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The Wonder Spot Audiobook
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(3.00) - 4,627 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Melissa Bank's runaway bestseller, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, charmed readers and critics alike with its wickedly insightful, tender look at a young woman's forays into love, work, and friendship. Now, with The Wonder Spot, Bank is back with her signature combination of devilishly self-deprecating humor, seriousness and wisdom.
Nothing comes easily to Sophie Applebaum, the black sheep of her family trying to blend in with the herd. Uneasily situated between two brothers, Sophie first appears as the fulcrum and observer of her clan in "Boss of the World." Then, at college, in "The Toy Bar," she faces a gauntlet of challenges as Best Friend to the dramatic and beautiful Venice Lambourne, curator of "perfect things." In her early twenties, Sophie is dazzled by the possibilities of New York City during the Selectric typewriter era—only to land solidly back in Surrey, PA after her father's death.
The Wonder Spot follows Sophie's quest for her own identity—who she is, what she loves, whom she loves, and occasionally whom she feels others should love—over the course of 25 years. In an often-disappointing world, Sophie listens closely to her own heart. And when she experiences her 'Aha!' moments—her own personal wonder spots—it's the real thing. In this tremendous follow-up to The Girls' Guide To Hunting And Fishing, Bank again shares her vast talent for capturing a moment, taking it to heart, and giving it back to her readers.
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"This is the second book for Melissa Bank. Her first book, The Girls Guide to Fishing and Hunting, is one of those books I read in one sitting. Her second book is just as fabulous- I highly reccomend both reads. She is very relatable and likable."
— Liz (4 out of 5 stars)
The Wonder Spot Listener Reviews
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" This book follows the trials and tribulations of a girl trying to find herself and love. I found myself living through the character- loved it! "
— Eliza, 2/10/2014 -
" meh! It's o.k. A good way to fill in the blanks at the beach. Sophie is a bit pathetic, but embarrassingly relate-able. "
— Carolyn, 2/9/2014 -
" i don't know what curtis sittenfeld is going on about. wonder spot made me like my life a bit more. to her credit, sittenfeld writes a better plot. but sometimes you don't always need a story. sometimes you just need good company. "
— mona, 2/9/2014 -
" My mom bought this for me for Christmas. She likes to buy me books about young people finding their way in New York. There are surprisingly more of those books than I ever would have guessed. This was good for what it is. It's no great work of literature, but pretty fun. "
— Emily, 2/1/2014 -
" There was something about this book that was so great! I read it fast but couldn't get over how the main character's wit would make me burst out in laughter. Great writing! "
— Lynn, 1/18/2014 -
" Not as good as I was anticipating. "
— Stephanie, 1/4/2014 -
" This was not a great book - I barely finished it because it really seemed to drag. Not even close to being as good as her other book - Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which I read several years ago. That one was excellent. "
— Amy, 12/25/2013 -
" This book really hit home with me even though I am not Jewish. "
— Caroline, 12/20/2013 -
" Not quite as good as her first, but I still loved it, especially the very last story. I find myself reading her work and recognizing a lot of my own thoughts/experiences, which is why I like her books so much. "
— Evann, 12/20/2013 -
" I found this book disappointing. I read The Girl's Guide by her a few years ago, and I remember liking that (although I can't remember much about the book.) But The Wonder Spot was frankly a snoozer. "
— Katie, 12/19/2013 -
" It's good, but I didn't love it as much as I loved The Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing. The last chapter (which I originally read as a short story in Nick Hornby's collection Speaking With The Angel) is by far my favorite part. "
— Faith, 12/3/2013 -
" I thought I was going to like this story about Sophie Applebaum. And there were parts I really enjoyed. But in the end, Sophie was just Sophie...not a very interesting woman, after all. "
— Cathy, 6/24/2013 -
" Kind of pointless and Sophie was an idiot. Funny sometimes but an idiot. Why did she gloss over the Father's death when it was obviously something important to the character. I was hurrying to finish it and didn't really care by the last couple stories. "
— Susan, 12/22/2012 -
" I enjoyed this book, though not as much as her previous novel. They're very different, and this one too is a little dark, funny, and clever. I didn't love it, but it is an interesting read from a good writer. "
— Ryann, 12/8/2012 -
" Sluggo and I both really loved this book. She's hilarious, witty, satyricl, insightful. It's really sweet and humorous. "
— Laurian, 12/5/2012 -
" Not sure why her publishers chose this cover; makes it look like crappy chick-lit. It's not. "
— Saya, 8/28/2012 -
" I expected more from this book than I got. It was really just okay. "Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing" was so much better. "
— Jennifer, 4/8/2012 -
" A decent, quick read. Bank has a knack for making the sometimes dullness of everyday life readable. "
— Frances, 3/8/2012 -
" I couldn't get over how many similarities there are with The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing to fully enjoy this book. It made me wonder if the author is a one trick pony, has one idea for a book and keeps recycling it. "
— Melissa, 9/6/2011 -
" Was I that girl?? "
— Desiree, 7/3/2011 -
" Still very much a fan of Bank's talent, but this failed to hit the high notes for me of <u>The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing</u>. "
— Heather, 5/18/2011 -
" This was a good read. It covers a series of snapshots into the life of Sophie Applebaum, from her childhood up until when her parents pass away. It makes for an interesting look at a variety of relationships. I enjoyed it. "
— Marissa, 5/11/2011 -
" It's just not my type of book. But honestly, while reading it, I was afraid that I may end up like Sophie. What if I actually end up doing something I hate? And for your information, my career is kinda important to me. So I hope I won't. "
— Tami, 5/10/2011 -
" A true classic. This book cuts straight to my heart's core. So honest and funny and realistic. So many sentences in here that I've underlined and written "ME" or "I'VE DONE THIS" in the margins. "
— Julie, 4/30/2011 -
" I was so sad after I read this because I loved her last book and this one just was not in the same league. "
— Elle, 4/28/2011 -
" I love this author. I love her characters. I love the writing style, I love the humor, I love this book. "
— Dana, 3/25/2011 -
" Not that great. No bad but I just felt like I was waiting for something to happen through the whole book and nothing happen. At the end I was left feeling like this is it. "
— Mkreunen, 3/3/2011 -
" Not sure why I liked this book, but I did. Insightful and funny while it wandered and went no where. "
— Peggy, 2/25/2011 -
" Melissa Bank is one of my favorite authors; I love her writing style and her subjects. However, her second book is almost too similar to her first book, without being a continuation or companion volume. She still stands out as a great writer but I hope she will show more variety with future books. "
— Allison, 2/1/2011 -
" I remember enjoying this book, but it must have been mildly forgettable because I remember nothing outstanding about it. "
— Chrissy, 1/26/2011 -
" I liked it a lot...not as much as Girls Guide To Hunting And Fishing, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Another collection of short vignettes that intertwine beautifully. "
— Amy, 1/7/2011 -
" It's certainly well-written, but I don't know... It feels very distant and impersonal. I like that every chapter can pretty much stand on its own, though. I don't think it's a book I'll read again. "
— Sofie, 1/6/2011 -
" This is an quick (really quick, like 8 hour) fun read. "
— Kelseyjjohnson, 1/5/2011 -
" very readable but I wasn't sure what the point of describing this series of relationships was. "
— Lila, 1/5/2011