Laura HankinBesprekingen

While there was a period where everything was trying to pitch itself as the next Gone Girl, it seems like some of that has shifted over into trying to be the next Daisy Jones & The Six. This book is following the latter path but swaps in the early 2000s and television for the 1970s and music. It tells the story of the cast reunion of a once-beloved teenybopper show, whose four stars have all found themselves in different corners of the world: male lead Noah is a well-liked working actor on the cusp of movie stardom, female lead Summer Wright became a tabloid fodder “trainwreck” after the live finale of the show’s second season went sideways, the best friend type Liana is an athlete’s wife and Instagram influencer, and the villain, Kat (our protagonist) has left the industry entirely and works as an attorney. The story is told in dual timelines, during the show’s heyday and as the cast prepares for the reunion, and while it isn’t necessarily an especially great book from a prose or characterization perspective (and doesn’t actually say anything all that revelatory about the celebrity culture of the era), it is very much a page-turner, easy to get drawn into and hard to put down.

Natalie and Rob are best friends to the newly engaged couple Gabby and Angus. When they first meet, sparks fly, and their banter is hilarious. As the wedding approaches, Maid of Honor, Natalie, becomes a published novelist. She’s optimistic her book will be successful until she receives a one-star review for it on Goodreads. Already fearing her relationship with Gabby will inevitably change, Natalie starts to spiral.

This was the slowest of slow burn romances, but I kept turning pages, eager to see when these two awkward people finally commit to their attraction for each other. In the end, this is the story of the evolution and growth of each relationship in Nat's and Rob's lives. After nearly 10 years of bumping into and hate-lusting each other, the planets align. 4 stars from me for this One-Star Romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Shelf Awareness and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Got this one in my subscription box.

Easy to read story about the dark underbelly of rich, beautiful Moms in Manhattan. It has a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Could totally imagine this as a movie.

Great funny mom book show how desperate we can be for approval and how much we need each other. Good vacation read...read it in one day

I was hooked from the moment I opened the book, and didn't stop until the end,

As a young adult, Kat was in a hit TV. show featuring four teenagers who formed a band. Kat was cast as the jealous mean girl, Noah, the lead male, Summer, the lead female, and Liana the token minority character. After a dramatic and emotional live finale, the four cast members drifted info very different lives. Years later, the idea of a reunion is pitched and they are all drawn back into the past and what they did.

This was a fantastic book, I absolutely loved it! The characters were well developed, well rounded, and highly relatable. The plot unraveled nicely, leaving me in suspense. I would love to read more from this author! 5 out of 5 stars.

The Daydreams by Laura Hankin is a highly recommended reunion novel about the stars of a popular teen show in 2004.

In 2004, the wildly popular teen TV show "The Daydreams" featured four teens who sang and danced. Summer was the star and played an innocent girl next door. Noah was the handsome heartthrob. Kat was the mean girl and Lillian was the best friend of the three. Then, during the live season two finale, it all fell apart in a spectacular manner leaving the story arc unfinished and the four went on to other things.

In 2018, Summer's life has been covered widely in tabloids, as she was in and out of rehab and relationships. Katherine (Kat) is now a lawyer in Washington, DC. and on the partnership track. Liana is well known as the wife of a famous athlete and social media influencer. Noah has continued in the entertainment industry and is a star. When Noah is asked about a reunion of "The Daydreams" during an interview, he shockingly says he'll do it if the other three agree. This sets a reunion special into motion.

The entertaining narrative alternates between 2018 and 2004 and is mainly told through Kat's point-of-view, with some insights from the others, along with tabloid articles and journal entries. The realities the group faced as young stars is portrayed along with their struggles, successes, and secrets. The plot is well-paced and compelling throughout as the scandals and secrets of each character are exposed. The realities of the double standards and toxic atmosphere in the entertainment industry is evident in the narrative.

There is a great deal of intrigue as each character is developed since each of the four have their own reasons for coming back to the reunion show. They are all portrayed as fully realized, interesting individuals. And there are several surprises along the way. The Daydreams should be very enjoyable to those who followed various teen TV dramas in the early 2000s.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/05/the-daydreams.html

Mama Drama! This playgroup does not mess around when it comes to taking care of their babies, making sure they have all kinds of opportunities for brain development and gently letting their followers on social media know how much better they are than others.

I thought the ending was wrapped up maybe a little too neatly, but I did appreciate the author's efforts in making sure that all of the characters either got resolution or got what was coming to them.

My biggest issue with this book was that Vagabond's name sounds a lot like Vagabon and Laetitia's music is nothing like anything described in the fictional world!

This had a few plot elements that felt random, but was so much fun to read. Excellent characters and some fun commentary on Momstagramming. I'm sad there wasn't as much music as I'd hoped though.

I loved this book! I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. This book is worth staying up late to finish!

3.5 stars
This was my May 2020 Book of the Month selection.
File this under books with the most insane third acts because oh boy. Has similar vibes to The Nanny Diaries for me but less profoundly sad

An okay book. I think I am tired of reading about women who want it all and cannot have it

This Is My Book Clubs Pick For June!



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Plot:



Claire, a young musician and song writer, has been dropped by her band just before they launched into stardom. She sinks into nothingness, deleting all social media, refusing to sing, or write, and contemplating how she spent so much time on that career to have nothing left.



Then her bank account hits zero, and she takes a job her best friends shoves at her - children's singer for a private wealthy NY playgroup. Sucked into a world of "momfluencers" - picture perfect homes, babies, juice cleanses and spin class.







Claire is surprised to discover how much she like these women, and as she gets more involved into their friendship circle, the cracks start to appear- and the dark secrets begin to surface.



Review:



This was a really fun read- perfect timing for 2 months deep into lock down. #quarantineread



Big chick-lit vibes in this one- think Sex in the City meets your local mums play group. Filled with all the fun and drama you can expect with when money meets toddlers, but Hankin still managed to take time to shine a light on the issues that arise from "keeping up with the Jones'" and "mommy influencers" on social media.



Filled with entertaining and over the top drama, I highly recommend it if you are a mum looking for laughs, or a single lady having a mid-life crisis!











I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Happy & You Know It. Have you read this? Tell me what you thought!


Feel free to comment below or on my 'bookstagram' at @ReadWithWine .
This review was originally posted on ReadWithWine

Happy & You Know It is basically a beach read on steroids. I was looking for some escape reading and hade a perfect mix of twists and humor. It’s fast-paced, witty and a little dark.

While it was a little out there with the exaggerated plot, it totally worked in so many ways. It had a relatable take on upper-class new motherhood, social media and other cultural phenomena.

You either loved or hated these characters which were part of the appeal. It was super readable, engaging and not as predictable as I originally thought. I found this book to be was the perfect brain candy that was the perfect balance of being ridiculous and totally relatable at the same time. This would make the perfect vacation read I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy.

Pandemic read set in NYC, which is where I want to be right now (stupid pandemic) so reading a book set there made me happy (and I know it.)½

4.5 Stars This book is fun. Mom group drama and shenanigans. This was the right book at the right time for me. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and reading about the NYC lifestyle these ladies had.½

This book has been highly rated this year. I assumed it would be a fun look at the overly rich and their competitive, superficial lives. This was not that book. It was much more.

Claire is not rich; in fact she's practically destitute and is hired by a group of wealthy women to play music in their playgroup. The women are all wealthy but unique varying from an Instagram influencer, a woman missing her job, a couple of bffs, an extremely wealthy know-it-all, and a space case. Claire becomes involved in and admires these women. Then she uncovers a dark secret or two.

I'd recommend this novel as a form of escapism from the difficulties of 2020 but also for a good story.

Claire’s been replaced as lead singer in her former band and now she has to find a new gig. She takes a job singing to a playgroup where she’s to provide entertainment for the youngsters of the privileged. But, oh, those moms. they’re the influencers, so into “Wellness’ juice cleanses and expensive vitamins. Claire surprises herself when she discovers she actually likes these women and how easily things seem to come for them. Then she begins to realize that if you scrape the surface things aren’t so perfect. There are secrets best not known. If you’re looking for a summer book with lots of twists and turns, rich moms, and lots of fun, consider this book.

The twist at the end, while welcomed, doesn't redeem the book.½

4.5 Stars.

This book was a surprise hit with me. I just couldn't put it down. This novel really hit all of my 'good' buttons. Snarky rich New York City new mommies, a down at her luck musician, perfect and not so perfect babies and a really great new vitamin called TrueMommy!

Now throw into the mix affairs, drugs, revenge, and Instagram, shake gently, and you have the perfect beach read.

Wonderfully well fleshed, believable characters, a unique plot, some pretty cool secrets and well turn phrases made this book a joy to read. The twisted ending was a genuine surprise and a pleasure.

Although I may not be in the 'proper" age bracket for this book -I'm over 60, and the characters are much younger than I-I still found this a great read, and I think all age brackets will enjoy this novel.

I will be recommending this to everyone this summer.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.½

This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & MoreReview
I've got a lot of love for this book, and have recommended it to everyone! The relationship between best friends is amazing, and I think this book portrays that perfectly.

The story is told from two perspectives, Ally and Beth. They've been friends since they were children and then one day they just drifted apart. Beth's grandmother moving out of her house brings them back together and forces them to see where their friendship stands.

Ally is very much an artistic type. She's a musician and tends to go with the flow. (One of the things I love about her) Beth is very controlled and likes to have a plan. It's a shock that they are even friends sometimes. Each of them has gone through a major thing and feel let down by the other. I love both of these characters. They both have their faults and great qualities. It's finding the balance to deal with their lives and still be a part of each other's life.

I think the thing I loved about this book is that while there's a bit of possible forming romance, it's not the main focus. I always love stories about friends. We get to see the ups and downs, and sometimes how hard it is to maintain a friendship. I think their misunderstanding of what happened on a specific day is important in showing how they drifted apart. Both feel alone after the absence of each other, and it takes a lot of work for them to try to be how they were before adulthood.

If you like books about friends, then this is definitely for you!!!

Well, after my last book, I needed a light fluffy end of summer read. That's exactly what this was. Not bad, not great, several eye rolls but what else is a summer read? About best friends and their drama set in Maine where Beth's grandmother must pack up her house andOve into assisted living. See? I told you!½