I’m not sure what it was about this one, but I just couldn’t connect with the content or main character. I do appreciate dark humor but this just didn’t work for me unfortunately. I would give this author another try.

Bookworm by Robin Yeatman was meh. I love dark humor but felt like this one missed the mark for me. I might check out more from this author in the future.

Bookworm by Robin Yeatman. Pub Date: February 14, 2023. Rating: 2 stars. I struggle to relate to this novel being funny because honestly I found it to be dark satire. Victoria is an unhappy wife who struggles with mundane tasks of daily living. She uses books to escape her reality and on some level I can relate to that, but that would be the only thing I could relate to while reading this novel. She is an insufferable character and honestly, I did not connect with her at all. This one was a miss for me. Thanks to #netgalley and #harperperennial for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Robin Yeatman’s debut novel masterfully blends black comedy with a deep exploration of the power of imagination and the escape found in reading. The protagonist, Victoria, is a relatable character trapped in an unhappy marriage with a controlling lawyer, burdened by demanding in-laws, and stuck in a dead-end job. Her solace comes from her beloved books and the rich, dark fantasies she creates in her mind. When she encounters an attractive man in a café reading the same bestselling novel as she is, her imagination runs wild, leading to a series of humorous and darkly twisted events.

Victoria’s character development is the novel’s standout feature. Yeatman paints a vivid portrait of a woman yearning for happiness and fulfillment, slipping deeper into her fantasies as a coping mechanism. As her fantasies grow darker and more elaborate, readers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster, oscillating between empathy for her plight and shock at the lengths her imagination takes her. The author’s ability to make Victoria’s internal world so compelling is what elevates this novel, showcasing the transformative—and sometimes dangerous—power of literature.

Bookworm is a brilliant, darkly comic tale that explores the thin line between fantasy and reality. With its well-developed protagonist and clever narrative, it’s a must-read for those who appreciate a story that can make them laugh, cringe, and reflect on the power of their own imaginations. Yeatman’s debut is both subversive and satisfying, drawing readers into a story that is as wickedly funny as it is deeply human.

Victoria is a bitter woman married to an abusive and controlling husband. Her only refuge is books, until she falls for a man she has never met in a coffee shop. Victoria is extremely unlikable and never has a nice thing to say about anyone. She criticizes her best friend for liking absolutely anything, and she says terrible things about strangers. She exudes the "not like other girls" stereotype, and I hated hearing the story from her point of view.

Now, I have loved many books where I hated the main character, but I could barely make it through this book for several reasons. First, all of the characters are unlikeable. There was not one person in this book that I could tolerate and I don't know how much of this is due to Victoria's unreliable narration. Second, there is absolutely no plot. I kept reading on waiting for something to happen, and there was no closure. The end happened quickly, and it wasn't worth the wait. Three, there were a lot of unnecessary elements, in my opinion. I have no idea what was going on with the astral projection and why it was important to the story. I honestly have no idea if it even happened or if it was all in Victoria's mind. Either way, don't waste your time.

I expected to love this book. A story about a bookworm who prefers to have her head in a book than deal with the nonsense of the real world? That's me, so sign me up!

Unfortunately, I found this book hard to follow. Victoria is in her head for a lot of the book and I couldn't tell whether it was the real world or her fantasy world we were seeing most of the time. But even more than that, there's a difference between choosing your books and hiding from your life. Victoria uses her books as a way to escape having to deal with the reality of her dysfunctional marriage. By the end, I was frustrated by her.


A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I adored the dark humor in this short book. I picked this up not expecting much from it but I ended up having such a good time reading Bookworm. I loved the tone of this one. It doesn't take itself too seriously and the writing feels fresh and fast-paced. Definitely recommend it!

OMG that a is my main feedback. Second is, if you read my reviews, you know I mean it when I say dont bother reading the rest, just go get this book. What a great new talent. so happy to read this. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, i forgave Victoria her nuttiness, and her need to escape was justified totally. Her husband was an idiot.

Based on the title, cover, and description, I expect to be the reader for Robin Yeatman’s debut novel, Bookworm. However, sadly, I am not. Unfortunately, I do not find it funny, and I do not find the main character at all relatable or likable. For me, books are a way to travel the world, see alternate realities, and imagine other possibilities. Unfortunately, I was not the right reader to travel that road with this book.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/bookworm.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

This cover immediately gripped me and I was really looking for a cozy read over Thanksgiving break and thought this would be the perfect read. Unfortunately I really struggled and had the DNF for now. I really could not connect to the main character and when that happens it's always really hard for me to keep reading.


I would highly recommend you take a look at other reviews on here and on goodreads before you decide as there are reviews from people that loved it!

With Bookworm written by new to me Robin Yeatman, we are introduced to Victoria, an avid bookworm stuck in a dead-end job and a dead-end marriage to Eric, a lawyer who sneers at her book reading. She lives a very dreary existence. I wouldn’t even go so far as to characterize what she is living as a life. There is no joy in Victoria’s world, except between the pages of the book is reading and the imaginary stories she makes up in her mind about the people around her.

One day while sitting in her favorite coffee shop, reading a book she absolutely detests, she notices a man who is reading the same book she is! It has to be fate, right? This man is her soul mate and she can’t stop thinking about him. That is, when she isn’t thinking about ways her husband should suddenly and tragically meet his doom. She even goes so far as to tamper with his vehicle. There isn’t a whole lot about Victoria that I found likeable and she is seriously several sandwiches short of a picnic. However, I also felt a lot of pity for her. Her parents adore her husband. He’s the model example of the child they wish they had, instead of Victoria. They even maneuvered the two of them together, so I guess you could say theirs is an arranged marriage. A very solid pre-nup agreement would leave Victoria with nothing more than the clothes on her back if she should ever leave, so here she is drifting through life, making chicken dinners of various varieties and imagining her husband dead, in quite creative ways.

I don’t want to say too much without giving away the plot, but I will say I was dreading just how far Victoria would go with her fantasy life, not just with her husband, but also with her café crush, Luke. None of these characters are likeable or relatable, but I couldn’t look away. What is Victoria going to do? For most of the book, I wanted to shake her and slap some sense into her.

I enjoyed this book and I was highly anticipating what would happen. There were some unexpected surprises, some laugh out loud moments and some great twists. Bookworm is Robin Yeatman’s debut book and I will be on the lookout for her next book.

My Final Verdict: This book does not end with the happily ever after Victoria was yearning for, but that’s life, isn’t it? The takeaway for me after reading this book is we have a choice every day to be happy or to be unhappy and we have the power to change or fix what’s lacking. I don’t think Victoria would know how to choose happiness even if it showed up with a gold embossed invitation. I recommend this book to readers who like to be surprised and entertained and don’t mind if the characters have no moral compass.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Bookworm from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had a really hard time taking this one seriously. It was a little too...casual? I'm not sure that's the right word. I've read books that were very conversational that pull it off wonderfully. This missed the mark.

The premise for this book caught my attention though it did not live up to its potential. None of the characters were likeable. The stream of consciousness was sometimes distracting. I stopped reading at about 65% because I could not convince myself to care any more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the copy.

I thought this book was so clever! Victoria is not a nice person and her inner life is horrifying. But it’s so darkly funny. I loved The Secret Life of Walter Mitty growing up so I knew I had to read this one when I saw it compared to that. Don’t read this book if you don’t like books where all the characters are terrible. They are all truly awful. But I loved this book and thought it was so entertaining.

Thank you Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the eARC of Bookworm! All opinions in this review are my own.

I fully understand why some people wouldn't like this book. At first, I was on the edge of DNFing it but I had to know where all of the characters would end up at the conclusion of the book. While the characters are not likable, I was still fascinated by them and their actions. The main character's inner thoughts do get a little gory at times but it was interesting to see how she got to that point. The ending redeemed a lot of the book's faults and I enjoyed how it all came together.

This book is definitely not for everyone and you need to be prepared to read about miserable people, but I did like it more than I thought I would.

"How amazing it was that readers could be led by the hand to feel and react."

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will always, always dislike the cheating trope. Even if a book revolves around reading and the love for it, I will never be able to get past it. There is never going to be a good reason to cheat on someone. This was, however, a very dark and funny read, so I couldn't quite give it the one star I was rooting for the whole read.

Also, the way she constantly fantasizes about all the ways her husband could die? Edge of my seat. Darkly hilarious. Could not stop reading for that alone. Very strange, unfairly enticing.

Robin Yeatman's 'Bookworm' offers an entertaining concept with its blend of pop culture references, but unfortunately, it didn't become a personal favorite. While the premise was intriguing, I found myself not fully invested in the story. The incorporation of pop culture added a fun layer, but it wasn't enough to overcome my lack of connection with the characters. Overall, 'Bookworm' provided an enjoyable read, yet fell short of capturing my complete engagement.

I’m a bookworm and I loved the premise of this novel but I just had the hardest time getting into this one. I just couldn’t get engaged!!

Where to begin… Victoria sees a man in a coffee shop and decides, without interaction, that he is her soulmate. She then becomes a ghost at night and visits him, which fantasizing daily about killing her husband. She’s a borderline stalker. The sarcasm and satire in the book wasn’t lost on me, but I spent the majority disinterested. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This book almost felt like a fever dream and I don’t know how I felt by the end of it lololol I enjoyed it though !