ARC Review: Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell
Author: Abbi Waxman
Publication: Berkley (April 16, 2024)

Description: Just when she thought she’d gotten far enough away . . . a life-changing phone call throws an antisocial scientist back into her least favorite place—the spotlight. A hilarious and insightful new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

After a tumultuous childhood, Christa Liddle has hidden away, both figuratively and literally. Happily studying sea snails in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Christa finds her tranquil existence thrown into chaos when her once-famous father—long thought dead after a plane crash—turns out to be alive, well, and ready to make amends. The world goes wild, fascinated by this real-life saga, pinning Christa and her family under the spotlight. As if that weren’t enough, her reunion with an old childhood friend reveals an intense physical attraction neither was expecting and both want to act on . . . if they can just keep a lid on it. When her father’s story starts to develop cracks, Christa fears she will lose herself, her potential relationship, and—most importantly—any chance of making it back to her snails before they forget her completely.

My Thoughts: This story was a wonderful combination of humorous and heart-warming. Christa Liddle has hidden herself away on an island in the Indian Ocean studying ocean snails. She grew up in the spotlight as the daughter of a TV presenter/naturalist who disappeared in Alaska when Christa was a toddler. 

Christa's mother kept the legend alive and furthered her husband's work by setting up a foundation to support conservation efforts which is what led to Christa's fame since she was brought along to publicity events and TV shows mainly to be cute and hold cute animals. In her teens she went a little wild drinking and using drugs until a traumatic event at one of her mother's benefits. Sent off to boarding school. Christa feel in love with zoology. 

But now her life in isolation comes to an abrupt end. The father who disappeared twenty-five years earlier has reappeared from the depths of Alaska. Christa, her two older sisters, and her mother have to deal with all the changes this makes in her life. For Christa, it brings out her fears that her youthful excesses will be brought up again. 

It also means a reunion with Nate who was a childhood friend of her older sisters and the object of Christa's crush. He was the one who saved her from more harm at the benefit. She doesn't know quite what to make of him now that she is seeing him through adult eyes. But they seem to be falling in love.

This was an excellent story. I laughed out loud more than one time as I was reading and I felt deeply for the confusion Christa feels about the reappearance of her missing father. 

Favorite Quote:

"I have no idea who you are, but thank you very much for the small pizzas." I looked at my mom and raided by eyebrows. "We haven't been introduced."

The man was tall, wearing a T-shirt, jeans and no shoes. He had one of those muscular bodies that look super casual yet probably take years of effort, and a face like a model for an outdoor-clothing company. He turned and looked at my mom too. Apparently, we were both raised in Regency England and needed a formal introduction.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Charlotte Isles Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel

Charlotte Isles Is Not a Detective
Author: Katie Siegel
Series: Not a Detective Mysteries
Publication: Kensington (June 27, 2023)

Description: For anyone seeking to satisfy their Harriet the Spy, Encyclopedia Brown, or Nancy Drew nostalgia, this charming, entertaining debut based on the popular @katiefliesaway TikTok series stars a twentysomething former kid detective who’s coaxed out of retirement for one last case.

The downside of being a famous child detective is that sooner or later, you have to grow up . . .

As a kid, Charlotte Illes’ uncanny sleuthing abilities made her a minor celebrity. But in high school, she hung up her detective’s hat and stashed away the signature blue landline in her “office”—aka garage—convinced that finding her adult purpose would be as easy as tracking down missing pudding cups or locating stolen diamonds.

Now twenty-five, Charlotte has a nagging fear that she hit her peak in middle school. She’s living with her mom, scrolling through job listings, and her love life consists mostly of first dates. When it comes to knowing what to do next, Charlotte hasn’t got a clue.

And then, her old blue phone rings . . .

Reluctantly, Charlotte is pulled back into the mystery-solving world she knew—just one more time. But that world is a whole lot more complicated for an adult. As a kid, she was able to crack the case and still get her homework done on time. Now she’s dealing with dead bodies, missing persons, and villains who actually see her as a viable threat. And the detective skills she was once so eager to never use again are the only things that can stop a killer ready to make sure her next retirement is permanent . . .

My Thoughts: Charlotte Illes is in a bit of a funk. She has recently lost her job in a call center and is at loose ends. She is distancing herself from her two best friends Gabe and Lucy and wondering why she can't get her life together. Both of her friends seem to be flourishing.

When she was a child, she had a reputation for being able to solve all sorts of mysteries but gave it up when she got older. She was sort of famous at the time for her exploits. She wants to put her mystery-solving past behind her but doesn't know what she is supposed to do next. 

When the brother she has ghosted calls and asks for her help because his girlfriend Olivia has been receiving some creepy notes, she reluctantly decides to help him. Her friend Lucy who used to be her mystery-solving sidekick decides to help her out and reconnect with her. 

It doesn't take Charlotte long to figure out that the mystery was a scam engineered by her brother and her friend to get her out of her bedroom and back into life. However, the fake mystery becomes a real one when Olivia's co-conspirator who had been playing the part of the villain really does disappear and both Charlotte and Olivia are attacked by muggers.

Enlisting the third of the best friend trio Gabe who wants to be a social influencer, the trio start looking into the company where Olivia works and discover that all is not well. There are rivalries and arguments and secrets being kept. 

This was an engaging story. I had some issues with Charlotte and wondered why she wanted to stop doing what had brought her so much pleasure as a child. She was an excellent problem solver and detective. It seemed like that would be an excellent career opportunity as an adult. She needed her friends' encouragement and support to see that she wasn't the failure she thought she was. 

This is also a modern story which throws in the current trend of sexual options. Charlotte is bisexual and her friend Gabe is trans. This is largely irrelevant to the plot of the story except that it begins with Charlotte at a speed dating event where she is meeting other women and rejecting them for being too fascinated with her childhood reputation. 

People who loved childhood detectives and wondered what their lives would be like when they hit adulthood will enjoy this story. 

Favorite Quote:

The beginning part of a mystery had always been her least favorite. It was like if, instead of being able to pour all the puzzle pieces out of a box and get to work, you had to go around and retrieve pieces from a bunch of different people. It got tiring, especially when people were giving you pieces you already had. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.