Better to Eat You With

by Amber Garza

Perfect for fans of NIGHTBITCH and MOTHERTHING, this visceral body horror taps into the very real experience of mothers giving their whole self to their children.

Mothers die young in Forest Pines. Evie’s mother died there when she was an infant. They say the mothers die from heart attacks or accidents, but no one in town will dig very far into this strange pattern. Now new-mom Evie is losing her hair and more weight than is even fashionable. The doctors say it’s just a symptom of stress; it’s hard getting enough protein with a 5-month-old baby. Also tasked with caring for her dying father, Evie is still holding it together, though not by much. But between preparing for hospice and caring for baby Olive, Evie notices her father’s neighbor Amity—also a young mother of a 9-month-old—falling rapidly to pieces. Amity is skin and bones, but her baby could win prize heifer at the fair. She can hardly walk, while her baby is crawling up a storm. Evie realizes she is watching her own forthcoming demise in real time as Evie’s body begins to deconstruct in ever more graphic ways.

For any chance of survival, Evie must solve the mystery of matricide in Forest Pines. With a ghost trying to help her along (or scare her away, who can know) and a town burying their rotten truth, will Evie be able to save herself from certain death before it’s too late? Or is this just another sacrifice a good mother must make?

Genres: Horror

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

Amber Garza has had a passion for the written word since she was a child making books out of notebook paper and staples. Her hobbies include reading and singing. Coffee and wine are her drinks of choice (not necessarily in that order). She writes while blaring music, and talks about her characters like they're real people. She lives with her husband and two kids in Folsom, California, which is also home to another Amber Garza.

Reviews

[Haly Hoards Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5☆
This body horror story was okay, not great and not bad either. I read this in one sitting and honestly, I am not sure what kept me turning the pages? I had two moments when I considered DNF-ing it, not because it was bad but because I was bored. Hmmm...

Mother's of nine month old children are slowly dying. Mothers are losing their hair, losing weight, having teeth fall out and withering away. As these mothers slowly die their infants thrive. A curse uttered by a desperate mother is the catalyst for the deaths.

Vomiting of body parts and collection of said body parts plays a large role in the story. A kind of Frankenstein scenario.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am voluntarily leaving my opinions of this novel. Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads for this opportunity.

I don't think I was the right audience for this book.

[Amber Garza]

The idea for this novel first came to me over twenty years ago when I was a new mom, living off exhaustion and hunger, feeling as if I was nothing more than a conduit for my children. One day when I read The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein to my kids, I realized that I could relate to the tree in the story. Fast forward to a couple of years ago (my kids now in their twenties) and I had just released my fourth thriller with HarperCollins --In a Quiet Town --and the idea came back to me. That's how this novel came to be. It's my debut horror novel and I hope you love it!!

[Melissa Kettner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was delightfully scary and weird. WHAT DID I JUST READ? I was consumed by this book and also WHAT THE HELL? Ha! It was a great read. I’m not sure what I expected but this wasn’t it. Thoroughly enjoyed this book! And yet, EXCUSE ME, did you say ears, toes and fingernails? Yes. Yes you did.

This book was recommended in a psychological thriller book group but definitely is more of a horror, as the author states herself. Highly recommend if you like being surprised by weird and “what the hell did you just say?” books.

[Tana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, normally I love Amber Garza, but this one was apparently her first attempt at a horror novel and I was not a fan. It seemed more wizardry/witchy/fantasy, and while it wasn’t the weirdest book I’ve ever read, it was mighty close! Basically babies are eating their mothers, and years later Evie barfed her own mom up piece by piece, eyes, fingers and toes, even her nipples. Ridiculously crazy, I’m surprised I finished it all. I’m rating 2 stars, but questioning my sanity in doing so. It was definitely not my thing. Ready to move on.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

As mothers know, infants require a lot of time from us. This book looks a little deeper into infants that, due to a curse, require EVERYTHING from their mother. I mean EVERYTHING! I enjoyed this book a lot!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!! If you're a fan of body horror, you should definitely read. Body horror and cannibalism are my favorite horror elements and while the cannibalism was far from traditional, that itch was still scratched fore in this book. It made my skin crawl at times, and then Garza gives us a heartwarming ending after all the stress.

[h brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. it's the first book like this I've read. I wasn't sure what to expect. it's a bit cheesey and funny at parts. overall I really enjoyed it.

[Elvi Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was absolutely insane and unhinged in the best way!! Sooo weird and creepy and definitely unique

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie has brought her 6-month-old daughter with her on a return visit to her hometown. She doesn't want to be there, but she feels obligated as her father is terminally ill and doesn't have much time left. Evie's mother died when she was a baby, but her relationship with her father has always been difficult. Evie is finally happy, with a good marriage and a new baby, but she has faced some challenges in her life. As well as growing up without her mother, she has been afflicted with tumor on the back of her neck that looks like a face. She's able to cover it up with her hair, but "Fancy Nancy" has always been an odd part of her life. Once back in her childhood home, Evie begins to experience strange symptoms. She begins coughing up hair, and then, more alarmingly, random body parts. She keeps these things in a jar in her bedroom, soon amassing a weird collection. Her next-door neighbor, Amity, also has a baby. While the baby seems larger and more developed than she should be for her age, Amity appears to be deathly ill. She's thin, pale, weak, and seems to be getting worse by the day. Soon Evie begins to see a ghostly woman. This woman leads Evie to a gravestone of a baby. As Evie investigates the baby and his family, she begins to wonder what this tragic story has to do with her and why she's being tormented by a ghost.

I enjoyed the story and the truly horrifying things that happened to poor Evie! As I was reading, I kept thinking what a terrifying film this would make. The supernatural element wasn't too outlandish (well, ghostly apparitions aside) and the alternating events between Evie and Hattie's lives was quite interesting. A great read during the spooky season!

I received a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber Garza is one of my absolute fave thriller writers, so when I saw she had ventured into horror, my favorite genre, I was delighted and bought this book immediately.

Evie returns to her hometown of Forest Pines because her father is dying. She brings her six month old daughter, Olive, with her as her husband is prepping for a big trial and can't dedicate the time to Olive. Evie hates Forest Pines, and the return to her childhood home makes her think of the loss of her mother, who died when Evie was just nine months old, and the difficult relationship she has with her dad. Things get a little better when Evie befriends her neighbor, whose daughter is just a couple months older than Olive. But Evie watches in horror as her friend gets weaker and more frail, as her baby girl gets freakishly bigger and stronger. And their seems to be a presence following Evie around, adding to the eerie vibes.

This book was strange and had a lot of classic monster movie ideas, which lends itself perfectly as we ease into spooky season. I loved Evie as a character and I really loved that Garza has continued to make motherhood and its difficulties a pivotal plot point in her books.

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhh, I love this author so much. So glad she side stepped into HORROR :). Full review to come in Scream Horror Magazine.

4.5 stars!

[catnip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay what did i read

I loved it! It was weird but captivating all the way to the end. Just when I didnt think it could get more weird it did.

[Hope Dietz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better To Eat You With
by Amber Garza
3.5⭐️
Dates Read: 11/1/25 - 11/4/25
Format Read: Kindle (KU)
Mothers die young in Forest Pines and are always written off as an accident of some kind. Leading up to death, the mothers symptoms are always chalked up to stress of being a new mother, but is it really that simple? The healthier the baby, the closer to death the mother is. Evie is determined to solve the mystery within Forest Pines before her own demise. With a little help from a ghost, a shop keep, and a couple towns people, can Evie find answers before it's too late?
Better To Eat You With speaks volumes on the cost of motherhood. It makes you look closer at what's truly given and taken between mother and child. I love a book with a good message and that's exactly what I got with this one.
✨ Motherhood, Witchcraft, and Mystery ✨