I have always enjoyed reading Jennifer Weiner's books, so I was really excited to dive into this one. The premise was fun and reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six. It took me a while to really get into the book, but once I did, I enjoyed the drama surrounding The Griffin Sisters both on the road and in the present day. The addition of Cherry's storyline was a nice touch.

However, my main complaint about the book is that I found some sections challenging to read due to the intense portrayal of body dysphoria. It seemed more pronounced in this book compared to her others. While the story was clearly influenced by 2000s culture, I felt that aspect was somewhat unnecessary. It was over the top cringy. Despite my personal opinion, I still enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGallery and to William Morrow for giving me a copy of the book.

Jennifer Weiner has done it again, as she has so many times. This is a great story of two sisters embroiled in the music industry who couldn't be more different. They are so close in age but on different planets when it comes to personalities. The typical plot of 2 dissimilar and incompatible siblings takes on a new edge in this book.
Weiner's research of the music industry is quite evident. I came away knowing more about how it operates including its beauty and tension. The story had unexpected twists, and I was rooting for the sisters to overcome their issues.
Great read with unexpected results!

I really enjoyed this book! It seemed pretty different from Jennifer Weiner's other books that I've read (and I've read at least a dozen of them), but it was a good read. The dynamic between the sisters was really interesting, and I liked how different they were. The story of their fame and the highs and lows was really interesting. The way the book is paced kept me engaged the whole time, I ended up not being able to put it down. It wasn't my favorite book of Weiner's, but it was still good and I'll be recommending it to patrons and friends alike. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC!

I really enjoy Jennifer Weiner's recent work, and this one was certainly an entertaining, engaging read. The music industry is usually a fun setting for novels, and I always love a good multi-generational, non-linear story. The characters were engaging and it moved along at a good pace (at the end when the sisters are each baring their souls to Cherry/Bess, I found it a bit slow, but otherwise the pace was good). Jennifer drew on real experiences of female musicians in the early 2000s, and it felt like a realistic depiction of a rich time in American culture.

Unfortunately, the constant, drawn-out descriptions of how Cassie is soooo fat and soooo unlovable and soooo much different than her thin, perfect sister kind of ruined the book for me. This aspect of the novel was, at best, poorly written, and at worst, violently fatphobic (and also, ableist? Since Cassie was autistic-coded the whole book, and then Cherry has a moment of wondering if Cassie is autistic?). I kept waiting for the moment when somehow the book would redeem itself for all these offensive and unnecessary descriptions of how Cassie being fat and socially awkward makes her inherently repulsing, but it just never happened!

I also felt the Bix storyline was not wrapped up at all, and was potentially totally unnecessary to the book as a whole.

The book was entertaining enough for me to finish it, but I won't recommend it to my friends the way I did "The Summer Place" (which is one of the best books I've ever read) or "The Breakaway" (which was a solid read).

Cassie and Zoe could not be more different! But even from a young age, Zoe helps her shy, awkward sister move in the world! As she grows older and has dreams of stardom and fame she turns to her sister’s raw talent to get everything she’s ever wanted. Fame comes with its own challenges though, and Zoe and Cassie’s bond might not survive the spotlight!

I absolutely adored this read! I loved the storyline of rising stars in the early 2000’s. This touched on how the music industry changed with the internet, and shows like American Idol. And through it all, it was a story about how far things can get torn apart when grief strikes.

I did not expect to end up loving all of the characters, in fact I wanted to outwardly dislike one of them! But Jennifer Weiner’s writing reminds you of the human experience and asks that you find a way to forgive even the worst part of someone. This story also hits on forgiving yourself, such an important part of healing grief! This is a must read!

Jennifer Weiner's latest novel is her usual mix of characters, deep point of view perspective, humor, and sadness. As with many of her books, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits, explores the relationship between women (but IMO don't classify her work as "women's fiction," it's fiction... No one says "men's fiction" or other BS!). In this case between... sisters (shocking! lol), and mothers and daughters. Weiner also highlights the experience of a person likely on the spectrum, and of women in the culture's body image, mind-damaging diet-focus, and the effects on women and girls. The music industry, songwriting, touring are interesting especially if you like live music. At times though it seemed a bit repetitive with storylines; and while this is an advanced copy, definitely needs additional fine-tune editing. I found it more engrossing toward the latter part of the book. Overall, another great read by Jennifer! Look forward to the next one!

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a tearjerking story about love, life, ambition, tragedy, forgiveness and …sisters. The sisters are Zoe and Cassie. Zoe is a bundle of charm, stage presence and beauty. Cassie is musically gifted. The two become the Griffin Sisters and have one hit after another. Then a tragic event sends Cassie as far away from family and the music business as she can get and turns Zoe into an embittered housewife and mother. Twenty years later, Zoe’s daughter Cherry, who inherited her aunt’s talent, wants a music career of her own and needs help from her mother and aunt. The two have not spoken for decades and it is up to Cherry to reunite them.

Jennifer Weiner is a master storyteller. Zoe and Cherry are well described characters but Cassie will grab your heart. So many things have gone wrong for her you just want to save her. I didn’t want this book to end. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Jennifer Weiner for this ARC.

Jennifer Weiner's latest is a long detailed novel about two teenage sisters from Philadelphia who are launched into a pop music career after being discovered at a local battle of the bands event. Zoe is the fashion-obsessed mediocre singer given a microphone and a tambourine, Cassie is the overweight singer, songwriter, and compose who hides behind her piano. The plot involves an inside look at how grueling the music business is. Cassie and another band member, Russell, work side by side composing songs, but Zoe throws herself at Russell to create photo ops for the covers of magazines. As the band's popularity grows, so does the behind the scenes messiness. After an accident, Cassie relocates in Homer, Alaska while Zoe moves back to New Jersey to raise her daughter--who as a teenager decides she wants to compete in televised singing competitions. The novel spans twenty-four years of Cassie and Zoe's lives and is recommended for YA and adult readers who enjoy popular fiction.

I absolutely loved this one! I tried reading it slower to soak it all in and savor it, but I had to devour it to know how it played out. I loved Cassie from the start, but Zoe and Cherry truly got me to warm up to them. I loved the nostalgic vibes it gave me with the dual timelines of now and the 2000s. I was shocked by some of the twists but loved the mystery along the way and just had to keep reading to figure out how it all played out. Such a beautiful family dynamic that includes messy, raw, hard, honest moments but also the loving, caring moments of forgiveness. This truly moved me! I was so entangled up in the Griffin Sister's drama that I needed it to be sorted and okay, lol. I loved the character development for Cherry, Zoe, and Cassie. It was just brilliant all around. The ending got me teary-eyed. Easily 5 stars!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I'm going to start this review with the end--this is the best ending ever! It made me cry (good tears); I could see it and HEAR it in my head, I absolutely loved the ending--and oh yes the rest of the book too. I know The Breakaway was different than her other novels, but it still had that domestic feel to it. The Griffin Sisters was even more different, yes it did have family--but generations of family, but it was really about three separate women and all three coming of age-some of them older than others (it just took a little longer). The three main characters are so well drawn that I felt I knew them and the back story was so tragic, but only showed how far the two sisters had come at the end. There ware love stories as well--but the best one was (of course) between the two sisters. And I don't want to ruin anything, but the reader can enjoy Wesley the dog--he doesn't die in the end. See, I told you--a perfect ending!

Zoe and Cassie are sisters, close enough in age that they are just a year apart, but ultimately vastly different. Beautiful Zoe has been wanting the limelight forever, yet musically gifted Cassie prefers to be behind the scenes. They eventually become the Griffin Sisters, a pop group that hits the big time. After rocketing to fame after a year, the Griffin Sisters breaks up, and no one ever knows why. Twenty years later, Zoe's biggest achievements are in the house and Cassie is "off the grid". The sisters do not communicate. Cherry, the daughter of Zoe and a wannabe sensation herself, wants to know what happened to the group and develops a mission to find out.

I loved the role that sisterhood played in this book, as well as motherhood. I thought the characters were definitely relatable, as well as some of the issues they faced, like weight, were totally on point. The character development was excellent in this book, which helped with the relatability. What made this story stand out more was the addition of Cherry, the daughter. It just added another layer of development that really rounded out the overall storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and loved every one of Jennifer Weiner’s books, so I was thrilled to get this ARC from NetGalley (thank you!). Anyone who liked “Daisy Jones and the Six” will LOVE this book; this one is far superior in my opinion. The story of the Griffin Sisters’ rise to fame with all the messy dynamics behind it was super compelling, and following Cherry’s journey added another dimension to the novel. I feel like there is more to tell here, maybe we can hope for a sequel??

Jennifer Weiner has been a favorite author of mine since I first read Good in Bed - I was a young single mother when I read that and related very much to the insecurities of Cannie. I’ve read her works since and they never fail to impress me and give me pieces that I can see myself in.

JW’s characters are so richly written - the reality of them undeniable until you remember that you’re reading fiction (and despite that realism - I still found both Cassie and Cherry to be more elusive than I would have hoped for.).

I couldn’t stop reading The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits; this was a book that I finished over two days, and it’s one that would have been a full five stars but for a few things -
*I’m 51; I grew up in a time when fat kids and neurodivergent kids were treated terribly - I’m neurodivergent myself, and life and people have often seemed like a puzzle I just can’t quite get - but the constant “fat, fat, fat” in the story was over the top grueling and made me feel overwhelmingly bombarded as a reader
*Cherry - a lot of questions about her, her past, etc
*the ending was extremely abrupt and I was hoping for more resolution with family, with much - a lot was left unanswered and I was disappointed not to get those answers


Despite my issues with this, I enjoyed it immensely and it’s a full recommendation from me.


**also, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham? Together??




Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the DRC

In the early 2000’s Cassie and Zoe Griffin find stardom as a rock band called The Griffin Sisters. They experience a meteoric rise to number 1 and then after a tragedy occurs the band breaks up. Zoe goes on to live a normal suburban life while Cassie goes off grid and nobody has any communication with her. 18 years later Zoe’s daughter is attempting to become a singer and is looking for her aunt. Why is Cassie hiding after all this time and will she agree to make a musical comeback?

I love Jennifer Weiner and I think this is one of her best books. I loved all the characters, even Zoe who I thought was not a good person. But she’s well written enough that she is still likeable. I thought the story and character development were excellent and the ending quite satisfying.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and William Morrow Publishing for the advance reader copy. This is my honest review. Publication date April 8, 2025.

i usually tear through JW’s books and this one just went a little slow for me! it was also a little tough to read re: fat shaming/body hating, which i felt was turned up a notch compared to JW’s other books. not bad, just not for me!

Dang, I wanted to love this book because I’ve only heard great things about Jennifer Weiner’s books. This was just okay for me. It was a really fun plot with a lot of potential— two sisters make it big in the music industry right out of high school, after a Battle of the Bands show. Zoe craves the spotlight and doesn’t have a lot of natural talent, whereas her sister Cassie detests the spotlight but has a lot of natural talent and is musically inclined. The two girls are torn apart by a man and tragedy. I was really bummed by the continual fat-phobic comments and descriptions toward Cassie’s character.

Examples: “a girl even fatter than Cassie”, “summoning her in a register only other fat girls could hear”, “she would have been happy to cede the attention of every fat girl to her sister”, “her feet were small, compared to the rest of her”, “all the boys used to call her a whale- free willy!”, “Cassie flopped down beside him but gently so the bed wouldn’t shake too hard and the bedframe wouldn’t groan”, “How could Russell want to sleep with Cassie when he had her?…it would be like a diner in a restaurant sending a perfectly cooked steak back to the kitchen and requesting roadkill instead… Zoe knew how her sister looks out shaper clothes- Cassie was flabby and squishy. her belly and her breast drooped and even if a guy didn't let himself see her body he wouldn't be able to keep from feeling THAT.”

And that’s just the few I highlighted so I could remember. Zoe seems to have Cassie’s back in any other regard so I’m not sure why we needed to be reminded of Cassie’s weight every other page. It was well established and felt redundant, and didn’t articulate her body image issues. I was able to gather that from the personality descriptions and the way she spoke.

This would have been a higher rated read for me, but the fatphobic vibes were a huge (no pun intended!) buzzkill for me. Great sisterhood story, motherhood, and personal growth otherwise. But man.

I also recognize that this took place in early 00s when women’s diet culture was toxic AF- but I think there’s a way to write history accurately without being offensive:)

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow books for the advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book.

📖 Book Review 📖 Once upon a time I thought the beloved music I grew up would become irrelevant and a relic that my kids rolled their eyes at. But a funny thing happened when I started chaperoning their middle school dances, the music played was the music that was played at my middle school dances and it was like we spoke the same language (almost). Jennifer Weiner has captured this magic of the aughts that has resonated and passed to another generation. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a beautiful tale of growing up, growing apart, and trying to find a path to forgiveness and moving forward. An absolutely beautiful book that will strike a heartwarming note with readers!

The Griffin Sisters becomes one of the hottest bands in the early 2000's. Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg are the founding members but are complete opposites. Cassie is plus-sized, shy, on the spectrum, and super talented. Zoe is skinny, good looking, and not a talented musician. When they both end up involved with the guitar player from the band, disaster ensues and the band breaks up after one album. Present day, Zoe's daughter wants to pursue music and has decided to find her aunt who has been hiding out since the disastrous day the band broke up.

For me this book had the vibes of Daisy Jones mixed with sibling rivalry and family secrets. Won’t give away any of the story but this was about two sisters who couldn’t be more different together in a rock band.
Not a favorite of mine probably due to the music career background. Was just ok for me.

Wow! This was an epic read. I couldn't put it down and was so moved by all the characters. They were all flawed, like we all are and that Mae them all so much more lovable. I could see pieces of myself in each one.

The story flows between the early 2000s and today. The contrast was amazing. We have come so far, but not really.