Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!
I enjoyed this story. It was a bit slow at times, and I wasn’t sure where it was heading at first, but I loved hearing about both women’s lives and their perspectives on the sorority.

Listening Speed: 1.5X
Narrators: Rita Amparita; Stephanie Németh-Parker
Feedback:
Both narrators delivered good performances, with deep, rich voices that captured the emotions of the two women in the story.

My expectations were low because I thought Gifted & Talented was kind of disappointing, but this was so, so good. It worked as a plot, the characters were great, the social commentary was great, and the sentences were sublime.



Review copy provided by publisher.

I’m going to be honest y’all, this just wasn’t for me. I went into this blind which was probably not a good idea. I should have read reviews because somehow I didn’t know it had cannibalism, so that’s on me. I do enjoy Olivie Blake books usually plus the narration is great but I won’t be finishing this one.

Blake looks at life in the 21st century as it pertains to being female. While told through the background of academia, with one protagonist as a student and the other as a professor, it highlights the fact that women are only allowed to be seen in traditional roles as set out by the patriarchy. I never really warmed to the characters

2.5 stars rounded down. 2 seems harsh but I didn’t really enjoy this. It was unbelievably boring for a book about cannibalism.

I could have skipped the first 62% of this book and not missed anything. The first 2/3 if just people talking. About how men make their lives worse, how their periods are, women’s struggles, and more about their periods.

None of the other characters even have a discernible personality besides Sloan. There were so many more fun options to tackle this subject matter to get your point across and also write a great story. I understand the subject matter is important but a book still needs to entertain.

The ending isn’t even surprising and is just there for the shock value (it’s fairly predictable so there actually isn’t much shock). It just kind of ends.

The audiobook narrators did a good job and would recommend audio if you have the option if you decide to read this.

Thank you to NetGally and Macmillan audio for an audio arc of this title in exchange for an honest review.

“Girl Dinner” is the latest novel by best-selling author Olivie Blake. Although it is categorized as fantasy, the book delves deeply into the challenges faced by modern women.

The story follows two characters at different stages in their journeys to "have it all." One is a college sorority sister, and the other is an adjunct professor who is also a wife and a new mother.

Blake effectively captures the internal monologues of women, highlighting their struggles for power in school, careers, and relationships, all while trying to balance these aspects in the name of progress. The novel addresses themes such as the "trad wife" trend, social media, and the subversion of power and influence.

I would recommend this novel or audiobook to others. Essentially, it provides insight into women who are hungry for everything life has to offer. I enjoyed this book more than the "Atlas" series, but less than my favorite, "Masters of Death," if it's fair to compare them. This novel is less fantastical and humorous than her previous works, although it still focuses on relationships. It is smart and wry, prompting reflection on social norms and the impossible standards placed on women. Whether it's the madonna, the whore, the career-focused individual, the childless woman, the mother, the wife, or the single person, society is quick to judge regardless. That is the real horror story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.