Little Monsters is set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts,and follows the Gardner family over the summer prior to 2016 election. The patriarch, Adam, is a renowned marine biologist with Bipolar disorder who has recently decided to ween himself off his medications, in the hopes that the resulting mania will lead to one last great discovery, as he approaches his 70th birthday and impending retirement. Ken is Adam’s son, a wealthy real estate developer with political aspirations married to his sister’s best friend from art school. Abby, Adam’s daughter, is an artist. This is a compelling story about the messy, complex bonds of family, and what happens when long held secrets and trauma get exposed. I loved how it all came to a head at Adam’s 70th birthday celebration.
The writing is beautiful, atmospheric, and sharp, and the tension and resentment is palpable. At times there was too much detail about marine life for me. Some of the characters were unlikable, but all were well developed. I liked the alternating chapters from each character’s perspective. This is definitely a character driven novel and I think fans of messy family dramas such as Ask Again, Yes and We are The Brennans will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ken and Abby grew up on Cape Cod after their mother died at Abby’s birth. They are raised by their bipolar father who is a whale researcher. Ken is conservative, successful, and seeking political office. Abby is a bohemian artist. Now the family is coming together to celebrate their dad’s 70th birthday. They all have secrets from both the past and present. I liked that the author presented their stories in chapters representing different points of view. The character development was excellent and the story was quite good. Though I didn’t love the ending, it was realistic and not “wrapped up in a bow”. This would make a great beach read. I thank Avid Reader Press/ Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A beautifully written story of family and the damage caused unintentionally by those we love. The loss of their mother at such a young age deeply impacted Ken and Abby in ways that they couldn't understand until well into adulthood. Adam, their father, with his own issues really hasn't been emotionally available. Then Steph and her family arrive. The summer of 2016 is a time of reckoning for the family. One long past due.

Adrienne Brodeur's ability to bring the real-life complications of love and family to this story is remarkable. A summer winner for sure!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Little Monsters is an excellent novel about a functioning dysfunctional family. It is uplifting as the characters fight to change their futures. The ending is satisfying.

Little Monsters was a page turner tor me. From the start, Adam, the bipolar environmental biologist had me enthralled. When he starts experimenting with his meds in order to make his greatest scientific discovery of his lifetime, I was pulled in. Then you’re introduced to his children, who although they used to be best friends as children, have significant differences now and are no longer close. When the kids plan a 70th birthday party for their father, it seems as if everyone there has a secret to hide.

I enjoyed this advanced reading copy of Little Monsters. This is an author I have enjoyed in the past and I was honored to read her newest novel. I would have loved to see the ending explained a bit more and questions answered, but all in all, it was a good read. 4 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Adam, Ken and Abby’s father, is a renowned oceanographer. When his wife died, Ken was a youngster and missed his mother deeply. Abby was so young she could hardly remember her. Ken and Abby had been close but not so anymore. Abby is a creative artist and Ken is all about what people think and becoming rich. He hopes to be a successful politician someday. Adam is turning 70 and the children are throwing him a party. Ken and Abby are vying for the most perfect gift as Adam thinks his life is over. Steph coming into the picture as she tries to find her real dad really adds to the drama. She and her wife spend the summers on Cape Cod Island and getting close to the family is the goal. Adam’s family is very dysfunctional. Ken is a character you can hate, and Abby is the one I cheered on. There are a lot of secrets about each one and having them come out at the birthday party added to the story.

Delighted to include this title in the June edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

This is a fascinating look at a family: the good times, the bad times, in crisis, and in happiness. Patriarch Adam's 7oth birthday is approaching and he's planning a huge party for the large family. Living in Cape Cod, the extended family enjoys the beach and Adam is an expert on whales, expounding on his discoveries to anyone who will listen. Daughter and artist, Abby is pregnant, son Ken is an aspiring congressman married to Abb'y's best friend, Jenny, and the list of colorful characters goes on! Put them all together and chaos is likely to ensue! But it's a romp as secrets are revealed and loyalties are challenged. It's an engaging novel to be savored!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I requested to read “Little Monsters” by Adrienne Brodeur. I love novels that focus on family and this book is a great example of that.

Single dad Adam raised his two kids, Ken and Abby, after the death of their mom. Adam is bipolar and will sometimes stop taking his medication to fuel his creativity as an oceanographer. Adam is approaching his seventieth birthday and Ken and Abby (who have grown apart from one another) wrestle with what to give their dad. But this would not be a family saga without each member housing secrets. Adam is willing to stop taking his medication to make one more discovery while Steph’s appearance cause the family members to question everything they have known.

There wasn’t a lot of plot to this story. Instead, the focus was on the characters, their flaws, and how they rub up against one another. Setting the story in Cape Cod adds a lazy summer day quality to it, though I would not classify this as a beach read. Set in early 2016, the reader is at the edge of her seat, knowing what politically is to come. I wish I could simplify why I enjoyed this story, but while some novels hit you with a bang, think of this more like several subtle nudges.

Four and a half stars

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC of Little Monsters. The beautiful cover of this book belies the darkness in the story. Abby and Ken Gardner were raised by their dad, Adam, after their mother dies when Abby is hours old. Adam is a world renowned oceanographer who is retiring and has bipolar disorder. He has taken his medication regimen into his own hands and is frantically searching for the last big thing to cap off his career. Abby is an artist, who is pregnant and single. Ken is a successful business person, marries with 12 year old twins and is planning a run for Congress in 2018 (the novel is set in 2016. All of them have deep, dark secrets which are teased throughout the story and many resentments which are repeated throughout the novel. The 2016 Presidential election hangs over the story unnecessarily, in my opinion. I enjoyed this well-written, dark family saga and appreciated that not all loose ends were tied up.

Adam is turning 70 and the family is planning a party. His son Ken is married to his sister's best friend, and they have 2 daughters. On the other hand, another woman is diagnosed with a condition that doesn't run in her family, so she searches and finally gets her mother to confess to an affair with Adam.

Interesting story. Interesting family. A bit convoluted at times.
i liked her writing style. She made you feel like you were there.
The foremost character was the patriarch of the family who happens to be bipolar.
A good deal of the book takes place in his mind when he is in manic mode.
I thought too much time was spent inside his head.

The stories of the son and daughter, and his illegitimate child from a one-night stand with a teenager, are woven around his story.

I don't want to give any more away.

Worth the time. I'd recommend it. I give it 4 stars.

I felt underwhelmed at the conclusion of the book, as though it was building up to something & I was waiting for it to happen yet nothing ever came to the surface. Each of the characters point of view gave a glimpse into the family drama yet it all seemed to go unresolved.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avid Reader Press, & Libro.fm for the advanced copy of this book.

In this, her first novel, Broderick takes what could've been a tired trope, familial relationships, and makes it extraordinary.

Patriarch Adam Gardner is about to turn 70. A marine biologist, he just knows that the breakthrough of his career, breaking down whale language, is right around the corner. The breakthrough would be the capstone of his life and work, but the medication he takes for bipolar disorder is preventing him from thinking clearly, so he simply stops taking it. His children, upwardly mobile Ken and artist Abby, have no idea of Adam's plans as they prepare for his big birthday celebration. Meanwhile, Ken (don't call him "Kenny") is at odds with Abby. She is a free spirit, about to have a baby out of wedlock, and he is an uptight Republican with his eye on a Massachusetts congressional seat. Family rivalry and uncomfortable secrets abound, and it all plays out in what is sure to become one of the best reads of the summer.

If you enjoyed Wild Game, I think you'll be happy with Adrienne Brodeur's first entry into narrative fiction.

The novel follows the Gardner family over the course of a summer, each struggling with their own sense of self and their reactions to the past. The author refers to this as a modern retelling of the Cain and Abel story, with Ken representing Cain and Abby representing Abel and by the end (without spoiling anything) you can understand why and how Ken has gone so many years repressing his past.

I'll admit that I was not a big fan of Adam's sections of the book, making me one of the minority of readers it seems, but I was more interested in Abby and Jenny as characters and how they have grown and changed through their art over time.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! It's been a long time since I stayed up til 1:30AM to finish a book. I loved this story and I loved all the voices. Each character's voice felt so distinct. The setting was so unique and the author described everything in such gorgeous, imaginative prose.

Highly recommend for fans of Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to review.

This is the first book I have read from this author and now I want to go back and read the memoir. This book was very well written and it is clearly demonstrated that the author knows the cape well. The descriptions of the area were shared extremely minute detail which really made me feel that I was there. The book follows different characters throughout the book and I felt that this really encompassed the drama, conflict, and the depth of the relationships as well. This was a well written book and I definitely enjoyed this read. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book about mental illness, aging, family dynamics, relationships, mysogeny, current culture, and more. Many layers are presented. The art aspect was interesting. The setting and scenery descriptions enabled me to tune out everything in my world and live in the book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was a big fan of Wild Game, and I was very excited to read Adrienne Brodeur's new book Little Monsters. From the first page, I was mesmerized by the author's beautiful writing. I love books that center around dysfunctional families and this novel fits the bill. The characters were so real I felt like I could reach out and touch them. The story was well-told and included a twist that I didn't suspect towards the end. I look forward to reading many more of Adrienne Brodeur's books. '

Absolutely outstanding!

Wild Game is one of my favorite memoirs and truly one of my favorite books of all time! So I was thrilled to learn Arienne Brodeur had a novel coming out and am so grateful for the ARC!

This did not disappoint at all, while, set on Cape Cod this is more than a beach book. Such an interesting family study of aging, but brilliant marine biologist and his 2 grown children- one with political ambitions and one an artist.

With the climax of his milestone birthday party secrets are revealed and so much comes to light. I love her style and could not put this down!