"You're an Animal" by Jardine Libaire is a compelling look into the world of four misfits and outcasts as they seek to find their place in a world outside of their compound. Ernie, Coral, Ray and Staci show the best and worst of human nature as they try to create their own sense of family after a fire destroys the only home and family they've ever known.
Libaire focuses mainly on character development in this book, as the plot was slow to begin with, which made the first half of the book a tedious chore to slug through. However, as we learn more about each character and how they grew outside of the compound, we learn to accept the story as it is. With each character being from the same group and yet being so vastly different, the actions of each were unpredictable and made for interesting character development. Add in a wild animal and the question arises, how are we so different from wild animals ourselves?
Libaire's novel maybe could have benefited from a more defined plot but the foray into human nature and how we develop on our own is truly worth a look into.
Thank you for NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Jardine Libaire for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

I just couldn't get into the story or care about the characters. I am sorry, but hope others will like it more

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 8, 2023
Ernie and his group of misfit friends are living on the grounds of an empty summer camp in Oklahoma when seventeen-year-old Coral, deaf and mute, is dropped off and abandoned. Coral is quickly accepted into the community, although she is slow to adapt, hiding out in her bedroom or in the expansive woods on the property. When a drug lab explosion levels the summer camp property Ernie, along with his friends, the strung-out couple Stacie and Ray, take Coral and escape on two motorcycles, fleeing the compound. Now the four are forced to start over, using the drug money they were in the process of returning when the property exploded. Renting a rural property, the four outcasts develop their own type of community and slowly begin to learn the meaning of the word “family”.
Jardine Libaire’s new novel, “You’re an Animal” will remind readers of Emma Cline’s, “The Girls”. The four protagonists, living off the grid on an abandoned property, forming fraught relationships, has a lot of similarities to Cline’s novel, with the exception of the religious “cult” that Cline centred on (which was, in my opinion, the best part).
“Animal” is narrated by Ernie, Stacie and Ray, alternatively, and each chapter is identified with a title instead of a number (which has been happening more as of late. A new trend is on the horizon, I think!). All of the characters are wrong-side-of-the-track misfits, but they are likable and honest. Coral is the most interesting of the bunch, and I would’ve been curious to know more about her background or hear the story from her perspective (although as deaf-mute illiterate, this is obviously impossible).
This story was slow at the beginning and I constantly felt like I was waiting for something to happen. There were a few engaging plot points that piqued my interest, but “Animal” is a character-driven novel, so don’t expect a complex plot. Libaire’s novel is beautifully written, though, and connects with the reader on an emotional level.
Libaire’s “Animal” has well developed characters and flows well. This is the first novel I’ve read by Libaire although she does have two previous novels under her belt (“Here, Kitty, Kitty” and “White Fur”). Her writing style is unique and she has definitely piqued my interest. I look forward to her next novel.

A strange one this. I liked it but it was very Breaking Bad and didn't feel as fresh as it could have done because of that. A totally different world - men on motorcycles fleeing to a commune in Texas and making meth. Despite the hard topics there were many heart felt moments and the language is brutal and raw. I could see this being a movie or TV show. or a wild Banged up Abroad episode!

This novel just held no appeal for me. I tried reading it several times and never got further than 20% through. I felt nothing for the characters and had no interest in the story. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I just can't recommend it.

Libaire gives us three misfits. Ernie, Staci, and Ray are a trio of outlaws who cook meth for sale and live for the moment. Libaire solidifies their status as outlaws, not too subtly, by giving them a couple killer motorcycles. These characters think little of society’s expectations. Right and wrong; moral and immoral; good and bad mean little to them. Their world turns on its head, however, when the commune where they live in Oklahoma burns to the ground following an unfortunate accident cooking up a batch of drugs. They decide to flee to Texas with a stash of money stolen from the commune. They take along Coral, a young woman who had been abandoned at the commune by her stepsister for being mentally defective.

Coral does not speak but communicates minimally with gestures. Yet, she has a mystic quality characterized by an uncanny ability to commune with nature. Although this is never explicit, it is tempting to place Coral somewhere on the autism spectrum. Her superpower as a savant of the wild becomes readily apparent when Slash is introduced into the mix. Slash is a cheetah that the trio obtain as a pet for Coral. Clearly, Slash represents the potential dangers presented by animal instincts. Libaire would like us to consider this as a counterpoint to the confines of conformity that Ernie, Staci, and Ray reject. Coral’s presence in the setting, and especially her bonding with Slash, become normalizing influences on the trio of misfits. Each is struggling with an evolving self-identity. Ray is a self-centered misogynist who is beginning to accept his need for a permanent relationship with Staci. Meanwhile, Staci is beginning to realize her own independence, especially from Ray. Ernie is a good-hearted doofus, whose main talent seems to be cooking meth. He becomes increasingly bothered by his attraction to Coral and the fatal possibility that she will reject him. Strangely, he sees Slash as his rival for her affection. Moreover, Slash seems to accept that role with several very human traits.

Libaire’s writing style is often quite lyrical, but her narration occasionally loses momentum with excessive repetition. The abrupt ending is particularly disturbing as it is just an extended epilogue with short descriptions of each character’s final situation. One gets a sense of ending an intriguing road trip by being dropped off at a random bus stop. “See ya’ latter and take care.”

Despite these shortcomings, Libaire’s introspective approach to how tension between societal expectations and individual freedom can lead to self-discovery is provocative, especially when one considers the potential dangers imparted by deep dives into animal instincts.

This was a little outside my normal genre but I did enjoy this book. You’re An Animal is the story of 4 misfits who are on the run after a fire in the compound they were living in. The pace is a bit slow but I did enjoy following these characters. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Welp, this one sounded right up my alley in terms of plot and characters, but three weeks later, I’ve got to call time on it. Not entirely sure if it’s a fault in the writing or in the reader, but for the life of me, I could not get into it. Made it about 20% of the way in before giving in to heavy skimming. There was just something bone-dry and kind of lifeless about it.

This was a solid 4.5 stars raised to a 5. It is the story of four survivors who were out of the area making a delivery of meth and returning with $10,000 when they saw their commune burning up after a meth lab explosion. Ray and Staci are a couple and have been together for quite a while. The other pair, Ernie and Coral, have not. Coral, a 17 year old deaf mute, was dropped off there by a cousin. They wander, on their bikes, for days and maybe weeks until they decide to settle at a rented farm in Texas. They quickly reestablish their meth lab as a way of supporting themselves. The story that I glossed over because of spoilers has a lot more to it. I really didn’t particularly like the characters, but was more than sufficiently curious about them to keep reading what happens next, particularly after Slash’s arrival. This is a love story, but there is nothing traditional about it. Thanks to Net Galley and Hogarth (Random House) for an ARC for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is the story of four outsiders who must initially cling to each other for survival, but eventually count on each other for comfort, companionship, and love.

Coral is young, an estimated 17 years old, and is mostly deaf and mute. She is pretty feral and has no formal education. Ernie is in his early thirties and lived his early life in and out of foster homes. He roams from place to place with the skill of making meth. Ray and Staci are a couple, but their relationship is based mostly on sex, drama, and unrecognized love. She is a former exotic dancer and, at 40-something, she still has her looks. Ray is in his early 50s and has been a motorcycle gang member in myriad locations. They are all gypsies who have lived hard lives, but, at their cores, they are good, caring people.

When the compound where they live burns, they escape and go on the run. With the money they have stolen from the compound leader, they rent a house in Texas and begin to make it a home. With a garden, eventual pet cheetah, and new steady income of their own, they become closer without even meaning to. In this new life where they live on their terms, they begin to learn about themselves in a new light. It is a time for reflection and growth, though they don’t always realize it.

Their time together ends pretty abruptly, but that is indicative of how their individual lives have always run. That no matter how much of a home they build together, their choices still invite chaos to disrupt any peace they may have established. The really lovely part of this story is when we see how they take what they have learned and how they have grown throughout their time together and begin the next chapters of their respective lives. Ernie and Coral are particular heartbreaking characters, but, in my opinion, their stories provide the most hope.

This is a lovely story. Heartbreaking and hopeful. Very recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. This story is focused around four misfits who are running from their previous compound. They try to survive on the minimal items they have and travel to a locations where they can stay off the grid. As they continue their run, they begin to grow a bond between each other. I did rate it on the lower end because it was pretty slow in the beginning. It started to pick up for me about halfway, but I felt like I wasn’t fully invested into the story, dying to know about the characters and how they develop through the story compared to my other reads. I’m still very grateful I had the chance to read You’re an Animal. Thanks again for the ARC!

I rarely give up on a book but I only managed half of this before skimming through to the end. A bunch of outcasts living rough is hardly an original storyline. An explosion wrecks their base so three of them and the young misfit Coral move elsewhere, buy a dog and other exciting activities! I cannot recommend this.

It’s Springtime in Oklahoma and more than the weather is heating up. Cooking meth on a compound with a bunch of other people who have no place to go. They all have different stories and past lives, but they are all here with no other options.

When an explosion puts them all out of business, the cops are looking for all of them. But four of them were in town at the time and now have no idea what they are supposed to be doing with the money they collected for their boss. With no communication, they do the best they can. They are four different personalities and we get to hear each one's story.

Coral is the mystery here. Who is she and why won’t she speak? She is odd even for this group of oddballs. And Ernie wants to know her story.

The problem is they all want something different. And things are getting tense. Will they work together or follow their own hearts?

I enjoyed this one.

NetGalley/ RHPG August 08,

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of You're an Animal by Jardine Libaire.

What a different and fresh story! I'm so glad I gave it a chance. It is what I would call a "story telling story," it's just a story that needs to be told, whether it ties up loose ends or not isn't really what's important.

Four misfits, Ernie, Staci, Ray and Coral, who is deaf and mute, are looking for a place to lay down roots for however long they need to. Staci and Ray are a couple with a never ending fraught relationship, Coral is mysterious and silent, and Ernie is a road weary vagabond who is also so in love with her. After finding a place to live, they are constantly trying to figure out Coral, who gives them so little to help them understand her. So, they get her a pet, a pet which also happens to be a wild cheetah.

It took me a minute to really get what it was that I was reading, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself every step of the way. It went deep into the emotions of people who society would probably consider being on the "fringes" or maybe even homeless. The ending was fractured, but also someone perfect, and I definitely got prickly eyes at the end. This is fresh, sweet, dirty and rugged, and I loved it.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I really, really tried to get into this book, starting it from the beginning 4-5 times. Just didn’t work for me.

A wild and deceptively tender story about four people on the run. Though they make no sense on paper as housemates or even friends, they begin to form an intense bond, largely due to the enigmatic 17-year-old Coral.

Overall, I enjoyed the story due to the mesmerizing Coral and the strong ending. At the start, there were so many characters to keep track of and I’m not sure I managed to remember who everyone was in relation to each other (aside from our four main characters). Not everything is clearly spelled out for the reader (I think this is generally a good thing though some parts confused me). Recommended for anyone looking for a sneakily heartwarming story of a band of misfits. 3.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Thank you for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the weirdest but yet intriguing books I've read in awhile. It took me a bit to get into it but once I was invested, there was no turning back.

I found it difficult at times to know which character we were following because their voices didn't seem much different. However, once I got about half way through it did become easier.

DNF - I might try and revisit this book in the future but for the moment I am setting it aside. I could not get into the writing style used and it made the jumble of introductions, scene setting, and transitions difficult to enjoy and earnestly welcome. There is certainly an audience for this story but, as it stands, it is not me.

I have mixed feelings about this. I was engaged in the story, was curious as to their outcomes, but couldn't really identify with any of the characters. I did like how the four of them established their own quasi-community in Texas, but the last third of the book felt rushed and without proper resolution. I also wasn't a fan of the "let's let italics signify people speaking" idea -- it didn't work for me.

The idea was good, the characters interesting, but for me it just didn't all come together in a totally satisfying way.. I'm glad I read it, and would encourage others to read it.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dark, but filled with beauty. Sad, but hopeful. Broken, selfish strangers creating a family. Hardiness Libaire has written a story that will forever change the way I observe the people and properties along rural Texas highways.