Jennifer Weiner has been my favorite for years and years. One of my all time favorite books is Good in Bed which I have read multiple times. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits did not disappoint. Ms. Weiner is a master of describing people’s emotions and how they feel in each moment. The character of Cassie spoke to me on so many levels besides being a musical genius which I am not. I have felt needing to be small or having to act like things didn’t bother me from growing up bigger while in the 90’s. While Cassie who had talent, her sister still had to try to steal her shine because of how she looked and thinking she deserved the music industry more and every man’s attention. Lots of heartbreaks in the book but healing began whenever everyone started to tell the truth. Ms. Weiner heals the soul of people who feel overlooked or thinking that don’t deserve things in life because of their size.


Thank Harper Collins and Jennifer Weiner for the ARC. Release date of April 8th, 2025.

The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits was absolutely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. There’s a significant amount of Jewish representation and the characters are real, relatable and vulnerable. I love a good celebrity story and this one had major Daisy Jones vibes (more of a focus on family than romance in this one) and I highly recommend you pick it up in April!

I read this book because I loved The Breakaway, by Jennifer Weiner. This book kept me hooked the whole time, but there were elements of it that were hard to get by. Mainly: two of the three main characters are very selfish, and exploiting those around them in order to achieve their own personal success. As other reviews have mentioned, one main character being overweight is a central plot point that we come back to over and over again. I enjoyed seeing the love triangle develop, and the resolution and healing at the end. I also enjoyed some of the insight into "me-too" era moments, as well as the brief exploration of what women vs. men have to give up or do to be successful in the music industry.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Philadelphia, early 2000s: Zoe Grossberg wants to be a pop star. She's got the looks, she's just talented enough, and she's ambitious. But, when her band kicks her out on an important performance day, she's desperate to prove them wrong and convinces her sister to perform with her. Cassie Grossberg is a musical prodigy who has zero desire for fame. And, according to society, does not have the looks to make it in the industry. The two sisters perform in the local Battle of the Bands competition and that one performance catapults them into the overnight sensation that is The Griffin Sisters. Their band releases a number one album, they go on a world tour, and Zoe sees her dream of being a pop star come true. But, it all comes crashing down in an instant when tragedy strikes. The sisters separate. Cassie disappears. Zoe becomes a housewife and PTA mom. Both sisters no longer speak nor acknowledge their musical past.

2024: Cherry, Zoe's daughter, is determined to make it in the music industry despite her mother's disapproval. She is a huge fan of the Griffin Sisters' music and does not understand why the past is a secret. She sets off to join a music competition show in hopes of taking her music to the next level. In an effort to make her place known in the competition, she tries to bring the Griffin Sisters back together for a reunion performance. Will Zoe and Cassie agree? And, can the sisters repair their broken relationship after all these years?

What worked for me: I really enjoyed this book. I liked the setting of the early 2000s music industry and the format in which the story was told. I was immediately drawn to the premise and was interested in the sisters' relationship and the evolution of the band.

What didn't work for me: Overall I enjoyed this book though I feel like the ending may have been a bit rushed and would have liked a little more character development at the end, particularly for Cassie.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Two thumbs up! This is my 4th Jennifer Weiner book and she did not disappoint. I confess, at the beginning I was a little uncertain how much I would be able to connect with the storyline because one of the characters (Cherry) is an 18 year old and I am not a big YA reader. However, in true Jennifer Weiner style, as each chapter alternates narrators between each sister (Cassie and Zoe) as well as Cherry, I found myself staying up past my bedtime to read "just one more page". Not only does this novel alternate between narrators, but also time, flashing back to when Cassie and Zoe were rising teen music stars, and flashing forward to the present moment when Cassie is estranged from her family, living off the grid, and Cherry (Zoe's teen daughter) has decided to pursue her own music career at all cost. My interest in the storyline increased exponentially as the storyline progressed, until I found myself devouring page after page before realizing that I needed to save the rest for another day and get some sleep. Still a fan, and looking forward to future publications by Jennifer Weiner (as well as reading her back catalog!). NOTE: I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Family and fame don't always strike the same chord in this story of two sisters in love with the same bandmate. Outgoing and ambitious Zoe is ready to handle fame but her more talented sister Cassie hides from the spotlight unless she is writing songs. They are torn apart by jealousy and tragedy and years later it will take an ambitious daughter/niece to hopefully put them back together. As much an ode to classic bands of the 70's as it is a family drama, this story will appeal to readers of DAISY JONES & THE SIX and famous musician biographies as much as to readers WE ARE THE BRENNANS and SISTERS BLUE. Hits all the high notes! My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

The story unfolds across two timelines. In the past, Zoe is pretty and just talented enough to join a high school band, dreaming of something greater. Her sister Cassie, on the other hand, is indifferent to her appearance but possesses a musical talent that demands attention. Zoe manipulates Cassie's dependence on her, convincing her to sing together in front of a potential music industry connection. They are of course discovered that very night, and thus begins the rise and epic fall of the Griffin Sisters. Sisters Zoe and Cassie are a year apart and complete opposites, they used to be in a band together, but now they do not even talk to each other. I was frustrated by the manipulation of Cassie. I liked Cassie how she was very real and portrayed as a woman with extraordinary talent but struggled with her appearance and self esteem very real. Zoe's daughter Cherry, wants to get the band back together even though she did not even realize she had an aunt. Multiple facets to this novel and lots of lessons of family and forgiveness of yourself and others. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for allowing me to read this book

As usual, I'm never disappointed with a Jennifer Weiner novel. This book reminded me very much of Daisy Jones and the Six. I loved reading about the sisters' rise to fame and all the behind-the-scenes details of the music industry. I enjoyed hearing the story from multiple points of view. Because of the terrible misunderstandings between the sisters and the sadness this theme brought throughout much of the novel, I was kind of "down" throughout much of the book but the ending left me with a positive feeling.

Thank-you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book.

*The Griffin Sisters* wasn’t my favorite book by this author, but it was still a solid read and I liked the concept of the novel. I felt like the constant focus on how different the two sisters were, both in personality and appearance, got a little repetitive after a while. And Cherry’s attempt to fix things between her mom and aunt ended up feeling kind of selfish, which was a letdown. Overall, it wasn’t a 5-star book for me and probably won’t be a re-read, but it was still an enjoyable story.

I was eager to read Jennifer Weiner's new book The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits, as I have read and enjoyed many of her books before, and I tend to like books about fame and its impact on people. However, I was disappointed with a few aspects of the story that ultimately led to me not enjoying this one as much.

From the beginning, the fatphobia jumps out. I do recognize that Jennifer Weiner writes about fat characters, and typically I think she does so with grace and understanding. Unfortunately, Cassie, the fat character, was diminished by almost all fat stereotypes that never seemed to improve: multiple characters were worried about her breaking seats when she sat down in them, she wasn't able to be styled in an appropriate fashion due to her size, and was often called ugly and plain. While that could be true, she was always limited by these characteristics (except when she was singing or playing piano). Although the early 2000s was an incredibly difficult time for women in music - especially larger women - the limitations the book portrays seemed to originate from the character themselves, not necessarily what the media or other people were perceiving. And it made the character, unfortunately, extremely one-dimensional.

On the other side of the coin, her sister Zoe was described as thin, beautiful, and more extroverted; but even she was limited by this one-dimensional aspect of her personality.

I think the fact that the characters were not better developed really led to my disappointment in this book. For the most part, the writing and format of the book was decent, and I think the emotional themes at the end of the book were good - I definitely wanted to see how it resolved. However, the self-loathing and one-dimensional main characters led to the lower rating on this one for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received two ARCs of this from William Morrow/Harper Collins books and Book Club Girl. I have enjoyed many of this author’s books and was excited to read this. There were some poignant moments about unrealistic expectations in the music industry and how in general women often acquiesce to their partners, employers, and families to meet others’ expectations for them.

Mostly this book made me feel sad.

I struggled to like the characters which may be related to the miscommunication trope within the love triangle. Cassie was the most relatable and interesting character. Like Cassie, I have been overweight my whole life, and while I can relate to some of her experiences I didn’t love how much that defined her over and over in the book. At times I wanted to shake her and say she could stop punishing herself and live a life. Her weight was a little overstated for me and I wanted more dimension in the story that didn’t continuously turn back on her being overweight.

I think people who enjoy music and stories about rising fame within the music industry will be most drawn to this.

As someone who lives in the Philadelphia metro area I always have a soft spot for Jennifer Weiner’s writing, this book was no exception - I devoured it in 24 hours. The multiple POVs and time periods were not at all confusing and all the major characters motives and personalities were well fleshed out. My only wish is that I could really hear a Griffin Sisters song! As a Taylor Swift fan it felt that Cassie was given the same gift as Taylor to reach her fans with songs that felt ripped straight from their own diaries. Another winner from Jennifer Weiner!

An interesting view of the fascinating but very complicated lives of 2 overnight young pop rock sensations, twenty years ago and how fame overwhelmed them. One becomes a housewife and mother, still secretly yearning for their days of fame while the other, the real talent of the sisters, becomes a recluse and is content to live off the grid.
Sisters Cassie and Zoe became music sensations as the Griffin Sisters - exploding on the pop music scene. Cassie wrote most of the songs, with another band member and sang them with a magnificent almost pitch perfect range while Zoe just sang but in a less modulated and louder way.
The back and forth between now and then, while needed for the tenure of the tale was at times, dragged along and out of synch.
The characters are well defined and the story is an intriguing glimpse into the world of pop stars
but I did find it dragging in spots.

I went into this book with such high hopes but it fell a bit flat for me. 99% of the characters are so unlikeable I wanted to throw the book. Part of the plot that seemed important (the show), I felt like it just fell by the wayside. It felt like too much all at once and didn’t suck me in.

I can't recommend it enough! I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down, I finished it in a couple of days!

Admittedly, this is the first Jennifer Weiner book I have ever read. I took a chance on this novel based on the title and my own love of music. The synopsis was intriguing as well.
As I began reading, I thought this book had real potential. Unfortunately, I felt that the plot became very muddled as it shuffled through three different points of view. I was hoping that I could identify with each of the three female characters and their journeys, but the fat-phobic comments about Cassie were too frequent. Cassie's character deserved more than just the blob-like comments describing her. Women are much more than how fat and squishy they are. Ultimately, maybe I wanted more depth to each character; they all were so shallow. Meh.

This was another awesome book by Jennifer Weiner. I loved this book! Zoe and Cassie, two sisters that couldn't be more different. Zoe is tall, thin and beautiful. Cassie is short, stocky and dull. They are both in college. Cassie is a musical prodigy and just wants to make music and be left alone. Zoe wants to be in a band and become famous. Zoe has very little musical talent, but she has the look. Cassie has a beautiful voice and can play anything on the piano. They enter a band contest and a music producer just happens to be there. Somehow, they become extremely famous.. Zoe knows she is being edged out of the band as Cassie becomes more famous. Suddenly, there is a tragic death of a band member and the band breaks up. Cassie dissappears and Zoe tries to make it on her own, but it doesn't happen. Life goes o for the next 20 years until Zoe's daughter, Cherry, wants to become a famous musician. Cherry has the talent and the look to make it. Zoe wants no part of it and does not support Cherry. Cherry needs a mentor for the music contest she is entered in. Cherry decides to try and find her aunt Cassie. Life with the Griffin Sisters will never be the same once Cherry finds Cassie. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC!

This is a deeply satisfying, emotional novel about the bond between very different sisters (one of whom is extremely self-centered and unlikeable). In a way it reminded me of the author's previous book In Her Shoes which also dealt with a similar theme. I enjoyed their complex relationship and seeing how it split apart, only to come together again at the end. Going to recommend this one to my daughter!

While many may be tempted to compare “The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits” to “Daisy and the Six”, I would argue the better source material would be the 1984 film “Amadeus”. Cassie is a music progeny who is socially awkward (possibly on the spectrum) and not conventionally pretty. Her sister Zoe, on the other hand, always wanted to be famous and looks the part albeit lacking in musical talent. They start playing together and get noticed by a talent scout. After being signed by a music label they are hooked up with Russell for songwriting, and he joins the band. They make it big, and then everything goes wrong. There are two timelines in this book: the early aughts when the band took off, and today when Zoe’s daughter Cherry has musical ambitions of her own and searches for the reasons why the Griffin Sisters broke up. I really liked Zoe as a character. She is often unsympathetic but her feelings of jealousy are fascinating to contemplate. Not unlike Salieri, she was utterly mediocre in her abilities and feared she was destined for oblivion. I thought the descriptions of the music and the songwriting scenes with Cassie and Russell were excellent. Jennifer Weiner has always been good at telling a good yarn that often intersects with family dynamics and plus sized characters. This one is another winner.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

WOW! Jennifer Weiner hits it out of the park with this one! The Griffin Sisters are Zoe, a beautiful girl who wants to be a pop star, and her younger sister, Cassie, who is extremely musically gifted, but prefers to stay in the shadows. Fate steps in and launches them to superstardom in an instant. This novel follows the story of their rise to fame, and their quick disappearance from the music scene.

Twenty years later, Zoe is a PTA mom and Cassie is living "off the grid." Zoe's daughter, Cherry, is the one who now wants to be a pop star, but Zoe is adamant that Cherry doesn't even try. Cherry, who is 18, leaves home for her chance at being a superstar, but with questions of why her mother and her aunt haven't spoken in the many years since the group's breakup.

This is a great read - special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advance Reader Copy of this great book! Watch for The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits in April, 2025!