In ASTRID SEES ALL, Natalie Standiford tells the story of Phoebe, grieving daughter and estranged lover, who lives the heady brew of New York City in the early 80s, at its most glamorous and dangerous, full of possibility for glory and heartbreak. Drawn into a world of connections, money, power, and fame by her closest friend Carmen, Phoebe negotiates this strange world as Astrid, a beautiful visionary who creates stories in psychic readings as she comes to terms with her own dreams, losses, and self. This story drew me in and held me breathless, tearing through the pages as I explored a fascinating time and place with compelling and well-drawn characters, so vivid I felt I knew them. Ultimately, the story was about coming of age and finding yourself -= and doing so in a seductive world of the willfully and happily lost. I received an advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thanks NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Natalie Stradiford. This was not my favourite book at all. Set in '84, The book starts with the death of Pheobe father and the craziness of her mother. From there the book just made an unbelievable turn. It just seemed so forced to be a book that had it all. It surely tried but it failed. She gets back to New York for New Years it was just so crazy and unbelievable that I just wanted to stop reading it. The work had a lot of trigger warnings: drugs, kidnapping, sex and more. The book ended well but it was unbelievable more than it was enjoyable.

Thanks!

A story forged in a different decade. It looks at love, and loss. Expectations that parents have for their children and how they can disappoint each other. I love the parallels in ridiculousness that children that had grown up with plenty were rebelling and falling into so much that was bad because they wanted to be “free”.

This definitely catches my attention from Chapter 1 till the end. it have flawed but intriguing characters, unique and interesting setting. Poor choices, selfish reasons, I mean it's realistic if you ask me. Thank you Atria for my arc!

This was a definite whirlwind! It was a fast read and I mostly enjoyed it. I can understand the references to both Sweetbitter and books by Patti Smith but not sure I enjoyed it as either of those. That said, the pace was great, the characters were compelling and the setting felt authentic. I felt like I was in 1980s New York gallivanting around the gritty streets with these women. I also loved the ending!

Astrid Sees All comes out next week on April 6, 2021, and you can purchase HERE! I definitely recommend this one!

Slumber parties are the source of all childhood trauma.

This is not the type of book that would normally be tempted to read as it is a pretty dark and seedy story and the characters are a bit of a mess, I was, however, intrigued by the author’s 1960’s timeframe. I grew up in the same decade and got plenty of exposure to the old New York City in the days when Times Square was the home of con games, peep shows, prostitutes and drugs. I wanted to remind myself of what was happening during that turbulent time..

The author references the fashion, counterculture, music, political conflicts, excesses of sex, drugs and rock and roll. This book is full of nostalgia and hard knocks.

I enjoyed the writing style and most of the story. There are times things were outlandish. The events in the end were a bit much to believe, but I know part of it was based on real events in NYC. It was Phoebe's role in it that didn't seem possible. I never felt I knew the characters more than surface level. Overall it was a quick and interesting read

Set in 1984 in New York City, this is the story of Phoebe, a recent graduate, in search for a new adventure. Phoebe gets derailed by her Father’s death, but she makes it make to NYC just in time for New Years. This book has sex, drugs, adultery, kidnapping and more. It was a very messy book at times, but some how culminated to a decent ending. I personally found all the characters grating at times, and thought this is just too unbelievable. I think if this book is something you are on the fence about just skip it.

Thank you NetGalley And Atria Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off I would like to thank Atria Books and Natalie Standiford for not only providing me with an eARC of Astrid Sees All via Netgalley, but also sending along a stunning hardcover copy for review.
Astrid Sees All is a book that I don't think I would have ever picked up if I was browsing in a bookstore. This book is what I would describe as a literary thriller and I do not know that I have ever read anything like it. I went into this book not knowing anything about it, and I am so glad that I did. Astrid Sees All is a book that truly shows that if written well, you can root for and care deeply about unlikeable characters. Every single character in this book is deeply flawed and makes horrible choices, however, I was so invested in their stories and relationships. I think what was a true homerun for this book was the atmosphere. This book truly transported me to 1980's New York City. I read this book in one day and a big reason for that is because I felt like I was there. I felt like I was in a dirty apartment in the heart of the city along with these characters just trying to make it in the world. This was a great story with an intriguing mystery subplot that I highly recommend.

Astrid Sees All takes place in NYC in the early 1980s. Phoebe is a recent college grad, who is not sure what she wants to do with her life. She does know she wants to be friends with Carmen, a college classmate. Phoebe wants to associate with people who are famous or at least rich. However, she is also grieving the loss of her father whom she adored.

I enjoyed the writing style and most of the story. There are times things were outlandish. The events in the end were a bit much to believe, but I know part of it was based on real events in NYC. It was Phoebe's role in it that didn't seem possible. I never felt I knew the characters more than surface level. Overall it was a quick and interesting read.

If you enjoy references to 80s culture, stories in NYC, and studies of female friendships this is a good book for you. Look for it on April 6th when it hits shelves!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

College graduate, Phoebe, manages to survive in NYC without a decent job, a support system or a real place to live. She has an attachment to a friend from school, Carmen, a NYC native, but...I wish I could say there was a great story here. There are scenes that are good and bits and pieces of a larger story that might have been better if the characters were more engaging. There’s something about the tone of this tale that just did not connect for me. It felt more like a diary list of activities than a story with a plot. Some readers may enjoy the scene setting that is continuously gritty and harsh. I wished for more. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I loved period fiction that doesn't overtly feel like periods fiction. Astrid Sees All is a story about two friends navigating life in New York City in the 80’s. Astrid’s rise to fame by telling fortunes from old movie ticket stubs is genius. It makes me want to start this business myself!

I loved going along Phoebe’s journey to finding her identity, independence, and courage. The NYC setting is gritty yet glamorous. There is even some suspenseful tension as woman go missing.

Loved the setting, loved the characters, and loved the story! 5 stars all the way. Can’t wait for Natalie Standiford’s next one.

Thank you #netgalley and #AtriaBooks for an advanced copy of #AstridSeesAll in exchange for my honest opinion.

New York, 1984: 22 year old Phoebe Hayes is is one search of adventure. The recent death of her father has derailed her life and devastated her. Her mother wants her to stay In Baltimore to recoup however Phoebe has other plans. Phoebe wants to continue her glamorous life in NY trialing behind celebrities.

Phoebe and her best friend Carmen escape to East Village to surround themselves with troubled artists who party their pain away. Carmen takes care of her junkie poet boyfriend and Phoebe becomes Astrid the Star Girl telling futures for celebrities at a premier club.

When Phoebe betrays Carmen, Carmen disappears. Phoebe, desperate to find her descends into darkness. Will she be able to save Carmen and herself or will the streets get her ?

This is labeled as a thriller which , it is most definitely not. I feel like this is much more a coming of age story and how it feels to be a young person trying to find themselves after tragedy. Phoebe is literally gutted when her father dies. She moves away from home, cuts herself off her family and delves into a fantasy land of cocaine, disco naps and fortunes. She is desperate to become something and idolizes Carmen to the painful point of comparing herself and being disappointed. It’s also a story of love. She loved her father and Carmen so much. The ending is sad and left me feeling slightly disturbed for Phoebe. I did enjoy the time frame, the atmosphere and the writing style.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for my advance copy!

Pub Date 4/6

3.5/5 This book follows a pair of best friends in NYC in the 80s. They struggle with their friendship and their mutual obsession with the shallow life of drinking, drugs, and partying. The real highlight of this book is how Phoebe rebrands herself as Astrid the fortune teller and tells people's fortunes from movie ticket stubs. Other than that, it's a moving story of friendship, but also rather depressing.

This was an interesting book! It is based in the late 70's, early 80's in New York City. During that time it was all about the music, drugs and sex... especially for Phoebe. Phoebe is young, around 22/23 and trying to survive in the city. Phoebe gets some bad news and hurries home to Baltimore. Her Dad is sick and passes away. She stays as long as she can but New York is calling and she feels the need to get back and try to make it there. She hooks up with her friend Carmen and they get lost in the drug/art scene of that time. Phoebe gets a job telling fortunes at a club on New Years Eve. She tells fortunes by shaking a box of ticket stubs from movies she has seen, and uses those to tell her customers their "future". Phoebe calls herself Astrid the Star Girl and she turns what was supposed to be a one night gig into a more permanent job.

Phoebe continues to spiral out of control so much so that she hurts her friend Carmen and puts herself in harm's way. Phoebe has spent so much time running...running from her dad's death and running from herself, and finally she has her moment of clarity.

This book is New York of the 80's. From the people, JFK Jr., to the clubs and the drugs, it is just as gritty as it sounds. Good, fast read and sometimes you just need a gritty book! 3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC and hard copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

Coming of age historical fiction novel set in the bohemian New York of the 1980's, from the time when in the meatpacking district were actual meat warehouses. Phoebe, a very young woman from Baltimore, moves to the East Village with her friend Carmen, a native New Yorker. Both of them got lost in this decadent, self destructive ambiance. Here, during the wild nights at the nightclub Plutonium, Phoebe becomes Astrid, a peculiar fortune teller that can read the future on movie ticket stubs instead of Tarot cards.
One night, and due to a "bad batch", Carmen's boyfriend od'd and died. While Carmen is out of town attending her boyfriend's funeral, Phoebe seizes the opportunity and betrays her.
Sex, drugs and rock and roll abound in this book that is a journey to a time when success was measured in social interactions and the size of your entourage and the nights were a parade of Beatnicks and ItGirls.
It is a character driven story that exposes the inner transformation of a young, innocent girl in a being full of cynism and recklessness.
Towards the end, there's an interesting genre twist.
I really, really enjoyed this book. It's well written and the idea flawlessly executed

I think this book just missed the mark for me. I really liked the writing but the writing isn't my style. I really wanted to enjoy this book and get excited about it but this just didn't do it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut adult novel by Natalie Standiford. 3.5 stars.

Phoebe is desperate to become someone. After graduating college and landing in NYC, she hooks her wagon to a college friend, Carmen, who is the "it" girl of the moment. After Phoebe's dad dies, she is even more desperate to stay in the city and find her spot. Phoebe takes a job at an artsy club, working as Astrid, a fortune teller working with movie tickets instead of cards. Taking place in the early 1980s, Phoebe and Carmen flit from club to club, seeking the next high, with the celebrities of the day in the background.

This was just an okay read for me - my favorite part was Astrid's fortune telling with old movie titles. It was definitely a love letter to NYC in that era and you felt the grittiness of the city and its people. None of the characters are likable and it felt slow in spots. Touches on lots of topics - grief, friendship, loyalty, family.

Phoebe and her best friend Carmen go to NY seeking freedom and fun. Phoebe gets a job as a fortune teller named Astrid in a night club. She and Carmen go partying after work and find people willing to ply them with drink and drugs. They think that they can survive anything.

Phoebe is looking for something in 1980s New York. She's got an issue with Ivan, her much older former lover, her father just died, and she's living with Carmen in a grungy apartment they scored when Carmen's boyfriend, who was the lease holder, is arrested. To support herself, Phoebe begins telling fortunes, using movie ticket stubs, in a night club. Then, Carmen goes missing. There are multiple themes and plot lines in this relatively slim novel (perhaps too many) but there are also wonderful slices of life in NY during the time period. Loved the cameos by 80s figures. Phoebe's grief, anger, and yearning might be familiar and she doesn't make the best choices but that's what makes her feel real. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.