I felt like the main message was the same as the other book I read from this author: your life is your attention. Some interesting examples, some repetitive ones. This book was a good reminder overall that play is something we should nurture and value in our lives.

Most of the characters didn't quite act like their Austen counterparts, especially Darcy, and there was way too much random death.

I wasn't intrigued enough with any of the characters or plotlines.

I liked the familial approach to biblical stories but some of the judgments seemed overly harsh.

I really enjoyed this look at the regency period from the perspective of an older sister trying to save her sisters. The historical details were interesting without getting in the way of the pacing.

I didn't know anything about Kelly Ripa before picking this up other than the brief interview on Gretchen Rubin's podcast, and maybe because I had no attachment or understanding to her world, I often found her voice overly abrasive or out of touch. Some parts were super interesting, poignant, and/or funny, though.

This reminded me of The Happiness Project but more name-dropping and less personal. I think gratitude is important and this was a good reminder.

The order of the experiences didn't always feel logical to me, and some stories resonated more than others, but overall this was an interesting and quick read.

This was an engaging read and the flashback setup didn't change that. I was intrigued, not sure who stole the violin until it was revealed.

This was a fun and thoughtful consideration of how bonded we can be when sharing even the briefest portions of our days with each other. I thought the "found family" trope was done well here, but I didn't like some of the stock characters never having another aspect to their personalities (like the trophy wife who cheats and wants more money and the jealously overprotective fiancé).