Nothing to See Here is a fun, fiery, fierce novel about love, family, and parenting that everyone should read. Lillian is contacted by her high school friend, Madison, and tasked with caring for Madison's step-children. The catch? The kids catch on fire whenever they get upset. This weird concept is the set-up for one of the best metaphors for parenting--for being human--that I have ever read.

Kevin Wilson's previous book didn't really appeal to me but as soon as I read the description for this one I knew I had to read it. It's a funny, touching read with a slight mix of surreal magic.

In this novel, Lillian is a somewhat aimless 28 year old who gets summoned by Madison, the rich roommate she had in her one year of boarding school as a scholarship student - and asked to take care of Madison's two step-children, who literally catch on fire when they get upset. But while that plot description certainly tells you this book is unique, it really can't capture how weird and wonderful it is. 4.5 stars.

When I requested this title, I thought it was a Nonfiction short story book. I was extremely surprised to learn that children could catch on fire. Why I made this mistake about this book, I have no idea. But I will be putting down this book for a little because it is not what I was expecting, which is my own fault.

Oh how I loved this weird little book! It was laugh out loud funny but also made me catch me breath and tear up on the very same page. It isn't nearly as unbelievable as it seems at the start and the characters quickly become very real people. I thought it was a perfect metaphor for motherhood. One of my favorites of the year!

Lillian and Madison first meet at a boarding school, where Lillian takes the fall over one of Madison's mistakes and is expelled.  Years later, Madison is married to a US Senator and calls Lillian to ask for a favor.  Madison's step-children are coming to live with them and they need a caretaker.  The only thing is, the children spontaneously com-bust and start on fire whenever they are stressed.  Lillian takes the job and falls in love with the children.  Delightful story and possibly my favorite book of the year! Highly recommend.

Though at first I hated the main character, both she and the children grew on me as I delved into this bizarre tale-just what I expected from this, one of my favorite contemporary authors.

A unique, charming , quirky story. Lillian and Madison are roommates and best friends in boarding school . Scandal happens and Lillian takes the fall for her best friend . Years pass without the two speaking until Lillian gets a letter asking fir her help with Madison’s twin step kids . Sounds simple enough but there is one catch. Don’t miss this fabulous unusual book

This is one of the most original books that I have read in some time.  Lillian and Madison attend a boarding school together for a year and form a close friendship, until Lillian takes the fall for drugs that Madison had in her possession.  Madison is from a wealthy family and has an image to uphold.  They maintain their friendship through letters until one day Madison wants to see Lillian at her mansion.  It turns out that she wants Lillian to take care of her stepchildren, but there is a catch.  The two children are twins that catch on fire.  I really enjoyed this book and thought that the character development was spot on.  This book was so imaginative and I would love to read more from this author in the future.  Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

Having read Kevin Wilson's Perfect Little World a couple years ago and not being crazy about it, I was interested to see what he could do with a different story, and I have to say, I really enjoyed this one. The concept of raising two children who break out in flames, while intriguing, could have become a novelty to the story, something performative, but Wilson executed it so seamlessly that children that catch fire feel as natural to the overall plot as the theme of having difficult parents. 

The main character, Lillian is imperfect but even better for it and I just loved her perspective on the world and people around her. It's rare that you find a male author that can write such dynamic female characters, but Kevin Wilson is one. In fact, every character, from little Timothy to intimidating Carl is written so well. I might have liked a little bit more from Jasper to show there's a human in there somewhere, but maybe we're not supposed to think that. 

If you enjoy family drama that is both sad and heartwarming with a touch of make believe, I definitely recommend this novel.

This was an amazing, original read!  If you like slightly strange reads with humor mixed in, this is for you!

This book is a hidden gem. I honestly couldn’t imagine how a story about siblings that have a condition that causes them to catch fire could seriously be told.  Turns out the story unfolds so perfectly that it’s both believable and touching. Lillian and Madison are besties from.  boarding school who have very little communication until Madison gives her a call to ask a big favor. To come be the governess to her step children. Madison,  who’s life is going nowhere at the time accepts and goes from living with her mom to life in a mansion with Madison and her politician husband. There is endless adventure as she figures out how to care for  flammable kids. There is no shortage of touching moments throughout as she becomes attached to the kids and they to her. I was either laughing out loud or holding back tears. Great original story I highly recommend.

Such an original and clever premise! I mostly enjoyed the book. I did, however feel like the profanity was excessive and at times unnecessary. Instead of making Lillian sound edgy it made her more unlikable to me. I liked the transformation she made as she grew to love the kids. The ending, however,  seemed a little too quick and easily resolved. I guess I wanted a little more depth from the other characters.

I was so intrigued by the premise of this book. Two children who spontaneously catch on fire are to be cared for and kept out of site by misanthropic narrator Lillian, to avoid disrupting their Senator father's political aspirations. This ended up being a delightfully relatable read. I don't know of any combustible children, but I can relate to the themes of growing up and not feeling like you belong anywhere. The children being different in ways beyond their control is a nice story and a fun read.

This is almost a perfect book.  To read s book in which children spontaneously combust and that starts to feel normal tells you how seamless this book is.  Every sentence works.  And is funny!  Best book of 2019

This book is a delight and a strange and beautiful reading experience. The characters are surprisingly refreshing, weird, and the writing is so well crafted it made me want to reread paragraphs to study them. It's difficult to talk about without spoiling things, but the story surrounds a friendship and a set of twins who catch on fire, and what happens next. It is brilliant and refreshing and I loved it.

This is a hard one to rate. I was immediately sucked in but then had to rein my enthusiasm in for disbelief. What?! Children that can set themselves on fire?! BUT... Once I gave in to suspending belief, I happily went along for the ride. 

Plusses:
well-written
sometimes laugh out loud humorous descriptions {"...she had a little boy whom she dressed in nautical suits and who looked like an expensive teddy bear that had turned human."
highly original, quirky, odd, and ultimately enjoyable. 

I found Lillian especially believeable--and so too Madison. And Carl was a useful foil.

And the relationship between the twins and Lillian--poignant and beautiful [no spoiler alert]. And there was sadness.

 I found the ending a tad too neat, but it was ok. I didn't much care as I enjoyed the rest of the book.

3.5, rounding up.

This is a weird book, but it's also weirdly compelling and I couldn't put it down! What a strange, creative story and an engaging style of writing. I'll keep an eye on this author!

When I shared this book on my 2019 Fall Preview podcast episode, I’d heard good things, but I was nervous about the outrageous premise (kids literally catching on fire when they’re upset). I usually like my fiction firmly rooted in reality; however, I’m a mother, so I appreciated this idea as a metaphor. What parent hasn’t witnessed an epic tantrum where your child starts to resemble the girl from The Exorcist? This book seamlessly combines dark humor with warmth into brain candy that has sass and heart. I felt for these lonely children and for Lillian, who struggles in her own life. Lillian’s salty, filter-free commentary on rich people’s eccentricities and her rough-around-the-edges demeanor balance out the unrealistic premise. And, Madison’s private interactions with Lillian resemble going behind-the-scenes of a reality TV show – with Madison trading her “political wife” veneer for brutal honesty. Plus, the ending is awesome in a karma-will-bite-you kind of way. A sweet, but not eye-rollingly saccharine story. P.S. – I recommended this book for Book of the Month in October!

I loved Nothing to See Here! Lillian is recruited to take care of two stepchildren of her old college roommate. No big deal, right? Except these children spontaneously catch fire. I really never expected to like this story but quickly fell in love with Lillian, Bessie and Roland. Kevin Wilson's story is a breath of fresh air in the fiction world!