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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sweet and not too heavy, touching on concepts like mental health in a relatable way. There are some golden lines for sure, but at times felt wordy and took forever for plot development. Overall a funny and comfortable read with a few cliches or moments that could be seen coming, but dragged on a bit.
I zoomed through this one--very much in keeping with her other books (see my review of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill)--and wish I could give her 3.5 stars. It's longer, so there's a tad more development, but there's still a strong sense of zany "let's pretend!" energy, almost as if Polly (the zaniest of the characters) had written the book herself. The point of view bounces around various characters' minds, often in the same paragraph. Various characters are dealing with various issues, some (in the real world) quite serious, but they get pretty much wrapped up in a few months in Waxman's world, and we don't gain any meaningful insights along the way. It's a fun book, but, again, it doesn't live up to the promise of the first book of the series. While it's entertaining to see the recurring characters, it might be time for Waxman to cut a few of them loose and focus more deeply on fewer (admittedly lively and kind) stories.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had a hard time getting myself to read this book but whenever I did I enjoyed it! It just was not my favorite
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical trauma, Car accident
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol
I loveee Nina Hill and was so excited to see this sequel recently came out! These characters are so quirky and lovable, full of odd facts and inner dialogue bound to make you laugh. When I saw this one at the store and realized it was a sequel to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I immediately bought it. I loved the romance subplot, exploration of a variety of relationships, and the character growth!
Charming sequel to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill with passages of free and direct discourse Jane Austen-style, anthropomorphic pets, and quirky characters. Reading Adult Assembly Required was once again like consuming chicken noodle soup in book form—comforting and heartwarming. BUT this book was too long-winded. I liked the main character Laura quite a bit and liked seeing Nina Hill and co. in another book, but Waxman could easily have told this coming-of-age/love story in a solid 100-150 pages fewer. We needed to pick up the pace! Also I think this was more of a romance than Nina Hill; I liked that Nina's arc was really about her growth as a person and the romance was more secondary; in Laura's story, her growth and her romantic plot are pretty much equal.
Tl;dr; A reliable and cozy read, but it needed to be shorter and wasn't as charming as its predecessor.
Tl;dr; A reliable and cozy read, but it needed to be shorter and wasn't as charming as its predecessor.
3.5 stars. I waited too long after reading the Nina Hill book to start this one, not realizing they were connected. I had to reach deep in my memory for the details of the first book. It was an enjoyable, easy read. I appreciated that the relationship between Bob and Laura was a slow, developed relationship. Too many times in books, it feels like two people go from 0 to 60 in 2 chapters. This felt realistic.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Read- LOVED! Laura moves to LA for PT grad school but also to get away from her critical family of scientists in NYC. A few days after arriving in LA her new apartment building burns down. She has no friends in LA and now no clothes or a place to sleep. In a panic she gets on a bus and finds herself in Larchmont in front of Knights bookstore. (the bookish life of Nina Hill). That ultimately leads her to a place to stay, new friends, new courage, new love ,… All the things she didn't think she needed. Abby Waxman is my new faveauthor. I love how she describes /comments
on
–
makes
me
homesick
.
I
love the friendships she creates. Her books are joyful.
on
–
makes
me
homesick
.
I
love the friendships she creates. Her books are joyful.
Relatively enjoyable beach reach. Does not require a lot of heavy lifting, especially if your expectations are low. While it is a true sentiment, could have used less “it’s ok to need therapy”.