Tash Hearts Tolstoy

By: Kathryn Ormsbee

Narrated by: Meghan Crawford

After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar bloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral.

Her show is a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina - written by Tash’s literary love Count Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy. Tash is a fan of the 40,000 new subscribers, their gushing tweets, and flashy Tumblr GIFs. Not so much the pressure to deliver the best web series ever.

And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL - if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Tash wants to enjoy her newfound fame, but will she lose her friends in her rise to the top? What would Tolstoy do?

©2017 Kathryn Ormsbee (P)2019 Kathryn Ormsbee

Not a fan of the sister sister dynamic

Unlike most people I really liked Tash and didn't find her to be irritating, at least not for the first 65 percent of the book. She did redeem herself in the end but she didn't suffer long, which will definitely upset a lot of people. But most importantly she seems to genuinely change the weird part is that it feels to quick because it happens at the very end. And as for her sister I genuinely disliked her at first then realized that she had more pressures on her and Tash never really understood that and we didn't get to see her be happy, which would've been nice. As for the Heteromantic Asexuality It somehow manages to play a part at the end of the story but not before that. She is announced to be asexual about 45 percent in then about 80 percent in is when a storyline involving her identity is brought up. Sure it was built up pretty well. We say Tash's insecurities in regards to being asexual but she gets over them very quickly as well. She's insecure then she isn't. She's inconsiderate to those around her then she isn't. She never was interested in Paul until she was. I think the story was great they just also had some down sides. Though I don't like long audio books I think this book would've benefited from it being longer.

Love the Representation, Hate the Character.

I loved seeing the asexual representation and how well it was done. That being said, I found little else redeemable in the story. The main character was judgmental, self righteous, and self absorbed. She was so unlikable, I found myself clinging to underdeveloped side characters in an attempt to stay engaged with the plot. The timing was also a bit stilted, but truly no complaint about the prose quality or anything else could surpass my irritation with Tash.

Been Waiting for an Audio of This One!

I’ve been waiting for Tash to get an audiobook since the book was announced! As luck would have it, Kathryn did an AMAZING giveaway with both the paperback AND audio copy.

The story was just as great as I imagined!

I loved the dynamic world that felt so real. Teens producing a web series that goes viral…And everything that comes with growing up and discovering who you are. Tash is not only discovering who she is as a rising YouTube director but also who she is as an asexual youth.

Tash’s story explores the challenges in making art, especially modern art. I loved that she was taken seriously and that the challenges in the industry (the trolls, fear, change). In the same vein, Tash’s fears of falling for someone who doesn’t understand asexuality are fully realized on the page…And I was angry, hurt, and healed for her through the story.

I loved narrator Meghan Crawford’s portrayal of emotion through the story. Highly recommend Tash Hearts Tolstoy when you’re in the mood for a contemporary with a lot of HEART!