Reviews - Not Quite by the Book

486 reviews for:

Not Quite by the Book

Julie Hatcher

3.43 AVERAGE

msalane's review against another edition

2.5

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bookycatlady's review against another edition

3.0

Liked the premise, I enjoy a good “find yourself on the journey” story. I didn’t even mind the heavy focus on Emily Dickinson as a role model - she’s talented and brilliant, so Emma (the protagonist) could do a whole lot worse when selecting a role model.

What’s kinda weird is that Emma is clearly an extrovert who enjoys being needed, meeting people, and living in a busy community, but she is insistent that she must live like Emily Dickinson and learn to be a recluse. Emma does not know herself at all, which she is here in this story to figure out. She is also ridiculously nearsighted with the entire conflict of the story, in which Emma has a secret admirer who sends coded flowers and notes. Babe, who ELSE would it have been?

I also didn’t buy the conflict with her sister Annie. Annie is not painted as a sympathetic character other than being pregnant. She’s kind of a bitch for no reason, and then the reason is not understandable. She’s mad at Emma for being too good of a sister? Okay. And Emma’s parents are dumb af.

Anyway, it’s a cute little story if you don’t think too hard about plot timing and character motivations. The narrator does a good job of being immersive as well.

mckenzijo's review

3.75

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

nikkid_reads's review

3.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I enjoyed this for most of the story… but the end really let me down. I hate when things are literally resolved and then the book ends. This was the next page…. Happy ending, turn the page, and now we’re done. Just left me wanting more.

jennyschr's review

3.5

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mollyerickson's review against another edition

3.0

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A sweet little small-town, grumpy-sunshine story. I loved the bookish vibes and watching the main character (Emma) discover more about herself as she tries to live like Emily Dickinson for an extended vacation.