This book was not what I expected at all. Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster on grief. This whole sister dynamic is crazy. The other characters stories are just as sad.

Thought provoking, emotional, and written beautifully. Nikki has quickly become a favorite of mine, I loved this book so much! It explores topics of grief, and the measures/risks people would take to overcome their grief with a “simple” fix. I loved the different POVs in this one and the many walks of life it showed

I was so impressed by The Measure. It forced the reader to reflect on their own life experiences and the people we touch. I couldn't wait for the author's #2 to come out.

I had a similar reaction to The Poppy Fields. "What would I do?" and "How does this make me feel?" Once again the author has the reader confront the deeper emotions and in this case our reactions to losing a loved one.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a great selection for a book group as it makes people discuss their vulnerability.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for early copy for review*

I really enjoyed this. The heart of this story is about grief. Our main three characters come together to head to the Poppy fields for different reasons. While they journey there we learn each of their stories and what they are grieving. I liked their journey. It was a fun road trip where the reader got to know the characters better.

I listened to the audiobook and it had a great production. The insertion of different narrators in chapter breaks was a great choice. Felt like I was watching a documentary instead of listening to an audiobook.

I have been so excited to read 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑶𝑷𝑷𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑬𝑳𝑫𝑺 𝒃𝒚 𝑵𝒊𝒌𝒌𝒊 𝑬𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌 and when @harpercollins gave me the yes on @netgalley I was thrilled!

Narrated by Marin Ireland; Dan Bittner; Stacey Glemboski; Graham Halstead; Mia Barron; Callie Dalton; Janina Edwards; Shawn K. Jain; Christian Barillas; Jason Culp so a stellar cast of narrators! If that sounds busy, the cast is mostly reading interviews for the Poppy Fields, with Ireland reading the main story, in her expected perfection.

The theme of 2025 seems to be "roadtrip" and I am loving all the variations on it. Naturally, there was no planning on this, but it makes me wonder what was happening a couple years ago that made so many authors take these journeys.

This roadtrip finds a motley crew of 3 and then 4 people thrust together after a storm canceled their flights and waiting days for the next one was unacceptable. (Relatable, but I'd have placed it in Dallas.) The group begins to open up to one another about the reasons they are heading to the experimental Poppy Fields, where one can sleep for a month or so and awake on the other side of grief. Refreshingly, there seemed to be only one side affect: a chance of losing all feelings of love toward the one grieving.

As expected, Erlick mines many emotions in this novel and I loved exploring the many "What If's". I appreciated the many perspectives and especially that of Ellis, as she has a real wish to provide something that helps, and yet, does it? I loved pondering the ways that love and grief, the best highs and worst lows, can be so inextricably linked.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (book cover is in image) is an interesting spin on the Wizard of Oz. In this book, like she did in The Measure, she takes a component from an existing book, in this case the Poppies from the Wizard of Oz, and crafts a dystopian tale, but like the Fates in Measure, there is very shallow coverage of this component.

Like in the OZ book, 4 individuals and a dog go on a journey to a place in order to find closure. Travelling through the Midwest to the deserts of California they are seeking a treatment to help cope with their existing grief, testing how far they are willing to go to be healed.

The narration by by the cast of Marin Ireland, Dan Bittner, Stacey Glemboski, Graham Halstead, Mia Barron, Callie Dalton, Janina Edwards, Shawn K. Jain, Christian Barillas and Jason Culp are expertly done and allowed me to finish the book within 2 days. I highly recommend it for those how like tales of loss and healing with a dystopian twist.

Thank you William Morrow, Harper Audio Adult, and NetGalley for opportunity to read this ARC and listen to this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 17 2025

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Interesting book about the choice you may or may not make if you were in the position to do so. Would you want to ‘sleep’ away your grief for 1-2 months and wake up still remembering your loved one, just not with all the grief that comes from losing them? This book follows 3 people as they happen to meet by chance and thier journey to Poppy Fields. I enjoyed this book but did feel it was a little slow in the middle. I would definitely recommend to others to read. The narration was great too! 3.75 ⭐️

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC of this book. The following is my honest opinion *

3.75⭐️ out 5

Again, The main reason I picked this ALC because it was narrated by Marin Ireland (ABSOLUTE FAVORITE NARRATOR). It wasn't until I stared at the authors last name until it clicked and I realized that I had read her other work and quite enjoyed it.

This book is about loss and the journey of healing in the aftermath. We have four main characters (Sasha, Amy, Ray, & Sky) that we, the reader, have the privilege of being with in said journey. My favorite part of this book is all characters and how they were interwoven. Once it all clicks in place, "chef's kiss". The other things that really scratched the itch in my brain is the thoughts it provoked. The "chance" or "fate" aspect really sat with me.

I highly recommend this book. If you read Erlick's "The Measure" and enjoyed it, you will love this book.

I’ve always loved Nikki Erlick’s books, and this one is no exception. Her stories consistently leave me reflecting on big questions—“What would I do if I were in this situation?”—and this book did exactly that. I found myself going back and forth, imagining how I would respond if given the chance to visit the mysterious Poppy Fields, a place that offers relief from grief and sadness. After so many personal losses over the past five years, that premise struck a deeply emotional chord.

The characters were beautifully complex, and I loved how their individual backstories were seamlessly woven into the narrative. It was easy to follow yet layered with meaning as the connections between people unfolded. Sasha, Ray, Ava (and of course PJ!), and later Sky, each embark on this journey for very different reasons, but along the way, they find healing—and each other.

I also listened to the audiobook, which was incredibly well done. The pacing was perfect, the voice performances felt distinct yet grounded, and the overall delivery made the story easy to follow while enhancing the emotional experience.

Thank you NetGalley. HarperAudio Adult, and Nikki Erlick for the ALC.

🌸 The Poppy Fields - Nikki Erlick

3.75 ⭐️ - I liked this! I just wanted some more! If you haven’t read The Measure by Nikki Erlick yet, you need to. If you have, you’ll enjoy The Poppy Fields too!

This was a really fun, interesting concept. Would you, if you could, sleep away your grief and risk the memories of loved ones? As someone who’s lost my best friend and grandparents, it would be something to consider! Idk if I really could do it, but I’d think about it. This has depth to its characters as they each grapple with why they are going to The Poppy Fields and how to address their grief. The found family aspect to these characters is strong, relatable, and enjoyable. I loved the cross country roadtrip aspect to this book. It did take me a litttttle bit to get into, but once I was in, I was in. I really enjoyed the audiobook!

Thank you William Morrow, Harper Audio, and Netgalley for the early arc and audio! This one’s out now!

This audiobook was excellent. I love the character development and the writing. It allowed you to get to know each character. It was also very thought provoking

While I liked this book, it did not measure up to her first book The Measure (see what I did there). The Measure was very metaphysical and thought provoking. This could have been but did not quite make it. The premise of this book is that one could slumber his or her way out of a depression by sleeping for a month or two. This seems like a cross between John Marrs and some author who escapes me now. John Marrs gave us a fair number of details about the science fiction aspect of his futuristic books. Here I felt like I wanted to know more about that. The other author gave us more of the philosophical dilemmas involved (so did Marrs as well). Here it was touched upon but I also wanted more. In The Measure, we did not know how the circumstances came to be but that was on purpose and it was discussed in the text. That was enough for me there. That was because it was largely focused on the philosophical dilemmas posed.
I think there could have been more but it just didn't satisfy.
I listened to parts of the audio and read the rest. The narrator was good.
Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Harper Adult Audio for advance copies of the text and audio in exchange for my honest opinion.

I very much enjoyed this one!! The concept is super interesting and different. I liked that it bounced from different characters so you get to really understand them and the scene / plot. I love books that get you thinking about the “what ifs”.

I think her first book is better but this is definitely worth the read!

4.5 stars:
This book is a thought-provoking look at grief and how the people who are left to live after a loved one dies handle their loss. It made me consider the experiences of others in a new way and reframe my own experiences. If you have suffered a debilitating loss recently, consider waiting to read this book. Otherwise, read when you want a book that reframes your perceptions of loss and grief.

I’ve read Nikki Erlick’s The Measure and loved it—and The Poppy Fields was just as incredible. Both are beautifully written speculative fiction that really make you think.

This story follows several characters as they each navigate the heavy weight of grief. You know that feeling of losing someone so important, you’re not sure how you’ll ever move forward? In this world, people can travel to the mysterious Poppy Fields—where they sleep for one to two months in hopes of waking up with a little less heartbreak and a little more healing.

I also loved the clever nod to her debut novel, The Measure—such a thoughtful touch for fans of her earlier work.

I listened to the audiobook, and I highly recommend it in that format. The production is great, with a full cast of narrators who each brought their character to life in a way that felt authentic and emotionally resonant. Their performances really enhanced the experience—each voice carried its own weight, grief, and healing. You could truly feel the pain, vulnerability, and eventual peace in their tone, which made the journey that much more powerful. The narration made it easy to stay immersed in the story, even through its more emotional moments.

If you’re an audiobook lover, this one’s a must. It’s emotional, imaginative, and deeply human.

Also the cover is so beautiful! I’m a sucker for poppies as they remind me of my Poppy (grandfather) and uncles who were members of the various wars.

Erlick’s sci-fi novel poses a question about the process of grieving: Since the movement through grief to a point of healing requires time, would it be ethical to journey through the hardship unconsciously via a medically induced coma? Ellis runs the Poppy Fields, an experimental sleeping treatment facility to help her patients transition from acute to controllable grief. The accepted applicants receive free aided healing, and during the 1–2 months of sleep, the brain builds on learning to adjust to the trauma, and patients wake with feelings of acceptance and joy. As Ellis interviews possible candidates for the treatment, a group of 4 strangers road trip to Southern California in search of answers and healing of their own, all related to the Poppy Fields. The underbelly of the procedure, perhaps, is the possible side effect: a perpetual numbness affecting 1 in 4 patients. Those who wake up with “emotional moderation” remain apathetic and empty when they think about the traumatic event. Ellis believes in the value of her work, so she continually labors in her scientific research in hopes of decreasing the side effects and getting her dream FDA approved.

I enjoyed the characters well enough; they are unique and bring their set of problems, though I didn’t feel the weight of Sasha and Ray’s situations as much as I would’ve liked. For a palatable book club-friendly read, I expected to connect more with these characters, especially Sasha, because of her East Asian heritage. However, my more pressing concern is the questionable ethics of Ellis’s lab. I question the questionableness. I’m unconvinced the treatment exists in a morally grey space if it’s categorically a medical treatment. Unless one is against prescription medication (e.g., for religious reasons, which is unconvincing to me), this sounds like a reasonable means to an end procedure. The treatment is not like self-medicating with drugs and strong drink. And, since the entire premise seems to probe this ethical question, I remained distant from the story.

But I’m not an ethicist.

My thanks to William Morrow, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for an ARC. I shared this review on GoodReads on June 20, 2025 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7671267022).

Just like Erlick's first book, The Poppy Fields was thought provoking and such a unique and creative concept. I love how reflective her books are- they really make you put yourself in that situation and think about what you would do. I will read anything she writes!

A contemplative, thought-provoking novel that begs to be discussed.

The Poppy Fields drew me in slowly, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. Much like The Measure, this novel explores big, philosophical questions in deeply human, intimate ways. The pacing is reflective which allowed me to really sit with the story’s ideas and feel their weight. This is the kind of book that makes you pause, think, and want to talk to someone about it afterward. It doesn’t rush; it simmers. And by the end, I found myself unexpectedly moved and full of questions.

If you enjoy character-driven novels that lean into the “what ifs” of life and morality, this is one to pick up. Just know going in: it’s not a fast read, but it’s a worthwhile one. The full cast narration truly elevated the reading experience for me and I'm glad I chose the audiobook!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ALC!

Enjoyed this book and will always love anything narrated by Marin Ireland. Loved the character growth of most of the characters and seeing how their stories tied together.

Thank you William Morrow & Harper Audio for the gifted copies

The Poppy Fields
Nikki Erlick
Publishing Date: June 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narrator: Marin Ireland, Dan Bittner, Stacey Glemboski, Graham Halstead, Mia Barron, Callie Dalton, Janina Edwards, Shawn K. Jain, Christian Barillas, & Jason Culp 🎧

I absolutely loved The Measure so when I found out Nikki Erlick had another book on the way I knew it was a must read.

The Poppy Fields is very similar in vibe to The Measure. We get Nikki’s stunning writing navigating us as we examine deep topics that make us question what we would do if given certain opportunities.

“𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕘𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕗 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕘𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕗.”

In this case, if you could sleep away your grief, would you? Would you risk the side effects? Does the process of grief serve a purpose that we would miss out on? Would who we are be different if we didn’t grieve? How does each individual process grief?

We go on a road trip with four strangers thrust together out of a common need. Through their multiple POVs we learn of their unique reasons for wanting to get to The Poppy Fields and what they inevitably do in the end.

I really enjoyed this book. It is character driven and therefore a bit slower in pace. I love a good character driven story though. I did leave feeling like I wanted a little bit more, I’m just honestly not sure what I feel was missing. Regardless I’m here for anything Nikki Erlick writes and the depth of her stories and beauty of her writing makes this one well worth reading.

🎧 With a full cast of narrators, this story is really brought to life. Marin Ireland is the primary narrator and she is absolutely fantastic.