Reviews

Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

emily_b's review against another edition

4.0

Managed to read this book in one day. A very fun read - took a lot of very unexpected twists and turns.

bridget_jordan's review against another edition

4.0

The story definitely took a different twist from what I initially thought this book would be about, but in a good way. I enjoyed the moments that depicted motherhood in a real raw way, not the rainbows and sunshine that we often see when discussing motherhood.

yogideetz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

5.0

The story started off really slowly, I wasn't sure how much I'd really get into or like the story. But once it picked up, boy or boy did it pick up! The writer does a great job of giving historical context, sharing how the characters got to where they are today. It also does a great job of keeping the current story progressing, sharing the dymanics of the playgroup mothers and how the dynamic changes with the introduction of a new member of the group. As the story unfolds, the chaos builds and builds. When I read this book, I had a specific image of each character, how they aligned with people I've met or interacted with in my own life. Is it wrong that as the chaos hit it's peak, I was laughing hysterically, thinking some of these characters got what they deserved in the end? I guess that's how I know it's a good book, when it keeps me engaged and I feel invested in some of the characters and their outcomes. The twist though, I didn't see that coming. And that's why I really, really like this book. It kept me hooked through the end and kept me guessing as to what would happen next, who would be the villian and who would prevail. Definitely a fun one!

jgoodrow's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

amandaleaou's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.0

vldyke93's review against another edition

dark tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

myrranda5002's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I anticipated to. Not being a mother I often struggle to relate to books that include motherhood struggles as a main theme but this book had enough going on outside of motherhood that I really didn't think much of that part. The book was pretty fast paced too, which I enjoyed.

sarahsbookstack's review against another edition

reflective

3.25

A very quick read that pulls you right into the lives of a group of women/new moms who display their perfections (at least on social media) to the world.

Claire is struggling to find a career after her band dumps her and they become famous. Then she's contacted to be the singer for a mom's playgroup and soon she's pulled into a dangerous game full of secrets and it can be the undoing of these "perfect women".

Definitely can see the hurt that can come from trying to only show people your perfect side.

exorcismemily's review against another edition

3.0

3.5⭐

Happy & You Know It is an upcoming dramatic novel about a glamorous group of young moms in New York. The synopsis gave me Gossip Girl vibes, so I was excited when I heard about it!

The book starts off really well with a mysterious opening, but unfortunately, I feel like it never really lived up to the beginning. This story was slower than I expected - there was a lot of background info on characters that I hadn't really been given a reason to care about yet.

Some interesting elements were introduced, such as mental health, race, drug use, leaving a megachurch, etc., but none of these ever really went anywhere. The book was fairly lighthearted, but still attempted to have important topics woven in, and it felt out of place. I guess I wanted more of a balance - either have everything be light, or go deeper into these topics.

I was surprised by the villain, and I always appreciate that. I thought I had everything figured out, and I didn't. This ended up being a middle-of-the-road read for me, but I still had fun with it overall.

lovetogetlit's review

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5