A slow start that never quite picked up for me. It felt removed from reality, and considering its subject matter I would hope for realism. The social media weaved throughout disengaged me.

Round up to 3.5 / 5 stars.

The “Society of Shame” by Jane Roper was… interesting? I don’t really know what to think to be honest. Some aspects were good, some were cringey and others outright odd. I liked the idea of taking an awkward or embarrassing situation and harnessing it for good. Also, learning not to give others complete power over who you are, how you see yourself etc. But, I was easily annoyed by the main character’s behavior towards her daughter and then when that got a bit better how she did in fact seem to be more into being an influencer rather than activist. Finally, some details thrown in were definitely over the top but I’m sure that was the author’s intention.

In general I felt that this was a commentary on the power of social media to do both good and harm in the world, with some political messaging thrown in there.

3.75 Stars

“It was an unpleasant yet undeniably healthy feeling, like exercising or refusing dessert, choosing not to know what the world was or wasn’t saying about her right now. She found herself feeling philosophical about it all day. Posing questions to herself like, if someone shames you in an internet think piece but you don’t read it, have you still been shamed?”

This book really surprised me (in a good way!) I enjoyed the characters and their development. Following Kathleen, her daughter, and the others through the "Yes We Bleed" movement had me laughing at the satirical humor and energized about the efforts of normalizing conversations on menstruation.

Great book and I hope to read more from this author!

THE SOCIETY OF SHAME was not a book for me. I wanted to like it but struggled to get invested in the story.

This book was lighthearted, irreverent, but full of characters you want to root for. It was a breezy read and enjoyable every step of the way

Thank you, Jane Roper, for trying to destigmatize menstruation! I loved the satirical look at cancel and "woke" culture and social media, and I often found myself laughing out loud, while also being moved by the mother-daughter story as it unfolds. This book encapsulates 2023 so perfectly.

Thanks to Anchor Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Kathleen is the wife of a candidate for New York Senator – so it’s front page news when she finds out her husband is having an affair. However, the focus of the news isn’t Bill’s wrongdoing; it’s the period stain on her pants, which ignites a national women’s rights movement. Kathleen ends up joining a group called “The Society of Shame”, a group of people who have been part of their own scandals and are trying to up their lives back together. This was an interesting read about cancel culture and the mercurial nature of social media, and while it was slow to start, it picked up about a third of the way through. Kathleen wasn’t the most likable heroine (in fact, she was pretty annoying at times), but the plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading.

Very funny, perceptive story about a woman who inadvertently starts a movement for menstrual awareness and equality. In reality, the main character is caught on film with blood on her pants--but this spirals into a movement and she is caught up in it. She receives a mysterious invitation to a group that turns shame into social media fame, and she dives into a new life. This was a send-up of the internet influencers, viral hashtags, and the ridiculousness that social media can bring to life. But also had some serious points to make and was a good story. Very enjoyable!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this book up but I'm SO glad I requested this one to read. Though I found it to have a satirical tone, I found a lot of truth in what it's like to be a woman in the 21st century through Roper's writing. It was funny, it was tough, it was interesting and inspiring, and it was honest and I appreciated how the story unfolded for a woman who once had it all and whose life came crumbling down in the matter of moments when surrounded by the wrong people.

I did find it to be unrelatable at times as I am not yet a mother and my husband is not a public figure, but the way Roper wrote made me feel like I could be Kathleen. I also appreciated the ending where she found how to be alone and respect herself and her independence. Kathleen will leave a wonderful legacy and example for her daughter as she proves she doesn't need a man!

This book took snarking on 2023 cancel culture a few steps too far for me — most of the book was really fun, until it dragged on a bit too long.

Kathleen Held is the wife of Bill, an aspiring New York senator running for office. her world comes to a crashing halt when she arrives home one night to find Bill in a compromising situation — but the piece that turns her world upside down is that she’s photographed with blood on her pants from her period. The book pokes fun at our society: how quickly we disregard genuine issues in favor of the more salacious gossip, how pop-culture conversations can so quickly trend online, how quickly a movement can steam roll out of control, and how challenging it is for a public figure to ever make everyone happy.

I sometimes found elements of the plot a little ridiculous but then realized that this has happened in real life! But everything got a little out of hand and I wish the book was a little shorter.

The premise of the book was handled in a cheeky and unabashed way, and ultimately I enjoyed this.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

Honestly, this book has been sitting in my TBR for a while and I wish I had gotten to it sooner but, at the same time, I honestly think I was meant to read it when I did.

The story can be summarised simply by saying that the wife of a politician, who likes to keep under the radar, is exposed to the media, social media and publicity in all its forms when she is photographed at an extremely inopportune moment. What I got out of the story is somewhat more complicated.

Katherine, the protagonist, is an interesting character. She has an inner strength, she loves her daughter, she's a trifle oblivious to her own positive traits and she is easily overwhelmed. She's also in her late 40's and trying desperately to navigate 'the internets' and social media, while understanding and remaining her true self. And she's doing it all high profile.

The society that she joins is complicated too. It's full of individuals who are interesting and complex - neither good nor bad, just human. Mistakes have been made by people in this Society - some BIG ones. But whether or not I like all the people, I understand people can be judgemental - especially on social media.

I thought this book did a great job of drawing attention to how the lines get blurred between who we are on social media and who we are in real life, and how that can be really damaging to you and the people you love.

One small thing ... this book was advertised to be for lovers of 'Lessons in Chemistry' and that really annoys me because it sets up expectations. I think it also insulting to the author of this book and the author of Lessons in Chemistry. The only thing they share is excellent writing. I wish people would stop trying to sell books this way and I wonder if it really works. #Yesweliketorant

athleen's husband is running for office, and she plans to stay in the background. But when she comes home to find him with a young staffer and a fire in the garage, the press shows up. Unfortunately, Kathleen gets photographed with a very visible period stain, and she goes viral. Add in a teenage daughter! It ends up becoming a feminist movement, much to her dismay. This is a funny story, with some actual good feminist messaging. Thanks #netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy. #thesocietyofshame #janeroper #yeswebleed #netgalley #advancedreaderscopy #earlyread #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks

I thought this book was expertly done in its exploration of what happens when these social media/viral movements get started. I thought getting a sort of BTS moment with Kathleen was so well done. We were able to explore what it feels like to be at the center of a movement that you never asked for. The characters in the book and the reader all go on this journey with Kathleen as she goes from being a victim to a messiah of sorts, to a normal person. I also enjoyed the subtle jabs at cancel culture and our refusal to acknowledge that people are flawed and no person or movement can do it all without missteps.

Adored this book and if I could put it on every reading list round-up for the next few months I would! But including it in sure-fire summer books will have to suffice.

Was not a fan of this book and could not finish it. The beginning was very slow and I could not get through it. Would not recommend.

This is one of the funniest, sharpest reflections on modern day life that I've read in a long time. It's not always easy to read--the term Cringe would be one way to put it. But that's the entire point, which is the genius of the narrative.

The genius, which is delivered as super-inside-baseball-pop-culture cleverness and twee, at times becomes a drag on the plot. I loved all the #yeswebleed and not-so-sly references to cancel culture, and can 100% see that happening in real life these days. I also felt terrible for the Katherine (Kat, as she decides to become) on many levels. I really loved her relationship with her daughter which was realistically awkward/horrible and poignant. Even if she's a bit of the judgemental mean girl that she claims to despise--but aren't we all, really?

The ACTUAL "Society of Shame" is THE best part as it's an actual group of people who have been cancelled for various reasons (many of them legit) who are attempting to do penance and in exchange for regaining their mojo (mojo = wealth, prominence, popularity). That is the crux of the story and what made it a 4 star and not a 3 star read. Diving into the hypocrisy of people who truly are kind of not great and most likely worthy of cancellation as they pay money to someone who promises to restore them to their prior glory as the ultimate grift is a gorgeous reflection of today's society.

It's one of those book that might have benefited from being a bit shorter, but anyone who is dialed into how we consume and understand pop culture these days as more like 15 seconds instead of 15 minutes (#anditcomeswithahashtag) will value the underlying message--while being wholly entertained by Ms. Roper's writing style.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It was funny and fresh but I feel like it lost some steam near the end. Overall it was enjoyable to read. Kathleen Held’s life is turned upside down when she arrives home to find her garage on fire and her husband in his underwear. But the scandal that emerges is not that Bill, who's running for Senate, is having a cliched affair with one of his young staffers but rather that a photographer at the scene accidentally captures a period stain on the back of Kathleen’s pants. Everything takes off from there with Kathleen being the poster woman for a new women’s rally of #yeswebleed. It is funny and outrageous and enjoyable. 3 stars thank you NetGalley and Anchor publishing for an ARC copy of this book.

🦢The Story: Kathleen Held’s wife explodes when she returns home in a taxi to find her garage on fire, her politician husband (currently in the middle of a campaign) running out of the garage in his underwear with a younger women with who he is apparently having an affair. Oh yeah, and she has a huge period stain on the pack of her pants in the photos the taxi driver snapped that went viral.
Kathleen becomes the face of the #YESWEBLEED movement online and is thrown into the spotlight. She has to navigate becoming famous overnight, helping her tween daughter deal with the turn of events and putting her life back together.

🦢My Thoughts: This book is hilarious and you need to read it. I laughed out loud many times at the satire and pokes at society, politics, media and heard mentality. A funny book about menstruation, menopause and shame? I’m sure some said it could not be done, but Jane Roper pulls it all together expertly.

Social satire at its best! The author manages to bring to light the absurdity of what happens when social media explodes and can make and destroy lives. Kathleen becomes an Internet hero after her picture is taken showing her cheating husband while she stands by with a large menstrual stain. A movement grows around her, called Yes We Bleed. The absurdity of the extremists, the impact of social media on family and friends, creates an impactful story. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Original storyline that felt very relevant in today's political climate. The main character hit an age range often forgotten or glossed over in many popular fiction stories. Great exploration of various relationships - marriage, parent-child, adult friendships, etc.