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The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits
Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.
On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.
But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.
Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.
As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?
On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.
But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.
Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.
As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2025
3725 people are currently reading
62225 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Weiner
66 books24.6k followersJennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and, most recently, That Summer. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,897 reviews
April 13, 2025
I'm so sad to say this, but since I have read just about every Jennifer Weiner book, this may be my least favorite.
It has everything that I could want:
Women who do bad ass things
overcoming adversity
early 2000s rock
rags to riches
love mixed in between
It's just too bad that this ended up being what could have been an enigmatic story about two sisters, rise to fame one who is constantly being told she's too pretty, but not as talented, as her overweight sister (it's mentioned far too much for me). Together, they become an overnight sensation, make one amazing album, and then disappear overnight with no explanation.
Cassie has all but disappeared to Alaska, while Zoe has lived the quiet suburban life. Both are living the life off the grid, and haven't spoken to each other in 20 years since a "mystery" life event tore them apart. Cherry, Zoe's daughter leaves home to star on an American Idol like show, without telling her family where she is. Cassie ends up going viral after being recorded singing Happy Birthday to a grocery store employee in Alaska. Cherry then sets herself on the path to find Cassie so she can mentor her for the show.
While this book had SO much potential, I just wasn't invested in any of the characters. The scenes of the Griffin Sisters as stars was rather mundane. I wanted more fun and punch to what should have been such a fun music era. Cassie is constantly being told to us that she was/is indeed "overweight", and Zoe was the pretty one.
By the end once the mystery is unfolded, there is redemption, but overall, I just didn't care.
Sad to say, this will be a big hit in 2025, as all of her books are so much fun, but this missed the mark for me.
It has everything that I could want:
Women who do bad ass things
overcoming adversity
early 2000s rock
rags to riches
love mixed in between
It's just too bad that this ended up being what could have been an enigmatic story about two sisters, rise to fame one who is constantly being told she's too pretty, but not as talented, as her overweight sister (it's mentioned far too much for me). Together, they become an overnight sensation, make one amazing album, and then disappear overnight with no explanation.
Cassie has all but disappeared to Alaska, while Zoe has lived the quiet suburban life. Both are living the life off the grid, and haven't spoken to each other in 20 years since a "mystery" life event tore them apart. Cherry, Zoe's daughter leaves home to star on an American Idol like show, without telling her family where she is. Cassie ends up going viral after being recorded singing Happy Birthday to a grocery store employee in Alaska. Cherry then sets herself on the path to find Cassie so she can mentor her for the show.
While this book had SO much potential, I just wasn't invested in any of the characters. The scenes of the Griffin Sisters as stars was rather mundane. I wanted more fun and punch to what should have been such a fun music era. Cassie is constantly being told to us that she was/is indeed "overweight", and Zoe was the pretty one.
By the end once the mystery is unfolded, there is redemption, but overall, I just didn't care.
Sad to say, this will be a big hit in 2025, as all of her books are so much fun, but this missed the mark for me.
April 21, 2025
It’s kinda subtle so I am not sure everyone picked up on it, but one sister is thin, conventionally attractive, and untalented and the other one is overweight, dumpy, and a musical prodigy. This isn’t mentioned on every page, so I am sure some readers might’ve missed it. /s
April 6, 2025
Sisters, music, motherhood, stardom, romance, love, and consequences. The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits was a gripping read about two sisters, Cassie and Zoe Grossberg. The sisters are polar opposites and shared one year in the spotlight until their band broke up following a tragedy. I found this book to be intriguing, thought provoking, moving, and entertaining. I felt for the characters, cheered for their triumphs, felt for their heartbreak, watched their stumbles, cringed at their bad decisions, observed their passion, enjoyed their relationships, and was in awe of their love of music.
Cassie is a musical prodigy. She has the voice of an angel and plays the piano. She is painfully shy and would prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Zoe, full of charm and determinations, loves the spotlight and stardom. They rise to fame and for one year ruled the airways and concert scene. Then following a horrible event/tragedy the band broke up.
Twenty years later, Cassie is living a quiet life while Zoe is a married mother. Cherry, Zoe's teenage daughter, is desperate to be a star and sets out on a quest to reach her goal and find out why her mother's band broke up.
I enjoyed this book and the characters. I thought Jennifer Weiner did a great job with creating both Cassie and Zoe. She created two characters who were so different yet needed each other. They loved each other and were a team until they weren't. I felt for both characters. I felt for Cassie's shyness which felt more like social phobia, and her quiet nature. I loved how music set her free and allowed her to shine. Zoe, who wanted to be a star but didn't have Cassie's talents. Zoe who wanted it all and found that having it all wasn't what she thought it would be. Cherry who longs to find fame and show off her talents. Cherry who is resilient and brave even though her mother, Zoe, who doesn't want her daughter involved in the music industry.
All the women in this book had spunk and determination but in different ways. Actions have consequences and all three will have to face the consequences of actions taken long ago. This book is told in two timelines, and I enjoyed the path Jennifer Weiner took to bring the past and present together in The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. Usually, I enjoy one timeline more than the other but, in this book, I found both timelines to be engaging, captivating, and gripping.
3.5 stars
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Cassie is a musical prodigy. She has the voice of an angel and plays the piano. She is painfully shy and would prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Zoe, full of charm and determinations, loves the spotlight and stardom. They rise to fame and for one year ruled the airways and concert scene. Then following a horrible event/tragedy the band broke up.
Twenty years later, Cassie is living a quiet life while Zoe is a married mother. Cherry, Zoe's teenage daughter, is desperate to be a star and sets out on a quest to reach her goal and find out why her mother's band broke up.
I enjoyed this book and the characters. I thought Jennifer Weiner did a great job with creating both Cassie and Zoe. She created two characters who were so different yet needed each other. They loved each other and were a team until they weren't. I felt for both characters. I felt for Cassie's shyness which felt more like social phobia, and her quiet nature. I loved how music set her free and allowed her to shine. Zoe, who wanted to be a star but didn't have Cassie's talents. Zoe who wanted it all and found that having it all wasn't what she thought it would be. Cherry who longs to find fame and show off her talents. Cherry who is resilient and brave even though her mother, Zoe, who doesn't want her daughter involved in the music industry.
All the women in this book had spunk and determination but in different ways. Actions have consequences and all three will have to face the consequences of actions taken long ago. This book is told in two timelines, and I enjoyed the path Jennifer Weiner took to bring the past and present together in The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. Usually, I enjoy one timeline more than the other but, in this book, I found both timelines to be engaging, captivating, and gripping.
3.5 stars
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
March 17, 2025
3.5 rounded down
A mother‘s love?
Brilliant, talented daughters in Cassie and Zoe. Cassie Grossberg is the introverted, musical prodigy whereas Zoe is charming, beautiful and outgoing. Chalk and cheese. The sisters become part of a pop sensation known as The Griffin Sisters in the early 2000’s, then tragedy breaks up the band. Over twenty years of silence follows between the sisters as Cassie lives reclusively in Alaska and Zoe buries herself in suburban motherhood in New Jersey. Clearly something catastrophic occurs to break up their musical success – can they ever forgive each other and themselves? Will they ever be able to make music together again? Zoe‘s daughter Cherry sincerely hopes so as she too has musical aspirations and her aunt has the voice of an angel. Is it possible for a reunion to take place on the 25th anniversary of their hit album?
There are aspects of the book that I really like and which work well but other areas that I’m less keen on. The complex relationships are conveyed successfully, between mothers and daughters and between the sisters. I enjoy the ups and downs of their life on the road as a band especially the various dynamics. The sisters different memories of that time are often painful and it’s emotional reading in places. There are strong feelings displayed too, with everything from love to jealousy, from fury to hatred with vindictive or deceitful actions which become secret shames.
Many of the characters are not especially easy to like and I don’t find them relatable. I sympathise particularly with Cassie, you feel her awkwardness and I dare say she’s on the neurodivergent spectrum but that’s not mentioned much except in passing. I don’t know what to make of the constant references to her size, it’s constantly emphasised and she is compared to glossy, pretty, slim Zoe. I’m sure the author is just trying to demonstrate the prejudice against Cassie despite her considerable talent especially in the early 2000’s but it’s not comfortable to read.
It’s a bit all over the place and dizzying at the beginning of the book with several points of view and it jumps about timewise but once I sort out the characters, it’s okay. However, in my opinion, it’s overly long and too detailed in places which slows the pace down and some interest is lost. There’s repetition too via the different points of view.
I enjoy the ending although it’s probably a predictable one though it’s what I hope for. The novel will inevitably be compared to Daisy Jones and the Six and I don’t think it’s as good as that, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. I assume the novel is inspired by the Mamas and the Papas although Cassie is very different in personality to the outgoing Mama Cass.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for a much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
A mother‘s love?
Brilliant, talented daughters in Cassie and Zoe. Cassie Grossberg is the introverted, musical prodigy whereas Zoe is charming, beautiful and outgoing. Chalk and cheese. The sisters become part of a pop sensation known as The Griffin Sisters in the early 2000’s, then tragedy breaks up the band. Over twenty years of silence follows between the sisters as Cassie lives reclusively in Alaska and Zoe buries herself in suburban motherhood in New Jersey. Clearly something catastrophic occurs to break up their musical success – can they ever forgive each other and themselves? Will they ever be able to make music together again? Zoe‘s daughter Cherry sincerely hopes so as she too has musical aspirations and her aunt has the voice of an angel. Is it possible for a reunion to take place on the 25th anniversary of their hit album?
There are aspects of the book that I really like and which work well but other areas that I’m less keen on. The complex relationships are conveyed successfully, between mothers and daughters and between the sisters. I enjoy the ups and downs of their life on the road as a band especially the various dynamics. The sisters different memories of that time are often painful and it’s emotional reading in places. There are strong feelings displayed too, with everything from love to jealousy, from fury to hatred with vindictive or deceitful actions which become secret shames.
Many of the characters are not especially easy to like and I don’t find them relatable. I sympathise particularly with Cassie, you feel her awkwardness and I dare say she’s on the neurodivergent spectrum but that’s not mentioned much except in passing. I don’t know what to make of the constant references to her size, it’s constantly emphasised and she is compared to glossy, pretty, slim Zoe. I’m sure the author is just trying to demonstrate the prejudice against Cassie despite her considerable talent especially in the early 2000’s but it’s not comfortable to read.
It’s a bit all over the place and dizzying at the beginning of the book with several points of view and it jumps about timewise but once I sort out the characters, it’s okay. However, in my opinion, it’s overly long and too detailed in places which slows the pace down and some interest is lost. There’s repetition too via the different points of view.
I enjoy the ending although it’s probably a predictable one though it’s what I hope for. The novel will inevitably be compared to Daisy Jones and the Six and I don’t think it’s as good as that, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. I assume the novel is inspired by the Mamas and the Papas although Cassie is very different in personality to the outgoing Mama Cass.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for a much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 4, 2025
Sisters, Scars & Songs: A Story That Hits All the Right Notes
I’m a total sucker for a heartfelt, tragic story about complicated sisterhood—and when it’s messy, emotional, and tangled up in fame, I’m all in.
This one hooked me fast. Two very different sisters, at odds in so many ways, yet still deeply connected. They clash, but have their quiet ways of holding each other up. Now throw in some rock and roll vibes, and I was completely sold.
This Isn’t Daisy Jones-not even close
So if you're looking for a story full of fame, glitter, glamor, and or that whole sex-drugs-rock-and-roll fantasy… this isn’t that book.
Jennifer Weiner is doing something entirely different here. This one goes deeper. Weiner dives into heavier themes: women in the music, the toxic obsession with beauty, body image, and how those pressures fracture bonds—with others and with ourselves
Real Women, Real Pain, Real Growth
What stuck with me most is how raw and real Zoe and Cassie feel. Zoe may be the so-called “pretty” one, but she’s constantly lost in the shadow of Cassie’s undeniable talent. Cassie, on the other hand, wrestles with social anxiety, body shame, and the pressure to shrink herself—even as her voice could fill an arena. Their relationship is the emotional heart of the book. There’s a love triangle, but the true love story is between these two sisters and the music that both binds and breaks them.
Come for the Drama, Stay for the Healing
Weiner captures the early 2000s pop scene so well—the cruel headlines, the body shaming, the spotlight that’s both intoxicating and destructive. But beneath the glitz, this is a story about forgiveness, ambition, learning to find your place, see your own beauty, and shine like the star you are
I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss
I’m a total sucker for a heartfelt, tragic story about complicated sisterhood—and when it’s messy, emotional, and tangled up in fame, I’m all in.
This one hooked me fast. Two very different sisters, at odds in so many ways, yet still deeply connected. They clash, but have their quiet ways of holding each other up. Now throw in some rock and roll vibes, and I was completely sold.
This Isn’t Daisy Jones-not even close
So if you're looking for a story full of fame, glitter, glamor, and or that whole sex-drugs-rock-and-roll fantasy… this isn’t that book.
Jennifer Weiner is doing something entirely different here. This one goes deeper. Weiner dives into heavier themes: women in the music, the toxic obsession with beauty, body image, and how those pressures fracture bonds—with others and with ourselves
Real Women, Real Pain, Real Growth
What stuck with me most is how raw and real Zoe and Cassie feel. Zoe may be the so-called “pretty” one, but she’s constantly lost in the shadow of Cassie’s undeniable talent. Cassie, on the other hand, wrestles with social anxiety, body shame, and the pressure to shrink herself—even as her voice could fill an arena. Their relationship is the emotional heart of the book. There’s a love triangle, but the true love story is between these two sisters and the music that both binds and breaks them.
Come for the Drama, Stay for the Healing
Weiner captures the early 2000s pop scene so well—the cruel headlines, the body shaming, the spotlight that’s both intoxicating and destructive. But beneath the glitz, this is a story about forgiveness, ambition, learning to find your place, see your own beauty, and shine like the star you are
I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss
January 18, 2025
1/18/25: Loved the setting of a sister music act going big and the focus on real talent with sister Cassie, who had attended a prestigious music conservatory on scholarship - a true prodigy from preschool age. Loved Cassie's sister Zoe's confident daughter Cherry, who has inherited a fair share of her parents' musical talent.
But the book is clearly written with Cassie having not only out-of-proportion shame and anxiety about her looks and size, but also with clear references to having autism. Yet autism is only mentioned once in the book as a possibility. The book writes about Cassie as if she is absolutely hideous in the looks department, which didn't seem likely. And her piano and singing talent is so enormous is literally stops people in their tracks. But the references to her size and looks are relentless as you read - there is no escape.
Zoe, by contrast, starts off as her ally, being the only one who can connect with Cassie, the only one who Cassie will sing with. And of course beautiful and thin. This is repeated over and over and over. But in the novel, Zoe quickly becomes so superficial, mean, conniving, and absolutely awful as a human that no reader will care about her, and it comes off as manufactured unbelievable literary drama. And to believe she will never speak of her musical past to her daughter Cherry when the sisters were world famous is silly.
The "incident" with Cherry's father comes out of nowhere and seems like such an obvious plot choice that you'd see in a network tv show. Wouldn't it be cool if that incident didn't happen and Cassie realizes her potential professionally, creatively and romantically, while Zoe directs her shark talents to being her manager and acknowledges her true love? Now that would be a great pivot for Weiner to make in her author career.
I think the core music storyline had potential on its own merits if Weiner could reduce her reliance on hero arcs centered on overweight women and always at the expense of a thin person close to them. The story would have literally been better if the plot were the same and the characters were the same, but said less or nothing about physical attributes. Readers love success stories (the band), music novels, romance, triumph. Representation of different shapes is still possible without it being so overwhelming to the story. Thank you NetGalley for the free book in exchange for my honest review. 2-stars.
1/14/25: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I LOVE music-centric books so thought this would be a great one. I am 30% in and am not loving the timeframe jumps which are a bit hard to keep track of. What I would really like is if publishers printed the year in tiny font at the bottom of every page if the author time-jumps as part of the book structure, so that I can just keep track while I'm reading and don't have to flip back to remember what year it is.
Also, am I the only reader alive who didn't realize that Jennifer Weiner puts heavier women in all her books, as a rule? I was wondering about this enough to google it and sure enough that is her thing. Not sure I love that as an author signature, but I understand the idea of representation.
In the first 30% I was going to keep count of the number of times Weiner used the word "lovely." It was so much that it really jumped out at me and felt it needed editing. Full review coming soon.
But the book is clearly written with Cassie having not only out-of-proportion shame and anxiety about her looks and size, but also with clear references to having autism. Yet autism is only mentioned once in the book as a possibility. The book writes about Cassie as if she is absolutely hideous in the looks department, which didn't seem likely. And her piano and singing talent is so enormous is literally stops people in their tracks. But the references to her size and looks are relentless as you read - there is no escape.
Zoe, by contrast, starts off as her ally, being the only one who can connect with Cassie, the only one who Cassie will sing with. And of course beautiful and thin. This is repeated over and over and over. But in the novel, Zoe quickly becomes so superficial, mean, conniving, and absolutely awful as a human that no reader will care about her, and it comes off as manufactured unbelievable literary drama. And to believe she will never speak of her musical past to her daughter Cherry when the sisters were world famous is silly.
The "incident" with Cherry's father comes out of nowhere and seems like such an obvious plot choice that you'd see in a network tv show. Wouldn't it be cool if that incident didn't happen and Cassie realizes her potential professionally, creatively and romantically, while Zoe directs her shark talents to being her manager and acknowledges her true love? Now that would be a great pivot for Weiner to make in her author career.
I think the core music storyline had potential on its own merits if Weiner could reduce her reliance on hero arcs centered on overweight women and always at the expense of a thin person close to them. The story would have literally been better if the plot were the same and the characters were the same, but said less or nothing about physical attributes. Readers love success stories (the band), music novels, romance, triumph. Representation of different shapes is still possible without it being so overwhelming to the story. Thank you NetGalley for the free book in exchange for my honest review. 2-stars.
1/14/25: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I LOVE music-centric books so thought this would be a great one. I am 30% in and am not loving the timeframe jumps which are a bit hard to keep track of. What I would really like is if publishers printed the year in tiny font at the bottom of every page if the author time-jumps as part of the book structure, so that I can just keep track while I'm reading and don't have to flip back to remember what year it is.
Also, am I the only reader alive who didn't realize that Jennifer Weiner puts heavier women in all her books, as a rule? I was wondering about this enough to google it and sure enough that is her thing. Not sure I love that as an author signature, but I understand the idea of representation.
In the first 30% I was going to keep count of the number of times Weiner used the word "lovely." It was so much that it really jumped out at me and felt it needed editing. Full review coming soon.
January 6, 2025
There is a lot to like in this book, but there’s also a lot I took issue with. First, the good - I am a sucker for musician stories, always chasing that Daisy Jones vibe, and the parts about traveling with the band were so fun and the descriptions of song writing are magical. The early 2000s pop culture references took me on a trip down memory lane in the best way. At almost 400 pages, it felt like there could have been some trimming, but it was still compulsively readable for me because I was invested in finding out what happened.
Here’s what I had a harder time with:
- almost every character is terrible. Janice? Terrible. Zoe? Double terrible. Russel? A weenie. Jordan? Also a weenie. Cherry? Beyond selfish, even for an 18 year old.
- I understand the diet culture of the early aughts deep in my soul. I lived it. And still, this message is delivered so harshly. Even her own sister doesn’t see any value in her because she lives in a bigger body. If you are triggered by body shaming or diet culture, consider yourself warned.
- Cass isn’t given any personality beyond “fat musical prodigy”
- there’s not a single plausible reason that Cass wouldn’t know her sister had kids - the mother and Aunt Bess (the only decent woman in the book), knew how to reach Cass. And for almost two decades it didn’t occur to them to mention it??
- for the love, what is Bix short for? Did it say and I missed it?
Weiner is such a great writer and has written some of my favorite books. Many people will love this book, and though it missed the mark for me in many areas, it was still a three star read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.
Here’s what I had a harder time with:
- almost every character is terrible. Janice? Terrible. Zoe? Double terrible. Russel? A weenie. Jordan? Also a weenie. Cherry? Beyond selfish, even for an 18 year old.
- I understand the diet culture of the early aughts deep in my soul. I lived it. And still, this message is delivered so harshly. Even her own sister doesn’t see any value in her because she lives in a bigger body. If you are triggered by body shaming or diet culture, consider yourself warned.
- Cass isn’t given any personality beyond “fat musical prodigy”
- there’s not a single plausible reason that Cass wouldn’t know her sister had kids - the mother and Aunt Bess (the only decent woman in the book), knew how to reach Cass. And for almost two decades it didn’t occur to them to mention it??
- for the love, what is Bix short for? Did it say and I missed it?
Weiner is such a great writer and has written some of my favorite books. Many people will love this book, and though it missed the mark for me in many areas, it was still a three star read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.
October 18, 2024
I absolutely loved this one! I tried reading it slower to soak it all in and savor it, but I had to devour it to know how it played out. I loved Cassie from the start, but Zoe and Cherry truly got me to warm up to them. I loved the nostalgic vibes it gave me with the dual timelines of now and the 2000s. I was shocked by some of the twists but loved the mystery along the way and just had to keep reading to figure out how it all played out. Such a beautiful family dynamic that includes messy, raw, hard, honest moments but also the loving, caring moments of forgiveness. This truly moved me! I was so entangled up in the Griffin Sister's drama that I needed it to be sorted and okay, lol. I loved the character development for Cherry, Zoe, and Cassie. It was just brilliant all around. The ending got me teary-eyed. Easily 5 stars!
I received this ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
January 23, 2025
Looking back, the last Jennifer Weiner book I read was "In Her Shoes," and this story is very reminiscent of it. Both narratives explore a dysfunctional sister relationship in which one sister possesses all the external societal qualities, while the other has immense talent but lacks conventional beauty. This creates a one-sided pettiness that is challenging to read about and empathize with.
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.
In the present timeline, Cherry feels as though something has always been missing from her life. With the possibility of being a musical prodigy, she faces constant opposition from her mother, who shuts down her aspirations at every turn. Now that she’s 18, Cherry is determined to audition for the next big musical discovery reality show. The challenge is that she needs a mentor, and she can think of no one better than her Aunt Cassie, who has completely withdrawn from the world. Can Cherry find her aunt in time for her audition? Can she mend the broken relationship between her aunt and her mother to reunite her family?
Overall, I liked this story, but I was frustrated by the manipulation of Cassie. At every turn, someone pressured her into doing things she didn’t want to do and she did them out of a misguided sense of obligation. I also disliked the ongoing fat-shaming culture depicted in the book. While the original context of the 2000s may have reflected the toxic environment of the tabloids, the attitude in 2024 should be about doing better—acknowledging that bodies of all sizes can be appreciated and uplifted without constant derision.
Honestly, I despised Zoe's character, and I felt she got everything she deserved. Cassie, however, deserved so much more than what she received. I hope that, as women, we can continue healing from the harmful narratives perpetuated by mainstream media for decades. As women we need to create and share stories that do not focus on body shaming, these narratives are hurtful and mean.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own and are based on my personal experiences and background.
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.
In the present timeline, Cherry feels as though something has always been missing from her life. With the possibility of being a musical prodigy, she faces constant opposition from her mother, who shuts down her aspirations at every turn. Now that she’s 18, Cherry is determined to audition for the next big musical discovery reality show. The challenge is that she needs a mentor, and she can think of no one better than her Aunt Cassie, who has completely withdrawn from the world. Can Cherry find her aunt in time for her audition? Can she mend the broken relationship between her aunt and her mother to reunite her family?
Overall, I liked this story, but I was frustrated by the manipulation of Cassie. At every turn, someone pressured her into doing things she didn’t want to do and she did them out of a misguided sense of obligation. I also disliked the ongoing fat-shaming culture depicted in the book. While the original context of the 2000s may have reflected the toxic environment of the tabloids, the attitude in 2024 should be about doing better—acknowledging that bodies of all sizes can be appreciated and uplifted without constant derision.
Honestly, I despised Zoe's character, and I felt she got everything she deserved. Cassie, however, deserved so much more than what she received. I hope that, as women, we can continue healing from the harmful narratives perpetuated by mainstream media for decades. As women we need to create and share stories that do not focus on body shaming, these narratives are hurtful and mean.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own and are based on my personal experiences and background.
April 29, 2025
Take a shot every time the author mentions that Cassie is fat and disgusting.
April 29, 2025
This is a fun book about music and stardom and all that it can be. Involves sisters. One who is beautiful and thin and mediocre at best in singing. The other is described way way too often in terms of her size but is the star in the family with her song writing and singing abilities.
October 10, 2024
Dang, I wanted to love this book because I’ve only heard great things about Jennifer Weiner’s books. This was just okay for me. It was a really fun plot with a lot of potential— two sisters make it big in the music industry right out of high school, after a Battle of the Bands show. Zoe craves the spotlight and doesn’t have a lot of natural talent, whereas her sister Cassie detests the spotlight but has a lot of natural talent and is musically inclined. The two girls are torn apart by a man and tragedy. I was really bummed by the continual fat-phobic comments and descriptions toward Cassie’s character.
Examples: “a girl even fatter than Cassie”, “summoning her in a register only other fat girls could hear”, “she would have been happy to cede the attention of every fat girl to her sister”, “her feet were small, compared to the rest of her”, “all the boys used to call her a whale- free willy!”, “Cassie flopped down beside him but gently so the bed wouldn’t shake too hard and the bedframe wouldn’t groan”, “How could Russell want to sleep with Cassie when he had her?…it would be like a diner in a restaurant sending a perfectly cooked steak back to the kitchen and requesting roadkill instead… Zoe knew how her sister looks out shaper clothes- Cassie was flabby and squishy. her belly and her breast drooped and even if a guy didn't let himself see her body he wouldn't be able to keep from feeling THAT.”
And that’s just the few I highlighted so I could remember. Zoe seems to have Cassie’s back in any other regard so I’m not sure why we needed to be reminded of Cassie’s weight every other page. It was well established and felt redundant, and didn’t articulate her body image issues. I was able to gather that from the personality descriptions and the way she spoke.
This would have been a higher rated read for me, but the fatphobic vibes were a huge (no pun intended!) buzzkill for me. Great sisterhood story, motherhood, and personal growth otherwise. But man.
I also recognize that this took place in early 00s when women’s diet culture was toxic AF. But also there are ways to have authentic history without being offensive:)
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow books for the advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book.
Examples: “a girl even fatter than Cassie”, “summoning her in a register only other fat girls could hear”, “she would have been happy to cede the attention of every fat girl to her sister”, “her feet were small, compared to the rest of her”, “all the boys used to call her a whale- free willy!”, “Cassie flopped down beside him but gently so the bed wouldn’t shake too hard and the bedframe wouldn’t groan”, “How could Russell want to sleep with Cassie when he had her?…it would be like a diner in a restaurant sending a perfectly cooked steak back to the kitchen and requesting roadkill instead… Zoe knew how her sister looks out shaper clothes- Cassie was flabby and squishy. her belly and her breast drooped and even if a guy didn't let himself see her body he wouldn't be able to keep from feeling THAT.”
And that’s just the few I highlighted so I could remember. Zoe seems to have Cassie’s back in any other regard so I’m not sure why we needed to be reminded of Cassie’s weight every other page. It was well established and felt redundant, and didn’t articulate her body image issues. I was able to gather that from the personality descriptions and the way she spoke.
This would have been a higher rated read for me, but the fatphobic vibes were a huge (no pun intended!) buzzkill for me. Great sisterhood story, motherhood, and personal growth otherwise. But man.
I also recognize that this took place in early 00s when women’s diet culture was toxic AF. But also there are ways to have authentic history without being offensive:)
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow books for the advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2025
The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is the poignant story of Cassie and Zoe, two sisters who have a meteroric rise to musical fame in 2003 when they are barely out of high school. Cassie has been a prodigy since the age of four - a gifted pianist, singer, and songwriter. She was bullied growing up for being overweight. Zoe was moderately talented as a singer and on the guitar, but it didn't come naturally to her. Everyone loved Zoe because she was fun and beautiful. Zoe's daughter Cherry is the third point of view in this novel. The timeline alternates between the rise and breakup of the band and today when Cherry is 18 years old and wants nothing more than to break into the music industry.
I loved everything about this book! It is a family saga that explores the cost of fame, secrets kept, sisterhood, and motherhood. Themes of loneliness, forgiveness, insecurity, and ambition reign supreme. Critics of the book say that there was too much emphasis on Cassie's weight and too much fat-shaming. While I abhor this behavior, that is the reality of this industry - if anything worse than what is shown in the book. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Favorites will love this book!🎵❤️✨️
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Jennifer Weiner for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved everything about this book! It is a family saga that explores the cost of fame, secrets kept, sisterhood, and motherhood. Themes of loneliness, forgiveness, insecurity, and ambition reign supreme. Critics of the book say that there was too much emphasis on Cassie's weight and too much fat-shaming. While I abhor this behavior, that is the reality of this industry - if anything worse than what is shown in the book. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Favorites will love this book!🎵❤️✨️
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Jennifer Weiner for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 13, 2025
I struggled with the writing of The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. Not my usual genre, and often found myself bored, just waiting for something to happen to push the plot along. I often mixed up the sisters because they were one-dimensional and hard to connect with. The book seemed too long, and was bogged down by inconsistent pacing. I'm trying to find something nice to say but im having a hard time. Honestly, I won't remember this book, and the cover is not appealing. Thank you to goodreads for offering this title in their catalog for giveaways. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
January 1, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Griffin Sister's Greatest Hits, by Jennifer Weiner, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 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. Zoe's daughter Cherry, wants to get the band back together. This was a likeable read.
Read
May 10, 2025This one really sucked me in (and also broke my heart)
April 10, 2025
3.75 stars
THE GRIFFIN SISTERS’ GREATEST HITS is the 7th or 8th novel I’ve read by Jennifer Weiner. She has a comfortable writing style that makes it easy to sit down, unwind, and get lost in the pages.
Two sisters, Cassie and Zoe, form a musical group in the early aughts. Cassie has the talent while Zoe is known for her beauty and charisma. They become a huge sensation but after a year or so of fame, the group breaks up. Twenty years later, the sisters are estranged and Zoe’s daughter, Cherry, is looking to get her big break on a reality tv talent competition show. Is it possible Cherry’s dream will lead the sisters on a path to reconciliation?
The author does string along the reason the sisters haven’t spoken for years and given this is women’s fiction and not a thriller, it’s not like the big reveal is all that surprising. That’s okay though as the estrangement at least makes sense instead of being so far out in left field.
My only real gripe has to do with how some of the characters were written at times. There’s a scene in which a crass thought enters Zoe’s mind and I just didn’t buy it. Not from someone who was so protective of her sister when they were kids. It was over the top meanness that didn’t ring true. I just don’t think Zoe’s mind would have gone there regardless of the situation. In the final scenes Cherry drove me bonkers and it would have been nice to see her actions more fully addressed by other characters.
Out of the books I’ve read by this author, I rank this one right in the middle. A decent read if you enjoy complicated family dynamics and liked the pop music scene back in the early 2000s.
Thank you William Morrow for sending me a free advance copy!
THE GRIFFIN SISTERS’ GREATEST HITS is the 7th or 8th novel I’ve read by Jennifer Weiner. She has a comfortable writing style that makes it easy to sit down, unwind, and get lost in the pages.
Two sisters, Cassie and Zoe, form a musical group in the early aughts. Cassie has the talent while Zoe is known for her beauty and charisma. They become a huge sensation but after a year or so of fame, the group breaks up. Twenty years later, the sisters are estranged and Zoe’s daughter, Cherry, is looking to get her big break on a reality tv talent competition show. Is it possible Cherry’s dream will lead the sisters on a path to reconciliation?
The author does string along the reason the sisters haven’t spoken for years and given this is women’s fiction and not a thriller, it’s not like the big reveal is all that surprising. That’s okay though as the estrangement at least makes sense instead of being so far out in left field.
My only real gripe has to do with how some of the characters were written at times. There’s a scene in which a crass thought enters Zoe’s mind and I just didn’t buy it. Not from someone who was so protective of her sister when they were kids. It was over the top meanness that didn’t ring true. I just don’t think Zoe’s mind would have gone there regardless of the situation. In the final scenes Cherry drove me bonkers and it would have been nice to see her actions more fully addressed by other characters.
Out of the books I’ve read by this author, I rank this one right in the middle. A decent read if you enjoy complicated family dynamics and liked the pop music scene back in the early 2000s.
Thank you William Morrow for sending me a free advance copy!
May 6, 2025
2 stars is generous. I hated every single character. I hated how she wrapped it up.
April 9, 2025
4.5 stars. The story felt realistic in that sister relationships can be complicated and messy as we see here through sisters Zoe and Cassie. The story shows their bands rise and fall and what shattered not only the band, but their relationship. Told in two timelines with the addition of (present day) Zoe’s daughter Cherry, determined to be a star herself, seeks the truth for their break-up and navigates through their past choices. Cherry does find out having it all isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. The music pretty much takes off as its own character following everything as it unfolds (throughout the book). The story is slow at first, so hang in there as it does pick up. There are negative references to weight, but it gives the story credibility of that time in the early 2000’s when being skinny was thought to be everything, the goal. Weiner wrote an incredibly impressive tale that tied up perfectly in the end. Pub 4/8/25
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2025
This was my favorite book of the year so far.
Great writing, and even through the different viewpoints and times, you never feel lost. It's not my normal genre either, and in 2025, this is my favorite so far.
Great writing, and even through the different viewpoints and times, you never feel lost. It's not my normal genre either, and in 2025, this is my favorite so far.
April 13, 2025
There is a lot to like about this book; the setting and the time jumps- estranged sisters and knowing that their band broke up but not knowing why, learning in the first few chapters that Russell is dead.
Is this a deliberate re-telling of Dreamgirls only using Jewish pop singer girls in a love triangle instead of Motown black girl group? Or are the similarities coincidental? I actually don’t know.
Jennifer Weiner is a wonderful author, I have loved her books for many years. I really saw myself in a lot of her main characters over the years. The fatphobia in this book was really triggering for me. Over and over again we had to be reminded of how fat Cassie was. That time period was not kind to women and very skinny women were fat shamed all the time. And that’s a reality, but I want a main character that loves herself instead of one that makes bad decisions because of her insecurity. Zoe was also really annoying to me- the way she pursued Russell even though she didn’t like him? It was pretty cringy.
The whole time I was thinking they got married because she was pregnant with Cherry only to find out she made it up, and he went along with it for some reason? And what she did to
Cassie in making her think it was her fault was completely irresponsible. It’s not just internalized fatphobia but now internalized misogyny too.
At the end the only character who said something reasonable about Russell’s death was that goofy Jordan. Who we didn’t really get to know except that his son sucked and he was a complete apologist for him and put Zoe and cherry in harms way.
I really believe Jennifer Weiner still writes her books as opposed to a lot of successful authors that seem to use ghost writers. This really feels authentic and I was pretty engaged in it. Not knowing what happened; the dual timelines and multiple POV really worked. The pacing is fantastic. I just didn’t like the characters, the more I read about them, the less I liked them. My favorite character was probably Cherry.
I’m not giving up on this author but this one was just not one of my favorites.
Is this a deliberate re-telling of Dreamgirls only using Jewish pop singer girls in a love triangle instead of Motown black girl group? Or are the similarities coincidental? I actually don’t know.
Jennifer Weiner is a wonderful author, I have loved her books for many years. I really saw myself in a lot of her main characters over the years. The fatphobia in this book was really triggering for me. Over and over again we had to be reminded of how fat Cassie was. That time period was not kind to women and very skinny women were fat shamed all the time. And that’s a reality, but I want a main character that loves herself instead of one that makes bad decisions because of her insecurity. Zoe was also really annoying to me- the way she pursued Russell even though she didn’t like him? It was pretty cringy.
The whole time I was thinking they got married because she was pregnant with Cherry only to find out she made it up, and he went along with it for some reason? And what she did to
Cassie in making her think it was her fault was completely irresponsible. It’s not just internalized fatphobia but now internalized misogyny too.
At the end the only character who said something reasonable about Russell’s death was that goofy Jordan. Who we didn’t really get to know except that his son sucked and he was a complete apologist for him and put Zoe and cherry in harms way.
I really believe Jennifer Weiner still writes her books as opposed to a lot of successful authors that seem to use ghost writers. This really feels authentic and I was pretty engaged in it. Not knowing what happened; the dual timelines and multiple POV really worked. The pacing is fantastic. I just didn’t like the characters, the more I read about them, the less I liked them. My favorite character was probably Cherry.
I’m not giving up on this author but this one was just not one of my favorites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2025
I really enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's latest novel. It was told from multiple view points and jumped back and forth in time to tell the story of two sisters who were part of a hit band. Cassie, is the bigger sister with all of the talent. She is painfully shy and only wants to make music. Zoe is the older, pretty sister who wants to be a star. The problem is that they both have fallen for the same guy. Flash forward to 2024 and Zoe's daughter, Cherry, wants to be a star. She leaves home to be on a reality show but ends up searching for answers about what really happened with her mom, aunt, and father.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that Cassie was a plus size woman. Jennifer Weiner gets it and often has a character who is bigger in her novels. I love reading about these women because I can connect so well with what she is writing about. I am not a huge music person. I would much rather stay home and read a good book than go to a concert but I loved the music aspect in this book. I would absolutely go to a concert that featured the Griffin Sisters. Their music felt real and I wish I had a song of theirs to play. This was a really great story and I enjoyed reading about all of the characters even Zoe and Cassie's mom.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that Cassie was a plus size woman. Jennifer Weiner gets it and often has a character who is bigger in her novels. I love reading about these women because I can connect so well with what she is writing about. I am not a huge music person. I would much rather stay home and read a good book than go to a concert but I loved the music aspect in this book. I would absolutely go to a concert that featured the Griffin Sisters. Their music felt real and I wish I had a song of theirs to play. This was a really great story and I enjoyed reading about all of the characters even Zoe and Cassie's mom.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC.
April 27, 2025
Whew where to begin with this review? I will preface by saying this is my first Jennifer Weiner book and that “chick lit” is not my usual genre. I was drawn to the book because I love when music is very central to the plot and depictions of bands and the music industry. So I hopped out of my normal comfort zone and selected this as my book of the month club pick. And I have to say I am a bit disappointed.
Cassie and Zoe Griffin (actually Grossberg because we need every music industry trope to be present so here we have their real Jewish last name turned into something more palatable for mainstream audiences-just one of many believable yikes moments) are discovered at a random Battle of the Bands after Zoe basically bulldozes her sister’s boundaries and makes her perform with her. Zoe was kicked out of her original (Spice Girls impersonating) group because she was flirting with one of her friends’ boyfriends. Turns out, this will be one of the most benign things Zoe does the entire novel!
Cassie is meant to be autistic, but she is a musical prodigy because apparently we have to have the outdated “idiot savant” trope in here too. Not only that, but she is also FAT (gasp!) and ugly. And don’t you forget it reader because this will be mentioned almost every page for 374 pages. I understand this could be a stylistic choice because that is indeed how culture was towards fat women in the early 2000s, but it was too much for me. There are several mentions of her not fitting into seats and other characters wondering if furniture will break underneath her. I could never get a grasp on what Cassie’s body actually looked like because she was described as if she were over 500 pounds. The early aughts were terrible toward women’s bodies but this was just hammered home a little too much. Cassie is basically some Rainman version of Adele that borders on an offensive caricature and not a character.
Absolutely none of the characters are fleshed out in a believable way. Something is incredibly hollow and phoned in about this entire book. Zoe is a monster. We are told over and over again how great and wonderful Zoe is and how charming and good at social interaction she is but those things are absolutely never shown in her actions. I’m hoping this was also a stylistic choice to show a golden child versus scapegoat dynamic (fun fact- the mom is presented as hating Cassie from the moment she finds out she is pregnant with her) but I’m not entirely sure. Zoe doesn’t seem to have any friends to speak of even though it’s mentioned she’s popular, we are told she is her sister’s keeper even though it’s also mentioned she leaves Cassie alone and lets her friends bully her. There are several interactions where she is being incredibly obtuse and prickly and vapid but I guess everyone is okay with that because she’s skinny and pretty?
The band eventually breaking up is presented as some big mystery that needs solving but it’s not a mystery. The lead guitarist and dude who is sleeping with both Zoe and Cassie (gasp again! But more because he is sleeping with a fat ugly girl behind a pretty girl’s back than the actual cheating aspect) dies violently and it’s implied to be a suicide. Something like that would break any band up, but I guess the way Zoe manipulates the entire situation is the mystery? I was wondering to myself if Zoe was also autistic or perhaps had some kind of mental health disorder because her actions are just off the charts basically for the entire book, even after she has had her epiphany that she’s a bad person. She beats herself in the face when confessing some of her actions to her daughter at the end of the book and I had to take a moment. There’s no mention of this woman getting the therapy she so desperately needs.
There’s a whole SA storyline/creepy stepbrother element that was unnecessary to the book. It served as a catalyst for Zoe to realize she’s still not that great of a person but came off as her just shifting blame again. Considering Zoe is depicted as borderline forcing herself onto Russell the guitarist and manipulating him to the point of him unaliving himself, by the point the SA is revealed I could not drum up any sympathy for Zoe.
Zoe has a daughter who is just like her awful mother and tries to manipulate her aunt for fame. Thank god, it doesn’t work. Finally there are some consequences for bad behavior. Who her father is is left unresolved, and she also doesn’t need therapy apparently. Cassie finally decides to unretire from music and the Griffin sisters reunite with the Griffin daughter/niece at a PTA program at the local grade school and they all do the cringy finger kiss point/peace sign move Zoe made up in the band’s heyday and everything is magically okay! No therapy, no mental health support, no nothing. All you need is music and family and forgiveness!
To sum up, all of these characters are very flat, the cliches are presented in a way that I can’t tell if they are stylistic choices or just lazy writing, and there’s fat phobia and ableism abound. There’s something aggressively Gen X/90s about this novel which was weird since it was supposed to be about Y2K era/elder millennial nostalgia. I looked it up and Jennifer Weiner is Gen X and would have been around 30 during the actual early aughts. She lists a bunch of reading she completed for research in her acknowledgments. I am left wondering if this story would have been more nuanced and accurate if someone who had come of age in that time would have written it. While I know Y2K is trendy right now, I’m not convinced this book truly hit the mark.
Cassie and Zoe Griffin (actually Grossberg because we need every music industry trope to be present so here we have their real Jewish last name turned into something more palatable for mainstream audiences-just one of many believable yikes moments) are discovered at a random Battle of the Bands after Zoe basically bulldozes her sister’s boundaries and makes her perform with her. Zoe was kicked out of her original (Spice Girls impersonating) group because she was flirting with one of her friends’ boyfriends. Turns out, this will be one of the most benign things Zoe does the entire novel!
Cassie is meant to be autistic, but she is a musical prodigy because apparently we have to have the outdated “idiot savant” trope in here too. Not only that, but she is also FAT (gasp!) and ugly. And don’t you forget it reader because this will be mentioned almost every page for 374 pages. I understand this could be a stylistic choice because that is indeed how culture was towards fat women in the early 2000s, but it was too much for me. There are several mentions of her not fitting into seats and other characters wondering if furniture will break underneath her. I could never get a grasp on what Cassie’s body actually looked like because she was described as if she were over 500 pounds. The early aughts were terrible toward women’s bodies but this was just hammered home a little too much. Cassie is basically some Rainman version of Adele that borders on an offensive caricature and not a character.
Absolutely none of the characters are fleshed out in a believable way. Something is incredibly hollow and phoned in about this entire book. Zoe is a monster. We are told over and over again how great and wonderful Zoe is and how charming and good at social interaction she is but those things are absolutely never shown in her actions. I’m hoping this was also a stylistic choice to show a golden child versus scapegoat dynamic (fun fact- the mom is presented as hating Cassie from the moment she finds out she is pregnant with her) but I’m not entirely sure. Zoe doesn’t seem to have any friends to speak of even though it’s mentioned she’s popular, we are told she is her sister’s keeper even though it’s also mentioned she leaves Cassie alone and lets her friends bully her. There are several interactions where she is being incredibly obtuse and prickly and vapid but I guess everyone is okay with that because she’s skinny and pretty?
The band eventually breaking up is presented as some big mystery that needs solving but it’s not a mystery. The lead guitarist and dude who is sleeping with both Zoe and Cassie (gasp again! But more because he is sleeping with a fat ugly girl behind a pretty girl’s back than the actual cheating aspect) dies violently and it’s implied to be a suicide. Something like that would break any band up, but I guess the way Zoe manipulates the entire situation is the mystery? I was wondering to myself if Zoe was also autistic or perhaps had some kind of mental health disorder because her actions are just off the charts basically for the entire book, even after she has had her epiphany that she’s a bad person. She beats herself in the face when confessing some of her actions to her daughter at the end of the book and I had to take a moment. There’s no mention of this woman getting the therapy she so desperately needs.
There’s a whole SA storyline/creepy stepbrother element that was unnecessary to the book. It served as a catalyst for Zoe to realize she’s still not that great of a person but came off as her just shifting blame again. Considering Zoe is depicted as borderline forcing herself onto Russell the guitarist and manipulating him to the point of him unaliving himself, by the point the SA is revealed I could not drum up any sympathy for Zoe.
Zoe has a daughter who is just like her awful mother and tries to manipulate her aunt for fame. Thank god, it doesn’t work. Finally there are some consequences for bad behavior. Who her father is is left unresolved, and she also doesn’t need therapy apparently. Cassie finally decides to unretire from music and the Griffin sisters reunite with the Griffin daughter/niece at a PTA program at the local grade school and they all do the cringy finger kiss point/peace sign move Zoe made up in the band’s heyday and everything is magically okay! No therapy, no mental health support, no nothing. All you need is music and family and forgiveness!
To sum up, all of these characters are very flat, the cliches are presented in a way that I can’t tell if they are stylistic choices or just lazy writing, and there’s fat phobia and ableism abound. There’s something aggressively Gen X/90s about this novel which was weird since it was supposed to be about Y2K era/elder millennial nostalgia. I looked it up and Jennifer Weiner is Gen X and would have been around 30 during the actual early aughts. She lists a bunch of reading she completed for research in her acknowledgments. I am left wondering if this story would have been more nuanced and accurate if someone who had come of age in that time would have written it. While I know Y2K is trendy right now, I’m not convinced this book truly hit the mark.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2025
The book has no chapters but is divided into 7 parts.
This is a book about music. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six.
The three main characters (and POVs) are Zoe and Cassie (The Griffin Sisters) and Zoe’s 18 year old daughter Cherry. The book goes back and forth in time and alternates POVs.
In the present Cherry is auditioning for an American Idol type singing competition. I really loved this aspect of the story.
When Zoe and Cassie were that age they were becoming famous as The Griffin Sisters.
The main characters are Jewish and there is some Jewish rep.
The book spends quite a bit of time showing us what Zoe and Cassie’s life was like during their rise to fame. We find out that something happened that made Cassie go into hiding.
I did enjoy seeing how the sisters became famous. But I did prefer the story in the present and do wish that this was most of the story.
I wish that we had gotten to see even more of the singing competition. That part of the story took a different direction than I was expecting. But I did really enjoy the last part of the book. I loved the family dynamics and thought that the end was really good.
Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins Canada for allowing me to read this book.
This is a book about music. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six.
The three main characters (and POVs) are Zoe and Cassie (The Griffin Sisters) and Zoe’s 18 year old daughter Cherry. The book goes back and forth in time and alternates POVs.
In the present Cherry is auditioning for an American Idol type singing competition. I really loved this aspect of the story.
When Zoe and Cassie were that age they were becoming famous as The Griffin Sisters.
The main characters are Jewish and there is some Jewish rep.
The book spends quite a bit of time showing us what Zoe and Cassie’s life was like during their rise to fame. We find out that something happened that made Cassie go into hiding.
I did enjoy seeing how the sisters became famous. But I did prefer the story in the present and do wish that this was most of the story.
I wish that we had gotten to see even more of the singing competition. That part of the story took a different direction than I was expecting. But I did really enjoy the last part of the book. I loved the family dynamics and thought that the end was really good.
Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins Canada for allowing me to read this book.
May 24, 2025
OVERVIEW
Sweet, charming, and heartbreaking. You root for the Griffin Sisters (Zoe and Cassie) and for Cherry, despite the mistakes you see coming around the bend.
Zoe has such enthusiasm and joie de vivre. Cassie.. well, poor Cassie struggles just to… be.
It’s part mystery (what happened all those years ago?), part love story (I won’t spoil that storyline for you), and part adventure (Cherry of course goes looking for her long-lost Aunt Cassie). And, as expected, 100% healing and a happy ending for all (or at least most).
OF NOTE
Because publishers today can’t help themselves, there is one gay reference, two abortion references (none actually occurred), one “pronoun” reference, and one mention of the #metoo movement.
CONCLUSION
Highly recommended for a sweep-you-away, summery read. I read this one in a day.
- Desiree Reads
The Bookish Birder
April 14, 2025
See more book recs @ https://bookshop.org/shop/TheBookishB...
Sweet, charming, and heartbreaking. You root for the Griffin Sisters (Zoe and Cassie) and for Cherry, despite the mistakes you see coming around the bend.
Zoe has such enthusiasm and joie de vivre. Cassie.. well, poor Cassie struggles just to… be.
It’s part mystery (what happened all those years ago?), part love story (I won’t spoil that storyline for you), and part adventure (Cherry of course goes looking for her long-lost Aunt Cassie). And, as expected, 100% healing and a happy ending for all (or at least most).
OF NOTE
Because publishers today can’t help themselves, there is one gay reference, two abortion references (none actually occurred), one “pronoun” reference, and one mention of the #metoo movement.
CONCLUSION
Highly recommended for a sweep-you-away, summery read. I read this one in a day.
- Desiree Reads
The Bookish Birder
April 14, 2025
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May 14, 2025
This book is not my usual serial killer thriller but give me a book that revolves around music and I am there. Add in the 90’s and I am a happy girl. And for a book without murder ai really enjoyed it 😅
This is a story of 2 sisters who couldn’t be more different. Zoe is beautiful, confident and ruthless. Cassie is a musical prodigy, overweight and timid. As The Griffin Sisters they rise to fame very quickly but after one album and tour they disappear. 20 years later, and Zoé’s daughter wants a music career which brings out family secrets and memories.
I loved Cassie and really wanted her to succeed, but Zoé was so awful! Some of the things that she did to her own sister were just horrible. I did love hearing the story through dual timelines and points of view. A flashback to 90s music and celebrity, always fun,
Thanks so much to HQ on NetGalley for my advanced copy to read.
This is a story of 2 sisters who couldn’t be more different. Zoe is beautiful, confident and ruthless. Cassie is a musical prodigy, overweight and timid. As The Griffin Sisters they rise to fame very quickly but after one album and tour they disappear. 20 years later, and Zoé’s daughter wants a music career which brings out family secrets and memories.
I loved Cassie and really wanted her to succeed, but Zoé was so awful! Some of the things that she did to her own sister were just horrible. I did love hearing the story through dual timelines and points of view. A flashback to 90s music and celebrity, always fun,
Thanks so much to HQ on NetGalley for my advanced copy to read.
April 2, 2025
I have been a Jennifer Weiner fan for over 20 years and always enjoy her thoughtful and genuine novels. However, I absolutely LOVED The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits! It was just so powerful and well-told.
Jennifer didn't hold back from exposing the characters' flaws and vulnerabilities. There was a lot of talk about body image and the characters were treated according to how they looked, for the most part. Even so, the one sister who had it going on in the looks department had a lot of insecurities that couldn't be resolved by being "the pretty one." Meanwhile, my heart hurt so much for all the bullying the sister who was overweight received throughout her life. There was this one flashback to an experience she had at camp that I could totally relate to (although my situation didn't have to do with body image). I found myself caring about Cherry and wanting her to succeed. It also made me glad that I support my kids' dreams and hope they never feel like they have to sneak around to achieve those dreams.
I felt so emotionally attached to the story and found myself turning pages quickly. I got teary-eyed at one point for sure. It's amazing what the power of music can do! I also loved that there were a lot of Jewish references. The story also focuses a lot on guilt and forgiveness, especially surrounding a tragic situation.
While this novel has been compared to Daisy Jones, I felt that they were totally different. The only similarity was about the bands' trajectories and all the road trips they went on for their performances.
I wish there was a soundtrack to accompany this novel, but I also enjoyed leaving Cassie's voice to my imagination. Still, the songs sounded interesting and like something I would have related to as a teenager.
I definitely recommend picking this one up!
(Trigger warnings below.)
Originally posted at Chick Lit Central, along with a giveaway. (Giveaway ends 4/8/25.)
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TW: Body shaming, predatory sexual behavior, death of significant other, bullying
(Trigger warnings below.)
Movie casting suggestions:
Cassie: I can't think of anyone (past or present), so the actress would have to be a newcomer
Zoe (present): Marla Sokoloff
Zoe (past): The actress would have to be a newcomer, as well
Cherry: Sofia Rosinsky
Russell: Nick Robinson
Originally posted at Chick Lit Central, along with a giveaway. (Giveaway ends 4/8/25.)
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TW: Body shaming, predatory sexual behavior, death of significant other, bullying
January 17, 2025
I’ve been reading this book….extremely slowly for 2 weeks; and for the life of me couldn’t get into it. It just does not feel like a Jennifer Weiner novel at all, and I guess that’s probably what she was aiming for? It’s a change of pace. And it took a solid 200+ pages before I was truly interested in the story.
A young woman with hopes and dreams of making it in the music industry dreams of reuniting with her long lost aunt she’s never met, who her mother was famous with in a band called The Griffin Sisters many many years ago….
It had potential. But the story was just weak and it moved at a slow pace. Then the ending was unexpectedly concise. I wanted alot more from it emotionally.
Not my least favorite Jennifer Weiner novel but certainly not her strongest… Thanks to William Morrow for an ARC.
3.25 ⭐️
A young woman with hopes and dreams of making it in the music industry dreams of reuniting with her long lost aunt she’s never met, who her mother was famous with in a band called The Griffin Sisters many many years ago….
It had potential. But the story was just weak and it moved at a slow pace. Then the ending was unexpectedly concise. I wanted alot more from it emotionally.
Not my least favorite Jennifer Weiner novel but certainly not her strongest… Thanks to William Morrow for an ARC.
3.25 ⭐️
April 28, 2025
Unfortunately, I am Daisy Jones pilled, and love reading about pop stars in the early aughts. I read this in two sittings. Cassie's loneliness was pitch perfect, and the experience of growing up as a bigger woman in the 90s and aughts was depicted so well. The focus on celebrity culture, misogyny, fatphobia, and the intersection of the three made this a must read for anyone interested in pop culture, womanhood, sisterhood, and family.
May 13, 2025
Meh. Was excited for the premise of this book but it was extremely predictable, dare I say formulaic? Took me longer to finish than usual because characters lacked depth, especially the "pretty" sister who was a pretty terrible human, and elements of the story were just ridiculously unbelievable. Fans of author will enjoy but probably not as much as her prior books.
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