the story. All the reader had gotten was some random furniture moved (a terrible main character), as well as some letters from the past about friends (lovers?) that spans months in just a few pages. The chapters which contain the letters move into first person (which is jarring considering it’s from the past), but Essie centric chapters are in third person.
The book was slow, with underdeveloped characters and plot line, and inconsistent storytelling.
Which leads me to the reason why I chose to just DNF this book. At a quarter of the way in to the book, there should be more to the story. All the reader had gotten was some random furniture moved (a terrible main character), as well as some letters from the past about friends (lovers?) that spans months in just a few pages. The chapters which contain the letters move into first person (which is jarring considering it’s from the past), but Essie centric chapters are in third person.
The book was slow, with underdeveloped characters and plot line, and inconsistent storytelling.
September 11, 2023
No Child of Mine is a slow burn novel that unfortunately missed the mark for me. I went into this book thinking it would be horror and creepy, but it felt more like an old wives tale was a hint of thriller.
This is Nichelle Giraldes debut novel, and is told in dual timelines. In the current day, we have Essie and her husband Sanjay, and several generations earlier we have Ana and Isabelle, two women who were deeply in love when it was impossible for women to have a romantic relationship.
An awful curse born of both love and selfishness has taken fathers from their daughters for generations in Essie's family. I had hoped there would be some spookiness in Essie's new house but other than some whispering and an object occasionally being displaced nothing much happened. I thought that when the curse began to take hold of the family, this is when the Horror/Creepy part of the story would reveal itself. Sadly, there wasn't any suspense. The ending seemed too easily wrapped up since so many generations had suffered this curse. It just felt rushed to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this ARC.
This is Nichelle Giraldes debut novel, and is told in dual timelines. In the current day, we have Essie and her husband Sanjay, and several generations earlier we have Ana and Isabelle, two women who were deeply in love when it was impossible for women to have a romantic relationship.
An awful curse born of both love and selfishness has taken fathers from their daughters for generations in Essie's family. I had hoped there would be some spookiness in Essie's new house but other than some whispering and an object occasionally being displaced nothing much happened. I thought that when the curse began to take hold of the family, this is when the Horror/Creepy part of the story would reveal itself. Sadly, there wasn't any suspense. The ending seemed too easily wrapped up since so many generations had suffered this curse. It just felt rushed to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this ARC.
July 17, 2023
Essie Kaur never imagined being a mother. Then she finds out she's pregnant soon after moving into a new house. The house is old and creepy at times. Strange things begin to happen. Even her husband is acting different. Then there are rumors of a family curse.
No Child Of Mine is mostly an atmospheric psychological thriller. There are some creepy elements as well. Chapters alternate with letters written between two women in an undisclosed time in the past. Do they have anything to do with what's going on in the present?
I found this to be a slow read and I wish the spooky elements bad been more of a focus. The letters from the past were well written but the connection to the present wasn't strong enough for me.
This has some interesting ideas but they didn't quite come together in the way I was expecting. Read this if you like stories about motherhood and expectations of women.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read.
No Child Of Mine is mostly an atmospheric psychological thriller. There are some creepy elements as well. Chapters alternate with letters written between two women in an undisclosed time in the past. Do they have anything to do with what's going on in the present?
I found this to be a slow read and I wish the spooky elements bad been more of a focus. The letters from the past were well written but the connection to the present wasn't strong enough for me.
This has some interesting ideas but they didn't quite come together in the way I was expecting. Read this if you like stories about motherhood and expectations of women.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read.
September 10, 2023
This is a tricky book to review. I think I went into it with the expectation that it would be a horror story, maybe a haunted pregnancy and a creepy kid. It was definitely a slow burn - and the majority of the book focused on Eddie’s pregnancy related symptoms.
There was a creepy element with the house and whispers. To me it felt like that was going to play a larger role in the plot (kind of like rosemarys baby).
The dual timeline was fun because it kept me wondering why the past POV was relevant and how they would ultimately come together.
Overall I don’t feel that the ending made sense after the major slow burn of the book. I ended up with more questions.
I enjoyed the writing and I will definitely read more by this author. This story just didn’t quite resonate with me the way I was anticipating.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
There was a creepy element with the house and whispers. To me it felt like that was going to play a larger role in the plot (kind of like rosemarys baby).
The dual timeline was fun because it kept me wondering why the past POV was relevant and how they would ultimately come together.
Overall I don’t feel that the ending made sense after the major slow burn of the book. I ended up with more questions.
I enjoyed the writing and I will definitely read more by this author. This story just didn’t quite resonate with me the way I was anticipating.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
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