Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman

Title: Adult Assembly Required

Author: Abbi Waxman

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 374

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be homeless after a week. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t start that fire — right?) She also doesn't expect to find herself adopted by a rogue bookseller, installed in a lovely but completely illegal boardinghouse, or challenged to save a losing trivia team from ignominy…but that’s what happens. Add a regretful landlady, a gorgeous housemate and an ex-boyfriend determined to put himself back in the running and you’ll see why Laura isn’t really sure she’s cut out for this adulting thing. Luckily for her, her new friends Nina, Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob aren't sure either, but maybe if they put their heads (and hearts) together they’ll be able to make it work.

This sorta sequel to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill fell a bit flat for me. There’s something about the frantic/manic writing style of Waxman that started to annoy me at the pages went on. I tired so much after so many abrupt transitions and quirky writing. And then we get to the characters and I just wasn’t connect with any of those at all. It felt like we were trying to create stereotypical or even cartoon characters instead of real people. It just wasn’t believable as a group of real friends. In the end everything came together with a neat little bow and I just didn’t buy it at all…

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman

Title: I Was Told It Would Get Easier

Author: Abbi Waxman

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 346

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Challenge

Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.

For Emily, it's a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her new and more exciting future. Not that she's sure she even wants to go to college, but let's ignore that for now. And maybe the other kids on the tour will like her more than the ones at school. . . . They have to, right?

For Jessica, it's a chance to bond with the daughter she seems to have lost. They used to be so close, but then Goldfish crackers and Play-Doh were no longer enough of a draw. She isn't even sure if Emily likes her anymore. To be honest, Jessica isn't sure she likes herself.

Together with a dozen strangers--and two familiar enemies--Jessica and Emily travel the East Coast, meeting up with family and old friends along the way. Surprises and secrets threaten their relationship and, in the end, change it forever.

A cute little story about a mother and daughter on an identity finding trip. Waxman has a breezy style of writing that sucks you into the story. The characters are definitely relatable and likable, even when they do something silly. I found so many interactions so familiar as a mother of teenagers. I don’t have a daughter, but many of the same things apply to sons. The storyline was propulsive. You just needed to see how this particular mother and daughter connected (or didn’t) through the trip. I liked the addition of the side characters. My favorites were Will and Casper. If you need a feel good story, pick this one up.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Title: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author: Abbi Waxman

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 333

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR; Monthly Keyword - September

Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.

The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.

Another recommendation from Anne Bogel and I’m completely in love with this book. Nina might be another version of me. At first, Nina is a great quirky character comfortable in her life. I loved seeing her life get up-ended in many ways forcing Nina outside of the box. In some ways, this book is a romantic comedy, but I see it more like a great character study. Just in a light-hearted way. I love Nina’s interactions with her newly discovered family members, especially brother Archie. I would love to read a sequel to this book focusing on Nina’s growing relationships within her new family. I want to see more of Peter and Millie, even Lydia (will she ever come around to Nina?).

Next up on the TBR pile: