Little Earthquakes : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: You'll Enjoy it
Review:
Even the most hard-hearted of reviewers occasionally wants a schmaltzy, heartwarming book to sink into. Warm, safe, and comforting, it's like simmering your brain in a crockpot of Velveeta. For me, these times generally coincide with cravings for chocolate, and unusually snappish behavior; if I'm going to be moody and tearful, I might as well have something to be moody and tearful about. And what could be a more surefire inducer of misty eyes than a poignant story of four women brought together by their pregnancies, who support each other through hardship and heartbreak? Hold on, I need a tissue.

Let's meet our four contestants. Becky is a cheerful, down-to-earth, unabashedly plus-size chef, happily married to a nice Jewish boy named Andrew. Unfortunately, the third member of their marriage is Mimi, Andrew's pushy, selfish, manipulative mother, whom he seems powerless to stand up to. Kelly is a relentlessly upbeat, ruthlessly materialistic events planner whose overriding goal is to claw herself as far up from her depressing childhood poverty as possible. To further that end, she married for money, and is only now figuring out that there may be more to life than racking up the biggest bank balance. Ayinde has spent her life overshadowed by others - first by her gorgeous but neglectful and overbearing supermodel mother, and then by her basketball-star husband. When scandal threatens to destroy their marriage - and Richard's career - Ayinde realizes how isolating fame and wealth can be. And Lia is a beautiful Hollywood actress who's fled her marriage in the wake of a tragedy involving her newborn son. With nowhere else to go, she returns to her childhood home, where she will have to see her estranged mother for the first time in years. In prenatal yoga class, at coffee shops, and on the street, chance brings the four women together, and they become unlikely allies as the going gets tough. Sad things come to pass, difficult truths are finally spoken, and reconciliations are had all around. What, you didn't really expect anything different, did you?

Jennifer Weiner is much loved for her first novel, Good in Bed, which was a plucky, funny, and genuine contribution to chick fiction. Heavy on the big-is-beautiful affirmations and light on the frothy, shrill sex-and-weight-loss hysteria of most chick lit, Weiner proved that she can write sensible, likable, and convincing characters that readers can identify with. Little Earthquakes appeals to a narrower audience, since its protagonists are all married and gung-ho about having kids. But it also addresses more universally relevant themes, like the often prickly relationships between parents and adult children, the stagnation and discontent of long-term monogamous couples, and grief over the death of a loved one. Four protagonists are, perhaps, too many; Ayinde remains unmemorable, and it's unclear why Lia is the only character to merit first-person narrative. Becky feels more like the story's heroine; with the most spirit and vibrance of the foursome, she's also the most typical Weiner protagonist.

This story doesn't go anywhere you wouldn't expect, but there are times when that's exactly what you want. For a funny, genuine, sisterhood-of-women-affirming story that virtually requires you to curl up with a hot mug and some fatty treats, Little Earthquakes will register a solid 8.0 on your Reader scale. Another Amazon quick-pick, I'd like to recommend is The Losers' Club by Richard Perez.


Rating:
Summary: You'll Enjoy it
Review: Even the most hard-hearted of reviewers occasionally wants a schmaltzy, heartwarming book to sink into. Warm, safe, and comforting, it's like simmering your brain in a crockpot of Velveeta. For me, these times generally coincide with cravings for chocolate, and unusually snappish behavior; if I'm going to be moody and tearful, I might as well have something to be moody and tearful about. And what could be a more surefire inducer of misty eyes than a poignant story of four women brought together by their pregnancies, who support each other through hardship and heartbreak? Hold on, I need a tissue. Let's meet our four contestants. Becky is a cheerful, down-to-earth, unabashedly plus-size chef, happily married to a nice Jewish boy named Andrew. Unfortunately, the third member of their marriage is Mimi, Andrew's pushy, selfish, manipulative mother, whom he seems powerless to stand up to. Kelly is a relentlessly upbeat, ruthlessly materialistic events planner whose overriding goal is to claw herself as far up from her depressing childhood poverty as possible. To further that end, she married for money, and is only now figuring out that there may be more to life than racking up the biggest bank balance. Ayinde has spent her life overshadowed by others - first by her gorgeous but neglectful and overbearing supermodel mother, and then by her basketball-star husband. When scandal threatens to destroy their marriage - and Richard's career - Ayinde realizes how isolating fame and wealth can be. And Lia is a beautiful Hollywood actress who's fled her marriage in the wake of a tragedy involving her newborn son. With nowhere else to go, she returns to her childhood home, where she will have to see her estranged mother for the first time in years. In prenatal yoga class, at coffee shops, and on the street, chance brings the four women together, and they become unlikely allies as the going gets tough. Sad things come to pass, difficult truths are finally spoken, and reconciliations are had all around. What, you didn't really expect anything different, did you? Jennifer Weiner is much loved for her first novel, Good in Bed, which was a plucky, funny, and genuine contribution to chick fiction. Heavy on the big-is-beautiful affirmations and light on the frothy, shrill sex-and-weight-loss hysteria of most chick lit, Weiner proved that she can write sensible, likable, and convincing characters that readers can identify with. Little Earthquakes appeals to a narrower audience, since its protagonists are all married and gung-ho about having kids. But it also addresses more universally relevant themes, like the often prickly relationships between parents and adult children, the stagnation and discontent of long-term monogamous couples, and grief over the death of a loved one. Four protagonists are, perhaps, too many; Ayinde remains unmemorable, and it's unclear why Lia is the only character to merit first-person narrative. Becky feels more like the story's heroine; with the most spirit and vibrance of the foursome, she's also the most typical Weiner protagonist. This story doesn't go anywhere you wouldn't expect, but there are times when that's exactly what you want. For a funny, genuine, sisterhood-of-women-affirming story that virtually requires you to curl up with a hot mug and some fatty treats, Little Earthquakes will register a solid 8.0 on your Reader scale. Another Amazon quick-pick, I'd like to recommend is The Losers' Club by Richard Perez, an obscure and very engaging "romance" of sorts. Also very funny.


Rating:
Summary: As usual, Jennifer Weiner delivers!
Review: Heard the taped version of LITTLE EARTHQUAKES, written and read by Jennifer Weiner . . . her first novel, GOOD IN BED, blew me away . . . I also liked her follow-up, IN HER SHOES . . . this latest one didn't disappoint, either.

It is a novel about four very different women who all face a similar situation; i.e., new motherhood . . . I felt like I got to know each one and, in doing so, I grew to care for them--and their children . . . their husbands were well drawn too, ranging from a basketball superstar to an unemployed husband.

There were moments when I laughed about what these women were going through (including one having to deal with a mother-in-law from hell), yet I was also moved by their lives.


Rating:
Summary: One of a kind!!
Review: I have enjoyed all of Weiner's books and talents. I read this over a weekend and it was awesome! My eyes were glued on each page. Jennifer has this talent to describe sceneries and places people can visual their own presence. All the characters she used were brilliant and a part of real life. Thumbs up on this book and others to follow! Enjoy as I did from tears and laughters.

Rating:
Summary: Another Weiner Hit!
Review: I just love Jennifer Weiner's books! I've read them all and LITTLE EARTHQUAKES does not disappoint. You can really identify with the characters as they experience labor and motherhood and the various struggles of life. As always, the female friendships are pitch perfect, maybe even more real than real life. It's Weiner's gift. So I highly recommend this. It's laugh out loud funny and then sweet and touching. It's perfect!

If you've read this and the other books by Jennifer Weiner, then I recommend you check out Jennifer Paddock's novel, A SECRET WORD. It's also a page turner and very fun and touching. Give it a shot.

Rating:
Summary: easily relatable
Review: I loved every word of this book!!! Being a new mother myself, I found myself relating to so much and laughing and crying with the characters. Each character brought something to light for me; I think I may be a combination of all 4 women. Having a support system of friends during this emotional, wonderful, and scary time in your life is crucial and Jennifer Weiner did an excellent job representing those relationships.

Rating:
Summary: It didn't meet my expectations
Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book. I work at a bookstore, and it came highly recommended. But when I read it, I thought it was drab, and just not very strong writing. It didn't pull me in very well. The problems are borderline cliche--dead baby, cheating husband, troublesome mother in law. It was okay, just not INCREDIBLE.

Rating:
Summary: Touching story of four women!
Review: Jennifer Weiner's books are so far beyond the typical "boy meets girl" formula that she has basically developed her own genre. Each of her novels just keeps getting better.

In her latest novel, Little Earthquakes, we see four women and the changes that motherhood brings. There's no sugar-coating here, as Weiner's characters attempt to have it all- success, happy marriages, beautiful children, and careers. Her characters are realistic and the story lines well-written. Her writing is empowering as well as entertaining.

If you are looking for quality "chick lit" or for a novel with more substance than the norm, then read this book. You will laugh and cry right along with Rebecca, Ayinde, Kelly, and Lia as they find themselves in the most challenging and beautiful moments of their lives.

Rating:
Summary: Great tale of female friendships and motherhood
Review: This is a great book. You'll laugh yourself silly, cry and come to think of the women in the book as if they were your own friends. I was so sad for the book to end.

Rating:
Summary: Three Simple Words
Review: To sum up my feelings about this book, let me share 3 words with you: I LOVED IT!!!