I'm going out to buy a copy of this book for my closest friends as soon as this is published.

This is the friendship equivalent of a relationship (romantic relationship) advice book. Part essay, part ode to friendship. With an easy style, and peppered through with other people's experiences of friendship. My favourite entry has to be Wilkie's.

I've not read anything by Elizabeth Day before but I have some of her books on my TBR. As someone with people in my outer circle, but not so many close friends, I wanted to read this to get advice on how to have more friends, but I've finished it feeling content to have a smaller circle and knowing that sometimes it's ok to let friendships go.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A chatty compendium of friendship stories. Easy to read, filled with first hand experiences of the author & her friends, giving their point of view.

A really interesting read about friendships it certainly made me think..and then start looking at the friendships I've had with people.

I enjoyed this

Here she admits to being a friendship addict, which I am not, but seeing how others deal with their needs and desires in a friend relationship was fascinating.
The read was cathartic and emotionally connective, especially in defining friendship standards and how difficult it is to sever a relationship that no longer serves you. It was also fascinating to examine the language and expectations of friendship and how they do not always coincide. The passages on losing a friend to death and the terrible loss that brings, particularly when they feel like a different kind of soul mate, were the most affecting. That chapter's grief was tangible.

Elizabeth Day’s examination of the nature of friendship explores both her own relationships and other people’s with a bit of scholarly research added into the mix.

Friendaholic is an introspective memoir about Elizabeth Day's journey towards overcoming her obsession with seeking validation through friendships.

The book is well-written and somewhat engaging, with Day's personal anecdotes and reflections providing a relatable and honest insight into the pressures of modern-day friendship. Day delves into her past experiences and examines the root causes of her need for constant validation, which she attributes to her difficult childhood and a lack of self-worth.

The author's vulnerability is commendable, and her willingness to share her struggles with the reader is admirable (though I did feel for the friends she was offering commentary on!). Day shares details about her journey towards self-acceptance and self-love, and her insights on the importance of boundaries, vulnerability, and communication in friendships were interesting to read about.

Some readers may find the book a bit self-indulgent, and the focus on Day's privileged upbringing and her elite social circle has the tendency to alienate. I also found the resolution of her ponderings to be a bit rushed and simplified in the end.

There's no doubt Friendaholic is well-written - I do enjoy Day's writing. It's also thought-provoking, providing valuable insight into the complexities of friendship. While some may find the book's focus somewhat limiting, this will still be a compelling read for fans of Day.

3.5 stars.

I didn't think I was going to like this book. I was wrong, it was very, very interesting.. Now, however, I'm re-evaluating my friendships and to be honest there are a few that aren't the healthiest.
This is a memoir slash something else about friendship. The author is talking mainly about her friendships, but also asks other people about their friendships and definitions of what makes a friendship.
I guarantee if you read this, you won't look at your friends in the same way again.

This is the first book that I have read by Elizabeth Day. I am not familiar with her novels at all. But I found this a really interesting book, doing a deep dive into the mechanics of friendship. Day gives lots of examples of her friendships from childhood.

One of the most moving parts is when she discusses about a friend dying.

Growing up, Elizabeth wanted to make everyone like her. Lacking friends at school, she grew up to believe that quantity equalled quality. Having lots of friends meant you were loved, popular and safe. She was determined to become a Good Friend. and, in many ways, she did. But in adulthood she slowly realised that it was often to the detriment of her own boundaries and mental health.

Elizabeth Day tells us stories from her own personal life. This will be a very relatable book for many readers. She explores friendships and relationships. This is a thought provoking read. We don't need a massive circle of friends to support us. You just need the right people in your life.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #4thEstate and the author #ElizabethDay for my ARC of #Friendaholic in exchange for an honest review.

Friendship is having a bit of a literary renaissance. In recent years, romantic relationships – though still the bread and butter of so many works of fiction – have had to share the spotlight with the importance of friends. In Elizabeth’s new book (please read all her books, they are brilliant), she, like most of us, wanted to be liked in school – by everyone. As she writes, she wanted to be A Good Friend, which she is and was, but only realised in adulthood that in doing so, she was neglecting her own mental health and personal boundaries. As the pandemic took over, it was time to figure out how to rebalance her friendships, even if it meant learning some hard lessons along the way. Witty and full of the warmth we expect from her writing, this is something that’ll leave you thinking.

An interesting thought provoking read. I'm not usually into non-fiction but thought I'd give it a go as I've enjoyed some of the author's columns. I liked the style of writing and anecdotes although sometimes felt there were a few too many stats for me!

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I have enjoyed Elizabeths podcast in the past so I was looking forward for the chance to read her newest book (thank you for the ARC copy!)
Having finished reading however, I'm not certain that it warranted a full book being written about it - whilst had snippets of interesting research or commentary, and I enjoyed the interview style sections of the book, the overall vibe felt quite self indulgent.

Not one for me in this instance.

DNF at 49%.

I wanted to give up on the book far earlier than this but to her credit, Elizabeth Day is a good writer. She's weaved research between her stories on friendship and I found some interesting nuggets that helped me in between.

But for the most part, I didn't relate to her or her struggles with friendship, Yes, I used to be someone who craved friendships but that was me as a teenager but now, I have trouble making friends.

This book is less about friendship as a whole and more about the author's various friendships that I have no interest in.

If you're a memoir person, go ahead. You may like this one but this wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and 4th Estate for the advanced e-copy.

This was an interesting read and although it did provide insights into the dynamics within the authors friendships, it did feel like a bit of an opportunity to pick apart their own realtionships.

Thank you to NetGalley and 4th Estate for the ARC!

Friendaholic is an interesting read, and timely post-COVID. It made me think about my own friendships, how we value these relationships, and how I can be a better friend. I really enjoyed the interview sections.

A fabulous homage to freindship and all its forms.

This is an insightful exploration as to why we need freinds, what makes a good friend, setting boundaries and what happens when freindships end.

I love that the author eloquently gets across the fact that we often project our own insecurities and fears on to our friendships even if this is in different ways. For some people, this may be "ghosting" / freezing a friend (s) out for various reasons or even over thinking, did I say too much? Did I not say enough or say something weird? We all need that one friend like Emma who can reassure us if needed to say yep you were fine or call us out kindly when we're in the wrong.

There are fabulous anecdotes that range from the funny, to the heartwarming, infuriating (on the author's behalf) and upsetting and certainly relatable on many levels.

A wonderful read.

I really liked the idea of this book & it was a decent read but, sadly didn’t wow me.

The pace of it was good but the storyline didn’t flow as well as it could have for me. I’m sure lots of people will love this book but it just wasn’t for me this time.

Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day is a frank, entertaining and revealing in-depth examination of friendship in general but more specifically how the author manages friends and her views on what makes a good friendship.

Whilst I may have had some reservations about an entire book on this subject, Day's presentation of her own experiences, analysis and conclusions will resonate with most readers. A considerable body of research was referenced in the course of the book but this should not be likened to an academic paper - it is much too real, too emotional and too enjoyable for that.

I jumped at the chance to read this having previously enjoyed the author’s podcast but to be honest I didn’t relate to this as much as I’d hoped to. Chapter by chapter the author picks apart her own friendships. It felt too personal and passive aggressive and I found myself feeling bad for the friends who were mentioned negatively in this public format.

I LOVE Elizabeth days books! She's so brilliant, and I love this honest look at friendships. Dark and honest in places, which wasn't quite what I was expecting, but enjoyed it all the same! Elizabeth day is wonderful and writes with truth and passion