This is not a good audiobook. And I have two reasons for saying that. First off, it just doesn’t feel complete without the illustrations. At times it felt I was listening to a children’s book, at other times I felt listening to a sad autobiography slash self help book. Second off, the reader’s just… no. I didn’t like the voice, it lose strength and whispered and didn’t feel involved with what was happening at all. It had the same tone while talking about prom and while talking about the author’s father’s passing.

I know the illustrations of Katie Vaz and they’re beautiful, for which I know the book will be pretty, but I won’t ever read it and I can’t think whom I’d gift it to. Maybe it’s aimed at teens, because it has some good messages about making mistakes and not knowing stuff and feeling lost, but it also has messages such as “I’m glad I didn’t have sex in high school so I could remain innocent and now I can romanticize those years” and that’s definitely NOT something I endorse and I will never recommend a speech that could be interpreted as shaming girls for having sexual experiences.

Not even to plants lovers I could share this book with, because they’re in a second, or third plane, and even I, having had all kinds of plants and vegetables and flowers in my home for the last twenty years, could barely see myself reflected in some anecdotes.

The author clearly aimed for a memoir told by tiny splashes of flowers thought her life, but I feel her story would work better as a travel book.

My Life In Plants is a nostalgic memoir. In each chapter, Katie Vaz picks a flower, herb, or plant and tells a story about what the plant reminds her of. The memories are from childhood to high school and to adulthood.

I found My Life In Plants very interesting and enjoyable.

Taylor Meskimen did a good job narrating, and listening to the audiobook felt like listening to a friend.

Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Audio for My Life in Plants.

I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley.

I didn't expect to cry listening to a book about plants, but here we are!

Katie Vaz has a beautiful way with words. Her brief yet engaging chapters are part hilarious, part heartbreaking, and entirely relatable. As a cat-owned, perfectionism-fighting introvert, I often found myself wondering if she had telepathically stolen my thoughts and written them down.

I genuinely really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone, as long as you've got some tissues ready for a few sad tears but many more from laughter.

Though my home no longer resembles a jungle as it once did - active young kitties will do that! - this title grabbed my eye. It's a quick listen at only 1 hr 37 min, but well worth the time. Each short chapter includes a story from the author's life in connection with the plants mentioned. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised at the sometimes touching, sometimes funny stories and lessons she has learned along the way. It doesn't hurt that some stories also involved cats and later, a puppy. =) This would make a great gift for the plant lover in your life.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.