Autumn Chiklis’s first book offers a humorous tale of the struggles that come after graduating summa cum laude. Smothered tells the story of Elouise Hansen, a Columbia grad who moves back in with her folks after finishing school, but before she’s figured out what might come next. And while some parents might balk at the return of a seemingly well-adjusted spawn, Hansen’s mom—the impossible to ignore (or forget) Shelly—can’t imagine her offspring anywhere else. Get ready to laugh out loud at a strained, comical mother-daughter duo with smart, inventive, and very modern storytelling devices.