I really don’t know where to start with this one. There are a handful of narrators that I follow and adore, but since I’ve gravitated to mainly sapphic romance, I’m missing some of these old voices. Andi Arndt is one of them. I decided to give it a whirl when I saw this audiobook pop-up with Arndt narrating it. I did not know at all what I was in for.

Let me also say that the story is much slower than I am accustomed to. While I don’t need things to be super fast or sound like an action movie, I do need to feel like I’m getting somewhere. Admittedly, there were moments in the beginning of this story when I wasn’t sure if we would get to our destination. It was a struggle to keep going, and this might have been one of those stories where it’s better to read than listen to.

This was an interesting story about family dynamics, told from the point of view of one of the sisters, Jude. The story hops back and forth between the past and present day, providing a backstory for tender feelings and broken hearts.

Within the story, we have an artist involved, Fred. Like many artists, Fred’s life and direction are grossly affected by the world around her. She deep-dives into climate change, the wetlands of Florida, and all the things associated with this. We see how Fred spirals.

Another sister, Jen, is a busy mother who often acts as the matriarch for the rest of the family.

George follows in his father‘s footsteps in managing the family business and wealth.

And our storyteller, Jude, is a corporate lawyer and a single mom raising a teen.

The story explores the rich, entangled landscape of family dynamics, family dynamics when wealth is involved, and family dynamics when priorities aren’t always kept straight. It’s a story that reflects on the family unit itself as if it were its own entity and how it changes with aging parents. It’s also a story that explores the tangled webs we weave within our family, as well as our family secrets.

If you have some tears to shed over a family, this might get them going. But I do feel there are some trigger warnings. I need to put out there: sexual assault, domestic abuse, depression, alcoholism, and the death of a family pet. There is also sexism, abortion, and cancer. It was quite a heavy read that, in the end, did not provide the closure I expected from stories. Instead, it had me reflecting on the dynamics of my own family and aging parents.

The shining light in the story, however, is Andi Arndt. Arndt’s talents are vast, and we’re on full display for the story. She has many voices up her sleeve, so one doesn’t have a hard time keeping track of a cast that isn’t necessarily diverse. I was so happy to hear her voice again. As much as the story left me melancholy, I believe Arndt evoked the emotion from me that the author was going for.

So, if you want to read or listen to a book that will slowly gut-punch you and not really put you back together, this one might be for you. 

I received a copy of this Advanced Listening Copy from the publisher on Netgalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

This story brings siblings together after their mother passes away. The siblings grew up together as a wealthy family in a large estate. Each sibling eventually left Florida to lead their separate lives but when they all reunite, they seem discontent and not well adjusted. They are also reeling from their mother’s death. Therefore, family drama ensues.

I typically love a storyline in which the characters work through the challenges and differences that they identify within their family unit. But for some reason, I really struggled with this book. The plot moved very slowly and I don’t know that I saw the significant growth that I was hoping the siblings would portray at the end of the novel. I also wish that I walked away with a more defined vision for the Florida setting. I has a hard time envisioning what the family’s Florida lifestyle enveloped.

I do think that the author demonstrated an overarching metaphor/meaning between the family and the word floating associated with the title. You’ll definitely enjoy this book if you like a slow burn family drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the chance to listen to The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong. I'm also grateful to narrator Andi Arndt, who did a solid job bringing the story to life.
This one had a premise that hit close to home—adult siblings coming together after the loss of a parent—something I’ve personally experienced. I thought I’d feel more connected, but instead I found myself detached from both the characters and the story. Some characters felt underdeveloped, others just didn’t stick with me, and I never really connected with their interactions.
The writing didn’t quite flow for me, and the dialogue often felt stilted. There’s a central metaphor involving mangroves and the “float test” that I think was meant to carry emotional weight, but it didn’t land—at least not for me. While I appreciated what the author was aiming for, the book ultimately missed the mark for me.

DNF and a retry and I still don't like anyone here. I was also triggered over the catalyst event. The writing is good, but I do not think this story was for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for ALC, I'm sorry it didn't work out..

I got 50% into this audiobook and couldn't do it any more. I fought hard to make it as far as I did, but it's a fight I lost.

I didn't like any of the characters, the plot seemed directionless to me, and I just flat out wasn't enjoying it.

I'm not telling everyone to count it out, it just wasn't for me.

UGH! This book flips between past and present with no cohesion... Its messy, all over the place. I did the audio book and the narrator tried really hard to keep this together but all the POVs, all the flip flopping... I couldn't tell you who the F was who or what they were doing or when!

I'm sorry but it was way too much social justice topics and it wasn't done well. Pick one topic (covid) (Climate change) and have set pov oer chapter and make sure we know when the time is.

2.5 stars

This is a book about relationships and how messy, yet wonderful they can be. It's full of how messy and challenging relationships can be. This is the story of a family, and I had trouble following the storyline, at times as it flips between past and present along with multiple view points. The narrator was easy to listen too, even if the story felt disjointed and not cohesive.

While the premise holds promise, the execution left much to be desired for me. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of Jude and this choice of an omniscient first-person narrator who admits to imagining certain events and learning of them after the fact felt disjointed and undermined the authenticity of the storytelling. It was challenging to fully engage with a narrator who wasn't present for key moments yet relayed them with assumed accuracy.

The pacing of the novel is notably slow, with a heavy emphasis on introspection over plot progression. While literary fiction often prioritizes character development, I found the lack of a driving narrative made it difficult to stay invested. The central mysteries, such as the discovery of a gun, introduced potential intrigue but ultimately led to conclusions that felt unsatisfying and touched on themes I prefer to avoid in my reading. The story's structure, filled with subplots and a number of side characters, often felt convoluted, making it hard to maintain a clear understanding of the overarching narrative and thus, my engagement in the novel.

While I can appreciate Strong's attempt to portray the nuanced tensions within a family, the novel's slow pace, complex structure, and narrative choices didn't resonate with me. I persevered through the book primarily due to a commitment to my book group, but it was a challenging read that didn't provide the fulfillment I seek in a novel. I acknowledge that others may find value in its literary merits, but it ultimately wasn't a good fit for my preferences.

*As for the narrator, I have no complaints in her voice or storytelling. However, this novel was not one easily listened to without the physical copy, because it was hard to fully attend and follow the varied timeline and introduction of characters.

A complicated group of siblings come together for their mothers funeral. Understandably this is a terrible time for all, but for this family, it was that and more. They grew up financially stable, but that is where their stability ended. They all emotionally abused and suffered terribly as a result of it. When all are back together to deal with the death of their mother, we get to learn about each of them. It’s slow, dark, sad, disturbing and uncomfortable and yet I kept listening. Glad I did, but it was an exhausting listen and at times hard to get through.

The title of this book had me curious about what the story would be like. I feel it was the perfect title for this book. (I don't want to give spoilers)
In short it was about the lives of family members and how they each deal with different situations-good and bad. It told of their relationships with each other in the family and with others around them. I liked the narrator, but at times I did get confused about what sibling was telling the story.
This was just a good story about life.

Life is messy, relationship are messy, people are messy. This book is messy. Full of disconnected characters who are so out of touch with their own lives that they're difficult to connect with throughout the book. The story flip flops between the present and everywhere in the past. There are so many characters and little glimpses of stories scattered through their lives, upon finishing the book I had no idea what the actual point was.

Thank you NetGalley for my first ALC!

This is the story of four siblings at odds who come together after losing their mother. We get to see all kinds of complicated family dynamics play out, particularly between the siblings. There were lots of intersecting storylines that came together so beautifully in the end.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I love a good character driven story and some family drama! As the oldest of four siblings myself, I felt pretty familiar with some of these dynamics.

The only thing that I found a little odd was that the story was entirely narrated from Jude's pov, including very intimate moments between other characters that she wouldn't have been present for. But otherwise, I just loved this story. The narrator was fantastic, she really brought me into the story.

2.5 I appreciate receiving an advance copy of the audio book from NetGalley.
This is a story of a somewhat dysfunctional family and all the various dysfunctional relationships between the siblings and also with their parents and with almost everyone else in their circle.
It feels like so many other books - and I just did not end up caring really about any of the characters.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this audio arc - all opinions are my own.

What drew me to this book?
1. The cover is beautiful.
2. I absolutely LOVE a good family drama... the messier the better. This books seemed so promising.
3. Narrated by the queen herself, Andy Arndt. Say less.

In summary, this book is about everything and about nothing. Four completely maladjusted siblings who absolutely do not have their lives together coming together after a significant loss. Unfortunately, I found this all rather boring. There was not a redeeming quality in any of the characters... they were all pretty insufferable.

And, as someone who loves a good romance/smut, the use of the word "f****ed" in this book was extremely offputting. It never felt like the appropriate word to be used - clinical, maybe?

Nonetheless, narration 10 stars. Andi could read me her shopping list and I'd listen. :)

⚠️I'll include a content warning at the end of this review. ⚠️

I'm in the middle with this one as there were aspects, I found to be brilliant and some that didn't land. <i>The Float Test</i> is a character study of a spiraling family sick with secrets. When I first started this audiobook, I didn't know if I would be able to connect with the meandering, stream of consciousness style. I hung in there because Andi Arndt narrates and she's a gem. I'm glad I did because I was able to adjust to the rambling and become engaged. I will note that I don't think the style is going to connect across the board. I think this will be a niche read that some will love and most won't. I'm probably an odd duck for wavering in-between.

The Kenner family has suffered the loss of its matriarch a powerful attorney who emphasized success over emotional support in mothering her four children. When the adult siblings gather together in Florida to mourn their mother and care for their aging father it becomes obvious that there are layers of baggage to sort through. Jen is the eldest and has a large brood of her own. Fred (Winifred) is an author who can't write, Jude is the omniscient narrator which felt like an odd choice, she seems conflicted about everything, and George is the baby brother whose wife has left him, but he's keeping it to himself. There are intricate threads for each character linking past and present. None of these characters are happy or even likeable. Misplaced ambitions drive while personal lives in turmoil are a constant drain. There are some dramatic reveals that bring a push/pull sensation front and center. I find sibling relationships fascinating and there was a lot to unpack with this bunch.

What is the source of Fred and Jude's fractured relationship?

Why did their mother have a gun in her underwear drawer?

The cast of characters is large, and I was impressed with how fleshed out each one was. By the end it felt like I understood the dynamics at work in this family.

3.25 ⭐ rounded ⬇️

⚠️Content Warning to Follow⚠️
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graphic animal death
death of parent
rape
addiction
abortion


Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for providing an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The story is told by Jude Kenner, there are four siblings, the boom begins after the death of their mother. The relationship between the siblings is strained, however, the family was fractured long before their mother died. This is a time where the siblings should lean on one another and that does not come easy for these four.

The book was a slow read for me, it went from past to present, character POV changed often and the Narrator was always Jude. It was difficult to jump with her voice to one of the siblings “secret” issues, it left me wondering how she would now this and it not affect her story. The story line was flat - it felt like we were never going anywhere and that’s exactly where we ended up nowhere.

The writing was lovely, and the characters had some depth but the story never evolved.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review of the book

Four siblings reunite at their family home in Florida to mourn their mother’s passing. The humid and oppressive atmosphere of Florida serves as an ideal backdrop for each sibling as they confront their shared family traumas and reflect on their current lives. Jude is a corporate lawyer, single mom, and estranged from her once favorite sister, Fred. Fred is struggling with life and love and still finding her way. The baby, George, is estranged from his wife and having issues at work. They have never needed each other more or trusted each other less. This story is told from Jude's POV, but we get all of the siblings' backstories as well, except for the reason that Jude and Fred are estranged. That reveal doesn't come until the book is almost over, which brought out an underlying tension through the entire book. The story felt real, with siblings taking their roles from childhood and feeling the pressure of maintaining those, as well as childhood resentments that we all hold on to. Everyone has secrets, including the parents. The hot Florida sun felt like another character as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins | Mariner Books

3.75/5⭐️

Overall I enjoyed this audiobook. I found myself loving the descriptive writing and was able to picture everything so vividly. I liked all the different plot points that perfectly captured realistic family drama and clearly defined characters. I wish it was longer with more closure for each sibling, however I did enjoy the ending scene. I would definitely read a sequel to find out all the details of each siblings’ path in life and I will be reading more from this author!

What I liked:
- The plot points
- The story felt relatable by capturing realistic family dynamics
- The descriptive writing
- The audio! Andi Arnt is a wonderful narrator perfectly displaying this story in an intriguing, emotional, and significant way

What I disliked
- In the beginning the narration was so confusing to me because timelines shift constantly within chapters through memories. We get Jude’s POV throughout but it felt weird getting detailed descriptions that Jude wouldn’t necessarily know about the things the other siblings and side characters were experiencing (not my cup of tea)
- Not enough closure (selfishly I was wanting more)

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Float Test is an entertaining story of an American family, their dysfunction, and journey to reclaim a sense of home. I most enjoyed the Florida setting and layered inter-sibling relationships. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family-centered story.

Thank you Balckstone and NetGalley for the Audio ARC

1 ⭐️

The audio is good Andi Arndt is my one of my fav female narrators and she is the only reason this book got 1 star. She did amazing job as always!

The story on the other hand just dumb. Way too much work BS and political stuff. I don’t want to spend my time listening/ reading that when it’s shoved in our faces on a daily everywhere else. I just went to spend my time lost in a book with a beautiful story. This wasn’t it.