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Fallow
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Expected 15 Sep 26Fallow, by Sarah Anderson is a forthcoming title from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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Expected publication September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved her short stories, Take Me to Kirkland (Joyland) and Left (Epiphany SS20), so I am super excited to read her novel!
Update: It’s fantastic! The premise seems far-fetched on paper, but the way the story and characters developed, it felt totally plausible. I think millennials are so desperate for financial relief that a lot more people would sign up to be surrogates than you might think. I loved the main character and her dynamic relationship with her mom and sisters. Anderson’s prose isn’t flowery, it’s simple and accessible, but she manages to use details and build narrative that feels full and rich in ways that more lyrical fiction can ultimately feel hollow. I’d be surprised if this book doesn’t end up in my top 5 for the year. I think there will be a great response from readers. It feels like a book you can recommend to anyone. Excited to read more from Anderson in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update: It’s fantastic! The premise seems far-fetched on paper, but the way the story and characters developed, it felt totally plausible. I think millennials are so desperate for financial relief that a lot more people would sign up to be surrogates than you might think. I loved the main character and her dynamic relationship with her mom and sisters. Anderson’s prose isn’t flowery, it’s simple and accessible, but she manages to use details and build narrative that feels full and rich in ways that more lyrical fiction can ultimately feel hollow. I’d be surprised if this book doesn’t end up in my top 5 for the year. I think there will be a great response from readers. It feels like a book you can recommend to anyone. Excited to read more from Anderson in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2026
Damn
Banger after banger.
I am so thankful to FSG Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Anderson for advanced digital access before this beauty hits shelves on September 15, 2026.
Natalie has found herself in a sticky situation. She desperately needs her wisdom teeth removed, and doesn’t have health insurance… so what does she do?? Becomes an in-house, contractual surrogate for a massive tech company, pops out 7 babies in 10 years, deposits hundreds of thousands of dollars, and loses all connection with the real world as she’s hidden beneath NDAs and strict rules.
Woof.
There were times where I read this novel and thought, heck, I could do that.
But no pregnancy is like the other, and some experiences leave her scarred, and longing for a connection she didn’t previously anticipate.
Darkly funny and horrifically spun, Fallow played with my emotions and sent me spiraling. I’m so excited to see what everyone else thinks!!
Banger after banger.
I am so thankful to FSG Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Anderson for advanced digital access before this beauty hits shelves on September 15, 2026.
Natalie has found herself in a sticky situation. She desperately needs her wisdom teeth removed, and doesn’t have health insurance… so what does she do?? Becomes an in-house, contractual surrogate for a massive tech company, pops out 7 babies in 10 years, deposits hundreds of thousands of dollars, and loses all connection with the real world as she’s hidden beneath NDAs and strict rules.
Woof.
There were times where I read this novel and thought, heck, I could do that.
But no pregnancy is like the other, and some experiences leave her scarred, and longing for a connection she didn’t previously anticipate.
Darkly funny and horrifically spun, Fallow played with my emotions and sent me spiraling. I’m so excited to see what everyone else thinks!!
May 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and FSG for the arc!!
Wow this was GOOD. Controversial feminism with a preposterous (not really) plot that would make a fabulous movie! Women are crucial to daily life and society as a whole, always making HERstory!!!!
Wow this was GOOD. Controversial feminism with a preposterous (not really) plot that would make a fabulous movie! Women are crucial to daily life and society as a whole, always making HERstory!!!!
Read
March 23, 2026I didn't know much about this book when I first started it, and it made for such an enjoyable reading experience! I think this is a great recommendation for those who like light dystopian, humorous reads with a twist.
We are following Natalie, a young woman entering the workforce for the first time, trying to navigate finding a job she enjoys and making money while doing it (relatable). After working at a call center for several years and falling on her luck, Natalie begins donating plasma for quick cash. There, she is told of an elusive opportunity at "The Company" with a significantly higher payout. The only catch? The job was a lot more, well... demanding. Natalie, in desperate need of dental insurance, becomes the Company's surrogate. Yes, you heard that right- an in-house surrogate. What could go wrong?
At first, the job seems great. For the first time in her life, Natalie is living a life of luxury: a beautiful condo, a personal fitness instructor, healthy food. But then, things take a turn.
It was so fun watching Natalie, someone I would describe as a truly morally gray character, make life-altering decisions and navigate the workforce. I absolutely devoured this. At no point could I put it down. I originally went into this book thinking it was for fans of "Severance" on Apple TV (hello, office ceiling on the cover with a farm animal? iykyk) and while the tone of this book is very different and lighter despite the heavy topics, I recommend it for fans!
Written very humorously, this is a book that I can see a lot of different types of readers picking up and enjoying! Be sure to keep an eye out for the release date, September 15, 2026!
Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!
We are following Natalie, a young woman entering the workforce for the first time, trying to navigate finding a job she enjoys and making money while doing it (relatable). After working at a call center for several years and falling on her luck, Natalie begins donating plasma for quick cash. There, she is told of an elusive opportunity at "The Company" with a significantly higher payout. The only catch? The job was a lot more, well... demanding. Natalie, in desperate need of dental insurance, becomes the Company's surrogate. Yes, you heard that right- an in-house surrogate. What could go wrong?
At first, the job seems great. For the first time in her life, Natalie is living a life of luxury: a beautiful condo, a personal fitness instructor, healthy food. But then, things take a turn.
It was so fun watching Natalie, someone I would describe as a truly morally gray character, make life-altering decisions and navigate the workforce. I absolutely devoured this. At no point could I put it down. I originally went into this book thinking it was for fans of "Severance" on Apple TV (hello, office ceiling on the cover with a farm animal? iykyk) and while the tone of this book is very different and lighter despite the heavy topics, I recommend it for fans!
Written very humorously, this is a book that I can see a lot of different types of readers picking up and enjoying! Be sure to keep an eye out for the release date, September 15, 2026!
Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“There is no such thing as a good job.” That’s the belief our main character immediately starts laying on us, in an energetic ramble that had me gripped from the first sentence.
Natalie hates her job, hates having to work at all, and is desperately seeking funds to address her debilitating toothaches when she gets presented with an unexpected opportunity: being the world’s first corporate in-house surrogate.
In simple, accessible prose, Sarah Anderson has our female lead narrate her own story in three distinct parts, none of which I am willing to spoil. I was mistakenly expecting a disturbing darkness, a ‘Severence’ vibe evoked by the beautiful cover. None of that. This novel is a really easy read, a light one — while being presented with the horrors of commercial surrogacy meeting corporate exploitation, I found myself cackling more than anything.
At times it felt it leaned a little too much on the simple side, the obvious exposition and convenient explanations of facts before the reader has the opportunity to question, but the highlights I’ve put on dozens upon dozens of funny, relatable, perfectly-hitting lines and paragraphs don’t lie. I really enjoyed this book. It was an oddly delightful experience, warmed by the comforting aura of ‘clearly written by a fellow woman.’
The 3rd act was the one I had most difficulty accepting initially, taking me on an emotional journey parallel to Natalie’s. I was waiting for it to pass, finally having to accept ‘this is where we are, okay,’ just like she had to. How will she fill her life when she is no longer filled with the life of others?
There’s definitely a sense of unreality, often an odd sense of an aspirational or dreamy quality to this dystopian tale. I’ve yet to make up my mind about how I feel about that, and about how light of a read this felt to me. I find myself wondering if that makes it too easy for readers to consume it without being compelled to think… Then wondering if that would be a problem at all.
✨ Spoiler-free samplers of the vibe we’re dealing with ✨
“she had been threatening to have a second child for two years”
“Bald, but in a Jason Statham kind of way. Like hair was not something he had lost but something he never had to begin with.”
“It was one of the great disappointments of my life that my twin sisters were fraternal.”
I can’t imagine this novel being anything but a hit. I’m giddy already thinking about hearing people’s takes on it, how they felt about each of the three acts, what their favorite was.
(Minor gripe: I didn't like the inclusion of some minor details, like raw milk being mentioned as if it were a health food rather than potentially deadly. I don't believe for a second that this character obsessively researching and hyperfixating on the wellbeing of their child, printing and plastering research articles about various hazards, would allow the surrogate of her baby to drink raw milk. Not sure what that's about.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Natalie hates her job, hates having to work at all, and is desperately seeking funds to address her debilitating toothaches when she gets presented with an unexpected opportunity: being the world’s first corporate in-house surrogate.
In simple, accessible prose, Sarah Anderson has our female lead narrate her own story in three distinct parts, none of which I am willing to spoil. I was mistakenly expecting a disturbing darkness, a ‘Severence’ vibe evoked by the beautiful cover. None of that. This novel is a really easy read, a light one — while being presented with the horrors of commercial surrogacy meeting corporate exploitation, I found myself cackling more than anything.
At times it felt it leaned a little too much on the simple side, the obvious exposition and convenient explanations of facts before the reader has the opportunity to question, but the highlights I’ve put on dozens upon dozens of funny, relatable, perfectly-hitting lines and paragraphs don’t lie. I really enjoyed this book. It was an oddly delightful experience, warmed by the comforting aura of ‘clearly written by a fellow woman.’
The 3rd act was the one I had most difficulty accepting initially, taking me on an emotional journey parallel to Natalie’s. I was waiting for it to pass, finally having to accept ‘this is where we are, okay,’ just like she had to. How will she fill her life when she is no longer filled with the life of others?
There’s definitely a sense of unreality, often an odd sense of an aspirational or dreamy quality to this dystopian tale. I’ve yet to make up my mind about how I feel about that, and about how light of a read this felt to me. I find myself wondering if that makes it too easy for readers to consume it without being compelled to think… Then wondering if that would be a problem at all.
✨ Spoiler-free samplers of the vibe we’re dealing with ✨
“she had been threatening to have a second child for two years”
“Bald, but in a Jason Statham kind of way. Like hair was not something he had lost but something he never had to begin with.”
“It was one of the great disappointments of my life that my twin sisters were fraternal.”
I can’t imagine this novel being anything but a hit. I’m giddy already thinking about hearing people’s takes on it, how they felt about each of the three acts, what their favorite was.
(Minor gripe: I didn't like the inclusion of some minor details, like raw milk being mentioned as if it were a health food rather than potentially deadly. I don't believe for a second that this character obsessively researching and hyperfixating on the wellbeing of their child, printing and plastering research articles about various hazards, would allow the surrogate of her baby to drink raw milk. Not sure what that's about.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Original stories are rare in contemporary fiction, but the premise of Fallow is frighteningly unique.
Natalie has suffered through a string of menial jobs and grown to loathe working. When she discovers that intense jaw pain is her wisdom teeth bursting through her gums, and she needs $4,000 quickly, it is clear her current employment in a call center with no benefits will not solve her financial problems. After a brief stint selling blood plasma, she is handed a flyer for a position with high salary and wonderful benefits at a place referred to as “The Company,” but think Amazon or Apple. Here's their pitch: in an effort to reduce the impact of childbirth on the productivity of female executives, “The Company” wants to hire Natalie to serve as a surrogate birth mother for their employees. After a rigorous interview process her contract includes seven births over roughly ten years, earning her roughly $100k each, with a bonus of $700k at the completion of the contract.
While pregnant Natalie’s every imaginable need is provided for. Chef-prepared meals high in omegas and essential vitamins rotate through the fridge of her luxury apartment, while she follows a schedule of yoga classes and birth training techniques. For the most part, Natalie gets her wish of not working and lounges around watching reality TV in different languages. Natalie plays her role wonderfully, and after each baby she is allowed six months to go wild, her fallow period. She binges pints of ice cream, has casual sex and parties heartily, but then it’s back into birth preparation mode, her life regaining the familiar regimen. Complications do indeed arise, but they are not what we might expect from a plot centered around having babies.
Fallow is told completely from Natalie’s perspective, and author Sarah Anderson expertly places the reader in Natalie's frame of mind. The second half of the book allows for a wide-swinging character arc for Natalie, but I connected more with earlier chapters. This sharp-witted, sneakily touching novel is worth reading for many reasons, with the top one being how much you'll want to discuss it with your friends and fellow readers.
Highly recommended, no doubt this will be one of the most creative novels of the year. Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for a review copy.
Natalie has suffered through a string of menial jobs and grown to loathe working. When she discovers that intense jaw pain is her wisdom teeth bursting through her gums, and she needs $4,000 quickly, it is clear her current employment in a call center with no benefits will not solve her financial problems. After a brief stint selling blood plasma, she is handed a flyer for a position with high salary and wonderful benefits at a place referred to as “The Company,” but think Amazon or Apple. Here's their pitch: in an effort to reduce the impact of childbirth on the productivity of female executives, “The Company” wants to hire Natalie to serve as a surrogate birth mother for their employees. After a rigorous interview process her contract includes seven births over roughly ten years, earning her roughly $100k each, with a bonus of $700k at the completion of the contract.
While pregnant Natalie’s every imaginable need is provided for. Chef-prepared meals high in omegas and essential vitamins rotate through the fridge of her luxury apartment, while she follows a schedule of yoga classes and birth training techniques. For the most part, Natalie gets her wish of not working and lounges around watching reality TV in different languages. Natalie plays her role wonderfully, and after each baby she is allowed six months to go wild, her fallow period. She binges pints of ice cream, has casual sex and parties heartily, but then it’s back into birth preparation mode, her life regaining the familiar regimen. Complications do indeed arise, but they are not what we might expect from a plot centered around having babies.
Fallow is told completely from Natalie’s perspective, and author Sarah Anderson expertly places the reader in Natalie's frame of mind. The second half of the book allows for a wide-swinging character arc for Natalie, but I connected more with earlier chapters. This sharp-witted, sneakily touching novel is worth reading for many reasons, with the top one being how much you'll want to discuss it with your friends and fellow readers.
Highly recommended, no doubt this will be one of the most creative novels of the year. Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
(free review copy) I fully admit that the title and that beautiful cow are what made me read this book way before the hundreds of other books I have on hand, despite the far-future release date. Also, it seemed like it would have great "capitalism sucks" and "big corporate is evil" and "pregnancy is complicated" and "pretty weird" vibes, which I am ALWAYS down for.
And readers, it DID! And it was original and funny and complex and its main character was the very elusive combination of unlikeable but vulnerable and I felt like maybe I want to be her mom? This book is fully in the NOT FOR EVERYONE category, but I think if you liked Moderation and strangely enough, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, you would love this? It was refreshingly biting and I adored how Anderson wove in the story of Natalie's own family dynamics and her mother's numerous pregnancies to help readers understand why Natalie may act and feel the way she does.
The latter half of the book was a sharp shift from the first, but I loved it for so many reasons that you shouldn't know before reading the book. Just know that things shift, and there is a narrative and character development arc that I honestly NEVER saw coming.
Loved it, can't wait to see what Anderson writes next! Please include another animal with big eyes on the cover please, whatever it is
Source: free digital review copy via Edelweiss
And readers, it DID! And it was original and funny and complex and its main character was the very elusive combination of unlikeable but vulnerable and I felt like maybe I want to be her mom? This book is fully in the NOT FOR EVERYONE category, but I think if you liked Moderation and strangely enough, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, you would love this? It was refreshingly biting and I adored how Anderson wove in the story of Natalie's own family dynamics and her mother's numerous pregnancies to help readers understand why Natalie may act and feel the way she does.
The latter half of the book was a sharp shift from the first, but I loved it for so many reasons that you shouldn't know before reading the book. Just know that things shift, and there is a narrative and character development arc that I honestly NEVER saw coming.
Loved it, can't wait to see what Anderson writes next! Please include another animal with big eyes on the cover please, whatever it is
Source: free digital review copy via Edelweiss
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
First of all, that cover. As soon as I saw it, I was blown away. I've only come to appreciate it more after reading this novel. (Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!) I was a huge fan of Sarah Anderson's short stories (especially "Take Me to Kirkland") so when I saw her novel was coming out, I was thrilled.
This book is all my current, favorite things — dystopian, a critique on capitalism, with themes around feminism and the commodification of the body. I'd recently read "Swallows" by Natsuo Kirino so I had those vibes in mind coming into this. At first, I worried "Fallow" might be, well, shallow. The main character didn't have any particularly strong opinions, outside of hating work, even while fulfilling her role as a surrogate.
But as the novel progressed, I understood why. While on the surface, this novel does center surrogacy, it speaks to themes much larger than just that. It tackles the idea of work itself and critiques how the act of having a job divorces us from our society. I really wasn't expecting all of the twists and turns this novel took or where it ended up — but by the last page, I was delighted. By the last page, I understood our main character. I understood the twists and turns. And I was sad the journey was over. If this isn't a top book of the year, rising in the ranks as "Yesteryear" is currently, I would be very surprised.
This book is all my current, favorite things — dystopian, a critique on capitalism, with themes around feminism and the commodification of the body. I'd recently read "Swallows" by Natsuo Kirino so I had those vibes in mind coming into this. At first, I worried "Fallow" might be, well, shallow. The main character didn't have any particularly strong opinions, outside of hating work, even while fulfilling her role as a surrogate.
But as the novel progressed, I understood why. While on the surface, this novel does center surrogacy, it speaks to themes much larger than just that. It tackles the idea of work itself and critiques how the act of having a job divorces us from our society. I really wasn't expecting all of the twists and turns this novel took or where it ended up — but by the last page, I was delighted. By the last page, I understood our main character. I understood the twists and turns. And I was sad the journey was over. If this isn't a top book of the year, rising in the ranks as "Yesteryear" is currently, I would be very surprised.
May 10, 2026
Sarah Anderson's novel Fallow is a "coming-of-adulthood" novel (is that a thing?). Natalie Gallagher is suffering from millennial malaise, working a job she hates just so she can keep herself alive and her student loans at bay. When she's offered an extremely high-paying yet unorthodox job in a new surrogacy pilot program at a large company, it seems like an offer that's too good to be true. So what if she has to be constantly monitored and can't tell anyone in her life what she really does? At least she can pay off her student loans and spend a lot of time lounging around watching reality tv. Ah, the dream!
Of course, a twist (actually, a couple), come about halfway and three-quarters of the way through the novel. Natalie's seemingly comfortable existence is challenged, and she has to decide what she really wants and who she really is. Ultimately, its a book about finding yourself through finding your purpose. This book is weird, and the characters are annoying at times (including Natalie), but it has something interesting to say, and it was a fun read! There was enough humor and reflection sown throughout its pages to make it feel both enjoyable and worthwhile.
Thanks so much to FSG and NetGalley for my ARC!
Of course, a twist (actually, a couple), come about halfway and three-quarters of the way through the novel. Natalie's seemingly comfortable existence is challenged, and she has to decide what she really wants and who she really is. Ultimately, its a book about finding yourself through finding your purpose. This book is weird, and the characters are annoying at times (including Natalie), but it has something interesting to say, and it was a fun read! There was enough humor and reflection sown throughout its pages to make it feel both enjoyable and worthwhile.
Thanks so much to FSG and NetGalley for my ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and FSG for the ebook. Natalie hates her job at a call center for people who specifically complain about their employers, for both petty offenses and horrific deeds. Natalie, with student loans, poor salary and no dental insurance for her four impacted wisdom teeth is giving plasma as often as she can when she hears about an experimental program that might pay her even more money. It turns out that there’s a huge corporation that is tired of dealing with their female employees and the issues around maternity leave. Why not just hire a woman to have babies for them. Finally being offered real money, she jumps at the chance. She signs up for birthing seven children over a ten year period for a large yearly salary, housing and bonus for completion. Finally Natalie has gotten her dream: To not have to work at all. Between pregnancies she eats unhealthy foods until she’s ill and drinks and takes drugs until she blacks out. With one more baby to deliver her life takes a dramatic change that will finally make her question what she’s done and try and figure out what she wants from this life.
March 31, 2026
How much of yourself would you give to have the life you want? Or—as the protagonist of “Fallow” may see it—to avoid having a life you don’t think you want?
I loved the writing style of this book—it flowed so well that I dreaded having to put it down. I never felt bored while reading this and I was so intrigued by the rules of Natalie’s job!
I couldn’t speak about this book without also considering the social and political context of the world it’s going to be published in. The idea of a young woman selling her body as a space for important employees in a powerful company to have children is a less-than-ethical one *at best.* Natalie is occasionally asked by the women (none of the men, notably) she is a surrogate for if she is fulfilled by her job, or if she is happy; but how can that question ever be fairly answered when she first applied for it to afford a necessary dental procedure? Natalie’s own views toward her job and its emotional aftermath develop throughout the novel, and I found her both frustrating and incredibly compelling.
A 5 star read for me!
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “Fallow” will be out in the world on 9.15.26 and it’s one I absolutely recommend ⭐️
I loved the writing style of this book—it flowed so well that I dreaded having to put it down. I never felt bored while reading this and I was so intrigued by the rules of Natalie’s job!
I couldn’t speak about this book without also considering the social and political context of the world it’s going to be published in. The idea of a young woman selling her body as a space for important employees in a powerful company to have children is a less-than-ethical one *at best.* Natalie is occasionally asked by the women (none of the men, notably) she is a surrogate for if she is fulfilled by her job, or if she is happy; but how can that question ever be fairly answered when she first applied for it to afford a necessary dental procedure? Natalie’s own views toward her job and its emotional aftermath develop throughout the novel, and I found her both frustrating and incredibly compelling.
A 5 star read for me!
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “Fallow” will be out in the world on 9.15.26 and it’s one I absolutely recommend ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.
I love lit fic with slightly weird premises and this one did not disappoint. Plenty of people have written better essays about pregnancy as a form of labour than I could off the top of my head in a book review, but I think the concept of someone being paid to be pregnant so that other women can keep their career is frighteningly close to becoming a reality. We’re already seeing celebrities outsourcing childbearing to surrogates for the sake of their careers, and this concept takes that another step to the corporate world. I loved seeing all the control put on Natalie as an employee, even during her ‘fallow’ periods. Her body is never truly her own as long as she works for the company, because her body is responsible for the product, it can’t be untangled. Natalie is shallow and vain and not a great person, but you really feel for her. The ending section was a little wacky and definitely not what I expected, but I think it fit the themes of labour and bodies as production really well, and it felt like Natalie got the ending she needed.
I love lit fic with slightly weird premises and this one did not disappoint. Plenty of people have written better essays about pregnancy as a form of labour than I could off the top of my head in a book review, but I think the concept of someone being paid to be pregnant so that other women can keep their career is frighteningly close to becoming a reality. We’re already seeing celebrities outsourcing childbearing to surrogates for the sake of their careers, and this concept takes that another step to the corporate world. I loved seeing all the control put on Natalie as an employee, even during her ‘fallow’ periods. Her body is never truly her own as long as she works for the company, because her body is responsible for the product, it can’t be untangled. Natalie is shallow and vain and not a great person, but you really feel for her. The ending section was a little wacky and definitely not what I expected, but I think it fit the themes of labour and bodies as production really well, and it felt like Natalie got the ending she needed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is what I thought my life would be like when I signed up for all those sleep studies throughout college that paid in $10 Starbucks gift cards.
FALLOW 🐮🐝🍼 is the story of Natalie, a young woman chosen to the be the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate. It’s some combination of her apathetic attitude, lack of natural mothering instincts, wide birthing hips, and her isolated lifestyle that make her the ideal candidate for this once in a lifetime opportunity.
This fits perfectly into the bucket of dystopian sci fi that you could probably convince me is actually true if I’ve had a glass of wine.
I tore through this book. I loved that it was dark while humorous, relatable but also unconscionable. Unsurprisingly, the weird girl lit lovers are going to eat this one up.
thankuuuuuu @netgalley @fsgbooks for the ARC 🙂↕️🫶🏼
FALLOW by Sarah Anderson, 📖 #29, 5 ⭐️!!!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DW2AsRPDq...
FALLOW 🐮🐝🍼 is the story of Natalie, a young woman chosen to the be the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate. It’s some combination of her apathetic attitude, lack of natural mothering instincts, wide birthing hips, and her isolated lifestyle that make her the ideal candidate for this once in a lifetime opportunity.
This fits perfectly into the bucket of dystopian sci fi that you could probably convince me is actually true if I’ve had a glass of wine.
I tore through this book. I loved that it was dark while humorous, relatable but also unconscionable. Unsurprisingly, the weird girl lit lovers are going to eat this one up.
thankuuuuuu @netgalley @fsgbooks for the ARC 🙂↕️🫶🏼
FALLOW by Sarah Anderson, 📖 #29, 5 ⭐️!!!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DW2AsRPDq...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the EARC.
Wow. This one started out with such a bang. At one point I woke up at 4a and needed to know more so I stayed up reading.
I loved Natalie. She was such a good representation of young women in America that are told to have a career, want a family, have it all, all while she’s trying to figure out how to earn money with the least amount of effort.
The Company was a great place example of a conglomerate that exploits people while trying to frame it as progression. We truly are in a capitalistic hellscape because I saw everything in this book being plausible.
It fell off slightly in the second part of the story. I still enjoyed it but I saw this book going harder into the capitalistic nightmare, but I did appreciate it for Natalie.
A lot is left open at the end of this story. Enough for the reader to make their own assumptions and find the lesson they need.
Either way, this was such a solid story
Wow. This one started out with such a bang. At one point I woke up at 4a and needed to know more so I stayed up reading.
I loved Natalie. She was such a good representation of young women in America that are told to have a career, want a family, have it all, all while she’s trying to figure out how to earn money with the least amount of effort.
The Company was a great place example of a conglomerate that exploits people while trying to frame it as progression. We truly are in a capitalistic hellscape because I saw everything in this book being plausible.
It fell off slightly in the second part of the story. I still enjoyed it but I saw this book going harder into the capitalistic nightmare, but I did appreciate it for Natalie.
A lot is left open at the end of this story. Enough for the reader to make their own assumptions and find the lesson they need.
Either way, this was such a solid story
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I did originally want to read this book due to the cover. For some reason I thought this book was going to take more of a horror turn at some point and it didn't.
This book did a decent job with the humor at times. Struggling to make ends meet, Natalie finds a job that sounds almost too good to be true. She signs a contract to become a surrogate for the next 10 years and will recieve a large amount of money after every successful pregnancy. Things got a bit repetitive as she becomes a surrogate and delivers baby after baby. After almost being free, she starts to question life and the choices she has made to get her to where she is now.
I understand there is supposed to be a deeper meaning to the book, but this book just wasn't for me. Not every book is for every person and that is completely okay! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
This book did a decent job with the humor at times. Struggling to make ends meet, Natalie finds a job that sounds almost too good to be true. She signs a contract to become a surrogate for the next 10 years and will recieve a large amount of money after every successful pregnancy. Things got a bit repetitive as she becomes a surrogate and delivers baby after baby. After almost being free, she starts to question life and the choices she has made to get her to where she is now.
I understand there is supposed to be a deeper meaning to the book, but this book just wasn't for me. Not every book is for every person and that is completely okay! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The things we’ll do for dental insurance.
Would you stay pregnant for a decade to have all your debt wiped out, have great health insurance, your rent paid, and your meals/cleaning taken care of? What if it’s at the behest of a dangerously huge & invasive corporation? You just need to sacrifice your privacy, personal life & bodily autonomy.
This is the kind of book you hope isn’t a debut, just so you can go back and read a bunch of other titles by the same author. I can’t wait for Sarah Anderson to come out with more books in the future. She has a way of writing characters who are totally distinct from each other, relatable, flawed, and realistic.
I usually find it grating to read from the POV of a directionless protagonist, but Anderson somehow makes aimlessness….endearing?
I absolutely burned through this one in two days. Loved it & can’t wait for more from this author.
A big thanks to FSG, NetGalley & Sarah Anderson for the arc.
Would you stay pregnant for a decade to have all your debt wiped out, have great health insurance, your rent paid, and your meals/cleaning taken care of? What if it’s at the behest of a dangerously huge & invasive corporation? You just need to sacrifice your privacy, personal life & bodily autonomy.
This is the kind of book you hope isn’t a debut, just so you can go back and read a bunch of other titles by the same author. I can’t wait for Sarah Anderson to come out with more books in the future. She has a way of writing characters who are totally distinct from each other, relatable, flawed, and realistic.
I usually find it grating to read from the POV of a directionless protagonist, but Anderson somehow makes aimlessness….endearing?
I absolutely burned through this one in two days. Loved it & can’t wait for more from this author.
A big thanks to FSG, NetGalley & Sarah Anderson for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Now how should I describe this book? It is marketed at a dystopian horror novel but I would say that the only real horror is that I wouldn't be surprised this was already happening.
This novel is about Natalie, a 20 something that has no desire to work (don't blame her) and surprising opportunity falls in to her lap as a gestational surrogate for "The Company". Natalie find that she is good at being a surrogate and enjoys the chef prepared meals, work out plans, house cleaners etc. But then there is a change of plans... and Natalie is left wondering... WHAT ABOUT ME????
I found the first 75% to be quick paced and I couldn't stop reading. The last 25% dragged on for me but it is probably just a me problem. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the digital ARC!
This novel is about Natalie, a 20 something that has no desire to work (don't blame her) and surprising opportunity falls in to her lap as a gestational surrogate for "The Company". Natalie find that she is good at being a surrogate and enjoys the chef prepared meals, work out plans, house cleaners etc. But then there is a change of plans... and Natalie is left wondering... WHAT ABOUT ME????
I found the first 75% to be quick paced and I couldn't stop reading. The last 25% dragged on for me but it is probably just a me problem. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the digital ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC for review. To be published September 15, 2026.
4 stars
Very interesting concept here as Natalie, who doesn’t really want to work (and who does?) finds a long term job as an in-house surrogate for a major corporation. She allows female C-suite employees to keep right on working while she carries their children. And while Natalie is pregnant the company takes care of all her expenses. Then, after delivery, she gets some time off/recovery time where she can live it up a bit, then she’s back for more.
Until there’s a glitch.
I really enjoyed most of this. I totally see it happening, with the attendant problems. I was a bit thrown off by the last section, but I wasn’t really unsatisfied. Look for this soon at an Apple/Twitter (if they continue hiring women and/or people) near you.
4 stars
Very interesting concept here as Natalie, who doesn’t really want to work (and who does?) finds a long term job as an in-house surrogate for a major corporation. She allows female C-suite employees to keep right on working while she carries their children. And while Natalie is pregnant the company takes care of all her expenses. Then, after delivery, she gets some time off/recovery time where she can live it up a bit, then she’s back for more.
Until there’s a glitch.
I really enjoyed most of this. I totally see it happening, with the attendant problems. I was a bit thrown off by the last section, but I wasn’t really unsatisfied. Look for this soon at an Apple/Twitter (if they continue hiring women and/or people) near you.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love it when you don’t know what to expect of a book and then it blows you away!
If you hate your corporate job and you would get the chance to earn so much money you never have to work again, in exchange for being a surrogate to seven (!!) babies. Would you do it? Well, our girl Natalie certainly does. But then sh*t hits the fan…
I loved how this book combined a few of my fave themes, such as corporate horror, female cults and (light) dystopian fiction. It was funny, fast-paced and really entertaining. I did find the last 25% of the book a bit dragging, but oh well. The first 75% definitely pulled me out of my reading slump.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC!
If you hate your corporate job and you would get the chance to earn so much money you never have to work again, in exchange for being a surrogate to seven (!!) babies. Would you do it? Well, our girl Natalie certainly does. But then sh*t hits the fan…
I loved how this book combined a few of my fave themes, such as corporate horror, female cults and (light) dystopian fiction. It was funny, fast-paced and really entertaining. I did find the last 25% of the book a bit dragging, but oh well. The first 75% definitely pulled me out of my reading slump.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.75 Despite being a dystopian horror lit fic, I kept giggling out loud. So witty and relatable—Natalie doesn’t want to work, doesn’t ever want to hear an alarm, and has self-pity for food she hasn’t eaten. I am truly shocked by what she is willing to do to not work a 9-5, i.e. become the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate. The behavior of “The Company” totally tracks. It’s not surprising at all.
I truly couldn’t put it down. The only reason it didn’t get a 5 is because the ending slows down and I would’ve liked another bang. Really great though, and I highly recommend!
Thankful to NetGalley and Farrar Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read this eARC! Pub date September 15th
I truly couldn’t put it down. The only reason it didn’t get a 5 is because the ending slows down and I would’ve liked another bang. Really great though, and I highly recommend!
Thankful to NetGalley and Farrar Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read this eARC! Pub date September 15th
Review of advance copy received from Author
My brilliant friend Sarah wrote this and it was genuinely my favorite thing I read last year. Fallow is sharp, irreverent and totally original. Read for all the hits: modern work culture, capitalism, bodily autonomy and motherhood, and of course, a sprinkling of cultishness.All of this and more is balanced deftly with a propulsive energy that makes Fallow impossible to put down, led by an aimless main character who you ultimately can’t help but root for— that’s Sarah’s magic.
It’s out in September but you can pre-order it now— future you will thank you!
https://bookshop.org/p/books/fallow-a...
It’s out in September but you can pre-order it now— future you will thank you!
https://bookshop.org/p/books/fallow-a...
March 7, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
I love love LOVED this book!! This follows our main character Natalie, who simply, doesn’t want to work. When she hears about an opportunity to be paid to be a surrogate for a company, she’s sold.
This book was a really interesting perspective on the ethical side of surrogacy, and the commodification of it in order to increase productivity in a company. The last act of the book was definitely an unexpected turn, but I highly recommend this book!!
I love love LOVED this book!! This follows our main character Natalie, who simply, doesn’t want to work. When she hears about an opportunity to be paid to be a surrogate for a company, she’s sold.
This book was a really interesting perspective on the ethical side of surrogacy, and the commodification of it in order to increase productivity in a company. The last act of the book was definitely an unexpected turn, but I highly recommend this book!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 7, 2026So good!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the quick moving plot without the book feeling hastened. I love Natalie: even though she is not very likeable I feel we are alike (except for her willing to birth 7 children). I also loved the detailed descriptions of the benefits. And while I found everything surrounding The Company incredibly interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed the third act, which I didn't see coming at all. Fallow is incredibly entertaining while touching on some important themes like sisterhood, capitalism and self-determination. Would recommend!
April 7, 2026
Fallow got me out of my reading slump! concept 10/10. execution 8/10. It is fast paced, witty, sharp…sort of dystopian horror. A large tech company hiring an in house surrogate seems something that would happen in the not so distant future. The last ten chapters sort of bored me a bit. I guess i’m not sure how i wanted the book to end, but I thought the ending was a little bit of a let down considering the set up for the first half of the book. Overall though, I really really enjoyed it and I’m super curious to see how it’s received once it’s published later this year.
April 7, 2026
Thanks NetGalley and publishers Farrah, Straus and Giroux for allowing me to read this title early.
I liked it but didn’t love it. A woman works for a mega company that hires her to surrogate for their employees - Fallow refers to her months off after giving birth
Fallow was her time to indulge in whatever she wanted. She wanted sex drugs and rock and roll.
It seems like the book should have had clear sections.
I liked it but didn’t love it. A woman works for a mega company that hires her to surrogate for their employees - Fallow refers to her months off after giving birth
Fallow was her time to indulge in whatever she wanted. She wanted sex drugs and rock and roll.
It seems like the book should have had clear sections.
May 14, 2026
Natalie’s stronger than me. I feel like there is a lot I would do for a large amount of money but I could NOT live through this nightmare.
Pregnancy is the only body horror that creeps me out enough that I start to feel nauseous.
I experienced this with You Weren’t Meant to be Human as well but honestly the alien worms distracted me from the baby stuff. Fallow on the other hand is full natal.
Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the Advanced Review Copy.
Pregnancy is the only body horror that creeps me out enough that I start to feel nauseous.
I experienced this with You Weren’t Meant to be Human as well but honestly the alien worms distracted me from the baby stuff. Fallow on the other hand is full natal.
Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the Advanced Review Copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Absolutely loved this. The premise hooked me but I honestly didn't really expect to get so invested in Natalie's journey.
Definitely highly recommended for anyone interested in the synopsis!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
Definitely highly recommended for anyone interested in the synopsis!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
;)
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