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The Mommy Clique
"There are so many gambits and countergambits that anything seems possible, and even the savviest reader will be kept guessing until the end. With such a tangled web of strategy, deceit, betrayal, and shocking revelations, this book certainly earns the coveted descriptor of 'page-turner.' The Mommy Clique is a well-written drama that is rich in emotional stakes, and Altamirano does an exemplary job of making the reader feel those stakes along with the characters. Fans of Big Little Lies will certainly devour this novel, but Altamirano has a number of twists of her own to offer, taking readers on a surprisingly intense ride towards a deeply satisfying conclusion." -- SPRLife in suburbia is typical and ordinary-just the same old same old. Only, not in this neighborhood. Here, the impressively large homes and pure green lawns hide a much darker reality that is far from mundane.When Beth moves back to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her ailing mother, she is forced to confront not only the ghosts of her youth but the other mothers on her street. There is Elise, the queen bee, who determines the fate of everyone and is all-controlling. There is Kelly, Elise's sidekick and most sycophantic supporter, who secretly longs to have a voice and power of her own. There's Ronnie, the informer, who, with her intelligence and investigative skill, digs up dirt on the others in service to the queen. And then there's Gail, the wannabe, who is constantly striving to feel as important and valued as the others.Looking for some mom friends, Beth seeks a place for herself within this mommy clique. Turns out they do have an available role for it's called the target.
203 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2020
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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May 27, 2022
The Mommy Clique is an entertaining and unpredictable novel filled with gossip and betrayal that will keep readers on their toes. Beth comes back to her hometown after many years to take care of her mother. She is worried about coming back to town, and to make matters worse she is forced to face the mean girl clique of mothers on her street. She soon realizes that she has become the target of these women, and they are looking for some fun. We find out that their ‘perfect’ life in the suburbs is not as great as it looks on the outside.
This is a riveting character driven story and author Barbara Altamirano does a fantastic job of creating believable characters, even when they do some unbelievable things. Each character is different in their own way but they all have one thing in common, they are mean girls and no one can be better than them.
Each chapter in the story is told from a different perspective. This allows the reader to get an intimate look at their thoughts and feelings and truly understand them. Even if readers can’t relate to certain situations they’ll still find that the characters have surprising depth, even when they sometimes seem shallow.
The reader learns that some of the characters in the story are not as happy and perfect as they seem and are putting up a façade. Elise, who is also referred to as the queen bee, is a surprisingly complex character and she is one that I loved to hate. I think that is a testament to the author’s writing ability, as she is able to evoke such strong emotions from the reader. I was also surprised by Beth’s character because, when she is first introduced to the group, she is looked at as weak and as easy prey, but as the story progresses readers learn that she is not at all who we think she is.
This is an engrossing evolution of the high school mean girl story. But when I thought I knew where this story was going the author adds an unexpected twist and once it is revealed you will not be able to put the book down.
The Mommy Clique is a spunky urban drama that will captivate readers as they are drawn into the melodrama, the cattiness, and the backstabbing. I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a quick but compelling story.
This is a riveting character driven story and author Barbara Altamirano does a fantastic job of creating believable characters, even when they do some unbelievable things. Each character is different in their own way but they all have one thing in common, they are mean girls and no one can be better than them.
Each chapter in the story is told from a different perspective. This allows the reader to get an intimate look at their thoughts and feelings and truly understand them. Even if readers can’t relate to certain situations they’ll still find that the characters have surprising depth, even when they sometimes seem shallow.
The reader learns that some of the characters in the story are not as happy and perfect as they seem and are putting up a façade. Elise, who is also referred to as the queen bee, is a surprisingly complex character and she is one that I loved to hate. I think that is a testament to the author’s writing ability, as she is able to evoke such strong emotions from the reader. I was also surprised by Beth’s character because, when she is first introduced to the group, she is looked at as weak and as easy prey, but as the story progresses readers learn that she is not at all who we think she is.
This is an engrossing evolution of the high school mean girl story. But when I thought I knew where this story was going the author adds an unexpected twist and once it is revealed you will not be able to put the book down.
The Mommy Clique is a spunky urban drama that will captivate readers as they are drawn into the melodrama, the cattiness, and the backstabbing. I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a quick but compelling story.
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October 29, 2025DNF due to adults body shaming and criticizing children
June 6, 2022
Elise is the Queen Bee at her morning and afternoon children's bus stop. She has a nasty bunch of so-called mom friends buzzing around her making sure she determines the fate of everyone and is all-controlling. But in Barbara Altamirano's debut novel, THE MOMMY CLIQUE (AtmospherePress) Elise eventually has her wings clipped.
Meet Elise's followers: There's Kelly, the biggest suck-up of the bunch. There's Ronnie, the informer who digs up dirt on everyone for Elise's use. And finally, there's Gail, the wanna be, who only wants to be liked and feel important. All the ladies drop their kids off and pick them up at the local bus-stop, which is ground zero for Elise's devilish deeds. The ladies smile because they have to, they're happy because they have to be, they lie and grovel a lot - you do what you have to do to be in this group.
One day, Beth back moves back to her hometown with her children to take care of her sick mother. She has no idea what's in store for her!
At the bus-stop, the mean mommy's immediately ice her out and there's nothing she can do to get them to acknowledge or just be civil to her. Beth tries to ignore the ladies, but she's sucked into the group.
THE MOMMY CLIQUE made me realize many people can't move beyond their high-school years. People are inclined to follow the crowd at any age. I kind of felt sorry for the ladies in the group but I cheered when the Queen Bee got hers. THE MOMMY CLIQUE is fun. You don't have to be a mommy to enjoy it.
Meet Elise's followers: There's Kelly, the biggest suck-up of the bunch. There's Ronnie, the informer who digs up dirt on everyone for Elise's use. And finally, there's Gail, the wanna be, who only wants to be liked and feel important. All the ladies drop their kids off and pick them up at the local bus-stop, which is ground zero for Elise's devilish deeds. The ladies smile because they have to, they're happy because they have to be, they lie and grovel a lot - you do what you have to do to be in this group.
One day, Beth back moves back to her hometown with her children to take care of her sick mother. She has no idea what's in store for her!
At the bus-stop, the mean mommy's immediately ice her out and there's nothing she can do to get them to acknowledge or just be civil to her. Beth tries to ignore the ladies, but she's sucked into the group.
THE MOMMY CLIQUE made me realize many people can't move beyond their high-school years. People are inclined to follow the crowd at any age. I kind of felt sorry for the ladies in the group but I cheered when the Queen Bee got hers. THE MOMMY CLIQUE is fun. You don't have to be a mommy to enjoy it.
May 12, 2022
Trigger warning - sexual assault
From the description of this book I was expecting PTA Mum drama but I got a whole lot more… and not in a good way.
These characters (minus one) are horrible. They are nasty, racist, liars who have no morals, all because they are afraid to stand up to one lady.
And the way this book ended, with essentially one of the ladies being set up to be sexually assaulted, is not okay. I’m baffled
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review and advanced copy of this novel
From the description of this book I was expecting PTA Mum drama but I got a whole lot more… and not in a good way.
These characters (minus one) are horrible. They are nasty, racist, liars who have no morals, all because they are afraid to stand up to one lady.
And the way this book ended, with essentially one of the ladies being set up to be sexually assaulted, is not okay. I’m baffled
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review and advanced copy of this novel
May 9, 2022
I opted to read this book on Netgalley because I love a good mean mommy read, especially as I get close to summer break. I, as always, will not leave any spoilers or simply provide a plot synopsis. I liked this book, and I want to give you a chance to read it as well.
The story is told from the perspectives of four frenemies, all moms in the clique. (With the exception of an additional narrator at the end.) The narrators are identified by their titles within the clique, but, as their true selves come out, they are referred to by name. Each narrator is distinct, and all narrators offer their particular spins on each event, which also makes the reader less likely to trust any one of them because their perspectives are sometimes skewed!
It's a light read, with characters you love to hate, especially the Queen Bee. The catty behavior is, unfortunately, too common with women of all ages. I enjoyed this book because of the quick moving plot and the resolution of the story.
The story is told from the perspectives of four frenemies, all moms in the clique. (With the exception of an additional narrator at the end.) The narrators are identified by their titles within the clique, but, as their true selves come out, they are referred to by name. Each narrator is distinct, and all narrators offer their particular spins on each event, which also makes the reader less likely to trust any one of them because their perspectives are sometimes skewed!
It's a light read, with characters you love to hate, especially the Queen Bee. The catty behavior is, unfortunately, too common with women of all ages. I enjoyed this book because of the quick moving plot and the resolution of the story.
July 10, 2022
What in the world did I just read? I understand there are moms out there that are so superficial they think their world revolves around their social children's school lives but this was bordering on insane. The women have no respect for themselves, let alone their families and so called "friends". I sympathized with Beth trying to let her children fit in with other kids at school by using the kids at the bus stop as a buffer. Even so, Elise was a wannabe and literally lived for the drama of her life.
Elise's expectations to stay perfect so her husband won't cheat and yet she can't even trust him because he is such a go-getter to clearly hook other women into his charm is just so cringeworthy. Don't even get me started about the pool party. I honestly felt like this book did nothing to improve literature in general or the book community as a whole.
Some of the characters also do NOT respect their children's bodies and try to count calories so they will not gain weight, all very unhealthy to me to bring this up and continue to glorify it. I am also not sure what the author's intent was to write this. Did she go through something similar and wanted to talk about the group of moms that did her wrong? Maybe she could have written about how the moms ended up learning their lessons sooner rather than later or at least let their guards down once they learn about Beth's mother's situation and the fact that she has a lot going on moving back to her childhood town to become a caretaker. Maybe those ladies in her group could have seen themselves and looked within themselves to really find compassion for other people, but I just did not want to get through this garbage of a plot.
There were so many grammatical errors too near the beginning, it was all so cringe and I cannot recommend this book at all, to anyone! I pray Barbara is given another chance at writing another book with more depth and possibly not about mom social circles. I am leaving my honest review in exchange for an ARC, thanks to Net Galley, Barbara Altamirano and BooksGoSocial.
Elise's expectations to stay perfect so her husband won't cheat and yet she can't even trust him because he is such a go-getter to clearly hook other women into his charm is just so cringeworthy. Don't even get me started about the pool party. I honestly felt like this book did nothing to improve literature in general or the book community as a whole.
Some of the characters also do NOT respect their children's bodies and try to count calories so they will not gain weight, all very unhealthy to me to bring this up and continue to glorify it. I am also not sure what the author's intent was to write this. Did she go through something similar and wanted to talk about the group of moms that did her wrong? Maybe she could have written about how the moms ended up learning their lessons sooner rather than later or at least let their guards down once they learn about Beth's mother's situation and the fact that she has a lot going on moving back to her childhood town to become a caretaker. Maybe those ladies in her group could have seen themselves and looked within themselves to really find compassion for other people, but I just did not want to get through this garbage of a plot.
There were so many grammatical errors too near the beginning, it was all so cringe and I cannot recommend this book at all, to anyone! I pray Barbara is given another chance at writing another book with more depth and possibly not about mom social circles. I am leaving my honest review in exchange for an ARC, thanks to Net Galley, Barbara Altamirano and BooksGoSocial.
May 13, 2022
As a brand new first time mom, a military wife/mom at that, this book hit me in a very special spot I didn't even know I had! It was relatable on a level that I have never felt before and I Could. Not. Put. It. Down!
The Mommy Clique exposes the "queen bee and her court" moms of the town in such a hilarious, relatable and brutal way. When a new mom comes to town they pounce, trying to put her in her place, expecting her to either submit to or join their court, but much to the queens chagrin, "New mom" is much more resilient than she seems.
"New Mom" is Beth, who has returned with her husband and three kids to Connecticut from Texas due to her mother's declining health. Beth must prove her worth, even though she knows she doesn't need to, but wanting to come on good terms with the parents of the girls her daughter goes to school with takes precedence over her personal virtues. We watch Beth find herself among the very people who are devoted to breaking her. Among the other moms, we watch the struggle between being the mothers they want to be and also being the towns popular women, the ones who are most likely to get favors, the ones who's husbands will get a promotion first, the ones who everyone else wants to be (or so they think).
This book is like watching a gossip comedy/drama! It is such a fun read, it will pair perfectly with a bubbly glass of wine and popcorn and a lawn chair, or if wine isn't to your liking it is definitely a tea sipper, because let me tell you, so much tea is spilled in The Mommy Clique!
I very much recommend this read to any woman who love some good drama!
Read my full review on my blog, Reading onCoffee text
The Mommy Clique exposes the "queen bee and her court" moms of the town in such a hilarious, relatable and brutal way. When a new mom comes to town they pounce, trying to put her in her place, expecting her to either submit to or join their court, but much to the queens chagrin, "New mom" is much more resilient than she seems.
"New Mom" is Beth, who has returned with her husband and three kids to Connecticut from Texas due to her mother's declining health. Beth must prove her worth, even though she knows she doesn't need to, but wanting to come on good terms with the parents of the girls her daughter goes to school with takes precedence over her personal virtues. We watch Beth find herself among the very people who are devoted to breaking her. Among the other moms, we watch the struggle between being the mothers they want to be and also being the towns popular women, the ones who are most likely to get favors, the ones who's husbands will get a promotion first, the ones who everyone else wants to be (or so they think).
This book is like watching a gossip comedy/drama! It is such a fun read, it will pair perfectly with a bubbly glass of wine and popcorn and a lawn chair, or if wine isn't to your liking it is definitely a tea sipper, because let me tell you, so much tea is spilled in The Mommy Clique!
I very much recommend this read to any woman who love some good drama!
Read my full review on my blog, Reading onCoffee text
July 4, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
So, this is Mean Girls, but with moms.
I was a huge fan of Mean Girls and watched the movie several times. Regina George was like a role model for some people, many wanted to be her. The same here with Elise. She is the main MG in this book and this is her clique. Intrigues, twisted games, and betrayals - it is all there.
Meet Elise, Ronnie, Gail, and Kelly. A tight group of "friends", where everyone has her own motive to stay in the clique. It is all nice and calm until a new mom appears at the school bus stop one day. Then the well-known process of 5 "i"s is set in motion - "ignore, insult, intimidate, interrogate, and, finally, if she chose to, initiate". But does the newbie want to be initiated and where would her choice lead everyone?
What I liked:
1. the characters. All the characters are described well and the author gives enough information about them to form an opinion. In fact, the story is told from the perspective of all five women, how every one of them sees the situation, what they feel, what choices they make, and why. This was a great way to tell the story like that because it gave more depth and understanding of the characters and their behavior.
2. the dynamics. The story moved quickly and intensely, there were no slacks in the plot, which made the book gripping and entertaining. And the final twist just blew me away, because who in their right mind would ever even think to take part in what Elise suggested. There were so many twisted game moments, that while reading, I frequently thought to myself - what would I do in a situation like this? And honestly, I don't know, I just hope nothing like that would ever happen to me - I'm too old for this 😄
3. the story. It is interesting and thought-provoking. I believe there are always people who are stuck in their ways and think that it is the only right path - they don't change, have firm beliefs and try to force their ways onto everyone around them, because it's their "comfort zone". And often people around them give in and follow the rules, but sometimes there is this one non-conformist who will break everything down. And this is just how life is. Too bad Elise forgot about that 😄 Call me cold-hearted, but in the end, I didn't feel sorry for her.
The only thing that bothered me, and this is why I gave the book 4 stars, is that the author did not show me enough of why all the moms were afraid of Elise, and what power she held over them. It's like they just knew they have to obey and please her because she could do something horrible, but what exactly - remained a mystery to me. It would have been great for me to see some back story, where Elise destroyed some poor woman and now everyone knows what she is capable of.
All in all, great book, I really enjoyed it and would definitely like to read other books by the author.
So, this is Mean Girls, but with moms.
I was a huge fan of Mean Girls and watched the movie several times. Regina George was like a role model for some people, many wanted to be her. The same here with Elise. She is the main MG in this book and this is her clique. Intrigues, twisted games, and betrayals - it is all there.
Meet Elise, Ronnie, Gail, and Kelly. A tight group of "friends", where everyone has her own motive to stay in the clique. It is all nice and calm until a new mom appears at the school bus stop one day. Then the well-known process of 5 "i"s is set in motion - "ignore, insult, intimidate, interrogate, and, finally, if she chose to, initiate". But does the newbie want to be initiated and where would her choice lead everyone?
What I liked:
1. the characters. All the characters are described well and the author gives enough information about them to form an opinion. In fact, the story is told from the perspective of all five women, how every one of them sees the situation, what they feel, what choices they make, and why. This was a great way to tell the story like that because it gave more depth and understanding of the characters and their behavior.
2. the dynamics. The story moved quickly and intensely, there were no slacks in the plot, which made the book gripping and entertaining. And the final twist just blew me away, because who in their right mind would ever even think to take part in what Elise suggested. There were so many twisted game moments, that while reading, I frequently thought to myself - what would I do in a situation like this? And honestly, I don't know, I just hope nothing like that would ever happen to me - I'm too old for this 😄
3. the story. It is interesting and thought-provoking. I believe there are always people who are stuck in their ways and think that it is the only right path - they don't change, have firm beliefs and try to force their ways onto everyone around them, because it's their "comfort zone". And often people around them give in and follow the rules, but sometimes there is this one non-conformist who will break everything down. And this is just how life is. Too bad Elise forgot about that 😄 Call me cold-hearted, but in the end, I didn't feel sorry for her.
The only thing that bothered me, and this is why I gave the book 4 stars, is that the author did not show me enough of why all the moms were afraid of Elise, and what power she held over them. It's like they just knew they have to obey and please her because she could do something horrible, but what exactly - remained a mystery to me. It would have been great for me to see some back story, where Elise destroyed some poor woman and now everyone knows what she is capable of.
All in all, great book, I really enjoyed it and would definitely like to read other books by the author.
June 11, 2022
We all know about the infamous cliques from school, but think about how much worse they can be when they’re adult mothers. There’s the wannabe - the one who wants so desperately to be the queen bee herself, the informer - the one who collects the dirt on everyone, the sidekick - that’s the queen bees right hand man, a position the others are jealous of but don’t voice this, the target - the one that everyone is trying to take down, specifically to appease the queen bee, and the queen bee herself - the ringleader, the one everyone praises and follows no matter what their personal feelings are. Just how much can any of them actually take before they break?
Thank you Netgalley, Barbara Altamirano and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read and review this book. To be honest, I had a hard time stomaching this book. I know it was not real, but I couldn’t stand to see how ruthless and conniving these women were! It made me so nauseous because I know that unfortunately, there are people out there really like this. I think what bothered me the most is the fact that this book is listed as Humor. Really? How can bullying and harassment be constituted as humor? That should DEFINITELY not be a word that’s used in describing this book. Though I was a little relieved with the ending, I just don’t know if I could ever read this book again. Maybe it’s because as I said, it bothers me that this is listed as a humorous book. In any case, I don’t want anyone to take my opinion and shun the book just because I am so sensitive towards the brutality of this book. Be advised there are a few triggers, mainly bullying, harassing, and sexual assault. I don’t like to leave bad reviews, and I am basing my rating on both the main storyline and how it made me feel, as well as the way the writing was. I’m rating this ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you Netgalley, Barbara Altamirano and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read and review this book. To be honest, I had a hard time stomaching this book. I know it was not real, but I couldn’t stand to see how ruthless and conniving these women were! It made me so nauseous because I know that unfortunately, there are people out there really like this. I think what bothered me the most is the fact that this book is listed as Humor. Really? How can bullying and harassment be constituted as humor? That should DEFINITELY not be a word that’s used in describing this book. Though I was a little relieved with the ending, I just don’t know if I could ever read this book again. Maybe it’s because as I said, it bothers me that this is listed as a humorous book. In any case, I don’t want anyone to take my opinion and shun the book just because I am so sensitive towards the brutality of this book. Be advised there are a few triggers, mainly bullying, harassing, and sexual assault. I don’t like to leave bad reviews, and I am basing my rating on both the main storyline and how it made me feel, as well as the way the writing was. I’m rating this ⭐️⭐️💫
June 24, 2022
Beth moves back to her home town in Connecticut to care for her mother. While looking to fit in with the new mom’s she finds her self becoming the target in the mommy clique at the bus stop. Will Beth remain the “Target” or will she show up the “Queen Bee”?
The Mommy Clique written by Barbara Altamirano is the mommy version of mean girls. The amount of back stabbing, manipulative, catty behavior was over rated. The gossip, betrayal, and fake friendships is something I would expect in teenagers but not in grown adults. What type of behavior were they teaching their young children?
I immediately began to dislike the main character when she commented on her teen daughters weight. And disliked her even more when she made degrading racial remarks on another members husband. Although the main character was highly toxic the other characters were more enjoyable to some extent.
The overall plot was good and there were portions of the story that were humorous with actual meaning to the storyline. The story did have an unexpected ending with plot twists. Each chapter was told from the perspective of a different character. As the story went on the names changed to fit their role. This made it hard to follow along with who was saying and doing what. At times I found myself rereading to make sense of what was happening.
Although there were many pros and cons to this book, it wasn’t enough to prevent me from recommending it to others. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Mommy Clique. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger Warnings: bullying, sexual
The Mommy Clique written by Barbara Altamirano is the mommy version of mean girls. The amount of back stabbing, manipulative, catty behavior was over rated. The gossip, betrayal, and fake friendships is something I would expect in teenagers but not in grown adults. What type of behavior were they teaching their young children?
I immediately began to dislike the main character when she commented on her teen daughters weight. And disliked her even more when she made degrading racial remarks on another members husband. Although the main character was highly toxic the other characters were more enjoyable to some extent.
The overall plot was good and there were portions of the story that were humorous with actual meaning to the storyline. The story did have an unexpected ending with plot twists. Each chapter was told from the perspective of a different character. As the story went on the names changed to fit their role. This made it hard to follow along with who was saying and doing what. At times I found myself rereading to make sense of what was happening.
Although there were many pros and cons to this book, it wasn’t enough to prevent me from recommending it to others. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Mommy Clique. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger Warnings: bullying, sexual
May 11, 2022
Would you do what it would take to ‘fit in’ with other moms? According to the group of mom’s in this book, they would do a lot. Go through the ups and downs of getting initiated into a group of moms and that will take things way too far. Pranks on the newbie are the biggest strength.
While I enjoyed this book as I’m a mom and have kind of been in the situation before, it was very hard to keep track of what was going on. This book is written in the view of the five moms in the group. It starts out with naming each view with the mom’s name, then you find out what kind of person each mom is and then the rest of the book uses the name of the kind of person the mom is. So if you don’t remember those names, then you’re trying to figure out which mom you’re in the whole time you’re reading the section. It is captivating to see all the different points of view, but it’s just hard to keep track of.
Also, there’s some sentences that aren’t worded correctly, which took me a minute to get past because I wasn’t sure what was trying to be said. That isn’t a huge deal in my view as there are humans reviewing the books, but it was kind of a put down.
Overall, I loved the plot and actual story of the book. It was just a difficult read due to the many different POV’s.
While I enjoyed this book as I’m a mom and have kind of been in the situation before, it was very hard to keep track of what was going on. This book is written in the view of the five moms in the group. It starts out with naming each view with the mom’s name, then you find out what kind of person each mom is and then the rest of the book uses the name of the kind of person the mom is. So if you don’t remember those names, then you’re trying to figure out which mom you’re in the whole time you’re reading the section. It is captivating to see all the different points of view, but it’s just hard to keep track of.
Also, there’s some sentences that aren’t worded correctly, which took me a minute to get past because I wasn’t sure what was trying to be said. That isn’t a huge deal in my view as there are humans reviewing the books, but it was kind of a put down.
Overall, I loved the plot and actual story of the book. It was just a difficult read due to the many different POV’s.
February 3, 2026
The Mommy Clique is a tightly wound psychological drama that exposes the power structures lurking beneath suburban civility. Barbara Altamirano transforms familiar territory school drop-offs, manicured lawns, and polite smiles into a high-stakes social battleground where loyalty is currency and vulnerability is weaponized.
Each woman in the clique occupies a carefully defined role, and Altamirano is particularly effective at showing how those roles are maintained through fear, manipulation, and quiet cruelty. Elise’s dominance is chilling precisely because it feels plausible, while Beth’s desire to belong makes her slow realization all the more unsettling.
What elevates the novel beyond standard domestic drama is its sense of strategy. Conversations feel like chess moves. Alliances shift. Information becomes leverage. The tension builds not through spectacle, but through accumulation until the cost of conformity becomes impossible to ignore.
With its layered character dynamics and relentless pacing, The Mommy Clique will strongly appeal to readers who enjoy psychologically charged women’s fiction where the real danger isn’t a stranger but the people who smile at you every day.
Each woman in the clique occupies a carefully defined role, and Altamirano is particularly effective at showing how those roles are maintained through fear, manipulation, and quiet cruelty. Elise’s dominance is chilling precisely because it feels plausible, while Beth’s desire to belong makes her slow realization all the more unsettling.
What elevates the novel beyond standard domestic drama is its sense of strategy. Conversations feel like chess moves. Alliances shift. Information becomes leverage. The tension builds not through spectacle, but through accumulation until the cost of conformity becomes impossible to ignore.
With its layered character dynamics and relentless pacing, The Mommy Clique will strongly appeal to readers who enjoy psychologically charged women’s fiction where the real danger isn’t a stranger but the people who smile at you every day.
March 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial as well as the author for this ARC.
#NetGalley #BooksGoSocial #BarbaraAltamirano #TheMommyClique #Books #Fiction #Bookreview
Title: The Mommy Clique
Author: Barbera Altamirano
Publisher: BooksGoSocial
Publication Date: July 1, 2020
Themes: Parenting, Social dynamics, Human monsters, Prejudice, “Mean” girls
Trigger Warnings: “Mean” girls, bullying, sexual assault, racism
When I requested this book, I thought I was picking up a comedy. A light-hearted, comedy based schoolyard drama. I was wrong. While there are plenty of laughs here, this book was more of a mystery/drama. This is the story of Beth, who comes home to care for her elderly mother and finds herself the target of a mean Mom Clique.
This was as enjoyable a read as I thought it would be. Many moms, myself included, will find a lot of things to relate to. This book actually offers the POV of the mean moms, which is unusual. I found it interesting and even found myself feeling a little understanding of the bullies. This is the dramedy I didn’t know I needed.
#NetGalley #BooksGoSocial #BarbaraAltamirano #TheMommyClique #Books #Fiction #Bookreview
Title: The Mommy Clique
Author: Barbera Altamirano
Publisher: BooksGoSocial
Publication Date: July 1, 2020
Themes: Parenting, Social dynamics, Human monsters, Prejudice, “Mean” girls
Trigger Warnings: “Mean” girls, bullying, sexual assault, racism
When I requested this book, I thought I was picking up a comedy. A light-hearted, comedy based schoolyard drama. I was wrong. While there are plenty of laughs here, this book was more of a mystery/drama. This is the story of Beth, who comes home to care for her elderly mother and finds herself the target of a mean Mom Clique.
This was as enjoyable a read as I thought it would be. Many moms, myself included, will find a lot of things to relate to. This book actually offers the POV of the mean moms, which is unusual. I found it interesting and even found myself feeling a little understanding of the bullies. This is the dramedy I didn’t know I needed.
June 5, 2022
The Mommy Clique by Barbara Altamirano is a debut novel. It reminds me of Mean Girls but with adults. The characters are those that you love to hate. The Queen Bee is a narcissistic racist typical mean girl who I had a hard time connecting with. The others were followers and evil in their own ways. The only character in the book that I liked and felt I could relate with was the new mom or "the target" of the group. Even though this book was at times hard to read, I enjoyed the multiple points of view from each of the characters. I would recommend this book with a trigger warning for bullying and sexual assault.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2022
You know an author has done an excellent job at portraying her characters when you absolutely hate the main character because her true personality just shines through the facade. Its been a while since I've read a book where the main characters were so real and where I hated them so much.
Brilliant writing, although at times I got a bit confused as to who was narrating/talking and to whom, but a quick reread solved that problem. It was clever not to use the character's name in each chapter heading, just their description/evil identity.
Was a fun, quick (except when you had to put it down as someone annoyed you so much you needed time to chill) read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
Brilliant writing, although at times I got a bit confused as to who was narrating/talking and to whom, but a quick reread solved that problem. It was clever not to use the character's name in each chapter heading, just their description/evil identity.
Was a fun, quick (except when you had to put it down as someone annoyed you so much you needed time to chill) read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
June 23, 2022
I never imaged I'd enjoy a book full of unlikable characters! In fact, I almost quit early on because they're all so awful. But I stuck with it because I was curious about how it would pan out. It didn't go exactly as I'd hoped but it was definitely a wild ride.
These women are absolutely unbearable. When Beth moves back to her home town, she tries to befriend the other moms at the bus stop. The group is lead by their Queen bee, who is probably a psychopath. These women are "friends" yet they manipulate and back stab each other all the time.
There's some good humor here and the writing is solid. I recommend this one for readers of contemporary fiction.
I was gifted my copy of this book from the author, all opinions are my own.
These women are absolutely unbearable. When Beth moves back to her home town, she tries to befriend the other moms at the bus stop. The group is lead by their Queen bee, who is probably a psychopath. These women are "friends" yet they manipulate and back stab each other all the time.
There's some good humor here and the writing is solid. I recommend this one for readers of contemporary fiction.
I was gifted my copy of this book from the author, all opinions are my own.
July 8, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Go Social Books for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly speaking, this book just wasn’t for me. These women were just mean, manipulative, vain and just plain toxic.
As soon as Elise thought that her daughter, who happens to be in 5th grade, looked a little too “curvy” and that she should probably cook up something out of a diet cookbook, I lost all interest.
I pushed through it though, hoping that somehow it would get better but sadly it didn’t. the way these women acted was just so wrong, they were setting such bad examples for their daughters.
Poor Beth and her daughter were treated like rubbish for no reason at all.
I did not finish this book after reading about 5 chapters & just couldn’t go on.
Honestly speaking, this book just wasn’t for me. These women were just mean, manipulative, vain and just plain toxic.
As soon as Elise thought that her daughter, who happens to be in 5th grade, looked a little too “curvy” and that she should probably cook up something out of a diet cookbook, I lost all interest.
I pushed through it though, hoping that somehow it would get better but sadly it didn’t. the way these women acted was just so wrong, they were setting such bad examples for their daughters.
Poor Beth and her daughter were treated like rubbish for no reason at all.
I did not finish this book after reading about 5 chapters & just couldn’t go on.
July 30, 2022
Beth moves back to her hometown to take care of her ailing mother. She has no idea what else she is getting into. Elise is a mom who basically all the other mothers flock to - they gossip and do whatever they have to to be a part of Elise’s clique.
As a mom of school-age children, this was one that hit close to home. I have seen the stereotypical “perfect mom” that all the others flock to, and I know what it’s like to just want to fit in - not just for yourself but for your children as well. It was interesting to see all the moms involved in this “clique” and their insecurities brought to light.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!
As a mom of school-age children, this was one that hit close to home. I have seen the stereotypical “perfect mom” that all the others flock to, and I know what it’s like to just want to fit in - not just for yourself but for your children as well. It was interesting to see all the moms involved in this “clique” and their insecurities brought to light.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!
May 20, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for this book.
The book itself reminded me of a mix of Mean Girls grow up and Desperate Housewives. At times the story was intriguing and I was interested to see how they would stand up to the “Queen Bee” mom but it also felt very toxic and forced. What adult female would actually stick around and be treated this way.
The writing was good but at times the references or jokes seemed out of place or forced.
It would be an interesting read for a group of friends as it would lead to good conversation surrounding “what would you do” mentality.
The book itself reminded me of a mix of Mean Girls grow up and Desperate Housewives. At times the story was intriguing and I was interested to see how they would stand up to the “Queen Bee” mom but it also felt very toxic and forced. What adult female would actually stick around and be treated this way.
The writing was good but at times the references or jokes seemed out of place or forced.
It would be an interesting read for a group of friends as it would lead to good conversation surrounding “what would you do” mentality.
June 3, 2022
ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
This book is about vapid, shallow and horrible women that single out a new mother in town. The book centers around an evil queen bee and her followers and they act like her word is golden. Queen bee's hubby cheats on her and sexually assaults the new mother of the group. The other mothers act so brainwashed and afraid to cross the queen bee mom. This story was horrible and I hated the characters. Also I need to mention that a middle school aged girl gives oral sex to a high school boy to spite her mother. Just no.
This book is about vapid, shallow and horrible women that single out a new mother in town. The book centers around an evil queen bee and her followers and they act like her word is golden. Queen bee's hubby cheats on her and sexually assaults the new mother of the group. The other mothers act so brainwashed and afraid to cross the queen bee mom. This story was horrible and I hated the characters. Also I need to mention that a middle school aged girl gives oral sex to a high school boy to spite her mother. Just no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
**ARC Review**
I almost DNFed this book within the first few paragraphs. I stuck with it, and while it did keep me entertained, the characters weren't likable. There are trigger warnings of sexual assault, which I was not expecting from this book. This book reminds of the Mean Girls once they are grown up. Elise thrives off of being the leader and humiliating others. Reading this book made me thankful to not have friends like this. Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara Altamirano, and Atmosphere Press for allowing me to review this book.
I almost DNFed this book within the first few paragraphs. I stuck with it, and while it did keep me entertained, the characters weren't likable. There are trigger warnings of sexual assault, which I was not expecting from this book. This book reminds of the Mean Girls once they are grown up. Elise thrives off of being the leader and humiliating others. Reading this book made me thankful to not have friends like this. Thank you to NetGalley, Barbara Altamirano, and Atmosphere Press for allowing me to review this book.
May 12, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.
Confusing with multiple points of view and mom types. I also couldn’t get past the toxic nature of some of the characters.
Confusing with multiple points of view and mom types. I also couldn’t get past the toxic nature of some of the characters.
June 23, 2022
#netgalley #themommyclique I had a hard time getting into this book as I found it a bit confusing keeping up with who was who and I found all the characters unlikeable. I did enjoy the humour in the story and laughed out loud a few times.
February 22, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.
Confusing with multiple points of view and mom types. I also couldn’t get past the toxic nature of some of the characters.
Confusing with multiple points of view and mom types. I also couldn’t get past the toxic nature of some of the characters.
May 22, 2022
Reviewed for NetGalley:
I really could not get into this book.
As soon as the Queen Bee Elise discussed putting her young daughter on a diet, I checked out and couldn’t force myself any further.
I really could not get into this book.
As soon as the Queen Bee Elise discussed putting her young daughter on a diet, I checked out and couldn’t force myself any further.
August 21, 2022
I couldn’t get into this. The characters were just too mean too highschool. Thanks to NetGalley but not for me
June 9, 2022
*I received an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review*
4 women, 1 clique, 1 newbie target. To be honest I didn't like this book at all and only finished it in the hope that the ending would save it, it didn't. It was a quick story of the women and why they were in the group, and what happens if you "disobey" the queen and in the end what happened to the queen. It was badly written with no plot twists or page turning quality. I like books to have a bit of substance but this was just general "air head" content. Not for me and not really what I expected after reading the synopsis.
4 women, 1 clique, 1 newbie target. To be honest I didn't like this book at all and only finished it in the hope that the ending would save it, it didn't. It was a quick story of the women and why they were in the group, and what happens if you "disobey" the queen and in the end what happened to the queen. It was badly written with no plot twists or page turning quality. I like books to have a bit of substance but this was just general "air head" content. Not for me and not really what I expected after reading the synopsis.
October 16, 2022
Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology.blogspot.com/2022/...
Elise is the queen bee of the Mommy clique. Kelly is her right hand, sycophantic and ingratiating. Ronnie has no place in this adult version of high school, though she has made herself quite comfortable by gleaning secrets about the others. Gail is the wannabe, never at ease with herself.
When Beth returns to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her sick mother, along with her husband and three children, she is lonely. Despite herself, she feels drawn to the Mommy clique, consisting of Elise, Kelly, Ronnie and Gail.
What follows is a series of pranks, all designed as part of a bizarre initiation. Because Elise has decided that Beth is to be the target.
I thought it would have been better if we had been introduced to Beth before the other characters. Beth is the protagonist in this grown-up drama; we should have had an opportunity to bond with her first. Instead we meet her after we get to know the other four women.
I couldn’t relate to any of the characters. They were selfish and cold. All in all, there’s too much drama at a school bus stop. It was for the most part meaningless and confusing. I couldn’t see why anyone would want to put up with it.
The writing was tepid and indistinguishable from one PoV to another. It’s hard to keep track of whose PoV it is. As if there wasn’t enough confusion for the reader from five PoVs in Chapter 1, the author decides to hand out titles and then refer to chapter names using the titles, from Chapter 2.
As the book picked up steam, it got better and the voices became distinct, but I still couldn’t imagine grown women behaving like this.
Going by the title, I had assumed that the book would be about the rivalry in the PTA. This was just too unreal.
The ending was particularly disturbing. In a world in which sexual assault and rape are justified because the woman “was asking for it,” or “deserved it,” the final resolution smacked of insensitivity and cruelty.
Elise is the queen bee of the Mommy clique. Kelly is her right hand, sycophantic and ingratiating. Ronnie has no place in this adult version of high school, though she has made herself quite comfortable by gleaning secrets about the others. Gail is the wannabe, never at ease with herself.
When Beth returns to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her sick mother, along with her husband and three children, she is lonely. Despite herself, she feels drawn to the Mommy clique, consisting of Elise, Kelly, Ronnie and Gail.
What follows is a series of pranks, all designed as part of a bizarre initiation. Because Elise has decided that Beth is to be the target.
I thought it would have been better if we had been introduced to Beth before the other characters. Beth is the protagonist in this grown-up drama; we should have had an opportunity to bond with her first. Instead we meet her after we get to know the other four women.
I couldn’t relate to any of the characters. They were selfish and cold. All in all, there’s too much drama at a school bus stop. It was for the most part meaningless and confusing. I couldn’t see why anyone would want to put up with it.
The writing was tepid and indistinguishable from one PoV to another. It’s hard to keep track of whose PoV it is. As if there wasn’t enough confusion for the reader from five PoVs in Chapter 1, the author decides to hand out titles and then refer to chapter names using the titles, from Chapter 2.
As the book picked up steam, it got better and the voices became distinct, but I still couldn’t imagine grown women behaving like this.
Going by the title, I had assumed that the book would be about the rivalry in the PTA. This was just too unreal.
The ending was particularly disturbing. In a world in which sexual assault and rape are justified because the woman “was asking for it,” or “deserved it,” the final resolution smacked of insensitivity and cruelty.
July 27, 2022
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I honestly can't believe how bad this book was. These women are suppose to be grown adults in their 30's and they act so horrible and awful that it is just plain evil. This book made me extremely uncomfortable and let's just throw in some woke why we are at it. This book to me would have been perfect if it was a bunch of middle schoolers not grown women with children. I didn't like an characters in this book. So it was an absolute no for me.
October 24, 2020
It will keep you interested until the very last page
Be ready for mean girls and their relational bullying! Each character tells the tale from her point of view, what she dishes out and what she endures. Uniquely written.
Be ready for mean girls and their relational bullying! Each character tells the tale from her point of view, what she dishes out and what she endures. Uniquely written.
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