Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll weaves together several narrative threads, some of which focus on elements that tend to reliably deliver a very enjoyable reading experience for me—middle-aged characters, supernatural beings, a journey-of-self-discovery plot loosely based on an actual event that promised to not take itself too seriously, a familiar setting, later-in-life romance, and a sweet human-animal bond.

I enjoyed the novel but only became fully engaged in the author’s world at about the midway point. I think the issue was that the opening part was structured to provide “breadcrumbs” about the mystery at the core of the plot, but these clues (the moth, the Gumby doll, the prickly relationship with Aunt Olivia) didn’t cohere for me at first. I couldn’t quite track what was going on or why. (I only understood their significance as breadcrumbs in hindsight after finishing the book.) What kept me intrigued at this early point, though, were the rich and comical details surrounding Cassie’s marriage and the associated weather commentary, especially the details of her husband’s viral downfall. (Seriously, what took her so long to leave him?) All that said, the novel picks up terrifically after Cassie arrives in West Virginia, meets Ingram, and dives into the Mothman mystery and her quest to unravel the dark secrets of her childhood trauma.

I rated the book four stars because of the strong second half. It’s well worth wading through the first part to get there. All told, an enjoyable and memorable read. As someone who grew up in DC and spent countless perfect days at Rehoboth and meandering through the areas where the book takes place, I enjoyed the rush of good memories and nostalgia from the author's descriptions. I will definitely be stopping in Pleasant Point next time I’m in West Virginia to visit the museum.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.

This one ended up being a DNF for me. While Cassie's story was well written and the puppy was cute, I just couldn't relate to the heroine. And It most likely was the fact that I'm not at the age or life stage of the heroine. But I do think readers at that stage and age in life will love this one.

A clever and thoughtful read about growing older and learning about yourself in the process. Humorous and sentimental, this book is a solid pick for summer reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed the story here. I didn't know that mothman was a real prophecy while reading this book, so that was interesting to learn! The characters were mostly unlikable, honestly. But I feel like the story and suspense kept me interested enough to not mind as much. Luna was of course my favorite. 🥰

I felt the vibe of the story didn't fully line up with what I expected based on the cover and title. I'd give it a solid 3 and 1/2 stars.

There is not much to this story but the plot is intriguing. At times it seemed like a dream or sci-fi story. I wasn’t always sure what was reality. The banter between Cassie and Engram was the best part of the story. The book is set at Christmastime which was weird to read in early summer. If you enjoy quirky characters and a sci-fi plot twist, this is the book for you!

The premise of this book really piqued my interest; unfortunately, I really struggled connecting with the main character, Cassie. In addition, the story was a bit all over the place. The overall story is very character driven. It was just okay in my opinion, but then I don't think I'm the right reader for this book. That being said, I did enjoy the quirky moments and characters through the story. Cassie's journey is also interesting as well as some of the side stories told along the way.

I started this book with high hopes but by a third of the way in I started fighting myself to keep reading.This book was hard to follow and the characters did not entertain me. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.

Very rarely do I hate a book. Typically, I don't finish books I hate, but when a publisher provides an eARC, I will finish them.

I did not connect with Cassie at all. Even looking at it through a trauma-informed lens, she made very little sense to me. Waiting 57 or so years to get answers did not make sense to me, especially as she had always seemed to express curiosity. The romance came out of NOWHERE and left me feeling confused.

I also have family in WV and was really confused about how they kept acting as if it was a foreign land for people who live in DC, which it isn't.

Overall, the slow pace, the repetition, and the plot I did not like made this a pass for me. An extra star is added for how it did come together towards the end and had a few moments of piquing my interest.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the eARC.

Mental Health Benefits of Pets and REAL LIFE AND OTHER FICTIONS by Susan Coll

Cover of the book Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll used to teach the mental health concept of mental health benefits of Pets
Cassie spent the last few decades caring for her callous husband and loving daughter. That period in her life abruptly ended when Cassie’s daughter went away to college, and, at about the same time, she found out that her husband cheated on her and left him. Cassie is mad, sad, and exhausted. But also, having newly freed herself from the responsibilities associated with her child and husband, Cassie is insatiably curious about the bridge collapse that killed her parents. This obsession isn’t entirely new, but impulsively getting in the car and driving to see the town for herself is unlike anything Cassie has ever done before.

It's a long ride across a few states. Cassie’s in the driver’s seat, and there’s only one creature joining for this wild ride: her beloved puppy, Luna. When Cassie falls and hurts herself, Luna offers comfort. When Cassie is lonely, Luna provides companionship. When Cassie meets an intriguing man, Luna clearly expresses her approval. Cassie and Luna share an immensely fulfilling and stable relationship.

Cassie is not alone. Many people experience mental health benefits from having pets. With their unique ability to reduce stress and anxiety, decrease loneliness, and provide unconditional love and support, pets can serve as an exceedingly helpful coping tool. They offer a sense of purpose and cultivate an overall calming presence, making each day a little brighter.

People with pets, particularly dogs, spend more time outside, go for more frequent leisurely walks, and interact regularly with other pet owners. The mix of movement, connection, and time in nature is protective against depression.

Here are some tips to maximize the mental health benefits of pets:

Play Together: Try being silly with your pet. Explore games or places you might both enjoy.

Relish Caretaking: Pets are entirely reliant on you. Allow yourself to enjoy taking care of the pet you love.

Talk it Out: Pets are good listeners. Practice expressing your thoughts to your completely non-judgmental companion.

Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll

Love Susan Coll? Me too. Check out my post on one of her other books, Bookish People, and avoiding doom scrolling.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed Bookish People, and though this one didn't hook me the same way, I still found this to be an enjoyable story! Though I found it harder to relate to the main character, this was cute and short.

I kind of expected the idea of this book to be flipped. Instead, MC is determined to uncover information about her past that everyone has kept from her. In her travels, it seems like everything she encounters changes the story of her life in a way that she has to decide if she is going to embrace the story she's been told or the story she is living.
The book is fascinating and was really hard to put down. Even though the book ended in a great place, these were the kind of characters I want to keep coming back to visit and check in on.

#arc
#netgalley
#reallifeandotherfictions

I couldn't get into the book and found that I felt bored the whole time I was reading it. I feel bad because the cover is stunning and the premise is uniquely weird.

Cassie is in her 50s and is very confused. She has had upheavals being orphaned at two, taken in by a very kind aunt and uncle, who never wanted to give any information as to the whys and wherefore s of her parents deaths because many things were painstakingly curious. Her husband is indifferent, has found someone and is quite alright that she just walked out with only the puppy for company.

Tracing the path her parents took seems the way to go to find answers seems the way out for Cassie and this is what she sets out to do.

There are events here which are real life stories and this was the substance of the story. It was a bit of a dark read for me. It dealt with a generation who did not want to discuss openly subjects which were unpleasant, just pretend they did not exist. Such a common thing in the past.

This was a very weird story... On one side, I liked the exploration of the mc mental journey, her coming to terms with her own past and her relationships. But on the other, some parts were repetitive (even the the same event told twice) and that was confusing and a put me off a bit... If this was intentional to show the thinking process, then it definitely works; if not, it might left people wondering what is happening. I also feel like the obsession with the moth was unresolved, I guess I would have liked something more on the subject.
Overall, it was an ok read.

Im not sure how to write about this book. It annoyed me that a fifty something woman would be so naive about her own history and that of the area she lived in and drove through often (per her narrative). I’m not sure how someone who drives over the bay bridge regularly has no idea about the bridge deaths or the services provided for those who can’t drive themselves across. This made the character seem even less intelligent and just plain ditzy. Getting out of the car on the bridge to get a box for a bug? Ridiculous. She should have been fined in the first place. The writer just didn’t seem like they had a lot of knowledge about what it’s like to live in the dmv area. Which put me off. But then lots of regurgitated facts about Point Pleasant and the moth man movie. More annoyance.

Absolutely wonderful book! I could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

It was okay, but it didn't hit the mark for me. I felt disconnected to the character, maybe because the age is different than what I'm used to reading. It wasn't a bad book at all, just not one that I loved.

Real Life and Other Fictions is such an interesting literary fiction book with a bit of mystery and romance mixed in to a unique story!

Cassie is in her 50s and newly divorced from her peculiar husband. She’s setting out on a road trip with her dog to find answers. Cassie was orphaned at the age of 2 and hasn’t gotten the answers she craves in regard to her parents’ death. Their death was under bizarre circumstances and family is attempting to hide the past. She meets people along the way that add more mystery and interest to the plot, I didn’t even know what a cryptozoologist was before this! The whole journey of unraveling secrets was not only interesting but managed to make me laugh a few times even with the serious subject matter. This book wasn’t what I thought it would be based on the cover but I thoroughly enjoyed the story, characters, and writing!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Susan Coll, and Harper Collins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This publishes on May 21st!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will rave about this on TikTok on publishing day!

Real Life and Other Fictions follows a woman who is at a standstill in life. Her marriage seems to be crumbling and her daughter went off to college. She also can't seem to write the book she's been wanting to write her whole life. She goes on a trip to visit her aunt and uncle (who raised her) and get away. She tries to dig up what happened to her parents.

I enjoyed this book! It reminded me a lot of the Amgash series by Elizabeth Strout. I feel like not a lot happened but it is rather just a woman rambling about her life and different things that have happened. She is investigating a bridge collapse that killed her parents. The tone of this one is interesting. It has some darkness but it has some humor.

There were a lot of quirky moments and characters. I really enjoyed this book!

I find myself liking a character driven book. It doesn't have much plot. I would describe this book as that. I think some people probably won't like this one because not much happens. However, I really liked it!

Thanks so much to netgalley and Harper Muse for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!