Christa comes out of her shell by Abby wax man. A light read about a well known animal adventurer who is found after being lost in Alaska for years. Now the Liddle women must deal with the fallout.

I don’t think I’ll be able to properly review because I could not finish. This book wasn’t meant for me and that’s okay. It was well written but I just didn’t click with it.

Christa is a marine biologist who has devoted years to studying snails on a remote island. She enjoys this solitary life and avoids interactions with her family due to the anxiety and conflict they bring. However, her life takes a sudden turn when her famous father, who was presumed dead for 25 years, returns to share his account of survival in the wilderness. Christa is then forced to return home to her mom and sisters to deal with the newfound fame and attention.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I had hoped. I found the characters to be petty and annoying, especially the relationship between Christa, her mom, and her sisters which seemed artificial and over-the-top. Although the premise of the book was intriguing, it didn't resonate with me in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Abby Waxman, and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending me an ARC of Christa Comes Out of Her Shell in exchange for an honest review.

Christa Barnet has spent the last four years studying bubble raft snails on Violetta, a tiny island off the coast of Africa. Her father was Jasper Liddle, the “famous TV naturalist, explorer and all-around badass,” who was presumed dead after his plane crashed in Alaska 25 years ago. After a childhood spent in the public eye, Christa has put as much distance as possible between herself and everyone else, especially her family. Except—impossibly—Jasper just returned to civilization, and Christa is forced to return home and face and the people she’s been avoiding.

On one level, Christa Comes Out of Her Shell has a premise somewhere between unrelatable and impossible. A handful of kids become famous because of their famous parents, and a few people return after being missing and presumed dead for 25 years, but what are the odds of both happening to the same family? Fortunately, this extreme set up is often played for comic effect, involving everything from Beanie Baby knockoffs called “Liddle’s Liddles,” to nose bumps with bears on late night tv shows.

But once you look past those absurdities, Christa Comes Out of Her Shell has an entirely relatable premise. Christa was abandoned by her father, used in the aftermath by her mother, and mistreated by her two sisters for years. And now, with her father’s return, everyone suddenly wants to make amends, and Christa isn’t sure she’s interested in any of it. Throw in a story of a long-simmering crush maybe finally coming to fruition, and a very charming and funny main character in Christa, and you’ve got a pleasant, rather sweet story centered on trying to heal broken family dynamics. It’s not Ms. Waxman’s best book, but I’d still recommend it. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I'm a big fan of author Abbi Waxman's & have read all her books. Her latest, "Christa Comes Out of her Shell" is not my favorite (that's Nina & her world), but I still found it quite enjoyable and entertaining. I enjoyed this quirky tale of a female scientist & introvert who has to drop her beloved project when her long-lost Dad resurfaces. I enjoyed all the character development & family dynamics quite a bit. I was, however, not as happy with some of the more "spicy" scenes, but they were easy to skim. Lots of quirky charm still here, tho. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC - my pleasure to review it.

Abbi Waxman does not disappoint and her latest novel proves again what a wonderful storyteller she is.

Christa is a scientist who lives on a remote island studying marine life. Her father was declared dead after a plane crash when she was a child. Now he has turned up and has a story to tell. Christa returns home and must learn to deal with family all over again. Add is a hot former friend and things get interesting. Christa will have to decide if she can become a part of this life or return to the one where she is most comfortable.

Laugh out loud funny but also an exploration of family and what it means to live your true self. A bit of a more steamy novel than her previous ones, the characters and plot are wonderful. The scientific aspect adds a whole new dimension to the novel.

I wanted to like this book so badly. It's a marine-snail-biologist-hiding-from-her-feelings romcom. With a grumpy-sunshine dynamic where she's the grumpy to her childhood crush's sunshine. Unfortunately, I'm just enough of a marine biologist and fucking pedant to not be bothering by the off-putting fake scientific names, clunky dialogue, unbelievable character chemistry, and shallow characterization. Sorry <i>Janthina janthina</i>, you didn't deserve this.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I did enjoy this book, but I felt like something was missing. I can't put my finger on it, but it just felt a little empty to me. I will still recommend this book to my patrons though.

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. I’ve been in a slump and I’ve always counted on Waxman to provide the humor and the feels and she has succeeded at this yet again. 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 (although I keep thinking about sunscreen IYKYK). Watching Christa grow throughout the book makes the ending very rewarding. I highly recommend this.

Dysfunctional family drama, a quirky second chance romance, and a touch of smart comedy—this is the summary of another heartwarming and entertaining Abbi Waxman novel that never fails to surprise with its well-constructed, nerdy, and absolutely lovable main characters and their inner struggles.

The only issue I had with the book was Christa's young age to be a doctor. Her journey through addiction, her long-standing issues from childhood make us think she might be a little older (or perhaps she skipped classes at a young age and graduated from college early, which could help us do the math for her becoming a doctor, completing her PhD in marine biology, having a room in the UCLA faculty, and leaving to conduct research on a fictional island in the Indian Ocean where she currently resides. Nope, my calculations failed. If she were in her mid-thirties, it would provide a more reliable perspective. Anyway, let's skip this hiccup.)

As I mentioned before, Dr. Christa Liddle is content on her island, burying her head in the study of snails, far away from the spotlights, family drama, crowds, and paparazzi. It seems like she's already found her happily ever after. But when her long-presumed deceased father, who was thought to have died in a plane crash, decides to get resuscitated and return home, her secluded, well-designed lifestyle is doomed to crack.

She's forced into the spotlight, facing the most nightmarish scenario in her life, including dealing with the nosy press's curious behavior as they delve into the secrets her family has hidden away. Not only does she have to confront her long-lost father, which brings back unhealthy relationship patterns from the past, but she also has to reunite with her mother and sisters, adding even more drama and unresolved issues to the mix. And to make things even more complicated, her old flame Nate reappears in her life, igniting undeniable attraction. How can she return to her peaceful, press-free, and silent old life?

Despite my initial reservations about the characters' ages and background stories, the family's reunion, the cute and heartfelt love story, and the genuine, smart portrayal of sister-mother connections won me over. The slow beginning was compensated for by the enjoyable family drama and their redemption. The authenticity and smart approach to the relationships among the sisters and mother made me love this book even more, and I'm rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4! And let's not forget Christia and Nate's extra cute interactions!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this lovely book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was okay but nothing very exciting or memorable. The best thing I can say about it is it was a quick read. I guess I am just not a fan of hers because I gave another book of hers also 2 stars. For this one, it was hard to tell if it was supposed to be funny &/or lighthearted, but it really wasn't & it described a sexual assault that was difficult to read about which didn't really fit into the overall tone of the book. I enjoy a lighter read as well as anyone, but mixing dark subjects into one is just not for me. I feel like that needs to be written differently to really address the seriousness of it.

This was a sweet, fun read! I struggled a little with the believability of the premise, but the budding romance between Christa and Nate was adorable, and the family dynamics were messy and true to life.

The book blurb (and new Abbi Waxman!) hooked me immediately. Unfortunately, the story itself was not very compelling. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

I love Abbi Waxman and have since I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. This was such a fun new read from her. While not my favorite from her collection, I adored the cast of characters and the family dynamics! I will definitely recommend this book to others.

I love Abbi Waxman books so I was excited to read this one. I usually fall in love and find her characters so relatable. This wasn’t the case for me this time. I did enjoy the premise and I’d love to visit the island of Violeta. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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Just when she thought she’d gotten far enough away . . . a life-changing phone call throws an antisocial scientist back into her least favourite place—the spotlight. A hilarious and insightful new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

After a tumultuous childhood, Christa Liddle has hidden away, both figuratively and literally. Happily studying sea snails in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Christa finds her tranquil existence thrown into chaos when her once-famous father—long thought dead after a plane crash—turns out to be alive, well, and ready to make amends.

The world goes wild, fascinated by this real-life saga, pinning Christa and her family under the spotlight. As if that weren’t enough, her reunion with an old childhood friend reveals an intense physical attraction neither was expecting and both want to act on . . . if they can just keep a lid on it. When her father’s story starts to develop cracks, Christa fears she will lose herself, her potential relationship, and—most importantly—any chance of making it back to her snails before they forget her completely.

Oh, those poor snails 😊 I loved the play on the word shell – this was a literal shell to come out of, although who is more comfortable in their shell, Christa or the actual snails? And can you actually trust the father or the childhood crush to do the right thing? This book raises a lot of questions that you will have fun grappling with as you read through it. Thoroughly enjoyable – highly recommended.
#shortbutsweetreviews

4.5, rounded up. Christa Comes Out of Her Shell combines family drama with just the right touch of comedy and romance, resulting in a lighthearted, easy read that is perfect for a cozy couch day. The titular Christa-- ahem, Dr. Christabel Liddle-- is smart and quirky in a way that feels effortless rather than constructed and cliché, making her a likable protagonist. In fact, all of the characters are so well developed that we're really on the journey with them throughout the plot, which could easily have been hokey had the character work not been as strong. Waxman manages to pack a lot into this story: Christa's career ambitions, her father's return from the dead, reconnecting with her mother and sisters, a budding romance with an old fling, and more internal struggles, such as (but not limited to) unresolved issues stemming from her childhood and media pressures. Most of the characters have well developed arcs, and everything manages to come together in a satisfactory manner, though I appreciated that it's not all tied up in a pretty, simple bow. Would definitely recommend!

I loved all of Abbi Waxman's previous books, but I liked Christa Comes Out of Her Shell. Christa is a 27 year old marine biologist living on a fictional island in the Indian Ocean. She is called back home to LA when her father (who's been missing for 25 years and presumed dead) resurfaces. Christa is forced to confront her strained relationships with her mother and two sisters, as well as the mystery of her father's disappearance and reappearance.
I was disappointed that this story didn't seem to have ties to her previous books, which the others all do (overlapping characters & places) -- but maybe it was there and I just missed it. It was also a bit too heavy on the romance & I would have liked more exploration of the sister characters.
I also found the age of the protagonist to be a bit young -- at 27 years old already recovered from being a heavy drinking, drug using parting teenager to completing a PhD in marine biology, getting a faculty position at UCLA and spending years on an island doing research? At 17 years old she was sent away to boarding school for two years, so she would have completed high school at 19, then completed undergrad, graduate school and a PhD in less than 3 years, as she's been living on remote island doing research for the last four years? The math doesn't track, and I found this to be very distracting.

Not my favorite of Waxman's, mostly because of the sex and swearing, which I could have done without. But I do love her quirky characters, clever plots, and unique settings.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

“𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨?”



What a ride this book was! In 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭, titular character and reclusive scientist Dr. Christabel “Christa” Barnet Liddle pauses her research on bubble raft snails in the middle of the Indian Ocean and returns to Los Angeles when she receives unbelievable news. Her father—naturalist, explorer, and beloved TV show host Jasper Liddle—is found alive after being missing and presumed dead for 25 years. Once home, she deals with unresolved issues with her mother Denise and older sisters Amelia and Eleanor, a surreal reunion with her long-lost dad, and discomfort with being back in the public eye… as well as unexpected but undeniable attraction to life-long family friend Nathan.

The novel covers a lot of territory: family drama, personal trauma, media exploitation, and romance. Author Abbi Waxman balances multiple themes and a large cast of characters well, and somehow makes a frankly improbable plot—celebrity dad comes back from the dead after a quarter-century—not only palatable but engaging and even funny at times. But as interesting as that arc is in the book, and as sweet and hot Christa and love interest Nate’s interactions are in their scenes, I feel the real heart of the story is her complicated but ultimately loving relationships with her mom Denny and siblings Amelia and Lenny. Waxman is great at characterization and I came to love all of the complex, strong, and smart Liddle women… so much so that my major complaint with the book is that I don’t think enough time was spent seeing them interact with just each other. I would have enjoyed more mother-daughter and sisterly scenes, and felt it would have strengthened the storylines of forgiveness and personal redemption. Perhaps we can get a spin-off with one of them and get more scenes that way?

Overall, 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 is a very entertaining novel that would make a great vacation book or buddy read. 4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was posted on August 20, 2023 to https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5767403872.