I really enjoyed the dry and witty humor through out the book. My biggest issue with the book was Cammy herself. She isn’t a very likable character, there isn't a normal response to grief. I loved how the author showed that in the book

Fabulous narration coupled with a touching, well-written story makes Cammy Sitting Shiva a must read for the summer I look forward to more work from Cary Gitter.

When her dad dies unexpectedly, aimless NYC playwright Cammy returns to New Jersey for shiva, and between weed, Atlantic City, and avoiding rituals, she’s forced to face grief—and maybe figure out who she really is. I also like that the MC isn't solely defined by her loss, and is a richly developed character looking for herself.

I really enjoyed the narrator and thought she was a perfect hit, landing all the punches, highs and lows, and pronouncing words that might be foreign to the reader in a way that felt authentic and approachable. I especially loved that this introduces readers to Jewish customs in a way that shows us by gently taking us by the hand, while also remaining universal in its depiction of grieving for the loss of a loved one. This book is for everyone, and I would go out of my way to recommend it to younger adults experiencing such a loss.

Coming late to the party, I did not get to finish the story before the archive date, sadly, but am looking forward to finishing this one on my own.

What a sweet and fun book! This is a slice of life family drama with a small romance arc. It was very well written and I can’t wait to hear more from this author! I LOVE the Jewish representation without focusing on oppression and trauma. I want to read about peoples whole lives, not just their trauma. The exploration of complicated grief was very relatable and well done. The writing is witty and easy to read without slacking on the depth of the characters or their relationships. TmThe romance arc was done so well and was realistic as well. No notes. I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Media for this ARC. THANK YOU for the everyday Jewish representation! Keep it up!

I didn’t much like the main character in this book. She seemed self absorbed, self destructive,and immature for a 30 year-old woman. Yet, the death of a parent can propel someone back to childhood and all the expectations and insecurities of that time.
Cammy comes from a barely observant Jewish family: she doesn’t know the meaning behind many of the rituals, yet she and her mother are observing shiva for a full week? Two-to-three days is more the norm for Reform Jews. The occasional Yiddish or Hebrew word is defined for the reader, yet some non-Jewish characters already know and use the terminology. Why this double standard?
When I finished listening to the slow audiobook (upped to 2.5x to power through), I learned that the author is a playwright. I can imagine some scenes, and, in fact, most of this book, being more successful as a play since the emotions ran best and truest in confrontation.
Cammy is a bit sarcastic but I did not find the book amusing or funny. Occasionally poignant but nothing to laugh about.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @SpotifyAudiobooks, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #CammySittingShiva for review purposes. It is currently available.

This perceptive and sincere novel delves into themes of love, grief, and the imperfections we all bear. It examines the complexities of relationships, the feeling of being stuck in life, and the dynamics of both old and new friendships. The protagonist grapples with the uncertainty of whether she’s on the right path and reflects on her choices and their significance. As she navigates her emotions, she faces the profound weight of loss while staying in her childhood home, mourning her beloved father—her closest confidant. What comes next for her? Throughout the week, she engages in deep self-reflection, seeks answers to her pressing questions, and contemplates her future. It’s a thoughtfully crafted narrative that resonates on many levels.

I think others will enjoy this more than I did. I was attracted to this because I am Jewish but I was unable to connect with the MC. I'm in my 40s now but even in my 20s and 30s I was not drifting through life/uncertain about my path/having complex parent relationships. While she was likablethe struggle to connect with her and all her feelings about herself made me bored more than interested and I gave up. Sorry!

A smart, honest book that tackles and questions love, loss, flawed people (and really, who amongst us isn’t flawed in some way?), relationships, feeling stuck in your life, friends old and new, wondering if you’re on the right path, whether any of the choices you have made were and are right, judging yourself and all those you left behind, discovering things that rock you to your very core all while being back in your childhood bedroom mourning the loss of your beloved father. Her dad was the parent she felt most connected to. What happens now? Her week is filled with self reflection, finding answers to so many questions and figuring out what is next for her. A well thought out story.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the free alc. I absolutely loved this debut family drama centered around grief. I appreciated the ugly parts of family / religious expectations when it comes to grief. I also connected to the spiraling after death of a family member and the extents you go through to feel alive.

Will absolutely be looking for the authors follow up book.

Suggest giving it a try.

5/5☆

Cammy Sitting Shiva is a sharp, funny, and heartfelt debut about grief, family, and all the messy spirals in between. I love a good grief story, especially when the main character is forced to confront themselves. Cammy is raw, relatable, and darkly funny as she navigates shiva, family tension, and the strange pull of home she thought she's left behind. If you enjoy messy, character-driven stories, this one will hit.

Jesse Vilinsky brought the story to life with her narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

3.5 stars, rounded up for Jesse Vilinsky’s narration.

First off, the title is a bit of a misnomer. I don’t think Cammy ever actually sits shiva.

I love books that tackle grief, feature flawed female MCs, and are set in Jersey. This one delivered on all three. Following the MC’s pain and acting out after her father’s death was both compelling and, at times, darkly funny. The story isn’t sappy or relentlessly bleak; it’s told with plenty of wry, sardonic humor. Gitter also deserves credit for writing a female character who feels like an actual person. A low bar for male authors, maybe, but still worth noting. And of course, Jersey.

Where it fell short for me was the writing style. Gitter is clearly talented, but the prose felt a little formal and dense. I usually prefer writing that fades into the background so I can lose myself in the story, rather than becoming the focal point.

Jesse Vilinsky is wonderful, as always.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC.

A moving story of grief and loss and trying to figure out your life in your early 20s. When Cammy's father dies suddenly, she's forced to return to her New Jersey home and reconcile with her mother. Their relationship is a contentious one and while she's home, Cammy also reunites with some high school friends and first crushes. This was full of emotional depth and gave me strong Garden State vibes. It was also great on audio narrated by Jesse Vilinsky (one of my favs) and I enjoyed it a lot. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW: IBS rep, sudden loss of a parent

Thanks to NetGalley for the early read. -- Rounded up from 3.5 stars

While I enjoyed the book, it was difficult for me to get through due to how awful Cammy was up until right before the end. Most of the characters were well developed and likable. The author did a great job of letting us see the different sides of the supporting characters.

Much of how she acted in the book was attributed to grief over losing her father, but from everything she said, she was a nightmare before her father passed away, and he enabled the behavior. She was awful to those who loved her or cared about her, from her boyfriend, to her best friend and especially her mother and rabbi. She was even awful to the drama club! I don't know that one conversation in a cemetery can right 2-3 decades of callous treatment of other people. Who is that forgiving? I'm not sure I could be.

Her promiscuity seemed to be attributed to grief as well, but she was the same way before her father died, which led to the end of her relationship. I am not judging her promiscuity, but it was just another way that I felt a bit misled by the plot that she was dealing with trauma by acting out. It seemed she acted out as a child, her dad went along with it, and she sort of became a selfish brat to everyone. And the big secret that was revealed that she was so upset about was very odd to me. Why would she care what her dad did with his life before she existed? It was a closed chapter, not a big deal, and he had moved on. A bad former relationship is not a big family secret, and I don't know that any parent owes that information to their children.

The book was tied up nicely in the end, and that did lead to me liking Cammy's character a bit more. It was a redemption that was sorely needed. I fear many people may DNF this because Cammy is so insufferable. I do recommend this book, but Cammy is a hot mess, and not a fun one.

It's a bit meta-fiction (or auto fiction?) Our main character Cammy is sitting shiva for her father and having relationship issues with her mother. Meanwhile she starts writing a play about Cameron, a gender switched version of what is happening to her. Our author Cary might be doing the same thing. Putting all that aside this is a novel about growing up and acting out, about finding out what matters and what's important. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an awesome job of reading this New Jersey story. It was compelling, heartbreaking and often funny.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Cary Gitter's Cammy Sitting Shiva was absolutely phenomenal. In turns devastating, hilarious, and occasionally uncomfortable, Cammy's journey through grief was raw and real. Watching her navigate the tension between familial and communal expectations and her own needs was so relatable. Was it messy? Absolutely. Was I completely flabbergasted by some of her choices? Yes. But a lot of grace should be given to someone who is grieving, and Cammy had to learn that lesson and then extend that grace to herself.

I laughed out loud. I cried. I had to double check that my audiobook wasn't playing where the kids could hear. (You know, when she's snorting coke off a male stripper's abs?) But from start to finish, I was just impressed by the authenticity of it all. The searching for identity, the fear that you're not living up to your potential, the pressure of not wanting to disappoint the people who love you the most...all of those themes resonated deeply with me, and I just wanted to wrap Cammy up in the biggest hug.

I've never sat shiva, being Christian and now Jewish, but I've read about the practice. I loved how Gitter simultaneously honored the Jewish tradition but challenged the traditional practice of it because the Jewish experience isn't a monolith. Even within Cammy's family, her mom--a convert--was the one who regularly attended synagogue and adhered to the religious traditions, while her dad was a secular Jew, primarily attending synagogue to poke fun at the rabbi from the back row with Cammy.

Jesse Vilinsky brought Cammy to life in all her chaotic, messy glory. The narration was flawless. Bravo. 10/10. No notes.