4.25 / 5 stars

After flights are grounded in Kansas during a tornado, three strangers -- fireman Ray, occupational therapist Sasha and book illustrator Ava -- decide to rent a car and go on a road trip to California. They are, after all, all going to the same place: the poppy fields, an experimental new technology where grieving people are put into a controlled sleep for a month and wake up finally at peace. But the risks are high.

I really loved the author's previous book, The Measure, and I expected this book to be a similar labyrinth of stories exploring the ethics of something creative and unexplainable. But letting go of The Measure was key to my enjoyment of The Poppy Fields. It is a completely different approach to story telling but still asks some important and interesting questions about grief and resilience. Are the risks associated with this new technology worth it if it meant you wouldn't have to suffer anymore? If you remove the pain from grief, what does grief become?

This a great read for people who love character-driven novels, complex characters, multi-POV stories, or are looking for a book with a big question to discuss at their next book club meeting.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and Netgalley for the ALC. This book will be published on June 17th of this year.

I am a little obsessed with this book. What an interesting take on grief and how everyone deals with it differently. I can totally imagine sleeping through the grief. The side effect was an interesting premise. The characters were all interesting and it is amazing the things that bring people together. The audiobook was great and each of the characters was unique and the tones were great throughout. I feel like I know all of them and want to know them more after their experiences. Loved it…and the revelations that come about…still trying to wrap my head around this. I will be thinking about this book for a while.

Okay this was such a sweet, emotional, deep, feel good story. It covered all the complexities of grief and love so well. The premise of sleeping through grief so that it feels less intense was super unique and that’s what drew me to it in the first place, and I loved the back and forth viewpoints of if it was a good thing or not throughout. However, it was depth of the main characters and their different journeys intertwining was really what made the book great. It was cross country adventure to the poppy fields that I felt like I went on with them, cheering them along. I was very invested in the characters and I loved how all their stories came around full circle. I recommend the audio for this one!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the privilege of listening to the audio ARC of The Poppy Fields! And to Nikki Erlick for writing it.

“That we’re able to look back and remember the beginning, and the middle, and the end. And that it doesn’t feel like a series of distinct events, but that it feels like a story, a journey, that now makes sense as a whole. Everything you learned and felt and experienced. All the people that shaped your life, all the people whose lives you’ve shaped. The difference between the old world that once existed before you and the new world you now leave behind. The world that is irrevocably changed because you were a part of it.”

“If something so spectacular can still blossom in even the most disturbed earth, then doesn’t that mean there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal.”

🌺𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨🌺

Title: The Poppy Fields
Author: Nikki Erlick
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: June 17, 2025
51/125📚

After reading The Measure, Nikki Erlick easily became an autoread author for me and I had to read this. She delivers another beautifully layered and emotionally resonant novel in The Poppy Fields.

Here we follow a group of strangers who are brought together by grief, hope, and the promise of healing. They are all traveling to the same place - an experimental treatment center where people can sleep through their pain. The downside is there can sometimes be side effects and whether or not sleeping through this grief is worth it.

Another thought provoking novel that raises questions long after you've read it!

The audio for this book was so well done by the full cast of narrators!

Thank you @netgalley, @harpercollins, Harper Audio and @nikkierlick for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 ~ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐒 ~ by Nikki Erlick ~ Thanks to Henry Holt & Co., Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ALC of this novel that is to be released on May 13th. If you read and liked this author’s first book 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 (2022), Then this is a book for you. In the same way as the aforementioned novel, this story once again asks readers to become introspective almost immediately. THE MEASURE asked readers to contemplate life quality and death itself, this novel dives into processing grief and trauma. I think it's best not to say much more because the style and delivery of this novel should be a personal experience for each individual to expose and ponder what strikes the most on a personal level. The story is approached from several POVs which really works for this and is super easy to follow. I am a fan of a road trip in books, and I like the way the characters bonded as the miles went by. I appreciated the inclusion of the character backstories and the way it was all woven together was well done. One might speculate on the inclusion of the “Skye” character, however, I choose to see her as a bit of a thematic foil, if you will. I felt that she serves as the embodiment of what is ultimately hopeful in each of the other characters. In the end, the author offers plenty from all perspectives and allows the reader the space to ruminate over the choices they might have made in the characters' positions and then extend that to ponder a personal, moral and ethical value system. I had a good time with this and it is one that will be easy to remember and to use as a talking point in the future. This would make a great book club selection.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5) stars
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥! 📚♥️

4.5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The full cast narration made it even more accessible. I liked how we had multiple POVs as we followed these characters on their way to the Poppy Fields. As each character’s reason for traveling to the Poppy Fields was revealed, we were able to examine all of the implications of this chilling new grief technology. I thought about The Measure for years after reading the book and I’ll be thinking about the concepts behind The Poppy Fields for quite some time as well!

The second I saw Nikki Erlick's name, I requested this book. The Measure was one of my favorite reads in 2023.

Having lost my mother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, grandfather, great aunt, and cousin, all in the last 4 years, this book hit home for me. My MIL had a horrible medical condition that started in May 2019 and ended in her passing in March 2021 during the COVID pandemic, which caused a different kind of grief. I feel like I'm still coping. If the Poppy Fields were a thing in real life, I know it would be the right choice for me. There was a passage that talked about how when you lose someone, your world stops, but it keeps turning for everyone else and they forget that your world stopped. It's very accurate and so hard to explain that feeling unless you've gone through it.

While this book was quite as good as The Measure for me, it was still a great read and I highly recommend it.

The Measure is one of my all time favorites, so I had such high hopes for this one. My expectations were not met, unfortunately. I loved the Poppy Fields aspect of this story. It was such an interesting way to tackle the topic of grief and how people all react so differently to it. It also showed how healing is not linear and some need ore help than others. I struggled with keeping all of the characters straight. I wanted more development and depth. I just didn't feel for them like I had expected to. I know while it ended up being more of a miss for me, it will be a hit for so many readers. I'll be recommending it to readers that love a slow, character driven story that has lots of contemplation.
Dare I say that Marin Ireland was my favorite part of this book and she's the reason I kept going? I love her narration.

From the best selling author of The Measure comes another unique and thought provoking story! 3 strangers (with a 4th who joins them along the way) come together on an unexpected road trip to an experimental treatment facility, The Poppy Fields, for a unique and compelling journey of grief and hope.

What if you could go to “sleep” for 4-8 weeks to help you get through a period of grief but with the chance of experiencing a horrible side effect, would you do it?

I was expecting this story to be about what happens at The Poppy Fields, but it focused more on the characters making their way to the facility as well as the woman who came up with the concept for this unique form of treatment. Definitely a character driven story with each of the characters having their own reason for wanting to visit The Poppy Fields. I liked the complexity of the characters and how their stories seemed to be intertwined, yet at the same time feeling realistic. I also really enjoyed the bonds and friendships formed between these characters.

Just like The Measure, I really liked how this book makes you think about what you’d do if placed in a similar situation!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the advanced audiobook. Check this one out when it releases June 17, 2025.

* BOOK REVIEW*** Book available 6/17/2025

This book was really, really good. But I can’t help but think it fell to the curse of the sophomore slump. The concept, super intriguing. The characters, realistically flawed and curious. The ending? Somewhat anticlimactic. In all fairness though, when you write an ending like the one in The Measure, goosebump inducing and picking my jaw up off the floor….you kind of set yourself for an impossible standard to meet again. I was ready for a big reveal or a major plot twist, and I never really got it. But like I said, this book was still really really good, I was just left a tad underwhelmed when the audiobook was over. On that note, Marin Ireland is hands down one of my favorite audiobook narrators and it was so well done. In addition, I loved the added layer of interviews of applicants and participants.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for getting a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#netgalley #bookreview #nikkierlick #ThePoppyFields #bookstagram

You’re suffering immense grief, you’re given the opportunity to sleep for a month and wake up with that feeling gone. Do you do it? What if there is a possible side effect?

The Measure is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I saw Nikki Erlick had a new one coming, I was itching to check it out. There might even be a little nod to it in this story…

I listened to the audiobook, and Marin Ireland did a great job, as always. It’s a full-cast recording, but she handles the main narration while the others pop in for specific scenes. It adds clarity without being distracting.

This one felt a bit less relatable for me than The Measure, but honestly, I feel lucky to be able to say that. I can’t imagine choosing to sleep away a month of my life, but if you were suffering from crippling grief, I can understand how it might be tempting.

Erlick has a way of taking something futuristic and impossible and making it feel real. Each character is relatable in their own way, and you genuinely feel for all of them.

This isn’t science fiction in the traditional sense — it’s more of an emotional journey, with each character searching for something in life, even if it’s not what they expected.

This is a great story if you’re looking for something completely unique, impossible, yet somehow believable. It makes you reflect on life and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen early.

This was such an interesting listen (read)! Thank you to HarperAudio and Nikki Erlick for the ALC!!

I really enjoyed the premise of the book. The Poppy Fields are an experimental and controversial treatment center for those suffering from loss and the heartache it brings to sleep through their pain (and keep on sleeping). After patients awaken from their sleep they will find themselves healed...but for some patients there can be a side effect of the prolonged slumber, would you be willing to risk not having the nostalgia when you think of someone you love and lost?

We follow four strangers who all embark on a journey, 3 going to the Poppy Fields and 1 just on a life journey. Ava, Ray and Sasha are all traveling to the Poppy Fields for a reason and Sky is just trying to experience life after graduating high school. On their journey west we learn of their past secrets and motivations that could threaten their voyage.

We also get Ellis' perspective. Ellis is the creator of the Poppy Fields and we get insight into why she created such a space for people to navigate through their loss.

This touches on human resilience and what motivates each individual to overcome their grief and find a path to healing. I personally don't think I would want to sleep at the Poppy Fields but can totally see the pull of it. I would never want to risk the nostalgia and feelings I get when I think back on memories of loved ones that have passed. I enjoyed the narration but was a little thrown when they said it was a full cast because the POV's of Sasha, Ava, Ray, Sky and Ellis were all read by the same person. There were interviews and articles around the Poppy Fields and those were read by someone else but I think getting a different voice for all of the other characters would have really been great!

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for this ARC copy of the audiobook, The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

Nikki Erlich is the author of The Measure, which I found to be thought provoking and original. Her latest release, the Poppy Fields asks the question of how far would you go to relieve your grieving heart. The Poppy fields are a place of scientific experimentation where one is able to sleep for a month or two while their bodies go through a process to relieve the effects of a grief. Some are grieving the loss of a loved one or a relationship. And the poppy fields offer the opportunity to bypass the pain. Go to sleep sad, wake up… not sad. I loved this idea and was really looking forward to the moral question of whether we are meant to feel the pain or if human suffering can or should be scientifically eliminated. And this book explores this question beautifully. It is packed with a variety of characters each going through their own struggles and learning to deal with grief in their own way. The audio cast list is somewhat misleading given the multiple actors listed. The vast majority of the book is narrated by a single author voicing many parts. The additional cast list is a series of cameos for article interviews and readings. So if you’re looking for a duet narration, this is not that. Marin Ireland has been the voice actor for many popular books. Her voice has a calming, effect that reminds me of a podcast or NPR show. Unfortunately, for me, this gave a sense of being almost detached from the emotional journeys of the characters. These characters are all dealing with grief and emotional devastation and I didn’t feel like that came through in this experience for me. Overall, I liked this book. I didn’t love it and even found myself disengaging at times. I wanted there to be a little more “oompfff”. The attempts at impact and drama felt forced. For example, when one character reveals her big secret to the others, another character reacts with anger and walks out. But there wasn’t a real sense of valid drama there. It felt like the storyline was being exaggerated for effect. I will read future books from this author, but this one just didn’t quite deliver on its potential. Unique plot and storyline. Well written in terms of literary style and language. Lacking in emotional depth (audiobook at least) and character development as well as overall plot.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

The audio was done well & entertaining, but I lost interest about 50% in. It felt more like a road trip instead of actually being at the destination. I think many will enjoy it, but I prefer The Measure by Erlick.

4.5 stars!

Nikki Erlick’s sophomore novel really solidifies her to have a distinct voice and narration style, which is just as successful here as it was in the measure! The author has a way of tackling complex topics in a way that is fresh and interesting, and makes you consider experiences in a new way. It’s funny, I’ve been listening to this alongside completing a six month grief course, and this novel tackles grief in a way that I’ve never seen a novel do before. I was engaged the whole time, I loved the pacing and the narrative structure, and I loved the book narrator. Really amazing depiction of how grief affects us all differently and how we as a larger society feel about grief and grieving people. Beautiful and memorable, I loved it!

Thank you to Harper Audio Adult and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

This was a great book and reminded me of the movie The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I would def recommend to people!

Compelling read - would recommend!

Nikki Erlick, the bestselling author of "The Measure," returns with "The Poppy Fields," a thought-provoking speculative novel that delves into the complex landscape of grief and the universal human desire for healing. This story imagines a world where the broken-hearted can find solace in a controversial treatment: sleeping away their pain at a remote California desert facility known as the Poppy Fields.

The novel shines in its exploration of individual sorrow through multiple perspectives. We journey alongside Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; and the free-spirited Sky, each carrying their own profound losses and motivations for seeking out the Poppy Fields. Erlick masterfully weaves their backstories, allowing readers to deeply connect with their unique experiences of grief. Getting to experience each person's story and the nuances of their pain was a significant strength of the book.

A substantial portion of the narrative is dedicated to the characters' cross-country road trip from the Midwest to California. While this "road trip" element provides a framework for their secrets to unfold and for an unlikely camaraderie to blossom, I personally wished it hadn't dominated such a large part of the story. The anticipation of reaching the Poppy Fields and understanding its mysteries sometimes felt diluted by the extended journey.

The central premise of a "cure" for heartache is undeniably intriguing. The Poppy Fields offers a prolonged slumber, after which patients hope to awaken healed, albeit with the risk of "shadowy side effects." As a reader who is always curious about the mechanics of such speculative concepts, I found myself wanting more detailed exploration of "how" this scientific marvel actually works. While the emotional and philosophical questions it raises are profound – how do we heal, and what lengths will we go to for that healing? – a deeper dive into the science behind the Poppy Fields would have further enriched the experience for me.

Ultimately, "The Poppy Fields" is a moving and hopeful novel that tackles the difficult subject of loss with sensitivity. It’s a story about human resilience, the unexpected friendships that can bloom in the face of adversity, and the enduring search for peace after a great loss. If you enjoy character-driven speculative fiction that explores deep emotional themes, this book offers a unique and engaging journey, even if it leaves some scientific questions unanswered.

Nikki Erlick does it again. A unique and thought provoking novel that pulls the reader into the lives of the main characters from page one. You won’t be able to put it down.

“A high-concept speculative novel about heartache, hope, and human resilience, The Poppy Fields explores the path of grief and healing, a journey at once profoundly universal and unique to every person, posing the questions: How do we heal in the wake of great loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?” Through the story you see the evolution of each character as they learn to deal with their feelings of grief and finding what they truly need to be healed.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio for the advanced lister copy and William Marrow for the eARC of the book in return for an honest review.

This is a tough one to review, and part of that is because it's so different from what I expected. The Measure had a certain level of tension to it as we waited to see what happened with each character, what decisions they made, and what the consequences of those decisions would be. But I would describe The Poppy Fields as deeply melancholy. It's more like lit-fic than anything else; I'd say the speculative aspect pales in comparison, even if it is the very foundation of the novel. I expected the road trip aspect to be much shorter, that it would culminate in some dramatic actions at the Fields. But it's a more subtle story of navigating grief. Ultimately, the ending was a little underwhelming for me. The bizarre thing about this novel is that despite all the heavy emotions, I didn't really feel like there were any actual stakes to the story, almost reminding me of a cozy fantasy novel in that sense. Does that make this a cozy lit-fic? I don't even think that's a genre but it's the closest I can come to describing this. I highly recommend, but you may want to adjust your expectations before going in.
**BIG thank you to NetGalley! I received an eARC and an advance audiobook both in exchange for an honest review.**

I alternated listening to the e audiobook and reading the egalley.

I was so excited to read this one because I loved The Measure. Sadly, I found this one disappointing. The story failed to hook me in, and I couldn't really connect with any of the characters.

As for the audiobook particularly, I felt the narrator was a bit monotone which made it hard to stay focused on the story.

Because I so enjoyed The Measure, I would try this author again despite this experience.