Luckiest Girl Alive (audio)
By Jessica Knoll (Read by Madeleine Maby)
Simon & Schuster Audio | ISBN 9781442380516 | May 2015
*No spoilers*
The Short of It:
How important is it to be perfect? What if it’s all a lie?
The Rest of It:
On the outside, twenty-nine year old Ani FaNelli has everything a woman could want. She’s gorgeous, is about to marry a handsome guy, has a glamorous magazine job, and everyone she knows seems to envy her. So what’s her problem?
Ani used to be known as Tiffany and when she was younger and attending a prestigious private school something happened to her that changed her life forever. Now, right before her wedding, she is forced to deal with those events from the past and her world comes crashing down around her.
I read online that Reese Witherspoon plans to direct a movie based on this book. She’s been doing this a lot lately and seems to have a good sense for what makes a good movie. So when I was offered this book to review, I quickly snatched it up. What I did not do though, was read anything about the story so I went into it cold. I wanted to be surprised.
I was surprised.
That said, there is a certain element of suspense that keeps you reading. It’s kind of like Gone Girl in that you want to keep reading. I mention it because it’s being compared to Gone Girl but they are very different in tone and the stories are nothing alike.
What I did not care for was the shallowness of the main character. Once I found out what her deal was, I empathized with her but not to the point of liking her. In the end, I came around somewhat and felt that the story came full circle but too much of the first half was spent on descriptive details regarding looks and well, just frivolous details, really.
On a technical note, I listened to the audio version and I can’t say enough about Simon & Schuster Audio. I’ve listened to a lot of audio books and so many of them have issues with the recording itself but I never have any issues with Simon & Schuster and the readers always seem to be spot on with their delivery.
In summary, once you get past the first half, the story really takes off but the main character’s shallowness held me back from really liking it.
Source: Sent to me by the publisher.
Book Chatter 
I love to read a book like this from time to time!
Kathy, I agree. It’s a good book to break up the day to day routine.
Totally agree…I did not like the beginning nor the main character but I enjoyed the book.
It would have been more powerful had I felt something for the main character but so be it.
I did enjoy reading this, even though the main character isn’t likable. However, the comparison of this book – and many other psychological thrillers- to Gone Girl is getting annoying to me. I didn’t find this anything like Gone Girl.
All books want to be compared to best sellers, I suppose. I know a lot of people who don’t read, that did read Gone Girl and then went looking for books like it so I am sure that is why they hinge on the success of previous books. But really, this one was so different.
I have this one coming to me! I didn’t want to listen to it, although you are making me rethink that decision. I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’ve been desperately trying to avoid reading anything about it so that I too can be surprised…which is why I skimmed your review. 🙂
Me too! I avoided lots of reviews for the same reason but I give nothing away! It’s supposed to be the IT book of the summer but I think of lot of that comes from the Witherspoon thing.
It tells you that I’ve had my head elsewhere because I had never heard the Witherspoon announcement until you mentioned it!
Great that you enjoyed the audio – they can be such deal-breakers… It does sound interesting, though I’m not sure if I had enough patience to get past the first half, lol. Shallowness makes my teeth ache!
Shallow and/or annoying characters really bother me, so I’m not sure if this one is for me! Maybe if it comes up on audio at the library. Otherwise I’ll wait for the movie. 0_0
She is very shallow and annoying. I guess it depends what you are in the mood for. It is a quick listen on audio.
I like books that keep me reading but shallow characters are tough ones for me to care about.
I HATED the Gone Girl comparison because the two books are nothing alike. I liked this one but didn’t love it, and I had trouble with the main character too.
I agree! I felt that comparing it to Gone Girl was a real stretch.
OK, sounds good to me.