mandyherbet's review
1.0
I fear that this title was one of those submitted by the members of The Rejected Writers' Club and only published by mistake. Or perhaps Ms Kelman took her outline and published it by mistake before she filled it out with details and realistic characters and dialogue.
Because, reader, it's awful. So awful. I persisted because I wanted to believe it would get better and then I persisted because I felt the need to share with you how awful it was so you could avoid it and save your precious reading time for other books. Books that have a fleshed-out story line instead of scenes that make little sense. Books that have realistic dialogue instead of weird drifters telling ghost stories in awkward dialect that is impossible to read and mildly offensive.
The Rejected Writers' Club is a group of weird women who write books and send them to publishers with the sole purpose of getting reject letters and collecting them. They invite the local librarian to "join" them (I'm not sure why because she is wholely unlikable and quite a snob) and then one of their manuscripts gets accepted and ROAD TRIP! Except there's also the daughter of the librarian who's pregnant with twins and needs her mother (which is supposed to be weird) and a whole host of otherwise cardboard cut-out characters.
In short, this could have been a good book if someone who could write wrote it. Every sentence is the same length at times and the language is unrealistic and awkward. There is way too much exposition and too little action (all tell and very little show). Apparently this is the first in a series and I really hope Ms Kelman gets a better editor for the next.
Because, reader, it's awful. So awful. I persisted because I wanted to believe it would get better and then I persisted because I felt the need to share with you how awful it was so you could avoid it and save your precious reading time for other books. Books that have a fleshed-out story line instead of scenes that make little sense. Books that have realistic dialogue instead of weird drifters telling ghost stories in awkward dialect that is impossible to read and mildly offensive.
The Rejected Writers' Club is a group of weird women who write books and send them to publishers with the sole purpose of getting reject letters and collecting them. They invite the local librarian to "join" them (I'm not sure why because she is wholely unlikable and quite a snob) and then one of their manuscripts gets accepted and ROAD TRIP! Except there's also the daughter of the librarian who's pregnant with twins and needs her mother (which is supposed to be weird) and a whole host of otherwise cardboard cut-out characters.
In short, this could have been a good book if someone who could write wrote it. Every sentence is the same length at times and the language is unrealistic and awkward. There is way too much exposition and too little action (all tell and very little show). Apparently this is the first in a series and I really hope Ms Kelman gets a better editor for the next.
caslater83's review against another edition
3.0
I think a lot of people can resonate well with the fear of rejection whether it's the rejection of a novel, an audition, or an invention. But the author's approach is quite humorous. Instead of stewing over it, celebrate it! Start a rejection club! Target goal: 500 rejection letters! And well, you get the point.
The story is crazy, wacky, insane, and yet you still find reasons to like it.
The story is crazy, wacky, insane, and yet you still find reasons to like it.
freesien's review against another edition
3.0
Mein Rezensionsexemplar habe ich vom Verlag durch Netgalley erhalten.
2,5 Sterne
Die Buchbeschreibung hat sich so toll angehört - Schriftstellerinnen, Bibliothekarinnen, Roadtrip -, doch es fiel flach aus. Der Anfang bis zum Beginn des Roadtrips hat sich lang gezogen, dann nahm die Handlung wieder an Fahrt auf, doch bis zum Ende hin dann wurde es wieder langatmig.
Alle Frauen des Clubs waren auf ihre Art eigenartig, was sie mir sympathisch machte - bis auf Janet Johnson, die Bibliothekarin, aus deren Sicht das Buch geschrieben ist und die in das ganze Chaos unfreiwillig mit hineingezogen wird, die mochte ich nicht, sie hat die anderen in ihrem Kopf öfter herablassend behandelt.
Wie gesagt, kam zum Anfang des Roadtrips wieder Schwung in die Handlung. Ich fand die ersten Abenteuer und Pannen der Frauen lustig und unterhaltsam, doch nach einer Weile häufen sich einfach die Unglücke des Clubs und wurden immer absurder, sodass die Geschichte auf mich verkrampft wirkte.
Bis zum Ende hin dann hatte ich mein Interesse dann schon fast endgültig verloren, einzig als Grace ihre Geschichte erzählte, wurde mein Interesse wieder geweckt. Dieses Buch hat mich leider nicht überzeugen können, obwohl sich die Idee sehr spannend angehört hatte.
2,5 Sterne
Die Buchbeschreibung hat sich so toll angehört - Schriftstellerinnen, Bibliothekarinnen, Roadtrip -, doch es fiel flach aus. Der Anfang bis zum Beginn des Roadtrips hat sich lang gezogen, dann nahm die Handlung wieder an Fahrt auf, doch bis zum Ende hin dann wurde es wieder langatmig.
Alle Frauen des Clubs waren auf ihre Art eigenartig, was sie mir sympathisch machte - bis auf Janet Johnson, die Bibliothekarin, aus deren Sicht das Buch geschrieben ist und die in das ganze Chaos unfreiwillig mit hineingezogen wird, die mochte ich nicht, sie hat die anderen in ihrem Kopf öfter herablassend behandelt.
Wie gesagt, kam zum Anfang des Roadtrips wieder Schwung in die Handlung. Ich fand die ersten Abenteuer und Pannen der Frauen lustig und unterhaltsam, doch nach einer Weile häufen sich einfach die Unglücke des Clubs und wurden immer absurder, sodass die Geschichte auf mich verkrampft wirkte.
Bis zum Ende hin dann hatte ich mein Interesse dann schon fast endgültig verloren, einzig als Grace ihre Geschichte erzählte, wurde mein Interesse wieder geweckt. Dieses Buch hat mich leider nicht überzeugen können, obwohl sich die Idee sehr spannend angehört hatte.
anika_bush's review
2.0
I wanted to like this...a librarian and bunch of writers on a road trip, madcap adventures, a little bit of romance. Unfortunately, the characters were irksome (the constant body-shaming of the main character and her nasty daughter were THE WORST!), the writing was not my favorite, and overall I'm a little shocked I actually finished it. I'm giving it two stars because I enjoyed a couple of the story lines. Sort of.
syapotter's review
4.0
I received the ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of honest reviews.
This book is really unlike any other Book Club type of books that I've ever read so far. If you're expecting a bunch of ladies gathering every month discussing about books, this is definitely not the book that you're looking for. But if you are looking for something wacky, zany and so ridiculous in a good way, you're in for a treat!
The book started off with Janet who works as a town librarian in a small island town of Southlea Bay who was asked for help by a group of ladies calling themselves Rejected Writers' Book Club. Made up of eccentric and quirky characters, the members reveled in the joy of getting rejected letters from publishers instead of getting published. So imagine how they felt when one of the founding members received an acceptance letter! With the need to amend the situation, they invited themselves together with Janet who needs to go to San Francisco to visit her daughter. Lots of hijinks, crazy antics and comedy of errors ensue, as you would have expected!
The pacing of the story is just nice, not too fast but not too slow either. The writing made it feel like I was just zipping through it, it was so entertaining. I read it in just a day! Some of the scenes were kind of ridiculous but I was willing to look past that as I think without those scenes, it wouldn't make this book into such a fun read.
What I love the most about this book is the way the characters bonded throughout the trip. In the beginning of the book, Janet was very reluctant to be associated with the the group and personally, I do not blame her. However, she warmed up to everyone during the trip and they in turn also warmed up to her, giving us a chance to see them opening up to each other.
This is a good book if you just want to read something that is humourous with quirky characters.
This book is really unlike any other Book Club type of books that I've ever read so far. If you're expecting a bunch of ladies gathering every month discussing about books, this is definitely not the book that you're looking for. But if you are looking for something wacky, zany and so ridiculous in a good way, you're in for a treat!
I nibbled nervously on the remnants of my lemon cake, deciding I must be in some sort of island episode of the Twilight Zone. They were all thoroughly batty.
The book started off with Janet who works as a town librarian in a small island town of Southlea Bay who was asked for help by a group of ladies calling themselves Rejected Writers' Book Club. Made up of eccentric and quirky characters, the members reveled in the joy of getting rejected letters from publishers instead of getting published. So imagine how they felt when one of the founding members received an acceptance letter! With the need to amend the situation, they invited themselves together with Janet who needs to go to San Francisco to visit her daughter. Lots of hijinks, crazy antics and comedy of errors ensue, as you would have expected!
The pacing of the story is just nice, not too fast but not too slow either. The writing made it feel like I was just zipping through it, it was so entertaining. I read it in just a day! Some of the scenes were kind of ridiculous but I was willing to look past that as I think without those scenes, it wouldn't make this book into such a fun read.
What I love the most about this book is the way the characters bonded throughout the trip. In the beginning of the book, Janet was very reluctant to be associated with the the group and personally, I do not blame her. However, she warmed up to everyone during the trip and they in turn also warmed up to her, giving us a chance to see them opening up to each other.
“How was the crazies’?” asked my husband, not looking up from the newspaper as I walked in that evening.
I couldn’t answer, and he finally looked up and noticed my red, puffy eyes.
“What?”
“I love them,” I said, bursting into tears again.
He looked bemused as I fell into his arms, sobbing.
This is a good book if you just want to read something that is humourous with quirky characters.
lbates0009's review
A delightful read that stresses the importance of friendship, this lovely novel draws in the reader from the very beginning. The book centers on a group of women who have one thing in common- rejection, and they have taken what could be a negative and made it into a positive experience that is in jeopardy. The characters are well-developed, with a wide variety of personalities that ensures the reader will relate to someone. A road trip, a pregnancy, a lost love, and a current love make for a captivating tale that keeps the reader laughing and cheering for the mis-matched group. I would highly recommend! Just downloaded the second book in the series.
aswsss's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-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
3.75
hillarya's review
5.0
Reading the description of this book, I wasn't sure I would be that interested in it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was such a sweet, fun adventure. I fell in love with the rejected ladies and wish I could join them! This book just made me happy!
cj82487's review against another edition
3.0
The Yaya Sisterhood of rejected writers, this book was endearing. Janet is unwillingly dragged into a group of ladies that have formed a bond on being rejected. She is coerced into helping these ladies with an event to celebrate rejection, which is far from what she wants to do but everything she doesn't know she needs from the sleepy town of Southlea Bay.
The Rejected Writers' Book Club
The Rejected Writers' Book Club