30. You’re So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah by Fiona Rosenbloom – Book Club Pick

Read: ⁠You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah⁠ by Fiona Rosenbloom

Watch: You Are So Not Invited to my Bat Mitzvah movie on Netflix

Why We Made This Selection and Background Knowledge

Julie: I just saw some buzz around it being an Adam Sandler movie. I actually didn;t know his whole family was in it until I watched it.. Or that it was a book first.

Claire: Just saw stories online about how the whole Sandler family was in it.

Overall Opinion of the Book

Claire: Basically a more modern version of Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret, only now Margaret made her decision on her religion.

Julie: Since I watched the movie first, it just didn’t compare for me. It was dull by comparison. If I’d read it first, I’m not sure I’d feel the same way though.

Overall Opinion of the Movie

Julie: My whole family really liked it. I loved her fantasies of the perfect Bah mitzvah, they reminded me of My Super Sweet 16 on MTV. My husband thought Andy was hysterical and kept comparing our one son to him. We also laughed way too hard at the Lydia video.

Now, all that to say, we enjoyed the movie but we also do think it was very unrealistic. It was just fun enough for us to suspend that reality.

Claire: Eh, not horrible, but probably not something I’d watch again. I will say it was nice seeing Adam Sandler on screen again. I was also disappointed with one big character change though.

Before you say which you liked better, did you read the book or listen to the audiobook… because it matters.

Claire: I read it on my new Kindle scribe! The audiobook is out now if anyone cares, but it wasn’t released by the time we had our book club chat on this one.

Julie: I read a paperback copy.

Which was better?

Julie: The movie

Claire: The book

Ranking…

1. Was the outcome the same in both the show and the book? Yes
2. Was the main character/primary narrator the same in the show and the book? Yes
3. Was the primary conflict the same in the show and the book? Yes
4. Would you read the book again or recommend it to a friend? Yes
5. Would you watch the show/movie again or recommend it to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 5/5

To listen to the full episode on You Are So Not Invited To My Bah Mitzvah check out But the Book Was Better on Apple and Spotify. Don’t forget to subscribe so you know exactly when each episode is released!