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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
lighthearted
slow-paced
This book is about 4 friends who make plans to open a book store together. Then, life happens and they’re all facing tough times. Will they be able to fulfill their
goal?
I think the book had the potential to be better. I liked the idea of the friends coming together to open a new book store, and I loved the book references that they would reference.
The characters, one in particular, were just hot messes. A couple had pretty decent storylines, but one could end up on my list of top 10 most hated. She was insufferable. And there was another storyline that wrapped up in the end that had me thinking, oh hell no he didn’t play that game!
Leslie’s family issues was really good and she’s one of the reasons I hung in there - to see how her story would develop, and to see what would happen with the book store. Her POV could’ve been the sole POV tbh, because there was so much to be fleshed out and hers felt the most real.
The bookstore was more-so a backdrop and when things did kick into motion it was CB towards the end, and too rushed. Also, the friendship breakdown just came out of left field, and was also too rushed along. I kept thinking, you’ve got good bones, don’t do too much, don’t go too far. But she did it anyway so….
Such a great concept and such a gorgeous cover, to be such an ok read. Even though it wasn’t a fave, there are still some really good topics of discussion to be had!! So, + .5 points for that!!
challenging
medium-paced
tense
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was sorely disappointing. I picked it up expecting a wholesome story about friendship, found family with some emotional stuff for sure but OH MY GOD.
First of, these girls don't even seem to be friends. The author tries to play off the snarky comments and snide remarks as simply banter between friends but I have never seen less supportive friends in my life. In every emotional moment with one of the friends, one of the other girls would somehow make it about them. Also when they got into fights not one time were the things they said to each other discussed. You can't just bring up your friends issues with her husband and then move on like nothing happen to 'keep the peace'.
I found all of the characters to be unlikeable and certain plots to be unrealistic. Some emotional outbursts made no sense to me and starting from around the middle of the book this became a hate read. A lot of the major conflicts were mountains out of molehills.
Not one man in this book was redeemable except maybe Kent, Tonis fiance.
The ending was rushed with all of the girls suddenly coming to a grand epiphany that pulled their arc to a close.
Random nitpick but there were a lot of name drops of books almost constantly and I'm gonna be honest I was skimming. If the author wants this to be a cute recommending books thing she should provide a book list at the end. I'm not reading this book to take notes.
First of, these girls don't even seem to be friends. The author tries to play off the snarky comments and snide remarks as simply banter between friends but I have never seen less supportive friends in my life. In every emotional moment with one of the friends, one of the other girls would somehow make it about them. Also when they got into fights not one time were the things they said to each other discussed. You can't just bring up your friends issues with her husband and then move on like nothing happen to 'keep the peace'.
I found all of the characters to be unlikeable and certain plots to be unrealistic. Some emotional outbursts made no sense to me and starting from around the middle of the book this became a hate read. A lot of the major conflicts were mountains out of molehills.
Not one man in this book was redeemable except maybe Kent, Tonis fiance.
The ending was rushed with all of the girls suddenly coming to a grand epiphany that pulled their arc to a close.
Random nitpick but there were a lot of name drops of books almost constantly and I'm gonna be honest I was skimming. If the author wants this to be a cute recommending books thing she should provide a book list at the end. I'm not reading this book to take notes.
Leslie was such a jerk to her dad when it was revealed that she was adopted. I truly could not understand why she was hating on him so damn much. She acted like he had singlehandedly murdered her biological parents.
Yasmeens boyfriend/Daryl was also very unrealistic in how suddenly he was the perfect man and was on the right side of the law again. Yasmeen's situation with her parents was also not talked about or resolved (they thought her winning the lottery was not good cause she didn't work for the money or something).
Toni's big dark past was very underwhelming.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
I was expecting this to be lighter and more focused on the bookstore the four friends were starting together. This was a heavier read but still a page turner. Once I got into it I couldn’t stop. Each friend had so much going on in each of their lives, each story could have been a stand alone but I loved the way they all weaved together and relied on one another. A beautiful book about chosen sisterhood ♥️
funny
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The Bookshop Sisterhood…more like the Sisterhood of drama and toxic relationships. What started out as a sweet and cozy read about a group of friends(Yasmeen, Celeste, Leslie and Toni) who want to open a bookstore together turns into a slew of very messy decisions. I did initially like the start of the book however halfway through it got ...messy.
****SPOLIERS***
Yasmeen is the down on her luck friend that works two jobs to support herself and her elderly parents. Her luck turns when she spontaneously buys a lotto ticket and wins. However, she quickly starts over spending and makes some very poor financial decisions that made me want to smack her upside the head. Her stupid decisions regarding her spending and the lifestyle changes she made along the way made me cringe and say out loud “you stupid B(word)’ multiple times. Also about 70% of the way through the book be prepared for a phone call that includes food based sexy talk, and not in a good way, which made me cringe and skip the scene. I’m not sure if I hate Yasmeen or Celeste more.
Celeste is a successful financial advisor who was recently a victim of a carjacking which left her with severe PTSD. Which starts to affect her marriage. Her husband leaves and despite claiming she loves her ‘Man’ and tells him multiple times over their divorce she loves him and will do anything to get their marriage back she emotionally manipulates him into sleeping with her several times before he leaves for good. However it takes an error on a work project for her to actually go to therapy. Which ends up being the simplest thing she could have done to save her marriage rather than emotionally abuse her husband.
Toni is the social influencer who is being blackmailed by an ex-boyfriend(who went to jail and was recently released) and refuses to talk to her lawyer fiance(The only character I actually like) about it. Instead she spends the book agonizing over the blackmailing and fertility issues she is having.
Leslie is probably the only one of the four friends that somewhat seems normal. Her drama is probably the most relatable however she took way too long to deal with it and resolve that it made me kinda upset. She finds out that she was adopted and while I understand being upset at her adopted dad for not telling her the fact that it took nearly the whole book before she realized that despite not being bio related her dad still took care of her and made her a priority in his life. This woman is in her 30’s and her dad has been a single parent since she was 8. Like come on Leslie. And don’t get me started on the gambling husband that she still allows access to the bank accounts.
For being supposed best friends they seem to fight, nit pick and bomb drop at each other quite a lot. Very much feels like soap opera, toxic and all about the drama rather than a feel good read about a group of friends struggling to open a bookshop. The bookshop idea was more of a subplot to the drama and mess of each character. Each character's stories have their own climax and then it feels very rushed to wrap up the story in the last 20% of the book. After all the fights, nasty words said and secret bombing they just ‘make up’ with one conversation and all is well. Honestly a 2 ½ stars for me. I wanted so badly for it to be better. But the story went downhill for me after 50% of the way in.
****SPOLIERS***
Celeste is a successful financial advisor who was recently a victim of a carjacking which left her with severe PTSD. Which starts to affect her marriage. Her husband leaves and despite claiming she loves her ‘Man’ and tells him multiple times over their divorce she loves him and will do anything to get their marriage back she emotionally manipulates him into sleeping with her several times before he leaves for good. However it takes an error on a work project for her to actually go to therapy. Which ends up being the simplest thing she could have done to save her marriage rather than emotionally abuse her husband.
Toni is the social influencer who is being blackmailed by an ex-boyfriend(who went to jail and was recently released) and refuses to talk to her lawyer fiance(The only character I actually like) about it. Instead she spends the book agonizing over the blackmailing and fertility issues she is having.
Leslie is probably the only one of the four friends that somewhat seems normal. Her drama is probably the most relatable however she took way too long to deal with it and resolve that it made me kinda upset. She finds out that she was adopted and while I understand being upset at her adopted dad for not telling her the fact that it took nearly the whole book before she realized that despite not being bio related her dad still took care of her and made her a priority in his life. This woman is in her 30’s and her dad has been a single parent since she was 8. Like come on Leslie. And don’t get me started on the gambling husband that she still allows access to the bank accounts.
For being supposed best friends they seem to fight, nit pick and bomb drop at each other quite a lot. Very much feels like soap opera, toxic and all about the drama rather than a feel good read about a group of friends struggling to open a bookshop. The bookshop idea was more of a subplot to the drama and mess of each character. Each character's stories have their own climax and then it feels very rushed to wrap up the story in the last 20% of the book. After all the fights, nasty words said and secret bombing they just ‘make up’ with one conversation and all is well. Honestly a 2 ½ stars for me. I wanted so badly for it to be better. But the story went downhill for me after 50% of the way in.