At a Glance
Author: Laura Hankin
Published: May 19, 2020 by Berkley
Page: 384
Genre: Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 3.79 out of 5
My Rating: ★★★★
Synopsis
Lets Read Rant Repeat Book Club Pick
Bookstagram is such a wonderful community and I have met quite a few folks that I now consider to be friends. One of these is Jordan from @readwithwine and together we host a Virtual Book Club @letsreadrantrepeat. Our aim is to read a variety of genres, constantly switching it up to ensure we are reading something everyone will enjoy. Each month we choose 1 book that can be practically any type of story. We host a group chat with fellow book lovers on Instagram, where we can talk about the book as we read. At the end of the month (a specified Sunday at 7pm CST) Jordan and I get together for wine & an Instagram Live discussion. We generally invite guests from our group chat to share their thoughts on the book as well!
Our June Book Club Discussion is being held Sunday May 28th at 7pm CST. Head to our Instagram @letsreadrantrepeat to join in the discussion.
We’ll also be hosting an author Live Q&A on our @letsreadrantrepeat page as well on Tuesday June 30th at 4pm CST. Make sure it put it in your calendar to join us!
My Thoughts
This is such a fun book. It’s basically Gossip Girl as a bunch of moms but without the mysterious Gossip Girl narrator.
Happy and You Know It may seem like a reality tv serious about a group of moms and their babies but it’s so much more than that. This book tackles so many ‘mom’ topics and really dives deep into being ‘A good mom’.
I really enjoyed all the characters in the book even if I couldn’t relate to them, mainly because I’m not a mom. However, even though they’re all uber wealthy NYC moms, I still felt that they were realistic in the sense of their ‘mom’ struggles. The constant fear of messing your kid up or being afraid that they’re behind the curve. The constant competition and comparing to other moms. The constant mom-shaming that so many people give to moms. And lastly, the drastic difference in expectations between being a mom and being a dad. My favorite quote in the book was,:
“Besides, it’s a special occasion. Daddy’s is babysitting!”
“Nope,” Amara said. “Speaking of patriarchal bullshit, never say that again. You can’t babysit your own son. He literally exists because of your sperm. I managed to keep him entertained all day without a screen. You can do it for an hour before bedtime.”
Even with society being more modern, there is still a disconnect on what makes a good parents. Dads only need to show up, unlike a mom who even thinks about taking a day for herself and is labeled a bad mom. I digress.
This is a perfect summer read, that even the most non chick-lit reader will love. There is even a huge twist that happens but I don’t want to spoil it for you!
This book is out now, get it HERE!
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Happy and You Know It. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.
About the Author
Laura Hankin is the author of HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT and has written for McSweeney’s and HuffPost, among other publications. The viral videos that she creates and stars in with her comedy duo, Feminarchy, have been featured in Now This, The New York Times, and Funny or Die. She grew up in Washington, D.C. and now lives in New York City, where she has performed off-Broadway, acted onscreen, and sung to far too many babies.
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Sounds like a fun book to read.
Oh definitely