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bbrillie's review
2.0
i wish this book had actual substance bc it could’ve been SO good. the changing povs were unnecessary and read like Jersey Shore confessionals
chris deserves the world though ily chris
chris deserves the world though ily chris
lynguy1's review
4.0
Swan Huntley’s latest novel, Getting Clean with Stevie Green, is thought-provoking, sad at times, and occasionally humorous. Stevie Green’s mom has called and asked her to help her downsize and move into her new home. Stevie is so successful, she decides to start her own decluttering business. Additionally, at thirty-seven, she has decided to give up binge drinking and sleeping with strange men. While her life was derailed by a high school scandal, she was already secretly on a path of alcohol and drugs. She never realized her dreams. The seemed to become addicted to fresh starts. In fact, she doesn’t really know what or who she wants to be now except number one on the Organizely application. What could go possible wrong when she is living in her home town of La Jolla, California, the place of her painful memories.
While most of the book is from Stevie’s POV, there are some insights from Chris, Brad, Bonnie, and Kit. One thing that took me a while to get used to was Stevie seemingly talking to the reader. Her character is one that cries out for empathy at times, but is hard to like at other times.
Stevie’s background story is unveiled gradually. While she has found a purpose, will it last or will she need another fresh start? The novel has several themes running through it including hope, addiction, alcohol, betrayal, lies, mistakes, internet dating, friendship, family, social media, love, and forgiveness.
Overall, I enjoyed this change-of-pace story, but felt saddened that Stevie allowed one event to derail 20 years of her life. Will she finally get her life together?
Gallery Books and Swan Huntley provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for January 25, 2022.
While most of the book is from Stevie’s POV, there are some insights from Chris, Brad, Bonnie, and Kit. One thing that took me a while to get used to was Stevie seemingly talking to the reader. Her character is one that cries out for empathy at times, but is hard to like at other times.
Stevie’s background story is unveiled gradually. While she has found a purpose, will it last or will she need another fresh start? The novel has several themes running through it including hope, addiction, alcohol, betrayal, lies, mistakes, internet dating, friendship, family, social media, love, and forgiveness.
Overall, I enjoyed this change-of-pace story, but felt saddened that Stevie allowed one event to derail 20 years of her life. Will she finally get her life together?
Gallery Books and Swan Huntley provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for January 25, 2022.
rapgamenancyreagan's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
5.0
marieintheraw's review
3.0
Overall, I have not felt this conflicted about a book since Girl in Pieces because I was sad and still thought about a lot, but I could not tell if it was healthy.
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
georgia_jaycee's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
swymore2692's review
3.0
Stevie Green is back in her hometown of La Jolla, CA and she is cleaning up. Quickly becoming one of the top professional organizers in the city, she is sober and coming face to face with some ghosts from her past. Right when she feels like she has it all under control, who should show up but her sister, Bonnie, fresh off a breakup and ready to be roomies. As Stevie and Bonnie become a clutter-busting team, there’s one thing Stevie still isn’t coming clean about - even to herself.
I really enjoyed the book. This is a book where you can see where it’s going, but thoroughly enjoy watching it get there. The characters in this book were not quite as developed as I prefer, but they were likable and fun. The dialogue between Bonnie and Stevie was hilarious and probably my favorite part of the book.
I recommend the book for a good light read. I feel like the potential is there for this book to be so much deeper than it is, so much more emotional and bittersweet, but that’s not to say I didn't enjoy it for what it is. I’m just one of those annoying people who says things like, “It’s great the way it is, but….it could be so much more!” I do it at dinner, too. “You know what these potatoes need?” That’s me to the person who just made me the yummy potatoes, thinks the potatoes don’t need anything, thank you very much, and probably wants me to shut my big yap. But…wow, this book could have packed a huge punch. While it fell a little short for me, Huntley absolutely has the talent to knock it out of the park and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
This book just came out earlier this week on Feb. 1, 2021 - look for it at your favorite local bookshop!
Thanks to Swan Huntley, Gallery Books and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.
I really enjoyed the book. This is a book where you can see where it’s going, but thoroughly enjoy watching it get there. The characters in this book were not quite as developed as I prefer, but they were likable and fun. The dialogue between Bonnie and Stevie was hilarious and probably my favorite part of the book.
I recommend the book for a good light read. I feel like the potential is there for this book to be so much deeper than it is, so much more emotional and bittersweet, but that’s not to say I didn't enjoy it for what it is. I’m just one of those annoying people who says things like, “It’s great the way it is, but….it could be so much more!” I do it at dinner, too. “You know what these potatoes need?” That’s me to the person who just made me the yummy potatoes, thinks the potatoes don’t need anything, thank you very much, and probably wants me to shut my big yap. But…wow, this book could have packed a huge punch. While it fell a little short for me, Huntley absolutely has the talent to knock it out of the park and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
This book just came out earlier this week on Feb. 1, 2021 - look for it at your favorite local bookshop!
Thanks to Swan Huntley, Gallery Books and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.
bofrazer's review
5.0
I loved this, although there were some cringe moments when our mc makes bad decisions with substance abuse etc. I found it mostly hilarious, but ultimately it’s sweet. Definitely going to check out the author’s earlier work.
nicke's review
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
3.5
booksandharps's review
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Suicide and Homophobia
abookishmagpie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I truly am not sure how to feel about this book. It was the most random pick inspired by a suggestion to me on my library's website and it has left me in the most random of moods after reading it. In the novel Stevie Green has moved home after a reckless and nomadic last twenty years and started her own decluttering business. We get some other perspectives which works to give us the readers more information, but also gets kinda weird because the chapters are written so aggressively first person it feels like a person is looking you dead in the eye and telling you their story. Slowly bits and pieces of Stevie's past are revealed and it paints a picture as to how and why Stevie is a pretty messed up person. The long and short of it is that I didn't hate this book but I also didn't love it...or even feel much at all. The writing was fine, the pacing was okay and the storyline made sense and revealed itself in a decent way, but still I am left just shoulder shrugging my final thoughts. The ending was a little lack luster in that the big clash happens and then is resolved and wrapped up in mere pages. So yeah...it was just a interesting experience in that I kept reading and never questioned if it was because I loved it and needed to know the ending or if I hated it and wanted it over. I can't really recommend it because I have no idea who to suggest it too, but I also wouldn't advise against reading it either.