I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Smothered is intended to be a light, humorous read that follows Lou Hansen in the days after her graduation from Columbia. While I enjoyed the diary style entries and the humor, this book wasn't really a winner for me. The characters are mostly unlikeable and the storyline is relatively far-fetched. Lou herself is a pretty unrealistic character - she is a double major at the top of her class at Columbia, but somehow has no idea what she wants in a career and manages to go months without applying to any jobs. I would recommend this for a beach read, but then again, there are tons of other great beach reads out there.

Loved this book! I can see this scenario happening in so many families right now. Lou was a great character and this was a delightful read. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fun light read. Perfect for a vacation read. Lou is a recent graduate facing the transition from good student to an adult outside of academia. She’s moving back in with her parents while she gets ready for her new chapter in life. As this is a comic novel of course things don’t go according to plan. This would be a great read for a recent grad or a college student coming home for the summer and negotiating that awkward transition period with parents. I graduated years ago but I still remember that period when I was trying to get my first real job in a bad economy and things didn’t go according to plan. This novel would be a great pick me up because it is fun and would help lighten the mood of someone going through this.

This novel reminded me of a book I read years ago by Meg Cabot that was filled with Emails between characters. This book is filled with texts and social media postings that 20 somethings can certainly relate to. I’m in my 30s but still enjoyed them. Outside of the main characters there are some great characters that only really appear in this form. There were lots of little fun extras like that which were enjoyable and moved the story along.

While Lou is the main character her mother is a central part of the story. I was actually expecting more of her but she is a great character. She reminded me of the character from the Shopaholic books reaching 50. My kids are little but older women might relate to her struggles as she faces an empty nest. For that reason this is the kind of book mothers and daughters can enjoy and isn’t limited to just young grads.

I thought this was a great debut novel and will be interested in seeing what the author does next. I would have liked to see some more depth to the novel like more family interaction but it was very enjoyable. The father is not a central character which I think was a mistake. It would have been great to see more of his take on things. Plus I was expecting more content on Lou helping her mom hide her purchasing from the dad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Autumn Chiklis for an advance copy of this book.

I absolutely LOVED "Smothered"!! It's a fun, light read, and is perfect for summer. I loved Mama Shell. It totally made me appreciate my own low key, easy going mother. (Mama Shell reminds me of my mother in law, though! Thankfully, she's not as smother-y with me as she is with my sister in law and niece.) This is a stunning debut, and I can't wait to read more from Autumn Chiklis!

I love books written in diary style, it feels so intimate like you’re seeing someone’s innermost thoughts, secrets and desires. Besides journal entities from Lou you also get Facebook messages, texts,?emails and Instagram posts SO fun! The format made for a quick read and made me legit laugh out loud quite a few times.

What made this such an entertaining read was the over the top personalities and behaviors of Lou and her family. Mama Shell is so overbearing and controlling that I had to laugh, some of her actions were so outlandish and out of bounds, poor Lou. Everyone from Lou’s friends to her moms friends were over the top, not super believable but completely engaging and funny!

This isn’t a read to be taken seriously, it’s dramatic and wild but incredibly positive in the end. For a pretty light read Lou did go through some serious changes by the end too, character growth is always appreciated especially when it’s unexpected! Recommended when you need a light, easy and hilarious read that will most likely make you feel better about your own relationship with your mother.

Smothered in three words: Humorous, Light and Outrageous.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but this is really a story of a college graduate who returns home to live with her parents. If you like nagging and whining this is your book. It just wasn't' for me.

Wow, I think I just read a case study in privilege. "Smothered" is a novel told in journal entries with some texts, articles, and emails to add to the plot line. Lou has graduated from Columbia 3rd in her class, and is heading home to California to live with her wealthy parents while she decides what she wants to do with her life- what a luxury!

However, Lou spends the entirety of the book being completely ungrateful for what she has and bemoans every little pitfall, comparing them to even worse situations. For instance, doing a voluntary juice cleanse is compared to hunger of people in Africa. When her mom goes to get algae shots for the family (that no one will literally force down her throat), she compares this to oppression in a dictator-run country being portrayed on the news. Being unable to immediately socialize while in LA like she did in a college dorm is equivalent to putting a blind person in the Sahara to find water. I could go on.

Lou's biggest crisis is being unable to find a job- but she hasn't even been looking! She sends one resume after 3 months of living at home, and that's it! The rejection comes, and it's just the worst. How many entry level jobs do people have to apply to in order to get one? I assure you that it is typically more than one! Her second biggest is that she is worried about telling her parents about her boyfriend, Theo, who is really sweet but not given much personality (because Lou cares primarily- and almost entirely- about Lou). Why won't she tell her parents? They won't kick her out or do anything to her, but her mother may make some negative comments. Her mother is not abusive, physically or emotionally (from what I can tell/what appears in the book), and she is not cruel. She may be a little involved now that Lou is home- she does occasionally track her phone and is constantly trying to set her up with hot guys she finds (because she doesn't know Lou already has a boyfriend). However, Lou has made her into the enemy here, and I don't think she was that terrible (has her own life and is frequently out). Thank goodness for the brunch with her father, where he points out to her that if it drives her crazy, she is an adult, can get a job, and move out. However, despite this moment where I am shouting YES!, Lou doesn't really seem to take this to heart.

Let's also add to the privilege of Lou's life with the instance where she is hiding from her mother who wants her to talk to these "hot Yale guys" on the beach, so Lou goes and hides in a dressing room and tries on someone else's clothes- who turn out to be Taylor Swift's. As she was not allowed back there and wearing her clothes, they assume she is a stalker and she is arrested. However, luckily, mom knows the owner of the shop and is able to clear it all up and get her released. Would this understanding go so well for many in the populace? I would say not. However, Lou does not acknowledge any of this or even seem to realize how lucky she is.

On top of that, the way the the people who work at their house are treated reeks of oppression/privilege (the housekeeper is likely an illegal immigrant, but who knows? No one speaks Spanish and she doesn't speak English very well, but they'll treat her poorly anyway- she doesn't mind because she has seven kids... So, who cares?.. No, really, this is what Lou seems to think). I was somewhat appalled by all the #richpeopleproblems and unacknowledged privilege in this book- without any reconciliation.

On the other hand, it does have some genuinely funny moments and the texts, emails, etc. are really fun to read. However, I am not sure that I would recommend this book for anyone. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy of SMOTHERED on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

SMOTHERED is BRILLIANT. No joke. I smiled. I snort-laughed. I even cried. Several times. If you have a mother who loves you to the ends of the earth and only wants the best for you, you’ll identify with Lou. Seriously. Autumn Chiklis delivers the most entertaining and original modern day coming of age story. Seriously.

I love the premise. Lou’s at the college crossroads of coming to grips with adulting once she graduates. So are her parents. They need to cut the apron strings and Lou needs a reality check after living away from home for four years. It’s the universal theme of letting go – parents need to give their children two gifts in life: one is roots and the other is wings. Easier said than done, am I right? Anyhow, this story is told through texts, to-do lists, and journal entries. The format is entertaining and I simply devoured this book in one sitting.

If you love sweet yet savvy characters, and a rom-com ending of epic proportions, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!

This book was such a FUN read for me... it had a slight vibe of a Sophie Kinsella Book, and that is a huge compliment coming from me.... The characters were all over the top, some of the things that happen were quite ridiculous... but for me it just was delightful and made me laugh out loud.... it is a book that does not take itself too seriously, so to thoroughly enjoy it you have to be in that state of mind...

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fun novel about a mother-daughter and finding one's calling. Great pick for a women's book club.

Fun, smart, and written in original form, this book is a must have this summer! I absolutely ADORED this book and kept reading from beginning to end. It's relevant in today's day and age, and downright hilarious! I can't wait to read more from the author in the future!

This was a quick, beach read for me. It was ok.

Lou wasn't in any way relatable, the family is super rich and spending an extraordinary amount of money in every turn; it's clear that the only reason why she wants to find a job is to get some "HA, in your face! I'm so independent!" points, like that one friend she keeps badmouthing but secretly wants to be like, and NOT because she has any actual need for that money. She doesn't really do much except for grumbling about her weight and reacting to her surroundings.

Plus, her "problem" is that she can't tell her mom about her loving, supporting boyfriend, because... he isn't pretty? What fresh hell is this?? How vapid can one be??

Honestly, "vapid" is one of the best adjectives for this book.

I requested this book because I thought it would be relatable. Though I'm no longer a recent college graduate, I was once and I too had an overbearing mother and had to move home after graduation because I didn't have a job lined up. I also really enjoy YA novels. This read more like YA than adult fiction, even if it was about a college graduate, yet it was completely unrelatable. Six months after graduating, she still had only applied to one job. She wallowed away every day whining about she couldn't find a job without actively seeking one out. There was no real plot. I also didn't like any of the characters. They all seemed like rich and self-entitled brats (including the mother) with the exception of Theo, who was the only one who seemed even remotely "real." The journal-style formatting and the addition of medical reports, texts, and articles made it a quick read, but I literally had to put this down for a bit because I was so tired of her incessant complaining and juvenile behavior.

I enjoyed this book. It was very predictable but it was sweet. I’m way older than the main character at this point in life but I vividly remember what it was like to finish college and be an adult but still feel like your life hasn’t started yet. Worth a read.

DNF @ 11%.

I tried. I really did. But last year, for the first time, I started putting books down when I hated them, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. That’s what happened here. This book is NOT for me.

Lou is entitled, and lazy, and doesn’t take the blame for anything. She hides her boyfriend from her family, even though it upsets him. Her mother is a caricature of terrible, overbearing, rich white women, and I didn’t find it funny at all. But this was what did me in, at the 6% point in the book - Lou’s dad is watching news footage of what appears to be a war. Lou learns her mother is getting algae shots for everyone. AND LOU COMPARES THE PEOPLE FIGHTING AN ACTUAL WAR TO THE “TORTURE” SHE’S ABOUT TO ENDURE TAKING AN ALGAE SHOT. I’m not here for that nonsense. That takes entitlement to a level I can’t deal with.

This book can be summed up in one hashtag: #richpeopleproblems.

I liked the idea of a protagonist dealing with the absolute emotional dump that is the six months post-grad, but the characters in this book were ridiculous. It read too much like those crazy, British-girl diaries I loved in middle-school, but that fun, "every possible worst thing that could happen to me is happening!" doesn't translate well to characters in their mid-20's. Especially when the whole to-do of the novel is that she's afraid to tell her mother about her amazing--if somewhat frumpy--successful chef boyfriend.

Try some more realistic problems and get back to me, because I think that novels dealing with the realities of post-college life are important.

I found <i>Smothered</i> to be similar to many real life stories of college graduates lately. Girl (Lou) graduates college (Columbia, naturally) and with no job prospects on the horizon moves back home to California to live with her wealthy parents. The author writes Lou’s mother, Shelli (or Shell/Mama Shell/or as she’ll refer to herself to appear younger, “Lou’s stepmother”), as the mom from “Mean Girls”. At least, that’s my vision of her. Trying to get into every aspect of her daughter’s life, trying to be the “cool mom”, weaseling her way into every spare second (including stalking her via gps tracking).

It doesn’t come off well because the character, Lou, just keeps on taking it. She’s a pushover and is also keeping her boyfriend of over 9 months a secret because her mom sees a picture of him and says he “looks like a serial killer”.

The entire book is about Lou’s mom trying to make her over, whether it be with a juice cleanse or highlights, Lou herself trying to make herself over with 3.6, and 9 month goals that she can’t or won’t attain and a family that’s disfunctuonal, to say the least, that even in the end, doesn’t leave you with warm fuzzies.

Cute story! Easy read. I really enjoyed the different characters. Can't wait to read her other books!

Honestly, I found this book difficult to read on my Kindle. Much of the story is told through text messages or social media posts, but they're inserted into the file as images - which means that increasing the size of the text does nothing. I'm hoping that this is an issue with the ARC that will be resolved with the final version, but anyone thinking of buying the Kindle version of this book may want to download the sample chapters first to be sure.

Formatting issue aside, I really enjoyed the book. Lou annoyed me at times with her incessant lying (and mooching off her parents for several months when she was supposed to be looking for a job), but the book is well-written and funny. The characters are well-drawn and interesting. Mama Shell seemed kind of ridiculous and over-the-top, but I get it. I'd likely read another book by this author.

Relationships with your parents can be fraught with difficulties and strong emotions - particularly as you combat the adage that you'll become just like them. Autumn Chiklis's Smothered demonstrates the delicate relationship between a recently graduated daughter and her mother. 

Lou just graduated from Columbia University, but this exciting time is tempered by her lacking any real job prospects. Moving back to her childhood home in L.A. she has to figure out how she's going to live at home, with her overbearing mother, and still accomplish the goals she sets for herself to be the successful person she's capable of being. Combating her mother's enthusiasm for having her eldest daughter at home, Lou has been keeping her boyfriend secret from her family as she fears her mother, who constantly pushes a certain type of guy toward Lou, and what she'll think of her not-so-conventionally attractive boyfriend. When circumstances arise that bring Lou's family and her boyfriend together, Lou's lies are exposed for her to confront.

A quick and light read, this story is comprised of diary entries, texts, emails, and social media posts that demonstrate the thought process behind a mother-daughter relationship. The dynamic between Lou and her mother comes across as incredibly unhealthy, yet is something that could easily be modified; the entire premise relies upon my least favorite plot contrivance of a communication issue, which frustrated me throughout the entire novel. The lack of honesty and the shallowness of the emotions that Lou exhibits (particularly as a spoiled, affluent person who only expects for life to work in her favor) makes me less able to relate to the otherwise very relatable aspects to her personality or the humorous situations that arose. I found that the use of end of chapter notes instead of footnotes made it difficult to remember what was being referenced - not to mention the fact that the same marks denoted separate notes.

Overall, I'd give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars.