Saving Phoebe Murrow

by Herta Feely

A story about the timeless struggle between mothers and their teen daughters with a razor-sharp 21st century twist. This heart-wrenching, harrowing debut novel for fans of Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty) and Reconstructing Amelia (Kimberly McCreight) will make you question what's needed to keep your children from harm.

Phoebe's mother, Isabel, is precariously balancing her career and her family. Hard-working and caring, worried but supportive, all Isabel wants, in a world of bullies and temptations, is to keep her daughter Phoebe safe. With her busy schedule, though, she fails to recognize another mother's mounting fury and the danger Phoebe faces by flirting with a mysterious boy on Facebook. A cyber-bullying episode aimed at Phoebe pushes her to the edge with horrific consequences. In her search for justice, Isabel, a DC lawyer, sets out to find the culprit behind this cruel incident.

Saving Phoebe Murrow, set amidst the complicated web of adolescent relationships, tells a story of miscommunication and malice, drugs and Facebook, prejudice and revenge.

Genres: Fiction, Mental Health, Adult, Family, Book Club, Family Drama, Drama

425 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2016

About the author

Herta Feely (also published as Herta B. Feely) is an award-winning writer and editor (Chrysalis Editorial). She is the author of two novels, SAVING PHOEBE MURROW and STRANGE SHAPE OF LOVE (released on September 30, 2025). Both fall into the category of suspenseful women's fiction and address contemporary topics, in this case the dark side of social media and the internet. Her short stories and memoir have been published in anthologies and literary journals. In the wake of the James Frey scandal, Feely edited and published the anthology, Confessions: Fact or Fiction? She was awarded the James Jones First Novel Fellowship and an Artist in Literature Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. A graduate of UC Berkeley and Johns Hopkins University, Feely is the co-founder of Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization dedicated to saving children from unintentional injuries. She founded Chrysalis Editorial in 2007. She lives in metro Washington, DC, with her husband and orchids.

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous author from twenty 7 books. Herta Feely needs an award world-wide for Saving Phoebe Murrow. I was glued to every page. I was drawn in by all the characters. I was amazed how each character had their own story line. phoebe Murrow told her mum that she was planning to go to secondhand shops with her friends. But there's no point lying to your mother as they will find out the truth anyway, mothers always do. A group of kids got caught smoking Marijuana, phoebes parents wanted to know if she was there. What was she supposed to do tell on her friends? Phoebe experiences cyber-bullying that leads her to try to attempt suicide and end up in hospital. But who was responsible for the cyber bullying online to phoebe that had put Phoebe in hospital on life support. Every character seems to have their own dark disturbing secrets. Now I have finished this book I can finally sleep tonight knowing who was behind the cyber bullying. I highly recommend Saving Phoebe Murrow it's totally unputdownable. I have enjoyed every page of this novel so much that I am certainly going to read Herta Feely's next book.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about reading this book, the entire plot concept really appealed to me. It tackles the modern day damage and danger that eventuates out of cyberbullying and how it can impact on individuals and the family.

I felt the book kicked off with a reasonable pace and it was immediately obvious to me that it was a very character-driven book. Isobel Murrow is a busy lawyer and is incredibly protective of her teenage daughter Phoebe, she comes across as somewhat of a Lioness and at times I felt sorry for poor Phoebe dealing with her overbearing mother.

Phoebe is not a bad teen, not a bad kid at all. Sometimes though when you want to run with the crowd you end up in situations against your better judgement. With Isobel ridiculously busy with her work schedule her capacity to know always where Phoebe is and what she is doing begins to dissapate with awful consequences.

Sounds good right? Well, I have to say that by half way through the book I was getting very bored, I found the book was focusing too much on the relationship between Phoebe and her mother and that Isobel herself was really, really getting on my nerves as a character. I began to not want to read about her anymore. Not good.

Persisting on past this point the book for me was just average, lukewarm and the ending did not give me the buzz I was hoping it would. With so much emphasis on characters this book may seem long-winded to other readers however many readers have really loved the entirety of this book. So it's each to their own on this one. It's not a book that will stick in my memory or that I feel I need to rush out and recommend to others. 2.5 rounding up to 3 stars from me for this one.

Many thanks to Bonnier Publishing for an ARC of this book to read and review.

Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...

To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook

To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg

Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I would like to say about the book cover. I did wonder how that might tie in with the story as it seemed an unusual cover although attractive, who could not like a butterfly.

I see now at the ending why the butterfly was there. Once you read or, or if you have already read it, think in terms of 'holding a butterfly too tight' you may crush it, also, if you let a butterfly go, it may come back to you. Do not kill its spirit of freedom. Balance between caring about it and letting it fly is important to this story.

Although this story was primarily based around Phoebe and her Mother it has other interesting characters within it. One in particular was Sandy, showing how the past can damage the future.

Pheobe's Mother Isabel was balancing her carer as a Lawyer and rearing her teenage daughter along with her husband.
I felt her husband had a balance at times on certain situations however, her Mother was quite black and white about certain areas in life and her emotions of how she looked at certain things didn't come to the fore as some Mums would. I felt that was more to do with her carer choice than as a human being.
When you have certain carers or jobs you have to remain impartial and it seemed that sometimes her Mother's 'warmth and understanding' did not come across in the ways that it should.

Black, white, no grey areas.

Do it, don't do it, take the consequences of your punishment.

The dad was a bit more relaxed towards certain situations appertaining to his daughter but I felt Isabel was the driving force and a force to be reckoned with at times.
Her Lawyer job overtook her 'reality' of life situations and 'duties' and she superseded those with reporting and interfering causes more undue problems for her daughter.

We have all heard of cyber bullying.
I have been cyber bullied by two authors in my early days of writing reviews. It was a horrible experience which made me think of giving up reviewing books altogether. But a friend and some authors talked with me and I carried on. and I am an adult this affected me more than I said.

What would it be like for a child, for a teen?

With Phoebe's emotional unbalance of 'cutting and causing harm to herself' just made matters worse.

The story at the start was quite slow, then it picked up a bit, then in some parts I was eager for the book to finish, I yawned a little in parts, but....as time went on it did pick up for me when I got inside the emotions of being a Mum, trying to do the right thing for your daughter [which inadvertently may be the worse you could do although morally its right but not for the domino effect it would have on your daughter], then I saw Phoebe as a 'good' girl. I don't think it was her at all with the problem it was her release in dealing with the problems that sometimes her Mother didn't deal too sensitively with.

Which then when I had finished the book I sat and thought.
Sometimes as parents we are all too quick to mete out a punishment to teach our kids a lesson in life. Because we "care" and because we want to steer them in the right direction.
But part of that 'right direction' is listening to them. Allowing them to talk and if they don't talk, then its up to us to encourage that and keep the line of communication open.

Maybe I am reading too deep into this but because at the end of the book, although this is fiction, the author was inspired to write this on an actual event of cyber bullying which ended up fatal I for one remember that and read that in the newspaper and saw it on TV.
So it impacted on me.

My children are grown. I don't have this cyber bullying to worry about. But its out there. Be aware of it.

For those in the UK who watch Coronation street, there is a storyline going on at the moment about bullying.

I HATE bully's of any description and their low level little lives.

As you can see, this book evoked quite a lot of emotions in me.

As a Mother.
As a working Mother whose children are growing up and had a job that dealt with 'doing the right thing' [black or white]
Lack of time in focusing on what was essential.


I need to mention that this entire story was one I won't forget in a hurry although it did make me yawn in some parts.
The emphasis on the relationship with Isabel and her daughter just had to be written like this to make an impact on the reader I feel. It came in at different sides of the coin.

Sandy who was one of Phoebe's friends Mother came across as a relaxed uncaring 'let the kids get on with it' kind of Mom, she just saw the kids as 'enjoying themselves'.
But later we see that Sandy had problems of her own.

This also taught me that we can't judge other parents to live up to the same standards we set in our family life. Each one has their own set of 'reasonable conduct' Of course we are going to see parents that just let their kids get on with is no matter what, and we won't agree.

Some parents won't even care about cyber bullying and expect the 'victim' to just 'take it on the chin' its only kids growing up.
Until we can change the attitudes it will continue.

Yes I have gone in too deep with the book but it impacted on me A LOT.

The only critic I have is the ending, I didn't like the ending, it was too abrupt.


My thanks to Upper Hand Press via Net Galley and of course the author for my early addition to this book and I am looking forward to the blog tour.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herta Feely's debut novel brings her readers a contemporary story about cyber bullying I think this is a book that should be read by teenagers and their parents and discussed as a family. It's a real problem in today's social media controlled world and one that needs to come to an end.

Isabel is a modern mother - trying to balance her jobs as a lawyer, the mother to a 14 year old and a 10 year old, and a wife along with being on various committees at her daughter's school. She tries very hard to 'keep all the balls in the air' but frequently questions herself and her decisions. Phoebe, her 14 year old daughter, is starting 9th grade at a private school and after having a bad school year the previous year due to bullying, she and her parents are hoping for the best. Phoebe wants her friends to like her, she wants a boyfriend and to be popular and she goes along with the crowd even when she knows it's wrong. In other words, she is a typical teenager. Despite her best efforts, Phoebe gets bullied again and the results are life altering.

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I thought that Phoebe was an interesting person and I found myself pulling for her to succeed. I didn't like several of the other characters especially Phoebe's dad. Bullying by the mean girls in school has always been a problem but social media allows it to be taken to a sinister level. Read this book and discuss the message with your teenagers.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2-2.5 stars at best for Saving Phoebe Murrow. I am clearly in the minority on this book, as it has many glowing reviews. However, I just couldn't get into this book. I don't know if it was the topic (cyber bullying) or the fact that all of the adults were just down right despicable, but this one did not do it for me.

I usually love domestic dramas but more often than not, I found myself annoyed and more than once considered not finishing. Although the over arching story line is about bullying and cyber bullying in middle and high school, I felt that there was too much of the story focused on Isabel and her "Tiger mom" parenting method and her spineless husband Ron (Phoebe's parents).

I wish that there had been more focus on the kids POV (Phoebe, Jessie and Emma) as this is where the story ultimately lies.

In the end, I do not believe that I would recommend this book.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a book that took me back a few years to being a teenager at school surrounded by bitchy, cruel girls who were always ready to knock you down with their comments. Every school and year group has bullies but this book in particular is about the desperately sad cyber-bullying of fourteen year old Phoebe. It’s a brave story, shocking in its honesty and naturally at times quite an uncomfortable book to read. The author’s writing is very engaging and this book has been niggling away at me for days because the themes of the story have stayed with me and the characters, as horrible as some of them are, are difficult to forget.

The book opens quite frantically, straight to the startling point as we meet Phoebe and discover her history of self-harm. Her mother Isabel, whose perspective is also featured prominently throughout this book, is panic stricken due to the statistic of how many people attempt to commit suicide following self-harm. Phoebe’s distress in Chapter One, as a boy she has met online abused her all over her Facebook page, soon followed by people at her school joining in the bullying, instantly had me anxious and worried for her despite being a character I barely even knew at that point.

Phoebe was a really interesting character and even though I couldn’t relate to the things she resorted to because of the bullying, I still felt like I could identify with her and found myself really understanding all her emotions and how every little thing was building up inside and tearing her down. I was so sad on Phoebe’s behalf, angry at all the cruelty and completely caught up in this impactful story. But nasty, misguided teenage girls barely even scraped the surface of what this book was about.

Whilst the early few chapters of Saving Phoebe Murrow suggests this is a book simply about fragile friendships and how friends can turn against you, there was so much more to it. Social media plays a big part in the story and there’s an accurate representation about a parent’s reservations to their child being on the likes of Facebook whilst at the same time, their children begin to rely on websites like Facebook and can’t bear to spend time offline. I liked all the little attention to detail with the way social media was written, like the Messenger light to show someone was online etc because when you’re young and trying to talk to your friends on social media, you do pick up on everything and wonder why they’re taking so long (over a minute...) to reply and so on.

One thing that really took me by surprise in Saving Phoebe Murrow was the parents and how they were really just as bad, if not worse, than the people who were bullying Phoebe. Two of them in particular drove me to despair as they were just vile, vile people! Some of their antics were very disturbing but they were fascinating to read about and to try and figure out their motives and why they were being driven to such lengths. This book was packed with gruesomely detailed, compelling characters who were never, for me, love-’em-or-hate-’em people but instead characters who twisted your opinion on them back and forth throughout.

Saving Phoebe Murrow was a very high-drama story. The pacing was quick and edgy as pages were laced with tension and suspense, concern for what was to come next. Occasionally the book felt a bit disjointed, with a few too many shifts in POV coming from the middle of nowhere. I also felt the last 15% or so lost a bit of the edge the book had possessed throughout but it still managed to end things fairly satisfyingly. For the most part, I was so involved in this story that I whizzed through it, desperate to know what was going to happen next. At times, parts of how the book transpired felt far-fetched yet still entirely plausible. I guess that’s just a true representation of life and how things that seem ridiculous or unbelievable actually happen on a regular basis. This debut novel tells an important story about cyber-bullying and its sinister consequences, making for harrowing yet also completely addictive reading.

(review copy)

[Camille Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Have you ever tried to be the perfect mother?" This book is loosely-based from the true story of 13yo Megan Meier whose life ended prematurely to suicide due to online harassment and bullying.
In this world of online-everything and young people very keen in dealing with their life's dramatics behind their laptops and mobile phones, Herta Feely re-emphasizes the impact of this on one's social, mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.

Other important things are discussed in here too.
Family conflicts, peer pressure, teenage vulnerability, parenting, parent-child gap, ego bruise and infidelity, betrayal, self-harming and cutting, suicide, etc.
But personally, what struck at me the most is a mother's love.
Three POVs tell this story, one is of Phoebe Murrow herself, the other is of her successful and overprotective lawyer mother Isabel, and the last one is of Sandy the trying-hard-to-be-accepted-in-the-social-class and overly sexual mother of Jessie, Phoebe's BFF.
Two mothers with almost opposite parenting styles do what they think is best for their daughters. No matter the cost or consequence.
Being a soon-to-be mom to a daughter as well, I feel this kind of need to protect and love my child on a different level. I myself would go over and beyond and do whatever it takes to make my child happy and safe.
However, it's seen in the book how all of these people in Phoebe's life have contributed directly or indirectly to the horrors that has happened in her young life.
A timely read in this modern world and an eye-opener for parents and concerned people alike to watch out and be vigilant about bullying and harassment of any kind, as well as red flags for self-harming.
A solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ making my recommendations' list too.

[Emily Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like domestic dramas, you’ll love this. But you don’t have to be a mother or a woman to appreciate it. It’s a great, fast-paced read, and you’ll find yourself dying to know what happens to this young girl, Phoebe, and to the awful Sandy—a deliciously sinister character. Don’t be surprised, either, if you find that the characters make you shift your loyalties to and away from them at every turn.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you to Herta Feely, Upper Hand Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars.

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a book about cyber bullying and the effect it has on a young teenager, Phoebe Murrow, (who is bullied) her mother Isabel, her friends and their community.

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a thought provoking and compelling novel witten by Herta Feely - one which stays with you long after you've read it. It kept me up late because I simply had to finish reading it. The subject is a scary one, especially for parents with school aged children and I don't doubt that it is one that keeps parents whose kids are being bullied, up late as well.

Phoebe is a sweet, kind and smart kid who is trying her best to fit in, while also doing her best to live up to her mother's expectations. Unfortunately, Phoebe can't handle the pressure of either. A few incidences occur and because of them, Phoebe becomes the victim of a cyber bullying attack which takes place on Facebook for everyone in her school and community to see. The aftermath of the attack leaves everyone in a state of complete chaos to say the very least, and creates a forum for some of Phoebe's friends to rally around her in a very endearing way.

For me, the characters were the best part of this story. Phoebe, Jess, Noah, Isabel, etc., The author, Herta Feely, did a superb job developing captivating roles - the lives of which you couldn't help but feel invested in. She created a couple of characters I disliked, one of whom was Phoebe's mother, Isabel. I disliked her immensely (with every fiber of my being) and for an author to do that with a character in a book - well, that was truly impressive.

I will say however, that I was left feeling unsatisfied with the ending. I did not feel that justice was served based on the severity of the crime, nor did I feel that the portrayal of certain characters made sense. It seemed to me that a few of characters went to extremes that didn't seem plausible, especially given their careers.

All in all, I think Herta Feely tackled a prevalent topic with grace and sensitivity. Saving Phoebe Morrow is a compelling book and the author's strong suit is her character development.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

GABN Saving Phoebe Murrow is an interesting look into the world inhabited by the children of the 21st century. They face a much different playing field than we every dreamed of, back in our day.

I liked the politics that play under the main focus of our story, and the playground of the D. C. area where the action takes place. Cyber bullying plays a very strong roll, and is handled well as is self-harm and the whole aspect of of life in the 21st century. This was at times difficult to read, but it is life as it happens to some. I would rather not think about it at all, but if I must this was a realistic introduction to the pressures of childhood today. And I loved the cover. Butterflies, too, are so easily damaged.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Herta Feely, and Upper Hand Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, for sharing your hard work with me.

pub date Sept 2, 2016

[Leeann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow was a good page turner about social media and the devastating effects it can have on teens.

Parts of it were a bit far-fetched but I thought the storyline regarding Phoebe and her peers was, in fact, very believable.

I am glad that I grew up at a time when you could talk with one friend at a time on the phone, and otherwise the problems you had at school stayed at school until the following day.

I believe that the mob mentality that can happen on social media is a very real thing. Social media has its benefits to be sure but creates it own hazards for kids and teens.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for an ARC of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Laura Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come soon.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Herta B. Feely and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Saving Phoebe Murrow a novel by Herta B. Feely is a incredibly intense book that must be read by any parent or guardian that has a loved one in middle school or high school! This is a story that will really make you sit and think what is your child really doing on social media? What is really going on with them that they are not telling you? This is a chilling book of today's reality of the online world and what effects it has on your children. This is not a light-hearted book-this is an emotion filled-gut wrenching book. You will want to hug your child and have a discussion after reading this book.

Saving Phoebe Murrow hits on some very sensitive and taboo subjects. Some of these may trigger some of the readers. Some of these subjects are cutting, cyber bullying, infidelity, underage drinking, fake Facebook accounts, attempted suicide.

Kudos to the graphic designer on this book cover. It is absolutely beautiful. Then again I am a huge fan of butterflies.

My heart went out to Phoebe Murrow during this whole book! She just wanted what ever girl wants in school to be accepted by her peers. To go to the dance, the parties, to have the guy of her dreams ask her out. Life kept throwing her curve balls left and right. Reading this book It reminded me of my times in school and how difficult it was. I can’t imagine going through everything Phoebe went through with the pressures of Facebook. I just wanted to give her a hug!

I had a love hate relationship with Phoebe’s father for few different reasons. I loved the career path he had being in the political eye. However, when he should have been concentrating on his daughter he was out sinning!

I was not a fan of the character Sandy at the beginning of the book. By the end of the book I despised her for so many reasons. I don’t think there has been a character in a book I can honestly say that I hated more than I did her! Herta did an amazing job with this character.

This book was dedicated to the memory of Megan Meir. Herta B. Feely read an article in 2008 about a woman whom posed a fifteen-year-old boy on social media to prey on a vulnerable thirteen-year old Megan Meir. They both lived in the same area as each other. In 2006 this woman (Lori Drew) launched a cyber-bullying attack on Megan through Myspace (this was popular prior to Facebook), and Megan ended up taking her own life.

Hertha was deeply saddened by Megan’s death, and appreciated her effort to fight cyber-bullying by creating a foundation in honor the memory of her daughter. Please visit www.meganmeierfoundation.org for the website contains resources for parents, teachers, and teens whom deal with cyber-bullying.

According to the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, “There were 7,296 counseling sessions with young people whom talked to ChildLine about online bullying and safety last year.” Cyber-bullying has become a huge problem with texting, social media and electronic devices. There needs to be something done about this. A good website for this would be Cyberbullying Research www.cyberbullying.org

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a book that is going to stay with me in my heart way after I am done reading it. The storyline, the characters, and the concept of the book you just cant forget. Plus, Herta B. Feely just became one of my favorite authors. She did an incredible job researching and writing this book. I would gladly read and review for her any day!!!

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Think 13 Reasons Why meets Revenge

A good read, with a snappy pace and interesting (some despicable) characters.

[Liz W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and Upper Hand Press in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis of this story I was immediately interested. Being a new mother, I am worried about bullying. Not that she’ll be bullied now but in the future. As her mother I will always want to protect her, but would I go so far as to sabotage and torture another child to ensure my daughter is happy and popular?

Saving Phoebe Murrow, by Herta Feely, is a book that every human being should read. This story is about the hardships of being a teenager in a world where people have constant contact. There is no going home and forgetting about it at the end of the night. The lives of teenagers and even adults now is all over the internet for everyone to see. We post updates on our Facebook pages, upload photos to Instagram, tweet our anger at politicians on Twitter because that is what is expected in a 24 hour world.

Phoebe is grappling with a traumatic bullying experience from the year before that ended in her seeing a therapist for self-mutilation. Cutting her skin was the only way in her mind to deal with a devastating set of events that ruined her life. It was the only escape from the pain and torment from people she thought were her friends.

But this is a new year and a new school. Phoebe has worked hard all summer to learn new ways to deal with the intense emotions that come with being young and overwhelmed by how large all the problems in her tiny world seem. She has new friends and her crush, Noah, from the previous year is also in her class this year.

Herta Feely is an exceptional writer. Her story had me engrossed from the beginning. I was somehow Phoebe, her mother, and her friends all rolled into one. I felt the emotions coming off the page when Phoebe wanted more than anything to hang out with friends in a part of town her mother deemed unacceptable. I was her mother, understanding why she wouldn’t want her daughter in a place that was unknown to her. I was her friends, rolling my eyes and not understanding why Phoebe’s mom was so uptight.

This story unfolds and opens your eyes to how much harder it is to be a teenager in a world that is 24/7. Where there is no privacy from anyone or anything. The events that happen through this story seem so far-fetched but were actually based on real life. On what happens when a parent is so hyper focused on their child. The perceived hurt their child has endured become something so real that they are willing to endanger another child, regardless of the outcome.

I didn’t know how this book would end and can tell you I was not only surprised but very pleased with its conclusion. With my feelings on high by the last page it is not where I would have gone and that was surprising to me. It made me step back and really think about just how much my own emotions clouded such simple judgement.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very interested to read a story about cyber bullying, as it's something I've read about a lot in the media and can have devastating consequences. Ah, the awful teenage years. I did have a really hard time liking mother Isabel, who is pretty abrasive and controlling (not only to her young children) and judgemental, whether it's about someone's employment or how they look. Even towards teenagers, which is pretty bad. However, I do think that is kind of realistic for very strict parents. Oh, the problems of the privileged and wealthy... when you have to worry about your daughter hanging out in an iffy neighborhood with a group of friends one time instead of worrying about her walking through it on the way to school every day. This book deals with bullying and self harm and I think it does a decent job of making it true to life and makes you feel for the kids.
Isabel is a successful married woman with two children. Her daughter Phoebe has just entered her teenage years with all the trials and tribulations that come with that. Her younger son doesn't cause much trouble and isn't a large part of the story. Sadly, some of the adults in this story bully each other as much as the teenagers. I thought it was an intriguing comparison. We all like to think we grow out of our teenage immaturity, but sometimes we don't. Sometimes we get even more vicious. Sandy, who is the mother of one of Phoebe's friends, is an interesting character. Starts out being a bit sympathetic and gets less and less so as the story goes on, partially because she's been excluded from the women she's been trying to make friends with and is lashing out. No matter our age, it's devastating to just want to fit in and fail. The story starts out with Phoebe harming herself and her mom rushing to her. It continues with before this terrible event, detailing what's happened to this thirteen year old to cause her to act so drastically.
Easy read, interesting topic, well written. I burned through it in a day. I wish some of the characters had been a bit more likeable but we're seeing some of these people at their worst moments.
Thank you to Net Galley and Upper Hand Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was first posted here: http://karatheredhead.blogspot.com/20...

First of all, seeing as September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness month, this book's release date is entirely on point. Everyone knows that bullying leads to many suicides unfortunately.

I was very excited to read Saving Phoebe Murrow, and I have been reading a lot of different books on bullying this month. The cover is beautiful with the butterfly and the rain hitting the window with the colors dripping down. I don't typically read Domestic dramas, and I have found that I like that genre now!

I thought at first this story would mainly be about the daughter being bullied, but there is so much more! Infidelity, work stress, the difficulties of raising children, past relationships and the influence they have on your life, and the struggle between being a good mother and a good wife.

I flew through this book, and I couldn't put it down. Each chapter ended with my curiosity being peaked and I lost a few hours of sleep!

At times, the mother, Isobel, really got on my nerves. However, I understood also why she was that way. I thought about my own mother, and how she handled my teenage years. Ron, the husband, was also disappointing as someone I wanted to like at first. Sandy reminded me of some women I have come across and stay away from! I liked Phoebe most of the time, but there were a few times when she gave her mom a lot of grief. Despite liking them or not, they were all relate-able characters.

The ending to the book was touching, and was a perfect fit.

I do want to put a warning that there may be triggers affecting some readers, since self-mutilation is involved in the story.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, and I recommend it to all adults!

Thank you to UpperHandBooks, Sarah Miniaci, and of course Herta Feely for a copy of this book for my honest opinion and for the blog tour.

[Big Time Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow is such a timely novel about the dark side of social media and how it can be used to bully others, often making their lives unbearable. Having been a target of mean girls long ago in my school years (the 70s), I know what Phoebe went through all too well, but thank goodness social media didn't exist then! I don't know how I'd have dealt with bullying on Facebook or other sites on top of the time spent in school.

This is a well written, fast paced book that held my interest from first page to last. I so wanted to see certain characters get their comeuppance and was rooting strongly for others. The characters were very well developed and there were some that we'll all recognize from our school years and some that I definitely thought I'd like to know.

I'd definitely recommend this novel and will be waiting to read more from this author in the future. Thanks go to Netgalley, the publishers and Herta Feely for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kathleen Pasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling and engrossing novel that deals with contemporary topics as well as age-old issues of betrayal, jealousy, love, hate, and revenge. While most of the characters are not particularly likeable, they are well-drawn, complex and intriguing, with each having a very distinctive voice and point of view. There are twists and turns to the plot that keep the pages turning and the expectations of future surprises high. Once I started the book, I was drawn into the challenges facing Phoebe and the complex skills required to cope with modern day bullying and relationship building via social media - both for the child and for the parents.

The writing is excellent and the story is compelling...particularly a "must read" for everyone who is interested in the changing world of growing up in the United States and the parental concerns that naturally follow.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My occasional run-ins with bullies in middle school and high school were bad enough. I couldn't imagine how social media could make a bad situation worse. "Saving Phoebe Murrow" explores the consequences of cyber-bullying in stark detail and wrenching, yet lovely, prose. I sympathized with Phoebe not only because I could relate to her but also because of her genuine voice. I'm not a mother, but this book really put me in a mother's shoes and made me think about what I would do in Isabel's position. Well-drawn characters and authentic conflicts kept me turning each page until I reached the last page. A worthy addition to my (long) reading list! Highly recommended.

[Caryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review on my blog: http://wp.me/p75OHV-5T

[Angie Crabtree-Liezel and Angie's Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a harrowing tale of what one mom went through, a daughter who had nowhere else to turn and an unexpected bully hiding in the shadows. The story is all too real and makes you want to hold your children closer.

When I first started this book I was so excited. I love books filled with drama, angst, and suspense. I got those things but in a long drawn out way.

I loved the parts where we were in Phoebe’s mind and even her moms and dads. I loved the POV of the bully too. Phoebe is such a sweet girl. She doesn’t do anything wrong. She listens to her parents. Only acts out as normal teenagers do. Hello hormones! I really liked her. I wish we read more from her POV. I think it would’ve made this book fantastic and unputdownable.

Isabel is a very controlling and overprotective mother which I can understand why but at some point in your child’s life you have to let them breath. If you don’t the consequences will be bad. This book was mainly in her POV and it drove me crazy after awhile. I didn’t mind it at first but the more I read the more she annoyed me. I really thought this was Phoebe’s story but after awhile I felt like it was about Isabel and what she was doing wrong.

I wished we had more background on Phoebe and what happened in the past. I needed more of her. I needed to know what was going on in her head even a small POV of Jessie. I just needed more and I’m so sad I didn’t like this book as much as I wanted to.

The writing was flawless. Ms. Feely really does know how to tell a story. There were parts that left me guessing and close to tears. I think I’m in the minority here about my review but I’m glad others loved it.

Thank you Herta Feely for my copy.

[Amanda (Books, Life and Everything Nice) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ebook copy for review. As always, an honest review from me.

Trigger warning: many fairly graphic mentions of self harm and suicide. Please do not read this book if you’re not in a mentally healthy place, especially if you’re sensitive to these topics in particular.

That being said I enjoyed the whirlwind of drama and incredibly serious topics. It reminds me of a mix between a Lifetime movie and episode of Law and Order SVU. Kind of a perfect combo. We get an in depth look at the challenges and drama of teenage girls lives from the perspective of them and their parents.

I really liked reading about Phoebe and her mother. I wish the story focused more on them. I disliked the amount of focus put on Phoebe’s dad and Sandy, the mother of Phoebe’s classmate/friend. The difference between the parenting styles was both horrifying and interesting.

I so disliked the character of Sandy. She was so psychologically unbalanced and awful. She meant well, for her daughter, so at least she has that going for her. The focus was on her too much, when I felt it should have been more on Phoebe. Also the trope of parents providing teens with alcohol and getting in legal trouble has been done a lot before. But it’s still something that people could be reminded of.

All in all, Saving Phoebe Murrow is highly entertaining, drama filled, and a warning for parents and teens alike.

[Susanne Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a stark reminder of how dangerous social media can be, how destructive jealousy and lying can be, and how our young people are not always mature enough to understand the consequences.
Having a child who has suffered from mental health issues this reminded me that I can need to be aware of all the people on her life, all the people online and how as parents it’s our job to make sure we can have conversations with our children.

Very well written, I enjoyed reading this book :)

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seemingly tranquil lives feel the catastrophic shockwaves of cyber-bullying in Saving Phoebe Murrow. As this deplorable action chips away at the protective veneer of their material things and apparent success, I found myself asking if the repercussions would be the catalyst to modify their superficial behaviour.

Unfortunately, the questionable conduct of others has devastating consequences for almost 14 year old Phoebe Murrow. Her story shows the dark side of social media and how the internet can be an effective shield to protect those fuelled by misunderstandings and cruelty while they effectively destroy their chosen target - an all too frighteningly real scenario.

Phoebe’s mother, snobby Isabel Winthrop (who doesn’t like the name Murrow so kept her maiden name), appears to be in complete control while orchestrating the way her daughter should behave, and that extends to which friends she thinks would be good for her.

And there’s an unforgiving wedge if ever there was one, and the divide grows wider as Isobel subtly distances her daughter from certain acquaintances who don’t meet the ‘Isabel criteria’. She weighs up the benefits of her decision against her daughter’s history of self-harming and believes she’s acting in her best interests. But rejection is a delicate matter and may have reprisals if not handled tactfully.

Over the months preceding a desperately tragic event involving Phoebe we learn that Isabel, along with most other parents, would do anything for their children despite having opposing views of what is good for them. Most are judgemental in their own peculiar way and as a result are losing sight of the important issues obscured by their own determination.

Mechanically indulging their children and spouses, the parents seem content to keep up appearances with satisfactory results. Those who are not experiencing this level of ‘success’ conjure legitimate reasons for why they deserve better. But with the bar is set so damned high it’s inevitable that no one is ever going to reach it, not even in fiction.

The sensitive topics running throughout this book attracted some infuriating characters to stir things up. Were they fake, fickle, or utterly convinced that their decisions would make their lives better? Well, the adults were just as hormonal and reckless than the teens at times and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that one or two of the mums had received coaching from the Stepford Wives! Perhaps that’s the point as it begs the question: is it possible for any of them to eventually realise what’s right rather than what affects their highly prized social status, or will the impressions from their own childhood continue to influence everything they do?

Saving Phoebe Murrow explores the motivation that drives people to take alarming steps in order to feed their own misguided agenda until the tension of the parent-teenager relationship is tested to breaking point. The real tragedy is that unless some of them remove their blinkers they will never be able to see what truly matters, or how their actions have the power to make or break others.

(I received a copy of this title from the publishers with my thanks, and this is my unbiased review.)

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flew through this book. It's a timely page-turner that will have you deeply involved with the characters--sometimes arguing with them, sometimes worrying for them, sometimes wanting to shake them into better choices. It's a very realistic portrayal of troubled adolescence and damaged adults. The writing is crisp, authentic, and fast-paced.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted @ https://readaholiczone.blogspot.com/2...

WOW, what a mind blowing book. This is a must read for parents in this era where computers consume our lives. I loved the author's descriptive writing and all the incredible twists and turns you never see coming. It is an astonishing realistic portrayal of CRAZY parents and how detrimental cyber bullying is to a teenager. When I was young we did not have the internet so all bullying basically happened at school. Therefore, the bullying did not follow us home or spread like wildfire to all your peers at one time.


First, we have Isabel, who puts her work as a high falutin’ lawyer and social status before her daughter Phoebe, who is just trying to fit in her freshman year. Isabel judges whom Phoebe can be friends with by the social status and sophistication of the girlfriend's mother not by the actual girl herself. Isabel makes rash decisions, not considering the consequences of how it will affect Phoebe mentally or her life at school. Phoebe has been a responsible teenager yet is easily deceived by a monstrous person lurking in cyberspace. Teenagers can be bitterly cruel not understanding that what they type on a screen can afflict just as much pain as if they say it to a person's face. Therefore, when a teenage girl's computer screen lights up with terrible insults what does she do to take the pain away?

Second, there is Sandy, who married up in life, having zero couth and does not fit in socially with the other mothers especially Isabel. Sandy's daughter Jessie is one of Phoebe's close friends until Isabel has had enough of Sandy's lax attitude to parenting. Such as letting minors drink under her supervision, giving Jessie birth control informing her daughter “more than anything boys want to have sex and she should have fun” and that is just the tip of the iceberg concerning Sandy and her scandalous behavior.

As the two girls try their hardest to be normal teenagers the mothers in their life are ripping it apart. The book incorporates ghastly parenting from two different ends of the spectrum. One end is completely crazy, the other you will have to read the book to find out. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy today.

Thank you, Upper Hand Press, for allowing me to review this book
All opinions are my own

[CJ Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow is a story of two very different women, with two very different parenting styles and how their choices impact their daughters and the rest of the their friends and family. It is a story about bullying, and the consequences of your actions, and it is a story that should be read and discussed all across the country. The effects of bullying are witnessed everyday, as the internet makes it too easy to be cruel without even considering the consequences or the impact your words and actions will have on other people. Saving Phoebe Murrow gives you an intense look into the minds of the victim and the bully as well as their friends and family and shows you all the factors that can lead to tragedy. I believe it’s also a cautionary tale for parents, and gives them something to think about when it comes to interacting with their children, their children’s friends, and watching for signs that their child is either being bullied or may be a bully.

Another thing this novel does well is show the reader that bullying is no longer just a bigger kid at school demanding your lunch money. It can come in many different forms, and from unexpected places. Cyber bullying in particular is becoming more and more of a problem especially as some people still fail to recognize online attacks as “bullying.” It is also easy for online bullying to get out of hand as more and more people jump onto the bandwagon and display a mob mentality despite being alone in front of a computer – something we see happen in the novel. Taking all these things into account, and portraying them honestly makes Saving Phoebe Murrow a haunting and heartbreaking read.

This book took me through a wide range of emotions – anger, sadness, concern, anger again – and definitely kept me turning the pages. If you’re interested in real-life drama that’s relevant to current topics then I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Saving Phoebe Murrow, and don’t be afraid to share it with all the mothers and teenagers you know.

[Long Island Dreams Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Phoebe Murrow
BY: Herta Feely
Reviewed By: Long Island Dreams Book Reviews
Stars 4 out of 5

This cutting edge novel delivers an insightful view of a serious epidemic that plagues our youth on a daily basis.
Phoebe Murrow is a thirteen years old girl who is already dealing with an overbearing mother, so when she is bullied at school her world turns upside down.
Feeling unloved and unwanted by her family and friends, Phoebe turns to a “boy” she met on Facebook for comfort.
Phoebe believes she is totally and completely in love with Shane. He is sophisticated, handsome and smart. What girl wouldn’t be in love with him? Since Shane attends a different school and the two have never met Pheobe’s mom (Isabel) has questions about Shane. Just exactly who is this boy?
Things go bad when Isabel calls the police after her daughter attends her Bff’s party and the parents allow the teens to have alcohol. The aftermath of the events of that party places Pheobe’s life in peril.
Will Phoebe survive? Will she find her way back to her family and begin the healing journey?
Saving Phoebe Murrow is a four star page turning hit. The characters literally jumped off the page for me. Truthfully, Isabel was such an overbearing mother, I almost wanted to scream at her; “I know you love your child, but back of a little, your smothering her”.
What can’t I say about Phoebe? I simply wanted to wrap her in a bear hug and assure her everything would be alright.
In addition to all that the plot was not only educational, but was enjoyable as well. There were many twists and turns that keep your attention through out the novel.
Thank you Herta Feely, for sharing this story with us. I could tell that you put your whole heart and soul into this novel. It must be a subject that has significant meaning for you

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Upper Hand Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Saving Phoebe Murrow, in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time keeping my attention focused squarely on this book, especially as the plot slowed down in the middle. Cyberbullying and social media shaming is all too prevalent in today's society, as the main character in Saving Phoebe Murrow finds out first hand. I had two central issues with this book that prevented me from forming a connection with either Phoebe or her mother. The book is wordy and slows down considerably in the middle. Some of the phrasing is awkward and some of the foul language choices seem to be there more for shock value than actually needed dialogue. The author's attempt to show the lengths that a mother would go through for her child seemed more like a way to move the plot in a certain direction than a genuine part of the story. I was certainly not a fan of Isabel, but the story did not push me towards any feelings of sympathy for Phoebe either. Overall, I would not recommend Saving Phoebe Murrow to other readers, for the reasons I listed above.