I’ve never disliked a Jennifer Weiner book, which is still true, but I didn’t love The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits. Zoe’s actions and unlikeability made it difficult to read at times and I hated the cheating plotlines. I was interested enough in the overall plot to keep reading but I am honestly not sure I would recommend this book.

Sisters Zoe and Cassie Grossberg are extremely close in age, but there the similarities end. Zoe is beautiful, outgoing, always popular. Cassie is heavyset, socially awkward. Throughout their childhood, Zoe guided Cassie and protected her from cruel classmates. But Cassie has an incredible gift--she is a musical prodigy. While Cassie is attending a prestigious conservatory, Zoe pursues her pop music dreams, eventually pulling Cassie in. They become the leaders of a pop sensation--The Griffin Sisters.

Despite their immediate enormous success, the schism between the two sisters grows and the band doesn't survive tragedy. Zoe bumps along until she marries and becomes a well-off, suburban mom. Cassie goes deep into hiding. But Zoe's daughter, Cherry, is determined to not only pursue her own musical career but to use her brilliant aunt as a launching pad. Only problems? First she needs to find Cassie. And then convince her to come out of hiding.

THE GRIFFIN SISTERS captures all that which made the early 2000s what it was--low-rise jeans, Juicy Couture sweat suits, pop music, the sudden inescapability of the internet. The complexity of Cassie and Zoe's sibling relationship will resonate with anyone who has ever had a love-hate relationship with their own sibling. After the incredibly long back story, the novel did seem to end abruptly with some unresolved questions, but perhaps Jennifer Weiner is planning a sequel? #TheGriffinSistersGreatestHits #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Featuring flashbacks to the early 2000s (please don’t remind me that’s more than 20 years ago), as well a current timeline, The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits is a must read for music lovers, fans of family dramas, and second chances. This is not my first Jennifer Weiner book, nor will it be the last. She’s always inclusive, frequently featuring plus sized characters, and that holds true for this book, too.

Even though some of this book takes place in the early aughts, I got a Daisy Jones and the Six kind of feeling when reading this. The dual timeline provides perspective into the characters of Cassie and Zoe. Cassie, with the beautiful voice but self-conscious about her body, wants to stay in the background, and Zoe craves the limelight and all it has to offer. Naturally, this, and the simple fact that they’re sisters, creates conflict. It takes 20 years, and the intervention of Zoe’s daughter, to get the two sisters to get together again.

This book has all the things that I love about the women’s fiction genre. Highly recommend!

Jennifer Weiner never disappoints with her Griffin Sisters novels. Looking for a fun, creative "escape" read. This is it.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
While I loved the story line and how the story unfolded and came together, I had a very difficult time to like any of the characters. I completely understand why they are the way they are but it made me dislike them so much. The story took awhile to get to that point when you feel you know what is going on and where it will be heading.
I enjoyed the looking back to the past to understand why everyone is the way they are and what had happened.
While the story took its time to develop, I felt like the ending was too rushed. 4 🌟 for me

Jennifer Weiner’s The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is a beautifully layered story of fame, family, and redemption that strikes all the right chords. Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, once pop sensations of the aughts, are as unforgettable as their music. Their contrasting personalities—Cassie, the introverted genius, and Zoe, the confident starlet—add depth to their rise to fame and the heartbreaking fallout that followed.

Two decades later, the story takes a deeply emotional turn as the estranged sisters navigate their separate lives, with Zoe grappling with suburban motherhood and Cassie retreating from the world. When Cherry, Zoe’s curious daughter, begins unearthing their past, Weiner expertly weaves together themes of ambition, forgiveness, and the lasting impact of sisterhood.

The nostalgia of the 2000s pop culture world is a delightful backdrop for this tale of second chances, and the richly drawn characters make this book impossible to put down. With its heartwarming moments, honest exploration of family dynamics, and a touch of glamour, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits hits all the high notes.

A must-read for anyone who loves music, sisterly drama, and stories that celebrate the messiness and beauty of reconnecting.

Jennifer Weiner is one of my auto-buy authors and her new book The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is one of my favourites! Set in the music scene of the 2000s, Zoe and Cassie are flawed characters who are struggling to find their way in the world and even their relationship as sisters can’t hold them together. This book tackles topics such as jealousy, bullying, loneliness, body shaming, and forgiveness. This story explores the complexity of relationships- what happens when we hurt the ones we love?

Thank you William Morrow Books, Harper Collins Canada and Jennifer Weiner for the gifted eARC! Would love to see this book made into a movie!!

Passion, heartbreak and forgiveness are at the heart of the drama that ensued after The Griffin Sisters dropped out of the spotlight. Fame and fortune may come at a cost, and it’s not until nearly 20 years later that the world finds out what happened to The Griffin Sisters.

The Griffin Sisters quickly grasped the attention of the music world and became a sensation seemingly overnight. Sisters, Cassie and Zoe couldn’t be anything more unlike but The Griffin Sisters wouldn’t be without either one. Zoe, beautiful and had the ambition and drive to be successful. Cassie, the talent (voice, song writing capabilities, the heart) and socially awkward.

Soon enough Cassie began to really shine and Zoe felt her light dimming. As a desperate attempt to make herself stay relevant with the band, Zoe latches herself onto band mate Russell who has a special connection with Cassie that will never fade.

Life in the public eye is never easy, and after a tragic event, the band dissolves and Cassie disappears.

Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry has inherited Cassie’s musical gift and upon her eighteenth birthday sets her sights on being a musician. Cherry is determined to find Cassie and uncover the secrets around The Griffin Sisters.

Once the secrets begin to unravel, Zoe and Cassie must reflect within themselves and acknowledge the hurt that was caused by each other and themselves in hopes of forgiveness. After nearly twenty years, Will The Griffin Sister reemerge into the spotlight?

This book follows two sisters, Cassie and Zoe, as they quickly rise to fame in a pop group in the early 2000’s as well as Zoe’s daughter Cherry,
as she sets out on her own journey to become a famous musician herself and uncover family secrets along the way.

I did love the 2000’s pop scene references and that the author spun a mystery into the story.

However, I felt like I just wasn’t that invested in the characters. I didn’t enjoy the fact that Cassie and Zoe’s appearances were discussed so heavily in the book. I understand it led to the way that they were both perceived and treated and the way they perceived themselves, I guess I just wanted them each to embrace their beauty and talents and realize how powerful they were in their own way. I felt like the potential was there for a great “coming into their own” story but things kind of fell flat for me.

Overall, this was an easy read and I did enjoy many aspects of the book but it was not my favorite of this author’s work.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Griffin Sisters were on the road to becoming one of the most famous musical groups of the early 2000s when tragedy struck, blowing the band apart. Zoe craved the spotlight and had the charm and the looks to be the face of the band. Cassie was the heart and soul of the band, writing the songs and stunning audiences with her beautiful voice, but she was uncomfortable with the spotlight. Decades later the two women are still dealing with the fallout of their lives in the limelight. Zoe has a daughter, Cherry, who also wants to become a singer, but Zoe will do anything to try to save her from the problems she had to live through. Cassie has gone completely off the grid, preferring to live in complete isolation in Alaska away from her family and the prying eyes of the media. As Cherry tries to find her voice, she ends up uncovering what really happened to the Griffin Sisters as she tries to bring them back together.

This was a really fun read and music-focused read. The story was told in alternating perspectives and times from Cassie, Cherry, and Zoe's points of view. I was much more invested in the parts of the books set in the past and felt that the present sections were a bit slower, but they helped flesh out the characters more. All of the characters were really well developed and they had unique voices and issues that they were dealing with. You did just want to shake them and tell them to talk to each other, though. This will be a great one for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six or discussions about early 2000s musical groups.

Sisters Cassie and Zoe grew up in the 90s and both had a love for music. Cassie was a musical prodigy from a young age, with a stunning voice and talent for the piano. Although Zoe had some musical talent, she mostly wanted to become a star. She convinces Cassie to sing with her at a talent show, and they are thrown into fame as the Griffin Sisters. Cassie struggles with socialization and has confidence issues as she is overweight. However, Zoe is beautiful and can charm anyone. Eventually the band breaks up after tragedy strikes, and the sisters' relationship is irreparable. 

I enjoyed a lot about this novel, and it had Weiner's characteristic storytelling throughout. I love how she can weave a story with such emotion and shine a light on various women's issues. I really felt for Cassie as she struggled to come to terms with losing a loved one, and her obvious discomfort in her body. Zoe was harder to care about as her behavior was mostly self-serving. Her descriptions of not wanting Cherry as a child were really tough to read, and made me dislike her even more. However, I also thought Cherry was unlikable, as she seemed to base her relationship with her aunt on ways to further her singing career. She definitely had some attachment issues from her upbringing, but her love for Cassie didn't seem super authentic. Character annoyances aside, I was very invested in the story and anxious to learn why the band broke up and Cassie isolated herself from everyone. As many other reviews have mentioned, the fat talk was a bit over the top and the story would have been just as impactful with much less of the focus on Cassie's weight. Still, I enjoyed this novel!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC of The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve struggled to figure out how to put into words how frustrating reading this book was. The one-dimensional characters are probably the biggest downfall, as the overall story definitely had potential to be interesting. But there is such a stereotypical “pretty vs ugly” sister trope here that was just…yuck. How many times could Cassie be described in such a cold, mean manor! It’s clear Weiner is trying to give some vague description of a neurodivergent savant - but in such a mean, caricature of a way that basically removes the human-ness of Cassie all together. The whole plot shows people being mean and callous and using one another in a really awful way. I just could not enjoy a single moment. Clearly I am an outlier! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Jennifer Weiner’s The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a journey back in time to the early aughts, when diet culture was ascendant and tabloids were at the peak of their power. This is a tribute to every woman musician who told her own story.

The Griffins’ voices call to mind a panoply of pop-rock divas. You can hear an encyclopedia’s worth of references in Griffins’ singing: Aretha’s vibrato; Mariah’s melisma; the powder-puff, featherlight sweetness of GoGos, the ironic, cool-girl remove of the Pretenders or Liz Phair; the raspy rocker-chick of Heart, but Griffin has a sound all their own.

Listening to a Griffin Sisters song felt like walking down a familiar street in the city where you’d always lived and looking up to see a building you’d never noticed, with gargoyles perched on its cornices, and the mouth of a dark alley you’d never seen before just beyond it. The songs invited you to keep walking until you realized you were somewhere else entirely. A different neighborhood. Even a different world.

It was inevitable. As if they were two stones that had been rolling toward each other since the world was made, working their way slowly around the earth’s diameter until they met. Zoe needed Cassie to write the songs, the same way Cassie needed Zoe to get on a stage. They couldn’t do it without each other.

For the mother and daughter and aunt, who have found their way back to each other and who love each other imperfectly as best they could. For the boy, or the girl, who is out there somewhere, waiting to meet that special person, or to find out who to be. For the lover who's broken your heart, for the loved one who had cared for you, then hurt you. For the person you loved in spite of yourself, because you couldn’t do anything else. For all the songs yet to be written. For talent inherited. For these gifts and more, we are grateful. Jennifer Weiner’s The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is transcendent, a shimmering miracle.

Jennifer Weiner is an auto-read author for me. She always finds a way to bring an interesting and unique storyline and topic to life. This was such a fun read and would recommend to any Weiner fan.

Thank you so much to William Morrow for the gifted book!

I was so excited for this one! I am always a sucker for family drama, especially sister drama as I have two sisters of my own! I also love books surrounding all this music!

While the premise sounded so promising, I did struggle to keep interested throughout this one. There were things I liked, but overall, I kept wanting to put off picking it up.

I still think it will be a big hit with many though!

This is out now!

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jennifer Weiner's "The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits" is a compelling exploration of sisterhood, music, motherhood, fame, and its repercussions. The story grips you with the contrasting lives of sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, polar opposites who shared a year of stardom before tragedy fractured their band. Weiner masterfully crafts these characters, making their triumphs, heartbreaks, stumbles, and passion deeply resonant. Their love for music and complex relationship are truly captivating.

Cassie, a shy musical prodigy who shines through her voice and piano, and Zoe, the charismatic star-seeker, are brilliantly realized. Their dynamic as a powerful duo and their eventual split feel authentic and poignant. Twenty years later, Zoe's fame-hungry teenage daughter, Cherry, inadvertently unearths the secrets of their past as she chases her own musical aspirations.

Weiner excels at portraying the distinct determination of all three women as they navigate the consequences of past choices. The dual timelines are seamlessly interwoven, each as engaging and gripping as the other, leading to a satisfying convergence. This 4-star read offers a thought-provoking and entertaining journey through the complexities of family, ambition, and the enduring power of music.

4 stars

@beaverdalebooks hosted @jenniferweinerwrites and I was lucky enough to attend with @katesbooksandbengals . Weiner was hilarious, and I loved meeting her. I’ve been reading her books since “Good in Bed” and look forward to each of her new releases.

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #williammorrowbooks #thegriffinsistersgreatesthits #jenniferweiner #jenniferweinerwrites #beaverdalebooks

The concept of this book is great. Who wouldn't enjoy a story wrapped around family, music, and turmoil? The characters were interesting, but I did get a bit tired of the fat shaming and the deviousness of it all. I wanted more of the present day storyline and a bit less of the past. Overall, it was an okay read.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
This book had so much potential and unfortunately it just wasn't a hit for me. I found myself not enjoying reading about these characters and feeling a little bored.

As a longtime reader of Jennifer Weiner I was excited for her latest book. Unfortunately this one just has a different vibe and it wasn't my favorite of her works.
Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The best Jennifer Weiner’s books since the days of ‘Good In Bed.’ While a critique of some, having two flawed sisters, instead of one clear heroine on a maturing journey instead of bubblegum good girls/boys, is a bold choice. Overall would recommend to readers who enjoy Emily Henry and Jojo Moyes.