A highly anticipated book for me, that let me down pretty quickly. I loved the concept of the "shopgirls" that worked in retail in making sales. They dressed up. made sales, competed, it all sounds fun. But what I found was a book that was slow and dragged on and really didn't keep my attention. I could have used more culture and life within San Francisco, but I think it was a missed opportunity in this book.

Overall, it was fine, but not a favorite like her previous book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the gifted e-ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, Mariner Books and Jessica Anya Blau for the opportunity to read and review Shopgirls.
This is an interesting story of growing up and found family in the 80’s. I enjoyed learning about the exclusive department store, I. Magnin. I remember shopping trips with my mom to this store in Chicago. It was beyond classy.
The main character, Zippy, is from a single parent home with little extra money. She is employed at I. Magnin and thrilled with her position. The story continues with her money issues, lack of self esteem and finally gaining confidence to succeed on her terms.
The writing is basic, geared to YA and many parts are a bit unbelievable. Especially how she obtained her job and the sudden appearance of her dad after nineteen years. The plot is slow paced with minimal action. I remember the 80’s and there is a lot more drama that could have been incorporated into the story. I enjoyed this but wanted more.

This was an…interesting read. It was one of those books where nothing happened yet a lot was happening.
Our main character, Zippy, is a young woman trying to make her way in the world and she relies on co-workers and an unusually amazing roommate to get through life.
I think I might have enjoyed this more on a different day or a different frame of mind. It’s well written, it pulls you in, but it just didn’t wow me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I had high expectations for the book and was very excited about the premise but unfortunately it feel short. The writing was entertaining and light, which kept me reading but I think the book lacked character development and depth in the storytelling. There were several aspects of the novel that seemed superfluous to the point that I had to skip whole pages (why does Zippy and Miss Lena keep playing with paper dolls?). Zippy and honestly all characters lacked depth and I ended the book knowing absolutely nothing substantial about any of them. The book tried to explore identity, coming of age, sex and even AIDS in such a superficial way that it made me wonder many times what was the author really trying to convey to the readers. I think it's definitely one of those books that it's more "no plot, just vibes".

I love the way this author writes. Her books feel fun and light but have something deep to say and great characters. This is the perfect hybrid of beach read and intense fiction that I love. Will be recommending this to lots of readers!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying I absolutely adored Jessica Anya Blau’s last novel, Mary Jane. What the two novels have in common is a naive and charming protagonist as well as an intimate style of narrative where the reader gets lots of little details that make the story seem really personal. I loved the all the side characters in Shopgirl and the way Zippy’s relationship with each of them was unique. I was excited to read about her growth and finding her place in the world, but unfortunately the novel really took a long time to build up to anything, and all the good stuff was sort of stuffed into the last 50 pages or so. This book could have benefited from some restructuring and re-prioritizing. For instance, why so much with Miss Lena and their paper dolls but only a little bit of time spent exploring her relationship with her parents, her love interest, and her career path? This book also had a real opportunity to do more to develop a sense of time and place but it doesn’t seem like the author made much of an effort to do that beyond the bare minimum, unlike in her previous novel Mary Jane. I will certainly still seek out Blau’s next new book because I see a lot of potential in this author’s writing.

Shopgirls is a fun, breezy read that follows a young woman coming of age while working at an upscale department store, soaking in the glamour, drama, and life lessons tucked between the racks. Jessica Anya Blau brings a real love of fashion to the page, showing how what we wear can shape who we become. It’s a lighthearted story about self-discovery, agency, and the sometimes sparkly, sometimes messy road to adulthood.

That said, the novel often reads more like YA than adult fiction, and the characters—while entertaining—don’t always feel fully fleshed out. Still, if you're in the mood for something playful and stylish with a touch of heart, Shopgirls might just do the trick.

Shopgirls follows young Zippy and the cast of characters that work at an upscale boutique in 80's San Franscico. My dream job growing up was to work in a department store so the setting was perfect for me. Zippy is kind and honest, if not a bit naive and her coworkers were hilarious.
That said, the stakes are low and you really are just reading about a nice girl who things work out for. This book is a cozy read about found family that I enjoyed diving into.

I wanted to love this book so much. Mary Jane is probably my favorite coming of age novel of all time. So of course it’s impossible to not compare Shopgirls to Mary Jane.

Zippy is an interesting character and I enjoyed the department store setting in the 1980s. She’s naive and ready for experimenting. The obsession with dieting (eating days and not eating days) was a strange detail.

However the writing felt juvenile, there was a general lack of plot, and I didn’t connect with any of the myriad characters. I felt like the entire thing needed to be stronger, tighter.

I think it will be enjoyed by some, especially if you grew up working in a department store with ladies older than you, but for me, it didn’t live up to expectations.

Shopgirls by Jessica Anya Blau is a novel about a 19-year old in 1985 finding herself and learning to make her own choices about her life. I liked the setting of her workplace at a fancy department store and the found family storyline. There was a heavier plot point that added to the emotional family story as well. (No spoilers!) Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

19-year-old Zippy is a new salesgirl at the ritzy I. Magnin department store in 1985 San Francisco. She loves her job, and after a tumultuous childhood she is trying to figure out who she is and how she wants her life to be. This new adult novel was a quick, enjoyable read with some entertaining twists and turns. There is a large cast of supporting characters and at times felt like more of an ensemble piece. Heavy focus is on her workplace dynamics and the office politics that happen on the fifth floor of the department store. It was fun watching Zippy's introduction into, and navigation through, a larger world than she's known in her short life, and I enjoyed watching her come into her own. Although there were universal themes of growing up and discovering one's identity, this was a mid-80s time capsule with plenty of pop culture and fashion references, along with references to the early and uncertain days of the AIDS epidemic. While I thought this was a sweet story, one thing I didn't fully enjoy was the heavy focus on the superficial, especially body-wise. It's era-appropriate for the 80s, but felt anachronistic and shallow for a book written in today's body-positive climate. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. This review was based on a complimentary copy of the book, all opinions are my own. Publishes May 6, 2025.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Book Club Girl for the digital copy of Shopgirls.

This book was so fun! This book just felt bouncy to me and had an energy about it that kept me smiling. The book is about 19 year old Zippy who is new to "adulting" and is trying to figure life out: Love, friendship, bills, fitting in, employment, and then standing up for herself. It almost reads as a YA novel, and I admire Zippy's confidence in asking the questions she doesn't know- whether it is about sex or next steps. I also admire the friends and women around her for being willing to encourage and support Zippy on her journey. Raquel, the roommate and best friend was a kind hearted and non-judgmental character, Everyone needs a friend like that!

The reason I found this book so fun is it takes place in 1984 and the references to fashion, music and headlines was nostalgic and brought back memories. The references and fear of AIDS was the downer in this book, but very real for the times. I loved the setting of the upscale department store, and stories of customers and the world of riches and fashion I will never live in (as was Zippy, which I could relate). So many young people today need to learn Zippy's attitude of making the best with what you have, and making goals for the long term. At times the book came off as a little childish, I could not get past the ongoing storyline of the paperdolls (one time on a slow day it could be entertaining, but the constant need to "play" didn't sit realistically for grown women), but overall I found myself loving the character growth and the supportive nature of all the women in Zippy's life and the friendships that came across strongly.

This was a super fast read, and as I said, I smiled the whole time. 4.5 stars because of the joy it brought me.

Shopgirls is such a fun, fast read. Jessica Anya Blau totally nails the chaos and weird magic of working retail — the friendships, the drama, the heartbreak, all of it. The characters feel super real, like people you’ve definitely worked with (or been yourself).

It’s funny but also sneaks up on you with some surprisingly emotional moments. I loved how it captured that mix of being stuck and dreaming of more. If you like character-driven stories that are smart, funny, and a little bittersweet, definitely pick this one up.

A little slow, but interesting. Something in the book fell flat for me. It is a sweet coming of age tale, but lacks the edge I expected.

Full review on Instagram @stressiereads this week.

I enjoyed this book. Loved Zippy and was really rooting for her to succeed. The descriptions of the store, san fransisco, her friends were all relatable and enjoyable. would recommend reading this book

Overall I found the story and the characters to be rather bland and underdeveloped. That being said, I loved Mimi. We could all use a Mimi in our lives, calmly doling out wisdom while applying five coats of mascara to our lashes.

As a former employee at Nordstrom, this one was just so good! I loved the reminders to us as readers to choose our own way, to be brave and try something new, to be who we want to be. I thought this was so sweet and touching and a book that reads fast with a happy ending. Will be recommending it to a lot of my reader friends!

The ONLY thing I didn’t like was that I originally thought we were in the 60’s. I had recently read a book about shopgirls and remembered that back in the day only unmarried women could work in department stores. It wasn’t until halfway through that I realized the culture references for the time didn’t add up to my timeline - and i was a toddler in the 80’s, so I’m not sure if this was actually a thing or not but it DOES feel very old school but in a new school time period!

This coming of age story by the author of Mary Jane, is also about a young girls growing awareness. Set in 1980s San Francisco it seems quite mild for this decade of excess, AIDS, and MTV. Zippy raised by an eccentric single mother is sheltered and naive. At 19 years of age she realizes her dreams with an apartment and a job. Employment at the high end department store I.Magnin is her education. Between the other shopgirls and her lawyer roommate she’s inundated with tips for adulthood. As endearing as Zippys awakening is, I would have expected more of an edge for this slice of life. The emergence of her long lost father did bring some depth to her story. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collin’s publishers for this read.

Shopgirls is the latest novel from author Jessica Anya Blau. The novel takes place in San Fransisco circa 1985.

The main character Zippy, is nineteen and a sales girl at department store I. Magnin. She is young but resourceful, even though she can’t afford the clothes at I. Magnin, she somehow manages to thrift a few looks to wear to work. She becomes one of the top sellers in the department. Other main characters in the book are Zippy’s roommate Raquel, her mom, and all the other shopgirls. Raquel and Zippy are always into something. They diet together, share clothes, and talk about what they want for their futures. The friendship they have is so genuine and both girls are very generous and kind to each other.

There are a lot of great characters in this book, and the author does a great job at keeping them memorable and they are all likeable, even the often dour Yolanda. There are a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book. I really loved a certain discussion between Zippy and Raquel about a popular 90s show, The Cosby Show. I seriously laughed so hard.

This was such a fun read. As a Gen X-er, I really appreciated all the 80s references. I absolutely loved the author’s previous book Mary Jane so I am very grateful to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.