Book Summary and Reviews of Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

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Elizabeth

Elizabeth@Silver's Reviews - Uplifting - Beautiful - Heartwarming
What a perfect name for the main character and what a beautiful, heartwarming read!!

Joy brings joy and makes you laugh at how she misbehaves at age 89 which explains the title.

Joy and her best friend since they were eight years old still support each other, and Joy now needs to support Hazel more than ever since she is dying from cancer.

Even though the topic is a bit depressing, the way Ms. Brammer writes and puts laughter into the book makes it actually a feel good book.

GOOD JOY, BAD JOY is a tribute to lasting friendship, doing things you have never done before as you age, and knowing you CAN do anything at any time in your life.

If you need an uplifting read with wonderful characters, you will want to add this book to your TBR. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Janine_S

The “joys” of aging
The joys of aging unfold in this sweet book. The choices one can make as one grows old are part of this delightful story too. Growing old is no picnic - l know from experience- but that doesn't mean you have to give up living as Joy, the 89 year old protagonist, decides.

When Joy learns her best friend, Hazel, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Joy becomes aware of the profound change this will mean to her. As Hazel has always been the more adventurous of the two, Joy determines she can't be tied to her old self.
Venturing to stretch herself she comes to realize this new side of her might not be the legacy she wants to leave.

The friendship between Hazel and Joy is so heartwarming. This is a friendship study but but also a consideration of what life has to offer as you age. Life doesn't stop at 89 as Joy learns. You still have plenty of choices left.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and St Martin's Press for allowing me accept to this ARC.

labmom55

Unlikeable choices
3.5 stars, rounded down.

I will always be drawn to a book with an older female main character. Joy Bridport is 89 years old. She’s always been one to play by the rules, to be the “good girl”. But when she learns her best friend since elementary school has only months to live, Joy gets a wake up call. This is a lovely story. We gradually learn what made Joy into the woman she is, with flashbacks to her early years.

I felt for Joy but I also struggled with some of the choices she made. I could appreciate her desire to step out of her comfort zone but there are ethical limits and several of her escapades felt positively stupid. Flip side, the story is an important reminder to never stop living or seeking out new friends. And to give everyone a little grace, including yourself. My complaint was that the book occasionally veered into the saccharine and schmaltzy.

My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance opt of this book.

Other books by Mikki Brammer at BookBrowse