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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Big Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
'Confessions of a Grammar Queen' is a fun story about a woman who dreamed big and didn't let anyone stop her from pursuing her dreams.
Set in the 1960's, our main character, Bernadette Swift, is a working woman and the first ever copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, aiming to become the first ever female CEO too. The story is a blend of what I wanted Mad Men to be, the struggles of the office women, with a dash of romance, and an emphasis on the feminist movement. And the author does a great job blending all of those together and weaving them into a great story.
Bernadette is, moreover, a clever character as she narrates the story (well, with the help of her dog, who also has a pov in this one!). She and her friends are all so sweet, funny, and supportive of each other that one can't help but root for them.
The romance was also cute, though fortunately, it was left on the sidelines. And yet, the male lead sounded too good to be true, but the overall love story was enjoyable.
The ending, however, was kind of rushed and it could have been handled a bit better.
Finally, the audiobook was splendidly narrated, and the dog voice was funny!
'Confessions of a Grammar Queen' is a fun story about a woman who dreamed big and didn't let anyone stop her from pursuing her dreams.
Set in the 1960's, our main character, Bernadette Swift, is a working woman and the first ever copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, aiming to become the first ever female CEO too. The story is a blend of what I wanted Mad Men to be, the struggles of the office women, with a dash of romance, and an emphasis on the feminist movement. And the author does a great job blending all of those together and weaving them into a great story.
Bernadette is, moreover, a clever character as she narrates the story (well, with the help of her dog, who also has a pov in this one!). She and her friends are all so sweet, funny, and supportive of each other that one can't help but root for them.
The romance was also cute, though fortunately, it was left on the sidelines. And yet, the male lead sounded too good to be true, but the overall love story was enjoyable.
The ending, however, was kind of rushed and it could have been handled a bit better.
Finally, the audiobook was splendidly narrated, and the dog voice was funny!
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first book I have read by Eliza Knight. I really wanted to like it and based on the description, I thought I would. I have read other books recently focusing on women’s equality (The Book Club for Troublesome Women has a similar premise, but I enjoyed it more). This one reminded me more of a Sophie Kinsella book.
Unfortunately, (based on other’s reviews, I see I’m in the minority and that’s ok, because not every story is for everyone) I felt a disconnect with much of the story. I feel like it was trying too hard to be too many things. There were times that I enjoyed a part of the story, such as the book club meetings Bernadette had with the other women feeling the need for equality. However, those parts were brief. When Bernadette is confident- ready to conquer the world, or at least stand up to the men in her company who feel she is beneath them, (even though she is highly qualified and capable of her job), I really loved seeing that side of her. I had a hard time getting a handle on her actual personality for about the first half of the book though.
Then there was the side story of Bernadette’s brother, Ben who was fighting over in Vietnam. Little time was spent on that part of the story, so it seemed more of a side note… to show what else was going on in that era, perhaps.
Another part I felt was an add on was the “dog chapters”. Bernadette’s dog Frank is endearing (and I love dogs). However, the fact that he is giving his perspective on life in several chapters doesn’t really add to the story being told. It just felt like another disconnected piece.
The ending seemed to tidy up a little too neatly for the time span in which things happened.
All in all, I wish the book focused more on developing one or two of the main parts rather than kind of jumping around so much.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Unfortunately, (based on other’s reviews, I see I’m in the minority and that’s ok, because not every story is for everyone) I felt a disconnect with much of the story. I feel like it was trying too hard to be too many things. There were times that I enjoyed a part of the story, such as the book club meetings Bernadette had with the other women feeling the need for equality. However, those parts were brief. When Bernadette is confident- ready to conquer the world, or at least stand up to the men in her company who feel she is beneath them, (even though she is highly qualified and capable of her job), I really loved seeing that side of her. I had a hard time getting a handle on her actual personality for about the first half of the book though.
Then there was the side story of Bernadette’s brother, Ben who was fighting over in Vietnam. Little time was spent on that part of the story, so it seemed more of a side note… to show what else was going on in that era, perhaps.
Another part I felt was an add on was the “dog chapters”. Bernadette’s dog Frank is endearing (and I love dogs). However, the fact that he is giving his perspective on life in several chapters doesn’t really add to the story being told. It just felt like another disconnected piece.
The ending seemed to tidy up a little too neatly for the time span in which things happened.
All in all, I wish the book focused more on developing one or two of the main parts rather than kind of jumping around so much.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Sexual harassment
It’s Lessons in Chemistry meets the publishing world. An enjoyable read with great narrators. I loved the friendships and the support from the book club. There is a small romance that was super sweet.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What an incredible story.
This is perhaps one of the best-written books I’ve ever read. The triumphs, the downfalls, and the history are all well-told and inspiring.
In the words of Reese Witherspoon: “Women’s stories matter,” and this book is essential.
I loved Bernadette so much and was rooting for her from start to finish. I loved her book club and how empowering they were and sought change rather than waiting for it. I enjoyed Bernadette's strength and went after what she wanted while encouraging the others to do the same.
I loved Frank’s chapters; they were such fun additions to the story!
Graham was the perfect companion for her, and I liked how supportive he was of her. He never took credit for her achievements.
This was so inspiring, moving, and important. I’m so happy to have read it.
I did eyes and ears, and the audio was so well done. I really enjoyed the narrators and thought they brought the story to life perfectly.
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is kind of a fluffier version of Lessons in Chemistry. We have a highly intelligent woman pushing for more in a time when it's not common and an dog whose perspective we're treated to.
Bernadette is a junior copy editor at Lenox & Park Publishing, but she's aiming for the CEO position in her future. However to get there she's going to have to overcome a harassment and belittling from her male colleagues and immediate supervisor.
Along the way Bernadette also encourages her friends in her book club to push for women's rights in general, but also to fight for their own personal successes.
This was a good read and I did enjoy it, but I do with Bernadette was a little less perfect. I'd have liked some flaws or event her losing her cool with these crappy men she had to deal with, something that humanized her a bit more and made her a little more layered.
Bonus points for the cameo of Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the book club. I remember the story of her having to tell the school to alternate which parent to call as she worked too.
Bernadette is a junior copy editor at Lenox & Park Publishing, but she's aiming for the CEO position in her future. However to get there she's going to have to overcome a harassment and belittling from her male colleagues and immediate supervisor.
Along the way Bernadette also encourages her friends in her book club to push for women's rights in general, but also to fight for their own personal successes.
This was a good read and I did enjoy it, but I do with Bernadette was a little less perfect. I'd have liked some flaws or event her losing her cool with these crappy men she had to deal with, something that humanized her a bit more and made her a little more layered.
Bonus points for the cameo of Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the book club. I remember the story of her having to tell the school to alternate which parent to call as she worked too.
In this book, we follow Bernadette Swift, a young copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, who is determined to become the first female CEO in the publishing industry. But we are in the 1960s and first she will need to convince her sexist boss that she is as good as a male editor, while trying to keep her attraction for colleague Graham hidden.
This was a really fun read. This book is begging to be adapted into a film or TV show, as the writing is so visual and the author really captures the settings and the characters' clothing. I found myself rooting for the characters struggling to find their place in a man's world. The MMC was a little too perfect and the end of the book wrapped everything up neatly, which some may find annoying, but it did make it a feel-good book for me.
A recommended read for fans of Lessons in Chemistry.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really fun read. This book is begging to be adapted into a film or TV show, as the writing is so visual and the author really captures the settings and the characters' clothing. I found myself rooting for the characters struggling to find their place in a man's world. The MMC was a little too perfect and the end of the book wrapped everything up neatly, which some may find annoying, but it did make it a feel-good book for me.
A recommended read for fans of Lessons in Chemistry.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
inspiring
lighthearted
This is a story to embrace. It reminds us of the power of the 60s with the profound changes in our country.
Some of us remember the days when women were hired as secretaries pouring coffee for male workers. Even when they had comparable jobs, the pay wasn’t equal for years. Most men felt like women should be at home taking care of the children, cooking dinners and cleaning. They never thought women were smart and powerful enough to be in leading roles of companies.
This story took place in NYC with the publishing industry just six decades ago. All along, I was cheering for Bernadette who took risks at her copy-editing job to make an impact for equal rights for women. She used her knowledge of rarely-used words and strength with proofreading to show a superior intellect at her work place. In her free time, Bernadette encouraged women to attend a book club at the library with feminist literature.
The plot was fun and quirky with romance on the side. It was almost too peculiar with a big dog, Frank, who belonged to Bernadette. He had his own chapters and a voice for how he felt. I love dogs and it made me pause thinking about them. However, I felt like Frank took away from the importance of what the author was trying to convey.
The author also included historical presence at the time with the early military presence in South Vietnam. There were some inspiring quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt and a few others. At the end, readers were left with a positive note for the progress made by a few women for a lot of women.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with the expected release date of June 10, 2025.
Some of us remember the days when women were hired as secretaries pouring coffee for male workers. Even when they had comparable jobs, the pay wasn’t equal for years. Most men felt like women should be at home taking care of the children, cooking dinners and cleaning. They never thought women were smart and powerful enough to be in leading roles of companies.
This story took place in NYC with the publishing industry just six decades ago. All along, I was cheering for Bernadette who took risks at her copy-editing job to make an impact for equal rights for women. She used her knowledge of rarely-used words and strength with proofreading to show a superior intellect at her work place. In her free time, Bernadette encouraged women to attend a book club at the library with feminist literature.
The plot was fun and quirky with romance on the side. It was almost too peculiar with a big dog, Frank, who belonged to Bernadette. He had his own chapters and a voice for how he felt. I love dogs and it made me pause thinking about them. However, I felt like Frank took away from the importance of what the author was trying to convey.
The author also included historical presence at the time with the early military presence in South Vietnam. There were some inspiring quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt and a few others. At the end, readers were left with a positive note for the progress made by a few women for a lot of women.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with the expected release date of June 10, 2025.