Christa Comes Out of Her Shell combines wonderful characters in heart-warming, quirky story. Waxman has a knack for offbeat stories, humorous storylines with a bit of romance. This book is a sharp, funny take on a dysfunctional family. Its also the second-chance at love for the main character too.

This book is the right amount of cozy!

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group

4 quirky character stars

Abbi Waxman has a way of creating quirky characters. This was my third book of hers, and she’ll stay on my authors-to-read list.
This time, we have a young woman who has secreted herself away on a remote island researching sea snails. She was part of a famous family growing up; her famous father had wildlife shows. Sadly, those came to an end when his plane crashed.

Her life is thrown into chaos when her father is found twenty-some years later! The whole family comes back together in California. Christa is reunited with a childhood friend, and the romantic sparks fly! There’s some predictable family drama as everyone copes with the return of the missing father figure.

As the truth starts to emerge about the truth behind her father’s plane crash, Christa wants to crawl back into her shell and retreat to the island. The PR machine in Hollywood wants to capitalize on everything and make her a household name.

With a few twists thrown in, I enjoyed Christa’s journey in this one and liked her character.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell
By: Abbi Waxman
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley
General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Women's Fiction

Waxman writes with insight, romance, and humor in her book Christa Comes Out of Her Shell. Christa, a marine life researcher who studies snails in the Indian Ocean, finds herself thrust in the midst of family drama. This book will appeal to those who like a fresh and original well-written plot.

Thank you to Net Galley Berkley Publishing Group, and Berkley Besties for a gifted advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

Abbi Waxman's newest novel is a charming story about an introverted scientist who is thrust back into the spotlight after a family revelation rocks her world.

Christa has spent the past four years on an island studying violet snails while trying to maintain her distance from her past life and family. Her father, a famous nature tv presenter, disappeared in the Alaskan wilderness when Christa was two years old, but has returned from seemingly the dead. As Christa and her family deal with surprise after surprise, they also are trying to mend their relationships and bury the trauma from the past.

For readers who love a whip-smart introverted protagonist, they will be cheering for Christa all the way through.

Marine biologist Dr. Christabel Liddle, who goes by her mother’s maiden name of Barnet, has spent several years in the middle of the Indian ocean on a small island studying sea snails. Christa finds this remote place the perfect hideout from her quirky family, humankind in general, and public scrutiny that dogged her younger years. Christa’s father was a famous naturalist, think a Steve Irwin type, who went missing in the Alaskan Wilderness and was presumed dead. When her father, Jasper, suddenly pulls a Lazarus coming back to life move, Christa is once again thrust into that whirlwind of the public eye only this time, all amped up by the more intense social media than when she was an out-of-control teenager.

During childhood, and after her father’s disappearance, Christa’s Mother, Denny, continued to run the family’s nature conservation foundation funded in large part by beanie baby type of toys based on the natural world of animals. Christa was thrust into to the spotlight for several years, again like Steve Irwin’s children, to keep the interest in Jasper Liddle going. When he does resurface, a shark infested media frenzy ensues stalking the family including her older sisters, and Mother as well as a family friend, Nate, who lights Christa’s fire in much more pleasanter ways.

Jasper’s sleazy long-time agent immediately, and not always ethically, shoves Christa into the main arena with her father to “control the narrative” as facts revealed that the circumstances around the story are less than flattering. Christa has left her comfort zone in the far distance desperately wanting to get back to her quiet science filled life while at the same time, exploring the possibility of a relationship with Nate; the two goals seemingly mutually exclusive.

Adding to the family drama with all kinds of angsty baggage, this story is a wild roller coaster ride of emotion, some deep traumas past and present, while being an amusing skewering of the media which includes every poser with a cell phone ready to record and upload the lives of the rich and famous. What Ms. Waxman does so well is interweave humor with an entertaining portrait of human foibles while exploring some deeper emotional themes, some of which are very dark, and the happy addition of a little romance to lighten the load. Fans will be pleased to be in Christa’s world for a good time.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman took me to the small island of Violetta, a world away from Christa Liddle's highly dysfunctional family in California. The story unfolds as Christa's father, presumed dead for 25 years, returns, and Christa must leave her island and join her family as they struggle to process what's happened.

I wasn't prepared for such a delightful read filled with amusing situations. As I delved into the life of Christa, a researcher of bubble raft snails in the Indian Ocean who is ironically afraid of sharks, the stage is set for a story brimming with wit and humor. The over-the-top narrative kept me thoroughly entertained.

What truly intrigued me in the story was the exploration of the intricate family relationships. The journey of self-discovery that Christa embarks on, and her evolving understanding of her sisters, mother, and 'not-dead' father, kept me engrossed and turning the pages.

Christa is a delightful character with her quick wit and sarcastic observations about the people around her. Her narration of the story was a highlight for me, as I found her perspective and humor to be incredibly enjoyable and fast-paced.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell is the perfect read if you're looking for a fun story full of complex family themes.

I received a gifted galley of CHRISTA COMES OUT OF HER SHELL by Abbi Waxman. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

CHRISTA COMES OUT OF HER SHELL follows the titular character. Christa has hidden herself away on an island in the Indian Ocean, studying sea snails and pretty much steering clear of relationships. When she learns that her famous father who was believed to have died in a plane crash when she was young is in fact very alive, she can no longer hide from attention.

Crista returns to her home town to reunite with her mother and sisters in the wake of this shocking news. On top of the family drama, reuniting with an old friend creates unexpected sparks. Through everything the media attention and further surprises in store from her father, Crista can't help for long for her quiet secluded island existence.

I picked this book for a character driven novel reading prompt and it absolutely was that. I loved that the book really centered on Christa, her family, her relationships, and most importantly her own growth and self-discovery. The reasons why Christa is happiest living off on her own come to light and there are a lot of great discussions with her parents and others about her childhood and about some of the trauma she has had in her past. I thought all of this was really well done.

The family drama centering on Christa's father did feel a little bit over the top at times, but it was really mostly there to act as a catalyst for Christa's life and to help push her into making choices about her own future. The drama of it all did add some good discussions and fun as reveals came to light.

There were some times where the pacing slowed down a bit for me, but I really enjoyed this read overall. I have to give a bit of extra credit for the snail pun in the title as well!

Christa Comes Out Of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman is a layered, emotional book. There are many difficult topics discussed yet they are all done in Christa's tone, which is snarky and very relatable.
Christa is an excellent main character, as her whimsy is just as powerful as her determination. Her romance with Nate enhances the story but it isn't the main theme.
Watching Christa grow throughout the book makes the ending very rewarding. I highly recommend this!

I have been a fan of Abbi Waxman's books for awhile, and her new book, "Christa Comes Out of Her Shell" did not disappoint, Christa Liddle is happily living life on a remote island conducting her research on a species of snails, when she is informed that her famous naturalist father, who was believed to have died in a plane crash when Christa when 2 years old, is alive and in Alaska. As she comes back together in California with her mom and sisters to await her father's return, she must cope with her family being thrust back into the media spotlight, which has not been kind to Christa in the past as a teenager.. Unfortunately, the story of her father's disappearance and return is not what it was originally what it was made out to be, as the real truth begins to come out, as does Christa's need to return to her previous quiet and secluded life.

I quickly found myself engaged in this book, and as we get to delve more into Christa's family dysfunction and childhood, it is easy to see how she became the person she is in the present. The family relationships were well-written, as is Christa's budding romance with an old childhood family friend. "Christa Comes Out of Her Shell" was a delightful book, and I will always look forward to new books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkey Publishing with providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "Christa Comes Out of Her Shell" is set to be published on 04/16/24.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman

Christa Liddle ran from a life where her famous father disappeared from her family when she was a toddler. Then her mother took over the spotlight, dragging Christa with her since she seemed able to endear crowds without even trying. Fast forward to mom moving on, Christa not handling her teen years well, and something really bad happening and Christa runs. That is, if you call running off to college and getting lots of degrees and her doctorate running. Now Christa studies snails on a far away island, living a very simple and publicity free life, communicating with family while not bothering to visit.

Then Christa's dad comes back from the dead although coming back from the dead might have been better than what he really comes back from. Christa has to go home, has to face cameras and reporters, and she has moments of enjoying the limelight again. But, she loves her career, her study of snails, and now has a love/hate relationship with her dad.

The highlight of going home to her family is that her childhood/teen crush on family friend, Nate, eight years her senior, is reignited. On the other hand that's a bad thing since Nate crushing back on Christa could make going back to her remote island too hard to do. But that's just one of the many problems that Christa and her family face as some shady stuff hits the fan and there is even talk of exposing the bad thing that happened to Christa long ago. Luckily most of the family has dipped their toe into therapy...they are going to need more therapy when everything comes out in the wash since there is some mighty dirty laundry about to get exposed.

Lots of witty quips from Christa's family, everyone is a comic and brainiac in their own way. Nate isn't so bad himself, more mellow but adoring, maybe just the personality that Christa needs to temper her rough edges. I prefer closed door romances but with this story the door is wide open so those who enjoy spicy will enjoy the spice that is delivered with this story.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

Christa is a scientist working on a remote island studying snails. She gets an unexpected phone call telling her the dad she thought was dead for 25 years is alive and well. Christa flies home to reunite with her mom and sisters and figure out what it means that her dad is living.

This book has family drama, romance, and a couple of plot twists. Overall it was a fun read! Thank you too netgalley for the ARC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was so excited for this approval! I read bookish life of Nina hill by the same author and laughed my ass off so I couldn’t wait to dive into this.

There were certainly some LOL moments and awkward character parts.

Overall, I didn’t love it as much as I did bookish life of Nina hill. However I’m not sure it’s a fair comparison because the writing felt a bit different. I really enjoyed how quirky the characters were and the under dog vibes they had but otherwise didn’t feel a big connection to them.

I did find the family drama entertaining but at times confusing. It also felt conflicting that this had themes of STEM and Hollywood. I know that’s not unreasonable but it felt clashing to me.

After growing up in the public eye, the now adult Christa Liddle lives a rather peaceful life, studying marine life far away from the paparazzi. Suddenly, Christa, along with her family, is thrust back into the spotlight when her believed to be deceased father surfaces-alive and well after being presumed dead for most of her life.

Behind the normal questions of how, what, and why, Christa is conflicted on a deeper level. Unlike her sisters, Christa has hardly any memories of the man who is her father in name, the scientist in her skeptical of the story of his supposed whereabouts. But as his manager and her family realize a renewed interest could very well generate new income, most of them are game. The bigger question however, still remains. Can Christa emerge from the debacle with her dignity intact?

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell was one of my most anticipated reads of the year by a favorite author of mine, Abbi Waxman. Known for her now signature blend of quirkiness and calamity, I went in expecting nothing less. However, this time around I found the offbeat charm a little bit off the charts. I also should mention there’s a love story thrown into the mix, but that’s what it sort of felt like-something that was thrown in rather than given the attention it deserved.

While I still love largely love the underrated Waxman’s work, this particular story lacked that something special despite having a premise full of promise.

Synopsis: Christa Liddle grew up in the spotlight with her father, a famous TV naturalist. After her father’s disappearance following a plane crash, her life went a bit off the rails, and she wound up as a bit of a recluse studying snails on a small island off the coast of Africa. Christa’s life is once again turned upside down when her father is found alive in a remote part of Alaska 20 years after his he was assumed to be dead. She has to return home to California to be reunited with her long-lost father, as well as her childhood crush, Nathan.

Thoughts: I fell in love with Abbi’s writing last year when I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and I think I loved this one even more! I think this one just checked a lot of very specific boxes for me - Christa is a woman in STEM, she is very quirky, and I love a second chance romance. I am also a big fan of each chapter heading including an animal fun fact 🤓. This was such a unique and fun storyline, and while the circumstances were crazy, the characters were very relatable. There are plenty swoon-worthy romance moments along with lots of delightfully irreverent humor from our lovably sarcastic main characters. Abbi’s writing is fun and charming, and I highly recommend this heartwarming book!

Read this if you like:
🐌 women in STEM
🐌 Hollywood
🐌 family drama
🐌 found family
🐌 second chance romance
🐌 self-discovery
🐌 laugh out loud humor
🐌 rom coms
🐌 animal fun facts

Abbi Waxman wins again with her signature combination of quirky characters, romance, and family drama.

Christa is a scientist working on her PhD, studying snails on a remote island in Violetta. She is enjoys her work, casual companions, and has kept her mother and two sisters at arms length for years. However, her solitary life comes to an abrupt halt when she is summoned home by her mother with incredible news: Her father, Jasper, a celebrated scientist and tv celebrity has been discovered alive after his plane crashed twenty five years ago and he was presumed dead.

Christa suddenly has to face her disconnected family, see the father she doesn’t remember, and confront a dark past she has tried to keep hidden for far too long.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell is a unique book that explores darker themes-that definitely deserve trigger warnings-while also balancing a lighter rom-com element with the newly discovered romance that Christa finds with longtime family friend Nate.

I have mixed feelings about it due to some unresolved plot lines, particularly with Christa's relationship with her father.

However, I am definitely still thinking about the novel and processing all of it, so may come back later with further thoughts.

This story was a wonderful combination of humorous and heart-warming. Christa Liddle has hidden herself away on an island in the Indian Ocean studying ocean snails. She grew up in the spotlight as the daughter of a TV presenter/naturalist who disappeared in Alaska when Christa was a toddler.

Christa's mother kept the legend alive and furthered her husband's work by setting up a foundation to support conservation efforts which is what led to Christa's fame since she was brought along to publicity events and TV shows mainly to be cute and hold cute animals. In her teens she went a little wild drinking and using drugs until a traumatic event at one of her mother's benefits. Sent off to boarding school. Christa feel in love with zoology.

But now her life in isolation comes to an abrupt end. The father who disappeared twenty-five years earlier has reappeared from the depths of Alaska. Christa, her two older sisters, and her mother have to deal with all the changes this makes in her life. For Christa, it brings out her fears that her youthful excesses will be brought up again.

It also means a reunion with Nate who was a childhood friend of her older sisters and the object of Christa's crush. He was the one who saved her from more harm at the benefit. She doesn't know quite what to make of him now that she is seeing him through adult eyes. But they seem to be falling in love.

This was an excellent story. I laughed out loud more than one time as I was reading and I felt deeply for the confusion Christa feels about the reappearance of her missing father.

I got about 35% of the way through this and decided it wasn’t for me. I was super intrigued by the premise, but wanted the story to move quicker.

Synopsis in a sentence (or two):
Christa enjoys her “sciencey” life of solitude on a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. When Christa’s Dad, a famous naturalist, reappears twenty years after his suspected death, she must return to her family in Los Angeles to find answers.

Characters:
I appreciated the way the Liddle family dealt with adversity through sarcasm. Admittedly, I’m an introvert and an over-thinker with a bit of a sarcastic side. Naturally, it’s fun to see characters with somewhat similar mindsets. The MC, Christa, has a fun, anti-social inner monologue. While I didn’t feel like I got to know the romantic interest, Will, I relished the awkwardness presented in all of their romantic encounters. I also loved Christa’s strong viewpoint as a woman in science. She never waned from her love of nature despite her character changing in so many other ways.

Pacing/Storyline:
Two significant storylines caught my attention in this one. One was the evolution of Christa, the main character. The other was that of a father who disappeared for twenty years and reappeared as if nothing had happened. I liked both storylines. That said, I found myself clamoring for more of the missing dad storyline because I found it so unique. The family banter and family dynamics had me moving through this book at a quick clip, eager to see how everything unraveled. My only wish was that the story had focused more on Christa’s situation with her Dad than on Christa’s romance.

Read this if you love:
📚Ashley Poston, Sophie Cousens, Elle Cosimano
📚women in science MC’s
📚family drama romance

Rating: 4.0

Disclosure:
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the Digital Review Copy of Christa Comes Out of Her Shell. All opinions are my own.

I genuinely do not know how to rate this book. I neither loved it nor hated it, but I think I disliked it just a tiny tad more than I liked it! I think I disliked the fact that a certain character (and thankfully was not a main character) had not-so-nice things to say about people of a certain age, which I am one of!

Authors, please don't insult what could possibly be a large part of your audience. Those of us of a certain age like to read books like this too, you know!

I expected something that I did not get; I got more romance than I expected, less comedy than I expected, and more characters that I disliked. I didn't even feel all that much for the Liddle family.

However, the story was, for the most part, an interesting and clever one and had an intriguing little twist at the end.

*Arc was supplied by the publisher Penguin Group/Berkley Books, the author, and NetGalley.