Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner – Book Review

I was already a Jennifer Weiner fan before I read Certain Girls.  It was recommended to me by a close friend and avid reader, Lori.

The book, itself, was a rather fast read.  Weiner writes in such a way that flows so well…an hour or two can pass, and you don’t realize that you have been reading for that long of a period of time.

I was able to “bond” somewhat with Certain Girls as the two main characters, Cannie and her daughter Joy, are living the normal life a of Jewish mother and almost-bat mitzvahed daughter (not religious, but observing).  As an aside – this book is no way religious, but those two facts are a solid part of their life and story.  They live in Philly, a city that I have recently grown to know and understand/admire.  There were a few blurbs about some of the outer lying towns with which my company’s other office lies.  It was somewhat cool to know where they were…KOP (King of Prussia) Mall to name one locale.  I enjoyed that the chapters’ voices switched between Cannie (the mom) and Joy (the daughter).  It enabled the reader to see what was going on from two totally different perspectives – so great!

The story line kept me reading on.  At the time I was in between this book and my Book Club book and this was the book that continued to “call” me when I had that free moment or so to read.

I finished the novel this morning, and I don’t know what I was thinking – of course a Jennifer Weiner book was going to evoke emotions, there is always a twist.  I won’t give away the story, as I really think that this is a GREAT read, but it is few books that make me walk downstairs and tell my husband how GREAT it was.  I laughed, cried, was a bit confused at times, but at all times was completely engrossed in the story line.

This is the first of my 20 books read as a part of my BUCKET LIST and also one of the over 50 books I want to read this year.  If I didn’t have so many more books that I want to read, I’d add it back to the list of “re-reads”…that is a good thing!

Check it out…paperback, hard cover, kindle…any way you will be glad that you did!