I really disliked this book. The fat phobia was just so terrible. I understand the author has a trope of using plus sized characters but the language around Cassie's character was extremely rude and abusive to the reader. The characters were all sufferable and annoying. You weren't rooting for anyone. Everything about this book was predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed the premise, which focuses on the complicated relationship between two famous and estranged sisters, and the emotional aftermath of a tragedy. The novel offered some great elements reminiscent of a Jennifer Weiner story, with its exploration of family dynamics and personal struggles. However, it was quite a sad read, and I found it difficult to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

I used to LOVE this author but the last several books haven’t been my jam. This book had too many storylines switching back and forth and was confusing. I felt like the pace was very slow. I struggled it get through it.

I’ve long been a fan of this author’s work, but this is by far my favorite! This story digs deep into family dynamics, is not an instant happily ever after, and shows the messy side of life along with the work one has to put in to repair relationships. It also shows what true love looks like. Amazing book’.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is a gem of a book that I couldn't put down. Spanning the early aughts to the present, the book focuses on sisters Zoe and Cassie -- one big on ambition to be a star, and one with the talent (but without the desire) to do so. They leaned on each other to become a success -- truly a story of they couldn't have done it without the other. However, fame can be toxic, and so can jealousy, and by the present day parts of the book the sisters are estranged and you have to learn what happened and how it all unravelled.

I thought the writing of Cassie was fantastic and her situation really broke my heart. If she is indeed neurodivergent as was mentioned in the book as a possibility, I thought it was great to have that represented in literature. Her sister Zoe was a strong and deeply flawed character - super unlikeable at times (many times, actually).

As much as this book is about music and fame, it's really a story about sisters and about mothers and daughters. There's love, betrayal, coercion, jealousy, ambition, talent, body image issues, and more. I thought this was such a smart book that really pulled at your heartstrings, and it put me through a whole roller coaster of emotions. Highly recommend! Would love to see this made into a movie or mini series - it was made for the screen!

Zoe and Cassie were a year apart and very different. However, shared a love of music and by a twist of fate in the 2000s end up in a hit band, The Griffin Sisters. Russel was Zoe’s husband and co-writer with Cassie and less than 2 years since the band formed there’s a tragedy. The band breaks up, Cassie disappears and Zoe has a baby and a failed solo career. Fast forward 20 years, Cherry (Zoe’s daughter) is itching to get into music and will do anything to do so.

It was a good story and deep, but far fetched. I felt there were WAY too many storylines happening, names and there was whiplash on various character POV and timeline we were in changing constantly. This style made it hard to follow at times. It was obvious Cassie is neurodivergent, yet it’s briefly mentioned in passing so I think it was an opportunity missed to dive more into that (versus the drama).

I sadly DNF’d this book. I kept putting it down and struggled through about 40 pages. It was just not holding my attention.

I LOVE Jennifer Weiner. This is a fantastic story about 2 sisters, one who has an incredible natural talent and one who is dying to be famous. Together they become The Griffin Sisters and the story weaves their past and present lives well. Emotional and heartbreaking, this book was hard to put down!
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel!

I was highly entertained by this story and impressed with it. I will say the only thing I would do without is the overuse of the main character talking about how fat she saw herself and was. I mean I understand body image it played a big part. I was shocked by the twists that were given to us as well as the mystery happening and when it all came together I found myself with my mouth opened going no way! Living in Alaska sounds amazing.
The story is told from the present and the past and what went on with the sisters getting to fame.
The author did a great job with the family dynamics, drama, and then the closure that occurred. I felt for Cherry and what she endured and learning how to come out of her shell was amazing to watch. This story gave old-school nostalgia vibes and I was here for it. The character development was amazing and nice to relate to. From the shyness to the directness that was with our characters was amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better story that was given to us it felt magical.

I enjoyed this story about two estranged sisters and the circumstances that forced them apart. The book goes back and forth from present time to the early 2000s. Cassie is a teenager who longs for the spotlight. Her sister Zoe is a musical prodigy who would prefer to never play for an audience. While preforming in a music contest in a local bar, Cassie and her sister Zoe are both discovered and thrust into the limelight. With guitar player and songwriter Russell soon joining the group, the band becomes a huge sensation. When tragedy strikes shortly after, the band disperses, Zoe disappears, and Cassie wants nothing to do with music. In present day we meet Cherry, Cassie's teenage daughter who loves music and wants to be famous despite her mom's intense desire to suppress any notion of pursing a musical career.
What follows is the story of two sisters who need to learn to forgive each other and themselves. I received a complimentary eBook from the publisher in exchange for a review.

A dazzling historical look at the rise—and mysterious fall—of The Griffin Sisters, the legendary duo behind a single, unforgettable record.

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were just a year apart, yet worlds different—Cassie, the shy but incredibly gifted musician, and Zoe, the charismatic beauty who commanded every room. For a brief moment, they were America’s sweethearts, but their fame was fleeting, their legacy fading into whispers.

Decades later, Zoe’s daughter, Cherry, stumbles upon the truth of who her mother really was—and she wants more. As she sets out to chase her own stardom, she unravels the past, peeling back the layers of glamour, ambition, and sisterhood’s unbreakable yet fragile bond.

Told through dual timelines—Cherry’s modern-day search for identity and flashbacks to the sisters’ meteoric rise and fall—this novel is a spellbinding journey into music, fame, and the complex ties of family.

#williammorrow #jenniferweiner #TheGriffinSistersGreatestHits

I found this book to be refreshing and so interesting. I could not put it down!! It doesn’t feel like Weiner’s other books, which I have loved, yet I really enjoyed it so much!!

Jennifer Weiner is a great writer. I have enjoyed all of the books I've read by her so far. This one was no exception. This is a book about family, sisters, betrayal and forgiveness.

Two sisters start a band and make it big. Cassie is not very attractive and has the voice of an angel, Zoe is beautiful and sings backup and plays tambourine. Russel is hired to help write the songs with Cassie. Things get complicated when Russel starts spending more time with Cassie and Zoe gets jealous and steals Russel away. Things go awry when the band breaks up a year later.

Twenty years later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For what a voracious reader I am, I don't tend to read all the popular, prolific authors and I don't think I had ever read any other of Jennifer Weiner's books, so I was curious to read this when I received an ARC. I was pleasantly surprised as I began it that I was enjoying the story that jumps around between the early 2000's and today. I found I was especially interested in the daughter, Cherry's, storyline. She tries out for a TV singing competition. As I love the try out portions of The Voice and American Idol I was sure I was going to love that part of the story most, but it didn't end up going into as much depth as I expected--though enough to make it interesting.
I enjoyed that it was written from the perspective of different characters storylines as it went. I was satisfied with the realistic ending, but was hoping for a bigger splash or maybe an epilogue. Overall, I had fun taking this ride with the Griffin Sisters.

Thank you to #netgalley and #HarperCollinsPublishers for my ARC of this book

This was just the story I needed to get me thru a week of dreary February weather. I absolutely loved The Griffin Sisters. While at times, I did not much liked certain characters, or their choices, I did understand how they got there. Each sister, mother, daughter acted beautifully and selfishly, at times. Don’t we all? I did not care for the stepson side story and it didn’t feel completely relevant or maybe it just didn’t seem complete, but it didn’t really take away from the story aside from a quick ‘why bother with him?’
This books is a 5 start read you will escape into and relive your pretend rock star days. Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy!

I expected to enjoy this book, and the plot has such potential, but the depiction of Cassie’s weight, and how she was treated because of it, was both baffling and annoying, so much so that it overshadowed an otherwise appealing plot.

Cassie is described early on as wearing an XXL sweatshirt that hangs down on her. Later in the book, but less than two years later in the book’s timeline, she is depicted putting on an apparently normal-sized man’s tee shirt with no trouble. And yet, throughout the book she is portrayed as whale-like, horribly unsightly, so large and blocky that wardrobe professionals have terrible difficulty finding clothing for her to wear. This just doesn’t make sense.

I could see it if Cassie saw her body as heavier and more unattractive than it really was. That’s certainly not uncommon in women, especially young women. And reading the early chapters, I got the feeling that there could be more to Cassie’s extreme shyness and reluctance to perform publicly than body dysmorphia, especially when I considered her being an amazing musical prodigy from toddler age. But it’s not until very late in the book that there is a bare hint about autism, and that reference feels like it’s just been tossed in, not really integrated.

I tried hard to put aside that issue with the book as I read. I was attracted to the story of a sister group and the music business before the age of streaming changed everything. And that aspect was interesting, though I got the impression that author Weiner was more regurgitating her music history research than expressing her own experiences and tastes with music.

If you can ignore the weight issue, this is an absorbing story of the relationship between sisters Zoe and Cassie, as the story unfolds of the tragedy that divided them and its repercussions through two decades. I just wish I hadn’t had to look past that plot problem, because there is a story here that could be unalloyedly engrossing and poignant.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC on this book.

I am sad to say, I didn't love this story. I didn't connect with or love any of the characters. I really loved the idea of sisters in music together and the need to reconnect but this just wasn't the story for me.

I really enjoyed this book. Jennifer Weiner’s books are highly anticipated and this one is no exception.

It’s a beautiful story about two sisters finding themselves and each other while navigating fame and unexpected hardships. I loved how flawed the characters are and all the ups and downs. Bring your tissues and hunker down for a special read reminiscent of Daisy Jones.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. All options are my own.

This book was a slow burn but halfway through, I couldn’t put it down. I loved all of the characters and hearing the story from different viewpoints really drew me in. It had everything I love, music, body positivity, chasing dreams, forbidden love. It was just ::chef’s kiss:: Jennifer Weiner never lets me down and this book was no exception.

This is the story of two sisters who are complete opposites. Zoe dreams of being famous and in the spotlight but her sister Cassie just ways to be invisible. One night things change for the sisters setting them on a journey that will change their lives forever. Told in multiple view points this story is a good read.