Word Salad: A Novel

by Susan Coll

Matilda loves logic and order, and now her structured world is falling apart—in a bookstore.

Former economics major Matilda is moving back to her hometown of Washington D.C. to care for her ailing mother, and she's desperate for money. She takes a job at her neighborhood bookstore and tries, in vain, to make sense of illogical business of books. To make things worse, she's forced to team up with a new hire—the enigmatic, flaky, larger-than-life, Sage—who shows up on her first day of work with zero administrative skills and her tiny, puffy, incessantly urinating dog that resembles an underfed rat.

Something in the chaos begins to remind Matilda of her long-neglected creative side, and she starts to rediscover the person she once was before so much got in the way. But things get even more unmanageable when Matilda and Sage are tasked with putting together an event for the reclusive and controversial Dr. Jordan Rutabaga, a windbag of a public intellectual with a cult following that includes a number of people who would like to literally and figuratively see him dead. Rutabaga has a long list of alleged misdeeds, from plagiarism to failure to pay child support to stiffing the nanny.

As the event date approaches, Matilda and Sage discover that Sage and Rutabaga have their own not uncomplicated past, adding yet another person to list of people who do not wish him well. Add in a lawsuit and an impending snowstorm along with the potentially sinister presence of Rutabaga himself, and Matilda is about to come undone.

Bestselling author Susan Coll's gastric, bookish, laugh-out-loud comedy of manners reminds us that sometimes things have to completely fall apart for them to perfectly come together.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook

368 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Susan Coll is part of the events team at Politics and Prose bookstore, and the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. She is the author of the forthcoming Bookish People (Aug. 2022), as well as The Stager, Beach Week, Acceptance, Rockville Pike, and karlmarx.com. A television adaptation of Acceptance, starring Joan Cusack, aired in 2009.

Reviews

[Leo]

I tought the book sounded fun but I got 16 % into the book and all characters are just annoying. Is tvery much a word salad wich can ve enjoyable but I did not like Matilda and non of the other characters was less annoying. Not a book for me but seem higher ratings and more positive reviews for the book so would still recommend giving it a try if it sounded intruiging.

[Cole]

Thank you Harper Muse, BookSparks, and LibroFM for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

Matilda moved back to DC to care for her mother and took a job at the neighborhood bookstore for some extra cash. She plans the events for the store and takes on the training for a flaky new hire, Sage. When Matilda and Sage have to team up to plan a book event for Dr. Jordan Rutabaga, an enigmatic intellectual with an inexplicable online cult following, Matilda isn’t prepared to learn about his past with Sage. With everything else going on around her, Matilda is about to come undone.

This book had such a cute premise, especially being set in the world of a bookseller, and there are some genuine gems in terms of the prose and hilarious non sequiturs. That said, some of the execution wasn’t quite on track for me personally. It felt like the first season of The Office or Parks and Rec, where you know the promise is there and there are some genuinely funny moments in the workplace comedy, even if it’s not yet the critical darling it’ll become. Nonetheless, it’s a relatively quick read that’ll have you laughing at some of the outlandish antics. Major props to Helen Laser for narrating the witty inner monologues and quirky side characters, it was truly a pleasure to listen to the narration! The book itself is bit of a mixed (salad?) bag, but fans of bookstore antics might enjoy!

Reviewed as part of an #ARC from BookSparks & LibroFM.

Read this book if you:
📚 lived for the line “Genres are a funny little concept, aren't they?” in Beyonce’s song “SPAGHETTII”
💊 know the difference between Tums, Gas-X, and Pepto
🫜 still aren’t really sure what a rutabaga is

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[Cecily - MillennialBookGal]

Thank you Susan Coll and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.

That was exactly as the title describes a whole word salad of wtf did I just listen to.

The narration was perfect for the book but I honestly did not like the main character. Too judgy and a constant complainer.

The ending was definitely the biggest wtf but in an odd society-is-messed-up kind of way it made perfect sense.

Honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about the story I loved and hated it at the same time.

Decent read.

[Mayra Alejandra]

- How many stars do I give this book? 1 ⭐ out of 5.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

- Thanks NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this ARC.

**NOW ONTO THE REVIEW: I had to DNF this book because by 22% nothing was really happening and I grew tired of the constant monologue from Matilda (the main character).

I understand that she is more practical compared to others but also has a passion for colours and painting HOWEVER I could not stand the story not going anywhere and the constant "My coworkers don't like me that much so they don't invite me to their get-togethers" it felt like being inside the mind of an insecure teenager and not in the funny and endearing way.

#NetGalley #WordSalad

[Justine]

2.75⭐️ Matilda moves back to her hometown, Washington D.C. to care for her mother and takes a job at her local bookstore with quirky colleagues and customers. Sounds great, right?! I feel like it could have been, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I couldn’t figure out exactly what this book is trying to be. It’s a quirky slice of life, but I think it is meant to be funny and that the character of Matilda is meant to be endearing by the end. I just didn’t connect with Matilda or find this story funny for the most part. I found Matilda to be awkward, whiny, and generally annoying, though she seems to be annoyed by every other character in the book.

I may be the outlier when it comes to this book so I encourage you to give it a try if it sounds like your type of book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance listener’s copy.

[Elizabeth Allen]

3.5 stars I received a complimentary copy of Word Salad through a Goodreads giveaway.

Word Salad is a quirky workplace comedy centered on Matilda, who manages author events at an independent bookstore while navigating difficult writers, dogs, petty crime, and the everyday unpredictability of bookselling. Susan Coll gives the story a dry, offbeat sense of humor and a distinctive observational style. It’s certainly different from more conventional bookstore fiction, and while some elements worked better for me than others, I appreciated the originality of the setting and the personality she brought to its chaotic literary world.

Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Norah]

I didn’t realize how much I needed Susan Coll’s latest novel until I was halfway through the book and found myself laughing out loud on the train. In the increasingly weird, frightening, and confusing times we are living through, we need stories that give us a chance to laugh, and to breathe. Word Salad (Harper Muse, 2026) delivers that. But I found myself getting something more from this comic novel. Something life-affirming. Something that makes me feel in community with the author, the fictional characters, maybe even other readers.

Because we also need stories that remind us that we’re not alone in the world. …

Read my full review in the online magazine I co-founded and co-edit. https://www.washington-unbound.com/bo...

[chloereadsallday]

Four Stars! Word Salad by Susan Coll is a funny book about a woman named Matilda. Matilda is not your average woman. Which is wonderful! We hear all of Matilda's deepest thoughts and worries. And as an over-thinker myself, I found this to be really relatable. A lot of the other characters were completely wild and it was really chaotic but endearing. I also love that this book has a lot of themes about bookstores and bookish things. It's just fun to read a book about books.


Thank you to Harper Muse books for providing this book for review consideration via BookSparks. All opinions are my own.

[Shannon]

3.5 rounded up

This was a crazy bananas story about an event manager of a bookstore and the author talk that goes disastrously wrong. Laugh out loud funny with lots of off the wall shenanigans with an older female protagonist with synesthesia (which was an aspect I enjoyed a lot even though it's only briefly mentioned a couple of times). Good on audio and perfect for readers who enjoy stories about bookshops and bookseller life like Reciepts from the bookshop.

[Wallis]

I liked the writing and Matilda as a main character. Unfortunately, most of the book consisted of everyone else behaving abominably and absurd things happening (not in a charming way). The ending redeemed it enough for me to give it three stars.

[Kristin]

📖 Word Salad
✍️ Susan Coll
🎙️ Helen Laser
🎁 Provided by Harper Muse Audiobooks & NetGalley
📅 September 15, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you asked me why I loved "Word Salad" so much, I honestly don't know if I could tell you.

It wasn't a thriller. It wasn't a romance. There wasn't some huge mystery I was desperate to solve. It was simply a novel highlighting a day in the life of Matilda, and apparently that was exactly what I needed.

I hate comparing a book I loved to a TV show I don't particularly like, but hear me out: "Word Salad" felt like an episode of "Seinfeld." It's a story about...nothing. Except maybe rutabaga and Gas-X.

Matilda works at an independent bookstore, and she and her coworkers are helping put on an event for a big name in the vegetable world whose appeal none of them really seem to understand. From there, one thing after another goes cosmically and comically wrong. It's mundane, ridiculous, chaotic, and incredibly entertaining.

There's something so charming about watching an ordinary day spiral into complete absurdity. The bookstore setting, quirky characters, dry humor, and increasingly ridiculous situations just worked for me. I wasn't waiting for some massive reveal or dramatic turn. I was perfectly happy hanging out with Matilda and watching everything go wrong.

Helen Laser's narration was also a fantastic fit for this kind of story. Her delivery captured the dry humor and absurdity without trying too hard to make the funny moments funny, which made them land even better. She made Matilda's increasingly chaotic day feel wonderfully conversational, like someone was recounting the strangest shift they'd ever worked.

I just really enjoyed this listen. Sometimes a book doesn't need to completely wreck you, keep you guessing, or give you a sweeping romance. Sometimes you just need bookstores, vegetables, questionable digestive decisions, and a day where absolutely nothing goes according to plan.

And apparently, for me, that's a five-star read.

[Rachael Elizabeth]

Word Salad by Susan Coll
🎙️Narrated by Helen Laser

🗓️ Available September 15

Thank you to the author, @BookSparks and @HarperMuseBooks for the #gifted ARC (+ goodies!). Additional thanks to Harper Muse and @LibroFM for the #free ALC. All opinions are my own.

Always a fan of stories about books or set in bookstores, I jumped at the opportunity to review Word Salad, which was described as "a love letter to bookstores and the people who work in them" and promised screwball-style humor.

While Matilda excels at coordination and order, the snippet of her life we see during Word Salad was anything but coordinated and ordered. She is handed chaos at every turn. I enjoyed how she discovered ways to embrace the chaos throughout the book and felt hopeful for her future at the conclusion, even though she often felt like a very passive character. I found her grapheme-color synesthesia to be fascinating, but don't necessarily feel it added to the plot as much as it could have.

The climactic scene was certainly akin to an episode of "I Love Lucy", although I found it slightly out of place, even in the midst of the other chaos and complexities that occurred.

This book is written in three parts, the third of which is the shortest. I think I would've enjoyed Matilda's story quite a bit more if it had begun later in part one and continued further into part three.

I did enjoy Helen Laser 's narration and felt like her vocals added to the story and fit well with the mental picture I had of Matilda.

Word Salad may not have been my favorite read, but it might be for you if you like stories of characters who feel they are always on the outside looking in and enjoy a comedy of rediculousness.

[Michelle]

Thank you to @BookSparks, @Susan_Keselenko_Coll, and @HarperMuseBooks for the gifted copy of Word Salad. My opinions are my own.

I read Susan Coll’s Bookish People in 2023 and absolutely loved it. So, I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to get my hands on Susan’s latest, Word Salad. I adore books about books!

I loved how Word Salad gave us a little behind-the-scenes peek at running a bookstore and planning author events. Except there was some hilarity to this one, as authors got bopped on the nose by aggressive photographers or had to deal with freezing cold places and power outages. Although, I bet those who actually plan these types of events do have some great stories to tell.

Our main character, Matilda, is a person who appreciates numbers and order. She sees words and numbers in colours and loves to paint. She moves back home to Washington, D.C., to care for her mother who is battling an aggressive cancer.

She takes a job at the neighborhood bookstore even though she isn't a reader and doesn't really understand the book business. She gets a new assistant, Sage, and is tasked with organizing a book event for the reclusive but extremely popular Dr. Jordan Rutabaga and mayhem ensues.

There were some truly humorous moments as Matilda tries to bring order to a chaotic and unpredictable employee and an equally chaotic author event. But, my heart also hurt a little for Matilda. She was obviously lonely, not someone who warmed up to people easily, or someone who understood all the social cues. I enjoyed Matilda's character growth over the book. The author didn't have her fundamentally change her entire personality, which I think was important. Instead, she leaned in a little more to it, became more confident and then in turn opened herself up to others more. People who would understand and accept her as herself.

Word Salad had a lot of inner monologuing from the main character. That isn't always my favourite, so at times it felt a bit much. But, overall I really enjoyed this book.

[J.H. Diehl]

One of the qualities I admire in Coll’s comic novels is her protagonists’ openness to the possibility of good intentions in nearly every person - including their antagonists - and to the potential for finding some upside in just about any situation. That openness to goodness - a kind of reflexive offering of the benefit of the doubt - is a trait Coll mines repeatedly to sharp comic effect. Simultaneously, and with wry self-deprecation, her protagonists navigate their own aspirations, perceived successes and failures, griefs and ambivalences. The DNA of Coll’s comedy is the twining of these two threads together - an openness to everything that might also be an obstacle, while dealing with one’s own often self-inflicted obstacles. She highlights life’s absurdities, losses and limitations while yet embracing an essential hopefulness.

The delight in Word Salad is in the deliciously observed details about bookselling, Washington, D.C. and Matilda, an unlikely bookstore employee just shy of 30. Matilda is trying to figure out what to do with her life following her mom’s recent death. When she’s tasked with onboarding a new colleague, and organizing a last-minute mega-event for a public intellectual during a winter storm, just about everything that could go wrong does. The novel is a wonderful send-up of the business of book tours and author events, a subject Coll knows intimately from her long-time gig organizing events at Politics & Prose, the premier indie bookstore in Washington D.C. More deeply Coll raises questions about who gets to write and get noticed and rewarded for it, and how to deal with discouragements, both external and internal, if you want to make art.

[Ayla]

Word Salad by Susan Coll

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Harper Muse, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Word Salad is a unique, unexpected, and interesting read. Both funny and poignant, Word Salad provides a look at grief, starting anew, and navigating complicated dynamics. With a cast of complex characters, wit, and some chaos, Word Salad is a well written and engaging read.

Matilda moves back to Washington D.C. to care for her mother and ends up taking a job at a bookstore to try to make sense of the business of books. She is partnered with the enigmatic Sage, who is the complete opposite of her. In the midst of the chaos, Matilda starts to rediscover herself. But things get complicated when Matilda and Sage have to put together an event for the controversial Jordan Rutabaga. Rutabaga has a long list of alleged offenses, and with an impending snowstorm, Sage’s history with Rutabaga, along with the presence of Rutabaga himself, Matilda finds herself about to come undone.

Word Salad provides a perfect balance between comedy, emotion, and chaos. Matilda’s journey in reconnecting with her creative side while enduring the chaos around her is entertaining. Also, her journey of rediscovering herself is well written. The eccentric Rutabaga, the pandemonium surrounding the bookstore event, and Matilda’s dynamic with Sage all add to the storyline.

A witty contemporary read that balances humor with topics of grief, rediscovery, and ambition. Lighthearted, clever, and unique, Word Salad is a great read!

[Hayley]

I think this is one of those books that I just didn’t get. I found the characters, particularly the narrator, infuriating and the plot was slight and rather silly. It’s, presumably, meant to be a comedy but I didn’t find it particularly funny.

Matilda is the event planning manager for a bookshop in Washington DC. When her boss imposes Sage, a new assistant, on her, Matilda is resistant. The climactic event is at a local theater and features Dr Jordan Rutabaga, the Vegetable Guy, an Internet sensation. What can go wrong, does go wrong and Matilda is left to sort it out. Hilarity ensues (though not for me).

My main issue is that Matilda is annoyingly passive and lets the annoyingly entitled Sage walk all over her. There’s a sideplot about Matilda being sued for assault and battery after a photographer declares she’s injured after a fracas at an event and, coming in very late, a possible romance. Added to all this, is that Matilda has synesthesia and, uh, that’s it - it doesn’t make any difference to the plot but is just a bit of embroidery.

On a more positive note, Matilda connects with Maira Calman’s Women Holding Things, because Matilda is always, physically (and otherwise), holding a lot of things, which her co-workers comment on, in case the reader misses the point. Still, nice shout out for a lovely book.

So clearly this was just not my cup of tea, but maybe I’m just an old curmudgeon. I can’t recommend it but won’t stop you if you want to give it a go.

Thanks to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

[Bai Broadwater]

Word Salad is a hilarious, never let 'em know your next move, highly introspective book! In this story you're thrown into the brain of Matilda, a bookseller in Washington DC as she organizes author and book events.

The plot that ensues introduces us to the most unhinged side characters...I found myself so stressed out a majority of this book because of everyone's absolutely wacky decisions that involve subpoenas, small white dogs, grocery lists, lost mittens, rutabagas, and propane tanks.

Watching the world through Matilda's point of view was hilarious, and so relatable. As someone with a neurodivergent brain, I loved her experience of seeing the world differently. There were also incredibly honest moments that she went through that affirmed my own lived experiences as well, like feelings of always being an outsider, or always being labelled an "odd duck".

Although labelled as satire by genre, World Salad is so much more than that! It is an ode to booksellers, women and neurodivergent brains. I found this book so endearing, deep, and resonating - at the same time, I am still reeling from the bonkers events that ensued within such a short period of time. I hope Matilda is getting some needed R&R, and taking that staycation with lots of painting involved.

Thank you so much to HarperMuse and BookSparks for an ARC of this wonderful book!

[LM]

I had no idea what to expect from Word Salad, but this book completely surprised me. It is quirky, emotional, funny, and a little chaotic. Beneath all the humor is a thoughtful story about loss, family, starting over, and finding your way back to the parts of yourself that somehow got lost along the way.

Matilda returns to Washington, D.C., to help care for her mother and takes a job at a bookstore, hoping to better understand the publishing world. She soon finds herself working alongside Sage, a mysterious coworker who could not be more different from her. Their personalities create such an interesting dynamic, especially when they are tasked with organizing an appearance by Jordan Rutabaga, a controversial author surrounded by rumors, accusations, and plenty of baggage.

Add an approaching snowstorm, Sage’s complicated connection to Rutabaga, and a bookstore event that appears destined for disaster, and Matilda is barely holding everything together.

What I enjoyed most was watching Matilda slowly reconnect with herself and her creativity while absolute madness unfolded around her. The bookstore setting, unusual characters, sharp humor, and emotional moments gave this story so much personality. Word Salad is wonderfully strange, surprisingly moving, and unlike anything I have read in a while. Thank you to Susan Coll, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Bookish Feed]

ARC Review | Word Salad
Author: Susan Coll
Release Date: September 15, 2026

This was a quirky, chaotic, and surprisingly relatable story about friendship, self discovery, and embracing the messy parts of life.

Matilda is the kind of character who won't be everyone's cup of tea. She's awkward, overthinks everything, and often lets negativity get the best of her. There were moments when her thought process completely frustrated me, but there were also times when I saw pieces of myself in her. Watching her navigate her struggles, reconnect with her creative side, and grow throughout the story made her journey worth following.

The book is set in a bookstore filled with bookish banter, Unique personalities and plenty of chaos, Word Salad was an entertaining and easy read. I especially enjoyed the bookstore setting and if there's one thing I love, it's a little chaos mixed into my stories. The humor, heart, and character growth made this a fun reading experience from beginning to end.

A huge thank you to @booksparks , @harpermusebooks , and @susan_keselenko_coll for allowing me to be part of the #wordsaladreviewtour and the thoughtful package that included a physical ARC, pencil, bookmark, and sticker sheet.

[Jess Amelia (ajspages_)]

I received a complimentary copy of this book, Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book reads as an unhinged, judgemental voice that maybe we all have to some degree, but we never voice it out loud. It was entertaining for a while until the negativity started to get to me. There's always something bothering her, which is a little funny but it gets a tad tiresome. However, I understand and sympathize with her grief over losing her mom.

The story also comments on how tiring and difficult it is to work a mind-dumbing job without a real creative outlet, which is definitely relatable.

I enjoyed the wordy way that it was written as it added another humorous layer to it. However, I think it was a bit of a miss for me as I grew tired of the narration.

I think it's still well-written and others will enjoy seeing her navigate her struggles and frequent misfortunes. It's an easy read that feels like you're in the mind of an unlucky friend. I think this would've enjoyed it better as a short story.

[Mel Malmberg]

Word Salad is a Treat

Matilda is in her early 30s, adrift, grieving her mother’s recent death. She is in a holding pattern at her bookstore job handling author events, both baffled and intrigued by the illogical business of bookselling, and her illogical, evanescent boss. Into Matilda’s office walks Sage, older but no wiser, a pampered presence with an incontinent purse-dog and connections throughout DC, where the novel is set.

Matilda begins a journey of re-discovery, sparked by (of all things) a rutabaga, the alias of the reclusive, gassy author who is due to speak in a snowstorm and a hail of controversy, with inexperienced, perpetually uncommunicative Sage nominally in charge.

World Salad is Matilda’s acerbic view of her almost-impossible situation - balancing her artistic ambitions with taking care of authors, dogs, photographer-scammers, friendships, groceries, and a long-term life plan. Author Susan Coll nails the comedy of errors as well as the pathos and passion of booksellers— and a brief appearance by Clemi from Coll’s recent Literati takes the cake.

[Kanzcryahoo.com]

When one is recommending a book it is usually done verbally or in writing. I did not, initially, recommend “Word Salad” through either of these traditional methods. Instead, I simply read it while on vacation with my sister and my uncontrolled chortles, guffaws, and snorts did the job.

Marhilde’s story was a wonderful one and while she is sometimes an (self- identified) unreliable narrator that just makes this wonderful slice of life novel all the more wonderful.

Perhaps it is the fact that last year I gave out “Women Holding Things” to all of my dearest friends or perhaps it is my appreciation for rutabagas - whatever it us, as you can tell, I loved “Word Salad” and would, actually, appreciate a sequel. Was Sage successful in her next job? Was Ethan actually Reuben's son? If not, do they get along? I loved the characters and would love to sink back into their world again (hint, hint).

Do yourself a favor- find a cozy chair and enjoy!

[Andi McGrath]

Word Salad by @susan_keselenko_coll released on September 15th

I enjoyed this book, it was a little different from my typical genres. Its more like a day in the life or time period of someone. Matilda works for a bookstore and it follows her life after moving to LA to help her mother once she became sick. She helps to plan events for the bookstore and is thrown into a last minute book show with the rest of the employees. She is neurodivergent and has synethesia which is a condition that impacts her senses and it’s cool to see how she perceives things differently. Matilda and the employees are thrown into this new event for a book on vegetables, which throws her into research and learning everything about Rutabaga. This was a fun simple read and refreshing amongst all the heavy things I’ve read this week.
The narration was done by Helen Laser was done well. She brought this story to life.

This is out now on Audible and on Kindle.

[Sandi Jones]

Thankyou to #GoodreadsGiveaway for the opportunity to read this funny and entertaining book.

Matilda moved back from LA to her hometown of Washington D.C. to care for her ailing mother, and having to need money so she takes a job at her neighborhood bookstore. After working at the bookstore for eighteen months she is forced to team up with a new employee Sage, who shows up on her first day of work with zero administrative skills, her tiny dog Janet.

Matilda and Sage are tasked with putting together an author event for the reclusive and controversial Dr. Jordan Rutabaga, with a following that includes a number of people who would like to literally and figuratively see him dead.

As the sold out event date approaches Matilda discovers that Sage and Rutabaga have a complicated past, adding yet another person to list of people who wish him harm.

An impending snowstorm and old secrets make the event spiral out of control into a complete humorous catastrophe.

[Jean]

Thank you to Harper Muse Audio and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.
I really liked the narrator and that is probably what kept me listening. It's a story of Matilda, who returns to her home town to care for her mother. She ends up taking a job in a bookstore.
I am automatically attracted to novels that involve a bookstore so I was excited to listen to this one. It fell flat for me,
unfortunately. Maybe I was missing something but the story focused more on an event involving an author and the crazy mishaps that occur during the planning.
The beginning of the story went in a few directions but it wasn't until close to the end that they all tied together.
It is just an okay read for me. If you like stories that have silly things happen, you will probably like this.

[Kelly NuclearFiction]

🎧Song Pairing: Words Fail - Ben Platt

💭Thoughts Before I Jump In:

Tbh I just love the title, makes me want to pick veggies and make an insanely tasty salad while listening to this book! Also, pops of purple! Gorgeous!

📖What actually happens:

📚Bookstore
🤷🏼‍♀️Fumbling fmc
🩷Found family
😂Unusual veggie author

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Part I of this book is called “Sage” and I thought ooo computer program?! Or spice?! Can you tell I work in finance when I immediately think computer program. Spoiler: Sage is a person🪦

I did not expect that vegetables would be an actual focal point in this book. I figured word salad was a metaphor 😂🥬

Tbh I don’t know what the eff I just read both plenty and nothing happened served on a chilled salad plate.

Have to ponder this one (ponder autocorrected to poo and I chuckled)

[Books Blooms & Booze]

I would go with 3.5 ⭐️’s but I went with 4 because I felt 3 was too low.

I always wondered what it would be like to work in a bookshop and if you are just as intrigued as I am by this then you might want to add Word Salad to your TBR.

Matilda is what some might call uptight or just caught up in her ways but her world gets turned upside down when an unexpected new employee comes along to ‘help’. We’ve all been there when a new employee is overhyped and promises are made, right? Well, Sage comes in like a tornado and while sometimes she means well she tends to make Matilda’s workload even more than it was without here. Add a trendy new book, an odd incident at a book event, a surprising new friend in the back office and a little fluffy dog and you have yourself quite an interesting workplace.

[STACY]

The characters can be absolutely annoying at times, which honestly, is part of what makes them so entertaining. I found myself laughing at their antics while also occasionally wanting to shake some sense into them.

The story has a fun, offbeat quality that made it easy to fly through, and the humor kept me engaged from beginning to end. It’s not a book that takes itself too seriously, and I appreciated that. Sometimes you just want a book that is entertaining, a little weird, and populated by characters who make you laugh even when they’re driving you crazy.

Overall, Word Salad was a fun and refreshing read. It’s quirky, funny, and an easy book to pick up when you want something entertaining without a lot of heaviness. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy unconventional characters and a good dose of humor.

[Sarah]

Let me first say, I actually really liked this book. It was a fun lighthearted read and a great palate cleanser between heavier darker books. It was also wholly unique - the storyline, characters, it all felt just very creative.
Now, I did take issue with the protagonist and her woe-is-me attitude, letting life happen TO her, and being so passive aggressive and immature. BUT I recognize her character evolution is part of the story so okay then. Along these lines, I struggled with accepting that any of the issues in the story were actually issues.
The groceries went missing? Put in a DoorDash order.
You hate living in DC and the only reason you moved here is no longer a reason? Move.
Tattle on Sage.
Insist the dog leaves.
Set some boundaries.

Thanks to the author Susan Coll, Harper Muse Audiobooks, and NetGalley for this ARC

[Prashanti Shrestha]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5
An easy to read, funny and light-hearted book about Matilda, who feels stuck at her workplace and is navigating her life a year after losing her mother that she had a complicated relationship with.
In many ways, I relate to Matilda, though sometimes in ways that make her a bit unlikable. Still, compared to some of the other characters, she ends up feeling more likable by contrast.
I feel like the reminders of Matilda's synesthesia are a bit awkward, but she's like so many of us that dedicate our days to a mind numbing job with no creativity and repress our artistic side.
The author is very descriptive, and the book felt like catching up with a friend about work drama, which is always fun.