Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One More with Feeling is the second book I have read by Elissa Sussman, and while I enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, I found this book difficult to get through. I almost DNF'd it three different times.
The novel is broken into two timelines, one from the past where the main character was pop sensation Katee Rose, and now where the main character is Kathleen Rosenberg and is still hoping of living out her dream as a Broadway star.
The chance to do just that arrives when one of her best friends plays is going to be made into a show, where Kathleen should be the main character, after all the part was written for her. The only catch is the director of the play is Cal Kirby, the man she cheated on her ex boyfriend with when she was Katee Rose and they were in a boyband, she hasn't spoken to him since.
From the beginning I found Kathleen insufferable, there were very few parts of the book that I wasn't agitated while reading. She was rude and self absorbed. I say this all the time, I don't mind dislikeable characters in books, but it has to make sense and flow well, this didn't.
During the past timeline parts of the book I was waiting to see how the romance between Cal and Katee blossomed but it kind of seemed to happen out of nowhere. There was a lot of fighting between the two and then kissing etc. it truly didn't make sense.
The characters themselves, other than Kathleen being difficult to read, felt one dimensional and not well thought out. There wasn't much character development. The best friend was sidelined a lot and just seemed angry.
Overall, I do like the idea of the book, but it didn't feel well executed.
The novel is broken into two timelines, one from the past where the main character was pop sensation Katee Rose, and now where the main character is Kathleen Rosenberg and is still hoping of living out her dream as a Broadway star.
The chance to do just that arrives when one of her best friends plays is going to be made into a show, where Kathleen should be the main character, after all the part was written for her. The only catch is the director of the play is Cal Kirby, the man she cheated on her ex boyfriend with when she was Katee Rose and they were in a boyband, she hasn't spoken to him since.
From the beginning I found Kathleen insufferable, there were very few parts of the book that I wasn't agitated while reading. She was rude and self absorbed. I say this all the time, I don't mind dislikeable characters in books, but it has to make sense and flow well, this didn't.
During the past timeline parts of the book I was waiting to see how the romance between Cal and Katee blossomed but it kind of seemed to happen out of nowhere. There was a lot of fighting between the two and then kissing etc. it truly didn't make sense.
The characters themselves, other than Kathleen being difficult to read, felt one dimensional and not well thought out. There wasn't much character development. The best friend was sidelined a lot and just seemed angry.
Overall, I do like the idea of the book, but it didn't feel well executed.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was so confused by the pacing of this novel. It went from 0 to 60 so quickly I had to double check that I didn't accidentally skip 10 chapters... It felt very rushed which meant the drama of it all did not pack the punch the author had intended. Not to mention all of the Broadway plot was mostly skipped over and recapped secondhand by the main character in very brief, short blurbs (in one chapter they're prepping for their first show in Rhode Island and the next they've secured a Broadway production????).
Speaking of the main character, Kathleen is insufferable and selfish and I couldn't wait to be finished with her "I'll whine about it but not do anything to fix it or be a more considerate person" attitude. Cal and Harriet deserved so much better from her.
Finally, I must admit, I had no clue this book was about musical theater until I started reading it, and that's... Not my thing. I understood exactly zero references.
Redeeming qualities: realistic dialogue, witty characters, mostly cute banter between love interests, glimpses into the past every few chapters, and a cat named Fish.
Speaking of the main character, Kathleen is insufferable and selfish and I couldn't wait to be finished with her "I'll whine about it but not do anything to fix it or be a more considerate person" attitude. Cal and Harriet deserved so much better from her.
Finally, I must admit, I had no clue this book was about musical theater until I started reading it, and that's... Not my thing. I understood exactly zero references.
Redeeming qualities: realistic dialogue, witty characters, mostly cute banter between love interests, glimpses into the past every few chapters, and a cat named Fish.
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The characters are flat and I didn’t care about their relationship. The two timelines could have been interesting, but didn’t help.
I stopped at 50%.
I stopped at 50%.
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
3.5 stars, typical then/now romance with a musical theatre twist :) actually fucking hated the kathleen/harriet dynamic though, that is absolutely not how best friends act. maybe oldest friends but not your one and only ally.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes