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Title details for Florida Woman by Deb Rogers - Available

Florida Woman

A Novel

by Deb Rogers
Eileen Stevens
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
"Razor-sharp... Deb Rogers writes with such verve and honesty about all the ways we stumble through life, and, like all great storytellers, gives us something wondrous when we reach the end of the journey." —Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Nothing to See Here
A gleefully dark and entertaining debut for fans of Kevin Wilson and Karen Russell, about one young woman's sensational summer at a Floridian wildlife center for exotic monkeys

Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it's not.
Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. She hears the distant screams of monkeys each night; the staff perform cryptic, lakeside sacrifices to honor Atlas; and the land, which has long been abandoned by citrus farmers and theme park developers alike, now proves to be dangerously, relentlessly untamed.
As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could've imagined.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 5, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781488214264
      • File size: 298061 KB
      • Duration: 10:20:57

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Explore a titillating performance by Eileen Stevens paired with a bizarre yet engrossing story. Jamie, a native of Florida, is the kind of criminal whom typical headlines are written about. Her most recent sentence is to be served at Atlas, a sanctuary for wild monkeys. But after she settles into this unusual situation, she notices the distress of the wildlife and the unsettling vibes of the people who work there. Then there are the ritualistic sacrifices on behalf of the Atlas facility itself. Jamie's reactions are portrayed as pensive as she tries to figure out what's going on. Overall, Stevens narrates straightforwardly, an approach that works well for a plot that continually turns up the unexpected. G.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
    • Booklist

      September 2, 2022
      Intrigue and entertainment abound in this lighthearted if somewhat bloated debut novel. As a stereotypical "Florida Woman," Jamie has gone viral with a video of herself burning down a tiki hut and saving a pelican. When she is given the opportunity to serve her house-arrest sentence at a local monkey rescue, Atlas, she jumps at the chance. But all is not as it seems at the shelter, with a suspiciously cultlike group of women running things. This far-fetched premise leads the reader on an adventure through sacred rituals, drugs, and family drama. Almost written as a love letter to Florida--"People flood to Florida because it is the end of the country, the end of the line, last stop, last call, last chance to start again""--the book features certain plot points that feel more like afterthoughts (an LGBT romance, for one). Still, Florida Woman triumphs in keeping the reader on the hook, its twists and turns successfully surprising at almost every point.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      Rogers's debut is a tale of creeping suspense set in Florida's swampy backwaters. Jamie is a Florida woman. She's weathered countless hurricanes and other storms, too, including her accidental crime going viral on the internet. Hoping to avoid jail time, Jamie begins her community service at Atlas, a sanctuary for monkeys. She's looking for a fresh start, but far from the beaches, something in the swamp is off. Soon, Jamie finds herself wrapped up in the unsettling secrets of Atlas. Will she get a much-needed new lease on life, or will she be caught up in something much more sinister? Narrator Eileen Stevens is in her element, perfectly conveying the novel's ominous undertones and leaving readers to guess what will happen next. The beauty of Florida beaches is juxtaposed with the murder, deceit, and danger that lurks in the swampland while playfully addressing the stereotypes of Florida residents that are often in the news. VERDICT Fans of Liane Moriarty will devour this captivating blend of quirkiness and suspense. Listeners will be looking for more from this promising author.--Elyssa Everling

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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