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Sourland
After its matriarch's disappearace, two rival successors fight for control of a California weed farm in this visceral novel about whether we can ever outrun our true natures
Most weed farms in Humboldt don’t last more than a season, but there was always Sourland. And where there was Sourland, there was Sapphire. Hidden in the woods of Garberville, her farm was a haven for wayward souls—rebel college kids, down on their luck townsfolk, rejects, neo-hippies, eco punks—anyone willing to work. Sapphire took them in and offered them a place to live and learn. Everything changes one weekend when Sapphire dissapears, her scorched truck found days later deep in the woods.
Frankie, a hypercompetent, disgraced ex-ballerina and Sapphire's old girlfriend, returns to the farm and says that Sapphire promised her control of the land. When she arrives, she finds that Fizz—Sapphire's most recent lover—an ambitious former baseball player with a preternatural green thumb and colorful past, has already begun preparing Sourland for another harvest season.
The farm’s fate hangs in the balance, and with it, the promise of the future Fizz and Frankie each once imagined for themselves. But their past demons remain hauntingly close, threatening to destroy the tenuous lifeline that control over the Sourland would offer them. And all the while, the specter of Sapphire looms over the in cryptic notes, in the garden harvest, in every blade of grass and piece of dirt.
A brilliantly constructed novel of intention, memory, and betrayal, Sourland sparkles with the beauty and grime of the California woods. Dixon's novel is about how our pasts, mistakes and true natures catch up to us all—despite our best intentions.
Most weed farms in Humboldt don’t last more than a season, but there was always Sourland. And where there was Sourland, there was Sapphire. Hidden in the woods of Garberville, her farm was a haven for wayward souls—rebel college kids, down on their luck townsfolk, rejects, neo-hippies, eco punks—anyone willing to work. Sapphire took them in and offered them a place to live and learn. Everything changes one weekend when Sapphire dissapears, her scorched truck found days later deep in the woods.
Frankie, a hypercompetent, disgraced ex-ballerina and Sapphire's old girlfriend, returns to the farm and says that Sapphire promised her control of the land. When she arrives, she finds that Fizz—Sapphire's most recent lover—an ambitious former baseball player with a preternatural green thumb and colorful past, has already begun preparing Sourland for another harvest season.
The farm’s fate hangs in the balance, and with it, the promise of the future Fizz and Frankie each once imagined for themselves. But their past demons remain hauntingly close, threatening to destroy the tenuous lifeline that control over the Sourland would offer them. And all the while, the specter of Sapphire looms over the in cryptic notes, in the garden harvest, in every blade of grass and piece of dirt.
A brilliantly constructed novel of intention, memory, and betrayal, Sourland sparkles with the beauty and grime of the California woods. Dixon's novel is about how our pasts, mistakes and true natures catch up to us all—despite our best intentions.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 11, 2026
Incredibly propulsive, I’m talking stay up late to read multiple nights in a row. I love Ariel’s character work, these people were so insanely realized and three dimensional. Excellent tbh!
February 22, 2026
I loved this book. Sweaty and sexy, with prose as dank as the ripest buds. An absolute must read of 2026.
June 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I know nothing about weed and I want nothing to do with weed ever in my life. There may still be something to enjoy with this book though, even if you also have this stance. I thought the setting of this book would draw me in and I could enjoy it. What I liked about the book at first, was the vibes really reminded me of chapter 3 in “Life Is Strange 2.” (iykyk) With that in mind, I really thought I was going to like the book. But I found I really didn’t care that much about what was going on, or about the rest of the characters. Something about the writing style hooked me at first. It had a really strong start, but as the book went on, I started to lose interest.
The middle was really slow moving to me. Then suddenly the ending really picked up and so much happened. Sadly I was pretty detached from the book at that point, so by the end I didn’t really care.
I liked both Frankie and Fizz. They each had something to bring to the table. I rooted for Frankie more though. The issue was I couldn’t stand Sapphire. Their dynamic with Sapphire was interesting enough; how the three of them interacted and felt about each other, but I thought Sapphire was kind of creepy. She was with them when they were so much younger than her! It was so weird to me. It is hard to root for a relationship when they have a 20 some year age gap. If they were closer in age I probably would have enjoyed it more, or cared more about what happened to Sapphire. But that wasn’t the case.
This was a very sexual book. The sexual acts were described, but it wasn’t like smut. It is kind of hard to explain. The characters had sex a lot, but it wasn’t super detailed. It was still shown on page, but it was almost tame. It was still too much for me. I don’t really like reading that in books, so it was not for me. And that was an important part of the plot, so I can see where this book wouldn’t be for me. If you like a sexual book, this would be for you. I just don’t care to read about it.
I love the cover. It can really draw a person into the book. I just wish I liked the content more!
If you like a more character introspective type novel, this would be one to pick up. If you want something super fast moving with a really heavy plot, I would not give this one a go. I think there is something enjoyable in there for another person, especially if you like weed or a sensual novel. If you are not a fan of those things, I would not read it!
I know nothing about weed and I want nothing to do with weed ever in my life. There may still be something to enjoy with this book though, even if you also have this stance. I thought the setting of this book would draw me in and I could enjoy it. What I liked about the book at first, was the vibes really reminded me of chapter 3 in “Life Is Strange 2.” (iykyk) With that in mind, I really thought I was going to like the book. But I found I really didn’t care that much about what was going on, or about the rest of the characters. Something about the writing style hooked me at first. It had a really strong start, but as the book went on, I started to lose interest.
The middle was really slow moving to me. Then suddenly the ending really picked up and so much happened. Sadly I was pretty detached from the book at that point, so by the end I didn’t really care.
I liked both Frankie and Fizz. They each had something to bring to the table. I rooted for Frankie more though. The issue was I couldn’t stand Sapphire. Their dynamic with Sapphire was interesting enough; how the three of them interacted and felt about each other, but I thought Sapphire was kind of creepy. She was with them when they were so much younger than her! It was so weird to me. It is hard to root for a relationship when they have a 20 some year age gap. If they were closer in age I probably would have enjoyed it more, or cared more about what happened to Sapphire. But that wasn’t the case.
This was a very sexual book. The sexual acts were described, but it wasn’t like smut. It is kind of hard to explain. The characters had sex a lot, but it wasn’t super detailed. It was still shown on page, but it was almost tame. It was still too much for me. I don’t really like reading that in books, so it was not for me. And that was an important part of the plot, so I can see where this book wouldn’t be for me. If you like a sexual book, this would be for you. I just don’t care to read about it.
I love the cover. It can really draw a person into the book. I just wish I liked the content more!
If you like a more character introspective type novel, this would be one to pick up. If you want something super fast moving with a really heavy plot, I would not give this one a go. I think there is something enjoyable in there for another person, especially if you like weed or a sensual novel. If you are not a fan of those things, I would not read it!
June 26, 2026
Rich in atmosphere and characterization, Dixon's Sourland centers on a weed farm in Humboldt County. Told from various points of view through morally ambiguous narrators, the history of this place and backstory of its characters were mesmerizing, if however a bit repetitive. Hence the less than perfect rating.
March 11, 2026
3.5. I received as an ARC from NetGalley. I liked this, it's not a plot or a subject I would typically read and I found that the prose was lovely, the storytelling never let the energy flag, it was indeed adrenaline and action-charged unlike a lot of literary fiction novels that attempt to tackle similar high-octane subjects (but fall flat on the execution because the protagonists are too busy navel gazing and retrospecting - thinking of you, Rachel Kushner). I think my reading experience was not the best for whatever reason because I was often reading in transit / getting interrupted, so that may have affected my rating a little. I did find the POV bizarre. It's told in multi-person limited POV, but Frankie's is in first while all the rest are in third (and Sapphire's is in second). Just like, OK? Why? Faulkner is still the greatest at multi-POV narratives but it's ok, not everyone can be Faulkner.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sourland fully understands that the quickest way to ruin your life is to fall in love with a charismatic woman who owns land. Sapphire runs this weed farm in Northern California like a combination sanctuary, cult, and extremely stressful summer camp for emotionally damaged drifters. Then she disappears, her truck turning up scorched on the side of the road, and suddenly everybody left behind starts acting like raccoons fighting over the last rotisserie chicken at Costco.
Frankie, Sapphire’s ex-girlfriend and former right-hand woman, comes back to the farm ready to reclaim her place, only to find Fizz, Sapphire’s newer favorite, already running things. Their entire dynamic is basically two people aggressively pretending they are not devastated by the same woman. Every interaction between them feels loaded with resentment, grief, jealousy, and the kind of tension where you genuinely can’t tell if they’re about to kiss or throw each other into a bonfire.
And Sapphire herself hangs over the whole book like a ghost with excellent weed and terrible boundaries. Everybody talks about her with this mixture of worship and fury that immediately tells you she’s the type of person who changes your life and absolutely never apologizes for it afterward. The book is at its strongest when it leans into that emotional messiness, how people build entire identities around being loved by someone magnetic and then completely unravel when that person disappears.
Frankie ended up being my favorite part because her whole trajectory is so bizarre in a way that somehow still feels emotionally true. This woman walks away from a ballet career and ends up living on a mountain weed farm like she wandered into a different genre halfway through her life. I did wish we got a little more depth to that transition because abandoning years of brutal artistic discipline to trim weed in the woods is the kind of life choice that deserves at least one additional meltdown scene. But there’s something really sad underneath her character, this feeling that she no longer knows who she is unless somebody needs something from her.
Fizz surprised me too. Underneath the brooding ex-athlete energy, he’s really just another lonely person trying to convince himself he finally belongs somewhere. Honestly, that’s what the book captures best. Sourland isn’t just a farm, it’s a refuge for people trying to outrun older versions of themselves. Everybody there feels slightly untethered, which gives the entire story this uneasy, feverish energy even in quieter moments.
The atmosphere absolutely carries the book. Ariel Delgado Dixon writes Northern California like she’s trying to seduce you personally into joining an off-grid commune that definitely ends with federal charges. The woods feel damp and dangerous and weirdly intimate. Even when the pacing slowed, I still wanted to stay in that world because it felt so vivid.
That said, the actual mystery sometimes loses momentum compared to the character drama surrounding it. Sapphire’s disappearance almost becomes background noise at points while everyone processes old wounds and fights over the future of the farm. I didn’t totally mind because the relationships were compelling enough to keep me invested, but the payoff didn’t hit quite as hard as the buildup promised.
Still, this was an easy 3.5-star read for me because I tore through it. The writing is sharp, the emotional tension works, and the characters feel messy in a deeply believable way. Also, any book that gives me “lesbian weed farm inheritance battle” as a premise was already halfway to success.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Believe Every Beautiful Stranger in the Woods Is Either About to Change My Life or Steal My Identity
And thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC, which allowed me to spend several days emotionally invested in a group of gorgeous chaotic people making catastrophically bad decisions in the California wilderness.
Frankie, Sapphire’s ex-girlfriend and former right-hand woman, comes back to the farm ready to reclaim her place, only to find Fizz, Sapphire’s newer favorite, already running things. Their entire dynamic is basically two people aggressively pretending they are not devastated by the same woman. Every interaction between them feels loaded with resentment, grief, jealousy, and the kind of tension where you genuinely can’t tell if they’re about to kiss or throw each other into a bonfire.
And Sapphire herself hangs over the whole book like a ghost with excellent weed and terrible boundaries. Everybody talks about her with this mixture of worship and fury that immediately tells you she’s the type of person who changes your life and absolutely never apologizes for it afterward. The book is at its strongest when it leans into that emotional messiness, how people build entire identities around being loved by someone magnetic and then completely unravel when that person disappears.
Frankie ended up being my favorite part because her whole trajectory is so bizarre in a way that somehow still feels emotionally true. This woman walks away from a ballet career and ends up living on a mountain weed farm like she wandered into a different genre halfway through her life. I did wish we got a little more depth to that transition because abandoning years of brutal artistic discipline to trim weed in the woods is the kind of life choice that deserves at least one additional meltdown scene. But there’s something really sad underneath her character, this feeling that she no longer knows who she is unless somebody needs something from her.
Fizz surprised me too. Underneath the brooding ex-athlete energy, he’s really just another lonely person trying to convince himself he finally belongs somewhere. Honestly, that’s what the book captures best. Sourland isn’t just a farm, it’s a refuge for people trying to outrun older versions of themselves. Everybody there feels slightly untethered, which gives the entire story this uneasy, feverish energy even in quieter moments.
The atmosphere absolutely carries the book. Ariel Delgado Dixon writes Northern California like she’s trying to seduce you personally into joining an off-grid commune that definitely ends with federal charges. The woods feel damp and dangerous and weirdly intimate. Even when the pacing slowed, I still wanted to stay in that world because it felt so vivid.
That said, the actual mystery sometimes loses momentum compared to the character drama surrounding it. Sapphire’s disappearance almost becomes background noise at points while everyone processes old wounds and fights over the future of the farm. I didn’t totally mind because the relationships were compelling enough to keep me invested, but the payoff didn’t hit quite as hard as the buildup promised.
Still, this was an easy 3.5-star read for me because I tore through it. The writing is sharp, the emotional tension works, and the characters feel messy in a deeply believable way. Also, any book that gives me “lesbian weed farm inheritance battle” as a premise was already halfway to success.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Believe Every Beautiful Stranger in the Woods Is Either About to Change My Life or Steal My Identity
And thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC, which allowed me to spend several days emotionally invested in a group of gorgeous chaotic people making catastrophically bad decisions in the California wilderness.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 23, 2026
Ariel Delgado Dixon’s “Sourland” is a character driven novel about succession and sex on a weed farm in California. Dixon’s previous novel, “Don't Say We Didn't Warn You” also had a communal, artistic, free-spirit vibe to it, and that same vibe exists in “Sourland”, with the focus more on growing marijuana than creating art, which was the theme in “Warn”.
Frankie is a former ballet dancer who disgraced her career when she walked off the stage mid-performance. Looking for a place to belong, she finds Sapphire, a middle-aged weed farmer, and the two soon become partners and lovers. When young, naïve Fizz comes to join the commune, Frankie is pushed aside and soon decides to venture out on her own. Both Frankie and Fizz reunite when the matriarch, Sapphire, disappears, allegedly dead, and they both want their piece of Sourland that they helped cultivate in their own ways.
Frankie and Fizz are the narrators and they alternate chapters. Their stories jump back and forth in time with no clear delineation, from their time on the farm with Sapphire to the time after her disappearance, and even a few snippets from the time when Sapphire “discovered” both characters, before Sourland was known to them. Sapphire plays a huge role but more from her influential role on the main characters. We don’t really hear from her until the final pages, when she narrates the last chapter and readers discover what happened to her in her own words.
Dixon has a way with words and her prose and language is beautiful and artistic, painting an attractive picture, even when the scenery was less than appealing. Her writing flows well and she creates delightfully human characters.
“Sourland” is the name of the weed farm, so there is lots of information about growing and distributing weed (in illegal ways), which was to be expected. The characters that spend time at Sourland are eccentric misfits, but they are easy to differentiate. Sapphire is clearly the matriarch, but she is also a narcissist who enjoys the adoration of her younger admirers. Frankie and Fizz are more likable, and I was invested in how their endings would play out.
Beautifully written, “Sourland” doesn’t have any gripping twists and turns or pulse-pounding action sequences. Like Dixon’s previous novel, it is all about character development and flowing, flowery vocabulary but it is definitely a story that is unique, with engaging and intriguing characters. It is a story that caters to a certain reading audience, but it is definitely well-written.
Expected publication date: June 23, 2026
Ariel Delgado Dixon’s “Sourland” is a character driven novel about succession and sex on a weed farm in California. Dixon’s previous novel, “Don't Say We Didn't Warn You” also had a communal, artistic, free-spirit vibe to it, and that same vibe exists in “Sourland”, with the focus more on growing marijuana than creating art, which was the theme in “Warn”.
Frankie is a former ballet dancer who disgraced her career when she walked off the stage mid-performance. Looking for a place to belong, she finds Sapphire, a middle-aged weed farmer, and the two soon become partners and lovers. When young, naïve Fizz comes to join the commune, Frankie is pushed aside and soon decides to venture out on her own. Both Frankie and Fizz reunite when the matriarch, Sapphire, disappears, allegedly dead, and they both want their piece of Sourland that they helped cultivate in their own ways.
Frankie and Fizz are the narrators and they alternate chapters. Their stories jump back and forth in time with no clear delineation, from their time on the farm with Sapphire to the time after her disappearance, and even a few snippets from the time when Sapphire “discovered” both characters, before Sourland was known to them. Sapphire plays a huge role but more from her influential role on the main characters. We don’t really hear from her until the final pages, when she narrates the last chapter and readers discover what happened to her in her own words.
Dixon has a way with words and her prose and language is beautiful and artistic, painting an attractive picture, even when the scenery was less than appealing. Her writing flows well and she creates delightfully human characters.
“Sourland” is the name of the weed farm, so there is lots of information about growing and distributing weed (in illegal ways), which was to be expected. The characters that spend time at Sourland are eccentric misfits, but they are easy to differentiate. Sapphire is clearly the matriarch, but she is also a narcissist who enjoys the adoration of her younger admirers. Frankie and Fizz are more likable, and I was invested in how their endings would play out.
Beautifully written, “Sourland” doesn’t have any gripping twists and turns or pulse-pounding action sequences. Like Dixon’s previous novel, it is all about character development and flowing, flowery vocabulary but it is definitely a story that is unique, with engaging and intriguing characters. It is a story that caters to a certain reading audience, but it is definitely well-written.
July 4, 2026
Sourland is one part an institution and all the other parts nothing but rejection of the institution. There, Sapphire has spent year upon year building a hardscrabble queendom of weed-growing misfits. Into that kingdom stumble Frankie, an erstwhile ballerina, and Fizz, a local with a complicated past of his own. And everyone has a hidden agenda.
I had to think for a while about what it was about the premise that appealed to me here. I'd not be cut out for work on an under-the-radar weed farm—I'd be too worried about getting busted, I guess. And while I'm all for broader legalization of pot, my personal interest in it is somewhere between "limited" and "none." But: I like messy interpersonal relationships. I like a bit of grit. I like learning about things that have nothing to do with my daily life. Sourland has all of those.
Three months became five years, five years went to dust. (loc. 112*)
Sapphire is by and large secondary here; she's the one calling the shots and it's her farm that brings people in (and, sometimes, chews them up and spits them out), but really the story is Frankie and Fizz's. Frankie, who knows what she wants and, mostly, what she's willing to do to get it; Fizz, who is perhaps more used to letting the currents take him where they will, but...those are some powerful currents, and he is also a strong swimmer. Nobody is terribly good and nobody is entirely likable, which is about as things ought to be. All the lines I highlighted to take down as quotations are from Frankie's chapters, but of course nobody really sees themselves clearly; just as Frankie sees parts of Fizz and Sapphire that they themselves would not like to see, they see parts of her that are not in her own line of vision.
You don't need much more than the title to tell you that this is a bit of an odd one, but then...lucky for me, I like oddities.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
I had to think for a while about what it was about the premise that appealed to me here. I'd not be cut out for work on an under-the-radar weed farm—I'd be too worried about getting busted, I guess. And while I'm all for broader legalization of pot, my personal interest in it is somewhere between "limited" and "none." But: I like messy interpersonal relationships. I like a bit of grit. I like learning about things that have nothing to do with my daily life. Sourland has all of those.
Three months became five years, five years went to dust. (loc. 112*)
Sapphire is by and large secondary here; she's the one calling the shots and it's her farm that brings people in (and, sometimes, chews them up and spits them out), but really the story is Frankie and Fizz's. Frankie, who knows what she wants and, mostly, what she's willing to do to get it; Fizz, who is perhaps more used to letting the currents take him where they will, but...those are some powerful currents, and he is also a strong swimmer. Nobody is terribly good and nobody is entirely likable, which is about as things ought to be. All the lines I highlighted to take down as quotations are from Frankie's chapters, but of course nobody really sees themselves clearly; just as Frankie sees parts of Fizz and Sapphire that they themselves would not like to see, they see parts of her that are not in her own line of vision.
You don't need much more than the title to tell you that this is a bit of an odd one, but then...lucky for me, I like oddities.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 rounded up• Sourland truly read like I was watching episodes of a new angst drama and each chapter felt like introducing a new story line while tying up the previous. I really appreciated the pacing and different character views and being able to see this story through their eyes. Sourland did still leave me feeling like I wanted more.
While there was some drama and depth, at times it felt like the scenes and topics I found most entertaining were just glossed over. While I feel like the Fizz And Frankie described Sapphire enough for me to imagine her as she was and I enjoyed reading the differences between their perspectives of this larger than life character.
I really wanted to know more about Frankie’s life leading up to her exit of the ballet world instead of just this world ending epiphany of her walking off the stage and never going back. To dedicate your whole life to that skill and then just walk away to go live on a farm and grow weed felt off and not fully explained.
Fizz’s storyline I at least felt like we got a little more of a complete picture although I would’ve liked to have lingered on his exit from his previous life.
Now criticism aside, I enjoyed all the different side characters and could picture this like rag tag bunch of misfits putting in the work day to day with one common goal. And overall the book had a good flow and from chapter to chapter it kept me engaged.
I think with just some more details this book would fill in a lot of the spaces it left blank.
Thank you, Ariel Delgado Dixon, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
While there was some drama and depth, at times it felt like the scenes and topics I found most entertaining were just glossed over. While I feel like the Fizz And Frankie described Sapphire enough for me to imagine her as she was and I enjoyed reading the differences between their perspectives of this larger than life character.
I really wanted to know more about Frankie’s life leading up to her exit of the ballet world instead of just this world ending epiphany of her walking off the stage and never going back. To dedicate your whole life to that skill and then just walk away to go live on a farm and grow weed felt off and not fully explained.
Fizz’s storyline I at least felt like we got a little more of a complete picture although I would’ve liked to have lingered on his exit from his previous life.
Now criticism aside, I enjoyed all the different side characters and could picture this like rag tag bunch of misfits putting in the work day to day with one common goal. And overall the book had a good flow and from chapter to chapter it kept me engaged.
I think with just some more details this book would fill in a lot of the spaces it left blank.
Thank you, Ariel Delgado Dixon, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 27, 2026
I haven't been reading much literary fiction lately, but I was intrigued by the premise in this one. I live in a state where weed is legal and I used to be a regular weed smoker so I could relate to the world, which is fascinating. But this story is more about the people who grow marijuana, the farm life, its beauty and the seedy underbelly of rural Humbolt California. It's about betrayal, greed, possession, survival and how you can’t beat human nature. It’s written more like a thriller as more and more surprising things are revealed the further in you get. I really loved it.
Sapphire is 50 something and owns the Sourland farm. She takes in "strays" who tend to be younger and starts up relationships with them because it makes her feel young and old at the same time. Frankie is her younger lover for a while. Fizz is her younger lover for a while. They both work there and when Sapphire mysteriously disappears they both vie for taking it over in different ways. Their background stories slowly unfold in dual POV chapters moving easily between flashbacks and present day, but they are both unreliable narrators and you don't know what they are really up to as their true natures and intentions are revealed.
The best part for me was the writing. The prose is absolutely stunning. I've never read anything by Dixon before, but she is incredibly talented. She writes in an atmospheric, detailed, visceral way that places you in the scenes. You can see it and smell it and reach out and touch it. If this premise sounds interesting to you, too, I highly recommend this book! It's something different to read and is a perfect summer page turner.
Sapphire is 50 something and owns the Sourland farm. She takes in "strays" who tend to be younger and starts up relationships with them because it makes her feel young and old at the same time. Frankie is her younger lover for a while. Fizz is her younger lover for a while. They both work there and when Sapphire mysteriously disappears they both vie for taking it over in different ways. Their background stories slowly unfold in dual POV chapters moving easily between flashbacks and present day, but they are both unreliable narrators and you don't know what they are really up to as their true natures and intentions are revealed.
The best part for me was the writing. The prose is absolutely stunning. I've never read anything by Dixon before, but she is incredibly talented. She writes in an atmospheric, detailed, visceral way that places you in the scenes. You can see it and smell it and reach out and touch it. If this premise sounds interesting to you, too, I highly recommend this book! It's something different to read and is a perfect summer page turner.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In a million years I'd never have guessed a book about a weed farm would be as boring as this. When the head honcho of the grow goes missing, you don't call the Feds, you....do nothing, apparently.
Meet the idea of Frankie, Fizz, and Sapphire - I say "idea" because these are some of the most lackluster characters I've ever encountered on a page. When Sapphire drops off the face of the earth, the leading lady of one of Humbolt's most successful farms, life just, goes on. With no real sense of urgency, two of her ex-lovers have to decide what's more important: looking for their lost leader, or saving the cash crop she left behind.
The story reads like a stoned folktale, taking leaps and bounds across a decades-long timeline with its disjointed cast of characters. The chapters begin alternating between Frankie and Fizz (why on God's green earth are we giving the two boring main characters names that start with the same letter?), each narrating though different person-perspectives, but by the end of the book it becomes a mishmash of he-said, she-said, now wait, he's-saying again. There are plenty of plot points that set up both Frankie and Fizz to avoid the character stagnation they remain in throughout the narrative, but all fall short of coming to fruition. Saving the farm and finding Sapphire are the two things supposedly keeping Frankie and Fizz in each other's orbit, but neither do a single thing to even try to look for her.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review.
Meet the idea of Frankie, Fizz, and Sapphire - I say "idea" because these are some of the most lackluster characters I've ever encountered on a page. When Sapphire drops off the face of the earth, the leading lady of one of Humbolt's most successful farms, life just, goes on. With no real sense of urgency, two of her ex-lovers have to decide what's more important: looking for their lost leader, or saving the cash crop she left behind.
The story reads like a stoned folktale, taking leaps and bounds across a decades-long timeline with its disjointed cast of characters. The chapters begin alternating between Frankie and Fizz (why on God's green earth are we giving the two boring main characters names that start with the same letter?), each narrating though different person-perspectives, but by the end of the book it becomes a mishmash of he-said, she-said, now wait, he's-saying again. There are plenty of plot points that set up both Frankie and Fizz to avoid the character stagnation they remain in throughout the narrative, but all fall short of coming to fruition. Saving the farm and finding Sapphire are the two things supposedly keeping Frankie and Fizz in each other's orbit, but neither do a single thing to even try to look for her.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sourland is a novel filled with atmosphere, depth of characterization and verdant landscape. Unfortunately for me, the narrative arc was not compelling enough to hold my interest throughout.
Taking place primarily on a marijuana farm in Humboldt, California, the story delves into the lives of three people - Sapphire, who owns the farm; and Frankie and Fizz, both Sapphire's ex-lovers. Sapphire's life stretches out as old as the farm itself. Though she is at least a decade older than Frankie and Fizz, she is energetic and charismatic. Both desire her and find themselves, at least for a while, in her bed.
The farm is inhabited by stray people who spend weeks, summers or sometimes years there as they harvest crop after crop of weed. Frankie and Fizz both think they are special, not acknowledging they are just two of Sapphire's many ex-lovers. Frankie is a former dancer who bombed out as an understudy in a San Francisco dance troupe. She ends her career by stepping into Sapphire's truck and following her to Sourland. Fizz had run into Sapphire when he was a child, lost for days in the verdant woods of northern California. In his mind, they have history.
One day Sapphire disappears and both Frankie and Fizz vie for ownership of Sourland. Is Sapphire alive, dead or MIA? Who is entitled to ownership of the farm?
I thank NetGalley and Random House for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Taking place primarily on a marijuana farm in Humboldt, California, the story delves into the lives of three people - Sapphire, who owns the farm; and Frankie and Fizz, both Sapphire's ex-lovers. Sapphire's life stretches out as old as the farm itself. Though she is at least a decade older than Frankie and Fizz, she is energetic and charismatic. Both desire her and find themselves, at least for a while, in her bed.
The farm is inhabited by stray people who spend weeks, summers or sometimes years there as they harvest crop after crop of weed. Frankie and Fizz both think they are special, not acknowledging they are just two of Sapphire's many ex-lovers. Frankie is a former dancer who bombed out as an understudy in a San Francisco dance troupe. She ends her career by stepping into Sapphire's truck and following her to Sourland. Fizz had run into Sapphire when he was a child, lost for days in the verdant woods of northern California. In his mind, they have history.
One day Sapphire disappears and both Frankie and Fizz vie for ownership of Sourland. Is Sapphire alive, dead or MIA? Who is entitled to ownership of the farm?
I thank NetGalley and Random House for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
I wasn't sure how much I'd connect to the weed farm aspects of this novel, especially since the setting is central to all action and most character development. I'm glad I gave it a shot and encourage others who have similar questions to do the same.
Sapphire runs Sourland, the titular weed farm, and she does this in a unique way. Her business (and home) are really a refuge for wayward souls. Having spent a lot of time in this region, I really appreciate the authenticity of place and culture that the author infuses here. This feels very much like a place one could, uh, run into in the area, and the challenges folks here face also seem quite probable.
While the sense of place is solid, the character development is even more compelling. To me, Frankie is the most intriguing by far. I enjoyed her journey, her growth, and even her shortcomings. Watching her navigate her relationship with Sapphire, attempt to align her old and current self, and make sense of unanswered questions together make up the most arresting parts of this book.
There are definitely some action packed scenes here, but come to this one for the characters.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Madison Dettlinger at Hogarth & Random House for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I wasn't sure how much I'd connect to the weed farm aspects of this novel, especially since the setting is central to all action and most character development. I'm glad I gave it a shot and encourage others who have similar questions to do the same.
Sapphire runs Sourland, the titular weed farm, and she does this in a unique way. Her business (and home) are really a refuge for wayward souls. Having spent a lot of time in this region, I really appreciate the authenticity of place and culture that the author infuses here. This feels very much like a place one could, uh, run into in the area, and the challenges folks here face also seem quite probable.
While the sense of place is solid, the character development is even more compelling. To me, Frankie is the most intriguing by far. I enjoyed her journey, her growth, and even her shortcomings. Watching her navigate her relationship with Sapphire, attempt to align her old and current self, and make sense of unanswered questions together make up the most arresting parts of this book.
There are definitely some action packed scenes here, but come to this one for the characters.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Madison Dettlinger at Hogarth & Random House for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Sapphire has created a legacy with her marijuana farm in NorCal, she is fair and willing to take in any stray needing a place to stay in exchange for help around the farm. Then suddenly she goes missing, her truck abandoned and torched and it leaves the fate of her farm up in the air.
There are 2 people who are in line to inherit the farm and continue her legacy. Frankie her former lover who has been with her for 5 years after she ran away from her life as a ballerina. The other is Fizz her latest lover who ran a successful operation in the past but had to flee when problems with his business partner made it all fall apart. They both have their own claim to the farm and their own vision for its future.
I really, really, really wanted to love this one. I am weak for a novel with good character work. I can objectively see how well this novel accomplished what it set out to do but I struggled to really connect with the characters and the writing. I just didn’t care, wasn’t invested and hate read it a bit if only to find out the ending.
Sapphire has created a legacy with her marijuana farm in NorCal, she is fair and willing to take in any stray needing a place to stay in exchange for help around the farm. Then suddenly she goes missing, her truck abandoned and torched and it leaves the fate of her farm up in the air.
There are 2 people who are in line to inherit the farm and continue her legacy. Frankie her former lover who has been with her for 5 years after she ran away from her life as a ballerina. The other is Fizz her latest lover who ran a successful operation in the past but had to flee when problems with his business partner made it all fall apart. They both have their own claim to the farm and their own vision for its future.
I really, really, really wanted to love this one. I am weak for a novel with good character work. I can objectively see how well this novel accomplished what it set out to do but I struggled to really connect with the characters and the writing. I just didn’t care, wasn’t invested and hate read it a bit if only to find out the ending.
June 29, 2026
Spice Level: 0/5 Closed Door
Sapphire has a farm with green leafy plants that have seven leaves. She goes missing. Her former girlfriend, Frankie, and current boyfriend Fizz, “battle” to take ownership of Sapphire's land and harvest.
I received this book from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I was incredibly intrigued by the plot. The description sounded promising of mystery and backstabbing to become the new owner of Sapphire’s land. But it turned into a long drawn out drama with no mystery and no intrigue. The chapters are super long and really drag on about, at times, about nothing. Sometimes nothing can move a plot forward or make the story more interesting. This story’s “nothing” added boredom. The timeline kind of bounces back and forth and I never really knew where in the timeline the story was. By the end of the book I was still as confused as I was about halfway through. This book wasn’t for me but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be someone else’s favorite book of the year.
🌱 Violence
🌱 Illicet Substances
🌱 Betrayal
🌱 Adult Content
🌱 Bi Representation
🌱 Queer Representation
🌱 Death
🌱 Missing Person
🌱 Revenge
🌱 Rural Noir
Sapphire has a farm with green leafy plants that have seven leaves. She goes missing. Her former girlfriend, Frankie, and current boyfriend Fizz, “battle” to take ownership of Sapphire's land and harvest.
I received this book from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I was incredibly intrigued by the plot. The description sounded promising of mystery and backstabbing to become the new owner of Sapphire’s land. But it turned into a long drawn out drama with no mystery and no intrigue. The chapters are super long and really drag on about, at times, about nothing. Sometimes nothing can move a plot forward or make the story more interesting. This story’s “nothing” added boredom. The timeline kind of bounces back and forth and I never really knew where in the timeline the story was. By the end of the book I was still as confused as I was about halfway through. This book wasn’t for me but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be someone else’s favorite book of the year.
🌱 Violence
🌱 Illicet Substances
🌱 Betrayal
🌱 Adult Content
🌱 Bi Representation
🌱 Queer Representation
🌱 Death
🌱 Missing Person
🌱 Revenge
🌱 Rural Noir
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There were a lot of things I liked about 'Sourland:' at the line-level I loved the prose, I thought the characters were all distinct and felt fully dimensional, and something about the pacing/quality of description felt like watching a prestige drama on HBO.
However, while the pacing felt like it might work for TV, it didn't work for the novel. I think this has to do with the alternating perspectives and even more so that Frankie's, Fizz's, and Sapphire's/the farm's past was more interesting that the present-day plot having to do with Sapphire's disappearance. That was the ultimate flaw of the novel: the past was so interesting, so propulsive, that the ending felt like lighting a dud firework--the payoff was just not there. There were also a few loose ends that I didn't find resolved satisfactorily (eg. Pierre).
Even still, I found it compulsively readable, beautifully rendered, and loved reading a book set in a unique place. 3.5 stars, rounded down. Many thanks to Random House for the ARC via NetGalley and for the giveaway copy I received from Goodreads!!
However, while the pacing felt like it might work for TV, it didn't work for the novel. I think this has to do with the alternating perspectives and even more so that Frankie's, Fizz's, and Sapphire's/the farm's past was more interesting that the present-day plot having to do with Sapphire's disappearance. That was the ultimate flaw of the novel: the past was so interesting, so propulsive, that the ending felt like lighting a dud firework--the payoff was just not there. There were also a few loose ends that I didn't find resolved satisfactorily (eg. Pierre).
Even still, I found it compulsively readable, beautifully rendered, and loved reading a book set in a unique place. 3.5 stars, rounded down. Many thanks to Random House for the ARC via NetGalley and for the giveaway copy I received from Goodreads!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 5.5/10
Prose: 8/10
Ease of reading: 7.5/10
Can't get enough of: 6.5/10
Thank you Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this opportunity!
Sourland portrays the life and stories of workers in an off grid weed farm. It explores the themes of sex, revenge, and successions.
The writing style and the narrative were engaging. They easily transported the reader to Sapphire's world, connecting with the people around her. The continuous mysteries of their pasts were intriguing that made me want to read more out of curiosity.
On the other hand, the linearity of the story was almost consistently flat with occasional, minute heights. The build ups were present, following its climax, but lack atmospheric suspense to get my adrenaline going. There was a part in which I was looking forward to Sapphire's story and was minorly awarded. It was cut short, making me lose the momentum. Upon reading further, it made me not care much about what happened to her due to the wide gap in between. In the end, we see Sapphire again but at that point, I lost interest.
Prose: 8/10
Ease of reading: 7.5/10
Can't get enough of: 6.5/10
Thank you Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this opportunity!
Sourland portrays the life and stories of workers in an off grid weed farm. It explores the themes of sex, revenge, and successions.
The writing style and the narrative were engaging. They easily transported the reader to Sapphire's world, connecting with the people around her. The continuous mysteries of their pasts were intriguing that made me want to read more out of curiosity.
On the other hand, the linearity of the story was almost consistently flat with occasional, minute heights. The build ups were present, following its climax, but lack atmospheric suspense to get my adrenaline going. There was a part in which I was looking forward to Sapphire's story and was minorly awarded. It was cut short, making me lose the momentum. Upon reading further, it made me not care much about what happened to her due to the wide gap in between. In the end, we see Sapphire again but at that point, I lost interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2026
Sourland by Ariel Delgado Dixon is about success, sex and revenge on a Marijuana farm in California.
The book follows Sapphire and her weed farm, named Sourland. Her farm is a fixture in California and is seen as a place of refuge for anyone willing to work and learn. However that refuge is now at risk, when Sapphire suddenly goes missing, her burnt truck found abandoned on a road.
Frankie, a former ballerina and Sapphire's former girlfriend returns to Sourland to claim ownership of the farm. When she returns to the farm she find that Fizz, Sapphire most recent relationship, is preparing the farm for harvest. Fizz and Frankie battle over the farm, each trying to claim it as their own.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
I liked the dual pov of Fizz and Frankie, how it slowly unravels their secret pasts. It did take me a bit to catch that the chapters also varied between flashbacks and present day. I also found that it dragged on at times.
#sourland #Netgalley
The book follows Sapphire and her weed farm, named Sourland. Her farm is a fixture in California and is seen as a place of refuge for anyone willing to work and learn. However that refuge is now at risk, when Sapphire suddenly goes missing, her burnt truck found abandoned on a road.
Frankie, a former ballerina and Sapphire's former girlfriend returns to Sourland to claim ownership of the farm. When she returns to the farm she find that Fizz, Sapphire most recent relationship, is preparing the farm for harvest. Fizz and Frankie battle over the farm, each trying to claim it as their own.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
I liked the dual pov of Fizz and Frankie, how it slowly unravels their secret pasts. It did take me a bit to catch that the chapters also varied between flashbacks and present day. I also found that it dragged on at times.
#sourland #Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ebook. Sapphire has run a weed farm in Northern California for years, taking in the lost and broken people she finds in the area to be her workers. It seems like a simple job of growing plants for one season for a large amount of money, but it still is illegal, so there’s the threat of the law. Even worse is the threat of being ripped off. So the adrenaline always runs high. We see Frankie enter this world after a full breakdown as a dancer. She quickly becomes Sapphire’s right hand and lover. They have good years together until Fizz arrives. He basically replaces Frankie in every way. Once Sapphire goes missing, we learn more of Fizz’s past and see that the farm and the whole business may be under threat. Fascinating story of huge passions and quick violence.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am always so excited when I see a book is set in California, and not just LA. Chances are, if a book is set in California, it's LA. So when I recognize places (being from Northern California), I quite enjoy that.
This is definitely one of those more vibey literary fiction reads where not much really happens. So I didn't find this very captivating or engaging. But it still has plenty of vibes and redwoods.
Something about the writing style just wasn't for me. It read as a bit flat and monotone. But if you like a vibey literary fiction, I think you should definitely check this out. Also if you like weed.
This is about the people that work on a marijuana farm.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This is definitely one of those more vibey literary fiction reads where not much really happens. So I didn't find this very captivating or engaging. But it still has plenty of vibes and redwoods.
Something about the writing style just wasn't for me. It read as a bit flat and monotone. But if you like a vibey literary fiction, I think you should definitely check this out. Also if you like weed.
This is about the people that work on a marijuana farm.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sapphire, who is the matriarch of a cannabis farm in California goes missing and is presumed dead. Two of her exes are laying claim to the farm in Sapphire’s absence. This story was well written. The characters felt real and it was a character driven story. I did find it slow at times and it was more mystery suspense than thriller. I did like how atmospheric the book was. It talked about aspects of cannabis farming that I would never have thought about otherwise. It didn’t have any major twists or anything, but it was still an interesting read. I would recommend this book if you enjoy lit-fic.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am beginning to think this is a trend in literature and I am not sure I like it. The central story is this very thin thread running through the book while huge detours and jump backs in time take place before the story comes back to remind you what the actual story is supposedly about. And while the ending was realistic, it was a bit anticlimactic after 300 pages of waiting and wondering. If the story was supposed to be just a way to link together character studies then it was successful, but I wanted a bit more plot and story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In "Sourland" Ariel Delgado Dixon has written a compelling, character-driven plot that keeps the reader guessing. That said, I struggled to like or have interest in any of those fully-developed characters. The writing is so good that I kept going, hoping that I would come to root for at least one of them, but it never happened. Of course, book opinions are subjective, so if you like literary fiction with complete yet quirky characters and off-the-grid settings, Sourland may be the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for offering an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
#netgalley #sourland
Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for offering an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
#netgalley #sourland
July 7, 2026
Sour for sure. The premise follows grifters working an illegal cannabis farm for a season or so hoping to earn enough money to move on to their next job. There are working relationships, sexual relationships and power dynamics as the farm owner moves through her help in more ways than one.
This is a DNF for me though. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the subject matter for sure, but the story itself wasn’t engaging and didn’t hold my attention. I lost interest fast, and despite wanting to stick with it, I couldn’t push through to the end.
I was invited to read by the publisher, Random House, through NetGalley for an honest review.
This is a DNF for me though. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the subject matter for sure, but the story itself wasn’t engaging and didn’t hold my attention. I lost interest fast, and despite wanting to stick with it, I couldn’t push through to the end.
I was invited to read by the publisher, Random House, through NetGalley for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was so hard to put down. I truly enjoyed the plot and the characters. I loved the setting and truly felt like I was there on the farm as I read. The complexity of the main characters is what makes this book so relatable for me. The themes of how we continue to be haunted by past demons is so strong in the plot and was fascinating as the characters have to battle with real enemies and the enemies within themselves. This was definitely a different read than most which made it that much more enjoyable. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 22, 2026
So I will start off saying that this was an off topic for me to read about and I know not a thing about farming marijuana. And while I enjoyed the main characters, I found that I wasn’t that interested in the story itself. The opening of the book caught my attention but I found the middle portion of the book moved quite slowly. And I found myself losing interest. The story itself was well written and I do believe that for the right readers, they will love this story. It just didn’t catch my attention as much as I expected.
Thank you to the publishers for sending me an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an odd but entertaining book about a cannabis farm and the people who work there and will do whatever it takes to survive and make the kind of money they deserve. Sourland has a healthy harvest but when one of their inhabitants disappears suddenly, Fizz isn't sure what to do. Did she leave voluntarily or was she kidnapped? We see how crazy this business is as everyone is out for themselves and often willing to do whatever ti takes to make a.profit!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
June 22, 2026
2.5/5
This was a very interesting book to experience. I actually don't know that I enjoyed this, because I did not like the writing style. The plot - really interesting. But me & the prose just did not click. I kept waiting for it to start getting exciting, and the twists & turns WERE twisty, but reading it felt a slog. I don't know that I'd recommend this based on my experience! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a very interesting book to experience. I actually don't know that I enjoyed this, because I did not like the writing style. The plot - really interesting. But me & the prose just did not click. I kept waiting for it to start getting exciting, and the twists & turns WERE twisty, but reading it felt a slog. I don't know that I'd recommend this based on my experience! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This novel is incredible! It has the kind of gorgeous sentences you might expect in a Rachel Kushner or Jennifer Egan novel, AND it also has the tight plotting and twists of a thriller. Expect beautiful writing AND page-turning action (and some steamy sex)! I wish I could give it more than five stars! I loved living in this gritty world for the time it took me to read this book. Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advance copy of Sourland from NetGalley. I really wanted to like this book, and I tried all the way through. I just couldn’t connect to the characters enough to care what happened to them. The exposition through the beginning and middle finally paid off, but it wasn’t enough for me to recommend struggling through the journey to get there.
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