This book was good. It wasn't life-changing, but it's a solid story. I really love stand-up comedy, even though most of the people I know who live in that world are barely holding it together or have come from dark pasts. That part rang somewhat true. There's a rawness to it that the book touches on, but it kept things overall pretty light.

The female friendships were the highlight for me. Presley and her roommate Izzy had this easy, chaotic bond that felt exactly like my 20s in New York... oversharing, eating bad food, being weirdly emotionally supportive while also kinda flailing. I actually loved that. Also, Presley dealing with her mom’s death felt real but not in a dramatic, made-for-streaming-limited-series kind of way.

I would recommend it. Maybe not to everyone, but if you’ve ever dreamed of being funny for a living or dated someone who thought they were, there’s stuff in here you’ll recognize... and maybe wince at.

This novel is about Presley, a 25 year old assistant on a late night show who is still grieving the death of her alcoholic mother and who doesn’t do relationship, as she deals with an office crush, trying to get a promotion at work, and a surprising friendship with an old friend of her mother’s.

I feel like this book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a romance or a coming of age novel, and was also throwing so much other stuff in there including Me Too, the aforementioned dead alcoholic mother, way too many details about Presley scouting up and coming comics, and more. But the biggest problem for me was that Presley was so unlikeable and unrelatable, and I don’t think that was the author’s intention. Maybe I’m just too old.

I will read anything Cat Shook writes. She's so underrated. I'm a millennial but still found the Gen Z stories and struggles relatable.

This was a bit more romance-heavy than I expected, but the romance aspect took some interesting turns and helped with character growth.

The non-traditional friendship and traditional friendship were both done well and believable.

I love comedy, so I appreciated the standup bits as well.

Thank you for the ARC. I purchased for my library and will share widely.

I really enjoyed this book. If I was in my mid 20s, I would be yelling preach at a lot of Presley’s conundrums. I never lived in New York but I really appreciate all the nods to its big bright lights and the comedy scene. Specifically I felt the book had a great storyline and it was a bit unique with the drawback to her mom‘s friend at first it was awkward, but then it all makes sense. She is so forward thinking and at times bold, which from a 25 year old felt unique. Very gen Z energy.

Humor Me is a witty and heartwarming rom-com that perfectly balances humor with heartfelt moments. Cat Shook crafts a charming story where New York City itself feels like a character, adding to the novel’s vibrant energy. The humor is sharp, the romance is sweet, and the characters are delightfully relatable. I devoured this book over a weekend—it’s the perfect feel-good read for fans of lighthearted romance. Highly recommend!

Humor Me is a fun, witty story that balances humor with real heart. Shook’s clever writing and quirky characters make it a delightful read with plenty of laughs and warm moments.

While I did binge read this entire book in a day, I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. There were elements that were truly great. I REALLY enjoyed how one of the main characters of the book was New York City. It felt like a love letter to the city, and having recently visited myself, it really resonated with me. I did enjoy the "love interest" portion of the book as well as the relationship that our main character Presley developed with Susan, a friend of her late mother. It was good to see the character growth in Presley as well. There were some elements, however, that just seemed a bit too harped on and I'm not totally sure helped the flow of the story. The "Me Too" of it all seemed a bit forced at times, and I physically wanted to punch the douche-canoe that was Adam from the minute he showed up on page. Nevertheless, this was a like not a love for me. I enjoyed my time here, but I also know that this book will inevitably be somewhat forgettable for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a light read and fun. I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it kind of doesn't tie neatly in a bow, but it made sense with the rest of the book and gave you hope for a sequel!

Humor Me by Cat Shook is a witty and heartwarming rom-com that balances humor with heartfelt moments. The quirky characters and charming dialogue make for an enjoyable, lighthearted read, perfect for fans of feel-good romance with a touch of comedy.

Humor Me by Cat Shook is a fun and lighthearted exploration of the healing power of female friendship, unexpected love, and the world of stand-up comedy. The characters are endearing, and their journey through personal growth and laughter is both heartwarming and entertaining.

While it doesn't break any new ground, the charm of the story lies in its ability to keep things light yet meaningful. It’s a delightful read that’ll leave you smiling—perfect for when you’re looking for something uplifting with a bit of humor.

It took me much longer than I'd like to admit to finish this book. It was interesting seeing into this type of career, I am being vague so I don't leave spoilers. It was interesting to see different aspects of a scandal. It was good to see the main character's growth.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆ ⭒
This is one of those books where I went in semi-blind and reaped the benefits of not remembering the synopsis from when I requested it. It centered around a young woman, Presley, living in New York working as a production assistant for a late night show. She befriends her mother’s childhood friend, and there’s a some romantic storyline tucked in here as well. I saw the intergenerational friendship and hit ‘request’ because everything else is gravy at that point, but just like the rest of synopsis came and went from my memory, some of the plot did as well. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, but a day or two after finishing it, I couldn’t really recall what had happened. Maybe it’s a product of consuming as many books as I do, or maybe of the book itself, but either way I did enjoy the book while I was reading it.

It was mostly the relationships in this book that really caught my attention and interest. I loved Presley’s relationship with her roommate and best friend Isabelle, the working relationship ( and friendship ) with her boss Emma, the friendship that developed between her and her mother’s friend Susan, the complicated dynamics between her and her mother, the relationship and connection she had with her grandparents, and the romantic relationship she forms ( no spoilers ). Within that, I did have a bit of a hard time with just how cynical Presley was - I’m all for sarcasm and a dry sense of humor, but there was a couple times that she came off a bit more judgmental than cynical, and it didn’t always sit favourably with her character.

Ultimately, this was a very middle-of-the-road read for me - I enjoyed it while I was in it, but I didn’t feel like it had much lasting power after I turned the last page. On to the next!

~👩🏻‍🦰

⧞ Thank you so much to @netgalley & @celadonbooks for a digital advanced readers copy of this book!

I enjoyed this book despite it not being quite what I expected. It wasn't much of a glimpse into the life of a late night TV show writer (just a little bit) but more into grief for a complicated relationship and finding friendship in unlikely places. I do like that the character grew and rose up to the challenges in the book and the side romance was sweet.

Presley Fry has been an assistant at a late-night TV show for two years and the only thing that keeps her going is that she's closer than ever to being able to scout talent for the comedy showcase. But her mother just died and the baggage that their complicated relationship came with gets even heavier when mom's best friend from childhood, Susan, decides to take her under her wing. That Susan is going through some major drama after her TV network head husband gets caught in a sex scandal is the least of all the complicated emotions and situations that Presley will have to navigate.

It's a very interesting story that focuses on Presley's growth as a person and the connections she makes along the way to help her navigate life. Following along as she has to face that what she thinks she wants and what she needs are not necessarily the same thing. Shook somehow made a story of loss and growth not just interesting, but fun. You're tagging along with Presley and those around her as they live their life, make difficult choices, and experience everything that life in New York has to offer. There's no way this wouldn't have made an engaging book to begin with, but Shook somehow made a story of loss and growth not just interesting, but fun.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the thought-provoking read!

A contemporary story with a romance subplot. Primary focus is on grief and coping through strong friendships. The NYC setting gives the book a fresh atmosphere and the strong female protagonist offers a poignant reflection on life after the loss of a parent. The story suffered from some slow pacing and underdeveloped side characters,

Truly not the book for me. Took more than halfway to really get into it and even then I wasn’t sure if it was worth continuing. Really interested to see what comes next from this author, but unfortunately this one just didn’t do it for me

I liked Presley's character. She is a typically working woman looking for love.

Presley was hard to follow at times, but this is one of the issues I have with contemporary romances. The characters are related but not at the same time. There is so much happening that I would have liked a second POV.

Overall, I did like Humor Me.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the eARC of Humor Me! All opinions in this review are my own.

I can't quite articulate why I love Cat Shook's writing so much, but her sophomore novel proves once again how well she can write a capitivating story about ordinary people.

Presley's story immediately drew me in as she deals with feelings for one of her closest friends, trying to be successful in a difficult field, navigating her best friend being in a relationship for the first time, and the grief for her mother that she hasn't fully processed yet. I loved this glimpse into Presley's life and how it is not solely focused on her romantic endeavors but on her relationships as a whole.

I am already looking forward to Cat Shook's next novel.

This wasn’t exactly what I was expecting but it was still an okay read. I’m not sure that I will be picking up more from this author in the future but I’m not totally ruling it out either.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Humor Me by Cat Shook. Presley is from the South, but now living in Manhattan and working for a tv talk show. She lives with her best friend from college, Isabella. Her alcoholic and troublesome mother has recently died and Presley is navigating her grief, when she becomes friends with a childhood friend of her mother’s who is going through some things herself. There is romance, friendship, and New York City is it’s own character in the novel. There are some rough spots in this but it is mostly light and a fun read. #humorme #catshook #netgalley #bookstagram #newyorkcitynovel #lovetoread #takeapagefrommybook #readersofinstagram