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The Memo
If you could rewrite your life story, would you dare? That’s the question at the heart of this charming and propulsive debut novel about love, life, and a woman finding herself and what it means to be happy and successful.
Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. Her promising career has flamed out (literally) and her deadbeat boyfriend is cheating on her (again). All her friends seem to have it all figured it out, enjoying glittering lives and careers that she can only envy from the sidelines. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
“Jenny please collect your memo.”
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants—an opportunity to relive her life and make all the right decisions this time around. But at what price?
Smart, addictive, bittersweet, and ultimately triumphant, The Memo will enchant readers of In Five Years and Cassandra in Reverse as well as fans of Emma Straub and Maria Semple.
Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. Her promising career has flamed out (literally) and her deadbeat boyfriend is cheating on her (again). All her friends seem to have it all figured it out, enjoying glittering lives and careers that she can only envy from the sidelines. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
“Jenny please collect your memo.”
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants—an opportunity to relive her life and make all the right decisions this time around. But at what price?
Smart, addictive, bittersweet, and ultimately triumphant, The Memo will enchant readers of In Five Years and Cassandra in Reverse as well as fans of Emma Straub and Maria Semple.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2024
About the author
Rachel Dodes
1 book60 followersRachel Dodes is a freelance culture writer. She’s a regular contributor to Vanity Fair, and her work has also appeared in Town & Country, ELLE, Esquire, The New York Times, among other publications. She was previously a staff writer at The Wall Street Journal covering the film industry.
The Memo—co-written with Lauren Mechling—is her first novel.
She lives in New York with her husband, son and dog.
The Memo—co-written with Lauren Mechling—is her first novel.
She lives in New York with her husband, son and dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
June 17, 2024
writing: you can really tell this was written by two authors | plot: meh | ending: super meh
my opinion
This was one of my most anticipated reads because of the premise: the FMC is NOT thriving, yet all of her friends are, leaving her to feel like she missed 'the memo' in life. Very relatable concept; some of my darkest days were spent on LinkedIn seeing how all my HS classmates were making major career moves while I was 200 job applications deep. Unfortunately, the execution, much like my life, was very average.
Firstly, it took too long for the whole memo bit to get started. The first third was just her moaning and groaning and getting mysterious texts that she didn't act on. The best bits were when Jenny was rewriting the past. Relocating the nuns had me deceased (and on my way to hell, obvi). But the flip-flopping in writing quality (idk who wrote what, but one of ya'll is a MUCH stronger writer... soz), unnecessary body comments, and the romance didn't do this book any favors.
Romance is a bit strong of a word for whatever the fk was transpiring between Gabe and Jenny. It shouldn't have been included AT ALL. She went on a couple casual hangouts with this guy (I think only one of them was not in a group setting) and is ready to give up the good life for him and his daughter????? Tf??? It would've made more sense for her to cling to her flop-life because she had a talented and affordable hairdresser than risking it all for an grown man in a choir (respectfully).
I will hand it to this book, I really didn't know which 'life' was better by the end. Despite being a mediocre book, it would spark some great book club discussions. Maybe something to consider for those that have an audiobook club? Do those exist? Anyways, I wouldn't be mad if this book was made into a movie. Idk if she's still cancelled, but Jennifer Lawrence could play the fuck out of Jenny's character.
pros & cons
pros: banging concept, funny, thought-provoking, I liked the scenes where she rewrote her history
cons: uneven writing quality, slow at times, Gabe was as unnecessary as putting calories on a restaurant menu (I'm not at a place called The Cheesecake Factory to watch what I eat), weird body comments
tysm dialogue books for the arc
__
Check out my YouTube
my opinion
This was one of my most anticipated reads because of the premise: the FMC is NOT thriving, yet all of her friends are, leaving her to feel like she missed 'the memo' in life. Very relatable concept; some of my darkest days were spent on LinkedIn seeing how all my HS classmates were making major career moves while I was 200 job applications deep. Unfortunately, the execution, much like my life, was very average.
Firstly, it took too long for the whole memo bit to get started. The first third was just her moaning and groaning and getting mysterious texts that she didn't act on. The best bits were when Jenny was rewriting the past. Relocating the nuns had me deceased (and on my way to hell, obvi). But the flip-flopping in writing quality (idk who wrote what, but one of ya'll is a MUCH stronger writer... soz), unnecessary body comments, and the romance didn't do this book any favors.
Romance is a bit strong of a word for whatever the fk was transpiring between Gabe and Jenny. It shouldn't have been included AT ALL. She went on a couple casual hangouts with this guy (I think only one of them was not in a group setting) and is ready to give up the good life for him and his daughter????? Tf??? It would've made more sense for her to cling to her flop-life because she had a talented and affordable hairdresser than risking it all for an grown man in a choir (respectfully).
I will hand it to this book, I really didn't know which 'life' was better by the end. Despite being a mediocre book, it would spark some great book club discussions. Maybe something to consider for those that have an audiobook club? Do those exist? Anyways, I wouldn't be mad if this book was made into a movie. Idk if she's still cancelled, but Jennifer Lawrence could play the fuck out of Jenny's character.
pros & cons
pros: banging concept, funny, thought-provoking, I liked the scenes where she rewrote her history
cons: uneven writing quality, slow at times, Gabe was as unnecessary as putting calories on a restaurant menu (I'm not at a place called The Cheesecake Factory to watch what I eat), weird body comments
tysm dialogue books for the arc
__
Check out my YouTube
June 21, 2024
The Memo by Rachel Dodes, Lauren Mechling
Thank you so much partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the gifted copy.
Blurb:
If you could rewrite your life story, would you dare? That’s the question at the heart of this funny, sharp and propulsive debut novel about love, life, and a woman finding herself and what it means to be happy and successful.
✨ My thoughts:
Totally bingeable, this is a super fast and fun read! The female friendships in this book were definitely my favorite parts of this story. I loved that although it’s a fun read, we still get a thought provoking story that will have you looking back on your own life and choices. Would you choose The Memo? I don’t think I would but thankfully this is a work of fiction! Oh and the time traveling aspect of this book made this story even more fun because time travel is always a fascinating concept. If you’re looking for something to read that’ll give you a feel good ending, a strong emphasis on female friendship, fun but also get you thinking… you should pick this one up! The Memo is out now.
Happy reading 📖
Thank you so much partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the gifted copy.
Blurb:
If you could rewrite your life story, would you dare? That’s the question at the heart of this funny, sharp and propulsive debut novel about love, life, and a woman finding herself and what it means to be happy and successful.
✨ My thoughts:
Totally bingeable, this is a super fast and fun read! The female friendships in this book were definitely my favorite parts of this story. I loved that although it’s a fun read, we still get a thought provoking story that will have you looking back on your own life and choices. Would you choose The Memo? I don’t think I would but thankfully this is a work of fiction! Oh and the time traveling aspect of this book made this story even more fun because time travel is always a fascinating concept. If you’re looking for something to read that’ll give you a feel good ending, a strong emphasis on female friendship, fun but also get you thinking… you should pick this one up! The Memo is out now.
Happy reading 📖
May 26, 2024
What would you do if you had the chance to go back and undo some of the biggest mistakes of your life?
Jenny Green, stuck in a toxic job for a psuedo-gender equity foundation in her 30's and living with a cheating boyfriend, has the opportunity to find out when she begins receiving mysterious text messages about "The Memo" on the eve of her 15 year college reunion.
Jenny ignores the messages until she runs in to the eccentric life coach Desiree while back in her college town for the reunion and learns about the Simcott Center For The Study Of The Soul, a massive modern building constructed on the campus of her alma mater.
Jenny ultimately agrees to receive "The Memo," a series of daily commands intended to make her life better (sent through an app)and to travel back in time to undo her past mistakes. Thus begins her journey into an alternate life, ala Sliding Doors, where 35 year old Jenny is married to a handsome and wealthy man, pregnant and running a clean food empire. As she slips between this dream life and her "real" life, Jenny also discovers indelible changes to her regular life, such as her close friend and potential romantic interest, Gabe, from her singing group, The Looney Tunes, slowly forgetting their friendship. She also discovers that in her alternate life, she and her best friend Geeta grow further and further apart.
Ultimately, before she turns 36, Jenny must decide which life she wants to continue. Does she choose the sterile, perfect life with a man she doesn't really love and a plethora of employees who seem to fear her or does she go back to a job she hates with a boyfriend who can't stay faithful ... or is there another path?
I'm not really sure how to describe this book: It has elements of a rom com with a strong emphasis on female friendship, but also a touch of sci fi with the time travel aspect, but also a strong philosophical and metaphysical premise about free will vs. fate. The book really explores three levels of fate: The fate created by the choices we make (free will, aka the life Jenny creates for herself with her mistakes), manufactured fate created by another person or group (the fabricated life created through The Memo) and actual fate (Jenny's relationship with Gabe).
Overall, this was a fun and also deep read that got me thinking about the course of my life, the choices I made and the indelible things that may truly represent fate. I have to say that if presented with the opportunity, I'm not sure whether I'd choose The Memo or not. In some ways, life would be easier if someone else could make my choices for me, this ensuring a beautiful and privileged life ... but that would probably get boring really fast. I'd like to think that Ii'd ultimately choose my own free will to create the life that I want.
Thank you to the publisher, Harper Perrenial, for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book!
Jenny Green, stuck in a toxic job for a psuedo-gender equity foundation in her 30's and living with a cheating boyfriend, has the opportunity to find out when she begins receiving mysterious text messages about "The Memo" on the eve of her 15 year college reunion.
Jenny ignores the messages until she runs in to the eccentric life coach Desiree while back in her college town for the reunion and learns about the Simcott Center For The Study Of The Soul, a massive modern building constructed on the campus of her alma mater.
Jenny ultimately agrees to receive "The Memo," a series of daily commands intended to make her life better (sent through an app)and to travel back in time to undo her past mistakes. Thus begins her journey into an alternate life, ala Sliding Doors, where 35 year old Jenny is married to a handsome and wealthy man, pregnant and running a clean food empire. As she slips between this dream life and her "real" life, Jenny also discovers indelible changes to her regular life, such as her close friend and potential romantic interest, Gabe, from her singing group, The Looney Tunes, slowly forgetting their friendship. She also discovers that in her alternate life, she and her best friend Geeta grow further and further apart.
Ultimately, before she turns 36, Jenny must decide which life she wants to continue. Does she choose the sterile, perfect life with a man she doesn't really love and a plethora of employees who seem to fear her or does she go back to a job she hates with a boyfriend who can't stay faithful ... or is there another path?
I'm not really sure how to describe this book: It has elements of a rom com with a strong emphasis on female friendship, but also a touch of sci fi with the time travel aspect, but also a strong philosophical and metaphysical premise about free will vs. fate. The book really explores three levels of fate: The fate created by the choices we make (free will, aka the life Jenny creates for herself with her mistakes), manufactured fate created by another person or group (the fabricated life created through The Memo) and actual fate (Jenny's relationship with Gabe).
Overall, this was a fun and also deep read that got me thinking about the course of my life, the choices I made and the indelible things that may truly represent fate. I have to say that if presented with the opportunity, I'm not sure whether I'd choose The Memo or not. In some ways, life would be easier if someone else could make my choices for me, this ensuring a beautiful and privileged life ... but that would probably get boring really fast. I'd like to think that Ii'd ultimately choose my own free will to create the life that I want.
Thank you to the publisher, Harper Perrenial, for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2024
Every once in a while, a book comes along out of left field and your world is better for having read it. That’s The Memo. This debut book is insightful and witty and really just makes you think. It is for anyone who has ever doubted the path they are on and the choices they make. It also has one of the most unique premises I’ve ever read. I will be recommending this five star read to everyone!
Jenny Green never got the memo. She is getting ready for her college reunion, and everyone around her seems to have it all figured out. Why can’t she seem to figure it out? But it turns out, in this world, everyone seems to have literally gotten the memo. And to Jenny’s surprise, she is finally going to get hers.
What follows is a story of revisiting ups and downs, righting wrongs, and second chances. Jenny has a front row seat to her life and is getting a second chance to fix some mistakes. She is asking herself the tough questions, and she is also really seeing herself for the first time. Her 36th birthday is nearing, and she has to decide what she really wants.
I absolutely loved the time travel aspect of this one! Even with that magical touch, the authors really gave Jenny the opportunity to be seen for the first time in her life. Jenny was truly an authentic character. I also loved the supporting cast of characters. They made me laugh, get emotional, and at times angry. I feel like this book is so relatable to anyone who has ever questioned themselves, and for anyone who wants to remain true to themselves.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this amazing book! It releases on June 18th. Preorder it now - it is the perfect read for a summer day or a day at the beach!
Jenny Green never got the memo. She is getting ready for her college reunion, and everyone around her seems to have it all figured out. Why can’t she seem to figure it out? But it turns out, in this world, everyone seems to have literally gotten the memo. And to Jenny’s surprise, she is finally going to get hers.
What follows is a story of revisiting ups and downs, righting wrongs, and second chances. Jenny has a front row seat to her life and is getting a second chance to fix some mistakes. She is asking herself the tough questions, and she is also really seeing herself for the first time. Her 36th birthday is nearing, and she has to decide what she really wants.
I absolutely loved the time travel aspect of this one! Even with that magical touch, the authors really gave Jenny the opportunity to be seen for the first time in her life. Jenny was truly an authentic character. I also loved the supporting cast of characters. They made me laugh, get emotional, and at times angry. I feel like this book is so relatable to anyone who has ever questioned themselves, and for anyone who wants to remain true to themselves.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this amazing book! It releases on June 18th. Preorder it now - it is the perfect read for a summer day or a day at the beach!
June 23, 2024
Entertaining and easy to read. Plus I like the “Sliding Doors” type plot. But I think the authors made the story worse by having this higher than necessary concept for the split realities.
March 18, 2024
Unfortunately this was a miss for me. I’m DNF’ing at 52% because I’m having a hard time keeping track of the storyline and all the characters. I also found myself not thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it, which is unusual. I think it will find its audience and people will enjoy it - if you liked Oona Out of Order and/or The Midnight Library, I think you’ll enjoy this. But that trope surprisingly doesn’t work for me so I think it’s just not for me.
June 15, 2024
If you could rewrite your life story, would you? That is the question at the heart of this novel. The Memo is a unique, “sliding doors” type book that explores fate and choosing the life you think you were meant for. It’s poignant but also has its funny moments, making it a well-rounded novel. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel like this before and I’m not sure that I would have chosen it on my own but I’m glad I did. Does it have romance? Of course, but I would consider this more of a women’s fiction novel because it doesn’t JUST focus on the romantic aspects. I do, however, think even seasoned romance readers will enjoy it.
Great book. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future!
Great book. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future!
July 7, 2024
This is sort of like a romcom, but lacking in the rom department.
The story didn’t flow well for me. Two authors wrote this book so that could be part of the issue.
This novel reminds me of a mixture of Back To The Future, mixed with Time Warp plus sorority/cult influence.
If you read this novel, be sure to watch the dates.
Also, the page numbers are placed oddly.
I feel the story’s underlying theme is as follows.
Believe in your own self, know who your true friends are & stay connected to them.
Plus, stay true to yourself.
The story didn’t flow well for me. Two authors wrote this book so that could be part of the issue.
This novel reminds me of a mixture of Back To The Future, mixed with Time Warp plus sorority/cult influence.
If you read this novel, be sure to watch the dates.
Also, the page numbers are placed oddly.
I feel the story’s underlying theme is as follows.
Believe in your own self, know who your true friends are & stay connected to them.
Plus, stay true to yourself.
Read
March 6, 2024That was nice, in a super non-pejorative way. It’s obvious from go where it’s going, but I liked the journey and I’m down with the message (even if spelling it out at the very end felt a bit trite and unnecessary, the book had done the work already, trust yourself, authors) and the ending was a little pop of sweetness that was tender and hopeful and just right. I hope this gets some good buzz, it’s got the ingredients to make it a great book club book, commercial appeal and enough substance to support a good conversation while still being a fast and generally light read.
January 14, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book, because who doesn’t feel like they’ve missed the memo sometimes, and who wouldn’t love the chance to go back in time to try to right the wrongs?
While the book was overall enjoyable, I can’t help but feel like there was a spark that was missing to really push this book over the edge and make it one to remember.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book, because who doesn’t feel like they’ve missed the memo sometimes, and who wouldn’t love the chance to go back in time to try to right the wrongs?
While the book was overall enjoyable, I can’t help but feel like there was a spark that was missing to really push this book over the edge and make it one to remember.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 13, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Oof, I was skipping pages right from the first chapter. This one's not for me. Disliked all of the characters. Interesting premise. DNF'd at 30% and it hadn't even gotten to the time travel part yet.
Oof, I was skipping pages right from the first chapter. This one's not for me. Disliked all of the characters. Interesting premise. DNF'd at 30% and it hadn't even gotten to the time travel part yet.
June 29, 2024
This was a thought-provoking, feminist second chance at life story that has a women about to turn 37 going to her college reunion where she discovers she missed out on "the memo" everyone else receives that helps them make the best life decisions for the most optimal life.
Able to correct all her biggest regrets, Jenny Green travels back in time to fix the things that caused her the most grief, only to learn that true cost of following the memo wasn't worth the price of her dearest friendships.
Highly entertaining and perfect for fans of books like A special place for women by Laura Hankin, this was good on audio and would make a great book club pick! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Able to correct all her biggest regrets, Jenny Green travels back in time to fix the things that caused her the most grief, only to learn that true cost of following the memo wasn't worth the price of her dearest friendships.
Highly entertaining and perfect for fans of books like A special place for women by Laura Hankin, this was good on audio and would make a great book club pick! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 12, 2024
DNF
With 2 hours and 24 minutes to go in this book, I finally admitted that I couldn't do it anymore.
I don't exactly know what it was about this book that so many others like, but I just couldn't read this anymore. I could not connect to Jenny, and I felt that the idea of memo controlling your life was not cute or funny - I felt it was horrible. If anything, none of those who got the "memo" lived their lives on their own terms. For instance, Jenny's best life should have had her being a baker...but no, it wasn't going to work that way. However, for all I know, she could have turned into the best baker in the world at the end of this book, but alas, I will never know. And frankly, I don't care.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.
With 2 hours and 24 minutes to go in this book, I finally admitted that I couldn't do it anymore.
I don't exactly know what it was about this book that so many others like, but I just couldn't read this anymore. I could not connect to Jenny, and I felt that the idea of memo controlling your life was not cute or funny - I felt it was horrible. If anything, none of those who got the "memo" lived their lives on their own terms. For instance, Jenny's best life should have had her being a baker...but no, it wasn't going to work that way. However, for all I know, she could have turned into the best baker in the world at the end of this book, but alas, I will never know. And frankly, I don't care.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.
January 18, 2024
Jenny Green didn't get the memo, and thus her life after college was a downward trajectory of one failure after another. Now, at her 15th year college reunion, she is offered a do-over, an unbelievable chance to rewrite history and right her wrongs. But at what cost? Does she really want all the things that come with her new, successful (rich and powerful, albeit ruthless) life? And what exactly is she willing to give up for that successful life?
Told in alternating timelines, as Jenny travels back and forth between "then" and now, making small and large chances that alter her life course, this book is about second chances, desires, and ultimately friendship. The biggest, most prominent, relationship in the story is that of Jenny and her BFF Geeta. That is the part that truly makes this book all worth it. It is such a great story about what friendship looks like, about being there for each other.
The book isn't too suspenseful, I was pretty sure I knew how it was going to turn out (I was right), but I didn't mind that, because I loved the ending.
This is a cute, quick, easy read to enjoy.
Told in alternating timelines, as Jenny travels back and forth between "then" and now, making small and large chances that alter her life course, this book is about second chances, desires, and ultimately friendship. The biggest, most prominent, relationship in the story is that of Jenny and her BFF Geeta. That is the part that truly makes this book all worth it. It is such a great story about what friendship looks like, about being there for each other.
The book isn't too suspenseful, I was pretty sure I knew how it was going to turn out (I was right), but I didn't mind that, because I loved the ending.
This is a cute, quick, easy read to enjoy.
November 20, 2023
In their debut novel, the authors offer both an entertaining storyline and a thought-provoking premise. If you had a second chance to correct all your “mistakes” and surrender to a prescribed path that guarantees “success”, would you take it?
Jenny Green is on the cusp of her 36th birthday and appears to be a colossal failure in her career and her love life. In comparison, her best friends from college are wildly successful. The difference seems to be rooted in the fact that Jenny missed getting “The Memo” and stumbled through her life making poor choices. At her college reunion she is given a second opportunity to accept the memo and receive daily directions from a Consortium which supports the empowerment of women. The catch? Jenny must go through an accelerated, experimental program that allows her to time travel and correct her previous life choices to ultimately achieve wealth, fame, love, and a family…but at what cost?
This is an intriguing story (with fantasy overtones) that at times felt a bit confusing with the characters being redefined based on the time travel and Jenny’s correction of her past. I enjoyed the character development of Jenny as the protagonist and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged, even if the outcome was predictable. Overall, this was a solid read and I look forward to future novels by the authors.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.
Jenny Green is on the cusp of her 36th birthday and appears to be a colossal failure in her career and her love life. In comparison, her best friends from college are wildly successful. The difference seems to be rooted in the fact that Jenny missed getting “The Memo” and stumbled through her life making poor choices. At her college reunion she is given a second opportunity to accept the memo and receive daily directions from a Consortium which supports the empowerment of women. The catch? Jenny must go through an accelerated, experimental program that allows her to time travel and correct her previous life choices to ultimately achieve wealth, fame, love, and a family…but at what cost?
This is an intriguing story (with fantasy overtones) that at times felt a bit confusing with the characters being redefined based on the time travel and Jenny’s correction of her past. I enjoyed the character development of Jenny as the protagonist and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged, even if the outcome was predictable. Overall, this was a solid read and I look forward to future novels by the authors.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.
June 18, 2024
4.5 Stars
Genre - women's fiction, relationship fiction / romance subplots, magical realism/speculative fiction, comedy/satire
Tone - whimsical, unassuming, satirical
Tropes & devices - time travel/alternate realities/do-over; second chance romance; "good for her"; coming-of-age
Reps - main character reads straight & white; one secondary character is queer/lesbian, another (Geeta) is vaguely "brown skinned" or "a woman of color" (possibly Indian).
CW - pandemic mention; cheating; sexism; some sexual content; mentions of dieting/body image; adult language; alcohol consumption; drug consumption.
Jenny has watched her two best friends from college outgrow and outshine her for years; it makes her wonder why she never got the memo, the secret to success and happiness they seem to know instinctively. Right before her 36th birthday, though, The Memo finally arrives - the specific daily instructions that have the potential to set her back on track to reach her full potential. But as she changes the course of her life's trajectory one regretful slip up at a time, she begins to ask questions about feminism, supporting other women, finding happiness, and having it all.
I had a hunch from the beginning where the plot was going - these sorts of narratives tend to follow a pretty formulaic pattern - but the ending pleasantly surprised me and the journey Jenny took was relatable (and full of secondhand embarrassment). It's a great read for anyone who feels stagnant, behind, or misfit in their career or relationship. For folks who like this one or want to explore similar themes, I'd suggest The Museum of Ordinary People or The Lonely Hearts Book Club; if this book was too simple and sweet for you, Corey Fah Does Social Mobility also explores themes of class and opportunity in an even more out-there way.
I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Genre - women's fiction, relationship fiction / romance subplots, magical realism/speculative fiction, comedy/satire
Tone - whimsical, unassuming, satirical
Tropes & devices - time travel/alternate realities/do-over; second chance romance; "good for her"; coming-of-age
Reps - main character reads straight & white; one secondary character is queer/lesbian, another (Geeta) is vaguely "brown skinned" or "a woman of color" (possibly Indian).
CW - pandemic mention; cheating; sexism; some sexual content; mentions of dieting/body image; adult language; alcohol consumption; drug consumption.
Jenny has watched her two best friends from college outgrow and outshine her for years; it makes her wonder why she never got the memo, the secret to success and happiness they seem to know instinctively. Right before her 36th birthday, though, The Memo finally arrives - the specific daily instructions that have the potential to set her back on track to reach her full potential. But as she changes the course of her life's trajectory one regretful slip up at a time, she begins to ask questions about feminism, supporting other women, finding happiness, and having it all.
I had a hunch from the beginning where the plot was going - these sorts of narratives tend to follow a pretty formulaic pattern - but the ending pleasantly surprised me and the journey Jenny took was relatable (and full of secondhand embarrassment). It's a great read for anyone who feels stagnant, behind, or misfit in their career or relationship. For folks who like this one or want to explore similar themes, I'd suggest The Museum of Ordinary People or The Lonely Hearts Book Club; if this book was too simple and sweet for you, Corey Fah Does Social Mobility also explores themes of class and opportunity in an even more out-there way.
I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2024
The Memo
⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Science Fiction?
🎶 All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled
Publication Date: June 18, 2024
One sentence synopsis:
Jenny “didn’t get the memo” and her life is pretty mediocre but at her college reunion she’s approached by a member of the Consortium and offers her the chance to go back and “get the memo” to change her life.
Book Review:
I liked this concept. Who hasn’t once in their life left like the “didn’t get the memo”? I’d love the chance to go back and see if there were some choices I could have changed along the way to lead me to a different life than I have now. That’s not to say I don’t love my life, but who really hasn’t thought about that?
It was this weird combo of science fiction and Illuminati intervention on how to go back in life for a do over on success. Kind weird, but I dug it. But while I really liked the concept the story felt a little cliche and predictable. Like of course she’s not going to magically be happier when she’s successful and rich and skinny. This book is basically about success and what you specifically deem successful.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Science Fiction?
🎶 All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled
Publication Date: June 18, 2024
One sentence synopsis:
Jenny “didn’t get the memo” and her life is pretty mediocre but at her college reunion she’s approached by a member of the Consortium and offers her the chance to go back and “get the memo” to change her life.
Book Review:
I liked this concept. Who hasn’t once in their life left like the “didn’t get the memo”? I’d love the chance to go back and see if there were some choices I could have changed along the way to lead me to a different life than I have now. That’s not to say I don’t love my life, but who really hasn’t thought about that?
It was this weird combo of science fiction and Illuminati intervention on how to go back in life for a do over on success. Kind weird, but I dug it. But while I really liked the concept the story felt a little cliche and predictable. Like of course she’s not going to magically be happier when she’s successful and rich and skinny. This book is basically about success and what you specifically deem successful.
June 9, 2024
Thank you to @harperperennial and the author for the gifted e-book.
This captivating book combines romance, friendship, and time travel, weaving a tale that unfolds across different timelines. We follow Jenny's current timeline, where she grapples with a cheating boyfriend, a job she doesn't enjoy, and the repercussions of her past mistakes. Simultaneously, we glimpse into the "what would have happened" timeline, offering a fascinating exploration of alternate possibilities.
This narrative kept me engaged as I eagerly anticipated the impact of Jenny's decisions in the alternate timeline. The conclusion left me thoroughly satisfied, and seeing Jenny find her happiness was truly rewarding.
This book is a must-read for fans of time travel, romance, and contemplation of alternative paths. Look out for "The Memo," set to be published in June 18.
This captivating book combines romance, friendship, and time travel, weaving a tale that unfolds across different timelines. We follow Jenny's current timeline, where she grapples with a cheating boyfriend, a job she doesn't enjoy, and the repercussions of her past mistakes. Simultaneously, we glimpse into the "what would have happened" timeline, offering a fascinating exploration of alternate possibilities.
This narrative kept me engaged as I eagerly anticipated the impact of Jenny's decisions in the alternate timeline. The conclusion left me thoroughly satisfied, and seeing Jenny find her happiness was truly rewarding.
This book is a must-read for fans of time travel, romance, and contemplation of alternative paths. Look out for "The Memo," set to be published in June 18.
March 10, 2024
While the book was overall enjoyable, I can’t help but feel like there was a spark that was missing to really push this book over the edge and make it one to remember. It is not entirely unpredictable, but as with Jenny’s own life, the joy is in the journey, not the destination.
July 12, 2024
Bought it in an airport & read it on a plane, which seems right. I'm not sure what moral I was meant to take away from it (aside from bread is good, which agree)
June 28, 2024
you read a trashy vacation book and that’s what it is!
November 20, 2023
Thanks so much Harper Perennial and NetGalley.
Jenny is dreading her upcoming college reunion. She's stuck career wise and love wise. She arrives on campus and gets a text telling her to collect her memo. There's an organization providing people with plans for success. What is the price to rewrite your life?
I was intrigued by the premise of the story. I liked a lot of this book, but some of it moved a little slow and was confusing. Jenny is a great character and I kept reading it to find out what ends up happening to her. It's not executed perfectly, but I still thought it was a solid read!
Jenny is dreading her upcoming college reunion. She's stuck career wise and love wise. She arrives on campus and gets a text telling her to collect her memo. There's an organization providing people with plans for success. What is the price to rewrite your life?
I was intrigued by the premise of the story. I liked a lot of this book, but some of it moved a little slow and was confusing. Jenny is a great character and I kept reading it to find out what ends up happening to her. It's not executed perfectly, but I still thought it was a solid read!
February 29, 2024
Jenny Green, stuck at a dead end job and living in Pittsburgh with her boyfriend who she’s pretty sure is cheating on her, has always felt like she missed the memo. Her college friends are beautiful and successful, and she’s never measured up. But what if there was an actual memo, and she really did miss it? When she gets a text telling her to come collect her memo, she gets a chance to go back in time and finally have the life she thinks she deserves.
This book was written by two friends in a Google doc, and the fun they must have had doing it is palpable on every page. It is at once a relatable story of modern life and the constant comparison women feel in the age of social media, as well as a satire about the gamification of life, wellness and success. Hapless Jenny is both frustrating and endearing, while the unique premise and dual timelines make for a breezy, compelling read where you just can’t help but want to find out what happens next. It is not entirely unpredictable, but as with Jenny’s own life, the joy is in the journey, not the destination.
This book was written by two friends in a Google doc, and the fun they must have had doing it is palpable on every page. It is at once a relatable story of modern life and the constant comparison women feel in the age of social media, as well as a satire about the gamification of life, wellness and success. Hapless Jenny is both frustrating and endearing, while the unique premise and dual timelines make for a breezy, compelling read where you just can’t help but want to find out what happens next. It is not entirely unpredictable, but as with Jenny’s own life, the joy is in the journey, not the destination.
March 7, 2024
The Memo by Rachel Dodes/Lauren Mechling is an enchanting story of a young woman who never received The Memo when she was in college and as a result her life takes many twists and turns as her life goes on a downward spiral. This story is thought-provoking, well written, entertaining and mesmerizing. It’s about the choices and direction a person’s life takes, and second chances when they finally receive The Memo. I loved reading every single page, read it cover to cover, and, just for the record, I’d personally love to receive The Memo as I think many of you would as we sometimes think back and in
and in retrospect wonder what we might have changed along the way in our life’s journey. The authors did a great job in creating the storyline for this very unique and special book and the character development was excellent. A very special thank you to the authors and publishing company for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy. These opinions are strictly my own and I rated it a five.
and in retrospect wonder what we might have changed along the way in our life’s journey. The authors did a great job in creating the storyline for this very unique and special book and the character development was excellent. A very special thank you to the authors and publishing company for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy. These opinions are strictly my own and I rated it a five.
June 19, 2024
Jenny Green feels like a loser. While her friends from college have gone on to get married, have successful careers, make a lot of money, and hang out with famous people, Jenny has a job at a fundraiser that she’s half-hearted about and a boyfriend that she thinks is cheating on her with a neighbor. And her 15th college reunion is coming up. She wants to go to the reunion to see her two best friends from college, but she can’t help but feel like everyone else got the memo about how to be successful in life except for her.
And then the text comes through on her phone. You’re right. You didn’t get the memo.
Jenny wonders if she’s losing her mind. How could someone else know that she’d just been thinking that? But she shrugs it off and heads out of town to the reunion. Once she’s there, she finds her old roommates, Leigh and Geeta. And she also meets up with Desiree, an independent career counselor Jenny had met shortly before her graduation all those years ago. Desiree is the one who had texted Jenny about the memo, and she says that there is still time for Jenny to change her life.
Back when they’d first met, Desiree had encouraged Jenny to drop out of school. Jenny had refused, but she had gone on to win a prestigious baking fellowship in Italy, where she had accidentally burned down a historic bakery. But Desiree is offering her the chance to go back and change her life, starting with that fateful day at the bakery. Jenny takes that chance, and finds herself traveling in time back to that day, setting things right and changing the course of her life.
Desiree tells Jenny that her 36th birthday is the key, that she can makes changes to her life up to that date, but after she turns 36, her life’s trajectory will be set. As the weeks go by, Jenny finds herself bouncing back and forth between the life she could have had, making course corrections that will end on her being incredibly successful, and the loser life she’d been living in Pittsburgh. But she also finds that some of the choices she finds herself contractually obligated to make takes her away from the person she wants to be. Jenny realizes that she can be successful beyond her wildest dreams, or she can be true to herself.
Which path will she choose?
The Memo is a fascinating look at what could have been from authors Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling. This story bounces back and forth through time, and offers a glimpse of the kind of life that takes you towards crazy success verses a life that is genuine and heartfelt. The time travel in the narrative adds tension, since every time Jenny jumps from one timeline to the other, she has to figure out what has changed and adapt to her new life in minutes. And there is always the question of where Jenny will end up when it’s all over. And I never would have guessed where that turned out to be.
I went into this book knowing that there is a lot of buzz around it, as readers try to figure out what their own memo might have said. And as a big fan of the movie Sliding Doors and the book Oona Out of Order, I had high expectations for The Memo. But as it turns out this one wasn’t quite like those stories. There is some overlap, but because Jenny’s choices when she jumps back in time changes both of her timelines, there is extra tension each time she’s back home in Pittsburgh to find out what’s changed for her in that story.
I really got sucked into this story, and I loved it. The more times Jenny went back in time, the more changes she made to her old story, and the more things changed in her Pittsburgh timeline because of that, the more I wanted to find out more. I thought this was such a clever idea for storytelling, and it really worked for me. I do think that you need to read this book pretty quickly, or maybe even read it twice, to keep track of all the people and all the changes that were happening, and since I got so absorbed in the story so quickly, that was not a problem for me. I think this book is really clever and will start some interesting conversations for book clubs or even just for twentysomethings to take a hard look at their life choices and how things might unfold for them. But I do recommend this one, and I hope readers love it as much as I did.
Egalleys for The Memo were provided by Harper Perennial through NetGalley, with many thanks.
And then the text comes through on her phone. You’re right. You didn’t get the memo.
Jenny wonders if she’s losing her mind. How could someone else know that she’d just been thinking that? But she shrugs it off and heads out of town to the reunion. Once she’s there, she finds her old roommates, Leigh and Geeta. And she also meets up with Desiree, an independent career counselor Jenny had met shortly before her graduation all those years ago. Desiree is the one who had texted Jenny about the memo, and she says that there is still time for Jenny to change her life.
Back when they’d first met, Desiree had encouraged Jenny to drop out of school. Jenny had refused, but she had gone on to win a prestigious baking fellowship in Italy, where she had accidentally burned down a historic bakery. But Desiree is offering her the chance to go back and change her life, starting with that fateful day at the bakery. Jenny takes that chance, and finds herself traveling in time back to that day, setting things right and changing the course of her life.
Desiree tells Jenny that her 36th birthday is the key, that she can makes changes to her life up to that date, but after she turns 36, her life’s trajectory will be set. As the weeks go by, Jenny finds herself bouncing back and forth between the life she could have had, making course corrections that will end on her being incredibly successful, and the loser life she’d been living in Pittsburgh. But she also finds that some of the choices she finds herself contractually obligated to make takes her away from the person she wants to be. Jenny realizes that she can be successful beyond her wildest dreams, or she can be true to herself.
Which path will she choose?
The Memo is a fascinating look at what could have been from authors Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling. This story bounces back and forth through time, and offers a glimpse of the kind of life that takes you towards crazy success verses a life that is genuine and heartfelt. The time travel in the narrative adds tension, since every time Jenny jumps from one timeline to the other, she has to figure out what has changed and adapt to her new life in minutes. And there is always the question of where Jenny will end up when it’s all over. And I never would have guessed where that turned out to be.
I went into this book knowing that there is a lot of buzz around it, as readers try to figure out what their own memo might have said. And as a big fan of the movie Sliding Doors and the book Oona Out of Order, I had high expectations for The Memo. But as it turns out this one wasn’t quite like those stories. There is some overlap, but because Jenny’s choices when she jumps back in time changes both of her timelines, there is extra tension each time she’s back home in Pittsburgh to find out what’s changed for her in that story.
I really got sucked into this story, and I loved it. The more times Jenny went back in time, the more changes she made to her old story, and the more things changed in her Pittsburgh timeline because of that, the more I wanted to find out more. I thought this was such a clever idea for storytelling, and it really worked for me. I do think that you need to read this book pretty quickly, or maybe even read it twice, to keep track of all the people and all the changes that were happening, and since I got so absorbed in the story so quickly, that was not a problem for me. I think this book is really clever and will start some interesting conversations for book clubs or even just for twentysomethings to take a hard look at their life choices and how things might unfold for them. But I do recommend this one, and I hope readers love it as much as I did.
Egalleys for The Memo were provided by Harper Perennial through NetGalley, with many thanks.
May 27, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Renegade Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
Oh how we would all love a do-over, a blueprint to what our lives should have been like if they were as successful as they could be. I would have very much liked someone to tell me what to do and when to do it to make my life a success. I often with someone else made my decisions for me.
It definitely gave me food for thought, and it wasn't always comfortable. If I'd finished writing the novel I started at University, where would I be now? Was there anything I could have done to stop my illness developing? If I'd taken the job offer I pulled out of? It's not always an easy read to think about, but it is interesting and I think it would make a good book club read.
But it also makes you wonder about whether perfection is really worth it. What makes a life successful? Is having the perfect job worth losing your friends? Is having the perfect partner worth losing your freedom? I having the perfect body worth losing your joy in things like food? It really looks at what is it worth, what would you sacrifice, and what does a perfect life really mean for you?
Having a 24/7 job, an expensive house, lots of money, the perfect partner, the ideal body - it is worth it when you don't see your friends or family, don't eat what you want, spend your free time working out instead of relaxing?
Rarely do I read what I would call "real" books. Books about real people doing real things. I read books about crime and murder, historical books, dragons and parallel worlds. But I haven't read many...what do I call it? Normal books about normal people, normal feelings, normal things. There are elements of the fantasy, of course, but it's mainly very human. And it's a completely different reading experience.
It was a very interesting book. I did worry I would find it boring because of the aforementioned love of thrillers and whatnot, but I wasn't. It was a really good read, well-written, with relatable characters. Not every character is nice, some are worse than others, but that's what I liked, it made them real, these imperfections that felt so real.
I admit that once the whole time travel thing got going, and people and events started changing left, with and centre, I did get a little lost trying to keep up with it. It didn't ruin the reading of it, but it meant I had to focus a lot more on those parts which slowed down the reading slightly.
It's not the most suspenseful book. There were bits I did figure out before the end, but that didn't spoil the reading of it. I was just as interested to get to the end. I would say it's the reading of it, the journey of the story that I enjoyed more than the destination, if that makes sense. I didn't mind how it ended, I didn't mind that I may have figured some of it out, I was simply enjoying reading Lauren and Rachel's writing.
I found the start a little slow. Not terribly so, but it took me a little while to get into it, but then once I was - once the time travel started - it absolutely flew by and I read it in less than 24 hours.
Apart from the slight confusion about the changing characters and slow start, there's nothing I can really say is overly wrong with it. It maybe lacked a little spark to push it over the edge into a fantastic read, But I really did enjoy it and would definitely recommend it. Thoroughly enjoyable and I will definitely look out for future works by each or by both authors.
I am always interested in how a book is written by two people. Does each person write a chapter each? Or does one write it and the other edit? How do they ensure it comes across as one voice?
I really enjoyed it by the end; I had a huge smile on my face and couldn't get it out of my head for ages afterwards. It's interesting, well-written, unique, fun, but honest, and serious. Definitely recommend.
Oh how we would all love a do-over, a blueprint to what our lives should have been like if they were as successful as they could be. I would have very much liked someone to tell me what to do and when to do it to make my life a success. I often with someone else made my decisions for me.
It definitely gave me food for thought, and it wasn't always comfortable. If I'd finished writing the novel I started at University, where would I be now? Was there anything I could have done to stop my illness developing? If I'd taken the job offer I pulled out of? It's not always an easy read to think about, but it is interesting and I think it would make a good book club read.
But it also makes you wonder about whether perfection is really worth it. What makes a life successful? Is having the perfect job worth losing your friends? Is having the perfect partner worth losing your freedom? I having the perfect body worth losing your joy in things like food? It really looks at what is it worth, what would you sacrifice, and what does a perfect life really mean for you?
Having a 24/7 job, an expensive house, lots of money, the perfect partner, the ideal body - it is worth it when you don't see your friends or family, don't eat what you want, spend your free time working out instead of relaxing?
Rarely do I read what I would call "real" books. Books about real people doing real things. I read books about crime and murder, historical books, dragons and parallel worlds. But I haven't read many...what do I call it? Normal books about normal people, normal feelings, normal things. There are elements of the fantasy, of course, but it's mainly very human. And it's a completely different reading experience.
It was a very interesting book. I did worry I would find it boring because of the aforementioned love of thrillers and whatnot, but I wasn't. It was a really good read, well-written, with relatable characters. Not every character is nice, some are worse than others, but that's what I liked, it made them real, these imperfections that felt so real.
I admit that once the whole time travel thing got going, and people and events started changing left, with and centre, I did get a little lost trying to keep up with it. It didn't ruin the reading of it, but it meant I had to focus a lot more on those parts which slowed down the reading slightly.
It's not the most suspenseful book. There were bits I did figure out before the end, but that didn't spoil the reading of it. I was just as interested to get to the end. I would say it's the reading of it, the journey of the story that I enjoyed more than the destination, if that makes sense. I didn't mind how it ended, I didn't mind that I may have figured some of it out, I was simply enjoying reading Lauren and Rachel's writing.
I found the start a little slow. Not terribly so, but it took me a little while to get into it, but then once I was - once the time travel started - it absolutely flew by and I read it in less than 24 hours.
Apart from the slight confusion about the changing characters and slow start, there's nothing I can really say is overly wrong with it. It maybe lacked a little spark to push it over the edge into a fantastic read, But I really did enjoy it and would definitely recommend it. Thoroughly enjoyable and I will definitely look out for future works by each or by both authors.
I am always interested in how a book is written by two people. Does each person write a chapter each? Or does one write it and the other edit? How do they ensure it comes across as one voice?
I really enjoyed it by the end; I had a huge smile on my face and couldn't get it out of my head for ages afterwards. It's interesting, well-written, unique, fun, but honest, and serious. Definitely recommend.
June 10, 2024
4.25 stars
How many times can I start a review by saying I love anything time travel adjacent? Has to be approaching double digits by now. But I am nothing if not consistent, so when I saw this book is about a woman who gets the chance at a do-over, going back in time to make decisions differently, I was all in.
Jenny Green is 35 and feeling unfulfilled and left behind, in pretty much all areas of her life. Her boyfriend was a vacation fling she should have ended years ago, before he started cheating and she stopped caring, her job is unfulfilling and her boss is a nightmare, and her two best friends are excelling at everything, and she can't help but compare their lives, especially once they all meet up for their 15th college reunion. It feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing, and Jenny just didn't get the memo. Then she finds out that, lo and behold, she DIDN'T. Her best friends and other successful women she knows have been getting Memos--capital M--advising them on what paths in life to take in order to optimize their existence. Jenny didn't get hers, but now she's got a chance for a redo.
Bouncing back and forth between present day and past events that need to be changed, Jenny gets to see how even the smallest change can have a big ripple effect on her life. Her optimized existence is full of things she didn't even think to dream up, but there is no question that New Jenny is killing it. But as she goes back and forth between existences, Jenny starts to wonder why she doesn't immediately feel more fulfilled by her "better" existence. And that's on depression. But really, she has to evaluate all aspects of her life, and is faced with some harsh truths about herself and about society.
This is such a fun concept and was so well-executed. I loved the multiple timelines and all the various settings and events it showed us, and their larger impact on Jenny's overall life. The best part, in my opinion, was that the story's main focus was on Jenny at her core despite how plain or fancy her life was. It was a fun beach read but with a good message and a lot of heart. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
How many times can I start a review by saying I love anything time travel adjacent? Has to be approaching double digits by now. But I am nothing if not consistent, so when I saw this book is about a woman who gets the chance at a do-over, going back in time to make decisions differently, I was all in.
Jenny Green is 35 and feeling unfulfilled and left behind, in pretty much all areas of her life. Her boyfriend was a vacation fling she should have ended years ago, before he started cheating and she stopped caring, her job is unfulfilling and her boss is a nightmare, and her two best friends are excelling at everything, and she can't help but compare their lives, especially once they all meet up for their 15th college reunion. It feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing, and Jenny just didn't get the memo. Then she finds out that, lo and behold, she DIDN'T. Her best friends and other successful women she knows have been getting Memos--capital M--advising them on what paths in life to take in order to optimize their existence. Jenny didn't get hers, but now she's got a chance for a redo.
Bouncing back and forth between present day and past events that need to be changed, Jenny gets to see how even the smallest change can have a big ripple effect on her life. Her optimized existence is full of things she didn't even think to dream up, but there is no question that New Jenny is killing it. But as she goes back and forth between existences, Jenny starts to wonder why she doesn't immediately feel more fulfilled by her "better" existence. And that's on depression. But really, she has to evaluate all aspects of her life, and is faced with some harsh truths about herself and about society.
This is such a fun concept and was so well-executed. I loved the multiple timelines and all the various settings and events it showed us, and their larger impact on Jenny's overall life. The best part, in my opinion, was that the story's main focus was on Jenny at her core despite how plain or fancy her life was. It was a fun beach read but with a good message and a lot of heart. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
May 16, 2024
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨 | 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐃𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
★★★.½
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Contemporary fiction
⟡ Time travel
⟡ Female friendship
𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝
The Memo had a really cool concept that centered around the idea of a second chance to rewrite over mistakes made in the main characters life. However this book has more of a scientific take on it: to time travel using… I’m not even sure, powerful emotional philosophy? 😂 either way it’s an interesting idea.
This book is also really relatable to anybody in their 25s-40s who feel as though they haven’t got their life together and perhaps even dream of a second, better life. Although this book reminds readers that ‘better’ is a matter of subjective opinion rather than a measurable achievement.
This is all told through writing that is sharp and witty. My favourite part was the writing. The humour was subtle but still hit heavy at regular intervals to keep the mainly belittling tone light.
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝
The most prominent relationship is Jenny and Geeta who are best friends. But the friendship felt really toxic to me. I felt like they were trying to mold the other into what each other wanted them to be rather than celebrating their sense of selves together. It wasn’t a friendship I enjoyed and it wasn’t until the end that I really understood why Jenny would want to salvage it.
The MC could come across as unlikable too as she is in an almost constant state of self-pity, being belittled by those around her and quietly resenting them for it. It could be a bit draining but I did have a good time with this book and do recommend it.
𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬
“𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘖𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵.”
⟡ 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚
⟡ 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟
★★★.½
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟
⟡ Contemporary fiction
⟡ Time travel
⟡ Female friendship
𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝
The Memo had a really cool concept that centered around the idea of a second chance to rewrite over mistakes made in the main characters life. However this book has more of a scientific take on it: to time travel using… I’m not even sure, powerful emotional philosophy? 😂 either way it’s an interesting idea.
This book is also really relatable to anybody in their 25s-40s who feel as though they haven’t got their life together and perhaps even dream of a second, better life. Although this book reminds readers that ‘better’ is a matter of subjective opinion rather than a measurable achievement.
This is all told through writing that is sharp and witty. My favourite part was the writing. The humour was subtle but still hit heavy at regular intervals to keep the mainly belittling tone light.
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝
The most prominent relationship is Jenny and Geeta who are best friends. But the friendship felt really toxic to me. I felt like they were trying to mold the other into what each other wanted them to be rather than celebrating their sense of selves together. It wasn’t a friendship I enjoyed and it wasn’t until the end that I really understood why Jenny would want to salvage it.
The MC could come across as unlikable too as she is in an almost constant state of self-pity, being belittled by those around her and quietly resenting them for it. It could be a bit draining but I did have a good time with this book and do recommend it.
𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬
“𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘪𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘖𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵.”
⟡ 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚
⟡ 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟
April 2, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️From the publisher Harper Perennial: Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. All her friends seem to have it all figured it out. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants, but at what price?
****************
My review: I love a time loop/travel book. The premise of The Memo is great. Jenny never got her memo about how to proceed and succeed in life, and everyone else did. She gets to essentially do some things over once she realizes she is a Memo candidate.
While her two BFFs are pretty “surface-y” characters, and I had a hard time suspending disbelief regarding “The Consortium”, I enjoyed the book. The idea that one misstep or choice can lead or change a life is so interesting to me and Jenny had the chance to change her past actions or situations. I loved that she had a hard time keeping things secret and not blowing her time travel knowledge when she was in the past…now that’s realistic!
It got a little confusing with the timelines, I had to stop and reread in a few places. But I liked the ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. All her friends seem to have it all figured it out. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants, but at what price?
****************
My review: I love a time loop/travel book. The premise of The Memo is great. Jenny never got her memo about how to proceed and succeed in life, and everyone else did. She gets to essentially do some things over once she realizes she is a Memo candidate.
While her two BFFs are pretty “surface-y” characters, and I had a hard time suspending disbelief regarding “The Consortium”, I enjoyed the book. The idea that one misstep or choice can lead or change a life is so interesting to me and Jenny had the chance to change her past actions or situations. I loved that she had a hard time keeping things secret and not blowing her time travel knowledge when she was in the past…now that’s realistic!
It got a little confusing with the timelines, I had to stop and reread in a few places. But I liked the ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
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