Review: Smothered

Author: Autumn Chiklis
Started reading: July 29th 2018
Finished the book: August 5th 2018
Pages: 288
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction
Published: August 7th 2018
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads score: 3.67
My score: 

Synopsis
Eloise “Lou” Hansen is graduating from Columbia University summa cum laude, and she's ready to conquer the world. Just a few minor problems: she has no job, no prospects, and she’s moving back into her childhood bedroom. Lou is grimly determined to stick to a rigorous schedule to get a job and get out of her parents’ house. Shelly “Mama Shell” Hansen, on the other hand, is ecstatic, and just as determined to keep her at home. Who else will help her hide her latest binge-shopping purchases from her husband, go to SoulCycle with her, and hold her hand during Botox shots?

My thoughts

I don't read Contemporary books very often, but this book sounded like so much fun that I decided to request it on Netgalley. This was a light and fast paced read and I do believe this is a great debut for Autumn Chiklis.

Pros

• Social Media: What was different about this book, is that Social Media was involved a lot. Instagram posts and Online Messaging were a big part of this book and that was so much fun to read! It made the story come alive a bit more and it's also something you don't see very often.
• Writing style: I love it. The sarcasm is really the type of humour I love. That's also a big reason I was able to get into this book so easily. It just speaks to me and makes me laugh and it makes it light hearted. I think a lot of people who understand sarcasm and have this quirky type of humor, would love this book.
• Easy to read: I flew through. I read this while I was a bit sick while traveling in China, and I rushed through the book, even though I slept a lot and was doing activities if I felt better. The book didn't take any work for me to finish.
• Always something going on: This book is never dull and I never felt like the book was slow or I wanted something to happen. Something was going on at all times and it made me rush through.

Cons

• Over the top: The story is sometimes so over the top. Especially Lou's mom is a bit unbelievable at some point for me. Also some of the things that happen make it feel like it's all just a bit too much. I think the story would still be a lot of fun to read if it wasn't all that much.
• End of chapter: At the end of the chapter you get a list with little stars (*) where Lou tells you a bit more about a specific topic. I wasn't able to read it on Kindle because I had to keep going forth and back and the chapters weren't that long, but it took away some of the fun. I didn't even know what the stars were about when I was at the end of a chapter. It works better like that in a physical book, maybe put the explanation in a smaller font on the same page of you read this as an Ebook.
• Lou's Character: She is fun and big hearted and so, so sarcastic, but towards the end of the book she annoyed me. She is whining and complaining all the time, but she doesn't really change anything about her life. It felt a bit like she was waiting for the best job ever to magically appear. I would always take action if I'm not happy about something in my life and she avoids that as much as possible.

Overall

Light hearted, but still a book with a message behind it. A book about finding yourself in this big, big grown up world. The sarcasm is there, you can rush through easily and I do believe this is a good debut for Autumn Chiklis. I would definitely read something else by her.

Other opinions on this book

"Autumn Chiklis's debut novel, Smothered, is a hilarious, gimlet-eyed and affectionate take on the familial catastrophes that occur when a recent college grad moves back home with her helicopter mom. Whether you have a mother, are a mother, or know a mother, you will love and laugh 'til you cry reading this book."

- Gigi Levangie Grazer, NYT Bestselling Author

"Hilarious and adorable. Readers will be smiling from beginning to end. Mama Shell is a character who will stay with me for a long time! Author Autumn Chiklis uses an engaging combination of journal entries, Facebook and text message exchanges, and shopping receipts to create a fun and well-paced novel that will keep readers smiling from start to finish."

- Susan Mullen, coauthor of We Are Still Tornadoes

Memorable quotes from this book

"Wolfgang snorted and gave another head nod to the side... I think meaning yes, but I'm not sure. I don't speak bro."

"Don't spend your life waiting for perfect moments."

Thanks for reading!

I'd love to talk books, so let me know what you think about this book/review.

  

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