I loved this.. Off kilter, but full of heart. I feel for Linda, our protagonist, so much. The writing and voice of the work is strong -- I found myself feeling protective on behalf of our protagonist when she made certain choices I knew wouldn't bode well in society. The bittersweet ending sealed it as a 5 star for me.

What a weird little romp yet was oddly endearing.

Kate Folk said let’s have our FMC be in love with an airplanes and made it work. Because what happened is Linda is a sad lady who has some misconceptions about her own wants and desires and in the mix discovers the power of friendship. Folks writing is unhinged, definitely satirical but also incredibly heartwarming. Linda is a very easy to relate to character and I think if people are willing to look beyond the weird sexual fetish they will love this.

This book is delightfully weird and funny. It is exactly what it claims to be. I got way too invested in the story, and started to root for a crash which felt weird and wrong which is incredibly fitting.

A delightfully wacky tale of a girl destined to *checks notes* marry an airplane. I really enjoyed this and was often cackling at my Kobo but I did find it to be repetitive. It wasn’t overlong but the repetition is a testament to how strong of a short story writer Kate Folk is, as evidenced by her wonderful previously published collection of stories. Either way, I’m a fan!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the arc.

This is exactly the kind of strange fiction that I love. It was funny, but also mildly disturbing and very awkward at times. Folk knew her main character Linda very well, and was able to tell her story with intimacy and skill. The core of the plot is Linda’s deep and unwavering love/lust for airplanes. It is her sexual identity, and she objectifies the shapes and curves of different models of aircraft as if they are human men. Linda doesn’t consider planes to be objects. She feels that they are sentient beings with feelings and souls, and she wants one to “choose her” for marriage. How will she know she has been chosen? Well, because that flight will crash with her inside it.

Obviously, this book will not be for everyone, and some readers will definitely feel that it’s in poor taste. Especially given Linda’s ultimate goal and how passionately she romanticizes it. The timing for a plot like this is also maybe not the BEST, but that is not the author’s fault.

I have to give kudos for excellent crafting of a title that has multiple meanings within the story, is funny and interesting and immediately made me want to read the book. (Great cover, too!) Don’t be fooled, though: it’s not a light-hearted romance or a cute coming of age story or anything like that. It’s very much a dark comedy with some grim moments and off-putting decisions on behalf of our main character.

Linda was a protagonist that wasn’t always easy to root for. Even though I was intrigued and wanted to keep reading to see what she would say and do next, she definitely did some things that had me face-palming. And these were just her interactions with human men, not airplanes. She was way too passive and nice and I wish she’d had more of a backbone. Though I will say that many things I questioned turned out to have a specific purpose or repercussion later on that made sense. Much like the vision boards that became so important to Linda’s plans… (What a great story element!)

Folk actually made Linda’s romantic and sexual interest in planes feel so believable that by the time the story really got going, I was unfazed by it. There were other aspects of her personality that I could absolutely relate to, and the way that Folk wrote about romantic and sexual attraction that is “not normal” was perfect. Linda was very confident in how she felt but also terrified of how other people would perceive her if they knew the whole truth. Another surprising theme of the novel was friendship, believe it or not.

Small complaint, but Linda constantly referred to her tiny rental unit as her “cube,” so every time a scene was set there I at first assumed she was talking about being at work, because to me a cube means a cubicle in an office. Probably just me, though. That was my only issue.

I was a big fan of the ending. “Sky Daddy” will likely be a hit with anyone who loves the weird, dark comedy side of contemporary fiction and an unpredictable narrator.

Biggest TW: Suicidal ideation, Depression, Bullying, Plane crash imagery

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk is a darkly satirical gem that I absolutely couldn’t put down. The protagonist, Linda, is awkward, aloof, and more blunt than is probably socially acceptable—and I could see a lot of myself in her. Her daily life, full of oddities and strange internal musings, becomes far from mundane thanks to Folk’s sharp, witty writing style. As Linda’s obsession with planes grows and she starts navigating her feelings in a world that doesn’t quite understand her, the story takes unexpected turns that are both hilarious and dark in the best way.

The writing is hilarious, with similes and analogies that had me laughing out loud and sometimes even snorting. While it’s undeniably funny, there’s also a tenderness beneath it all as Linda begins to open herself up and embrace her true, unfiltered desires. Her journey toward self-acceptance, set against the backdrop of her obsession with planes, is weirdly wholesome, though always tinged with a satirical lens that questions societal norms.

Folk’s prose is easy to read, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. The dark humor and absurdity of Linda’s situation created a reading experience that felt both entertaining and thought-provoking.

It’s a story that blends the bizarre with the tender and the satirical, all while providing unexpected moments of sincerity. Sky Daddy might just end up on my favorites list for 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk follows a woman named Linda who dreams of a plane falling in love with her and falling to the earth, crashing with her inside. Which sounds strange but I loved it.

I finished this book in one day because I had to know what would happen. I loved Linda as a character. She is incredibly flawed and confused and lonely. She is awkward and seemingly adrift in life. But she has one main focus and I love how this book used that focus to explore more of her character.

This won’t be a book for everyone. You have to be able to accept that you will be following a main character that is pretty odd but I loved how unique this story felt. The ending was perfect to me. This is the second book I have read by this author and she has become an autobuy author!

What a delight! I obsessed over Kate Folk’s debut short story collection, so I was eager to see what she’d do with a novel, and this did not disappoint. There was so much off-kilter humor that just worked and fed into a larger story of recovering from mother wounds and learning to connect with the type of people that would be good for her. Love the humor. Loved the Bay Area setting. Loved how original and creative this felt. More great work from Folk.

4.5 stars rounded up

What a strange, hilarious, and charming book this was. I never thought I’d enjoy a book about a woman sexually attracted to planes and yet here we are.

Kate Folk’s writing is so engaging and fun. I was cackling throughout my reading of this work. Our main character Linda was a strange person to be following, but by the end I too was hoping she’d find her plane soulmate. Her weirdness and lack of social skills felt so relatable!

Highly recommend to fans of dark comedies. I haven’t read Kate Folk’s prior work but certainly will now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the surface, Sky Daddy is a story about a woman’s attraction to planes. She believes it is her destiny to marry a plane—for a plane to become so obsessed with her presence on board that it crash lands—-bonding their souls together forever.

This is also a book about a lonely and strange woman passively going through life and unknowingly searching for acceptance. I was rooting for Linda to take charge of her life, to want to participate.

And the ending? Perfection. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

“Go after your dreams, you crazy bitch”

This book is NUTS in that there’s no telling what will happen next. Kate Folk has this ability to write so beautifully when talking about the weirdest love affair you can ever imagine. Bonkers, outlandish, hilarious, heartwarming, disgusting, aka the true makings of a 5 star reading experience for me. When published, this book will join the ranks of weird girl literature.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this incredible ARC. I’m truly honored to have read such a weird and quirky book.

I loved this book. I loved Linda and all her quirks, especially her sense of humour. This was really well written and I loved the growth of Linda and Karina's friendship.

4.5 stars!

Huh. I'm a little stunned to be honest.

We all have hobbies. And after a long week of moderating hateful comments on social media, 30-year-old Linda finds no better way to unwind than by going to the airport and indulging in her deep attraction to commercial airplanes! I know you're wondering "Is it sexual?" and the answer is yes, but it's not only sexual because Linda's ultimate dream is to one day be eternally bonded to one of her stunning steel suitors in that holy matrimony we call...a plane crash. Can you tell I'm having fun? Good, because it'll be a good appetizer for this book that is all at once strangely charming and charmingly strange. I was engaged the whole way through and genuinely had no idea where the plot was going, but I was along for the ride (haha). No spoilers but the ending was exactly what I wanted it to be, I laughed so much when I turned the last page. The only thing I'll say is that there is some pretty unsettling moments of sexual harassment and dubious consent that didn't feel super necessary but I just can't be mad about it. Considering the premise, this book is extremely well done and I encourage you to begrudge your curiosity and read it.

Read this for a fun time, or at least an interesting one!

Thank you to Kate Folk and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

I've had a bit of a thing recently with dark weird girl lit, and Sky Daddy by Kate Folk really took the cake. Our main character, Linda, is a certified self-proclaimed weird girl. She's really hard not to love for her unique, sometimes-relatable, sometimes-far out quirks. Her growth both personally and in her relationships is really moving to watch through this story, even as Linda herself seems to grow increasingly more unhinged. The portrayal of female friendships and platonic love throughout is really nice as well.

This story is funny, dark, and truly just a delight. If you only read one weird girl book in 2025, let it be Sky Daddy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the cherished opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

As a weird girl that works in the aviation industry, I love weird girls that psychosexualize planes... Apparently. This ate.

A wild and surreal ride through love, obsession, and chaos, with sharp social commentary. The story’s bizarre twists will leave you unsettled and oddly satisfied. A must-read for fans of unconventional, razor-sharp fiction.

Linda works in digital hygiene as a social media content moderator. Largely unbothered by this cumbersome job, Linda’s only focus is on saving enough money to flight once a month in the hopes that she’ll meet her avian soulmate and they will be united for eternity. Linda is one of the most memorable characters you will ever encounter, and bearing witness to her pursuit is immensely enjoyable. Linda is incredibly relatable, quirks and all, and reminds you of feeling adrift, waiting for the sign that you’re where you need to be. Her fear of being judged, of her weirdness being used as a weapon, is particularly resonant. Kate Folk is a hilarious writer and I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.

Thank you Kate Folk, Random House, and Netgalley for advance access to Sky Daddy! Stay tuned for its release on April 8, 2025.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to interviewing the author!

Sky Daddy's premise is zany and absurd in way that's recognizably Kate Folk if you've read her short story collection (and uncollected stories). The narrator, Linda, has one interest in life: her sexual obsession with airplanes. She wants to marry a plane, i.e. go down in a crash with her "soulmate plane." She otherwise has no ambitions or pastimes; her one friend, Karina, is her coworker at a tech company, where they are both content moderators. Linda's life changes when she starts attending Vision Board Brunches with Karina. After she pastes her wishes to a manifestation board, they actually seem to come true. Maybe she actually can marry a plane... At its core, this book is about being a lonely outsider with seemingly impossible desires.

I do wish some of the secondary characters, especially Karina and the landlords' son, had been developed just a tiny bit more. We learn some important facts about Karina at the very end of the book, but I wish her character had been more fleshed-out overall.

4.25

Setting: California
Rep: n/a

This is one weird ass weird girl book and I loved it. Linda is pretty strange, pretty gross at times, but I was compelled by her narration and her friendships throughout the book. Fans of Melissa Broder will like this!

This was unhinged and I loved it hahahaha. Kate you’re lowkey a freak but I’d be your best friend I just know it.