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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
3.5 ⭐️ I very much enjoy this author and the world she’s created, with characters that overlap in her books. I also like the narrator, Emily Rankin; one of my faves! This book had a sweet story, interesting characters and a tidy ending. Solid summer read to kickoff my Summer 2022 reading!
Laura has only recently arrived in Los Angeles for graduate school when her apartment burns down. Her family and ex-fiance are already convinced she’ll fail here, but after two incredibly hard years she’s determined to stick it out on her own. Which is perhaps why she has just agreed to accept an invitation to move into a house from a woman she only met a few minutes ago. But if moving in with a kooky collection of strangers was an impulsive move, it is also a brilliant one. Before she knows it, Laura is building a life in LA - a life with friends, long swims, conquering fears, thrift store attire, community dinners, trivia team victories, and learning to stand up for herself. Oh, and falling in love with her very hot and quiet across the hall neighbor Bob…
When I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I was instantly charmed. Rarely have I read a character who reminded me so much of myself, and I was delighted to see her reappear on these pages almost right away. I went into this book hoping for more of the same, but I have to admit that this book felt a little…scattered to me. There were almost too many characters, and we jumped in and out of their perspectives so quickly–sometimes only for a single sentence!--that it was hard to develop a strong sense of who Laura and Bob were and why they would be so good together. Ultimately this just fell a little flat for me, even though I was rooting for Laura the whole time and loved all the characters individually. A solid three star read from me
When I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I was instantly charmed. Rarely have I read a character who reminded me so much of myself, and I was delighted to see her reappear on these pages almost right away. I went into this book hoping for more of the same, but I have to admit that this book felt a little…scattered to me. There were almost too many characters, and we jumped in and out of their perspectives so quickly–sometimes only for a single sentence!--that it was hard to develop a strong sense of who Laura and Bob were and why they would be so good together. Ultimately this just fell a little flat for me, even though I was rooting for Laura the whole time and loved all the characters individually. A solid three star read from me
The title may have been more accurate with a comma after adult (adult, assembly required). I just wanted a little more of everything.
3.5 stars. So much potential…yet falls short. Great characters, great premise and storyline, yet it seems to just stop short of being fully developed!
e-book ARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Even though it has been a few years since I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I was able to read Adult Assembly Required without missing a beat. Any background information the reader may need is peppered into the dialogue, so this novel can act as a stand alone.
It took me a couple of chapters to become attached to the story and characters. This is probably because all of the characters are able to "think" on the page; slightly different from an omniscient narrator. This structure threw me off at first but I got more used to it the further into the book I read.
The cast of characters is wonderful, and the settings- especially the 'illegal boardinghouse'- are delightful.
Even though it has been a few years since I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I was able to read Adult Assembly Required without missing a beat. Any background information the reader may need is peppered into the dialogue, so this novel can act as a stand alone.
It took me a couple of chapters to become attached to the story and characters. This is probably because all of the characters are able to "think" on the page; slightly different from an omniscient narrator. This structure threw me off at first but I got more used to it the further into the book I read.
The cast of characters is wonderful, and the settings- especially the 'illegal boardinghouse'- are delightful.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is one of my all time favorite books! So you’d better believe that I was all over this book when I found out that Nina and some of the other characters in that book figure heavily in this one. And it didn’t disappoint!
This book is easily a stand alone, and if you love quirky characters and just the right amount of romance, you will love this book. But if you were a fan of Nina Hill, this is a must read!
This book is easily a stand alone, and if you love quirky characters and just the right amount of romance, you will love this book. But if you were a fan of Nina Hill, this is a must read!
I've read all of Abi Waxman's books in the last six months, so finishing this book felt a little bittersweet. On that note, feel free to send me any future ARCs, Ms. Waxman. You know I'll read them! ;)
Reading this book was a fun glimpse back into the world of Nina Hill (and Lilian from The Garden of Small Beginnings). This wasn't my favorite of her books, but I enjoyed being back in their world. I liked Laura, but much of the story felt improbable and the narration bounced around a lot.
Reading this book was a fun glimpse back into the world of Nina Hill (and Lilian from The Garden of Small Beginnings). This wasn't my favorite of her books, but I enjoyed being back in their world. I liked Laura, but much of the story felt improbable and the narration bounced around a lot.
I 100% credit The Bookish Life of Nina Hill for reinstating my love for reading. Therefore I was overjoyed when I walked into the library and this was sitting on the new release shelf. The quirkiness and relatability of Waxman's characters always seems to shine through.