Book Review: Beast Mom

I was sent an arc of Beast Mom by Kim Imas and read it last week. This speculative fiction novel was so good!

Beast Mom follows Harriet or Harry as she is affectionately known to her friends and family. She is a full time working mother of 3 and wife to her college sweetheart. When the novel begins, the reader can immediately pick up on how busy Harry is and how she’s pulled in so many directions. She has to work, take care of her kids, go to PTA meetings (that seem to largely be run by a man who belittles the concerns of the women/moms in the meetings), go food shopping (multiple times to adhere to the precise healthy needs required by the daycare/pre-school her twins go to), and also find time to connect with her husband.

Soon, Harry starts to get this weird feeling. At first she thinks its this weird heartburn happing. Then, she notices this feeling is happening when she feels like she’s getting upset and on the verge of losing it. It’s not heartburn, she turns into a large monster with claws, horns, etc. The monster allows her to let off some of her steam and maybe teach those who are wronging her a lesson or two before she goes back to her normal, human body.

What does it all mean and can she control the monster? Soon, she learns other moms in her community are also going through some changes.

This book was so interesting, engaging, and also frustrating because parts of it are so relatable! I’m not a mom, though I hope to be one day, but I am a woman and I know what it feels like to be pulled in so many directions and still feel like either you’re not doing enough or that no one appreciates/takes in to account all that you’re doing. I also know what it’s like to feel like no one is listening to you or taking you seriously/thinks you’re silly or overreacting. It makes you want to pull your hair out!

The book was fantastic and does have a conclusion and doesn’t really have a cliffhanger, though parts of it are left open-ended so the author can definitely write a follow up. I actually messaged her and said that if she writes a second book I would eat it up! She replied and said that’s the plan! So I am hopeful for a sequel!

Beast Mom comes out on August 29!