Week 48 Review: Being Mary Bennet

From Goodreads:

Acerbic and delightful, this YA rom-com about a girl who resolves to become the main character of her own story is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Becky Albertalli.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every bookworm secretly wishes to be Lizzie Bennet.

A less acknowledged truth is that Mary Bennet might be a better fit.

For seventeen-year-old Marnie Barnes, who's convinced she is the long-suffering protagonist of her life, this revelation comes at the end of a series of self-induced disasters that force her to confront a devastating truth: Marnie has more in common with Mary Bennet—the utterly forgettable middle sister—than the effervescent Lizzie.

Determined to reinvent herself, she enlists the help of her bubbly roommate and opens herself up to the world—leading lady style. And between new friends, a very cute boy, and a rescue pup named Sir Pat, Marnie realizes that being the main character doesn't mean rewriting your life entirely. It's about finding the right cast of characters, the love interest of your dreams, and, most important, embracing your story, flaws and all.

With a hilariously sharp voice, a sweet and fulfilling romance that features a meet-cute in an animal shelter, and a big family that revels in causing big problems, this charming comedy of errors will have readers cheering for Marnie during every step of her obstacle-ridden journey toward embracing who she truly is.

My Review:
This was such a fun read! I've read Pride and Prejudice once, not really my thing, but I love the 2005 movie, I've watched it so many times. And the idea that you're closer in personality to Mary then Elizabeth, not great for a reader's heart! 

I did love how wonderfully chaotic the household was, which is fitting for this retelling. But it was a little bit too much on the nose sometimes with Marnie being compared to Mary Bennett. Retellings really only work if the thing they're retelling isn't a thing in the world that they're set in. And this book is why they don't, it's just a little bit too weird.

The part that I loved best about this book besides that Marnie is an avid bookworm, is the parts set at the animal shelter, and her pup, Sir Pat. I love my doggies, and that time that she spent at the shelter was really great to read!

When the synopsis was talking about obstacles that she would face in her journey, it wasn't fooling around. She faces a lot of difficult situations, and a good number of them, ones that are more upper YA, and it hurt to see her go though them. 

This was a really great, enjoyable read, and I can't wait to read more by J.C. Peterson! 

Author: J.C. Peterson
Read: November 26th, 2022
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2022 Book! 
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: March 15th 2022

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars