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jennifer_alexis's review
4.0
I absolutely loved this. Just the book I needed to help me after losing my favorite aunt. I didn't care for one character/story so that's why I didn't rate is a 5*
rubyred95's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.0
djohan's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
lorenraquel1's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.0
shannonphillips's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
beckyrendon's review
4.0
Adorable is the wrong/right word for Back in the Burbs. Both crazy and down to earth, this story is filled with mayhem, fun, and love.
Dealing with everything life throws at her, Mallory is stretched thin. Divorce, drama, a house, and an unrelenting HOA are pulling her attention (and her limbs) in different directions. DRAWN AND QUARTERED IN THE BURBS is a little too macabre. But I'm pretty sure the authors would have nailed it anyway. Lol. Full of shenanigans, uplofting fun, and sheer madness, Back in the Burbs will keep you grinning the whole way through!
Dealing with everything life throws at her, Mallory is stretched thin. Divorce, drama, a house, and an unrelenting HOA are pulling her attention (and her limbs) in different directions. DRAWN AND QUARTERED IN THE BURBS is a little too macabre. But I'm pretty sure the authors would have nailed it anyway. Lol. Full of shenanigans, uplofting fun, and sheer madness, Back in the Burbs will keep you grinning the whole way through!
jailynnw_jamie's review
2.0
Okay this book has some issues. Namely, it's too long. While being under 400 pages, it felt like it was 600. The main reason is there aren't any time jumps and chapters end in weird places for no reason. Example: one chapter would end on a thought and immediately pick up in the same moment with a reaction to the thought in the next chapter. This is fine and a way to build suspense but when it's done for every single chapter and needlessly, since this is not a who-done-it or anything, it just dragged out moments that didn't need to be dragged out.
As for the characters... they're fine. Mallory and Nick and really everyone else are pretty standard. There is nothing overly interesting about them and I saw multiple "reveals" coming a mile away. (Like who didn't see Nick as the benevolent lawyer coming from the first time he is introduced?) I also wasn't really a fan of Mallory in general. Her story began strong. I had moments of laughing at some of her antics, then it just got redundant and because of that I got bored. This could have been a result of the story being day-to-day retellings. (I don't need to read four chapters of her cleaning out other room- or about HOA fees) This is where the story suffered the most for me. I was tired of reading the same thing over and over. Time jumps, condensing moments or only bringing up big discoveries in Aunt Maggie's house would have trimmed the unnecessary stuff.
Now the actual story had great bones, it could have been something I loved and wanted to read over and over again- alas this is not the case. I think the author has a lot of good skills, some talent for humor, but needs to work on streamlining the overall tale. I don't need to be in Mallory's hour-to-hour life to understand: 1) her aunt had mental problems [this is repeated about a hundred times], 2) there is a lot of debt involved and she's running out of money, 3) she was used by her husband and didn't live the life she wanted, 4) she has a lot of baggage.
All of these points are shoved so hard that I could almost anticipate her thoughts before she thought them. The side characters honestly deserved better. Mallory wasn't a great friend. She was kinda snobby and unlikable. Nick was too nice for her- he deserved better as well. Mallory's jealousy over her sister was so predictable it was sad.
So there it is: it could have been better. The structure was there. The execution needed another edit.
As for the characters... they're fine. Mallory and Nick and really everyone else are pretty standard. There is nothing overly interesting about them and I saw multiple "reveals" coming a mile away. (Like who didn't see Nick as the benevolent lawyer coming from the first time he is introduced?) I also wasn't really a fan of Mallory in general. Her story began strong. I had moments of laughing at some of her antics, then it just got redundant and because of that I got bored. This could have been a result of the story being day-to-day retellings. (I don't need to read four chapters of her cleaning out other room- or about HOA fees) This is where the story suffered the most for me. I was tired of reading the same thing over and over. Time jumps, condensing moments or only bringing up big discoveries in Aunt Maggie's house would have trimmed the unnecessary stuff.
Now the actual story had great bones, it could have been something I loved and wanted to read over and over again- alas this is not the case. I think the author has a lot of good skills, some talent for humor, but needs to work on streamlining the overall tale. I don't need to be in Mallory's hour-to-hour life to understand: 1) her aunt had mental problems [this is repeated about a hundred times], 2) there is a lot of debt involved and she's running out of money, 3) she was used by her husband and didn't live the life she wanted, 4) she has a lot of baggage.
All of these points are shoved so hard that I could almost anticipate her thoughts before she thought them. The side characters honestly deserved better. Mallory wasn't a great friend. She was kinda snobby and unlikable. Nick was too nice for her- he deserved better as well. Mallory's jealousy over her sister was so predictable it was sad.
So there it is: it could have been better. The structure was there. The execution needed another edit.
jodeezle's review against another edition
5.0
This book was great.
I fell in love with Nick at his first 'you need to mow the lawn'.
Mallory is a recently separated and on her way to being divorced. She has inherited a house from her aunt Maggie which comes at just the right time, as she has been staying with her parents. When she gets to her aunts house it's not quite what she was expecting, but like her with time she will have both her life and the house under control.
Nick is her neighbor, across the street, who was friends with her aunt. He was there for her aunt when Mallory wasn't. He offers to help her when it comes to cleaning out the house and on her divorce. As they grow closer their relationship changes. The question is, is Mallory able to move past her horrible ex-husband who treated her terrible and took advantage of her. It's going to take someone special to show her that not all men, especially if they are attorneys like her ex-husband, are as dumb and horrible as her ex.
This book was a wonderful fast read. I picked it because of the cover and because I have loved every book that Avery Flynn has written. This book, although not hers alone, did not disappoint. This is a book that everyone should read. It has everything, family issues, romance, self realization and long grass. It was funny and there was even a point where I was glad I was reading on my nook. Because had I been reading a paperback I would have thrown the book.
I will definitely be recommending this to my friends.
I fell in love with Nick at his first 'you need to mow the lawn'.
Mallory is a recently separated and on her way to being divorced. She has inherited a house from her aunt Maggie which comes at just the right time, as she has been staying with her parents. When she gets to her aunts house it's not quite what she was expecting, but like her with time she will have both her life and the house under control.
Nick is her neighbor, across the street, who was friends with her aunt. He was there for her aunt when Mallory wasn't. He offers to help her when it comes to cleaning out the house and on her divorce. As they grow closer their relationship changes. The question is, is Mallory able to move past her horrible ex-husband who treated her terrible and took advantage of her. It's going to take someone special to show her that not all men, especially if they are attorneys like her ex-husband, are as dumb and horrible as her ex.
This book was a wonderful fast read. I picked it because of the cover and because I have loved every book that Avery Flynn has written. This book, although not hers alone, did not disappoint. This is a book that everyone should read. It has everything, family issues, romance, self realization and long grass. It was funny and there was even a point where I was glad I was reading on my nook. Because had I been reading a paperback I would have thrown the book.
I will definitely be recommending this to my friends.