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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
This was to addiction what "Orange is the New Black" is to prison. Cute, humorous, kept my attention, but disturbingly sugar coated. Also, Jennifer Weiner is clearly super excited to live in the Philadelphia area and enjoy the cultural offerings of its Jewish population, but I'm pretty sure moms from Haverford don't drive to the Cherry Hill JCC on a regular basis. And maybe she could mention Cherry Hill a few more times so that we absolutely get the message that her protagonist is a Jewish suburbanite (Although if you're not from that area, would you even understand/care?) That said, I'll definitely listen to more of her audiobooks in the car - it was a cute, enjoyable story, but probably not anything I'd spend time reading at home.
One of my favs of this author. Much better dialogue. Would like to know why she wrote it or how she got the incredible detail.
MMD Challenge - Reading for Fun: excited to borrow but haven't read yet
MMD Challenge - Reading for Fun: excited to borrow but haven't read yet
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This story was emotional and heartbreaking. It is one of the best books I have read this year.
I am hovering between a 2 or 3 star rating. I can't say I didn't like it, but at the same time it was just okay. I thought Allison was weak and whiny. She takes pills because her father is ill, her daughter is a handful, her mother is absent, her husband is not exactly what she wants, etc. etc. At the same time, she has a great job that fell into her lap, she has a big house and enough money to pay for these pills. It's called LIFE! I'm sorry, but there are people out there with way worse problems and she came across as snobbish and spoiled. I do, however, somewhat understand how a person could become addicted to these prescription medications, it seems there's a story in the new about it every day. I guess this book was just not what I was expecting. I really would have liked to read David's POV. I think reading about someone else looking at her addiction would have been more interesting. Wow, reading back through this review, I make it sound like a horrible book! It's really not, it has good points, especially when she is finally in rehab.
I felt let down with the ending, I thought maybe the main character would do something about the outdated rehab material, or the rehab facility. She seemed so fired up about it, and then nothing.
I found myself thinking about this book at night, because it felt real, like it could happen to any of us. I thought Jennifer Weiner did a great job of showing us Allison's spiral downwards, and her denial and steps of recovery. I would recommend this book.
Update Dec 2020: I liked this book as much as last time, but I think for different reasons. I found Allison’s denial and steps to recovery more interesting than I did before - it felt realistic. Some parts felt a little slow, but all in all, I still thought this book was well done!
Update Dec 2020: I liked this book as much as last time, but I think for different reasons. I found Allison’s denial and steps to recovery more interesting than I did before - it felt realistic. Some parts felt a little slow, but all in all, I still thought this book was well done!
I have enjoyed all of Jennifer Weiner's books. I was really looking forward to this one, but it just didn't hold up for me. As someone who has watched a family member struggle with addiction, I know how difficult it can be. I think Jennifer Weiner had good intentions, but everything seemed very sugar-coated. The lead character, Allison, skates by in everything, and even her rock-bottom wasn't at the level most addicts have to reach. It's not possible to "escape" from a rehab facility, and addiction isn't something that is just fixed and tied up in a happy ending. 2 stars, but I'm looking forward to her next one, hoping it will be as good as her past ones have been.
Absolutely fantastic- one of Weiner's best novels yet. It's a heartbreaking tale of how addiction happens and how it impacts our families and friends. I found myself nodding and agreeing with so many parts of this book- it was very authentically written and honest.
However.
Anyone who knows Weiner and follows her on Twitter knows the battle she fights on behalf of all "chick lit" writers everywhere. Girl, don't think I missed your "strident" comment. At times I felt Allison's character got lost in one of Weiner's rants about feminism. But I'm nitpicking. Overall, I loved this book.
However.
Anyone who knows Weiner and follows her on Twitter knows the battle she fights on behalf of all "chick lit" writers everywhere. Girl, don't think I missed your "strident" comment. At times I felt Allison's character got lost in one of Weiner's rants about feminism. But I'm nitpicking. Overall, I loved this book.
Very easy read. Scary account of pain killer addiction.