I really, really wanted to love this one, but it didn't work for me.  The writing itself was so beautiful, and I love stories about disturbing friendships, but parts of this book (the weird lucid dream sections) were so bizarre and nonsensical I just couldn't get on board. 2.5 stars.  Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful cover that really drew me in. It was a strange book that made me want to keep reading. I feel like this author has a very original voice and I plan to check out her previous book now.

I decided to give this another go after dnf-ing earlier in the year, and  I got through it this time and ended up quite enjoying it.  I love the Hollywood setting, and this is a very atmospheric book that kept me on the edge of my seat, though it was just a bit tense for me at the time as I was already a bit stressed. The blurred lines and exploration of relationships was a highlight for me, though the fantastical elements could be a bit confusing

This book was a wild ride, and I loved every page. The characters were so well written, I started to feel like I actually went to school with them, and I couldn't wait to see how the story unfolded!

I didn't stop once I started reading. I plowed through it in less than a day. I can't wait to see what Lauren Acampora does next!

The main characters of this book were complex, and I really enjoyed the dynamic of their friendship at first. The story line just wasn't for me in the end.

Thank you to Grove and Netgalley for an ARC. 
While being fast paced in parts - this boko was NOT for me.  I couldn’t engage with the characters or connect with the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish this book despite trying on a few occasions hence DNF

I've just finished this book and I'm having a tough time putting my thoughts into words, to wrap my head around what I want to say. I want to do it now because I move on to the next book and all the thoughts I have disappear...

When I was originally reading of this book and thinking of what I would say in my review, it began as what I thought would be a story about a stalker, a person who was obsessed with someone but instead of most stories being from the perspective on the stalked, it would be from the stalker (the obsessor themself). As the story progressed, you had a woman who was obsessed with Elise and the idea of the life that she lived. Once she became enthralled in her life, she began to realize that Elise's life was so much more complex and possess so many more layers than what she anticipated. What stood before her was an actress, her childhood friend, who seemed to have it all together, but really did not. She had this facade of being a strong woman making her way in Hollywood, trying to be taken seriously. But Abby soon realized that she was just as weak and insecure as the women that Elise claimed to despise in Hollywood. 

And then there was the whole "cult-like" group (The Rhizome) founded by an artsy director who makes films that are a bit more out there, challenging the artistic norms of film. A part of me wishes some of the concepts from Rhizome were gone into a bit more depth, but i'll just chalk it up to my ignorance of cults and some of the terminology used. 

Abby is an interesting character. She's an outcast, seemingly incapable of interacting/socializing with the general public easily. Has both a tough time finding her purpose but also seems to know exactly what her purpose is. She is a woman who exhibits premonitory visions and uses them as she ventures the world that is LA/California/Hollywood. 

While it was not really addressed in this film, there were clearly elements of mental health within a majority of the female characters mentioned. There are some elements within it that can be considered as a trigger, depending on the reader. I think that should have been addressed more. 

In the end, this was a deeply unique debut novel. It was fast-paced and easy to read. The style of writing is as though Abby is speaking directly to Elise, which I really enjoyed. I didn't love the book....I have this unique feeling about it that makes a book like this challenging to rate. I don't really know how to describe it. However, it would be something I would recommend to someone that wants to read something different. My mind is still whirling, trying to wrap my head around it all.

The Paper Wasp by Lauren Acampora was very well-written. It was incredibly atmospheric. However, there were some bizarre parts that left me with unresolved questions. 

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the free e-galley.

This book was very strange, but interesting. Abby Graven, an ex-promising art student, lives in Michigan. She wants to work in filmmaking, but instead is a supermarket cashier in her small town. Her childhood best friend, Elise, is a rising Hollywood movie star. When the two reconnect, Elise invites Abby to come live with her in California, setting Abby off on a journey to become enthralled with Elise’s world and the artistic institute she frequents, the Rhizome. The book blurs the lines between reality, dreams, and imagination, making it hard to tell what is real and what is hallucination. It was strange, but intriguing and compelling. Abby seems to be willing to do anything to make her dreams a reality, even if she hurts her best friend in the process. It was a fascinating story, and very disturbing in an interesting way.

This book was just too slow for me and I couldn’t engage with the characters. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish this book despite trying on a few occasions.

This is one of those books that will keep you questioning what you read, even weeks and months after you put it down. Not because it was hard to understand, or that I didn't get it, but more like the story was so intricately strange that it is hard to put into words what happened.

Beautifully written almost poetic novel. about the relationship between childhood friends whose lives have taken very different turns.  A very easy read and a very gripping story.

What did I just read? I am confused and I really don't have a clear concise feeling about this book. 

Abby and Elise, two childhood bestfriends, one a Hollywood star the other a smart mental case, college burnout reunite at their high school reunion. And we are a go for fireworks. Toxic women, toxic friendships, why are they so compelling? Neither character was particularly likeable or anything special for me. 

3 star read. 

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for allowing me to read and review.

'The Paper Wasp' is a compelling and creepy story of obsession, fame and Hollywood. I listed to the audio book which I highly recommend, given the almost dreamlike nature of the book. The narrator really made Lauren Acampora's brilliant writing come alive. 

In rural Michigan, Abby leads a lonely life. She was once a promising and gifted artist but now works at a boring, dead-end job. There are hints of darkness in her life, and one gets the sense that Abby is barely holding onto reality.  She escapes into the fantasy world of films, and is obsessed with the work of Auguste Perren, a director who also runs an institute knows as the Rhizome. Dreams and visions inspire Perren, and Abby draws similar fantastical art pieces, all in secret. 

Abby is surprised to run into her childhood best friend Elise at a high school reunion. Elise is now a famous actress, pursued by the tabloids and living in LA. Elise mentions to Abby to look her up if she is ever visiting and Abby does just that. Except that Abby is no casual visitor and has basically run away from home to get to LA.  She has no place to live, and no job there. Elise still feels a kinship with Abby, and hires her as her personal assistant. Abby jumps at the chance. All her fantasies are finally coming true. 

<b><i>"Here, I was a new person. Just as you’d left Michigan far behind, Elise, so had I."<b></i>

Outwardly, Abby seems like the perfect friend and assistant. Inwardly, she is a seething time bomb, ready to explode at any minute. Abby is resentful of Elise's success as an actress and begins to sabotage both Elise's personal and professional life. The obsessive nature of Abby's feelings for Elise come through in the chilling, second person point-of-view. 

<b><i>"I took a last look at you. Your eyes stared up at me, my old friend, and I saw something pleading in them, imploring me. My dreams hadn't been wrong. They were never wrong; they were truer than life. As I held your gaze, I understood that our bond had never truly been broken. You needed me as much as ever."</b></i>

The story takes a very odd turn at the end but I still was absolutely enchanted by the writing. The scenes between Abby and Elise are chilling, tense and compelling. The author has a real eye for the often superficial nature of Hollywood and the movie business in general. I was on the edge of my seat during the last half of this book. It was clear that Abby's obsession with Elise was going to take a very dark turn. 

<b><i>"You smiled faintly and closed your eyes. When you opened them again, they locked on mine, bright and vapid. There was nothing in them. You hadn’t been filled, over all these years, but had been left carefully hollow. This, I imagined, was why actresses cracked so easily with age, like glass vases—why they were so swiftly and thoroughly ruined."</b></i>

The author has much to say about female friendship, rivalry and the Hollywood star system. The dream sequences translated well into the audio book which is why I highly recommend listening to this book! This is a wildly creative and different story that is easily one of my favorites of 2019.

I normally really love weird books, but the plot of this one was a bit confusing for me.  Abby made choices that seemed so out there that I could not understand her motives for doing them.  
This one wasn’t for me.

A thrilling novel! I very much enjoyed the intrigue and twists of this tale woven by Acampora. I love twisted friendships and dark pasts, and The Paper Wasp did not disappoint! It was also the perfect length. I wasn't left wanting more, and the just under 300 pages didn't drag or get bogged down at all.

3 for neutral.  I was so excited to get this book, but every time I tried to get into it I was not able to.  I felt it was just a bit too confusing and didn’t grab my attention.  I will update later if able to read and enjoy.

So even after one month, I am still not sure I can review this book because simply put, I just don't know how! Like I said before, this book is definitely different, interesting and disturbing. I really liked the writing and the story, while you read it, is easy to follow except that you just can't pinpoint what  hit you once you are done reading the book. 

The cover picture is gorgeous and the title is perfectly apt for the book and deserve their own star. This is the author's debut book and all I can say is I am perfectly game for reading more of her work in the future.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Grove Press and the author Lauren Acampora for providing me with an e-ARC of the book to read and review.

The plot of this novel was confusing to me. I'm not sure if it's my fault as a reader for not understanding what the storytelling was trying to convey, or whether the characters and ideas weren't presented in a way to help me understand what was trying to be communicated through the narrative.

The main character Abby carries the weight of this novel, but I feel like we don't know enough about her to really understand what's going on inside her brain. I don't mean that we need to have her reveal plot points, but it would be nice to know more about her than just a cursory thumb nail sketch. 

The novel was neither thrilling or unpredictable, it was just unfulfilling.

I loved this Lynchian, perfectly written book. The Paper Wasp is philosophical, exploring themes of dangerous passion, control (of the self, of one's destiny, of others), creativity, and lucid dreaming while maintaining the propulsive narrative surrounding a Hollywood starlet and her obsessed childhood friend turned watchful assistant.