Member Reviews
What an exciting book. At first I was unsure of where this book was going but it didn't take long for me to get hooked and start rooting for Jade. Loved the idea of the script and how you can start to rewrite your own future.
Truly enjoyable! Stayed true all the way through and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to friends and family
Fantastic debut novel from Fearne, unusual concept but totally believable and beautifully written. Great storytelling, good characters with all their flaws and foibles. Really enjoyed this, and highly recommend.
Jade's life is spent being pushed about by other people. Be that her demanding sister or her unreasonable boss. But one day Jade stumbles across a script in which she is having an argument with her boyfriend. But she doesn't know where the script has come from and hasn't had that argument with her boyfriend. What is going? Over time Jade stumbles across more scripts and, more importantly, what they tell her about her life.
The book was based on a clever idea and one aimed to make the reader think. What scripts to we live by in our life - and can we change them? Some of the characters were more likeable than others. But overall this was an enjoyable debut novel from Fearne Cotton.
Great idea, fresh and sparky. Some of the narrative was a big clunky and the characters a bit predictable but overall a nice summer read.
Thank to #NetGalley for an #ARC of #Scripted.
Synopsis: Jade, overwhelmed by her controlling family and neglected by her self-absorbed boyfriend, feels lost in adulthood. Unexpectedly, she discovers a script outside her flat, detailing future arguments with her boyfriend. As she finds more scripts, showing conflicts with her boss, mother, and sister, Jade realises the bleak path ahead. Determined to change her fate, she confronts the painful reality of her relationships and strives for a different future.
Review:☆☆.5
At first, I was eager to read the book because of its premise. However, I found it challenging to read as it felt quite slow paced. Additionally, I struggled to connect with the characters, particularly finding Jade's character annoying. I get that her lack of backbone is part of the plot, but it made it hard for me to get into the story. Nevertheless, as Jade found her voice, I found myself enjoying the book more.
Main character Jade struggles to say 'no' and is taken advantage of by her family, boyfriend and boss. She finds a script that seems to foreshadow her life and eventually decides to take charge and write her own story.
This book started slowly but I could not put the last section down!
I struggled to find Jade a loveable character at first and felt as though the middle section of the book, where she was once again mistreated by her boss and family, were too long.
However, I really enjoyed how, aside from the mystery of the scripts, the rest of the story came across as very realistic. Problems were not magically solved as soon as Jade decided to speak up, but by being true to herself she was able to start making changes in her life. This book contains some pearls of wisdom that we could all benefit from!
While I found the premise of Scripted to be really exciting before I started reading, sadly this book was anything but. I understand that the whole point is that Jade is a character that has been a doormat for most of her life but this made up a good half of the book and I just wanted to shake her. As nice as she was, it made it really hard to actually like her because she was just so frustrating. Things took way too long to actually get going and none of Jade's confrontations were particularly satisfying, if anything just a bit weak. I also found it all a bit odd that so many of the characters around Jade (especially family members) were so nasty to her and nobody else seemed to stick up for her.
While I could accept we might never get answers to the whys of the script, the ending was really disappointing on the whole - what was with the bizarre Luca storyline!?
Although it's an easy read, it's sadly simply not one I can recommend.
Thank to #NetGalley for an #ARC of #Scripted.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jade is a people pleaser to her own detriment. She wants to say no, but it doesn't happen. Someone somewhere is leaving scripts of upcoming conversations for Jade, the question is will she go off script......
I would recommend to all.
Truly enjoyable! Stayed true all the way through and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc of Scripted by Fearne Cotton.
An interesting premise, Jade discovers an incomplete script detailing a future conversation between her and her partner and when the occasion arises she is bound by the words she read on the page. The scripts keep appearing and they highlight her inability to say no to her nearest and dearest.
I found the book intriguing and though I enjoyed it I wanted more from the ending and was left with unanswered questions.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for this honest review.
This was a clunky read and I nearly gave up. Once jade got her mojo I really enjoyed it from then in. The humour was good but I did want to shake jade. Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.
Imagine being givena heads up on challenging conversations you'll be having in the not too distant future. Would it change the course of your conversation or confrontation? Would it change how you perceive yourself? Would it change your life?
This was such an enjoyable read from start to finish!
A totally unique plot (to me) that had me turning the pages at lighting speed, I read it in one sitting and think i just had a huge smile on my face throughout . It was warm, relatable, funny, heartwarming and so easy to put myself in Jade's shoes.
At 32 years old Jade is plodding through life. Living in a flat she rents off her wealthy Dad.. at full rent, with her so called boyfriend, working a job she loves with colleagues she adores. Trying to stop her mum wallowing in self pity with a glass constantly in her hand and constantly being belittled and downtrodden by her sister.
Out of the blue Jade finds a 'script', detailing a conversation she is yet to have but doesn't realise that yet until it happens.
Weeks later another script appears and then another. Each conversation comes to life and Jade soon starts to realise that things need to change.. SHE needs to change! If she edits the pages, what will happen?
Can rewriting the scrips rewrite her future?
The ending not only left me wanting more but ending in a way there COULD be more.... here's hoping!
Thanks to Netgalley and Michael , Penguin Random House for the ARC
I did enjoy Scripted quite a lot. I loved the main characters development throughout the book and I loved the idea of the scrips just appearing with future conversations.
I marked it down a star because the ending felt a bit long and drawn out and I lost a little bit of interest until it picked back up again.
Jade is living life being pushed around by everyone in her life, family, boyfriend and boss. While on a run she finds a script outlining an argument she’ll be having with her boyfriend even though it’s yet to happen.
What follows is Jade finding the way to stand up for herself and take control of her life with scripts popping up along her journey. Can she change the outcome of the scripts and change her story?
A great rom com summer read with some loveable characters and some down right rotters you love to hate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel from Fearne Cotton. I’m left wondering what happens next at the end, making me wonder if there will be a sequel in the future. If there is I’ll definitely be adding it to my tbr.
4 stars
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(The pdf arc was a little bit all over the place on my kindle which did make the reading of it a bit harder than EPUB arcs I’ve had before)
I really did want to love this. The premise is such a good idea but I’m not sure it was executed in the best way.
The writing has too many over descriptions.
I hate most of the characters.
I did enjoy seeing Jade’s growth and her friends are great. The ending was chaotic.
Disappointed I didn’t enjoy it.
What this wouldn’t be considered my read of the year, it’s an enjoyable light read that follows Jade's journey from people-pleaser to someone who writes their own script.
The story of Jade, the much put upon hero of the story, who navigates life’s ups and downs gaining sneak previews every now and again by finding scripts containing ‘scenes’ yet to happen.
This sounded interesting……….
However this debut by Fearne Cotton really lacked any excitement or characters with endearing qualities. Whilst I did like the script finding element we never really discovered what that was all about. Jade was surrounded by the most toxic family members, boss & boyfriend and I was immensely irritated by the sister who had zero redeeming features about her. Even after Jade grows some really tiny balls at the rehearsal dinner, she still did not confront her sister in any sort of satisfying way.
Why was so much space taken up with the wedding at the end? And the weak plot line involving Luca *eye roll*, just, why???? It just felt like Cotton ran out of steam.
I really liked Fearne Cotton's writing style in this book, it is humourous and relatable and I read it far too quickly!
Imagine how useful it would be to have a heads up of future awkward situations? This is what happens for main character Jade when she starts finding mysterous scripts featuring her friends and family of conversations that she hasnt had yet! As she reads on she realises that the outcome of these conversations is not good for her and her family is walking all over her. Can she change the scripts and rewrite her future happiness?
An enjoyable light read, I look forward to more from Fearne!
A very enjoyable book that i won’t hesitate to recommend to others. Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it. Well done to Fearne on a great read.