Nikki has some amazing stories! There is always some thought provoking elements in them. I loved this story! Make you really think how, if possible, this could truly benefit in real life!

Oh my. I love The Measure. Unfortunately, this one didn't have the same impact. I made no connections and was bored for most of it. I thought the concept was fascinating and bits and pieces were interesting, but overall I was sadly disappointed. (2.5/5)

“The Poppy Fields” by Nikki Erlick She does it again! Just like in “The Measure,” Erlick has this big picture, somewhat dystopian idea at play: the poppy fields. “Here, in a remote stretch of the California desert, lies an experimental and controversial treatment center that allows those suffering from extreme grief to sleep through their pain. After patients awaken, they will finally be healed. But only if they’re willing to accept the potential shadowy side effects. Then we have four very different strangers: Ava, Ray, Sasha, and Sky. As they attempt to make their way from the Midwest all the way to the Poppy Fields...each of their past secrets and mysterious motivations threaten to derail their voyage.” (Summary from goodreads)

I particularly enjoy the reading experience when reading Erlick’s books. We are not only trying to determine the effects the poppy fields will have on society, but we are also curious to find out how each character will resolve their own problems. Additionally, we are thinking about how we ourselves would react in the same situation. To reference “The Measure,” would you look at your string?!

So impressed with Nikki Erlick’s abilities from the overall mind-blowing concepts to her writing style, down to even the sentence structure. The overall organization of the book is structured brilliantly! There is a nice balance between the chapters on individual characters and their motivations versus the chapters with all the characters together caravaning to the Poppy Fields together. Newspaper articles and podcasts are sprinkled in providing the reader with more logistical information on the Poppy Fields. Many chapters end with cliffhangers, propelling the story forward. Life-affirming and deep thoughts on grief and how people individually deal with and process grief are sprinkled in throughout.

Despite the various chapters on the main plot, the multiple character backgrounds, and the overall ‘Poppy Fields’ concept, the audiobook was easy to follow. Marin Ireland does an excellent job narrating; though, I do think it would have been even easier to follow and get swept up in the story if there were different narrators for the four main characters. There were other narrators for the newspaper article and podcast interjections which was fun and added to the overall excellent audio experience.

If your mind was blown by “The Measure,” you will enjoy this, too! Furthermore, the story takes the reader on an emotional journey examining grief, and ultimately, I think, will leave you feeling grateful. 4.25 stars!

Thank you to HarperAudio and Netgalley for the ALC (advanced listening copy). “The Poppy Fields” by Nikki Erlick will be available June 17, 2025.

Although interesting, I felt slightly disappointed. I expected more social effects and commentary as they there was in The Measure. This one is more character focused and the characters are just ok. There is good conversations on different types of grief and how those cope as well as makes you ask yourself what you would do in that situation. Would you choose to sleep away your grief even if there was a chance you loose emotions for that person altogether?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for an advanced audiobook for review.

The humanity of this book lies within the subtext— we travel with multiple different perspectives of what grief can and does feel like; how we are to shape it and ourselves around it. This book is one of my top reads of 2025. It’s both grounding and fascinating, you feel like you're making the journey with these characters.

One of my most favorite elements of this book is how it so beautifully portrays the experience of change. Nikki Erlick cannonballs us into a pool of thought and vulnerability and raw energy. I loved every second and the narration is SO well done!! If you’re looking for a top tier audiobook this is it! MARIN IRELAND YOU ARE THE NARRATING QUEEN!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Harper Audio, William Morrow, and netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this ALC!!! Sitting here writing this review with tears pouring from my face from that ending!!!!

Nikki Erlick!! You owe me copays for my next 12 therapy sessions ma’am!

Nikki Erlick's style of writing speculative stories is so unique and so special and so READABLE. I inhaled this book, and although I didn't love it as much as her last book (which is a very high bar to reach!), I loved every second of it.

I loved that we followed these four very different characters and got to know them while learning about their healing/grief journeys. I loved the way Erlick explored the many ways grief affects us and the ways we are changed by it. I loved the discussions about love and about remembrance and about the ways we keep the memories of those we miss alive. I loved watching these characters learn from each other and grow based on their experiences. It was such a fantastic story and made me so emotional!

In terms of the narration, Marin Ireland is one of my favorites and she did an incredible job as always. Her dry style lent itself to this story really well, and having the other narrators chime in to read the news articles and interviews was such a fun touch.

“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀. 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲.”

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 6/17/25

*Thank you @NetGalley and @williammorrowbooks and @harperaaudio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

•Audiobook 🎧/ Digital book 📖 dual immersion read

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: There is a facility in the California desert that promises to allow people to sleep through their grief, and wake once the worst of the pain is over. Thousands of patients have participated with great results. Ava, Sasha, Ray, and Sky all have their own reasons for wanting to head to California and the Poppy Fields, each learning more than they bargained for along the way.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🌹Multiple POV
🛏️Strong character development
🌹Introspective look into grief
🛏️Strangers forming a friendship
🌹Life paths all crossing
🛏️A cute dog

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
Erlick is a master with her writing, she has a stellar way with words and her ability to weave in and out of different characters POV. The premise was unique and one that almost anyone can identify with at some point in their lives. The characters were lovable and well developed and the main narrator did a fantastic job with each characters voice, bringing their personalities to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than Erlick's first novel, The Measure. There was even a little Easter Egg nod to The Measure mentioned in the book. Highly recommended read about grief, the forms it takes, how to push through, and come through on the other side.

#ThePoppyFields

✨The Poppy Fields ✨
By Nikki Erlick

Genre: Literary Fiction, Magical realism
Format: 📖+🎧
Steam: None
Publishes: 6/17/25
Publisher: William Morrow
Audiobook: HarperAudio
Narrators: Fabulous full cast- Marin Ireland; Dan Bittner; Stacey Glemboski; Graham Halstead; Mia Barron; Callie Dalton; Janina Edwards; Shawn K. Jain; Christian Barillas; Jason Culp

In a remote California desert lies the Poppy Fields, a controversial center offering a radical cure for heartbreak: a prolonged sleep to awaken healed, though not without potential shadowy side effects. Four strangers, each burdened by loss and secrets, embark on a transformative road trip to this mystical destination, forcing them to confront how far they'll go to escape their pain and what it truly means to heal.

As a huge fan of The Measure, I was incredibly excited for Nikki Erlick's new novel! The Poppy Fields did not just deliver, it surpassed my expectations. This beautifully crafted, thought-provoking story features a cast of such rich and complex characters. I loved discovering how their individual stories and grief journeys wove together throughout. The writing itself is stunning, filled with countless lines I found myself wanting to jot down and revisit.

The audiobook is brought to life with a full cast narration. I primarily enjoyed it during my solo evening walks after the kids were asleep, and it proved to be a perfect walking companion, offering significant food for thought during my sunset strolls. For anyone seeking a character-focused, thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of grief and loss and its diverse effects on people, this book is highly recommended. This will be a book that sticks with me. I loved it.

After taking a few days to reflect on 'The Poppy Fields', I've found it's a book that truly improves with digestion time. My initial rating was 4 stars, but upon further thought, it feels much more like a 4.5-star read for me.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

📖Read The Poppy Fields if you like reading about:
-Complexities of grief
-Magical realism
-Character driven story
-Complex characters
-Ethical dilemmas
-Speculative treatment and consequences
-Multiple POV

🙏 Thank you to Netgalley, @williammorrowbooks, HarperAudio, and Nikki Erlick for this ARC & ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts. The Poppy Fields publishes 6/8/25. 💖

This read was very interesting to me. I liked the concept of the poppy fields and I liked the various narrators we were following, however, I didn't feel connected to all of the characters which made me care less about the story as a whole. I liked the connections made between the characters and the overall discussions of grief and loss. I still think this is a well written, worthwhile read.

THIS WAS AMAZING! This is one of those reads that will stay with you forever, and I was hooked from the very first page. I would recommend this to anyone!

The Poppy Fields is a beautiful piece of fiction that touches on the experience of grief, loneliness, and the human condition. Each of the five characters is necessary in the way they eventually connect with one another and in the arc they have, and the impact they have on one another.

I appreciated that the ending didn't completely demonize the poppy fields but rather showed there are multiple ways to go about grief, and neither way is inherently wrong. It's just about the way that you want to heal. I felt that made the story more poignant in its final messaging.

The narration was great, I appreciated that the news clips and stories were separated out with different narrators.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and especially Nikki Erlick for the advanced copy of The Poppy Fields! After falling in love with The Measure, I couldn’t wait to dive into this one—and it absolutely lived up to the hype! Once again, Nikki has crafted a story that really makes you reflect on what you’d do if you could escape your pain. This will be my next pick for book club!, I already have friends in mind that I will be recommending this book too. While The Measure still holds a special place in my heart, The Poppy Fields is definitely right up there. I’m already excited to see what Nikki has in store for us next!

The poppy fields
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.25

This was a surprisingly good read considering it’s a genre I don’t read a lot of - speculative fiction. In Nikki Erlich’s The Poppy Fields, she asks a lot of poignant questions about loss, grief and the ways we manage and work through it. Leaving the reader pondering many moral ethics, including whether loss and grief is something we should feel as a part of the gamble of love, or whether science can possibly or should aim to erase this human experience.

📖 The Poppy Fields is a creation from the mind of scientist Ellis, allowing grieving patients to fall into a month long sleep and wake feeling at peace from the loss of a loved one. The books follows 4 main characters, one being Ellis, and the other three - Ray, Ava and Sasha, as they travel together to the Poppy Fields on their own individual missions. 📖

I found it interesting to note that those drawn to the Poppy Fields were often those whose losses and grief were also tied with regret. This alone left me thinking about how we interact with the ones we love and how to move through life purposefully, and without regret.

I would recommend this book widely to anyone, especially those drawn to thought-provoking books and speculative fiction. I would also highly recommend this as an audiobook for those who are new to audiobooks or those who love them. This full cast narration (led by Marin Ireland - a favourite to those who loved Beartown) was excellent.

Thank you to HarperAudio and Nikki Erlich for the Advanced Listeners Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautifully written book that explores grief and regret and how we as humans deal with it. It discusses what people go through when losing a loved one, how many cope, and it explores a new way to cope - to sleep for 1-2 months at the poppy fields. If you could sleep the grief away, would you? What if there is a 25% chance you will wake up no longer having strong emotions towards that person you were so crushed by losing?

This story follows a cast of characters that are thrown together by a series of events outside of their control, and yet it's like they were drawn together for a reason. Throughout the book we learn more about our four main characters, three thrown together, and the fourth - the creator of the poppy fields. Switching between characters perspectives we slowly uncover the truths behind their journey, and their feelings about the poppy fields. Meanwhile, we see the person who started it all deal with the decision of expansion and if they should allow it to be for profit and have people pay for treatment.

This book made me cry a couple times and teary-eyed countless more, it made me smile, and it made me appreciate life and how precious and fragile it is. More than that, it helps show how hard grieving a loss can be. That pain might never go away, but it can soften over time.

Hands down a must read! Thank you, William Marrow, for sending me an ARC & NetGalley for sending me an ALC! The full cast narration was fantastic!

Thanks to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy of The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick. I absolutely loved this book, and the narrators were amazing—truly bringing depth and emotion to every chapter. Nikki Erlick is now firmly on my auto-buy list!
The Poppy Fields follows a group of grieving individuals who travel to a medical facility in California offering an experimental sleep treatment designed to help people cope with profound loss. As the characters travel to reach their destination, the story moves between the present and flashbacks from their lives, gradually revealing what led them to this point—and what they’re hoping to find on the other side of grief.
The writing is heartfelt and powerful, with each storyline offering an authentic and emotional look at the many ways we process loss. I cried multiple times while listening. The characters' journeys felt real and relatable, especially the depictions of family dynamics and sibling relationships, which were a highlight for me. The slow unfolding of each person’s backstory kept me fully engaged throughout.
The one character I had a harder time connecting with was Ellis, the woman who founded the Poppy Fields. I personally didn't connect with her motivations, but she added an interesting layer to the narrative and raised compelling questions about the lengths we’ll go to in order to process or avoid pain.
Overall, The Poppy Fields is a stunning, emotional novel that blends science fiction elements with raw, honest storytelling. It’s about the ache of grief, the hope of healing, and the strength it takes to move forward after unimaginable loss. I can’t recommend it enough!

I thought the premise of this book was great! The mystery about each character and the actual poppy fields were very interesting. However, I don't think all the characters were needed, and the focus could have been narrowed down to have more of an emotional impact. Overall, I enjoyed that this was a lighter sci-fi read.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Audio & Nikki Erlick for the advanced copy of The Poppy Fields! After loving The Measure, I was thrilled to read this one early... and it did not disappoint! Another story that definitely makes you think - what would I do if given the choice to sleep away my suffering? I think The Poppy Fields would make an excellent book club choice and I will be suggesting it for my book club in the future! While I still love The Measure more, this one was amazing as well. Can't wait to see more from Nikki Erlick in the future!

📖 Book Review 📖
🎧 "The Poppy Fields" by Nikki Erlick

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Expected publication June 17, 2025

I loved "The Measure" and was excited when I received this an audio ARC from @netgalley.  Another speculative story about a future where there was a cure for a broken heart. Grieving sent one to the Poppy Fields of California, an experimental, highly controversial treatment center where patients find healing in sleep. Similar in style to "The Measure" Erlick jumps characters until they all somehow fit together, giving readers their personal histories and backgrounds as the story goes. Ava is a book illustrator and the sister to Ellis, the founder of the Poppy Fields. Ava wishes Ellis didn't chose work over family and has decided to confront her. Ava's flight is canceled along with a few others so they all rent a car and travel together. Ray is a fireman, mourning the loss of his brother Johnny who went to the Poppy Fields and returned home different. He believes Ellis is sinister and wants to find out what happens at this treatment center. Sasha is an occupational therapist, dealing with the loss of her wedding and future plans. And then Sky a 18-year-old wanderer, searching for something in life. I really enjoyed the audio book and all the different narrators. This would be a great book club pick- exploring grief, the five stages, some people never able to find closure. Definitely a thought provoking book that opened my mind to what if one could be put into a deep sleep that would ultimately stop the grieving process.


#somanybooks #readsomemore #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #booklover #bookishlove #readersgonnaread #bookishaf

Multiple perspectives, character driven, and a journey story… count me in. Erlick follows the story of a handful of characters to explore how society would react to emerging technology.

An emotional gut punch journey. Beautifully written with relatable and real characters and a very interesting premise.

Many of us have experienced grief and its many shapes and forms. It isn't confined to a set of standards, it can't be shoved into a one size fits all, it varies from person to person and even loss to loss. Its realistic portrayal and the fine line between both grief and love in The Poppy Fields is so delicately handled. How the story weaves through each character is at times confusing but that I attribute that to multiple stories that while interlaced aren't individually created by the same threads which makes following via audiobook tricky. That said though, the narrators do a very good job.

If you had the choice to go to sleep for 2 months to wade through your grief and pain without having to bear the weight of it all and then wake up less burdened....would you do it? What if there was a risk of waking up completely numb to the loss devoid of those emotions and no longer missing the loved one? Risk your love? I wouldn't.

I've never read anything by Nikki Erlick before but I'll be looking into The Measure now!