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Lost Lambs
The funny and compassionate new literary novel that turns family dysfunction into an art form.
‘A voice like no other’ Lena Dunham, award-winning writer, director and creator of comedy-drama Girls
'Loud, hilarious, shocking and sensitive' Megan Nolan, prize-listed author of Acts of Desperation
'You finish the book with the kind of smile on your face that contemporary fiction rarely leaves you with. Lost Lambs is a perky, fiendishly readable debut.’ Financial Times
For the three Flynn daughters, it’s been disastrous since their parents opened up their marriage. Abigail, the eldest, is dating an ex-soldier several years her senior nicknamed ‘War Crimes Wes’. Louise, the middle child, maintains a secret correspondence with an online terrorist. And the brilliant youngest, Harper, is being sent to a wilderness reform camp due to her insistence that someone – or something – is monitoring the town’s citizens.
Casting a shadow across their lives is Paul Alabaster, a nefarious local billionaire. Rumours of corruption circulate, but no one dares dig too deep. No one except Harper, whose obsession with Alabaster’s machinations sends the family hurtling into a criminal conspiracy – one that may just, finally, bring them closer together.
Rippling with humour, warmth and style, Lost Lambs turns family dysfunction into an art form.
Praise for Lost
‘Goes off like a firework. As sincere as it is funny (and it’s very funny)’ Ramona Ausubel, bestselling author of The Last Animal
‘A great, great American novel’ Samantha Hunt, Women’s Prize longlisted author of The Seas
‘A dazzling and singular new voice in literary fiction… Loud, hilarious, shocking, and sensitive’ Megan Nolan, award-winning author of Ordinary Human Failings
‘With a big surge of energy, Lost Lambs splits the nucleus of the American family’ Tony Tulathimutte, author of Rejection – National Book Award Finalist
‘Madeline Cash is a humourist in the darkly humanist tradition of George Saunders and Lorrie Moore, of Vonnegut and Twain’ Tim Kreider, author of We Learn Nothing
‘Immersive and propulsive and I never wanted it to end. I can’t remember the last time a novel made me laugh so hard or feel so much tenderness for its characters… I loved it. I devoured it’ Leslie Jamison, author of Splinters
‘A voice like no other’ Lena Dunham, award-winning writer, director and creator of comedy-drama Girls
'Loud, hilarious, shocking and sensitive' Megan Nolan, prize-listed author of Acts of Desperation
'You finish the book with the kind of smile on your face that contemporary fiction rarely leaves you with. Lost Lambs is a perky, fiendishly readable debut.’ Financial Times
For the three Flynn daughters, it’s been disastrous since their parents opened up their marriage. Abigail, the eldest, is dating an ex-soldier several years her senior nicknamed ‘War Crimes Wes’. Louise, the middle child, maintains a secret correspondence with an online terrorist. And the brilliant youngest, Harper, is being sent to a wilderness reform camp due to her insistence that someone – or something – is monitoring the town’s citizens.
Casting a shadow across their lives is Paul Alabaster, a nefarious local billionaire. Rumours of corruption circulate, but no one dares dig too deep. No one except Harper, whose obsession with Alabaster’s machinations sends the family hurtling into a criminal conspiracy – one that may just, finally, bring them closer together.
Rippling with humour, warmth and style, Lost Lambs turns family dysfunction into an art form.
Praise for Lost
‘Goes off like a firework. As sincere as it is funny (and it’s very funny)’ Ramona Ausubel, bestselling author of The Last Animal
‘A great, great American novel’ Samantha Hunt, Women’s Prize longlisted author of The Seas
‘A dazzling and singular new voice in literary fiction… Loud, hilarious, shocking, and sensitive’ Megan Nolan, award-winning author of Ordinary Human Failings
‘With a big surge of energy, Lost Lambs splits the nucleus of the American family’ Tony Tulathimutte, author of Rejection – National Book Award Finalist
‘Madeline Cash is a humourist in the darkly humanist tradition of George Saunders and Lorrie Moore, of Vonnegut and Twain’ Tim Kreider, author of We Learn Nothing
‘Immersive and propulsive and I never wanted it to end. I can’t remember the last time a novel made me laugh so hard or feel so much tenderness for its characters… I loved it. I devoured it’ Leslie Jamison, author of Splinters
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 13, 2026
4776 people are currently reading
88736 people want to read
About the author
Madeline Cash
4 books304 followersMadeline Cash is an American author and co-founder of Forever Magazine. Her debut novel Lost Lambs was published in 2026. She previously authored a collection of short stories published as a book in 2023 Earth Angel, op-eds and interviews with artists featured in publications like Nylon, Los Angeles Times, Highsnobiety, and short literary fiction in The Baffler and Granta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,081 reviews
January 16, 2026
If Wes Anderson wrote Little Women
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
i love reading about an unhinged woman. even better if there's several of them. even best if they're sisters.
this wacky and funny book grabbed me right away. i normally abhor books with many characters and many perspectives, but in this case i felt the more the merrier. i liked reading about everybody. there were no weak links, only particularly strong links.
(harper is my favorite sister and i was rooting for miss winkle from the start.)
in fact, i wish this book had even less of a plot and even more roaming around between amusing bits of dialogue.
the storyline was a bit too weird to track, but i had no such concerns when it came to hearing more from child prodigies / online terrorists / rebellious teens / cool priests / war criminals / church ladies / washed-up artists / minivan residents / any of the million icons populating this impossible town.
bottom line: more of this!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
this wacky and funny book grabbed me right away. i normally abhor books with many characters and many perspectives, but in this case i felt the more the merrier. i liked reading about everybody. there were no weak links, only particularly strong links.
(harper is my favorite sister and i was rooting for miss winkle from the start.)
in fact, i wish this book had even less of a plot and even more roaming around between amusing bits of dialogue.
the storyline was a bit too weird to track, but i had no such concerns when it came to hearing more from child prodigies / online terrorists / rebellious teens / cool priests / war criminals / church ladies / washed-up artists / minivan residents / any of the million icons populating this impossible town.
bottom line: more of this!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
January 24, 2026
Okay y'all, hear me out... Did you ever play The Simpsons: Hit & Run as a kid? This book is giving that. I loved it.
It's absurdist, so stupid (complimentary), and made me laugh out loud several times. Each member of the family has a compelling arc that culminates in them working together in some amateur vigilante sting operation to take down a corrupt billionaire. It doesn't try to be profound or sentimental, which was much appreciated as a reprieve between heavier reads.
The ending has some loose ends I would have liked to see resolved, but honestly, this was so fun and so hard to put down that it deserves a five-star rating. If you enjoyed the family dynamics of The Bee Sting with an absurdist, campy tone (like Sky Daddy, Mood Swings or Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead) then I think you'll really enjoy this. I can see this being divisive, but I'm a believer that Cash has struck some true genius in this debut!
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC! Lost Lambs releases January 13th, 2026!
Substack | Bookstagram | BookTok | BookTube | Bookshop.org Store | Libro.fm Bonus Offer
It's absurdist, so stupid (complimentary), and made me laugh out loud several times. Each member of the family has a compelling arc that culminates in them working together in some amateur vigilante sting operation to take down a corrupt billionaire. It doesn't try to be profound or sentimental, which was much appreciated as a reprieve between heavier reads.
The ending has some loose ends I would have liked to see resolved, but honestly, this was so fun and so hard to put down that it deserves a five-star rating. If you enjoyed the family dynamics of The Bee Sting with an absurdist, campy tone (like Sky Daddy, Mood Swings or Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead) then I think you'll really enjoy this. I can see this being divisive, but I'm a believer that Cash has struck some true genius in this debut!
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC! Lost Lambs releases January 13th, 2026!
Substack | Bookstagram | BookTok | BookTube | Bookshop.org Store | Libro.fm Bonus Offer
January 31, 2026
3 unhinged daughters, two parents- all are lost lambs. This book is crazy and brilliantly NUTS.
Morally uncomfortable reads tend to be very thought provoking for me. This one particularly promises to think “holy shit”, and it clearly did. On top of that, I loved reading about dysfunctional families that are held together by a crazy glue.
Full review to follow!
Morally uncomfortable reads tend to be very thought provoking for me. This one particularly promises to think “holy shit”, and it clearly did. On top of that, I loved reading about dysfunctional families that are held together by a crazy glue.
Full review to follow!
November 7, 2025
read this because the dysfunctional family saga sounded a little like the bee sting, which i love, but which this book is not. definitely lighter, though id have to disagree with reviews on the back claiming it’s as ‘sincere as it is funny’ (or maybe not—it’s also not that funny). just far too #quirky for me, full of characters who all speak in the same ironic snarky (distinctly american millennial) tones and children so precocious and witty that they lose all credibility as real characters. plot was a bit too ridiculous for me, and there was a lack of character development that left it all feeling pretty shallow. very readable though, and not boring.
March 21, 2026
4.25
Why did I kind of love this? What is this story even about? We’re basically following a bunch of dysfunctional characters in a family and town that are having a collective breakdown. There is some conspiracy involved, some disturbing things happen, and then it’s tied up with an unconventional heartwarming resolution.
The writing style is so…. blunt. But I kind of love it. There’s a gimmick where the word “gnat” is inserted into other words to create deliberate spelling mistakes and I’m still not sure how I feel about that.
All the characters are terrible, but somehow I found myself caring for them 95% of the way in - while still not particularly liking them.
It’s an absurd story, but also feels like something you could actually see happening in the world or read on the news. It’s compelling, addicting, I actually read this in one sitting because it was a mess I couldn’t look away from.
So curious to see what this debut author does next!
Why did I kind of love this? What is this story even about? We’re basically following a bunch of dysfunctional characters in a family and town that are having a collective breakdown. There is some conspiracy involved, some disturbing things happen, and then it’s tied up with an unconventional heartwarming resolution.
The writing style is so…. blunt. But I kind of love it. There’s a gimmick where the word “gnat” is inserted into other words to create deliberate spelling mistakes and I’m still not sure how I feel about that.
All the characters are terrible, but somehow I found myself caring for them 95% of the way in - while still not particularly liking them.
It’s an absurd story, but also feels like something you could actually see happening in the world or read on the news. It’s compelling, addicting, I actually read this in one sitting because it was a mess I couldn’t look away from.
So curious to see what this debut author does next!
Read
December 24, 2025Gen Z version of a Jonathan Franzen novel (complimentary)
Review of advance copy
I wanted to DNF this book by page 36, but unfortunately I am cursed with the personality trait of needing to finish what I start. I completed it, though I regret the time investment.
Like Harper, I do have a hill I will die on - and that hill is the gnat "wordplay" in this novel is annoying, unnecessary, and a distraction to what otherwise would have been an okay story. I get the intent. Gnats are pervasive, irritating, and a presence in the church, hence the addition of "gn" onto words. Since this quirky little additive was removed after the church was fumigated, it proves this choice of "wordplay" (offensive to even call it that) was not central to the plot or meaningful to even begin with. A stylistic choice that repeatedly pulls readers out of the text requires a reward comparable to the annoyance it creates. Lost Lambs does not provide that. Calling this novel inventive is laughable.
Overall, I was disappointed because I am a HUGE fan of stories where families are the central focus. Three completely different daughters, two emotionally immature parents, and various unique background characters are my recipe for complete novel enjoyment. The abrupt, ideological turn this novel took at the end was the nail in the coffin. Louise investing her time in an online relationship from what is clearly framed to be an Islamic terrorist only to find love and favor in Judaism with a nice Jewish boy at the end of the novel is so laughable. This is reading like clumsy Zionist propaganda paid for and edited by Netanyahu.
This book is giving ✨️peaked in High School✨️ energy and I should have used my Book of the Month credit on Alice Feeney instead😄
*edited to add - the author is a weirdo based on social media presence. posting pictures of a pregnant woman's stomach and captioning it, "My future boyfriend is in there" is actually disgusting. no wonder her authorial humor sucks*
Like Harper, I do have a hill I will die on - and that hill is the gnat "wordplay" in this novel is annoying, unnecessary, and a distraction to what otherwise would have been an okay story. I get the intent. Gnats are pervasive, irritating, and a presence in the church, hence the addition of "gn" onto words. Since this quirky little additive was removed after the church was fumigated, it proves this choice of "wordplay" (offensive to even call it that) was not central to the plot or meaningful to even begin with. A stylistic choice that repeatedly pulls readers out of the text requires a reward comparable to the annoyance it creates. Lost Lambs does not provide that. Calling this novel inventive is laughable.
Overall, I was disappointed because I am a HUGE fan of stories where families are the central focus. Three completely different daughters, two emotionally immature parents, and various unique background characters are my recipe for complete novel enjoyment. The abrupt, ideological turn this novel took at the end was the nail in the coffin. Louise investing her time in an online relationship from what is clearly framed to be an Islamic terrorist only to find love and favor in Judaism with a nice Jewish boy at the end of the novel is so laughable. This is reading like clumsy Zionist propaganda paid for and edited by Netanyahu.
This book is giving ✨️peaked in High School✨️ energy and I should have used my Book of the Month credit on Alice Feeney instead😄
*edited to add - the author is a weirdo based on social media presence. posting pictures of a pregnant woman's stomach and captioning it, "My future boyfriend is in there" is actually disgusting. no wonder her authorial humor sucks*
March 24, 2026
4⭐️
The title and cover gave me children’s book vibes, but that assumption couldn’t have been more off. Thankfully, a few reviews convinced me to pick it up.
This novel follows a deeply dysfunctional family whose parents, struggling to reconnect, decide to open their marriage. Meanwhile, their three daughters are each dealing with their own personal challenges. As if that’s not enough, the youngest becomes convinced she’s uncovered a criminal conspiracy unfolding in their small coastal town.
This one doesn’t fit neatly into a single genre. It’s a mix of family drama, dark humor, a bit of crime, and some genuinely heartfelt moments. The story is odd, chaotic, and a little absurd, but in a way that feels completely intentional. I really loved the ending and the positive message in that final chapter.
I really enjoyed this strong debut and will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever she writes next.
The title and cover gave me children’s book vibes, but that assumption couldn’t have been more off. Thankfully, a few reviews convinced me to pick it up.
This novel follows a deeply dysfunctional family whose parents, struggling to reconnect, decide to open their marriage. Meanwhile, their three daughters are each dealing with their own personal challenges. As if that’s not enough, the youngest becomes convinced she’s uncovered a criminal conspiracy unfolding in their small coastal town.
This one doesn’t fit neatly into a single genre. It’s a mix of family drama, dark humor, a bit of crime, and some genuinely heartfelt moments. The story is odd, chaotic, and a little absurd, but in a way that feels completely intentional. I really loved the ending and the positive message in that final chapter.
I really enjoyed this strong debut and will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever she writes next.
January 12, 2026
As soon as I started Lost Lambs, I knew it was a book for me. There was this instant click where the voice grabs you and you slow your reading down purposefully because you don’t want it to end.
Madeline Cash’s writing is uniquely funny in a quiet, little sneaky way, building a world around the Flynn family that feels oddly polite and literal on the surface. The language is matter of fact, reasonable, almost stiff, while underneath it all is chaotic and absurd, begging to burst through, and the book really thrives in that contrast. It is cringe comedy at its finest and the comedic timing is perfect.
The characters are constantly trying to rationalize things that are deeply irrational, making strange observations that feel out of place but it’s very real at the same time. One standout scene has the main character, Bud Flynn, waiting in his billionaire boss’s mansion for an important meeting, spiraling over whether his goofy tie was the wrong choice. He debates it with a weird childlike assistant, and the whole exchange feels surreal yet relatable. It gave strong Severance and The Chair Company energy.
Lost Lambs lives in a deadpan psychological unease that is both so insanely funny and deeply uncomfortable, even creepy at times. Every small decision triggers a mental spiral, pulling the reader into that characters anxiety. It is absurdist realism, where these are things that could happen, but pushed JUST far enough that they almost start to feel like a fever dream. Truly unsettling, hilarious and impossible to forget! I can’t wait for people to read this one and experience the weirdness that is Lost Lambs. Big thanks to the publisher for my review copy! Comes out January 13 (tomorrow when this review is written)!
Madeline Cash’s writing is uniquely funny in a quiet, little sneaky way, building a world around the Flynn family that feels oddly polite and literal on the surface. The language is matter of fact, reasonable, almost stiff, while underneath it all is chaotic and absurd, begging to burst through, and the book really thrives in that contrast. It is cringe comedy at its finest and the comedic timing is perfect.
The characters are constantly trying to rationalize things that are deeply irrational, making strange observations that feel out of place but it’s very real at the same time. One standout scene has the main character, Bud Flynn, waiting in his billionaire boss’s mansion for an important meeting, spiraling over whether his goofy tie was the wrong choice. He debates it with a weird childlike assistant, and the whole exchange feels surreal yet relatable. It gave strong Severance and The Chair Company energy.
Lost Lambs lives in a deadpan psychological unease that is both so insanely funny and deeply uncomfortable, even creepy at times. Every small decision triggers a mental spiral, pulling the reader into that characters anxiety. It is absurdist realism, where these are things that could happen, but pushed JUST far enough that they almost start to feel like a fever dream. Truly unsettling, hilarious and impossible to forget! I can’t wait for people to read this one and experience the weirdness that is Lost Lambs. Big thanks to the publisher for my review copy! Comes out January 13 (tomorrow when this review is written)!
March 3, 2026
this started off really fun and strong but lost me at some point. also why are we still using the "r" word in the year 2026
February 20, 2026
a witty, original take on the family novel. felt like a mix of the bee sting and birnam wood. i really enjoyed the start of this and how everything was set up, but it did lose steam a little towards the end. i think this novel would’ve actually benefitted from being a bit longer. the character work was brilliant, i just wish each of them had their own longer segments, instead of a rush to tie everything up and get to the ending.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A family of black sheep you can't help but follow.
"Lost Lambs" is one of those rare books that manages to be completely unhinged and yet deeply endearing. In her debut novel (!), Madeline Cash introduces us to the delightfully dysfunctional Flynn family - Catherine and Bud, whose open marriage is collapsing in slow motion, and their three wildly different daughters: Abigail, who's dating someone nicknamed War Crime Wes (yes, you read that right); Louise, who's secretly emailing an online terrorist; and Harper, a brilliant but paranoid teen convinced the entire town is under surveillance.
When Harper's obsession with a mysterious shipping container pulls the family into an actual criminal conspiracy, things go off the rails in the best possible way. Sure, the plot teeters into absurdity (the Alabaster subplot in particular could have wandered out of an early Coen brothers movie), but that's part of the novel's charm. Beneath the chaos lies a surprisingly tender, sharp, and funny portrait of love - the kind that exists in eye rolls, inside jokes, and the stubborn decision to show up for each other anyway.
Christine Lakin's audiobook narration is pitch-perfect, juggling the ensemble cast with effortless humor and warmth.
Chaotic, messy, snarky in all the best ways, and yet full of heart, "Lost Lambs" is proof that sometimes the black sheep have the best stories - and I'd follow these lost lambs anywhere. An incredibly debut of an author to watch.
"Lost Lambs" is one of those rare books that manages to be completely unhinged and yet deeply endearing. In her debut novel (!), Madeline Cash introduces us to the delightfully dysfunctional Flynn family - Catherine and Bud, whose open marriage is collapsing in slow motion, and their three wildly different daughters: Abigail, who's dating someone nicknamed War Crime Wes (yes, you read that right); Louise, who's secretly emailing an online terrorist; and Harper, a brilliant but paranoid teen convinced the entire town is under surveillance.
When Harper's obsession with a mysterious shipping container pulls the family into an actual criminal conspiracy, things go off the rails in the best possible way. Sure, the plot teeters into absurdity (the Alabaster subplot in particular could have wandered out of an early Coen brothers movie), but that's part of the novel's charm. Beneath the chaos lies a surprisingly tender, sharp, and funny portrait of love - the kind that exists in eye rolls, inside jokes, and the stubborn decision to show up for each other anyway.
Christine Lakin's audiobook narration is pitch-perfect, juggling the ensemble cast with effortless humor and warmth.
Chaotic, messy, snarky in all the best ways, and yet full of heart, "Lost Lambs" is proof that sometimes the black sheep have the best stories - and I'd follow these lost lambs anywhere. An incredibly debut of an author to watch.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Very funny. Slightly crazy plot. Great characters.
The Flynn family are going through some radical changes - the youngest girl, Harper who is convinced that someone is using a sculpture to spy on them; Louise who is so lonely that she has taken to the Internet to converse with a man calling himself Yours Truly who seems to want her to do some rather strange things for "the cause"; Abigail who has fallen for a soldier nicknamed War Crimes Wes; mother, Catherine, who is bored with her marriage and father Bud who is trying to keep a lid on his entire family's craziness even as he tries to work out what is going on at his job at Alabaster Harbour (owned by tech billionaire, Paul Alabaster).
I loved this family (Harper, with her dry wit and intelligence, obviously being my favourite) and the plot is suitably insane. From a gnat infestation in the church to the Lost Lambs programme that Bud becomes involved with to find some meaning, not leaving out Louise's fight with her speech impediment or the neighbour's peculiar hobby. It is all brilliantly mad and extremely funny.
I highly recommend this novel. If you like the work of Chris Brookmyre, Antti Tuomainen or Carl Hiaasen you will love this. Even if you never heard of those guys, if you just like a clever and funny book with great characters you will love this. Read it! I'm just hoping Madeline Cash writes more novels.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Random House, Transworld Publishers for the advance review copy. Much appreciated.
The Flynn family are going through some radical changes - the youngest girl, Harper who is convinced that someone is using a sculpture to spy on them; Louise who is so lonely that she has taken to the Internet to converse with a man calling himself Yours Truly who seems to want her to do some rather strange things for "the cause"; Abigail who has fallen for a soldier nicknamed War Crimes Wes; mother, Catherine, who is bored with her marriage and father Bud who is trying to keep a lid on his entire family's craziness even as he tries to work out what is going on at his job at Alabaster Harbour (owned by tech billionaire, Paul Alabaster).
I loved this family (Harper, with her dry wit and intelligence, obviously being my favourite) and the plot is suitably insane. From a gnat infestation in the church to the Lost Lambs programme that Bud becomes involved with to find some meaning, not leaving out Louise's fight with her speech impediment or the neighbour's peculiar hobby. It is all brilliantly mad and extremely funny.
I highly recommend this novel. If you like the work of Chris Brookmyre, Antti Tuomainen or Carl Hiaasen you will love this. Even if you never heard of those guys, if you just like a clever and funny book with great characters you will love this. Read it! I'm just hoping Madeline Cash writes more novels.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Random House, Transworld Publishers for the advance review copy. Much appreciated.
March 22, 2026
Major thanks to NetGalley and FSG for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:
"𝘐𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦/𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯…𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺."
what a ROMP! the best way to start your reading year for 2026. a laugh on every page. absurd. warm. a prolonged buzz from an espresso martini, but if you’re smart enough, you’ll soon realize it’s just a guinness, but you’re having too much time to really care, really realize that we’re all here for a good time, not a long time so then it’s all the same, and all our little worries are the same, our loves too, our ways of understanding each other, putting up with each other, and, really, tolerating each other just enough to make an ounce of sense of this life, really look at it, laugh at it, and sail on.
"𝘐𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦/𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯…𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺."
what a ROMP! the best way to start your reading year for 2026. a laugh on every page. absurd. warm. a prolonged buzz from an espresso martini, but if you’re smart enough, you’ll soon realize it’s just a guinness, but you’re having too much time to really care, really realize that we’re all here for a good time, not a long time so then it’s all the same, and all our little worries are the same, our loves too, our ways of understanding each other, putting up with each other, and, really, tolerating each other just enough to make an ounce of sense of this life, really look at it, laugh at it, and sail on.
March 23, 2026
3.5 stars — this reminded me strongly of the virgin suicides, but with infinitely better writing and three dimensional characters.
lost lambs is extremely satirical and comically absurd in its plot, but i’m not mad, as all of the characters display some sort of development despite being pretty terrible as a whole. but, that’s humanity, right?
i also listened to the audio on libby and the narrator did a great job!
——
i saw a few mutuals enjoyed this, and so i’m hoping i also enjoy my read!!🙏🏼🤞🏼
lost lambs is extremely satirical and comically absurd in its plot, but i’m not mad, as all of the characters display some sort of development despite being pretty terrible as a whole. but, that’s humanity, right?
i also listened to the audio on libby and the narrator did a great job!
——
i saw a few mutuals enjoyed this, and so i’m hoping i also enjoy my read!!🙏🏼🤞🏼
March 18, 2026
As I normally do, I read nothing of this book, took no notes from it's book flap and promptly read due to my appreciation of the cover. Simple as that. And boy am I glad I read this because I truly needed it.
Last year I read The Road to Tender Hearts and fell head over heels for the unique (found) family story that crafted enough joy without veering too corny. It just hit a positive nerve for me, being literary in nature but still making me laugh and damn near making me cry. I got all the same feels from Madeline Cash's new novel, Lost Lambs. This is my 2026 Road to Tender Hearts, albeit somewhat darker.
This novel follows a family in vast dysfunction. A husband and wife in tremendous marital trouble which houses three young girls all uniquely crafted by Cash. Every character you meet will be uniquely woven into a story of self identity and emotional maturity, and all done with tremendously poignant humor that ultimately adds to the endearing delivery of what it means to be a family in this very unique day and age.
I absolutely loved this book, couldn't put it down and trust you will have the same connection.
Last year I read The Road to Tender Hearts and fell head over heels for the unique (found) family story that crafted enough joy without veering too corny. It just hit a positive nerve for me, being literary in nature but still making me laugh and damn near making me cry. I got all the same feels from Madeline Cash's new novel, Lost Lambs. This is my 2026 Road to Tender Hearts, albeit somewhat darker.
This novel follows a family in vast dysfunction. A husband and wife in tremendous marital trouble which houses three young girls all uniquely crafted by Cash. Every character you meet will be uniquely woven into a story of self identity and emotional maturity, and all done with tremendously poignant humor that ultimately adds to the endearing delivery of what it means to be a family in this very unique day and age.
I absolutely loved this book, couldn't put it down and trust you will have the same connection.
November 28, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, or rather bitter makes it better is the story of the Flynn family: the patriarch, Bud, living out in his car, helpless victim to a non-consensual non-monogamous spell, who finds comfort in the arms with the lady who runs his work-mandated self-help Church group, when his wife, Catherine decides the only way to save their two decade long marriage is to have an affair with their neighbor. 😒
Plus their three daughters; 17 yo, Abigail, the beauty with an impenetrable heart, who adored being the sole recipient of 23 yo War Crime Wes' attention, 13 yo, Harper, the brain, plagued with ennui and restlessness, and 15yo, Louise, suffering from middle child complex (I know the feeling!) who simply craved unconditional acceptance.
“Life was worth living because things needed to be done.”
For is that not what we're all searching for. a place to matter and belong. To be seen and feel loved? 🥺 It is that quandary of absurdity that this already dysfunctional family unwittingly find themselves caught up in, when as accounts and systems manager to the Alabaster Group, Bud discovers a discrepancy in the business, thus leading to a culmination of dirty dealings and chaotic findings that strangely enough helps them find a way to become a real family - in a strange but oddly endearing way. 🫂
The writing was its strong suite. Witty, sharp, with biting humor, with that take or leave it attitude that just was strangely addictive in how I was either chuckling or shaking my head - in our situation, you have to have a sense of humor. There was a nice balance to the serious tone to the more flitting, fleeting nature of the grave situation they'd stumbled into.
“As a soldier, you didn't choose your battles. they were something into which you were thrust.”
The multi-pov of each respective perspective, it isn't just what you see. 🤫 It's what you plan to do about it was immersive. The rapport between the cast was relatable; a bit quirky, but still - it can be real, if you choose to believe. As in, the truth hurts, but we sometimes have to look at it through colored lenses, or in this case, with a sense of humor to see that the morbid and mercurial somehow go hand in hand. 🤝
And sometimes that's what we need to survive. To poke fun at what brings us down in order to lift ourselves up and be united in the face of adversity to strengthen the bonds that had been lost to them. 🥲 Each member of the Flynn family was bereft, Lost Lambs, floundering before they finally found a place to belong, even if it is weirdly enough, amongst themselves. 🐑🧑🧑🧒🧒🐑
I did not expect one of the characters to hide their duplicitous nature; I wish it hadn't been that way, since his smart, dry candor was fun. I also felt the ending lost some of its charm, where the character growth was overshadowed by plot development with a crazy incredulous premise; which was unfortunate. 😕 There is also some crass dialogue with crude innuendo and scenes of, imo, unnecessary sexual dalliances, which, I understand how it was meant to show the derangement of society, but it can also be seen as offensive by some.
“Think about life as a fence. And each time we transgress, each time we hurt one another, we must tap a nail into that fence... The fence is still standing. the light can shine through.”
In spite of that, from the strange and bizarre, to a gnat infestation to marital challenges, it was the little things that lingered that left me - not entirely satisfied, but slightly pleased with what an odd, but surprisingly read it was how it drew me in. 👍🏻 With a bit of a strange start, there was a straightforward honesty tinged with a snarky touch that worked well enough for me.
I also want to add that there was a moment where I found a spelling error that threw me off; but when it occurred again and again and again, I caught on to what it was the author was aiming for. 😏 A bit of an inserted tongue-in-cheek kind of humor that, well, poked fun at the unfortunate (haha! - iykyk) plight, but it was a special touch that brought a bit of life and character to the writing to make it their own. And that was different and I can appreciate that. 🦗
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“When a lamb strays, it's usually lost to wolves, vulnerable without its flock. But sometimes, just sometimes, if its lucky, it finds a new one.”
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, or rather bitter makes it better is the story of the Flynn family: the patriarch, Bud, living out in his car, helpless victim to a non-consensual non-monogamous spell, who finds comfort in the arms with the lady who runs his work-mandated self-help Church group, when his wife, Catherine decides the only way to save their two decade long marriage is to have an affair with their neighbor. 😒
Plus their three daughters; 17 yo, Abigail, the beauty with an impenetrable heart, who adored being the sole recipient of 23 yo War Crime Wes' attention, 13 yo, Harper, the brain, plagued with ennui and restlessness, and 15yo, Louise, suffering from middle child complex (I know the feeling!) who simply craved unconditional acceptance.
“Life was worth living because things needed to be done.”
For is that not what we're all searching for. a place to matter and belong. To be seen and feel loved? 🥺 It is that quandary of absurdity that this already dysfunctional family unwittingly find themselves caught up in, when as accounts and systems manager to the Alabaster Group, Bud discovers a discrepancy in the business, thus leading to a culmination of dirty dealings and chaotic findings that strangely enough helps them find a way to become a real family - in a strange but oddly endearing way. 🫂
The writing was its strong suite. Witty, sharp, with biting humor, with that take or leave it attitude that just was strangely addictive in how I was either chuckling or shaking my head - in our situation, you have to have a sense of humor. There was a nice balance to the serious tone to the more flitting, fleeting nature of the grave situation they'd stumbled into.
“As a soldier, you didn't choose your battles. they were something into which you were thrust.”
The multi-pov of each respective perspective, it isn't just what you see. 🤫 It's what you plan to do about it was immersive. The rapport between the cast was relatable; a bit quirky, but still - it can be real, if you choose to believe. As in, the truth hurts, but we sometimes have to look at it through colored lenses, or in this case, with a sense of humor to see that the morbid and mercurial somehow go hand in hand. 🤝
And sometimes that's what we need to survive. To poke fun at what brings us down in order to lift ourselves up and be united in the face of adversity to strengthen the bonds that had been lost to them. 🥲 Each member of the Flynn family was bereft, Lost Lambs, floundering before they finally found a place to belong, even if it is weirdly enough, amongst themselves. 🐑🧑🧑🧒🧒🐑
I did not expect one of the characters to hide their duplicitous nature; I wish it hadn't been that way, since his smart, dry candor was fun. I also felt the ending lost some of its charm, where the character growth was overshadowed by plot development with a crazy incredulous premise; which was unfortunate. 😕 There is also some crass dialogue with crude innuendo and scenes of, imo, unnecessary sexual dalliances, which, I understand how it was meant to show the derangement of society, but it can also be seen as offensive by some.
“Think about life as a fence. And each time we transgress, each time we hurt one another, we must tap a nail into that fence... The fence is still standing. the light can shine through.”
In spite of that, from the strange and bizarre, to a gnat infestation to marital challenges, it was the little things that lingered that left me - not entirely satisfied, but slightly pleased with what an odd, but surprisingly read it was how it drew me in. 👍🏻 With a bit of a strange start, there was a straightforward honesty tinged with a snarky touch that worked well enough for me.
I also want to add that there was a moment where I found a spelling error that threw me off; but when it occurred again and again and again, I caught on to what it was the author was aiming for. 😏 A bit of an inserted tongue-in-cheek kind of humor that, well, poked fun at the unfortunate (haha! - iykyk) plight, but it was a special touch that brought a bit of life and character to the writing to make it their own. And that was different and I can appreciate that. 🦗
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2026
this did nothing for me
March 22, 2026
HARPER, I WOULD DIE FOR YOU.
This book is very The Bee Sting coded but ultimately lacks in its conclusion. Nonetheless, this was still a fabulous time. I can't recall the last time I snorted this loudly from laughter whils reading a book.
This book is very The Bee Sting coded but ultimately lacks in its conclusion. Nonetheless, this was still a fabulous time. I can't recall the last time I snorted this loudly from laughter whils reading a book.
December 22, 2025
Oh, what a freakin' hoot! I absolutely loved this. While it had been on my radar, I really had no plans to read it until I was desperate for an audiobook to get me through my holiday crafting projects. Shout out to LibroFM for having this one on this month's ALC list.
The story and characters that Cash has created are absurd, but what makes it all work and keeps it from feeling overly quirky is that it's still so real and human. Even though middle-child Louise keeps falling victim to religious conversions in the name of love, the truth underlying her new penchant for Islamic fundamentalism is her need to feel seen. Oldest daughter Abigail's consistent pushing of boundaries is all normal teenage behavior, even if the consequences here are taken to laughable lengths. Each character is going through it, but there's a kernel of truth in every trial and tribulation they face.
This book is hilarious. I was consistently laughing at the dryly delivered one-liners, it is dripping with nonchalant wit. The next time you need to take a breather from heavy or contemplative reads, please give this one a go--the hype is real!
Big-hearted and outrageous, I had a blast.
The story and characters that Cash has created are absurd, but what makes it all work and keeps it from feeling overly quirky is that it's still so real and human. Even though middle-child Louise keeps falling victim to religious conversions in the name of love, the truth underlying her new penchant for Islamic fundamentalism is her need to feel seen. Oldest daughter Abigail's consistent pushing of boundaries is all normal teenage behavior, even if the consequences here are taken to laughable lengths. Each character is going through it, but there's a kernel of truth in every trial and tribulation they face.
This book is hilarious. I was consistently laughing at the dryly delivered one-liners, it is dripping with nonchalant wit. The next time you need to take a breather from heavy or contemplative reads, please give this one a go--the hype is real!
Big-hearted and outrageous, I had a blast.
Read
December 14, 2025EYES WIDE SHUT meets THE BEE STING and BIRNAM WOOD, yah I said it
January 16, 2026
another reviewer commented that this was "weird for the sake of being weird" and that sums up my feelings perfectly. it was advertised as quirky...and I was curious enough to pay money for the experience...but I definitely did not enjoy said experience. the book completely lost me when the bar tender shows Catherine his collection of ceramic (vaginas). *Edit mine as the p word was used repetitively...was that to shock the readership? most of whom own one of their own? bleh
January 31, 2026
3.5/5 ⭐️ A very odd book at that. This was incredibly addictive once you get past the initial lump of contextualising chapters at the start. The morbid humour and unique cast of characters is what made this the most entertaining. Being a much more plot driven book, I didn’t necessarily develop that personal connection to the characters per se- especially given its size- but it held together quite well; almost as if the book itself was aware that it is focused on the story rather than character arcs. The pacing was decent but it did feel like it lost consistency towards the end… Nonetheless, this was honestly the perfect book for me to get out of my reading slump. A very very funny book!!
January 20, 2026
utterly stupidly hilariously BRILLIANT
September 29, 2025
Sometimes it's easy to dismiss these overhyped buzzy debuts, but Lost Lambs totally surpassed my expectations! Jesus, can Madeline Cash write.
Lost Lambs is the story of the Flynn family. The three sisters - Abigail (the eldest and most beautiful but who only has eyes for her new beau who goes by the name of War Crimes Wes), Louise (typical middle child syndrome, doesn't really know herself and starts getting pulled into a relationship with an online terrorist), and finally Harper (young and fearless, digging deep for the truth of what's really going on in this town). Then there's their parents - Catherine and Bud, who are just beginning to open up their marriage and find themselves, whatever that means.
You might think this sounds somewhere between a Jonathan Franzen novel by way of The Virgin Suicides (clear influences on Cash's novel without a doubt), but wait - there's more. Because this novel is effin' bananas, from the church plagued by gnats, to the Lost Lambs support group run by Mrs Winkle, to the local billionaire with more money than sense, and the neighbour next door who.... no, wait - I'll let you discover that one for yourselves! ;) is it too bonkers? Sometimes. I was having so much fun with the characters and exploring their lives, that I actually was less interested in the *big stuff* building in the background.
Think Eleanor Catton's Birnam Wood, mixed with Miranda July's All Fours, by way of Franzen and Eugenides, and Paul Murray's The Bee Sting.
I genuinely laughed out loud and scoffed at so many lines in this. Madeline Cash is a voice to look out for.
Lost Lambs is the story of the Flynn family. The three sisters - Abigail (the eldest and most beautiful but who only has eyes for her new beau who goes by the name of War Crimes Wes), Louise (typical middle child syndrome, doesn't really know herself and starts getting pulled into a relationship with an online terrorist), and finally Harper (young and fearless, digging deep for the truth of what's really going on in this town). Then there's their parents - Catherine and Bud, who are just beginning to open up their marriage and find themselves, whatever that means.
You might think this sounds somewhere between a Jonathan Franzen novel by way of The Virgin Suicides (clear influences on Cash's novel without a doubt), but wait - there's more. Because this novel is effin' bananas, from the church plagued by gnats, to the Lost Lambs support group run by Mrs Winkle, to the local billionaire with more money than sense, and the neighbour next door who.... no, wait - I'll let you discover that one for yourselves! ;) is it too bonkers? Sometimes. I was having so much fun with the characters and exploring their lives, that I actually was less interested in the *big stuff* building in the background.
Think Eleanor Catton's Birnam Wood, mixed with Miranda July's All Fours, by way of Franzen and Eugenides, and Paul Murray's The Bee Sting.
I genuinely laughed out loud and scoffed at so many lines in this. Madeline Cash is a voice to look out for.
January 18, 2026
Fun, funny, brutally witty, ferociously smart. The family drama and dynamics are such a pleasure to read through, and the parents are wacky in a believable way. The plot takes a bit of a hard pivot in the middle of the book but Cash lands the plane with a lovely, heartwarming ending.
October 25, 2025
Hilarious, weird, original and addictive!
February 2, 2026
2.75 -- eccentric and entertaining but fell off towards the end trying to wrap everything up through what felt a bit like rambling that didn't work in the plots favour at all. i thought the morbid humor worked well for the most part and found myself particularly charmed by Harpers musings. the family dysfunction and crass tone reminded me a lot of cousins by aurora venturini but more modern!
Thank you to Netgalley and FSG for an arc of this title!
Thank you to Netgalley and FSG for an arc of this title!
August 26, 2025
hilarious and earnest and weird and wonderful
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,081 reviews