Parenting books advise against labeling one sibling the-Well-Behaved-one (or the-Athletic- or the-Smart-one, etc) and the other as the opposite, because for one thing children can sense and resent it, and also because they enter phases and out-grow many of them, whereas labeling can prove stunting. In Mrs. Everything, we see the effects of this play out upon several generations of Kaufmans. Older sister Jo and 3-yrs younger Bethie suffer from the way their mother Sarah classifies them, clashing over everything with tomboy Jo while treating lady-like little Bethie as if she can do no wrong. For wildly varying reasons, the sisters and their mother distance themselves from each other, but come back to each other when their support is needed.

I loved everything about this book from the vibrant characters and the sneaky title, and the use of such literary-loaded names like Little Women Jo and Grapes of Wrath Rose of Sharon, to the tumultuous story line - including favoritism and disappointment, gender and racial bias, and atonement. Some people change and others stay the same, and it was so interesting to see how different family members came to terms with current conditions. By giving these female characters profound depth and detail, Jennifer Weiner really gets the reader to empathize with their situations and consider how it would feel to be so discriminated against, that one is forced to wonder "where will we go, and how will we live, and is there any place on earth where we can be together?" I found it interesting that Harold's family wasn't mad at him for dating outside his race, the way they were at his sister. And while my heart went out to angry Lila, I felt her character was a little less filled out than the others, after being so isolated and awful, I hated that a nose job would turn her pretty and popular.

This was a well written story about two sisters, sexual abuse and trying to find their place in the world.

It was not always an easy read, BUT, it was worth the effort.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this one is June 2019.

“She wondered whether they would ever not try to have it all and do it all and do all of it flawlessly. Would the day ever come when simply doing your best would be enough?”

Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, aunt, caretaker, career women: Mrs. Everything attempts to cover it all. Spanning decades and told through the alternating narrative of two sisters, Jo and Bethie, who grew up in Detroit in the 1950s, Weiner explores the complex relationship between women, while at the same time, examining and subverting gender norms.

Mrs. Everything tries to be everything: family saga, drama, women’s fiction, and a feminist manifesto. At times, Mrs. Everything struggles to find its place, but there is an ease about the narrative that draws the reader into Jo and Bethie’s lives. Both sisters’ stories are equally interesting. The lengthy timeline allows the reader to watch Jo and Bethie struggle with finding fulfillment. It’s a long journey towards self-acceptance.

Mrs. Everything serves as a tribute to the brave women who try to do it all and think that they have to do it all. In the end, it had me ugly crying as I reached the final pages and said goodbye to Jo and Bethie.

“I want to be brave like that.”

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

This was amazing! But I'm crying because I was ALMOST finished and it expired! I'm so bummed because I wanted to see how it ends! I can't wait to recommend it to my book group and friends! Thanks for letting me read.....most of it!

I really wanted to love this book. I feel like when an author like Jennifer Weiner, whom I love, publishes a book fans have high expectations. Unfortunately, for me, this book did not hit the mark. The story is great and the writing superb. Can't quite put my finger on it, I just felt like something was missing. I'll still read all of her books!

When I selected to review this book I knew only of the author, and my love for her past books. I saw it was a Jennifer Weiner book, and knew I would love it. As I started the book I didn't know where it would lead, but following the story of the Kauffman sisters and their version of the American Dream I truly enjoyed. I felt as though I was present during the age my parents were growing up and seeing life in their perspective. The twists and turns we're unexpected at times I felt like I was skipping through but felt the last half of the book was relatable to current events. I loved seeing the sisters grow as well as their relationship through their phases of life! I would definitely recommend this book for others to read, you will not be disappointed!

Thank you Atria books for an ARC of Mrs. Everything. 4 ⭐️ for this story that follows two sisters from little girls to old age. For me, the last third of the book was especially good as they got older. I skimmed a little as at times there was just too much description of clothes and homes and on and on. Too me that was more distracting than enhancing. But aside from that, I will miss the Kaufman sisters and definitely recommend this one.

I love Jennifer Weiner's books and felt lucky to receive an ARC from Netgalley for Mrs. Everything. I had no idea what it was about when I requested it, but I knew I loved the author. Mrs. Everything follows two sisters, Jo and Bethie, from childhood through adulthood. I've read other books that try this and it doesn't always work, but this story was fabulous from beginning to end! I really loved that it was set in Detroit and Ann Arbor for parts of the book as I grew up in a town between the two cities. Jo and Bethie come of age in the 1950s and 1960s. They see so many changes and Weiner never made any of it feel overdone. It felt plausible and like you might be hearing your aunt or mom telling you about their own experiences. I do not want to give away anything about this story in my review. All I can say was I thought it was fabulous and didn't want it to end!

Jennifer Weiner's books always makes for an interesting read. Always fun and laughter from her books. I would recommend it for reading.

Mrs. Everything creates a fantastic story built around the tumultuous ‘60s and continuing up to the present. If you lived through those years, the story rings so true to the time and to the struggles of women in a time when changes were erupting daily. If you did not live it, Mrs. Everything is such a great tribute to that time and will transport you to a day of constraint vs. freedom for women.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jennifer Weiner never disappoints. This book made me laugh and cry. I thought the timeline was ambitious, but wow - Weiner did an excellent job rising to the challenge. There are a lot of controversial topics in this novel but they were written with poise and sensitivity. The characters were extremely well-developed and relatable. This story will appeal to a wide audience of women and ultimately sends a message of hope and solidarity. Well-done!

“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” -Muriel Rukeyser

“That’s like saying you could win a marathon if you had to start five miles behind everyone else. And then told if you didn’t win, you just weren’t trying hard enough”

“Perfect, Flip scoffed. “Just keep sticking their heads in the sand, hoping it’ll go away.”

“When was the last time you remember being treated differently because you were a girl? What would your mother’s life have been like if she’d had the opportunities that we do? If you could tell men one thing about what it’s like to be a woman, what would you say?”

This story follows Jo and Bethie through their lives. Starting at 4 & 6 and ending in their 70’s at current day. It follows the struggles, the good times, and overall how to lives of women have changed over the years, and how they have stayed the same.

I ADORED this book. I loved that it spanned several decades and showed the progress we have made, and sadly the progress that has been stalled in women’s movements and human rights movements overall. I think I could have highlighted something on every page. Jennifer Weiner hit this one out of the park. My preorder for the hardcover is already in! I highly recommend you do the same!

Thank you to netgalley and atria books for allowing me to read and review this book in advance!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book pre-publication. This is my first NetGalley!

I have read and enjoyed everything from Jennifer Weiner. I was very excited to read this one and it had been on TBR since I first heard that she had a new book on horizon.

I liked that she wrote a brief foreword explaining that the book was a bit different from her previous work. I appreciated understanding why she was writing what she was writing. I enjoyed learning about Bethie and Jo from their teens into adulthood. I liked the back and forth between the 2 main characters at the change in chapters.

As much as I liked the story and the writing, I felt that the characters could have been developed better. I would rather make my own predictions about a character based on what an author is showing you as opposed to what an author tells you. For instance, my understanding on Jo's husband was that he was just "fine" neither wonderful nor awful and then we are told that he is awful. Show me that....build it up for me. This happened several times for me and the narrative could have been much stronger if the characters were developed more.

Despite my disappointment with character development, I did enjoy the story and am happy I read this book. It moved quickly and the author writes well.

Thank you again for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This newest novel from Jennifer Weiner tells the story of two sisters starting in childhood and spanning decades, into their late adulthood. These sisters couldn't be more different from each other and over the years, we learn how their choices and responses to life lead them on very different paths.
This book explores the complicated, messy and often emotional relationships between mothers and daughters and sisters. It also addresses issues that women face like sexual assault, societal demands, stereotypical gender role expectations and balancing the role of motherhood with our personal identities.
The book centers around the development of each of these main characters - who they are, how they change over time, and how others perceive them. As readers we see their struggles, their self-destructive choices and their resiliency. I found myself reading as much as possible as I wanted to know if they would make it through difficult times and if they had it in them to make changes.
The structure of the book alternates between each sister's voice, but confusion sets in as chapters don't move forward at the same passing. Sometimes a chapter was a week later, sometimes almost a decade.
This book attempts to touch on some pretty deep topics like feminism, homosexuality, the #metoomovement and racism. These are all very heavy topics and sometimes they felt like it was wrapped up a little too easily. That being said, I appreciated the author bringing these topics into her character's stories and giving her characters real struggles and authenticity.
I give this one 3/5 stars.

This was my first Jennifer Weiner book & it was a good one!!

This was a story of 2 sisters, started in the 50's until present time.

They were very different from each other, loved each other. Their mom was tough but I think part of her "way" had to do with the times & how people worried about appearances, etc. She especially had problems with her older daughter, Jo. Jo had a clumsy nature, liked sports, didn't like to dress up & dad seemed to try his best & then the younger sister, Bethie was more of a girlie girl.

This story will take you through all the emotions- love, acceptance, change, gender, race & all types of relationships, mom/daughter, sisters, lovers, friends, fathers, husbands. Not all good. But mostly about women & how we have evolved, or have not.

I especially loved Jo, she was strong through it all & as time went by, I grew to like & respect the person Bethie became.

This is not a fluffy, light, chic lit ( not that there's anything wrong with that!) book. It is deep, emotional, raw at times & it was a great read!!

I look forward to every new release from Jennifer Weiner and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. However, it was a long slog for me to finish this book. It was both overly detailed and not detailed enough. The book spanned many decades and meals, outfits and surroundings were described in minute detail, but then years were skipped without explanation. The ending also felt rushed. It’s kind of a shame. I really wanted to like this one.

This is the story of two sisters and their lives as they grow up in Michigan beginning in the mid-fifties. Jennifer Weiner skillfully weaves each woman's story together with the events of the times and the trials that the extended family faces throughout the years. The through-line is the way that women, their expectations, and the perceptions of others about them have changed (and not changed) over time. The characters live and breathe. An amazing book.

This isn’t Jennifer Weiner’s typical book, it’s more substantive and I really enjoyed it. It follows two sisters from childhood to adulthood through the many twists and turns of life. These two women make non-traditional choices and champion the fact that women can be whoever they want to be.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Jennifer Weiner, and it's one with such an important and timely message. It's about two sisters, Jo and Bethie, who were coming of age in the 1950s and how their experiences in addition to societal expectations influenced their journeys through life. I love books about strong women, and even though the main characters were flawed and often made mistakes, they were exactly that. This book emphasized the struggles faced by women throughout history, and although women have made progress over the years, women still face challenges in our current day and age. Societal and cultural expectations may have changed over the course of history, but they still exist. No matter what the circumstances, women often feel guilt or feel that they aren't good enough because they can't do everything that is expected of them all the time. Jennifer Weiner does a great job of highlighting that through Jo and Bethie's plot lines, as well as through the stories of their families.

While I love the message of this book so much, I found that the writing fell flat at times, and I wasn't always able to connect to the character or feel as strongly as I wanted to for them. That being said, I would recommend this novel to everyone I know for the message alone.

A beautiful story of two sisters from the wonderful Jennifer Weiner. It reads as both a fun, beach read, but also enriching literature, which is a rare combination. Between the two sisters, they experience a wide array of tragedies, yet it doesn't feel like Weiner is trying to cover too much. If you haven't read or liked Weiner before, this is where you start.