Member Reviews
I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Weiner novels for a long time. While this isn’t my favorite, I would recommend it. It’s on the heels of Daisy Jones and the Six but with an American Idol arc mixed in. I wish it didn’t rely on celebrity name dropping for relevance. The story is very compelling and could’ve stood better on its own.
Thank you NetGalley & William Morrow Publishing for sending this book for review consideration.
Jennifer Weiner weaves a biblical tale of two sisters, full of love, heartbreak and ultimately reconciliation. I enjoyed this book immensely including the look into the music industry pre-Metoo. It was a timely reminder of how women were (are) treated. Set in a world was a different without proper health diagnosis and even the language to begin discussions this book touches on many current issues. I am hoping there is a sequel coming for the unresolved mystery?
I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's latest creation, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits, due to release in April, 2025. I may even go out on a limb and declare it my favorite of Ms. Weiner's vast library of novels. Set in dual timelines, present day and the early 2000s, this is the story of two sisters who hit the big-time in the world of music. What ensues is sometimes wonderful, sometimes miserable, but always enjoyable for the reader. The impeccable cast of dynamic characters adds so much to the book, most importantly the sister's love/hate relationship. The Griffin Sisters are truly a work of art, as is this masterpiece of a novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for this ARC. I was hooked from page 1 and couldn't put the book down. Cassie and Zoe are sisters who couldn't be more different. Cassie is quiet, reserved, feels that she is not pretty or desirable, and is a musical prodigy. Zoe is beautiful, charismatic, can navigate the social scene, and dreams to be famous. When Zoe convinces Cassie, who is a music student studying classical piano, to perform in public, the girls quickly soar into the public eye and find themselves writing songs with profesional musician, Russel, singing in front of packed crowds with their new band, and traveling around the country. Soon, the tables are turned and Zoe finds that he is not at all integral to the band's success and is slowly being inched out of the spotlight, which is now more and more focused on Cassie and her incredible talents, despite the fact that she couldn't be further from the stereotypical star.
The reader finds themselves in a future in which Russell is gone, Zoe and Cassie are estranged, and Zoe's daughter, Cherry, is on her own chasing her dreams. Told through multiple perspectives and timelines, the story slowly unravels, revealing insecurities, hopes and dreams, deeply rooted self doubt, and so much more.
Anyone who loved Daisy Jones and the Six will enjoy this one!
Jennifer Weiner's The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is a tale of family, fame, and the enduring power of music. The story follows two estranged sisters, Cassie and Zoe, as they confront their past and the sacrifices they made for their music careers. Weiner's vivid portrayal of the music industry and her well-developed characters make this novel a delightful escape into the world of music and family.
I really enjoyed this book! It seemed pretty different other books by Jennifer Weiner's that I've read, but it was a good read. The dynamic between the sisters was really interesting, and I liked how different they were. The backstory of their fame and the highs and lows was fascinating. The book is well paced and kept me engaged the whole time, I ended up not being able to put it down. We will be purchasing this for our library. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I love books set in the music industry during the 00’s! This one revolves around sisters Zoe and Cassie, who couldn’t be more different. During it, I couldn’t help but feel bad for both of them in different ways. Adding another layer to the story is Zoe’s daughter Cherry. Everything gets so complicated, and I enjoyed seeing things unravel and then come back together.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.
While fans of Daisy Jones & the Six will definitely enjoy this book, the story will easily stand on its on. Jennifer Weiner tells the tale of two vastly different sisters and their rise to fame with their band The Griffin Sisters. I was captivated by the way that success and lies shaped their lives during the band’s run and also in the decades that followed.
This is a complex and heartfelt story about family and connection. Her characters are flawed and complicated, their relationships fractured and even dysfunctional, but it all feels very real. I was a little put off by her physical descriptions of Cassie, and I'm not sure whether it was meant to be Cassie's own judgments of herself. I understand that our views of ourselves can be pretty skewed. But all the descriptions of Cassie felt unfair and potentially exaggerated, which made me uncomfortable. Because I liked all the characters--especially Cassie--and really felt for them, even when they were being selfish and cruel, because the motivations behind those actions felt very real.
I loved the nostalgic 2000s vibes this book gave and the family dynamic. They were messy but also loving and caring. I really enjoyed the way this book wrote about sisterhood and motherhood.
What I didn’t like was the constant fat shaming Cassie. It was just over the top and too much. I know this took place in the 2000s, but I feel like her weight was mentioned way too much. Besides that I enjoyed this book!
This book explores the lives of two very different sisters, capturing how their paths first intersect, diverge, and ultimately lead them back to each other. While the pacing felt a bit slow at times, I found myself invested in uncovering their past and eager to see how their journey would end. I'm hoping for a sequel to follow their story further, as I'd love to know where life takes them next. Jennifer Weiner has once again crafted a beautiful story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. As a longtime fan, I was thrilled to receive an e-ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins. Thank you!
#TheGriffinSistersGreatestHits #NetGalley
Eeekk! I was super excited to get this book early! Jennifer Weiner’s books are always such great reads. I really liked the premise of this book! Absolutely love the 2000s pop star plot! So good!
First I would like to say I wish I wrote great sweeping reviews but it's not my forte, if I could I would for this one I love the author- since good in bed she just gets better and better and this one blew it out of the park! I loved it the story was so good- told in multi person and present and past it's the story of 2 sisters who had family in the early 2000s one who really wanted it and the other who hot taken along- two sisters one with the mind blowing talent but not commercially appealing so to speak and the other while not overly talented had the look- and they are a package deal- enter the music industry and the cool talented song writer/guitarist and you can guess what happens- classic 2 girls one boy and what follows- this is going to be the book of the summer such visuals and makes you think about music and who you picture as each character- great for fans of the author as well as music as well- a Playlist would have been an awesome addition-
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.
I'm a long-time fan of Jennifer Weiner. This one was a miss for me. This clocked in as a 6-hour read and it should have been edited down by 30-40%. This is very similar to Daisy Jones, but much like that novel, doesn't really have much drama or action attached to it. Sisters Zoe (who wants fame) and Cassie (who is the talent) form a band and fight over, what else, a guy.
This book constantly fat-shamed Cassie to the point of it being irritating. It also takes until 80% of the book for someone to say, Huh, maybe Cassie is on the spectrum. This is after the first 80% of the book talks about how awkward she is and how she doesn't like crowds. There's never any suggestion that she get tools that can help equip her in her everyday life.
Russell is one-dimensional and has no personality so I'm not sure why everyone is fighting over him. The side plot of Bix didn't really have any kind of effect on the story so I'm not sure why that was included.
I just really struggled through this after completely loving her last novel. Maybe others can get around some of these points, but I didn't enjoy this.
The Griffin Sisters is another winner from Jennifer Weiner. I truly loved this book and all of the characters. I felt this was executed perfectly from start to finish. The timeline was perfect, the plot was easy to keep up with , and I loved the nostalgia. The characters were beautifully developed and I enjoyed each point of view. All the stars and congratulations to Jennifer Weiner on what I’m sure will be a bestseller once it’s released.
Many thanks to NetGalley and also the publisher for the advanced copy.
Absolutely outstanding!!! Loved this book about Sisters that started a career in music together, lost touch, and then found their way back to one another! I laughed, cried and smiled my way through this beautiful story! Highly recommend!
A fantastic new book from much-loved and longtime author Jennifer Weiner. Zoe and Cassie are sisters who are not very much alike, except in their love for one another. They both sing and are into music, but Zoe is not nearly as talented as Cassie, who is an out of this world musical prodigy. They end up being discovered by a talent agent and are launched into the entertainment world as the Griffin Sisters. They achieve incredible success, but after about two years, the band breaks up. Zoe retreats to marriage and the suburbs, and Cassie simply disappears. Now, some twenty years later, Zoe's daughter Cherry, also a musician, wants the Griffin Sisters to reunite -- for their own sakes as well as for Cherry's own success. It's not going to be easy. There are a lot of painful secrets and lies keeping everyone apart. A terrific read that I truly look forward to recommending.
Jennifer Weiner has done it again! I could NOT put this book down!! I loved all of the jumping between preset and past and really getting to know there characters! I need a sequel ASAP!!!
I loved this book sooo much! Jennifer weiner does NOT disappoint! I loved the sisters and their relationship. Going back and forth between present and past was done masterfully. What a joy to relax and be completely absorbed by the story in the capable hands of Weiner.
“The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits” by Jennifer Weiner is a tragic and entertaining story about two sisters and their meteoric rise to fame in the music industry in the early 2000’s. One sister is a child prodigy with the voice of an angel who is likely on the spectrum at a time when it wasn’t recognized. The other sister is beautiful with mild talent and the drive to succeed at stardom no matter the cost to herself or her sister.
Fame come with unexpected challenges and heartbreaking disasters which causes the sisters to become estranged. After decades of separation the impact of family, sisterhood and forgiveness brings the story together with a credible and satisfying ending.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.