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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Thank you to NetGalley, Nikki Erlick, and William Morrow for the advanced copy of this beautiful story.
Release Date: June 17, 2025
This was my very first read by Nikki Erlick, and what a powerful introduction. I went into The Poppy Fields curious about the idea of healing—and came out feeling deeply moved. This book feels like a gentle hand on the shoulder, a quiet reminder that we’re never alone in our grief.
The premise is quietly magical: there’s a place where broken hearts go to rest. A mysterious field where, after a long sleep, healing is promised. It sounds like something out of a dream—and maybe, it is. Four strangers, each carrying deep emotional wounds, set out on a journey to find this place. Alongside them? A dog that, like the humans, has its own silent sorrow.
Grief shows up differently for each of them, but their ache is familiar. And honest. This isn’t the kind of story that gives you quick fixes or perfect answers. It asks big questions instead:
Can we ever truly recover from loss? And what are we willing to risk for the chance to feel whole again?
One line in particular felt like a whisper straight to the heart:
“Poppies are a ruderal species, which means that they grow from the rubble. If something so spectacular can still blossom in even the most disturbed earth, then doesn’t that mean there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal?”
It’s breathtaking. And it captures the soul of the book in just a few words.
I loved every character and the stories they carried. Some parts were soft and comforting, others cracked me open in quiet ways. Erlick writes with empathy and grace—never rushing the pain, but always making room for the possibility of light.
The Poppy Fields isn’t just about grief. It’s about resilience, connection, and how healing is rarely a straight line—but it is possible. And we don’t have to do it alone.
I truly loved this book. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
Release Date: June 17, 2025
This was my very first read by Nikki Erlick, and what a powerful introduction. I went into The Poppy Fields curious about the idea of healing—and came out feeling deeply moved. This book feels like a gentle hand on the shoulder, a quiet reminder that we’re never alone in our grief.
The premise is quietly magical: there’s a place where broken hearts go to rest. A mysterious field where, after a long sleep, healing is promised. It sounds like something out of a dream—and maybe, it is. Four strangers, each carrying deep emotional wounds, set out on a journey to find this place. Alongside them? A dog that, like the humans, has its own silent sorrow.
Grief shows up differently for each of them, but their ache is familiar. And honest. This isn’t the kind of story that gives you quick fixes or perfect answers. It asks big questions instead:
Can we ever truly recover from loss? And what are we willing to risk for the chance to feel whole again?
One line in particular felt like a whisper straight to the heart:
“Poppies are a ruderal species, which means that they grow from the rubble. If something so spectacular can still blossom in even the most disturbed earth, then doesn’t that mean there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal?”
It’s breathtaking. And it captures the soul of the book in just a few words.
I loved every character and the stories they carried. Some parts were soft and comforting, others cracked me open in quiet ways. Erlick writes with empathy and grace—never rushing the pain, but always making room for the possibility of light.
The Poppy Fields isn’t just about grief. It’s about resilience, connection, and how healing is rarely a straight line—but it is possible. And we don’t have to do it alone.
I truly loved this book. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Speculative fiction meets a heartfelt exploration of grief, loss, and love. The Poppy Fields has officially bumped Nikki Erlick’s first book, The Measure, up my TBR!
The Poppy Fields follows three people on their way for different reasons to The Poppy Fields, a radical treatment center where grieving people sleep for 1-2 months after loss. The catch is some people wake up apathetic to their lost loved one.
I found Nikki Erlick’s writing style to be incredibly engaging, and I really connected with our three main characters, Ava, Sasha, and Ray. Ava who is going to find her sister had my favorite plot line, but I enjoyed all three.
The plot takes some interesting twists, and it’s crafted in a way that there are so many connections. But what blew me away was the beautiful quotes about grief, in particular the takeaway that grief is just another manifestation of love.
I loved this one and think it will be a fiction standout from this year!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
There are 5 characters to follow. Can you sleep away grief? How do people recover from a devastating loss?
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you have ever lost someone close to you, you'll know that the first year is the most difficult. Adjusting to a new reality without your loved one is really painful, and it takes time. These days of healing drag on when your heart is broken.
This book explores what could happen if we were able to sleep through that and wake up on the other side of grief.
The Poppy Fields is a scientific study of sleeping to heal grief. Applicants experiencing loss can be accepted into this program, be put into a medically induced coma and sleep for a month or so. When the patients wake up they are able to find acceptance. The only negative side effect found so far is that 1 in 4 patients awaken apathetic to the person they lost. So is it worth it? Would you heal your grief if there was a risk of losing the love?
This story is presented in different angles. We get perspective from the scientists who invented this program, hopeful applicants and prior patients of the Poppy Fields.
This was a really cool sci fi book that touches on heavy themes. This story hits a lot of the deep and innermost feelings of a grieving person. The small things that only someone who has lost will truly understand. It's about forgiving yourself and letting go of blame and guilt after loss. A super healing book to those who have had to face this part of life.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc, this was an amazing read.
This book explores what could happen if we were able to sleep through that and wake up on the other side of grief.
The Poppy Fields is a scientific study of sleeping to heal grief. Applicants experiencing loss can be accepted into this program, be put into a medically induced coma and sleep for a month or so. When the patients wake up they are able to find acceptance. The only negative side effect found so far is that 1 in 4 patients awaken apathetic to the person they lost. So is it worth it? Would you heal your grief if there was a risk of losing the love?
This story is presented in different angles. We get perspective from the scientists who invented this program, hopeful applicants and prior patients of the Poppy Fields.
This was a really cool sci fi book that touches on heavy themes. This story hits a lot of the deep and innermost feelings of a grieving person. The small things that only someone who has lost will truly understand. It's about forgiving yourself and letting go of blame and guilt after loss. A super healing book to those who have had to face this part of life.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc, this was an amazing read.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No