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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
This had none of the things that I love about Abbi Waxman’s other books. Mainly, this made me thankful for my family because none of these people seemed to be very nice to each other. And I found it so cringey that the love interests were calling each other baby after less than 24 hours of not even being in a relationship (although maybe that was just the way the audiobook narrator said it…either way, it was barfy). The carousel scene was adorable and more reminiscent of the kinds of moments I’ve enjoyed in the other books. I hope we just go back to the Nina Hill universe after this because I love that world.
2.75⭐️ rounded up
Waxman is a must-listen author for me because her books are so earnest and sweet, while also dealing with deeper themes or emotions. But this one went off the deep end a bit and was a little too silly/unrealistic. I kept listening because it wasn't horrible but it certainly was forgettable. The concept of the novel was what I enjoy about rom-coms, but the execution fell flat.
Waxman is a must-listen author for me because her books are so earnest and sweet, while also dealing with deeper themes or emotions. But this one went off the deep end a bit and was a little too silly/unrealistic. I kept listening because it wasn't horrible but it certainly was forgettable. The concept of the novel was what I enjoy about rom-coms, but the execution fell flat.
christa comes out of her shell...because christa is shy and also studying snails...i see what you did there.
if only this had more snails.
unfortunately this book was over the top ridiculous and utterly forced. it was filled with nonsense jokes, flat characters, an ill-advised romance, a made-up career, inconsistent characterization, villainous recurring extras, a child’s understanding of business, and a corny plot.
i didn’t have fun and in fact grew increasingly annoyed.
in spite of the title, christa is neither shy nor seemingly all that knowledgeable about snails. i would have appreciated either if it meant she either shut up for a minute or talked about shelled creatures instead of indulging in more of her infuriatingly quirky internal monologue.
but no luck.
bottom line: i don't know what just happened, but i didn't like it.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
if only this had more snails.
unfortunately this book was over the top ridiculous and utterly forced. it was filled with nonsense jokes, flat characters, an ill-advised romance, a made-up career, inconsistent characterization, villainous recurring extras, a child’s understanding of business, and a corny plot.
i didn’t have fun and in fact grew increasingly annoyed.
in spite of the title, christa is neither shy nor seemingly all that knowledgeable about snails. i would have appreciated either if it meant she either shut up for a minute or talked about shelled creatures instead of indulging in more of her infuriatingly quirky internal monologue.
but no luck.
bottom line: i don't know what just happened, but i didn't like it.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Abbi Waxman always creates characters I want to befriend and spaces I want to live in!
After growing up in the spotlight, Christa has chosen a quiet life as an adult studying sea snails in the Indian Ocean. Her world is turned upside-down when her father, a renowned naturalist and TV personality, appears to be alive and well 25 years after he was presumed dead in a plane crash. When Christa returns home to LA to see her long-lost father, she is thrust back into the public eye and grapples with her complicated relationships with her mother, sisters, and her messy past. To top it all off, she finds herself falling for their family friend, Nate.
As a nature lover who grew up watching The Crocodile Hunter, this book checked off all my boxes! There is a Steve Irwin-inspired character, family drama, animal facts in each chapter, heartwarming romance, and laugh-out-loud humor. I found Christa’s character fascinating and loved following her growth over the course of the story. Through the relationships with her mom and sisters, Waxman highlights the importance of therapy and communication to repair broken family dynamics. This was a really fun read with a unique plot and flawed, relatable characters. Highly recommend!
As a nature lover who grew up watching The Crocodile Hunter, this book checked off all my boxes! There is a Steve Irwin-inspired character, family drama, animal facts in each chapter, heartwarming romance, and laugh-out-loud humor. I found Christa’s character fascinating and loved following her growth over the course of the story. Through the relationships with her mom and sisters, Waxman highlights the importance of therapy and communication to repair broken family dynamics. This was a really fun read with a unique plot and flawed, relatable characters. Highly recommend!
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this advanced copy through the #BerkleyBesties program. All thoughts are my own.
This was my first book of Abbi Waxman's, but she has been on my radar for a while. I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read this book as I was surprised by how much I liked it!
Christa Liddle is the youngest daughter of Jasper Liddle, a famed zoologist that was the star of hit docu-series Jasper Liddle's Big World in the '90s. Her family was thrust into the spotlight when Jasper was lost and presumed dead after an airplane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. After a tumultuous childhood in Hollywood, Christa has retreated to a remote island in the Indian Ocean to focus on her scientific studies. But one day, Jasper appears out of thin air, alive and well after two decades, and Christa has to return home to have the spotlight on her and her family once again.
This was a pretty bingeable read. Imagine if Steve Irwin showed up alive after all this time and the insanity that would ensue, and you have this as a novel. I loved the Liddle women and their inability to put up with the shenanigans surrounding their family, but I especially loved the B plot of the romance between Christa and childhood friend Nate. It had just the right amount of romance where I wouldn't define this book as a romance book, but had enough to keep me interested in that subplot. Overall, I really enjoyed this concept of Christa figuratively "coming out of her shell" to embrace her role in her family after hiding away for so many years.
I definitely plan on picking up Abbi's backlist as well as keeping an eye out for any future releases!
This was my first book of Abbi Waxman's, but she has been on my radar for a while. I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read this book as I was surprised by how much I liked it!
Christa Liddle is the youngest daughter of Jasper Liddle, a famed zoologist that was the star of hit docu-series Jasper Liddle's Big World in the '90s. Her family was thrust into the spotlight when Jasper was lost and presumed dead after an airplane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. After a tumultuous childhood in Hollywood, Christa has retreated to a remote island in the Indian Ocean to focus on her scientific studies. But one day, Jasper appears out of thin air, alive and well after two decades, and Christa has to return home to have the spotlight on her and her family once again.
This was a pretty bingeable read. Imagine if Steve Irwin showed up alive after all this time and the insanity that would ensue, and you have this as a novel. I loved the Liddle women and their inability to put up with the shenanigans surrounding their family, but I especially loved the B plot of the romance between Christa and childhood friend Nate. It had just the right amount of romance where I wouldn't define this book as a romance book, but had enough to keep me interested in that subplot. Overall, I really enjoyed this concept of Christa figuratively "coming out of her shell" to embrace her role in her family after hiding away for so many years.
I definitely plan on picking up Abbi's backlist as well as keeping an eye out for any future releases!
2.75 ⭐️ not horrible & not great. kinda cringy / millennial puns at times… but I listened to it as an audiobook so maybe that made it worse for me.
The storyline about the dead/missing dad was way more interesting than the bland romance.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced