Cover Image: Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything

Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything

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This novel was well written and well-read by the narrator. A unique and accessible story, I really enjoyed it. I also very much want to read the book the main character will hopefully write now that her fears are bit more in check and her life is hers to live.

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I must admit that I did not like the story at the beginning of this audio; however, I continued listening. This corky but hilarious book did win me over by the end. It tells a story of how we act when bad things happen but sometimes, in the end, it the best thing that could have happened. Great life lesson.

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I am so thankful for the books that reference anxiety and other mental health issues. I add them to a Goodreads shelf I call “Banish the Stigma.”

This is, I believe, the first book I’ve ever read where the main character copes with phobias. This is especially important to me because I too cope with them and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a character battle them before, in a book I’ve read.

I found the portrayal of them fairly authentic and non-judgmentally spoken of. This is a great Book Club read - there’s so much to discuss and so much in the way of character development, even with some of the more background characters.

I think it’s important too, to normalize therapy. It can be a game changer.

When I first started listening to the audiobook of Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything, I was worried that I’d find it too heavy on the satire for me to enjoy it. Confession: Sometimes satire just wings right over my head or I don’t realize it’s satirical and take it at face value. I don’t recommend it. ;)

Fortunately, Agatha definitely had satirical moments but was really well done and not isolating or too specific. I.e. I’m not a mom, but I don’t need to be one to understand and smirk at the shenanigans happening in the moms facebook group!

The book is humorous, ridiculous, heartwarming, emotional and fun. Bonus points for making me feel seen. I can’t weigh that heavily enough.

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Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for both an electronic copy to read and one to listen to.

I switched back and forth between the two copies depending on the time that I was reading. The audiobook is awesome - the narrator reads the books just like I would - excellent expression, particularly with Agatha and Edward. I switched to the text copy anytime there was any mention on a social media conversation - emojis just don't transfer well to audio (although the narrator did a good job of including them). If you are looking for a funny book in the vein of 'Where'd You Go Burnadette" pick up this one. You will not be disappointed with Agatha Arch.

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Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Alcove Press for my copy of the Audiobook of Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything in exchange for an honest review.

Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything was more than I was expecting, in the best way! Agatha Arch is totally neurotic and bitter, and I could not help being drawn in by her own brand of crazy. She is a constant nervous wreck that is a few more disasters away from a total nervous breakdown. It took me a little bit to warm up to her, but she won me over with her dark sense of humor, perseverance, and the good heart that she has buried down in her. I felt that her transformation in the book was just beautiful! Her mantra was 'Fear sharpens us' and she turned herself around and let it "propel' her too.

What I loved most about Agatha and her crazy self was that she as always able to manage to rein herself back in from going just a little too far by thinking of her boys. She is flawed and complicated and so sharp. Her obsessions are ridiculous and she lets them overwhelm her at times. Her conversations with her therapist and her love/hate relations ship with the 'The Moms' group on Facebook provided a lot of laughs. And her nicknames for everyone cracked me up. She loves to stir up the drama and watch it unfold. Her masterful use of emojis in GIFs was also impressive.

Soneela Nankani did a wonderful job with the narration of the book. She totally captured Agatha's saltiness, despair, and dark side. I have listened to other books that she has done, and she is definitely a narrator that enjoy.

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Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything is a fun listen with an enjoyable narrator. For the first hour or so, I thought the audiobook narrator was annoying, but I soon realized that it was Agatha, who was a little grating (and that, I realize, may be intentional). Before I started the book, I made the mistake of reading some of the summary material, which compares Agatha to Eleanor Oliphant--I love Eleanor, so that's a tough standard to present right off the bat. Overall, this book is a light read that I think suburban moms in particular will enjoy.

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What would you do if you happened upon your husband fooling around in your toolshed with the local dog walker? Agatha Arch completely lost it. so much so, that she chased them out and with a hatchet, tore apart the shed.

Before Agatha has a chance to blink, Dax, her husband, moves into G dog's (the dog walker's) house, and her boys, are spending a few days a week there, as well.

How is Agatha supposed to cope? She's afraid of EVERYTHING, but has managed to get by thanks to Dax. Now Dax is gone and is not coming back. Will she find a way? Between her local mom's Facebook group and, Shrinky Dink, her therapist, maybe she can dig deep and face her fears.

"Fears sharpen us."

"There are so many maybes in this world. How does one live with them all?"

"Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision." - Winston Churchill

"For in the end, freedom is a personal and lonely battle, and one faces down fears of today, so that those of tomorrow might be engaged." - Alice Waters.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of #agathaarchisafraidofeverything. It's funny but at the same time there is a lesson to be learned from Agatha - don't be afraid to face your fears! The narrator did a great job! Thank you #netgalley and alcove press for the e-audiobook in return for my honest review. #5stars

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Unfortunately, this was tedious and shallow; a lot of effort went into making Agatha as obnoxious and unlikable and artificial as possible, but it lacks self-awareness. She doesn't have enough personality to be this self-entitled. It's kind of Stepford-strikes-back-esque and tries to be a revenge fantasy that has no guts behind it. No one talks like this and it feels inspired by Liane Moriarty but is a poor facsimile.

Agatha Arch (full name must be spoken at all times) is just ~too quirky for words~! She's ~better~ than everyone around her (in her own mind), but in reality is actually just an immature jerk who could use some communication skills. Her phobias don't feel like obstacles, but cred? Like the author is just including them to say "SEE HOW NEUROTIC SHE IS? ISN'T IT HILARIOUS?"

If it wants to be satire, it's not smart enough. If it's trying to be just fiction, it's not smart enough.

The repetition in the recapping of facebook post comments does NOT translate well to audio. Hearing the narrator (who is doing her best) say "Agatha Arch?" in 30 different inflections was very very tiring. Same with "Stinkbug" that I literally had to fast-forward through.

I think I'm supposed to hate Dax and Willow Bean (again, name must be said in full at all times) but honestly, Agatha seems like she's insane and I don't blame them? She's clearly in a mental health crisis but it's not treated as an obstacle to her necessarily, but as one of those "if you can't handle me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best" graphics designed to make women feel better about being assholes.

Soneela Nankani narrated this audiobook, and as I said before, did what she could with what she was given.

I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

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Kudos to Kristin Bair, the author of “Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything” for writing a humorous, entertaining, unique and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are Humor, Contemporary Fiction, Satire and Women’s Fiction. The timeline for the story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. I love the way Kristin Bair layers the story with humor and yet there are some deeper and serious issues. The stages of humor run the gamut of funny, to satire. The author vividly describes the various characters and events. The author describes most of the characters as flawed, complex and complicated. The protagonist Agatha Arch is quirky, neurotic, fearful, as well as complex and complicated, especially after a tragic betrayal in her life.

Agatha Arch is completely neurotic, but make no mistake, she loves her two boys more than anything in the world. Perhaps that is why, when she discovers her husband in the shed with the dog-walker, in a darkened rage, she takes a hatchet and destroys most of the shed, but nobody is really hurt but herself. It is amusing that Agatha has nicknames for everything in her life. Agatha has written books and now is determined to write a thriller.

Agatha has a long list of things she fears, and she gets special pants that hold various tools, such as binoculars, a flashlight, scissors, a tool knife, and more. She also invests in a drone that can track her husband and his mistress as well as her sons.

Although there is much humor, one can feel the pain, loneliness, despair, and anxiety that Agatha feels. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of self-worth, a support system, and friends. I would highly recommend this addicting novel.

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It's was basic. Agatha Arch is annoyed by everything, should be the title of this book. She's realistic but also pessimistic. Her personality comes into handy when having to deal with the mom group, which makes those moments funny. However, her need to repeat certain words or phrases over and over is irritating. It's a very suburban story. Quirky but forgettable.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Agatha is afraid of everything. Not just the things that scare many of us, but just about everything that exists and even some that don’t! So what happens when you everything in the world scares the heck out of you and then the one person you trust betrays you to the very core? You do what Agatha did by putting on your big girl pants and figuring out how to move forward and figure it out. Lots of stumbling along the way, disappointments, small victories, some humor and mostly a great deal of heart. You will find yourself cheering Agatha on and wanting all the best that she wants for herself. If you need a feel good, hopeful, funny enjoyable listen with good narration this is for you.

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“ it’s not ok, it will never be ok, but it’s ok”
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Thank you @netgalley for my ALC copy of this book.

I 100% recommend getting the audiobook! I felt like the narrator did a great job of capturing. The personality of the main character Agatha . I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

This story is funny , quirky, heart breaking and cringey all at the same time. Agatha is a hot mess, capital H, and and her life is about to take a turn for the worst when she finds her husband coupled up with the dog walker . In the blink of an eye her security is shattered
And to make things worst there’s an interloper invading her beloved town.
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Agatha is forced to face some of her greatest fears while trying to naivigate her new life . She makes some mistakes but in the midst of trying to make sense of her shattered life she discovers a community of people and her strength that lies within .
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At first I wasn’t A fan of Agatha , but as the story process she grows on me. My heart broke for her and the boys having to deal with her husband infidelity . I hate the fact that he and his mistress thinks that saying sorry should suffice for what they did . They were more sorry for how she found out than for what they actually did..
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I love the mom group , and this support group they created .

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Book 241 towards my goal of 280! 4/5 stars for this adult contemporary comedy (?) read! This book is so unique! It's not a romance, it's not exactly a comedy, it's not a serious women's fiction read. Imagine the thing you did that embarrassed you most in life...Agatha Arch has probably said or done something way worse :-p Definitely recommend! Love the cover, it feels the story so well! Narration was great!

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Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything, an audiobook by Kristin Blair, is a snarky and humorous story with dark undertones. Soneela Nankani is the perfect narrator to bring the characters to life; her gift for creating the unique voices of the female characters allows for each one to be easily recognisable. I was impressed with her male and children's voices, too.
Poor Agatha is a prisoner of her own anxieties and fears on a good day, but her worst day just dawned. This woman has an established career as an author, a husband, and two children---but when she discovers her husband half naked in their shed with the dog walker, she has a melt down that leaves the shed demolished by her own hand. As the book continues, Agatha gives in to her fears, spies on her husband, and causes problems in her Facebook moms group--all while trying to cope with her new normal.
The book is funny, if a bit over the top, but the anxiety/fear levels are all too real for many people. Bair did have an accurate read on Agatha's internal dialog. Overall, this is a good read.
Thank you to Net Gally, Kensington Press, and Dreamscape for the Advanced Reader Copy. My thoughts are my own and I always review books I enjoy.

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I struggled with this book. Not with whether I liked the book. I struggled with whether to root for Agatha or to dislike her. I definitely understand deep rooted fears and suffered with agoraphobia after my mother passed. In the end I was rooting for her and her Bear Grylls Fear Sharpens Us mantra.

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This book has serious "Where'd You Go Bernadette" vibes--so, if you were a fan, I would definitely recommend it.

I can't decide if I liked this book or not. I am hesitant to describe it as a "light, quick, read." Agatha isn't especially likable, and she definitely seems like she is having a mental health crisis. As a reader, I wanted to hate Dax and the Dog Walker, but the axe incident made that a bit harder--as did Agatha's incredibly invasive behavior.

I do appreciate the underlying need for strong female (or really any friendships). But, Agatha coming so far in such a short amount of time really felt like a stretch.

This book is fine--it felt like it was trying too hard to be quirky at times.

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I found this book to be a refreshing change of pace! Agatha Arch is afraid of a lot of things but thinking her husband was cheating on her was not one of those things. When she finds her husband and the neighborhood dog walker in the shed in her backyard, she takes a hatchet to it and becomes the talk of the neighborhood. Between Agatha coping with this situation with her husband, her conversations with her therapist, her methods of getting revenge by spying, her online conversations with the moms’ group and her interesting way of cursing, this book will have you laughing out loud!

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Agatha Arch is literally afraid of everything - just to name a few...... lightning, the dark, the highway, and beans ! The story begins with Agatha happily at home with her two boys, while cooking them lunch she hears some rustling in her shed. Thinking it might be one of the skunks she’s so cutely nick named she decides to check. Upon entering the shed Agatha is stunned to find her husband having an affair with the local dog walker! Agatha loses it and smashes the shed to splinters. Our story continues with the result of said affair and a better explanation at the quirkiness that is Agatha Arch.

I listedned to this one via audio book, my first one actually. The writing itself was great, full of detail and made me feel like I knew Agatha personally. Lots of interesting twists and turns and I have found myself giggling out loud multiple times. “Futher Mucking” might be my newest and favorite words 😂. Facebook moms group chats are spot on and absolutely hysterical. Agathas dry witty humor is perfect!

I found this to be a dark, quirky, comical, badass, fun, and powerful read. I listened via audio but I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I read it myself. However, I thought the narrator was great. I just prefer physical copies of books.

I would totally recommend this one. I can see this being a huge hit!

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Real rating 3.5/5🌟
I'm not sure why I keep reading these books set in white upper middle class America they always seem the same to me. I have read several of them and this one in no way feels different. There is nothing wrong with the book it just didn't feel unique to me.
I don't really have anything specific I didn't like about this book I just think its for me. I think it would be great for anyone who is into this sort of genre.

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Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything is a really good audiobook. The narrator, Soneela Nankani, is wonderful with her abilities to create many different voices for several characters, women, children, and males in this fun story. She’s very talented and delivers a very fun story.

Agatha is a woman with 2 young boys, a husband, a home, and a career. Agatha has many fears, from beans to severe weather. When she discovers her husband having an affair, it’s time to face and conquer her fears. As with many women, Agatha doesn’t give herself enough credit and because of this isn’t quite living her best life. Agatha doesn’t think twice about climbing trees, confronting skunks, calling it likes she sees it, and not caring what others think. She’s a funny lady and a good mom and this book had me laughing quite a bit.

Thank you to @netgalley and dreamscape media for the opportunity to preview this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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