"Humor Me" by Cat Shook is a delightful blend of comedy and introspection, following Cassie on her quest to uncover the truth about her parents' mysterious death. In her 50s and dealing with personal upheaval, Cassie embarks on an impulsive road trip with her teething puppy, leading her to unexpected encounters and revelations.

Shook's writing beautifully captures Cassie's journey through a series of comically surreal and warmhearted adventures, including meeting an enigmatic cryptozoologist. The novel cleverly blurs the lines between reality and fiction, offering a unique take on the nature of stories and who gets to write their endings.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus / Harper Muse Publishing for providing me with an advance listener copy of this heartwarming and thought-provoking book. "Humor Me" is a charming and uplifting read that reminds us of the power of stories and the resilience of the human spirit.

This book was totally not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be some sort of light-hearted rom-com and it definitely was not. However it was bizarre in such a good way. Our main character is going back to her past as her current present is in shambles. Facing all sorts of half-truths and secrets about her family, and an interesting look into Cryptids and paranormal phenomena. It was a refreshing and very interesting novel.

I was expecting a romcom going into this book, and was very surprised when that was not what it was. I did enjoy the story, however, there were many details that were unnecessary and I feel as though the book could have been much shorter. I found myself very confused multiple times and having to go back and listen to certain sections. It got kind of weird at points as well where I was once again confused.

Cassie is a woman who has had enough. She is in her 50’s and is questioning everything in her life and wants some answers. With her uncommunicative cheating husband living in the basement she packs up her car and puppy and takes off to find answers and herself. Her journey is interesting at times, not so much at others until she finally figures out who she is, what she wants and takes charge.

The audio for Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll was pretty good. The story follows Cassie, a middle-aged woman facing a mid-life crisis. Her marriage to Richard, a weatherman, is falling apart, partly due to her new puppy, Luna. While her family is busy writing books, Cassie has struggled with writer's block for years. Cassie decides to leaver her husband and take her dog to Point Pleasant, WV which is the site of her parents' died in a bridge collapse accident. Local legend speaks of a mothman who appeared before the disaster, and now Cassie finds a moth trapped in her car. Moths play a significant role throughout the novel, appearing in various forms, this kind of freaked me out, lol. In Point Pleasant, Cassie meets Ingram, a cryptozoologist studying the mothman. Though hesitant to reveal her true reasons for visiting, Cassie feels a connection with Ingram.

This book is 100% a slow burn, and more reflective than mysterious. I did speed up the audiobook to about 2.5/3 throughout the book. While I loved hearing about Luna’s puppy antics, her significance as a companion to Cassie felt downplayed. The love interest fell flat for me, and I felt Cassie, as a complex character, could have carried the story.

Overall, there were parts of the book I liked, but this book wasn't for me, but I'm sure people who enjoy this genre will. For fans of this style, it could easily be a four-star read, but I’m settling at 3 stars.

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

The narrator was incredibly and painfully slow. I had to speed it up because my mind kept wandering between words. This was while I was driving!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Focus for the advanced audiobook copy.

Good story with great narration.
This story had a little bit of magic and some mystery.
It was enjoyable and had endearing characters. I didnt love the mothman element but it didn't take anything away from the story.
Overall, a decent read with a good narration.

This was such an interesting book! Because there was a magical realism tilt, I kept second-guessing the narrator. It’s never tense, but it’s pretty much always curious. If you need a cut-and-dry story that doesn’t make you question how things are playing out, I’d stay away from this one. For this one, you have to be okay feeling just one step away from believing everything is a dream.

Enjoyed this endearing, quirky novel! Well-written with several interesting characters. The author ties then entire plot together at the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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.

There was a bridge collapsing accident a few decades ago and Cassie's parents were part of the tragedy. She is now in her fifties with her marriage not working anymore and her aunt not answering her questions about the accident, she decided to go on a road trip on impulse and get the answers. A very intriguing plot indeed.
The story is set around christmas time and I wish I had read it in december it sure would've hit differently, I kept picturing bright sunny days and clear skies, that's a 'Me' thing though.
But the story was interesting, seeing what a tragedy can do to people who are connected to the victims, the town where the tragedy occurred was so different from what I have read before this, I got to read a new perspective and I want to thank the author for that.
I couldn't put the book down, once Cassie was in that town, the crypto guy was mysterious and I wasnt sure if we should trust him at first. I loved how all the stories connected, how things unfolded and all the events were well written.
I think it's a different kind of mystery, something between thriller and a cozy mystery , which I would categorise as literary fiction plus mystery subplot and I truly enjoyed it.
Rating:3.25

This story follows a woman trying to find out the story behind the death of her parents. Growing up in Ohio, I’d heard of the Mothman before, so it was interesting to read about it in a book too. Especially because I thought I was crazy when I remembered moth man.

The book did feel a little repetitive at times, but overall a decent book.

Thanks NetGalley for the audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book had moments I liked, but I really struggled with staying focused and enjoying it. I didn’t care for the moth aspect of the story- it felt jarring from the overall feel of the novel and it was just bizarre. Bizarre is fine if there’s some cohesiveness but there wasn’t in this story.

Cassie was an ok character- and the premise of the road trip was a fun idea- I looked forward to her meeting people and ideally watching her grow as a person, but the story just fell a bit flat for me. Again there were moments but overall I just wanted it to be over. I’d still try this author’s books again as it’s possible it’s me

The beginning of the story interested me with the main character uncovering information from her mysterious past. I thought it would be an interesting road trip to discover the truth. In the end, it fell a bit flat for me. There was a lot of extra information that made it confusing and just bogged down. There was a lot of time spent in Cassie's end that I just didn't care for. I found the bits to do with her weather obsessed husband and with the moth references to be a bit odd overall.

Thank you to Netgalley, Susan Coll and Harper Collins Focus for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll was quite interesting. I enjoyed meeting Cassie, even if she was a bit crazy. I myself am sometimes a bit crazy so it worked for me. Growing up with her aunt and uncle and cousins, Cassie has heard the same thing about her parents' death years before: they were in an accident on a bridge that collapsed. However, there was a myth that the mothman was present at the time of the accident. These myths and rumors come alive for her, as she tries to discover exactly what happened. Add in a weather obsessed husband, a crazy puppy, and a crypto-zoologist and things get even more strange.
I enjoyed the story and the narrator did a good job.

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

This was not for me. I thought it would be a road trip to find answers, and in a way, it is but it’s bogged down with so much useless detail and spends so much time in Cassie’s head (not a fun place to be) which made this a chore to get through. Add in the constant moth references – I get it, it’s part of the journey – and the untrained dog (nothing annoys me more!) and I couldn’t sympathize with Cassie at all.

I thought this book was very realistic and true to real life. I thought it did drag on a bit and sort of left me feeling meh. Overall, good message and story.

Thank you to the publisher, author Susan Coll, and NetGalley for allowing me to read Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll in exchange for my honest review. I selected this novel based on the colorful cover and synopsis. In my opinion, the happy cover and smiling dog do not match the melancholy tone of this book at all. I really wanted to like this novel as a fan of women's fiction, dogs, and maturing women finding their way out of loveless marriages and getting their groove back. Sadly, Real Life and Other Fictions did not hold my attention and annoyed me when it did. The narrator was monotone the duration of the audiobook. There were aspects of the story that had so much potential but were not explained or developed or wrapped up. The plot was all over the place. FMC Cassie is in her 50's and her cheating, lying, basement dwelling husband causes her to finally leave him and take a road trip to the location where her parents lost their lives in a tragic bridge collapse. Cassie at times acts unbelievably naive and downright awkward. I have driven across the Chesapeake Bridge many times, and there is NO WAY FMC Cassie stopped on the bridge to locate a cereal box to trap and deal with a moth in her car! Also, there is help for those who are afraid to drive over the bridge (and this is well known in the area). I really did not enjoy the incessant moth interjections at all or the attempts to parallel the Mothman with the protagonist's metamorphosis...if that was even what the strange moth scenes even were? They were never explained, either. Cassie's awful aunt having a job at NPR is also shocking; I could not stand her character and found her treatment of Cassie incredibly irritating. The romance After the night guard incident, if any woman ever went home and found their adulterous husband of 20+ years with their lover sitting at their table drinking champagne with their family. she would never just go upstairs and take a shower! I enjoyed the dog scenes in West Virginia, but there was so much not wrapped up. Overall, Real Life and Other Fictions leaves a lot to be desired. 2/5

This was such a fun book to listen to! I loved how it grasped my attention from the beginning and the characters were so fun! Great book. I very much enjoyed this