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pumpkinfreckles's review against another edition
3.0
If you like New York and Woody Allen you'll like this book. The premise was interesting and the writing good, but at times annoying, which I also find to be true in some Woody Allen films. I loved the last couple of chapters and how events reconciled themselves.
pflugs21's review against another edition
1.0
I hated this (sorry Sara). I ended up bailing on it, which I hate doing, but I thought it was terrible. I thought the main character was immature and lacking in integrity. I wasn't rooting for her, so I stopped reading the book.
floryjac's review against another edition
2.0
I found this very disappointing after I really liked her other books.
anderson65's review against another edition
5.0
Rebekah, NY one novel wonder, is seeking the second novel within her and to settle life around her. Divorced parents, an unknown sister, an unhealthy fanaticism to a character based on Woody Allen--of all people!---stir it up and read a hilarious, beyond quirky novel of an on the edge risk-taker. Spiced with humor, this is one good read!
mcipher's review
3.0
A very odd, very angsty book. I can see why 2009
me wanted to read it, but 2019 me didn’t like it as much as she would have. There was a lot of heavy Jewishness, a lot of suspension of disbelief, a lot of skeeve, and a lot of annoying New York-y characters. It was often hard to feel bad for Rebekah, even when really messed-up things happened to her, because she spent is much time getting in her own way, causing drama, and not standing up for herself. It was also hard to feel like a lot of the bad or weird things that happened to her felt real enough for sympathy. But, oddly, there was also a lot to recommend the book. It was charming - Rebekah really is charming, too - and there was some really good, funny, poignant writing and some sweetness to the side stories. I wish I had read it 10 years ago when I really would have loved it.
me wanted to read it, but 2019 me didn’t like it as much as she would have. There was a lot of heavy Jewishness, a lot of suspension of disbelief, a lot of skeeve, and a lot of annoying New York-y characters. It was often hard to feel bad for Rebekah, even when really messed-up things happened to her, because she spent is much time getting in her own way, causing drama, and not standing up for herself. It was also hard to feel like a lot of the bad or weird things that happened to her felt real enough for sympathy. But, oddly, there was also a lot to recommend the book. It was charming - Rebekah really is charming, too - and there was some really good, funny, poignant writing and some sweetness to the side stories. I wish I had read it 10 years ago when I really would have loved it.
sarajaneandtall's review against another edition
1.0
Pretty lame overall with a handful of good lines
alicewonders's review against another edition
2.0
What a weird, funny little book!
I really enjoyed the ride, and it was super funny, in a very unique way. Her inner dialogue is such a great little insight into her character.
That said, the main character says some SHIT!!!!! Holy wow she has a racist brain.
I was really REALLY hoping for an arc of her emotional and social growth in this regard - it happens in all other regards.
So now I'm just not sure if it was a swing-and-miss attempt to add to the character's strangeness, or the author's true brain.... which is a scary idea.
A few examples:
"My inner Jap had made a surprise attack on my inner Pearl Harbor"
'Without moving your head, how many fingers am I holding up?' I slid my eyes over like an Egyptian"
I was very uncomfortable, and honestly, I've stopped reading books like this in the past, but it seemed so probable that she would improve in this arena.... disappointing that it wasn't even ADDRESSED.
I really enjoyed the ride, and it was super funny, in a very unique way. Her inner dialogue is such a great little insight into her character.
That said, the main character says some SHIT!!!!! Holy wow she has a racist brain.
I was really REALLY hoping for an arc of her emotional and social growth in this regard - it happens in all other regards.
So now I'm just not sure if it was a swing-and-miss attempt to add to the character's strangeness, or the author's true brain.... which is a scary idea.
A few examples:
"My inner Jap had made a surprise attack on my inner Pearl Harbor"
'Without moving your head, how many fingers am I holding up?' I slid my eyes over like an Egyptian"
I was very uncomfortable, and honestly, I've stopped reading books like this in the past, but it seemed so probable that she would improve in this arena.... disappointing that it wasn't even ADDRESSED.
devon's review against another edition
4.0
I have waited years for Jennifer Belle to pen a new novel. So needless to say that when I heard she was writing her third novel 'LITTLE STALKER' I was very excited. A few years ago, I'd read and loved her second novel 'HIGH MAINTENANCE', so much so that after reading it I rushed out to get her debut 'GOING DOWN' which although it possessed the same dark humor didn't grab me like the former.
Therefore I was anxious to see if her third novel was going to live up to the standards of 'HIGH MAINTENACE' or be a bit of a let down like 'GOING DOWN'. Now after having read Belle's newest book I am happy to say that it is everything I hope for it to be and more.
Jennifer Belle's dark humor works extremely well here and had me laughing out loud several times before I even hit page 50! If you have never read any of Belle's work I definitely suggest you pick up either 'LITTLE STALKER' or 'HIGH MAINTENANCE' ASAP, I promise you will be in for a reading experience like no other!
Therefore I was anxious to see if her third novel was going to live up to the standards of 'HIGH MAINTENACE' or be a bit of a let down like 'GOING DOWN'. Now after having read Belle's newest book I am happy to say that it is everything I hope for it to be and more.
Jennifer Belle's dark humor works extremely well here and had me laughing out loud several times before I even hit page 50! If you have never read any of Belle's work I definitely suggest you pick up either 'LITTLE STALKER' or 'HIGH MAINTENANCE' ASAP, I promise you will be in for a reading experience like no other!
seabirdsong's review against another edition
4.0
I've been following Jennifer Belle since I read her first book, Going Down and I definitely consider myself a fan. Not that the stories she builds around her characters are themselves particularly epic, but she has an incredibly vivid stream-of-conscious writing style that I find irresistable. Everything just flows together so naturally yet many of her passages are still completely surprising in their humor or cynicism. The characters are not your typical twenty something women, but they are also not encumbered with a contrived disability or special talent or physical issue so many authors use to highlight their characters' sense of alienation. They are just regular, slightly bitter and neurotic twenty-something women living in New York city but they are rich and deep and not always sympathetic. My biggest complaint about them is that they often say things that are the opposite of what they're thinking for no particular reason other than general neurosis, though this is where a lot of the surprising interactions come from. I wouldn't consider her work "chick lit" at all, which it has been labelled often which I think is a shame.
This book seems to be the most openly autobiographical of the three, and the character painted in the most forgiving light. It stars a 33 year old writer who has published one book which was successful and everyone around her wants her to write another one. At the same time she has an obsession with a New York jewish filmmaker who seems to me to be based entirely on Woody Allen, down to the signature glasses, and with her attempts to get herself close to him. I generally really hate the old cliche of writers also having their protagonists be writers (thanks for that Stephen King) even though I myself am a proponent of the "Write What You Know" mantra. But with this particular book it doesn't bother me too much. Jennifer's first two books had plots which revolved around the character's profession which was something other than writing, so at least it's not an old fallback of hers.
This book, like her first two, have such a magnificent flow that you find yourself tearing through them very quickly and really enjoying though sometimes being a little perplexed at the little New York City world she creates and in this novel, whenever she meets someone who knows her book they all say basically "I love your book! I read it in two days!", to which she responds, "Thanks. It took me five years to write." I'm certain this comes from her real life experiences. However it is not because these books are written at a low or easy reading level, it is simply because of her style and pacing which pulls you through it with almost no hiccups or speedbumbs, and with twists that you rarely see coming but which don't disrupt the momentum at all.
This book, like the first two, were not perfect but were a joy to read.
I've read on Jennifers blog that she currently has no desire to write anything since she has recently gotten married and had a child. But I really hope she does.
This book seems to be the most openly autobiographical of the three, and the character painted in the most forgiving light. It stars a 33 year old writer who has published one book which was successful and everyone around her wants her to write another one. At the same time she has an obsession with a New York jewish filmmaker who seems to me to be based entirely on Woody Allen, down to the signature glasses, and with her attempts to get herself close to him. I generally really hate the old cliche of writers also having their protagonists be writers (thanks for that Stephen King) even though I myself am a proponent of the "Write What You Know" mantra. But with this particular book it doesn't bother me too much. Jennifer's first two books had plots which revolved around the character's profession which was something other than writing, so at least it's not an old fallback of hers.
This book, like her first two, have such a magnificent flow that you find yourself tearing through them very quickly and really enjoying though sometimes being a little perplexed at the little New York City world she creates and in this novel, whenever she meets someone who knows her book they all say basically "I love your book! I read it in two days!", to which she responds, "Thanks. It took me five years to write." I'm certain this comes from her real life experiences. However it is not because these books are written at a low or easy reading level, it is simply because of her style and pacing which pulls you through it with almost no hiccups or speedbumbs, and with twists that you rarely see coming but which don't disrupt the momentum at all.
This book, like the first two, were not perfect but were a joy to read.
I've read on Jennifers blog that she currently has no desire to write anything since she has recently gotten married and had a child. But I really hope she does.
mcipher's review against another edition
3.0
A very odd, very angsty book. I can see why 2009
me wanted to read it, but 2019 me didn’t like it as much as she would have. There was a lot of heavy Jewishness, a lot of suspension of disbelief, a lot of skeeve, and a lot of annoying New York-y characters. It was often hard to feel bad for Rebekah, even when really messed-up things happened to her, because she spent is much time getting in her own way, causing drama, and not standing up for herself. It was also hard to feel like a lot of the bad or weird things that happened to her felt real enough for sympathy. But, oddly, there was also a lot to recommend the book. It was charming - Rebekah really is charming, too - and there was some really good, funny, poignant writing and some sweetness to the side stories. I wish I had read it 10 years ago when I really would have loved it.
me wanted to read it, but 2019 me didn’t like it as much as she would have. There was a lot of heavy Jewishness, a lot of suspension of disbelief, a lot of skeeve, and a lot of annoying New York-y characters. It was often hard to feel bad for Rebekah, even when really messed-up things happened to her, because she spent is much time getting in her own way, causing drama, and not standing up for herself. It was also hard to feel like a lot of the bad or weird things that happened to her felt real enough for sympathy. But, oddly, there was also a lot to recommend the book. It was charming - Rebekah really is charming, too - and there was some really good, funny, poignant writing and some sweetness to the side stories. I wish I had read it 10 years ago when I really would have loved it.