REVIEW: If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook

I have received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book through the publisher. This has not affected my rating or review in any way.


Thank you to Celadon Books for sending me an Advance Reader’s Copy of If We’re Being Honest!

If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook was not my cup of tea, and I knew this going into it. When I originally requested this via BookishFirst, I thought I would enjoy it and be able to mark of a square on my 2023 Bookish bingo card (for category: book from a genre you’ve never read before) if I won a copy. However, once I won I began to have doubts on whether I could truly enjoy this book. I considered contacting BookishFirst to have them cancel my win but I decided not to, thinking I might be able to push through.


If We’re Being Honest follows the four cousins of the eccentric Williams family after the passing of their grandfather Gerry in Eulalia, Georgia. For me, I was so bored and miserable trying to read this to the point where I dreaded trying to pick it up most days. I couldn’t find myself liking any of the characters and the story was bland compared to what I normally read. So I didn’t push through. I just couldn’t.


However, this was not because this was a bad book but because it’s too far away from my preferred genres that I’d feel more comfortable reading. While I normally read young adult fantasy, this is general adult fiction/women’s fiction. It also heavily centers on grief and family connections which are things I’m currently struggling with, thus I was not in the right mental health space to be reading this book.


This was truly a case of it’s not you, it’s me. I fully believe that readers who frequently enjoy books from this genre and can handle topics such as grief will truly enjoy this book. But for me, If We’re Being Honest is 1 out of 5 stars.


If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook will be available on April 18th, 2023.

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