You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
If you're a Jennifer Weiner fan and have read many of her books, this one is very reminiscent of Goodnight Nobody. It wasn't quite as "beachy" as I was expecting but a great read, nonetheless!
I think I saw this book first in the New York Times Book Review. Because I now subscribe to the Sunday Times and it's my pleasure of the week. Anyway, I had been looking for this book through my library's e-book loan during the pandemic, but it hadn't been released yet. Then I decided I needed one more summer read. Actually I needed ONE summer read. At least that's what it felt like. Much of reading lately has been heavy. Wonderful. But heavy.
Of course, I find Jennifer Weiner's stories to be "easy" and "fun" reads. The stories are just great. But there is usually something in there for me to think about. And this was the perfect book for me at this time.
The story is breezy on its surface and the murder-mystery part is actually kinda fun in a mystery-TV-shows-from-the-80s kinda way. At least in terms of who did it and why and the climax of that part of the story. But at a deeper level, Weiner really has me thinking about online presence, about how I present myself, about what I want from those interactions, about what I tell myself and what I actually live. Also a bit about the complicated nature of friendships, of what we really know about people, and about forgiveness.
Love this book. Love Jennifer Weiner's storytelling. I'm undoubtedly a fan.
Of course, I find Jennifer Weiner's stories to be "easy" and "fun" reads. The stories are just great. But there is usually something in there for me to think about. And this was the perfect book for me at this time.
The story is breezy on its surface and the murder-mystery part is actually kinda fun in a mystery-TV-shows-from-the-80s kinda way. At least in terms of who did it and why and the climax of that part of the story. But at a deeper level, Weiner really has me thinking about online presence, about how I present myself, about what I want from those interactions, about what I tell myself and what I actually live. Also a bit about the complicated nature of friendships, of what we really know about people, and about forgiveness.
Love this book. Love Jennifer Weiner's storytelling. I'm undoubtedly a fan.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mmm maybe 3.5 stars. I was expecting kind of an Elin Hilderbrand type novel based off the brief description and cover, but it ended up completely changing course halfway through and kept my attention til the twist at the end.
I came for the drama and stayed for the murder mystery! This was my ideal beach read: fun and flirty with a heaping side of feminism and self-love. There were so many times I wanted to stand up and applaud the author, but seeing as I was mostly reading this in public places I felt like maybe that would be hard to explain. Far easier for me to just recommend the book and let others feel the wash of understanding I got from this.
Need to think about this one. I liked it but...
RATING: 2.5 STARS
2020; Atria/Simon & Schuster Canada
I loved my first novel ([b:In Her Shoes|14758|In Her Shoes|Jennifer Weiner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435252471l/14758._SY75_.jpg|964332]) by Weiner. Then after reading a few more of her novels, and not finding that same magic, I decided to take a break from reading Weiner. The break lasted a decade until last year when her [b:Mrs. Everything|41592780|Mrs. Everything|Jennifer Weiner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542050003l/41592780._SY75_.jpg|64930505]'s gorgeous cover caught my eye. There it was, the magic again. I loved it and was in for the next book, enter Big Summer. I really liked the first bit of the novel, and then it started to get into "mean girls" territory. But I was still in, and committed. The humour was subtle, and it seemed realistic...boom, a murder. Now we are solving the murder. I was totally expecting a contemporary romance, and then half heartedly a mystery is thrown in and it really didn't fit. I decided to keep listening as I made it this far. Then there was another death from the past, that kind of reminded me of that murder in the Hamptons (I think). I just got lost after that, and then it's over. It started out strong, and then just starts to meander a bit, but it's a good book to read if you are half distracted. I did have an issue with the end of the novel...I can't say anything without giving spoilers...but I will say it's very stereotyped and forced. I am not sure where my future lies with Weiner...but I will definitely need to reread my two favourites at some point.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
RATING: 2.5 STARS
2020; Atria/Simon & Schuster Canada
I loved my first novel ([b:In Her Shoes|14758|In Her Shoes|Jennifer Weiner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435252471l/14758._SY75_.jpg|964332]) by Weiner. Then after reading a few more of her novels, and not finding that same magic, I decided to take a break from reading Weiner. The break lasted a decade until last year when her [b:Mrs. Everything|41592780|Mrs. Everything|Jennifer Weiner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542050003l/41592780._SY75_.jpg|64930505]'s gorgeous cover caught my eye. There it was, the magic again. I loved it and was in for the next book, enter Big Summer. I really liked the first bit of the novel, and then it started to get into "mean girls" territory. But I was still in, and committed. The humour was subtle, and it seemed realistic...boom, a murder. Now we are solving the murder. I was totally expecting a contemporary romance, and then half heartedly a mystery is thrown in and it really didn't fit. I decided to keep listening as I made it this far. Then there was another death from the past, that kind of reminded me of that murder in the Hamptons (I think). I just got lost after that, and then it's over. It started out strong, and then just starts to meander a bit, but it's a good book to read if you are half distracted. I did have an issue with the end of the novel...I can't say anything without giving spoilers...but I will say it's very stereotyped and forced. I am not sure where my future lies with Weiner...but I will definitely need to reread my two favourites at some point.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
Pandering and unimaginative, it tries to take on ideas that are just bad. There aren't really any good ideas here. Every twist was neither shocking nor particularly interesting. It's more "I guess I didn't see that happening and I am still unsure why it did." Outside of that, it's almost a book that doesn't know what it wants to be, one not comfortable in any one skin in a very negative way. Is it a murder/mystery book? a commentary on modern society? a feel good story? a romance? It feels like it's trying to be all of them and none at all and the ideas and plot points aren't interwoven with sufficient skill to keep it from feeling like a disjointed and stilted work.
Really the only reason I bumped it too 2* (one of my closest 1/2* cutoffs) is I do believe Weiner is a good writer of prose and character. It's not ground breaking but it's good in a way where it's easy to read and engaging wordplay and she can describe characters, places, events in an intriguing way. almost like a worn coat, comfortable but never flamboyant or intriguing. The characters feel fleshed out even if the positions they're put in is often head scratching. A weird mix of mostly bad and some eyebrow cocking decent, I'd like to think it's not Weiner's best work and there's a good book by her hand out there but the gulf from the disjointed framework to a full building feels like to far a gulf and I can't imagine myself giving her work another try anytime soon.
Really the only reason I bumped it too 2* (one of my closest 1/2* cutoffs) is I do believe Weiner is a good writer of prose and character. It's not ground breaking but it's good in a way where it's easy to read and engaging wordplay and she can describe characters, places, events in an intriguing way. almost like a worn coat, comfortable but never flamboyant or intriguing. The characters feel fleshed out even if the positions they're put in is often head scratching. A weird mix of mostly bad and some eyebrow cocking decent, I'd like to think it's not Weiner's best work and there's a good book by her hand out there but the gulf from the disjointed framework to a full building feels like to far a gulf and I can't imagine myself giving her work another try anytime soon.
This book did NOT go as expected. Enjoyable ready, love the flashbacks. Curious about how some parts are supposed to really fit together, but love a great surprise plot twist!