I have read many books by Jennifer weiner along the years and I was excited to read this one. After reading just a few pages I knew that I was in for a very good reading experience, loved the perspective of the two sisters, the writing is so heartfelt and characters are so real, they could be my friends. Like that it was spanning decades. I would recommend this book without hesitation,

Somehow, I forgot to review this a few years ago. Anyhow.... It was an excellent summer read. I've enjoyed Weiner's work for decades and this was an excellent summer read. Weiner's characters are always fully developed. You might love them or you might hate them, but you feel imagine them fully formed and feel something for them.

The book was mostly gripping. As I usually do, I skimmed through parts I didn't feel invested in.

Overall, a good read.

I have to really take a deep breath and calm myself down whenever I review a book by Jennifer Weiner because I don't think I have ever not become thoroughly attached and mildly obsessed with a book she has written. I love the exploration of a woman's place and space in the world through the parallel and very different paths travelled by two sisters. The book spans a few decades, and it's very interesting to see historical events through the eyes of two very different women. So this time around, not only does Jennifer Weiner offer insightful character development (for not just one but two characters!) but also some interesting commentary, albeit indirect, about historical events. Mrs. Everything confirms that Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite authors.

Jennifer Weiner is the queen of summer reads, so if you're looking for an escapism read, with a major message, I highly recommend this one. This book is full of sacrifices and heart break, emotions and love. So much discovery and the whole book is one big journey. The reader will apply to everyone in some capacity. A great power of women story.

Very reminiscent of July Blume books The story follows the lives of .two sisters, Jo and Bethie Kaufman as they go down very different paths in life..

To be honest, I didn't think I was going to like this book. Something about stories that transcend through decades that bore me, or leave me wishing that only one facet of the lifeline could be dissected and looked at closely and a conclusion drawn. However, Weiner is an excellent storyteller and spun a story so vivid and detailed that I often stop to think about its conclusion long after I've finished reading the book. I won't bore you with recanting the story - that is what the back of the book is for. What I will say is that this book is worth the pages turned, it is beautifully written and full of insight that you can take home and reflect upon and draw into your own life. I will definitely not withhold from picking up another book from such a prized author.

I loved Mrs. Everything and how it chronicled the the struggles of two sisters over several decades.

2 Stars (I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review) and DNF at 12%

I originally started reading the e-book and got through the first couple chapters. And I put it down for a while, then the audiobook of this same off hold from my library. So I started listening from the beginning and I did get further, I think that I listened two-ish hours of the audiobook (total but I was listening on 1,75 speed. It started in present day but then rest of the story was all in the past and I would have liked some for switching. This the first Jennifer Weiner book I have fully DNF’d ( I still have one that I am debating whether or not to give it another chance.

This is a very intricate and detailed story that takes you through the life of two sisters, who grow up in the 1960s. It really paints the picture of how hard it was to be considered “different” in this decade. Whether it be the colour of your skin, your sexual orientation, your ideas about marriage and work. It shows the complex relationships between siblings, and parents, and how ideals can be carried down throughout generations good and bad. Overall really enjoyed this book.

RATING: 4.5 STARS
2019; Atria/ Simon & Schuster Canada

Spoiler...I loved Mrs. Everything! It had been about 10 years since I had read a Jennifer Weiner novel when I decided to request this book. After I had read Good in Bed's sequel, (Certain Girls) I sort of gave up on reading Weiner. It wasn't Certain Girls alone, but the few novels before it also just did not wow me as much as In Her Shoes had (the first novel I read by Weiner). I felt like I was forcing myself to read them and wanting to like them so bad I was doing the exact opposite. I had to not click on the "hold" button at the library and just read the million other books on my TBR list. When I first saw the cover of this book on NetGalley, I was in love with the colours and the image. As I read the synopsis, I saw that this was a historical fiction. Well, it's not Weiner's usual contemporary romance/fiction, and it's been a decade, I could try this one, right? To help me ease into the book, I decided to listen to it on audio, and hot damn I was hooked.

Do we change or does the world change us?
How should a woman be in the world?

In Mrs. Everything we are traveling back to 1950s, America. Sisters, Jo and Bethie are living with their parents in Detroit, trying to live the Leave it to Beaver. Jo is the "tomboy" who is all about being responsible and playing the part. Bethie is the "pretty one" who pushes the boundaries a little trying to see what else the world has to offer. Both sisters are going through their own trauma that they see the other living the "perfect life". As they get older and actually start to see what they are doing and how the landscape around them is changing, they have to ask themselves are we happy? And actually open their eyes to one another.

I think I lived this story, not just because it a historical fiction novel, but it is about sisters and discovering ourselves. I was so moved by In her Shoes because of the way Weiner wrote both sisters with compassion, humour and realism. Jo and Bethie are also written in the same vain, and really made me invested in them and their story. I wasn't always fond of one or the other (or either), but I always craved to know what happens next. It was a longer book, and I thought this one would take me some time to get through. I could not stop listening to this audiobook, that I was trying to find ways to keep listening. I don't know if it is this book, Weiner's years of writing, or the break I took from reading her novels, but this one was just, wow. Whether you have read Weiner or not, read this one! This is one I would recommend to most readers. It is a story that stays with you for awhile (I am writing this review 10 months after I read it and I can still feel myself tearing up thinking of some scenes, and giggling at others). Okay, Weiner, I am in for your next book.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I really loved this book. I’m a big fan of Jennifer Weiner’s work, so I was very excited to read this book. It did not disappoint! Jo was my favourite character. I couldn’t put this one down!

Omg Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite authors, I was so excited to read her newest and it was so amazing! I loved the message in embracing the change and learning to accept differences, make peace with your loved ones and the past.

Once again, Jennifer Weiner writes from the heart, drawing the reader into the world of her characters, transporting us to another time and place. The characters are relatable. and interesting, and draw you into their world. It is easy to become part of the story, and to lose yourself in the narrative of the book. The rivalry and relationship between the sisters is something that most people with a sibling can relate to, and the struggles to find yourself in a world that expects you to be something different is a powerful one for many as well.

This was not my favourite book of Jennifer Weiner’s. I found it slow to hook me, though I did end up enjoying it to the end. It is a very different style from her other books. In the end, I did appreciate reading it.

What an incredible story! The lives of Jo and Bethie Kaufman were the most intricate and gripping of any characters I've experienced in 2019, easy. From their early years, in 1950's Detroit, through to adulthood, there was no point in which these two girls didn't experience something life-altering. It really does shine light on the question, how much of who we become has to do with nature vs nurture? With a mother that wants all her ducks in a row, single file, no feathers out of place, and only to bring attention to oneself for praise of good behaviour, I can imagine the amount of pressure each girl may have felt.
The narration style is one of my favourites, alternating between main characters, Bethie and Jo. This definitely gave the reader a more in depth view into the story, as each girl experienced life in very different ways.
To start out, Jo and Bethie seem to be the polar opposites. Jo prefers to wear her dungarees and a t-shirt, hating the fuss and muss, the itch and pull of fancy dresses and frilly socks. Bethie loves to have her hair curled, a new dress pressed just so, bobby socks and the latest in shoe fashion on her feet. Even the physical characteristics of the sisters is made clear to be stark contrasting. As far as the personalities go, the girls seemed to be as different as birds and fish. Jo is a sporty girl, loving to run and play with her friends, to use her imagination and get dirty. Bethie would rather cut recipes and dress designs from magazines, and practice for her culinary skills with her mother. The way each girl is appreciated in their little family is greatly effected by who the adult is. Mom and Dad don't always see eye to eye on their little ladies.
The one thing I loved about this book is really a huge number of things. The issues tackled. There were so many different things Weiner managed to get into the book, but the story never felt rushed. Each issue flawlessly came in, was dealt with in the perfect amount of depth, and then flowed onto the next. I've never experienced a story that could touch on so many different issues, major to minor,. in such a delicate way. It felt like each issue was presented to the reader in the palms of Weiners hands, offered up gently, to be viewed with as much grace and taste as is humanly possible. I loved that.
When all is said and done, this book will make you laugh and cry. You'll get blood rage angry and darn near depressed. Each new chapter brings with it a new experience in one of the girls lives. It is the sort of Coming of Age story that needs to be read by everyone, but I feel it will hold a special place in the hearts of women world wide. 5 stars, without hesitation

This was a really good read, though it took me a bit to get into it. We follow sisters Jo and Bethie as they grow and their struggles. I think a lot of women will find the themes and sisters relatable.

Really enjoyed this book which stayed with me several days after I had turned the last page. The story of two sisters growing up in difficult times before their path divulge and finally come together is compelling and tugs at the heart strings . Very well written by an author who really understands human nature

I wasn’t too fond of this one and I’ve read few by her in the past. I just couldn’t find myself getting drawn in to the characters or the story. The flow wasn’t captivating either.

I really enjoyed the journey that Mrs. Everything took me on. Heartbreaking and sometimes very difficult to deal with the challenges experienced by Jo and Bethie. It’s a captivating story of sisterhood, adversity, and finding your place in the world.

4 Stars

A heartbreaking and honest tale that spans three generations and holds nothing back. This lovely book touched on some key identity issues that so many of us have faced over the last century - the role of women, motherhood, sexual orientation, race and religion. Needless to say, as a pan woman of colour I found plenty to relate to and empathized with many of the struggles faced by the complex characters, especially Jo. Though not a gripping page turner throughout, I enjoyed Mrs. Everything and found that Weiner's courage in exploring so many hot topics and her grasp of dialogue kept me committed to this book to the end.

Thank you, Jennifer Weiner for sharing your talent, and thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced reader copy!