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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Clever title! Christa is a scientist studying snails (get it? snails? shells?) in some remote location when she is forced to return home for some family drama. While I enjoyed the rabbit holes of science that Christa frequently pulled herself back from during the narration of this book, I still didn't feel she was as awkward of a science nerd as I think we were supposed to feel. I also wasn't a fan of the sex scene(s). They added nothing to the actual story and felt like someone told the author "but you must have a sex scene!" But, I continue to be an Abbi Waxman fan for her unique characters and offbeat situations.
Overall, Waxman books have been wildly uneven for me, so it should be no surprise that this one was not a winner. It’s just seems a little more disappointing when an author’s last book was a home run. The whole time I was reading this, I felt like I was riding down a really bumpy road and hanging on for dear life. I don’t know why I didn’t DNF—maybe a part of me was hoping she would turn it around.
I found the relationships very stop and start and unbelievable. I cannot stand when people start using endearments like baby after about one date like encounter, even if they’ve known each other for years. Many of the characters seemed like caricatures. Even ten years ago, would we have banished a girl to boarding school if she was sexually assaulted? I was confused as to why her assailant seemed to get off scot free, especially since there were witnesses. I’m also pretty sure there’s a glaring editing error in the last chapter where the wrong character’s name is used.
I found the relationships very stop and start and unbelievable. I cannot stand when people start using endearments like baby after about one date like encounter, even if they’ve known each other for years. Many of the characters seemed like caricatures. Even ten years ago, would we have banished a girl to boarding school if she was sexually assaulted? I was confused as to why her assailant seemed to get off scot free, especially since there were witnesses. I’m also pretty sure there’s a glaring editing error in the last chapter where the wrong character’s name is used.
A new Abbi Waxman never disappoints, and today her latest novel CHRISTA COMES OUT OF HER SHELL publishes. If you’re looking for something heartfelt with a bit of romance, this is your next read!
Dr. Christa Liddle would rather deal with snails than humans, if she’s honest.
She has a PhD in marine biology and has traveled to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where she can conduct her research on sea snails in peace. Her childhood was turbulent—she lost her father to a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. Jasper Liddle was a famous conservationist and explorer with a hit television show. Christa and her family had to live in the spotlight of public fascination with his death most of her life.
Christa relishes the solitude of her research, but everything in her world is upended once when it turns out her father is alive after all. If the world was interested in the mysterious death of the famed explorer, they are even more obsessed with the Liddle family now that he is alive!
Back at her family home, Christa is surrounded by the very same family drama that she tried to escape from. The press won’t leave them alone, digging into every secret and buried truth they can find. Christa feels like she’s trapped back in the same unhealthy relationships with her family that caused her to flee. To add to the emotions flooding back into Christa’s life, an old family friend Nate resurfaces, and their chemistry and attraction is undeniable.
When cracks begin to form in her father’s story, can Christa save her potential relationship and make it back to her snails before everything crashes around her?
The book has some raw themes—complicated family dynamics heightened by a media bonanza, and then getting to know the father Christa lost as a child. These feel like weighty topics, but the book doesn’t read as weighty to me at all. Nate and Christa have an adorable relationship blossoming in the book.
This truly is a story of a woman coming out of her shell, much like the very snails she spends most of her time with! Christa’s story will charm you!
Thank you Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Dr. Christa Liddle would rather deal with snails than humans, if she’s honest.
She has a PhD in marine biology and has traveled to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where she can conduct her research on sea snails in peace. Her childhood was turbulent—she lost her father to a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. Jasper Liddle was a famous conservationist and explorer with a hit television show. Christa and her family had to live in the spotlight of public fascination with his death most of her life.
Christa relishes the solitude of her research, but everything in her world is upended once when it turns out her father is alive after all. If the world was interested in the mysterious death of the famed explorer, they are even more obsessed with the Liddle family now that he is alive!
Back at her family home, Christa is surrounded by the very same family drama that she tried to escape from. The press won’t leave them alone, digging into every secret and buried truth they can find. Christa feels like she’s trapped back in the same unhealthy relationships with her family that caused her to flee. To add to the emotions flooding back into Christa’s life, an old family friend Nate resurfaces, and their chemistry and attraction is undeniable.
When cracks begin to form in her father’s story, can Christa save her potential relationship and make it back to her snails before everything crashes around her?
The book has some raw themes—complicated family dynamics heightened by a media bonanza, and then getting to know the father Christa lost as a child. These feel like weighty topics, but the book doesn’t read as weighty to me at all. Nate and Christa have an adorable relationship blossoming in the book.
This truly is a story of a woman coming out of her shell, much like the very snails she spends most of her time with! Christa’s story will charm you!
Thank you Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House for my copy. Opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
This was my first Waxman book and I was slightly underwhelmed. I get the humor but it didn't really hold my attention. I found this to feel really long and ultimately didn't really care or connect with the characters. The plot also seemed a bit out there and outlandish. I've had The Bookish Life of Nina Hill on my shelf for so long but I still want to give it a try since so many trusted reviewers loved that one but unfortunately, this was just an okay read for me.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman
Christa Liddle ran from a life where her famous father disappeared from her family when she was a toddler. Then her mother took over the spotlight, dragging Christa with her since she seemed able to endear crowds without even trying. Fast forward to mom moving on, Christa not handling her teen years well, and something really bad happening and Christa runs. That is, if you call running off to college and getting lots of degrees and her doctorate running. Now Christa studies snails on a far away island, living a very simple and publicity free life, communicating with family while not bothering to visit.
Then Christa's dad comes back from the dead although coming back from the dead might have been better than what he really comes back from. Christa has to go home, has to face cameras and reporters, and she has moments of enjoying the limelight again. But, she loves her career, her study of snails, and now has a love/hate relationship with her dad.
The highlight of going home to her family is that her childhood/teen crush on family friend, Nate, eight years her senior, is reignited. On the other hand that's a bad thing since Nate crushing back on Christa could make going back to her remote island too hard to do. But that's just one of the many problems that Christa and her family face as some shady stuff hits the fan and there is even talk of exposing the bad thing that happened to Christa long ago. Luckily most of the family has dipped their toe into therapy...they are going to need more therapy when everything comes out in the wash since there is some mighty dirty laundry about to get exposed.
Lots of witty quips from Christa's family, everyone is a comic and brainiac in their own way. Nate isn't so bad himself, more mellow but adoring, maybe just the personality that Christa needs to temper her rough edges. I prefer closed door romances but with this story the door is wide open so those who enjoy spicy will enjoy the spice that is delivered with this story.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
Christa Liddle ran from a life where her famous father disappeared from her family when she was a toddler. Then her mother took over the spotlight, dragging Christa with her since she seemed able to endear crowds without even trying. Fast forward to mom moving on, Christa not handling her teen years well, and something really bad happening and Christa runs. That is, if you call running off to college and getting lots of degrees and her doctorate running. Now Christa studies snails on a far away island, living a very simple and publicity free life, communicating with family while not bothering to visit.
Then Christa's dad comes back from the dead although coming back from the dead might have been better than what he really comes back from. Christa has to go home, has to face cameras and reporters, and she has moments of enjoying the limelight again. But, she loves her career, her study of snails, and now has a love/hate relationship with her dad.
The highlight of going home to her family is that her childhood/teen crush on family friend, Nate, eight years her senior, is reignited. On the other hand that's a bad thing since Nate crushing back on Christa could make going back to her remote island too hard to do. But that's just one of the many problems that Christa and her family face as some shady stuff hits the fan and there is even talk of exposing the bad thing that happened to Christa long ago. Luckily most of the family has dipped their toe into therapy...they are going to need more therapy when everything comes out in the wash since there is some mighty dirty laundry about to get exposed.
Lots of witty quips from Christa's family, everyone is a comic and brainiac in their own way. Nate isn't so bad himself, more mellow but adoring, maybe just the personality that Christa needs to temper her rough edges. I prefer closed door romances but with this story the door is wide open so those who enjoy spicy will enjoy the spice that is delivered with this story.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.