"Blank" by Zibby Owens, which I had the opportunity to read as an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley and the publisher, was unfortunately not the standout I had anticipated. While the premise intrigued me enough to keep the pages turning, the overall execution left me feeling underwhelmed.

The character of Pippa, intended as the novel's heart, instead struck me as an improbable blend of contradictions. Designed to be relatable in her imperfections, she somehow becomes the object of universal desire and an unlikely literary sensation, despite her clear lack of remarkable talent. This portrayal felt at odds with reality, veering into the realm of wish fulfillment without the grounding of believability.

The narrative's core—Pippa's breakthrough with a seemingly uninspired book concept—failed to captivate. This storyline, meant to be a critique or satire of the publishing world, instead came across as far-fetched. The romantic elements scattered throughout the story did not resonate, lacking the depth and development to make them compelling or credible.

Moreover, the conclusion of the novel escalated into realms of absurdity, detracting from any impactful message the book might have aimed to convey. The antagonists felt as though they had been plucked from a caricatured version of a villain, lacking dimension and subtlety.

In essence, "Blank" was a read that promised much but delivered little, mired by its implausible character arcs and a plot that struggled to find its footing in realism or satire. It was a book that I wanted to enjoy, given its intriguing concept, but ultimately, it did not live up to its potential, meriting no more than two stars from me.

I loved this debut novel by Zinby Owens. It’s is an insiders look at the publishing industry and as an avid reader I learned a lot even from this fictional scenario. Great story, believable characters and intriguing situations made this book unique to me, I am glad I got to read it thru NetGalley and look forward to more fiction from Zibby Owens .

Blank is about a writer, Pippa Jones, who is stuck in her life. She has a book due soon and nothing to show for it, her marriage may or may not be falling apart, and she's worried she's doomed to be a one hit wonder for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, this book kind of missed the mark for me. The plot does follow the synopsis, but I thought it would be more of a book about writing and less a critique of the publishing industry. The dialogue also felt rather unrealistic at times, especially for the children. My favorite parts had to do with Pippa's marriage, but the book was often oscillating between many different topics, so it never really focused in on any one. Everything did get wrapped up quite nicely, so I think this book will appeal to fans of the author's other works and those who enjoy feel-good stories.

Zibby has done it again - it’s a 5 star read!

Our main character, Pippa, makes a ballsy move when a writing deadline looms - but the consequences may be more than she bargained for.

Zibby just has a way with words and sends an important message through this tale!

In this real, funny, and at times completely improbable story - Zibby will force you to reflect on what truly matters, and she will sneak the thinking moments in when you least expect them!

I absolutely loved the characters and could picture them in my mind - I could even hear Zoe and Max! They were just so real to me - they jumped straight off the page.

Truly wonderful read! Cannot recommend it highly enough!

Pippa is a protagonist for the ages! She struggles to make the best life for her kids, but her marriage is not strong and her writing career is floundering. When faced with the urgent need to meet a looming deadline set by her publisher, she panics, and then comes up with an idea. An idea that is innovative, for sure, and may be brilliant—or a total disaster. Blank is the story of what happens when Pippa is finally inspired, and when she figures out a host of other things about her life. I was completely engaged from the start and so this was a quick read. I found this book incredibly funny. Pippa is relatable, and even though she is a bit of a mess, I found myself rooting for her. If you are looking for a book that makes you laugh and makes you think (about love and friendship, as well as the publishing industry, contemporary society, and social media) this is the book for you! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for a honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! As a mom of two almost teens who stays at home and owns my own business I can totally related to Pippa on so many levels (not on all hopefully 😳 IYKYK). When she talked about how her kids didn’t really see that she WAS WORKING, even though she didn’t leave the house like their Dad and Dad was always getting the heroes welcome even though she was the one who made sure their every need was taken care of throughout the day I was like YES! ME TOO! This book made me laugh, it made me angry a few times and it brought a tear to my eye a few times. It was just a great and quick read that you won’t want to out down!

Ever since she had to shelve her sophomore book, author Pippa has been struggling to write another word.
Married to a former TV child actor, she had been about 200 pages into a brilliant idea about a woman who decided to write a book purely so she could meet a cute podcaster. But then another better-known author wrote pretty much the same storyline, using the exact same title Podlusters, so in frustration Pippa deleted her draft.
Now Pippa’s agent is calling her to let her know she needs to submit a book within the next week, otherwise her publisher will ask for the advance back. And she’s already spent that money long ago.
Then her son gives her another brilliant idea but will her publisher go for it – or will it end her writing career for good?
This was a quick read that will appeal to those who like reading about writers writing. It explores a clever concept, with some family drama and some unexpected reunions to beef out the plot. I would have scored it higher except the final section had far too much going on and left me feeling unsatisfied with the rushed and unrealistic resolution.

I think it is so ironic once you know why the book is called Blank that I was drawn to it by it's cover! This book was a delight to read. I felt the main character's anxiety over certain things that were happening in the book (especially the deadline for the book she just could not write), but I also laughed out laud several times--which I don't do easily. There is a lot to unwrap in this book--interesting parts that make the story more interesting like the main character's side hobby of stalking and anonymously posting about posh real estate listings and her son's preparation for his bar mitzvah.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A publishing for the ARC

Oh Pippa! She's got a book due, she's got teens, she got a troubled marriage, she's got so much going on! I liked this for the insight into publishing and for the laughs about life in LA, as well as for Pippa. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a light one for the beach.

Fans of The OC and Selling Sunset will enjoy this light-hearted, entertaining and uplifting novel set in sunny Hollywood, with its expensive Erewhon lattes and Instagram celebrities. Over the course of a week, we delve into the life of bestselling author and mother of two Pippa Jones, as she tries to replicate the success of her debut book, all while on a tight deadline and scrambling to manage a busy family schedule. And so much can happen in a week. Romance, betrayals, bar mitzvahs, and unexpected turns of events. I really enjoyed the book, especially the fact that the plot unfolds over the course of a week, which makes it feel even more immersive. It's the perfect weekend read. Can’t wait to read more by the author.

This was a pretty fun read with a great plot. Pippa has writer’s block. The follow-up to her stellar debut novel is due in mere days and she has zero words written. She’s grasping at ideas and asking everyone she knows. Luckily her son saves the day with a wild idea (that he meant as a joke). Can Pippa salvage her career or will her second book end up ruining everything?

In addition to the interesting publishing-centric plot, there is plenty of relationship and friendship drama that keeps things moving. The pacing felt a bit too rushed at the end and everyone gets a tidy conclusion. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Little A and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

If you know of, and enjoy the many talents of Zibby Owens, then you will surely like her first work of fiction, Blank....and, honestly, what's not to like. Ms. Owens is a dynamo in the literary world by means of publishing, podcasting, encouraging, book shop owning, non-fiction writing, and now writing fiction. She has a keen eye for the creative, and Blank is no exception. My feeling is that the book's main character, Pippa, is a lot like Zibby herself, and that the story reflects a lot of Ms. Owen's own life. Highly enjoyable and a quick and easy read, Blank will no doubt do well for itself, and plummet this talented author into the highly beloved world of fiction.

Pippa Jones wrote a bestseller. Once. Now she's ahead of time for her new book. After a threat of breaking contract by her editor, she makes a bold move which can either end her career or skyrocket it.

Zibby Owens's debut novel is a genuine story about a woman in her fourties wondering what she has left to offer to the world. Pippa Jones is relatable in many ways. She's stucked in marriage that doesn't seem good to her, she has writer's block, and she has a massive mental load. While raising two teenagers, she has to think about everything.
This character feels so genuine, both in her thinking and in her behaviour. The dialogues in this book could be heard in a lot of household. It is truly refreshing to read this book because nothing feels out of place.
The critics the author adresses through Pippa about the writer/editor/reader world is so modern and very on point.

This was a very enjoyable read!

Zibby Owens debut novel is a wonderful read.Loved the lead characters Pippas relationship with her kids her friends the characters are so real could be any of my circle of girlfriends.Her son Max comes up with the idea of her submitting a blank book as her publisher is demanding her novel she has no ideas and the deadline is approaching. #Netgalley #blank

Blank by Zibby Ownes was very entertaining and a clever story! It definitely had me wanting to read more. It was was interesting how it was a bokk within a book. The main character is Pippa Jones she's a mom, wife and a writer she is told by her publisher she has 5 days to turn in her next book. Obviously she has yet to start it to this point, little to anyones surprise her 12 year old son is the one who helos give her the idea for the book. This book was lots of twist and turns and left me with pure joy, and at time full of laughter.

I found Blank really fun to read. Pippa is stuck, both with writer's block and in a cycle of being mom and keeping everything going. I felt for her when she was almost done with her book and then had to scrap everything, and being too stuck to come up with a new idea and move forward.
The moments with her kids were real and sweet, and the struggles with her husband made me mad for her because she deserved better.
The book has serious moments, but intertwined are bits of humor, or ways that Pippa can have a little laugh or find a light to reach for, even during tears. The friends and family that love her show up for her, and she makes it through, better than before.

Pippa Jones is writer struggling with her next book. The advance has been paid, but the ideas aren't there. She's got five days, gets a great idea and settles in to write. She then sees that another author has just hit the jackpot with the exact same idea. Having no idea how that happened, she settles in, deciding to run with a new idea that's anything but "done before..." a blank book. Literally.
With her marriage on the rocks, being mom to her teens, and wondering where it will all end up, things start moving at a rapid pace. She learns that things aren't always what they appear, but that sometimes your biggest allies come out in your worst of times. This book was funny, touching, felt true to life, and was a great read. I love it, and I think you will too.

Thank you to Net Galley, Little A Publishing and the author for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#PippaJones #Blank #NetGalley #ZibbyOwens #LittleAPublishing

I was between this and another book for my Amazon First Reads so I was happy when I found Netgalley was offering this. Pippa wrote a popular book, but struggled to write her second. She finally got a great idea and was writing it when another author came out with a book with the same plot AND title! Since then, she's been stuck. Unfortunately, she finds out that if she doesn't turn in a book within the week, she'll have to pay back her advance...that she already spent. Her son comes up with the idea of just turning in a blank book and she decides to go for it. She plans to make a statement about the literary world with it.

This is a really quick read, partly because I was trying to get through it. I honestly thought that I was going to find out that Pippa decided to get away with writing a "blank" book by just writing a diary of sorts and that it was this book. Basically nothing happened for most of the book except for Pippa complaining about not having an idea for her book, that her idea was stolen, and that her husband didn't tell her that he didn't like touching until after they were married. A LOT happened at the end of the book, so much that it was just chaotic. I didn't find the characters or the story to be very well developed.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a really fun and creative story. I enjoyed getting to know Pippa and could relate to her stage of life. Her life in general wasn't relatable to me but that didn't keep me from having a good time reading about it. This is a story about struggling with career, marriage problems that you may not want to face, kids, and friendship. I thought the twists and turns of this book as it went on were fresh and inventive. Highly recommend reading this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

When novelist Pippa Jones is under pressure to write and publish her second novel after the great success of her first a few years back, she is stuck with terminal writers block. Coming up with a great idea finally she is shocked to see that another up and coming novelist is publishing the book with her ideas but how did this happen?
Pippa is also busy with her husband Ethan (not very loving), teenage son and daughter, her other work and her friends. After her son jokingly comes up with the idea for Pippa to publish a blank book the idea is launched-now all she has to do is push her idea to her agents, publicist and editors.
I really enjoyed reading about Pippa and her children, her husband and her friend Kelly not so much. When her sons bar mitzah tutor comes along and Pippa realizes he is an old childhood friend things get real interesting. A fast paced fun book with a great ending.