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Ghost Mother
Ghost Mother is a mesmerizing psychological ghost story that blurs the thin line between reality and delusion. Lilly Bly desperately wants to have a baby. She is struggling with infertility and bad spending habits when her husband, Jack, gets a new job that moves them from Chicago to a small town in Wisconsin. Impractical Lilly falls in love with a decrepit mansion well out of their price range—she is convinced that she will finally get pregnant and have a baby in this house—and Jack reluctantly agrees to buy the wreck. But when Lilly learns that her dream house was the site of a gruesome triple homicide/suicide in the 1950s, she begins to experience strange occurrences that soon lead her to believe the house is haunted. Are her ghostly encounters real, or is this a cascading mental breakdown? As Lilly learns more about the deaths and her visions become increasingly vivid, her relationship with Jack deteriorates, leading to a dramatic and irreversible climax.Perfect for fans of classic, gothic horror fiction, like Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, as well as contemporary suspense and horror fiction by everyone from Stephen King to Ruth Ware.
321 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2024
104 people are currently reading
27042 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Dwyer
3 books178 followersHello! I'm Kelly Dwyer, and I'm the author of GHOST MOTHER, published by Union Square & Co., August 2024, as well as two other novels. GHOST MOTHER asks the question, "Is the house really haunted? Or is the narrator losing touch with reality?" (After you read the novel, please let me know what you think!)
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and Oberlin College, I grew up in San Pedro, California, and now divide my time between Baraboo (near Madison) Wisconsin, and Los Angeles. Please visit
http://www.kellydwyerauthor.com/
and let's connect here on Goodreads and on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/kellydwyera...
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and Oberlin College, I grew up in San Pedro, California, and now divide my time between Baraboo (near Madison) Wisconsin, and Los Angeles. Please visit
http://www.kellydwyerauthor.com/
and let's connect here on Goodreads and on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/kellydwyera...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
April 1, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Ghost Mother was an engaging and heart-filled story. It's highly-readable, simply told and feels like it could be enjoyed by a wide-variety of Readers.
I would especially recommend it to Supernatural Horror (Light) Readers, who may be looking more for vibes, than anything too scary, or disturbing.
This story follows Lilly Bly, who is married and desperately wants to have a baby. She's suffered losses in this area already and it's a sensitive topic for her.
Her husband, Jake, has just gotten a new job and they are moving from Chicago to a small town in Wisconsin because of that. Lilly is okay with it. She's ready for a fresh start and when she sees the decrepit mansion that could be their potential new home, she falls in love.
It's well out of their price range, but Lilly is able to convince Jack to purchase the dilapidated property. She swears she'll get a job to help make the payments. It's worth it to her, she just knows she'll finally become a mother in this house.
After they move in though, Lilly has a tough time getting herself together and motivated. Jack travels a lot for work, so she's on her own quite a bit.
It's not long after they move in that Lilly learns their new home was the site of a gruesome triple homicide in the 1950s. They don't call it the Murder House for nothing...
As she experiences more unexplained phenomenon at the house, she's led to believe it could be haunted. It would make sense, right? Terrible things have happened there.
She begins to research the house and its dark past, determined to get to the bottom of what she is experiencing.
While she is doing so though, the rest of her life is being neglected. Her husband, the household, she's making poor choices, she's losing time. Is the house really haunted, or are these all signs of an escalating mental breakdown?
As mentioned above, I really enjoyed my time with this story. I felt for Lilly. She wanted to be a mother so badly, and as things were spiraling, I wanted to just give her a hug, to tell her that everything was going to be okay.
At the same time, she was making choices that simultaneously made me want to shake her back into reality. I think the fact that I felt so much for this main character, who was going through something that I've never personally experienced, but felt so much for, is a sign of great writing.
I've never read from Kelly Dwyer before, but she's found a fan in me, and I hope to get more from her.
I was impressed with how quickly I became immersed and attached to this story. There's been a few other 'expectant or want to be' mother books that I've read in the past year or so that have driven me absolutely batty.
Full disclosure, I have no children, by choice, and have never, ever had that want. So, for me, it's generally hard to connect with the characters who that is their sole desire.
I didn't feel that with Lilly. Even though she was wanting to be a mother more than anything else, it was presented in such a way where she didn't lose her identity to that want. I could connect to her and feel for her, even though our lives are vastly different.
Again, I think this is due to the quality of Dwyer's writing; the way she created this character. Lilly wasn't just pigeon-holed into the fact that she wanted to have a child. She had layers, which I appreciated.
Additionally, this novel has my favorite thing, atmosphere. That's my number one. The thing I look for most in my Dark Fiction. I want atmosphere, a true sense of place, I want to feel like I'm there, to see everything in my mind's eye and that was definitely the case here.
With this being said, and this doesn't negate from anything the author has done here, but I do feel like this will work best for Readers who are either newer to the Horror genre, or who want the vibes, but to not actually feel scared.
I'm not saying I need Horror to be scary, because I completely recognize that there is so much more to this nuanced genre than that one parameter, however, this did feel way more about the vibes to me than anything else.
With this being said, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a Supernatural Mystery with a lush Haunted House setting. I would also recommend the audiobook format, fabulously narrated by Renata Friedman.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I had a lot of fun with this story and look forward to more from Kelly Dwyer. I hope she stays in this wheelhouse, because it was really well executed!
Ghost Mother was an engaging and heart-filled story. It's highly-readable, simply told and feels like it could be enjoyed by a wide-variety of Readers.
I would especially recommend it to Supernatural Horror (Light) Readers, who may be looking more for vibes, than anything too scary, or disturbing.
This story follows Lilly Bly, who is married and desperately wants to have a baby. She's suffered losses in this area already and it's a sensitive topic for her.
Her husband, Jake, has just gotten a new job and they are moving from Chicago to a small town in Wisconsin because of that. Lilly is okay with it. She's ready for a fresh start and when she sees the decrepit mansion that could be their potential new home, she falls in love.
It's well out of their price range, but Lilly is able to convince Jack to purchase the dilapidated property. She swears she'll get a job to help make the payments. It's worth it to her, she just knows she'll finally become a mother in this house.
After they move in though, Lilly has a tough time getting herself together and motivated. Jack travels a lot for work, so she's on her own quite a bit.
It's not long after they move in that Lilly learns their new home was the site of a gruesome triple homicide in the 1950s. They don't call it the Murder House for nothing...
As she experiences more unexplained phenomenon at the house, she's led to believe it could be haunted. It would make sense, right? Terrible things have happened there.
She begins to research the house and its dark past, determined to get to the bottom of what she is experiencing.
While she is doing so though, the rest of her life is being neglected. Her husband, the household, she's making poor choices, she's losing time. Is the house really haunted, or are these all signs of an escalating mental breakdown?
As mentioned above, I really enjoyed my time with this story. I felt for Lilly. She wanted to be a mother so badly, and as things were spiraling, I wanted to just give her a hug, to tell her that everything was going to be okay.
At the same time, she was making choices that simultaneously made me want to shake her back into reality. I think the fact that I felt so much for this main character, who was going through something that I've never personally experienced, but felt so much for, is a sign of great writing.
I've never read from Kelly Dwyer before, but she's found a fan in me, and I hope to get more from her.
I was impressed with how quickly I became immersed and attached to this story. There's been a few other 'expectant or want to be' mother books that I've read in the past year or so that have driven me absolutely batty.
Full disclosure, I have no children, by choice, and have never, ever had that want. So, for me, it's generally hard to connect with the characters who that is their sole desire.
I didn't feel that with Lilly. Even though she was wanting to be a mother more than anything else, it was presented in such a way where she didn't lose her identity to that want. I could connect to her and feel for her, even though our lives are vastly different.
Again, I think this is due to the quality of Dwyer's writing; the way she created this character. Lilly wasn't just pigeon-holed into the fact that she wanted to have a child. She had layers, which I appreciated.
Additionally, this novel has my favorite thing, atmosphere. That's my number one. The thing I look for most in my Dark Fiction. I want atmosphere, a true sense of place, I want to feel like I'm there, to see everything in my mind's eye and that was definitely the case here.
With this being said, and this doesn't negate from anything the author has done here, but I do feel like this will work best for Readers who are either newer to the Horror genre, or who want the vibes, but to not actually feel scared.
I'm not saying I need Horror to be scary, because I completely recognize that there is so much more to this nuanced genre than that one parameter, however, this did feel way more about the vibes to me than anything else.
With this being said, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a Supernatural Mystery with a lush Haunted House setting. I would also recommend the audiobook format, fabulously narrated by Renata Friedman.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I had a lot of fun with this story and look forward to more from Kelly Dwyer. I hope she stays in this wheelhouse, because it was really well executed!
December 12, 2025
Mehhhhhh….now I’m convinced that this is just not my genre and I should just give up 😭
July 24, 2024
Do you like your books to have a palpable sense of never-ending dread and disquiet? Do you like positively infuriating unreliable narrators that cause you great anxiety? Then get your claws on GHOST MOTHER, The Haunting of Hill House X AHS Murder House in this haunting psychological ghost story steeped in love, grief, mystery and supernatural horror.
A young woman becomes enamored with an ancient mansion, only to discover that her ideal home was the scene of a triple murder/suicide in the 1950s. She starts encountering strange events, leading her to suspect that the house is haunted. And so, the timeless question remains for the reader to ponder, is this woman experiencing a mental breakdown, or is she actually seeing dead people.
I found myself unable to look away from our train wreck of a protagonist as she hurtles headlong into bad decisions and questionable behavior, the characterization was crafted with care, a complex character who was both deeply flawed and her struggles, painfully relatable, keeping the reader in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions, which only adds to the mounting tension and suspicion.
Incredibly atmospheric and chilling the author does an amazing job of blurring the lines of reality and creating constant unease. Overall this was a great haunted house story with a twist!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eArC
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A young woman becomes enamored with an ancient mansion, only to discover that her ideal home was the scene of a triple murder/suicide in the 1950s. She starts encountering strange events, leading her to suspect that the house is haunted. And so, the timeless question remains for the reader to ponder, is this woman experiencing a mental breakdown, or is she actually seeing dead people.
I found myself unable to look away from our train wreck of a protagonist as she hurtles headlong into bad decisions and questionable behavior, the characterization was crafted with care, a complex character who was both deeply flawed and her struggles, painfully relatable, keeping the reader in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions, which only adds to the mounting tension and suspicion.
Incredibly atmospheric and chilling the author does an amazing job of blurring the lines of reality and creating constant unease. Overall this was a great haunted house story with a twist!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eArC
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October 10, 2025
2 stars. Barely.
I don’t remember the last time I loathed a FMC quite so much. I appreciated that the author presented a couple up to their eyes in credit card debt (so much more realistic than when every MC has family money,) but, Lilly, good Lord. I can’t believe Jack doesn’t just strangle her, leave the house with two ghosts and move on to someone who appreciates him.
But….
There are so many people just like this, I guess it’s interesting to see what those peoples’ thoughts are. I don’t know. She was just so whiny, such a liar, wouldn’t do anything to better their situation…it was impossible to relate.
So, this really colored the way I felt about the book, which actually got a bit better toward the end. However, you’ve read the backstory a million times, and, overall, Lilly was just too grating, too much.
Read as part of Horror Aficianados’ Halloween Bingo Challenge 2025, ghost story.
I don’t remember the last time I loathed a FMC quite so much. I appreciated that the author presented a couple up to their eyes in credit card debt (so much more realistic than when every MC has family money,) but, Lilly, good Lord. I can’t believe Jack doesn’t just strangle her, leave the house with two ghosts and move on to someone who appreciates him.
But….
There are so many people just like this, I guess it’s interesting to see what those peoples’ thoughts are. I don’t know. She was just so whiny, such a liar, wouldn’t do anything to better their situation…it was impossible to relate.
So, this really colored the way I felt about the book, which actually got a bit better toward the end. However, you’ve read the backstory a million times, and, overall, Lilly was just too grating, too much.
Read as part of Horror Aficianados’ Halloween Bingo Challenge 2025, ghost story.
February 7, 2024
Just left my review on Edelweiss. Final review on Monday for Patreon.
Recommendation:
I was entertained the whole time. The author does a remarkable job of building suspense, tension, and suspicion. I had fun collecting breadcrumbs and developing theories. There are a lot of fun surprises. Around the 65% mark, I sat up a little straighter and appreciated the dark direction this story was headed. Please be aware of those triggers.
CW: suicide and suicidal ideation, topics and feelings surrounding motherhood and pregnancy; loss of. Child death
Comps: The Push by Ashley Audrain, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Recommendation:
I was entertained the whole time. The author does a remarkable job of building suspense, tension, and suspicion. I had fun collecting breadcrumbs and developing theories. There are a lot of fun surprises. Around the 65% mark, I sat up a little straighter and appreciated the dark direction this story was headed. Please be aware of those triggers.
CW: suicide and suicidal ideation, topics and feelings surrounding motherhood and pregnancy; loss of. Child death
Comps: The Push by Ashley Audrain, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Read
September 28, 20253.5⭐ ~ not sure if I'll round up or down right now. Lily really bugged with her debt and she barely tried to get herself out of it. Purchased $30 in steaks and let them rot on the counter until the cat ate them 🙀
Lily (37)
What to expect:
~ single 1st person POV
~ ghosts (obviously)
~ obsession with the history to the house
Content warnings:
~ infertility
~ miscarriage
~ suicide
Narration notes:
An impressive job.
Pre-reading notes:
Boogidy boogidy time 👻
Lily (37)
What to expect:
~ single 1st person POV
~ ghosts (obviously)
~ obsession with the history to the house
Content warnings:
~ infertility
~ miscarriage
~ suicide
Narration notes:
An impressive job.
Pre-reading notes:
Boogidy boogidy time 👻
July 26, 2024
Let me blame myself for this one. The synopsis straight out told me this book wasn’t for me in the very first line, mentioning that the book blurs the line between reality and delusion. How did I miss that? I guess I got excited about a haunted house story and I blocked out the rest. I can see why some might find the book trippy, but as someone who finds the handling of mental illness and delusions this way distasteful, I was not impressed.
But I cannot completely blame myself. Even if this story hadn’t encompassed the very thing I despise, I would have still encountered other issues with it.
What was obvious to me from the start was the lack of subtlety. I hate to sound like a broken record, but telling me everything instead of letting it surface naturally in a story only stifles my enjoyment. So much is laid bare very early on, and I was quickly annoyed with this.
The way the characters felt flimsy and inauthentic didn't help matters. I do especially wonder why the author chose to shape Lilly using countless stereotypes regarding women without any hint of nuance. She had a history that helped her look sympathetic, and this ultimately explained some of her irresponsible choices, but why not give her some redeeming qualities, as well? She should not have been only the product of her trauma and mental illness. We are all more than that.
The themes addressed in Ghost Mother are relevant ones, however, there isn’t anything in this story that is remotely original or unpredictable. It’s full of familiar tropes that lack genuinely creative development. While some may appreciate the familiarity of other stories mashed up within this one, I really wanted a fresher examination of the ideas it aimed to convey, and I don’t think the author proved anything positive through her dissection of potential madness. It is sad that Lilly lacked proper support, and my heart hurts for her in that respect, but I truly do not think this is how that topic should be managed.
I am immensely grateful to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
But I cannot completely blame myself. Even if this story hadn’t encompassed the very thing I despise, I would have still encountered other issues with it.
What was obvious to me from the start was the lack of subtlety. I hate to sound like a broken record, but telling me everything instead of letting it surface naturally in a story only stifles my enjoyment. So much is laid bare very early on, and I was quickly annoyed with this.
The way the characters felt flimsy and inauthentic didn't help matters. I do especially wonder why the author chose to shape Lilly using countless stereotypes regarding women without any hint of nuance. She had a history that helped her look sympathetic, and this ultimately explained some of her irresponsible choices, but why not give her some redeeming qualities, as well? She should not have been only the product of her trauma and mental illness. We are all more than that.
The themes addressed in Ghost Mother are relevant ones, however, there isn’t anything in this story that is remotely original or unpredictable. It’s full of familiar tropes that lack genuinely creative development. While some may appreciate the familiarity of other stories mashed up within this one, I really wanted a fresher examination of the ideas it aimed to convey, and I don’t think the author proved anything positive through her dissection of potential madness. It is sad that Lilly lacked proper support, and my heart hurts for her in that respect, but I truly do not think this is how that topic should be managed.
I am immensely grateful to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
October 13, 2024
It's been a few weeks and I can't stop thinking about the characters ... especially the fact that no one is redeemable, yet it works out, but in a way that's heartbreaking. The characters are desperately unlikeable, but the last 40% of the book conjured so many emotions in me...
Reading notes along the way...
15% not lovvvving this so far. I can't say why exactly, something to do with the writing not quite hitting right. Maybe the lead characters being a bit bland and too privileged. The main character is frustratingly irresponsible.
18% something I hate reading about is infertility issues and characters who are so desperate to get pregnant that they bring it up every other sentence. UGH.
21% ohhhh this lady is something else.
41% the whole issue with the credit cards and the horrible way she is performing at her job makes me feel sick and more scared than anything else I've read so far 😅
50% I've gotten used to the ways of this main character, and I feel like I'm slipping into the narrative now. It's satisfying to see her realize the mistakes she's made and look back reflective on her past and people she once knew wondering where they are now.
61% okay so now she's either starting to lose it or she's seeing ghosts and getting gaslit by the husband, classic haunted house plot.. only took 60 percent of the book to get there lol. It's definitely hooked me at this point, though.
64% prediction: Okay, is she going to get pregnant with a ghost baby? 😬
78% very well written scene where she is finally telling what really happened to her dad.
94% this is so sad 😞
100% I don't know what to think... this made me feel a lot of things by the end of it.
Synopsis: After paying more than they can afford to move into a stately historic fixer upper mansion, main character Lilly Bly finds out too late that her new home is coined by the town "the murder house". She then feverishly begins investigating what occurred in her new home while she becomes convinced the previous homeowners are haunting her.
Reading notes along the way...
15% not lovvvving this so far. I can't say why exactly, something to do with the writing not quite hitting right. Maybe the lead characters being a bit bland and too privileged. The main character is frustratingly irresponsible.
18% something I hate reading about is infertility issues and characters who are so desperate to get pregnant that they bring it up every other sentence. UGH.
21% ohhhh this lady is something else.
41% the whole issue with the credit cards and the horrible way she is performing at her job makes me feel sick and more scared than anything else I've read so far 😅
50% I've gotten used to the ways of this main character, and I feel like I'm slipping into the narrative now. It's satisfying to see her realize the mistakes she's made and look back reflective on her past and people she once knew wondering where they are now.
61% okay so now she's either starting to lose it or she's seeing ghosts and getting gaslit by the husband, classic haunted house plot.. only took 60 percent of the book to get there lol. It's definitely hooked me at this point, though.
64% prediction: Okay, is she going to get pregnant with a ghost baby? 😬
78% very well written scene where she is finally telling what really happened to her dad.
94% this is so sad 😞
100% I don't know what to think... this made me feel a lot of things by the end of it.
Synopsis: After paying more than they can afford to move into a stately historic fixer upper mansion, main character Lilly Bly finds out too late that her new home is coined by the town "the murder house". She then feverishly begins investigating what occurred in her new home while she becomes convinced the previous homeowners are haunting her.
September 18, 2024
I love any book touching on infertility. HOWEVER Lilly is the absolute worst. Her husband is the victim of all of her ridiculous behavior
1. He agrees to get a house SHE wants even though they can’t afford it. Why can’t they afford it? Because of HER debt that he is solely trying to pay off because she doesn’t have a job.
2. To make her happy he gets the house and she promises to get a job to help with the mortgage. Instead of getting a job where she can actually contribute she gets a job making 1/2 of what she could be making because she doesn’t want to take care of other people’s kids while infertile. ::eye roll:: Let’s not even mention the fact that she uses her paid time to research the history of the house which leads to her getting fired.
3. Ok well she probably tries to save money then, right? WRONG…she continues to spend money they don’t have and eventually maxes out their credit cards on frivolous purchases.
4. She constantly wants to be treated like she is pregnant even though she isn’t. This includes (but is not limited to) not helping with this “fixer upper”: her dream house.
5. She gets mad at him because he doesn’t believe she lied about the cause of her father’s death. Of course he wouldn’t believe his spouse would out right lie to him. What?
6. He’s positioned as the unreasonable one because he doesn’t think living in supreme debt with ghost baby is cool.
7. She and her ghost homies eventually MURDER this dude and it ends with her getting money from the settlement to pay all her debts and live happily. I’m glad he was cheating on her for real. What an absolute nightmare.
The author posed this book as some feminist fiction but the woman in this book is insufferable and single handedly contributes to the demise of her relationship and the death of her husband. I hope he haunts the shit out of her lmao. I’m so mad. This book was horrible.
1. He agrees to get a house SHE wants even though they can’t afford it. Why can’t they afford it? Because of HER debt that he is solely trying to pay off because she doesn’t have a job.
2. To make her happy he gets the house and she promises to get a job to help with the mortgage. Instead of getting a job where she can actually contribute she gets a job making 1/2 of what she could be making because she doesn’t want to take care of other people’s kids while infertile. ::eye roll:: Let’s not even mention the fact that she uses her paid time to research the history of the house which leads to her getting fired.
3. Ok well she probably tries to save money then, right? WRONG…she continues to spend money they don’t have and eventually maxes out their credit cards on frivolous purchases.
4. She constantly wants to be treated like she is pregnant even though she isn’t. This includes (but is not limited to) not helping with this “fixer upper”: her dream house.
5. She gets mad at him because he doesn’t believe she lied about the cause of her father’s death. Of course he wouldn’t believe his spouse would out right lie to him. What?
6. He’s positioned as the unreasonable one because he doesn’t think living in supreme debt with ghost baby is cool.
7. She and her ghost homies eventually MURDER this dude and it ends with her getting money from the settlement to pay all her debts and live happily. I’m glad he was cheating on her for real. What an absolute nightmare.
The author posed this book as some feminist fiction but the woman in this book is insufferable and single handedly contributes to the demise of her relationship and the death of her husband. I hope he haunts the shit out of her lmao. I’m so mad. This book was horrible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2024
Ended up skimming the last half . . . it’s a no from me. Predictable plot, insufferable main character.
July 31, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up - thank you the the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book reminded me of almost every haunted house book I have come across and that’s not necessarily a bad thing and in this particular case I ate it up. There were times I felt it got a little repetitive and drawn out, but overall I stayed invested throughout. While the storyline itself isn’t very unique, I did find it to be very enjoyable and entertaining. With the dark vibes of the home, the hiding of the truth from the husband, and crippling debt catching up to the couple, there is a pretty quick descent into madness and I couldn’t look away. There was one aspect to the storyline I had a little trouble getting on board with and found slightly cringe, but with the conclusion of the story turning out the wild way it did I do think it made a lot of sense and could look past it.
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNXf16CH/
This book reminded me of almost every haunted house book I have come across and that’s not necessarily a bad thing and in this particular case I ate it up. There were times I felt it got a little repetitive and drawn out, but overall I stayed invested throughout. While the storyline itself isn’t very unique, I did find it to be very enjoyable and entertaining. With the dark vibes of the home, the hiding of the truth from the husband, and crippling debt catching up to the couple, there is a pretty quick descent into madness and I couldn’t look away. There was one aspect to the storyline I had a little trouble getting on board with and found slightly cringe, but with the conclusion of the story turning out the wild way it did I do think it made a lot of sense and could look past it.
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNXf16CH/
December 24, 2024
This is my favorite type of story, creepy Ghost stories.
Lily and her husband, Jack, buy a rundown mansion, but Lily doesn't learn of the horror that happened in that house fifty years prior.
Lily and her husband, Jack, buy a rundown mansion, but Lily doesn't learn of the horror that happened in that house fifty years prior.
August 4, 2024
2 Stars
This started off really interesting to me - I related to Lilly a lot with her fertility struggles and her strong desire to be a mom and even how she worked at a circulation desk lol, but as it went on it was harder for me to understand the choices she was making and I was sad to see her spiralling instead of finding growth. I don’t love how this ended at all, I feel like her husband really did his best with what he had and Lilly really did not help at all and I don’t think he (or she) deserved that ending. This was a little bit gothic but I would say it was more of a psychological thriller than anything.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC!
This started off really interesting to me - I related to Lilly a lot with her fertility struggles and her strong desire to be a mom and even how she worked at a circulation desk lol, but as it went on it was harder for me to understand the choices she was making and I was sad to see her spiralling instead of finding growth. I don’t love how this ended at all, I feel like her husband really did his best with what he had and Lilly really did not help at all and I don’t think he (or she) deserved that ending. This was a little bit gothic but I would say it was more of a psychological thriller than anything.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC!
July 24, 2024
“Ghost mother” is a modern gothic thriller that follows Lilly and Jack as they purchase a run down mansion in Wisconsin.
Lilly is struggling to have a baby and is convinced this is the home she needs to get pregnant. Jack begrudgingly agrees to take on this home project but soon regrets his decision as things begin to crumble around them.
Lilly soon finds out their new home was the site of a triple homicide in the 1950s and things go from bad to worse when she starts to believe the house is haunting and she is seeing things. This puts a large stressor on their already damaged relationship as events reach a climax.
This book is sufficiently spooky with all the interesting components you would wish for in a potentially haunted house thriller.
There is lots of creepy events and aesthetics throughout leaving plenty to the readers imagination. Is Lilly really being haunted or is she losing it?
Triggers:
Lots of discussion based on infertility topics. Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Kelly Dwyer and Netgalley for the ALC!
Publish date: August 6th
Lilly is struggling to have a baby and is convinced this is the home she needs to get pregnant. Jack begrudgingly agrees to take on this home project but soon regrets his decision as things begin to crumble around them.
Lilly soon finds out their new home was the site of a triple homicide in the 1950s and things go from bad to worse when she starts to believe the house is haunting and she is seeing things. This puts a large stressor on their already damaged relationship as events reach a climax.
This book is sufficiently spooky with all the interesting components you would wish for in a potentially haunted house thriller.
There is lots of creepy events and aesthetics throughout leaving plenty to the readers imagination. Is Lilly really being haunted or is she losing it?
Triggers:
Lots of discussion based on infertility topics. Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Kelly Dwyer and Netgalley for the ALC!
Publish date: August 6th
October 2, 2025
2.75/5
The main character, Lily Bly, is borderline insufferable. The only likable character in the entire book is the damn cat.
The main character, Lily Bly, is borderline insufferable. The only likable character in the entire book is the damn cat.
October 27, 2024
I really thought I’d like this book. I DNF’d it at like 75%.
To start things off, I think the main character was incredibly irritating. I understand Lily is struggling with conceiving a child, but her decision-making skills as an adult are complete garbage. She is grieving but also struggling with saving money?? She can’t hold a job?? And she is whiny about doing any chores or renovating the house?? The way I’m describing it doesn’t do it justice. She is drowning herself and her husband. 90% of this book is side stories that are so random, her Scooby-Doo mystery solving that she does for the house's history, and the 10% is the random “ghost activity.” Sure, I get it’s supposed to be a psychological thriller, but it didn’t feel that way as the reader. I just got pissed at the main character 90% of the time. I didn’t feel any spooky vibes from this like I’d hoped to have. I think my favorite character from this book is her husband because he’s the only rational one who is thinking for both of them and not just himself.
This might be someone’s favorite book, but I genuinely could not get into this book and I don’t think I’ve ever rated a book this low. Thank you for attending my Ted Talk.
To start things off, I think the main character was incredibly irritating. I understand Lily is struggling with conceiving a child, but her decision-making skills as an adult are complete garbage. She is grieving but also struggling with saving money?? She can’t hold a job?? And she is whiny about doing any chores or renovating the house?? The way I’m describing it doesn’t do it justice. She is drowning herself and her husband. 90% of this book is side stories that are so random, her Scooby-Doo mystery solving that she does for the house's history, and the 10% is the random “ghost activity.” Sure, I get it’s supposed to be a psychological thriller, but it didn’t feel that way as the reader. I just got pissed at the main character 90% of the time. I didn’t feel any spooky vibes from this like I’d hoped to have. I think my favorite character from this book is her husband because he’s the only rational one who is thinking for both of them and not just himself.
This might be someone’s favorite book, but I genuinely could not get into this book and I don’t think I’ve ever rated a book this low. Thank you for attending my Ted Talk.
November 1, 2024
Whoo...Where to begin? The concept of the book is one I like, especially since it starts with an unreliable narrator. Lily is pretty spoiled, sheltered by being spoiled, and immature to the point that she reads more like a teenager or barely twenty. I think that was the point, and it was done well. For most of the book, I was wondering if we were going to have a switcheroo, that there was no haunting and we were looking through the gaze of a woman losing her mind from stress and grief and all the pressure that comes with trying to get pregnant. And then we're abruptly shown and told that yes, the ghosts are real, and they can interact with her. This isn't necessarily a bad choice to make, but it completely contradicts the mood of the first half of the book. It felt too easy that, yes, she could see ghosts and interact with them, insofar as the ones in the house she bought with her husband.
And let's shift to her husband, Jack. This is where my irritation became consistent. Let me make it clear, I am not a bad husband apologist, nor do I condone gaslighting (obviously), but the author hammers you over the head with the idea that that's who Jack is. And...it's just, not? He doesn't gaslight her, and he doesn't act unreasonably, he has the patience of a saint all things considered. He doesn't want to buy this house, rightfully since it's a self-described money pit, but he does so anyway because Lily wants it so badly. He lets her know that the only way they can afford it is if she gets a job because they'll need extra income, and that she can't use the credit cards anymore, which she agrees to.
And in two weeks she flops at getting her teaching license transferred, doesn't put in any applications, and instead spends all her time and energy researching the history of the people that died in her house. When she finally does get a job (one that is way more lenient and forgiving than they needed to be, I'm a librarian so I'm super familiar with the expectations of a library, even small ones), she flakes out while on the clock, lies about a doctor's appointment so she can go to a historical society and learn more about the house, lies about having an elderly relative in a nursing home so she can interview a man suffering dementia into giving her information about his loved ones that died in the house, and just gives excuse after excuse until they have to let her go. No duh, they have to fire her.
And then the credit cards, she keeps using them, always justifying a reason as to why, which to be fair people will do when they chronically spend, and then is shocked that her husband gets mad when he finds out that not only did she keep using their cards, but they're over the limit maxed, and she's fired so they have no more income. Like, my guy, the endless patience he had with this woman was astounding. No, he doesn't believe her about ghosts in the house, but up until the midway point she's painted as someone mentally unstable who refuses to take her meds since she's trying to get pregnant, and quite honestly would be the type to convince herself the house was haunted.
She gives up on every project she tries, except for researching the house to the point that it destroys her life from every angle, and the writer is sure to always frame this as Lily being the victim. Naw that's not how life works, sorry. Play stupid games, get stupid prizes. Oh! And she is an actress, and was a professional one for a little while, and this is told from her point of view where she LITERALLY says she puts herself in roles so she can better lie to people. She admits she's a liar, and we're expected to sympathize with her when people get mad at her once she's caught? If this were written in a way where it's painted as her being in the wrong, then that's fine, but we're expected to always sympathize with her no matter how many people she screws over or however many promises she breaks. It was infuriating.
And then the closer we get to the end when Jack has finally had enough of it and stays out of the house, we start to have her completely shift gears with things like (paraphrased) "he always looked at me like a child" or "I always lied to be the person he wanted to be" but then chapters later will talk about how much he always respected her, and was patient and kind, and loved her for her strengths and...It's just a mess. The author wanted us to not like Jack and did a poor job of it because she made her lead insufferably incompetent and selfish, and Jack was reasonable. Again, far more than he needed to be in my opinion. This is where people will likely jump all over the review because of how Jack responded to her confession about her father's death. But y'all, this woman has lied to him so much I can't remember a time she was being genuine, and she's been manipulative, no duh he thinks she's still lying to him to get what she wants. Was it harsh? Yes, but he was still justified. He was wrong, because she was telling the truth, but she's been a liar this whole time. The only thing that struck me as odd was that he didn't have a flash of sympathy. Again, I think that's the author forcing their way in to control how we feel about Jack. Sorry, it didn't work.
All the stuff about Lily's past was my favorite part because I liked learning about how this character developed the way she did. The author has a talent for writing grief, and loss, and a lot of these flashbacks were hard-hitting. Those deserve praise, and I think it would have been a better story if it had been about Lily's life leading up to the house. At least we would have had a well-done character study about a flawed person. But instead, we're given a book told from the point of view of a pathological liar who hides behind her naivete and victimizes herself in every situation. I don't think there's a single point in the book where she takes true accountability for her selfishness.
And then Jack gets pushed off a cliff by a ghost and dies. When we start to feel bad for him, we're thrown for a loop by a throwaway line, "he was having an affair", again, paraphrased. Cool, villainize the guy after he's dead. There was no lead-up or breadcrumbs to show he was having an affair, but sure, whatever, gotta hate the husband. And then, AND THEN, she uses his life insurance money to fix up the house so she can stay there with her ghost daughter. Only then does she start taking care of herself and trying, although I still don't know if she ever gets a frickin' job?
The message here is basically: she wanted to be a mother, and she was broken until she could be one, and then once she got everything she wanted she was all better and healthy. That's so sickening. No, that's not how life works. The ghosts were real, but still, that's not how life works. This just-in, former rich spoiled kid only gets better when they are finally given everything they wanted.
Gosh, it was so infuriating, like, hold your selfish characters accountable. I don't even want to talk about the ghost stuff because it felt way too out there, just Lily walking around in the past memories of the former inhabitants, and talking to the ghosts like they were real people (they were even tangible!). I don't know what this book was supposed to be.
And then, to top it all off, when she discovers that Birdie killed herself in grief after watching her daughter die from poison her husband meant for her instead, she has the outright audacity to move forward saying that Birdie abandoned her child. Like. Oh my gosh, get a grip you brat. Apparently, Birdie clutching her dead child and begging her to stay with her was enough for the child's spirit to stay bound to the house because she was listening to her mother. That's fine, it's tragic, but that's fine and makes sense with the logic of a child. Birdie had no idea her kid would literally be trapped there, and that wasn't her intent. The poor woman killed herself after losing her world and righteously killing her husband. And Lily has the gall to describe her as abandoning her child's ghost. My gosh this character was utterly insufferable. Whenever you started to like her she had to be a horrible person. And again, that's FINE, but frame her as a bad selfish bratty child of a woman.
The two stars are purely for how well-written it is, and the beautiful representation of grief and loss. Other than that, ugh.
And let's shift to her husband, Jack. This is where my irritation became consistent. Let me make it clear, I am not a bad husband apologist, nor do I condone gaslighting (obviously), but the author hammers you over the head with the idea that that's who Jack is. And...it's just, not? He doesn't gaslight her, and he doesn't act unreasonably, he has the patience of a saint all things considered. He doesn't want to buy this house, rightfully since it's a self-described money pit, but he does so anyway because Lily wants it so badly. He lets her know that the only way they can afford it is if she gets a job because they'll need extra income, and that she can't use the credit cards anymore, which she agrees to.
And in two weeks she flops at getting her teaching license transferred, doesn't put in any applications, and instead spends all her time and energy researching the history of the people that died in her house. When she finally does get a job (one that is way more lenient and forgiving than they needed to be, I'm a librarian so I'm super familiar with the expectations of a library, even small ones), she flakes out while on the clock, lies about a doctor's appointment so she can go to a historical society and learn more about the house, lies about having an elderly relative in a nursing home so she can interview a man suffering dementia into giving her information about his loved ones that died in the house, and just gives excuse after excuse until they have to let her go. No duh, they have to fire her.
And then the credit cards, she keeps using them, always justifying a reason as to why, which to be fair people will do when they chronically spend, and then is shocked that her husband gets mad when he finds out that not only did she keep using their cards, but they're over the limit maxed, and she's fired so they have no more income. Like, my guy, the endless patience he had with this woman was astounding. No, he doesn't believe her about ghosts in the house, but up until the midway point she's painted as someone mentally unstable who refuses to take her meds since she's trying to get pregnant, and quite honestly would be the type to convince herself the house was haunted.
She gives up on every project she tries, except for researching the house to the point that it destroys her life from every angle, and the writer is sure to always frame this as Lily being the victim. Naw that's not how life works, sorry. Play stupid games, get stupid prizes. Oh! And she is an actress, and was a professional one for a little while, and this is told from her point of view where she LITERALLY says she puts herself in roles so she can better lie to people. She admits she's a liar, and we're expected to sympathize with her when people get mad at her once she's caught? If this were written in a way where it's painted as her being in the wrong, then that's fine, but we're expected to always sympathize with her no matter how many people she screws over or however many promises she breaks. It was infuriating.
And then the closer we get to the end when Jack has finally had enough of it and stays out of the house, we start to have her completely shift gears with things like (paraphrased) "he always looked at me like a child" or "I always lied to be the person he wanted to be" but then chapters later will talk about how much he always respected her, and was patient and kind, and loved her for her strengths and...It's just a mess. The author wanted us to not like Jack and did a poor job of it because she made her lead insufferably incompetent and selfish, and Jack was reasonable. Again, far more than he needed to be in my opinion. This is where people will likely jump all over the review because of how Jack responded to her confession about her father's death. But y'all, this woman has lied to him so much I can't remember a time she was being genuine, and she's been manipulative, no duh he thinks she's still lying to him to get what she wants. Was it harsh? Yes, but he was still justified. He was wrong, because she was telling the truth, but she's been a liar this whole time. The only thing that struck me as odd was that he didn't have a flash of sympathy. Again, I think that's the author forcing their way in to control how we feel about Jack. Sorry, it didn't work.
All the stuff about Lily's past was my favorite part because I liked learning about how this character developed the way she did. The author has a talent for writing grief, and loss, and a lot of these flashbacks were hard-hitting. Those deserve praise, and I think it would have been a better story if it had been about Lily's life leading up to the house. At least we would have had a well-done character study about a flawed person. But instead, we're given a book told from the point of view of a pathological liar who hides behind her naivete and victimizes herself in every situation. I don't think there's a single point in the book where she takes true accountability for her selfishness.
And then Jack gets pushed off a cliff by a ghost and dies. When we start to feel bad for him, we're thrown for a loop by a throwaway line, "he was having an affair", again, paraphrased. Cool, villainize the guy after he's dead. There was no lead-up or breadcrumbs to show he was having an affair, but sure, whatever, gotta hate the husband. And then, AND THEN, she uses his life insurance money to fix up the house so she can stay there with her ghost daughter. Only then does she start taking care of herself and trying, although I still don't know if she ever gets a frickin' job?
The message here is basically: she wanted to be a mother, and she was broken until she could be one, and then once she got everything she wanted she was all better and healthy. That's so sickening. No, that's not how life works. The ghosts were real, but still, that's not how life works. This just-in, former rich spoiled kid only gets better when they are finally given everything they wanted.
Gosh, it was so infuriating, like, hold your selfish characters accountable. I don't even want to talk about the ghost stuff because it felt way too out there, just Lily walking around in the past memories of the former inhabitants, and talking to the ghosts like they were real people (they were even tangible!). I don't know what this book was supposed to be.
And then, to top it all off, when she discovers that Birdie killed herself in grief after watching her daughter die from poison her husband meant for her instead, she has the outright audacity to move forward saying that Birdie abandoned her child. Like. Oh my gosh, get a grip you brat. Apparently, Birdie clutching her dead child and begging her to stay with her was enough for the child's spirit to stay bound to the house because she was listening to her mother. That's fine, it's tragic, but that's fine and makes sense with the logic of a child. Birdie had no idea her kid would literally be trapped there, and that wasn't her intent. The poor woman killed herself after losing her world and righteously killing her husband. And Lily has the gall to describe her as abandoning her child's ghost. My gosh this character was utterly insufferable. Whenever you started to like her she had to be a horrible person. And again, that's FINE, but frame her as a bad selfish bratty child of a woman.
The two stars are purely for how well-written it is, and the beautiful representation of grief and loss. Other than that, ugh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2024
Ghost Mother is hauntingly beautiful and will not let go of you until the chilling conclusion. Dwyer weaves a narrative that is atmospheric and unsettling drawing you into the "murder mansion", blurring the lines between the living and the dead with eerie precision.
This is a psychological ghost story with elements of grief, suspense, and supernatural horror. The setting of the house serves as a character in it's own right, similar to The Haunting of Hill House.
Every creaky floorboard, or cold draft through the windows adds to the sense of dread you feel through the pages.
I would highly recommend this to lovers of gothic and psychological horror and fans of "The Haunting of Hill House." This book will be staying with me for a long, long time!
Thank you to Kelly Dwyer and Union Square & Co. for the ARC of this book, publishing August 6th, 2024. All opinions are my own.
This is a psychological ghost story with elements of grief, suspense, and supernatural horror. The setting of the house serves as a character in it's own right, similar to The Haunting of Hill House.
Every creaky floorboard, or cold draft through the windows adds to the sense of dread you feel through the pages.
I would highly recommend this to lovers of gothic and psychological horror and fans of "The Haunting of Hill House." This book will be staying with me for a long, long time!
Thank you to Kelly Dwyer and Union Square & Co. for the ARC of this book, publishing August 6th, 2024. All opinions are my own.
December 2, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
August 5, 2024
The nitty-gritty: A haunted house story with literary flair and unexpected emotion, Ghost Mother is the must-read ghost story of summer.
Ghost Mother turned out to be a big surprise and was much different than I expected—in a good way. This is a haunted house story, but it’s also an emotional tale about the main character’s struggle with infertility, mental illness and a deteriorating marriage. Kelly Dwyer has a wonderful literary writing style that I absolutely loved, and she knows how to create a creepy, suspenseful ghost story as well. I want to mention a couple of trigger warnings up front, though. Readers sensitive to discussions of abortion, miscarriage and suicide may want to proceed with caution. The author doesn’t sugar coat anything, mostly because Lilly, the main character, is an open book when it comes to her past experiences.
Lilly and Jack have just bought a house in Haven, Wisconsin, an old 1920s mansion with a colorful history. Jack was reluctant to buy it, especially since it needs so much work, not to mention the couple is in debt and can’t really afford it. But Lilly fell in love the moment she saw it and is sure this will be the house where she finally has a baby. As the two start to settle in, Lilly begins to hear strange noises and even thinks she sees a woman standing at the nursery window. After doing some investigating, she discovers that their house has a tragic history. A circus performer named Birdy Lawrence supposedly shot her husband Billy, killed their eight-year-old daughter Amelia, and then jumped off a nearby cliff to her death. Could the ghostly presence she senses be Birdy? And if so, why is Birdy trying to communicate with her?
Lilly is determined to unearth the truth about the Murder House—the name locals have given their house—and so she begins to hunt for clues. As Lilly learns more about Birdy and her family, past traumas rise to the surface, and Lilly begins to wonder if she’s really seeing ghosts, or if it’s all in her head.
There’s nothing better than a good haunted house story, and Dwyer’s Murder House is full of atmospheric Gothic details, like peeling wallpaper, water damaged floors, crumbling walls and more. The book cover is absolutely perfect for this story. The ghostly elements are subtle but terrifying at times, and I love stories that blur the lines between reality and the supernatural. Are the ghosts real? Or is Lilly truly seeing and hearing things that aren’t there? According to Jack, Lilly is nuts, and she does have a history of mental illness, so it’s up to the reader to decide.
Lilly is a fascinating character, and I ended up really sympathizing with her on an emotional level. She isn’t necessarily easy to like, though. She lies to Jack, she forgets to go into work, and she’s a compulsive spender. But her backstory is heartbreaking. She’s suffered a lot: a couple of miscarriages, the desertion of her mother and the death of her beloved father. Her struggles with infertility were devastating, and there were several emotional scenes that brought tears to my eyes. Despite her faults, Lilly is a very self aware woman who admits her mistakes and shortcomings and wants to be a good person. Because of everything she’s suffered in her past, she considers herself to be “broken,” and this alone endeared her to me.
As Lilly carries out her investigation, we learn bits and pieces of what actually happened that fateful day. Lilly discovers some distant relatives who are still alive and know the truth, but getting them to open up to her isn’t easy. The author also includes flashback scenes from the day of the murder/suicide (saying more about them would be a spoiler, so I’ll resist!) that were some of my favorite parts of the book and gave me The Shining vibes.
The title of the book has a double meaning that I found to be simply brilliant. When Lilly finally solves the mystery of Birdy, Amelia and Bobby, the reader is fervently hoping that her life will take a turn for the better. Aside from one overly dramatic event—although I realize it made everything neatly fall into place—I adored the poignant ending and the way Lilly’s story was resolved. Ghost Mother was an engaging and emotional reading experience, and I can’t wait to see what Kelly Dwyer does next.
Big thanks to the author for providing a review copy.
Ghost Mother turned out to be a big surprise and was much different than I expected—in a good way. This is a haunted house story, but it’s also an emotional tale about the main character’s struggle with infertility, mental illness and a deteriorating marriage. Kelly Dwyer has a wonderful literary writing style that I absolutely loved, and she knows how to create a creepy, suspenseful ghost story as well. I want to mention a couple of trigger warnings up front, though. Readers sensitive to discussions of abortion, miscarriage and suicide may want to proceed with caution. The author doesn’t sugar coat anything, mostly because Lilly, the main character, is an open book when it comes to her past experiences.
Lilly and Jack have just bought a house in Haven, Wisconsin, an old 1920s mansion with a colorful history. Jack was reluctant to buy it, especially since it needs so much work, not to mention the couple is in debt and can’t really afford it. But Lilly fell in love the moment she saw it and is sure this will be the house where she finally has a baby. As the two start to settle in, Lilly begins to hear strange noises and even thinks she sees a woman standing at the nursery window. After doing some investigating, she discovers that their house has a tragic history. A circus performer named Birdy Lawrence supposedly shot her husband Billy, killed their eight-year-old daughter Amelia, and then jumped off a nearby cliff to her death. Could the ghostly presence she senses be Birdy? And if so, why is Birdy trying to communicate with her?
Lilly is determined to unearth the truth about the Murder House—the name locals have given their house—and so she begins to hunt for clues. As Lilly learns more about Birdy and her family, past traumas rise to the surface, and Lilly begins to wonder if she’s really seeing ghosts, or if it’s all in her head.
There’s nothing better than a good haunted house story, and Dwyer’s Murder House is full of atmospheric Gothic details, like peeling wallpaper, water damaged floors, crumbling walls and more. The book cover is absolutely perfect for this story. The ghostly elements are subtle but terrifying at times, and I love stories that blur the lines between reality and the supernatural. Are the ghosts real? Or is Lilly truly seeing and hearing things that aren’t there? According to Jack, Lilly is nuts, and she does have a history of mental illness, so it’s up to the reader to decide.
Lilly is a fascinating character, and I ended up really sympathizing with her on an emotional level. She isn’t necessarily easy to like, though. She lies to Jack, she forgets to go into work, and she’s a compulsive spender. But her backstory is heartbreaking. She’s suffered a lot: a couple of miscarriages, the desertion of her mother and the death of her beloved father. Her struggles with infertility were devastating, and there were several emotional scenes that brought tears to my eyes. Despite her faults, Lilly is a very self aware woman who admits her mistakes and shortcomings and wants to be a good person. Because of everything she’s suffered in her past, she considers herself to be “broken,” and this alone endeared her to me.
As Lilly carries out her investigation, we learn bits and pieces of what actually happened that fateful day. Lilly discovers some distant relatives who are still alive and know the truth, but getting them to open up to her isn’t easy. The author also includes flashback scenes from the day of the murder/suicide (saying more about them would be a spoiler, so I’ll resist!) that were some of my favorite parts of the book and gave me The Shining vibes.
The title of the book has a double meaning that I found to be simply brilliant. When Lilly finally solves the mystery of Birdy, Amelia and Bobby, the reader is fervently hoping that her life will take a turn for the better. Aside from one overly dramatic event—although I realize it made everything neatly fall into place—I adored the poignant ending and the way Lilly’s story was resolved. Ghost Mother was an engaging and emotional reading experience, and I can’t wait to see what Kelly Dwyer does next.
Big thanks to the author for providing a review copy.
August 24, 2024
The scariest part of this book is when they forgot to put their T-bone steaks 🥩 in the refrigerator and they spoiled! 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️!
October 4, 2025
Tropes on tropes on tropes. Super easy read… but, there was no one to root for in this story. Everyone was just the worst. It also dragged on for an unnecessarily long time. I finished it like six hours ago and I don’t remember how it ended. 🤷🏻
July 25, 2024
(( audiobook))
A lady (Lily) falls in love with a falling down old mansion that is way outside her means and her dumb husband (I seriously just finished listening to this and cannot remember his name, so I will call him Chad) agrees to buy it even though he’s the financially responsible one? Chad then proceeds to act like a giant man-baby when stuff is broken and the house is drafty and leaky and unpleasant to live in. Lily is wildly inept and very, very annoying. She grew up rich, which apparently makes her unable to function as a human in the world, especially now that she’s in debt up to her eyeballs. There are also maybe/probably some ghosts, and Lily goes off the deep end investigating what really happened to the last family that lived in the house.
I think I need to never read anything described as “Gothic” again bc I’ve finally realized that it’s code for an EXTREMELY slow burn. I did like the very end, but getting there was much more of a slog than I’m usually up for - but there was *just enough* going on to keep me listening. I honestly would have liked to hear more about Birdie - she was much more interesting than hot-mess Lily.
Anyway, I think people who loved September House and We Use to Live Here and Mexican Gothic would be into this one too.
HOWEVER: if dead babies and miscarriages and infertility are not ok topics for you to read about, definitely do not read this.
* thanks to Dreamscape Media for the NetGalley ALC. Ghost Mother publishes August 6.
A lady (Lily) falls in love with a falling down old mansion that is way outside her means and her dumb husband (I seriously just finished listening to this and cannot remember his name, so I will call him Chad) agrees to buy it even though he’s the financially responsible one? Chad then proceeds to act like a giant man-baby when stuff is broken and the house is drafty and leaky and unpleasant to live in. Lily is wildly inept and very, very annoying. She grew up rich, which apparently makes her unable to function as a human in the world, especially now that she’s in debt up to her eyeballs. There are also maybe/probably some ghosts, and Lily goes off the deep end investigating what really happened to the last family that lived in the house.
I think I need to never read anything described as “Gothic” again bc I’ve finally realized that it’s code for an EXTREMELY slow burn. I did like the very end, but getting there was much more of a slog than I’m usually up for - but there was *just enough* going on to keep me listening. I honestly would have liked to hear more about Birdie - she was much more interesting than hot-mess Lily.
Anyway, I think people who loved September House and We Use to Live Here and Mexican Gothic would be into this one too.
HOWEVER: if dead babies and miscarriages and infertility are not ok topics for you to read about, definitely do not read this.
* thanks to Dreamscape Media for the NetGalley ALC. Ghost Mother publishes August 6.
August 6, 2024
Ghost Mother, by Kelly Dwyer, is a first person POV of a woman, mid+ 30’s, and her experience moving into her dream house. This haunted mansion has a dark history that captures her attention and is pushing the MC to uncover its secrets.
While moving in, Lily and Jack seem to be in way over their heads- already dealing with mountains of debt, one income, and lots of maintenance needed is a cause for friction between the two. Lily is also on an all too familiar journey of trying to conceive while mourning the loss of previous pregnancies. I think that this is super important in MY personal life- talking about mourning loss while others disregard it.
The more she learns about the history of the previous owners, the farther away she pushes her husband. With no supportive family, debt, no personal income, and an invisible tie to the house, she stays.
This story does have a paranormal aspect to it, but in a very easy to accept way. I’m not typically a reader of paranormal, but this hit all the places. I listened to the audiobook (Thank you NetGalley and DreamScape Media for this ALC), and I found the narrator to be easy to listen to. Overall a really great read/listen that I will highly recommend! Pub Date: 8/6/24
While moving in, Lily and Jack seem to be in way over their heads- already dealing with mountains of debt, one income, and lots of maintenance needed is a cause for friction between the two. Lily is also on an all too familiar journey of trying to conceive while mourning the loss of previous pregnancies. I think that this is super important in MY personal life- talking about mourning loss while others disregard it.
The more she learns about the history of the previous owners, the farther away she pushes her husband. With no supportive family, debt, no personal income, and an invisible tie to the house, she stays.
This story does have a paranormal aspect to it, but in a very easy to accept way. I’m not typically a reader of paranormal, but this hit all the places. I listened to the audiobook (Thank you NetGalley and DreamScape Media for this ALC), and I found the narrator to be easy to listen to. Overall a really great read/listen that I will highly recommend! Pub Date: 8/6/24
July 25, 2024
You have heard this synopsis before—a woman falls in love with a house that has a dark history, buys it, and begins to experience unexplainable phenomena—but you haven’t read this story yet. Weaved in to Lilly’s haunting experiences with her new mansion is her deep desperation but inability to have a child.
I always love stories like this: is the woman spiraling and losing her mind? Is the house really haunted? Maybe a little bit of both? Who knows. Lilly’s flaws and actions often made her difficult to sympathize with but she was layered, incredibly compelling, and I couldn’t stop following her down the rabbit hole.
Crawling with dark, gothic descriptions; well-executed pacing throughout with suspenseful paranormal scenes to drive the plot forward; an ending that is so deliciously chilling and satisfying; this propulsive narrative exploring the depths of one "troubled" woman’s mind is sure to satisfy readers. All with a wonderfully executed narration by Renata Friedman.
Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! Available 08/06/2024!
I always love stories like this: is the woman spiraling and losing her mind? Is the house really haunted? Maybe a little bit of both? Who knows. Lilly’s flaws and actions often made her difficult to sympathize with but she was layered, incredibly compelling, and I couldn’t stop following her down the rabbit hole.
Crawling with dark, gothic descriptions; well-executed pacing throughout with suspenseful paranormal scenes to drive the plot forward; an ending that is so deliciously chilling and satisfying; this propulsive narrative exploring the depths of one "troubled" woman’s mind is sure to satisfy readers. All with a wonderfully executed narration by Renata Friedman.
Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! Available 08/06/2024!
July 29, 2024
What would you do for the life you always wanted?
That’s the question for our main character, Lilly; she wants a child and believes that that will happen in this new, and potentially haunted, house. Seemingly a large and beautiful yet rundown home is up for sale, and a bit beyond their budget, but something is drawing Lilly Bly to this house. Sounds like an open and shut case, but the history of the house brings even more questions…
This was a fun audiobook to listen to. The anxiety of the main character really got to the listener and it makes you really think about yourself and how you portray yourself to others. What’s real and what’s not?
It was interesting to have it be non-linear and slightly multiple-pov so you could have more insight and better understanding into everyone’s story.
This was a slowly unraveling mystery that made you think you knew what was happening, but did you really?
Thank you so much to the author, Kelly Dwyer, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the arc audiobook of Ghost Mother!
That’s the question for our main character, Lilly; she wants a child and believes that that will happen in this new, and potentially haunted, house. Seemingly a large and beautiful yet rundown home is up for sale, and a bit beyond their budget, but something is drawing Lilly Bly to this house. Sounds like an open and shut case, but the history of the house brings even more questions…
This was a fun audiobook to listen to. The anxiety of the main character really got to the listener and it makes you really think about yourself and how you portray yourself to others. What’s real and what’s not?
It was interesting to have it be non-linear and slightly multiple-pov so you could have more insight and better understanding into everyone’s story.
This was a slowly unraveling mystery that made you think you knew what was happening, but did you really?
Thank you so much to the author, Kelly Dwyer, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the arc audiobook of Ghost Mother!
July 31, 2024
I enjoyed Ghost Mother. The author built lots of tension and kept us in suspense. It had a really creepy vibe and I couldn't wait to find out what happened. I did find the main character slightly annoying. She kept spending money when she couldn't afford it, living beyond her means but justifying it constantly. It was a running theme throughout the book. She wouldn't give the house up that she bought - but we didn't find out until the end why she was so attached to it. She just seemed a bit whiney and immature to me. But being a frugal person, perhaps this is a personal pet peeve.
The main plot of the story happens towards the end of the book, so there is a lot to get through until then. Most of the book is based on real life and then at the end we are taken into the spirit world. The ending just seemed a little improbable as we were just slapped with it at the end. I would have preferred the creepy action throughout instead of a slow build up.
All in all, I did enjoy it and I would consider reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for my copy.
The main plot of the story happens towards the end of the book, so there is a lot to get through until then. Most of the book is based on real life and then at the end we are taken into the spirit world. The ending just seemed a little improbable as we were just slapped with it at the end. I would have preferred the creepy action throughout instead of a slow build up.
All in all, I did enjoy it and I would consider reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for my copy.
August 5, 2024
There are many ways to become a mother, and Dwyer really delves into that in this eerie haunted house story. My headphones were absolutely glued into my ear holes while I was listening to this one, and the narrator, Renata Friedman knocked it out of the park as well.
Ghost Mother felt like it danced around the edges of a lot of different horror tropes (think Rosemary’s Baby meets Amityville Horror) BUT it was wholly its own story. I genuinely didn’t see some of the twists coming and went “okayyyyy then” multiple times while listening to this one.
This one is PERFECT for spooky season, or if you’re like me and can’t wait - this one releases tomorrow. Check this one out if you like haunted houses, ghosts, circuses, and creepy children!
**Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Union Square & Co. for the ALC of this haunting title!**
Ghost Mother felt like it danced around the edges of a lot of different horror tropes (think Rosemary’s Baby meets Amityville Horror) BUT it was wholly its own story. I genuinely didn’t see some of the twists coming and went “okayyyyy then” multiple times while listening to this one.
This one is PERFECT for spooky season, or if you’re like me and can’t wait - this one releases tomorrow. Check this one out if you like haunted houses, ghosts, circuses, and creepy children!
**Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Union Square & Co. for the ALC of this haunting title!**
August 1, 2024
I don't usually go for the ghost story type genre but this book really hooked me, scared me a little and delivered a very satisfying end. Lily and her husband Jack buy a dilapidated old mansion with the intention of renovating it and hopefully starting their family there. Right away things start to go wrong. Ceilings crumble, strange sounds and cold icy breezes whoosh by Lily's ankles and she begins to think perhaps the house might be haunted. As she researches the houses history she discovers the towns occupants have nicknamed their house 'The Murder House' because of a double murder suicide that occurred there over fifty years ago. The more Lily delves into the past the more she feels a strong connection to the house and cannot entertain the idea of selling even though they truly cannot afford it. If you like spooky, ghostly stories with a murder mystery thrown in for good measure this book is for you. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was very good. Highly recommended for spooky fun.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this audio book. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this audio book. All opinions are my own.
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