Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book was so much fun! And it was exactly what I needed. Lou's story was amusing, but also relatable, and it left me in high spirits.

Lou was at this crossroads in her life. Her time as an overachieving student was coming to an end, and now she had to figure out what comes next. She was sort of adrift, and also struggling to readjust to life back in her childhood home. I found myself really invested in Lou's success. I wanted her to get her act together, to come clean with her family, and to accomplish some of those items on her goals list. It was quite satisfying to see her making strides and growing into her new adult life.

I adored the format of this book. This story was mostly told via journal entries, therefore, we were pretty much in Lou's head for the entire book, and it was quite a hilarious place to be. The combination of Lou's wit, humor, and all the over the top characters left me with either a smile on my face or audibly laughing. The journal entries were interspersed with Instagram photos, text messages, Facebook posts, letters, and articles, which just added to my enjoyment.

However, this story was not simply all fun, it was also quite heartfelt. It was about struggling and adjusting to change, and I found it quite easy to relate to many things in this book. First, I remember having that same kind of lost feeling when my formal schooling came to an end, and I found myself nodding, often, while Lou reflected on her lack of direction. I also related to the story from Shelly's point of view. She was a mom facing an empty nest, and it was terrifying for her. Though she has a fun group of friends, her pugs, and a multitude of interests, she still felt as though her most important role was being a mother. So, I would say that Mama Shell was feeling a little lost as well.

Chiklis did a wonderful job capturing all those emotions and the confusion that accompany dealing with big life changes. I was a fan of how she was able to keep the story fun and light, while still giving it some heart and depth.

Overall: A delightful tale, which I think could appeal to both mothers and daughters, as well as new graduates, who are beginning their post graduate lives.

i received this as an arc from netgalley.

going into this, i thought it was going to be very relatable and similar to my own post-college life, but as many reviewers have said before, there was nothing relatable about this. at all. it's like the richest, whitest, most privileged book i've ever read. which is fine. i've read gossip girl, i get it. but this one was missing the drama of gossip girl because lou was boring and repetitive and nothing happens -- it's an entire book of her complaining about post-grad life. which is also fine because post-grad life kind of sucks, but it doesn't make for a very interesting book.

mother-daughter relationships are so important, and i don't think this book did a very good job of exploring lou's and shell's. we saw the relationship, but it never felt like we really dug into it. it could be because of the medium; the book doesn't give you much opportunity to see through anyone perspective but lou's and the occasional news report, but it wasn't quite good enough to capture the relationship that the entire book was based upon.

it's hard to tell what is memoir and what is fiction here. i didn't go look up the author until i was almost done with the book so i didn't actually know WHO exactly she was until pretty close to the end but it does kind of pull a lot of it into question.

one thing i do have to say is that this is some super entitled white girl bullshit. as someone who has been an unemployed, living at my parent's house after graduating college and looking for a job, her attempts were entirely pathetic. do you not know how to look for a job? few and far between family connections are not the typical ways people do it. there are cover letters and internet searches and using craigslist and and linkedin and all sorts of online job apps and it's not just sitting around waiting for someone to be, "i know somebody! here, send them an email!" it's definitely not, "i'm too good to work retail". except for how apparently it is when you come from enough money for it to be that.

anyway. it's fun to go stalk her instagram account after you've read it and see pictures of the dogs and her mother and her boyfriend. and it is super readable. she's a great writer. but also, how much of the mother stuff was REAL because if i was her real life mom, i don't know how i'd feel about this.

This book was okay. I agree with many of the other reviewers that this story is really "rich people problems" . I did however enjoy that the story was told through texts, emails, documents along side ordinary book format. It flowed very easily and I did find myself amused at various points of the stories. I think this is a worth while beach read or for when you are looking for some light fluff to pass the time.

Hilarious coming of age type novel. As a recent graduate, Lou moves back in with her mother. With a list of short-term and medium-term goals, she is ready to go places. But, things start to unravel as she navigates the world of living with her "smother."
Recommended for a laugh!

*I received this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion

I vividly remembered my struggles after graduating from college and in since I now work at a college I do try and prepare my student for the life after college. I was intrigued by this book and provided with a copy by netgalley. My hopes were that I could recommend this book to my students, but sadly for me this won’t be the case.

In Smothered we meet Lou Hansesn a recent graduate from Columbia who moves back home with her overbearing mother, hipper younger sister and kinda checked out dad. As she struggles to navigate post-college life she does so in such a privileged bubble that it is hard to take her seriously. She didn’t need a job Most kids take a job doing something until they find something better, but she just lounged around the house and snuck out with her boyfriend. Hard to relate to that. Also, her mother was overbearing but Lou lacked significant maturity. I just wanted to yell at her to grow the * up. The Natasha story lines started out funny, but they grew weird and her relationship with her cousin was annoying probably one of the more realistic aspects of the book. It really seemed like that is who Lou wanted to be. I just struggled with the decision and choices she made during the story and probably would have stopped reading but there are some fun and cute snippets. I just couldn’t stand Lou.

I don’t know many kids who have the luxury of just doing nothing while waiting for the perfect job while their mother overspends at Barney’s so sadly this isn’t a book I feel I can recommend. Maybe for older adults looking for a cute story about how entitled kids are these days will enjoy for more fodder.

I LOVED this book....it is a perfect beach read, about a post-graduate college student, who moves home and deals with hilarious family drama. Eloise Hansen has moved back from NY to California, and is using this summer to regroup and set new goals in her life. The story is told through diary entries, text messages and emails. It is laugh out loud funny.

I didn't enjoy this book very much at all. It was enough to keep me reading but I really wasn't interested.
I didn't find any of it funny and couldn't relate to any of the characters.

Thank net galley for an advanced reader copy of this novel. I enjoyed this novel and all the laugh out loud scenes of Lou moving back home and navigating those waters. I loved mama shells character and all her eccentricities. The feel good ending with all characters was a definite plus. This is definitely a book for anyone with an even slightly over protective/involved mother to read. The only negative was the swearing language was rough in spots. I would definitely recommend this book!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review Smothered prior to publication. I would rate the book at 3.5 stars. Smothered is the story of Eloise ("Lou") who graduates college, has an out of town boyfriend moving to town. She has no job prospects or any choice of career. Her mother is a heavy-duty helicopter mom. How Lou got through 4 years of college without her mother hovering every day is a miracle. Her mother dabbles in her daughter's dating life, social life, work/lack of work life and more. The story is very humorous. While it is the story of a young, post-college aged woman, its a fun read for any mom who was or could have been a helicopter mom. The dialogue is witty and quick.

Smothered follows Lou as she graduates from Columbia, and then, jobless and homeless, moves back in with her parents. I felt like the main character was likable, relatable, and hilarious. It's a feel good novel and a nice break from the thrillers I normally read.

A light-hearted, funny story that I enjoyed SO much. This was so much fun to read, I found the main character totally relateable, even though I have not been brought up where my parents could spend these amounts of money, I can still relate with needing to find myself after school and how to find the right path into a working society.
I truly enjoyed the writing style and how the author utilized text messages, receipts, applications and other things. It brought another level to the story that I not only enjoyed but also felt very current and up to date.

This is the perfect novel to read between heavy topics or as a "pallet-cleanser" between complex worlds - or simply as your next beach-read. Can totally recommend this read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and Author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 Silly Spoiled Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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...

Lou has just graduated from Columbia university, and she doesn’t quite know what she wants to do with her life yet.... so she moves back in with her parents in LA.... The biggest problem.... Mama Shell The worlds greatest helicopter mother....Mama Shell wants to control everything in Lou’s life her wardrobe, her hair, her boyfriend, her food, her job, etc. etc. etc. so not only does Lou have to sneak carbs... she has a serious boyfriend she has yet to tell her parents about.... The relationship between mother and daughter was complicated yet hilarious... they were two people that love each other so much and yet we’re so different from one another that things went a little sideways.....

This book is told from Lou’s point of view, primarily through journal entries...Lou lives a privilege life and always has, so she might not be relatable to a lot of people.... and even though I grew up in the LA area, I know I was not quite as privileged as Lou, but still her problems were her problems to her..... I mean money cannot buy you a problem free life, the wealthy have their problems as well.... such as which car they’re going to drive to work that day or what vacation house they’re going to vacation in that weekend, you know... problems!😉

The only place this book fell a little short for me was in the relationship between Lou and Theo.... I really could not understand why Theo was OK with her keeping him a secret.... I thought it was pretty obvious that Lou didn’t think he was good enough for her parents, even though she didn’t see it that way.... and who was Theo? In a book filled with such lively colorful characters, we really had no idea who he was other than the fact that he was a skinny chef.... i’d really like a book to follow this up... Theo and his interactions with the family, and then perhaps some flashback scenes as to how they met....

Absolutely recommend if you are in the mood for a fun book that might be a little vapid at times, but it’s all in good humor...

*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

“Why’s my body tingling? Is that normal? It’s like I’m carbonated. Can humans be carbonated?? Whoa”

Eloise (Lou) Hansen has graduated college summa cum laude and is ready to begin her awesome life. The only problem is that, of course, she doesn’t know where to start. Moving back in with her parents seems the only option, and that means dealing with her mother, who is thrilled to have her daughter back home to go shopping with her and watch the Bachelor with her and her ‘Red Hots’ crew every week. As the days and months continue farther from her graduation Lou still hasn’t found a job and STILL hasn’t told her parents about her secret boyfriend. Told with wit and hilarity, Smothered is an excellent portrayal of life postgrad and the struggle of launching ones self into the world.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read, told through diary-entry style segments and footnotes to add further thought. Smothered brings up the excellent point of current day post graduate life, the “what now?” moment that graduation brings along. Lou’s list of post-grad goals was a great representation of the things that one might want to get out of life, everything from “lose 5-7 pounds” to “have kids: one boy, one girl”. Lou was an excellent character to follow and a very realistic point of view on a new grad trying to find their place, especially when moving in with your parents seems like back-tracking.

Mama Shell was a whirlwind of a character and so fun to read about. She may not be someone I would ever want to meet in person but she was certainly a complex character. Her love for her daughter was evident, if a little misplaced, and her attitude was frivolous toward most situations. I found her character to be frustrating, but not in the way it was written, but due to her personality, which was excellent as it reflected the frustration of the main character, Lou.

Overall the novel was a fun and entertaining read that posed some great reflection on post-grad life; the anxiety of finding a job you want to be in forever, the thought of never leaving the nest, and bettering yourself in the little things along the way. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who may be dealing with post-grad life or anyone who wants a giggle.

*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
DNF @ 3%

Yeah, I usually give books at least 10% before giving up, but the writing style really didn't agree with me. Nor the character's voice. It just really hit me the wrong way. I tried going in further, but then I met the mom and had to stop.

There are many moments I'm sure are supposed to be funny-- just depends on your sense of humor. Again, worked against me, but some people might enjoy it.

I was so excited to read a post-grad book about someone who's life wasn't put together. The feeling I was expecting wasn't in the book though, not fear, dread, confusion -- well, there is dread about public speaking and moving home, but it seems like being with the mother is going to be the biggest obstacle.

So, didn't work for me, but I'm sure some people might like the voice of this book.

Did I write this book? I feel like I wrote this book.

Autumn Chiklis has perfectly captured what it feels like to graduate from university in the current economy and have no idea what to do next. Suddenly, after 18 years of structured education (roughly) you are out in the world. There isn't a plan for September, you are on a permanent summer vacation. Until reality strikes and you realize that finding a job is next to impossible, you feel like your major is useless, and you are a failure as a human being. For Lou, she gets to add an over the top mother along with a secret boyfriend to the mix when she moves home. Sure, she is a in a very privileged position but her feelings are identical to her classmates.

This period of in-between adulthood is terrifying, "Smothered" fills the void in literature dealing with this subject. This book is for all of the 20 somethings who are trying their best to figure out how to move on. To mourn their job as a student while they search fruitlessly for reliable work that doesn't eat their soul. Or are frequently told they are over qualified for a job when they personally feel underqualified. Degrees only mean so much when there is little practical experience, and even practical experience means nothing if you can't pay your bills.

A wonderful read for sure.

As a recent graduate, post-uni depression has hit me HARD, so I thought I had found the perfect book in this, but nope. 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 the best adjective for this book. The only reason why it's getting 2 and not 1 star is because it was funny occasionally.

Smothered is a new book by Autumn Chiklis. I saw it being advertised as an up and coming title and it looked right up my alley. Plus there were two pugs on the cover. How could I resist? I read it while traveling to Boston, and it was a very fast entertaining read. I think I would've enjoyed it more right after college, as I would've identified a little bit more with the storyline, but it was still a good light read. I received an e-ARC of it, so it was a little challenging to read on a device, I would highly recommend getting the physical copy of it. Also there were a lot of funny footnotes (a la Jen Lancaster of yore, and those didn't format well with the e-copy.
My rating: 3 stars
--posted on jerbear8.blogspot.com on 4/24/18

Loved this book! Thought it was a great quick read, and it was so hilarious. I also really liked the mixing of social media and text conversations in with the text.

This book is hilarious, and would be a great gift for any woman graduating college and moving back in with the family. You see Lou connect with her mom and become more and more like her before some coverups she's been orchestrating all come to a head. It made me want to pick up the phone to call my mom and confess any white lie I've ever made so as not to upset The Bachelor parties!