My Life in Plants: Flowers I've Loved, Herbs I've Grown, and Houseplants I've Killed on the Way to Finding Myself

by Katie Vaz

A “beautifully illustrated memoir, a deeply personal remembrance about the navigation into adulthood and the plants along the way. Touching and relatable.” (Lori Roberts, author of A Life of Gratitude)   From Katie Vaz, author of Don’t Worry, Eat Cake, the beloved Make Yourself Cozy, and The Escape Manual for Introverts, comes My Life in Plants. Her newest book tells the story of her life through the thirty-nine plants that have played both leading and supporting roles, from her childhood to her wedding day. Plants include a homegrown wildflower bouquet wrapped in duct tape that she carried on stage at age three, to a fragrant basil plant that brought her and her kitchen back to life after grief.   The stories are personal, poignant, heartwarming, and relatable, and will prompt readers to recall plants of their own that have been witness to both the amazing moments of life and the ordinary ones. This illustrated memoir covers the simplicity of home, the sharpness of loss, the lesson of learning to be present, and the journey of finding your way

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Gardening, Audiobook, Graphic Novels, Nature, Plants

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

About the author

I’m an illustrator, author, and hand-letterer living in Upstate New York with my husband, a dog named Tater, and a cat named KittenFace McMittens.

My books include Tiny Joys (Andrews McMeel, 2023); Cottagecore Galore (Andrews McMeel, 2022); Life with Plants (Andrews McMeel, 2021); My Life in Plants (Andrews McMeel, 2020); The Escape Manual for Introverts (Andrews McMeel, 2019); Make Yourself Cozy: A Guide for Practicing Self-Care (Andrews McMeel, 2018); and Don’t Worry, Eat Cake (Andrews McMeel, 2016), which was featured on Canada's Biggest Bestseller List at Chapters Indigo.

In addition to creating books, I work as a freelance illustrator and designer with a variety of clients on branding, packaging design, and illustration projects. I also design my own line of greeting cards, prints and other stationery products, which are sold both online in my Etsy shop and in brick-and-mortar shops throughout North America.

I particularly love plants, Harry Potter, traveling to new places, and cooking (current obsession: homemade vegetarian ramen). When I’m not drawing, you can find me in my kitchen trying out a new recipe, hanging out with Tater on the couch, tending to my garden, or dreaming of the next place I want to visit. I’m inspired by whimsical details in nature, mid-century design + illustration, and the ordinary moments of life.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir told through the plants and flowers in her life, from early memories to the present. Snippets of her life are preceded by some cute illustrations. A very unique way if charting life's experiences. One in particular resonated. After breaking up with her college boyfriend, she spends days,taking a book and going down to the river to read. This has been my modus operandi as I try to counter the isolation imposed by Covid. So peaceful. A quick an easy read, but too a thoughtful one.

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Ink_Drinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute and light-hearted audio book. It is less than two hours long and brought a smile to my face several times. The narrator does such a good job that I actually felt like Katie Vas was talking to me.

During the audio, Katie describes her important life events through the thirty-nine different plants/flowers that played a roll in her memory of each event. It was a very creative way to tell a memoir and I think that’s why I liked it so much. I’ve never read or listened to anything else like it!! You don’t have to be a gardener to enjoy this audio!

The author brought back some of my own favorite memories with my Mom that involved her love of plants/flowers. I haven’t thought of those sweet memories in a long time, so I wanted to thank Katie for that❤. A very heart warming audio and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to put a smile on their face!

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Vaz and Andrews McMeel Audio for the Advanced Audio in exchange for my review.

#NetGalley #AndrewsMcMeelAudio #KatieVaz

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life In Plants is a nostalgic memoir. In each chapter, Katie Vaz picks a flower, herb, or plant and tells a story about what the plant reminds her of. The memories are from childhood to high school and to adulthood.

I found My Life In Plants very interesting and enjoyable.

Taylor Meskimen did a good job narrating, and listening to the audiobook felt like listening to a friend.

Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Audio for My Life in Plants.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was absolutely adorable. I went in thinking that this would be a sweet little book about plants ( which I love) and what I took away from this was SO MUCH MORE!

I found the author to be so incredibly relatable and the illustrations were perfection.

I literally just added this book and two more by Katie Vaz to my Amazon Wish List. Hoping one day soon I can get them!

Full review to come on Publication Day : September 01, 2020!

Thank you to Netgalley, Andrew McMeels Publishing & Katie Vaz for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Beyond 5 ⭐️!

[farith · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

this one is for the plant lovers.

in my life in plants, katie vaz gifts us a part of herself by telling us her life but relating every story to a plant. from the time when she was a kid and her mom used aloe vera on her to refresh some burnt wounds, to her wedding day and the flowers in her bouquet.

i thoroughly enjoyed this short memoir. i liked how deeply emotional she could get sharing her stories, an example of it is when a relative of hers passed away and she talked about how she coped with grief and loss. i also loved how she implemented some humor in other stories and made me connect with her. i recommend it a lot if you want to learn about new plants or would like to have a nice time reading about someone’s experience with them in their life.

“...i have mixed feelings though. sometimes [lilacs] smell like spring to me, but sometimes they remind me of the scent of the air freshener we had in the bathroom.”

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
The narrator was good and personable. I thought she was a perfect fit for this book. I really liked her. This book was filled with memories of family and flowery things. And I thought it was so cute how she pulled her chapters together with flowers. Each one having meaning to go with her experiences. In some ways this was like reading her diary. I enjoyed her thoughts. I started thinking about my family and memories. Because everything we go through teaches us something.


Thank you NETGALLEY and the publisher for this ARC audiobook, in exchange for my honest review. ♥️

[Marium Mostafiz Mou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh!
The title is misleading. I thought I would get to know more about plants. It’s a memoir and in a chronological way, the writer describes her life events with a little relevance to various plants. So it fell flat to me and some of the chapters Didn't even need any addition to some plants
I received the audiobook from Netgalley. The narrator's voice is so sweet and passionate that it made the read a lil likeable. That's why not rating it two stars

[Camille Maio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye on a bookstore shelf and I was immediately drawn to its charming illustrations and the structure of a memoir written with the framework of plants. Don't expect a gripping story full of twists and turns. In fact, it is quite an ordinary one - the kind most of us lead - that celebrates the little punctuations in a very relatable way. I would happily buy more copies as gifts.

[Asheley T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 - I chose to listen to this audiobook because I love books about trees and plants. Plus it has the cutest cover! Based on the title, I expected stories centered around plants and flowers. But this is more like little vignettes about different stand-out moments in the author's life in which plants are present. In most circumstances, the plants and flowers are mentioned casually. The stories are entertaining, but I was really hoping for something more centered in nature, where the plants occupy more space.

The audiobook is nice: the chapters are very short, the length is very short, and the narrator has a nice, upbeat delivery of the story. However if I could go back and restart this one, I would want it to be a print copy, because the author is an illustrator and her art style is really wonderful. I think it would be a lot of fun to read the short passages with the illustration that goes along with it. Nothing wrong with the audiobook; I just think the artistry is really lovely.

Title: My Life in Plants: Flowers I've Loved, Herbs I've Grown, and Houseplants I've Killed on the Way to Finding Myself by Katie Vax
Narrator: Taylor Meskimen
Length: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing


Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review!

[Gayathiri Rajendran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrew McNeels Publishing for a review copy. The below opinions are my own.

My Life In Plants is a cute illustrated book with stories about plants and the author's life. The author describes the various incidents in her life via thirty nine plants which were a part of that particular event or memory. I felt that was very unique. The illustrations were so pretty.

This was a very heartwarming and enjoyable book.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little story and I really enjoyed the audio! As a plant lover and book lover, this was the perfect happy medium.

[Nora Swerbinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute quick read.

All the stories were fleshed out really well, and for being such a short book I really feel like I got a sneak peak into the author's life.

The illustrations were fantastic, they truly brought the story to life

The only reason this isn't getting five stars is because of how short is it, but I have no problems or complaints with this book at all

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This wasn't what I was expecting really. I was hoping it was more plant related due to the "Flowers I've loved, Herbs I've grown and Houseplants I've killed on the way to finding myself" quote (because I was requesting books about plants left and right due to my new addiction) but it is more about the author's life and the many moments that happened involving or around plants. (duh, it's a memoir, girl, what did you think?)

Now because my expectations were more plant info based, I payed attention to the lack of it more and since I'm the type of person who doesn't really care too much about how people live their lives, I was neutral about it besides the sad moments where I teared up a bit, imagining myself in her position. A lot of the chapters had plants just being in the background as a witness to what was happening in her life rather than a direct involvement like the other chapters.

There were many chapters with good advice though and I liked them a lot but for the rest, it felt too personal for me (because as I mentioned, I don't pay attention to people's lives). I know I sound horrible but that's just how I feel about autobiographies.

I listened to the audiobook of this and I really enjoyed the author's voice. It sounded sweet and calming. The audiobook is around an hour and a half so it's a quick listen. Unfortunately due to this, I wasn't able to see her illustrations and I'm curious as to how it looks.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

[Eva K (journeyofthepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life in Plants is a touching mini memoir by Katie Vaz. Katie walks us through some of the most poignant memories of her life that are associated with various flowers, plants or herbs.

Her associations between a plant and a memory or experience are truly relatable; poinsettias at Christmas, peace lilies at a funeral, mums in the fall, roses for high school proms, and summer gardens full of herbs like rosemary and basil, and more.

As a gardener myself, I loved the descriptions of plants and the associations of plants with feelings and experiences. When I look back at some of the times of my life similar to Katie’s, I see those same plants or flowers. I have never reflected on my past in this way, and it was a refreshing walk down memory lane.

My Life in Plants is a unique, touching and adorable read.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book was received as an Advanced Reader's copy (Audiobook) from NetGalley.

My Life in Plants. That's a pretty good title, and one I've found highly relatable. It goes on to be more specific in the sub-title with herbs, flowers, and houseplants. So I thought yes, this is for me. And I'm not saying it wasn't, but I will say, that this book isn't quite what I was expecting from the title and description.

Katie Voz tells her life in little vignettes she associates with a type of plant. The tangy-ness of rhubarb, the romance of roses; all of these have a little story to go along with them. She fits her memories and families and connections into this book.

But the plants really took a backseat to everything else. While each chapter is named for a plant, and it is mentioned in the chapter, it's incidental, and these stories could have been told without the plants in most cases. I was somewhat disappointed, as the promise of plants is what drew me in. Her stories are sweet, and relatable, and that does save the book; but if you go in expecting a garden, you might have the same thoughts I did on the book. It also probably doesn't help that I experienced the audiobook. Voz is an artist and a little browsing after listening to this book showed me that really, the illustrations are probably what make this entire book special. You can't see illustrations in an audiobook, and despite the charming voice of the narrator, you'll only get the memoirs, and not the flowers in this way as well.

Relatable stories, nice narration, but a little lacking in the plant department. I think the best bet with this book would probably be to skip the audio and go for the physical book; the illustrations will probably be key.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

[Jashaswi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really sweet book and was a quick read. The story spins around the author's life with every chapter referenced to a certain plant, which is the best part of it. I loved the way the plants were made a part of each of the events in her life, in highs and lows. happiness and heartbreaks, in new paths and goodbyes. This book felt like a reel playing in my head of the different situations and stages in the life of the author and I very much felt a part of it. It is a truly touching memoir and quite relatable. I really enjoyed it. Also I listened to the audiobook, which was a first for me, and the narrator Taylor Meskimen has this sweet voice to grab your attention to the fullest.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an eARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is honest and very YA 2010. I liked the honesty and felt for the author, but I felt that she had a constant problem: she didn't live up to her vision of herself and her passion, and I think that's why she always felt unhappy. Which made me unhappy, along with her. She was sad, dissatisfied, and when her cat died, I felt she was really unhappy with her boyfriend.

[Marzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slender memoir follows the plants that marked significant passages in author Katie Vaz's life. Some of the passages, in particular about her beloved cat, resonated with me strongly. While the audiobook, narrated by Taylor Meskimen, is lovely, Vaz is actually an illustrator and this memoir is illustrated, which makes me crave visuals. I would note that the pairing of audiobooks with print books is very useful for language learning and those with dyslexia. Please note that the audiobook is a brief 1 hr 35 mins in length, making it an excellent teaching tool for ESL learners.

Please note that this is not a children's book.


I received a digital audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Aiza Idris (biblio_mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was mourning with the loss of Anna, my air plant, the day I picked this up to read. Its just the right moment to realise how much a plant gave me so much memories just like a person or a pet. It may sounds ridiculous, I understand, because I was never attached to a plant before, but thats what happened 😭

Reading this deeply personal memoir somehow motivated me to adopt more plants into my life in hopes to find myself and create memories through the journey of taking care of them.

Its beautiful illustrations are very eye catching and soothing to look at. Kudos to the author whom illustrate the book herself and successfully brought her life snippets alive in these pages!👏🏻 From the passing of her grandfather, breaking up with her boyfriend, prom, to many other important life events, they are honest and relatable.

[Vanessa ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy, Audio. A super cute, little read with not much depth (but definitely some good nuggets of wisdom, especially taking the time to stop and appreciate the little things in life!) for anyone who is a lover of all things flowers/plants.

[Fariha Lubaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: My Life in Plants

Author: Katie Vaz

Genre: Memoir

My rating: 4/5 stars


Author Katie Vaz is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Endicott, New York. She designs her own line of greeting cards, prints and other stationery products. She has authored other books such as 'The Escape Manual for Introverts' and 'Make Yourself Cozy'.

My Life in Plants is author Katie Vaz's very warm, humorous and poignant memoir where she looks back at different stages of her life. The book is full of beautiful illustrations from Katie's early days till her life in her thirties. Each chapter is a flower story of love and growing up.

She illustrated each of the chapters so beautifully, the colours of the flowers that clearly shaped her life and the way she remembers it were really warm. I really really enjoyed her story, but more importantly I couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the illustrations! Such a cute little book. The perfect read on a sunny day when you just want to enjoy your surroundings with a small book you can finish quick. Definitely worth spending time on.

Keep your eyes out for the book! The book will be available for purchase in Amazon on September 1st 2020.

[Tahia · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews at: The Brown Review


Rating: 3.8/5

Recommend: THIS BOOK HAS ILLUSTRATIONS. And it has deliciously creamy pages! If you love plants, cats, and charming stories scattered with beautiful, colorful illustrations. then you will love reading this book. Especially recommended for beginner readers.

My Life In Plants tells the story of Katie Vaz - starting with tales from her childhood and continuing through various events in her life. I picked this book up (in the hypothetical sense since I found it on Netgalley :V) simply because of it's cover and title. It promised a reading experience which I had last felt when seeing the gorgeous illustrations of Nick Sharratt in the countless Jacqueline Wilson novels I read in childhood.



Though not a work of literary fiction, the artwork was definitely on par. Paired with the creamy patterned pages, I think it will be a joy to read as a hardcover!

I had no idea who Katie Vaz was before stumbling across this book. But after reading her stories, the author somehow feels... relatable? At least to an extent. Being a passionate plant lover with a huge soft spot for cats (and plans for graduate study), I think her experiences touched me more than I expected. There were some hints of melancholy which struck surprisingly strong.

The only reason I'm saving the 4+ star rating on this however, is because I wish there were a few more words! If the stories were lengthened into a little bigger chapters instead, it would have been an absolutely perfect read.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life in Plants is a quick and wholly pleasant look at snapshots of the author's life, some things she's learned, and the plants that served as part of her life's backdrop. The illustrations featured beside each chapter added to the experience by matching the warmly introspective tone.

Sometimes it felt like I had written this book, as the stories and musings were so familiar and relatable, especially those related to her cat Spanky. It was comforting to read and reminded me I am not alone. It also caused me to reflect on the plants that have played a part in my own life.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Great short stories about how each plant has touched the author's life. Really enjoyed.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life in Plants // by Katie Vaz // narrated by Taylor Meskimen

I’m a fan of memoirs, especially serious ones that will teach me something, such as those focused on mental health, working abroad, or the medical field. While I was browsing NetGalley though, I came across this and it sounded really cute. It is short at less than 2 hours and I knew I was about to finish up my other audiobook, so why not? It is delightful! It is like a break from the seriousness and a fresh breath of air. I love my other memoirs but this was so fun to listen to!

The narrator has a voice that seems to work for the chapters where the author is young as well as later on when she is older. She has a good rhythm as well that fit the stories perfectly. There are 39 chapters that are very short and each focus on a different plant. Some plants feature more heavily in their segments while others are mention more in passing. But I found it very interesting that so many of her memories are attached to plants and it eventually made me wonder about my own as well, such as eating tomatoes with my mom, collecting cucumbers from her yard with my grandma, and picking strawberries with my dad and friends. I liked how some stories were more serious than others and also how she looked at herself critically, recognizing both the good aspects of her life as well as the areas of herself where she could improve.

Whether you want a slow introduction to memoirs, a change in perspective for your own life, or just a break from more serious reads, I think you should really consider this audiobook! In my Google search for images for my blog post, I also came across the print copy of this book and really liked the illustrations so I’m sure it would be a lovely print book to own as well!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review but ended up reading a hardcover from the library. No regrets.

At first glance, this book seemed to be about the author's experience with various plants. But read on and you'll realise that it's actually a memoir and each plant actually signifies a special memory in her life, which I really enjoyed reading about.

Sunflowers

I love how bright and happy they look. Once they are in full bloom, they are gorgeous. But they are a little gross up close, when you notice tiny spiders and bugs in the center bits. It reminds me of how I feel like I ruin many good things by examining things so finely. From far away, something can seem happy and sweet and beautiful, but if I look up close, I'll find everything wrong with it.

Besides the symbolism, I also appreciate the imagery as to how the author shares vivid descriptions of the plants: Colours, texture, shape etc. As such, I feel that this is a book that's best enjoyed as a physical copy.

3.5 stars rounded down because the author does not come across as a very nice person even after her journey of self-discovery. In fact, I think she is very horrid to her boyfriend (now husband) with her childish expectations and romanticizing ~Instaperfection~.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Life in Plants by Katie Vaz is a pleasant, earnest read. Lovely homey artwork frames biographical vignettes from Katie's life, each story at least nominally involving a plant in Katie's life, from houseplants that died from neglect to a flowering tree she planted long ago with her sister, which is still blooming today. It's not exactly a graphic memoir, but more a heavily illustrated one, and instead of being read by the author, it is illustrated by her. There was some relatable emotional content and personally familiar memories, like picking strawberries for a farm for money, wet plants making for itchy, uncomfortable work for surprisingly little money. But nothing revolutionary.

If ever a memoir could be labelled cozy, this would be it. Yes, there's some heavy themes, such as death and breakups and emotional struggles, not to mention the poor houseplants, but the short length, often only a page, of each vignette, as well as the tone in which they are written, feels calm and nostalgic and didn't leave me feeling very emotional. This isn't a bad thing. It was an easy, reassuring book to read in the midst of hellyear 2020. Attractive and easy on the eye, with stories about plants and families and relationships. Not overly demanding emotionally or intellectually. Able to be read in one sitting. A bit reminiscent of greeting cards, which I believe the author designs as well. If you're looking for a pleasant, relaxing read to help you wile away a few hours, and you enjoy plants and gentle memoirs, this may be a good choice for you.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for sharing a temporary digital advanced copy of #MyLifeInPlants . This is my honest review.

[anji · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an amateur plant mom, once I saw the cover of this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it!

The stories in the book were very interesting to listen to! I'm so happy that I got to find this amazing memoir, as each vignette was so interesting to read. I feel like Katie's life was just interesting enough that I really enjoyed the reading experience, and found myself smiling at some of the stories! This book was short and sweet, and was just a very enjoyable experience for me!

My Life in Plants follows the narrator - Katie Vaz - as she relates plants that she has cared for to important events in her life. Katie Vaz's life and life experiences may be very relatable to read, and this book's whole format (with the plant tie-ins and illustrations) was very unique in creating a memoir and illustrated book!

Though I didn't find the narrator very interesting, this book was simply wonderful.

3.5 stars!

[Karen Mace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audioversion of this book via Netgalley.

This was a sweet, easy listen as the author shares moments of her life through various plants! It is a fun way of looking back at her life and how certain plants remind her of some events and family members. She had a happy upbringing so there's lots of throwbacks to her parents or grandparents introducing her to different aspects of gardening and how, now she is older, she has learnt to appreciate those little moments more and a slower pace of life that a lot of gardening gives you.

Each chapter is very short and snappy and the whole audiobook only lasted for an hour and a half, so it's a little potted (no pun intended!) history of events in her life that have made her the person she is today. From school days, to living abroad by herself, to married life, I found it really easy to listen to and enjoyed her honesty about her flaws!!

[Gaby]

I listed to My Life in Plants this morning while managing chores and tending to my garden. As Katie Vaz talks about types of plants, she shares her memories of the plant and a particular part of her young life. For those of us who have come to enjoy tending to plants or miss green spaces, Vaz's references to the plants as a way to anchor her memories and thoughts make sense.
I found the audiobook of My Life in Plants relaxing and enjoyable. She recounts her own worries, disappointments, mistakes, regrets and everyday joys and Katie Vaz is relatable. Her slow voice and the honesty with which she talks about Facebook envy and wanting to hide while regrouping during her early career days resonates with me. Hearing about her relationship ups and downs and delayed engagement and simple but joyous wedding had me sharing in her happiness. This is like hearing an introverted friend speak honestly about her life and the plants and flowers she enjoys.