Christa Comes Out of Her Shell

Snail scientist Christa Barnett is stationed on the remote island of Violetta when she receives a call that her long-lost father has reappeared after twenty years. After thinking her famous TV host father had died in a plane crash, this news comes as a shock and she returns to Los Angeles to face the media. Drama unfolds as she becomes reacquainted with her father and faces past childhood emotional traumas.

This was my first novel by Abbi Waxman and I enjoyed her ability to craft an interesting story with memorable characters. Christa was painted as a quirky character, yet this felt a bit forced at times. I often forgot that Christa was in her late twenties, as she was an accomplished scientist on the path to professorhood. Yet her actions did seem naïve at times, like her tendency to run away from conflict. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the family relationships. However, the footnotes got a little tiresome and the attempts at humor didn’t always hit. This was an entertaining read!