Unlikely Animals is quirky, funny and unusual. I never knew what would happen next. Part of the story is told by those who have passed on - they sit on their gravestones and gossip about those who are still living. Every ghost at Maple Street Cemetery can tune into the thoughts of any living citizen of the town, but they pay special attention to Emma Starling and her family. There's no ill will! These are definitely friendly ghosts, although sometimes a little sarcastic and cynical. Those ghosts only watch from a distance, careful not to meddle in human affairs. But Emma's father has his own personal ghost who does meddle and keeps getting Mr. Starling in trouble. The unlikely animals include hundreds of cats only Mr. Starling can see, a marvelously intelligent stray dog Emma picks up on the way into town, a pet fox, and bears who aren't as tame as some folks think they are. An enjoyable story with family drama, history, mystery, and even a touch of romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a quirky bit of historical fiction and contemporary fiction and maybe a little family drama. Narrated by the souls living in Maple Street cemetery, this story follows Clive, who is suffering from a brain disease, and his family. The souls are full of personality and, oddly enough, give extra life to this book. The characters are relatable and true throughout. I hope you are intrigued, as it is a truly beguiling piece of work.

I was given a copy of this book for my honest review. I do recommend this one.

Wow! What a unique book. Beautifully written and the story stays with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend this! Cannot wait to read more by this talented author!

Writing: 4/5 Plot: 5/5 Characters: 5/5

Wonderfully fun and engaging book — one of the most creative I’ve read in a long time.

Emma was born with “The Charm” — magic hands that could heal injuries in her small New Hampshire community. But the charm appears to have deserted her as she is called back from medical school (which she never exactly started) to “heal” her rapidly declining father. As part of his degenerative brain disease, he sees things — hordes of rabbits, stray cats, and a long-dead naturalist (Ernest Harold Baynes — the real life Dr. Doolittle!) who keeps him company. You would assume these were all hallucinations but then the narrator of the book is the collective “we” of the local grave dwellers who provide occasional opinionated commentary on events. And from here it just gets weirder and more fun. Despite tackling a number of disturbing issue: the opioid crisis, degenerative brain disease, a missing person, and drastic and unintentional life plan changes, this novel is always cheerful and always fun. A highly responsible stray dog, an expensive imported Russian fox, and some pretty adorable 5th graders join the living and the dead in the cast.

Some random fun quotes:
“That’s why we like living with animal so much; they exhibit their joy so outwardly, remind us how to be better alive.”

“Emma found that Moses had ripped open a bag of flour on the couch, another way the dog was dealing with his separation anxiety: challenging himself to make messes that were increasingly difficult to vacuum up.”

“Auggie rolled his eyes toward his skull, and Emma regretted hoping Auggie could pull his life together. In fact, she didn’t care if anything good ever happened to him.”

“It was her wedding china, but she didn’t care. Her marriage wasn’t doing her any favors lately.”

“And Clive knew he was loving, really loving, when he remembered to be.”

“Nothing to be embarrassed of. Just the imperfect human body having a hard time.”

Hands down, this is my favorite book so far this year. It is funny as hell, touching, smart, and really quite unexpected. It tells the story of Emma Startling who is headed home to help care for her dad who has some sort of brain disorder. She is also a healer, or well, she was when she was young. Her dad Clive has been hallucinating animals and is having visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes. Clive is such a wonderful character, funny, and so real it hurts. He has been searching for Emma's old best friend who went missing. While the town figures she OD'd or something he holds out hope, so he blankets the town in missing flyers and hires a PI. The story is so funny with the animals and Clive who does a whole lot of crazy things. The deer in the house was so funny, and the fox...and the fifth-grade class...and the pageant. I could go on and on. All the characters are fantastic and have their own quirks, which make them special. The vibe of this story is wonderful and I am so glad I read it. Fantastic stuff.

5 Sparkling Stars

Unlikely Animals made my heart soar with love for both the people in this story, and the story itself. Infused with a hint of the magical quirkiness I’ve found in Jess Kidd’s novels, this is a nod to that very thin line between the living and those in the ‘in-between’ place, but also includes, aside from the human characters, a veritable menagerie of animals. Dogs and cats, yes, but also others most people would consider wild, including a pet fox and a pet bear.

Set in a small town in New Hampshire, this story is shared in part by a host of characters who reside in a cemetery and whose voices from the beyond debate the wisdom of decisions made by the living, often laced with a gentle sarcastic humour. They watch over the living, and have been paying special attention to Emma Starling and her family since Emma was born. As a newborn, the midwife at her birth declared that she was healed by Emma of her sciatica, a declaration which made the newspaper. A declaration that would follow and define young Emma.

As years pass, Emma leaves for college in California, and then medical school at UCLA, returning that Thanksgiving for the first time in two years. Her father’s health was failing, forcing him to retire. Given Emma’s ability to heal in the past, her mother hoped there was something that Emma could do to help her father. Emma just wants a break from her life, and so she stays, eventually taking a temporary job as a substitute teacher, which adds even more entertaining paths taken.

This was a delightful read, full of heart, while offering more than just a humorous story. A very unconventional family that loves each other, but they also do not always like each other. A mysterious disappearance. The passage of time - children become adults, their parents’ lives unravel, and this family struggles to find their place in the world and in their family.

A lovely tale which delicately balances both humour and sorrow in this story shared from multiple perspectives, including those residing in the cemetery, and other local - living - people and animals that add to the angst. A delightful story of the wonder, and wonders of life.

Pub Date: 12 Apr 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books

I received an e-ARC of this book through Netgalley.
I LOVED this book from the first page. I was so-so on the blurb and wasn't sure if I'd actually like it going in. I tried to describe it to my family and they looked kinda lost. You really have to read it for yourself because there is a lot going on, but it all ties together so well. The ghosts in the graveyard who can see the whole town, the animals (real and imagined), the 5th graders, the main family--all perfection. I need to read more from this author. It was funny and poignant at the same time.

I loved Hartnett's Rabbit Cake so I was happy to receive an ARC of her newest novel, Unlikely Animals. The book did not disappoint. Hartnett has a knack for writing quirky character & blending the tragedies of life with charming, laugh-out-loud stories.

The story is narrated by the residents of the Maple Street Cemetery & involves the quirky Starling family..College dropout Emma, recovered addict Auggie, uptight mom Ingrid & Dad Clive who is suffering from some type of dementia. There are also callbacks to real-life naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes who ran a huge wildlife/hunting park in New Hampshire & who dad seeks to emulate with his variety of wild pets. There is also a storyline involving Emma's high school friend who has gone missing.

I really enjoyed the blend of real-life New England history with the tragic-comic family dynamics of the Starling family & the mystery that was neatly wrapped up at the end. Can't wait for the next book.

A lovely read the characters animals setting.I was taken out of my world into their world.I’ve been recommending this book to all my friends predict a best seller.#netgalley #randomhouse

If you're looking to escape reality, this book isn't it. The plot and characters weren't bad, the dysfunctional family dynamics and small town idiosyncrasies mirror real life well. The omniscient narration was a nice change in pace from what I usually read, the tale being observed by local ghosts. One thing that needs to be made clear--when this book is described as "a tragic comedy", you need to know it has a very dry sense of humor. Not a bad one, just subtle.

A tragicomedy about families, friendship and hope, a big hearted, tender story. The cast of characters is just the best, a fox, a ghost, a Greek chorus from the occupants of the town cemetery, an odd assortment of fifth graders and Clive the college ex college professor who is slowly loosing his mind. A truly charming book.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

When Emma returns home to her small town of Everton, she knew things would be awkward and that her dad was not doing well, but she didn't know the extent. Emma was born a miracle baby with healing powers, her touch would cure rashes and other things. However, now as a young adult her healing powers have disappeared though she wishes she had her magic touch to help cure her father. Her father Clive, has been hallucinating with ghosts and animals, her brother is home from rehab and her mother is exhausted from taking care of everyone. We watch as Emma finds her footing back at her childhood home, ends up becoming a long term 5th grade substitute teacher and eventually the legal guardian of her father. With so much on her plate, Emma is also still concerned about Crystal, her childhood best friend who has been missing for a year. This book is well written with the unexpected twist of ghosts from the past watching over the small town as well as the animal theme.

I loved everything about this book, and I'm so glad I took a chance on reading an advance copy of it. It's not my usual type of book, but it was the right book at the right time for me, and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity. I usually prefer more realism in my books, but I thoroughly enjoyed having to suspend belief for some of it and just have fun with this book. I loved the characters, locale and the unique premise. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Ballantine and NetGalley. I loved this book. I loved all the characters. The location. All the little quirks. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but everything was so beautifully written that I got lost in the story. I wished I was there. I really cannot write enough good things about this book. My first 5 star review of the year. I LOVED it.

I can honestly say that I have never read a book quite like this. Unusual, unique, hysterically funny and filled with an array of characters - and I do mean Characters! For one thing, the book is narrated by the occupants of the town cemetery, along with the dates of their birth and death as inscribed on their tombstones. And that's only the beginning.

It starts with the birth of Emma, who comes into the world with the ability to heal by her touch. But don't spend too much time thinking about this as it dissipates quite early on. Then there is Emma's missing friend Crystal, who had become a drug addict, as had Auggie, Emma's brother. Emma's Dad, Clive, a fired college professor and rock singer is suffering from a terminal brain disease. Had enough? Not yet.

So Emma returns to this small New Hampshire town, the site of an exclusive hunting club for millionaires. She adopts a dog (what a dog!) on the way home. Later on, the dog is joined in the household by a Russian import, a tame fox., purchased by Clive in emulation of his friend, a dead naturalist. Still with me?

The story develops in bizarre and interesting ways with Emma becoming a fifth-grade teacher to 8 or so 10 year olds.. There is a production in progress of Titanic, The Musical, the ongoing search for Crystal, and many more plot points. All are resolved in time.

These 348 pages will pass quickly as you race to the end. Kudos to Annie Hartnett for a work of imagination that is unique in my reading history. And thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just a perfect little slice of heartfelt writing wrapped up in a quirky little story about life, family, love, loss, dreams, grief, nature, friendship, community, and the impossible possibilities of our connectedness to it all!

I enjoyed every word. Every page. Every chapter! And, as if that were not enough, it had one of my favorite closing sentences. Ever.

Cudos, Annie Hartnett! I love how your mind works and how your words flow! I couldn't be more grateful that I received an invitation to read a pre-release copy of "Unlikely Animals!" I thoroughly recommend it and look forward to any and all of your future efforts!
🦊🌳🦊🌳🦊🌳🦊🌳🦊🌳🦊🌳🦊

This novel has a publication date of April 12, 2022.

#UnlikelyAnimals
#AnnieHartnett
#RandomHouse
#NetGalley
#bookswithaheartandsoul

This book was exactly what I needed! After reading a number of weighty tomes, this charming, thoroughly entertaining page turner was like finding the perfect feel-good movie on tv on a rainy afternoon. Witty, sometimes laugh out loud funny, and never maudlin, I breezed through this book and wanted more.

Unlikely Animals is an unusual book in many ways but with many current recurring problems of individuals and families in society today. Struggling with the characters through the many complications in their lives made for a tense read especially with the supernatural thrown in the mix too. The more you read, the more memorable the characters become as you cheer for each one in their trials.

Unlikely Animals by Annie Harnett is a refreshing take on the "based on real events' novel. With a back story that seems very realistic and authentic. It is based on several real, but adapted events and places. Featuring a cast of very dead, very alive and in-between characters, Unlikely Animals keeps the action going to the very last pages.

Unlikely Animals
By Annie Hartnett

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Annie Hartnett swept me from the beginning of the first chapter. 
The author has written rich characters who walk right off the page.
Emma, was a wonderfully written character and I immediately felt connected to her.
I was emotionally drawn into the story but also intrigued at the amazing details and beautiful writing.
Such a stunning read. I couldn't stop reading this remarkable story.
A warm, contemplative exploration of grief friendship and loss.
With such strong writing and fully-realized characters I am already looking forward to the next novel by Annie.

Ballantine Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.