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The Cast: A Novel
Twenty-five years ago, a group of ninth graders produced a Saturday Night Live–style videotape to cheer up their ailing friend. The show’s running time was only ninety minutes, but it had a lasting impact: Becca laughed her way through recovery, and the group—Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex—became her supporting cast for life.
On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health—but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected.
On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health—but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2018
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August 25, 2018
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When Becca was just a teenager and struggling with health issues, her good friends banded together and made her a video recording to lift her spirits. It was ninety minutes long. A take on Saturday Night Live they called it “Becca Night Live”. It did cheer her up and it’s one of the reasons her family still owns a VCR to this day.
The cast consisted of Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex. All these years later the tape is still being played…mostly by Becca’s seven-year-old daughter, Emma. She can’t get enough of it.
Now twenty-five years later Becca and her friends are going to reunite in honor of Becca’s 25 years of good health.
Becca is really excited about the trip. However, a phone call she receives a few days before they are scheduled to leave changes everything. She has some tough decisions to make. Her husband, Nolan who should be making things easier on her, is actually making things much worse.
Jordana has put a lot of effort into hosting the “Cast Party” reunion on the Fourth of July. So if the guest of honor doesn’t show …she’ll be devastated.
Becca doesn’t know it but her friends are also having troubles of their own. Will the reunion be over before it’s even begun?
This was an interesting novel that I read in just a couple of sittings. The story is told from multiple points of view. We get to see how each of the other cast members/friends have grown and what their current struggles are. Though the novel deals with a lot of emotional issues, there were also some funny parts that helped lighten things up.
I enjoy stories that deal with lifelong friendships. It was interesting seeing how these characters and their relationships changed and developed over twenty-five years. There were a couple of characters that I wish I’d heard more from, but overall, I thought that the characters were well-developed and their stories relatable.
“The Cast” was an engaging read about friendship, marriage, illness, and many of life’s other challenges.
I'd like to thank SparkPress for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
When Becca was just a teenager and struggling with health issues, her good friends banded together and made her a video recording to lift her spirits. It was ninety minutes long. A take on Saturday Night Live they called it “Becca Night Live”. It did cheer her up and it’s one of the reasons her family still owns a VCR to this day.
The cast consisted of Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex. All these years later the tape is still being played…mostly by Becca’s seven-year-old daughter, Emma. She can’t get enough of it.
Now twenty-five years later Becca and her friends are going to reunite in honor of Becca’s 25 years of good health.
Becca is really excited about the trip. However, a phone call she receives a few days before they are scheduled to leave changes everything. She has some tough decisions to make. Her husband, Nolan who should be making things easier on her, is actually making things much worse.
Jordana has put a lot of effort into hosting the “Cast Party” reunion on the Fourth of July. So if the guest of honor doesn’t show …she’ll be devastated.
Becca doesn’t know it but her friends are also having troubles of their own. Will the reunion be over before it’s even begun?
This was an interesting novel that I read in just a couple of sittings. The story is told from multiple points of view. We get to see how each of the other cast members/friends have grown and what their current struggles are. Though the novel deals with a lot of emotional issues, there were also some funny parts that helped lighten things up.
I enjoy stories that deal with lifelong friendships. It was interesting seeing how these characters and their relationships changed and developed over twenty-five years. There were a couple of characters that I wish I’d heard more from, but overall, I thought that the characters were well-developed and their stories relatable.
“The Cast” was an engaging read about friendship, marriage, illness, and many of life’s other challenges.
I'd like to thank SparkPress for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 11, 2018
I'm just going to get right into it. I absolutely LOVE this book. My friends and I have made video tapes for each other, done silly things to bring joy to our crew and it's just FUN to do these types of things. When you can be completely silly and YOU around a group of people who appreciate you for who you are... well, you just can't ask for much more than that. The other side is that the also know just about everything about you and this can also make for some heated and very emotional moments - upswings and downswings … they're no longer just friends, they're FAMILY.
I'm in awe that this is a DEBUT! The chapters alternate between the various characters of The Cast and it's done SO WELL. Each group has their different personalities and lifestyles and she captures this brilliantly. I knew from the first 40 pages that this was going to be an emotional read. Captivating, heartfelt, string tugging…. and all so relatable. Each character in here is human, visceral and I fell in love with each and every one of them.
You can't plan for life to happen - it just does. When you have people around you that you can count on - it makes that journey just a tiny bit easier. I'm grateful that I have those people in my life. Thank you, Amy, for making me appreciate them all the more.
Highly recommend you put this on your TBR. Set aside a few hours and don't move until you're done.
Thank you to GetRedPR and Spark Press for this copy.
I'm in awe that this is a DEBUT! The chapters alternate between the various characters of The Cast and it's done SO WELL. Each group has their different personalities and lifestyles and she captures this brilliantly. I knew from the first 40 pages that this was going to be an emotional read. Captivating, heartfelt, string tugging…. and all so relatable. Each character in here is human, visceral and I fell in love with each and every one of them.
You can't plan for life to happen - it just does. When you have people around you that you can count on - it makes that journey just a tiny bit easier. I'm grateful that I have those people in my life. Thank you, Amy, for making me appreciate them all the more.
Highly recommend you put this on your TBR. Set aside a few hours and don't move until you're done.
Thank you to GetRedPR and Spark Press for this copy.
June 16, 2018
3.75/5 stars
The Cast is a wonderful and emotional story of friendship, illnesses and loss. I think it would be perfect for bookclubs - there is a lot to discuss in here! I'd especially recommend this book to be read in the month of October - if you read this, you will know why. Hint, no not because of Halloween.
The cover caught my eye - I loved the greens and the blues, and the casual prettiness of it. And for the cover whore like me - thats an important aspect of the book.
I do have to say that The Cast deals with some heavy topics, although it handles them with a gentle hand. But if anybody out there is as much of a hypochondriac as I am - beware.
Before I talk about the cast (get it?) I wanted to mention quickly that this book is very rich on jewish traditions and customs - which was so great to read, because I feel like I've learned so much. It was also nice, because to be honest I haven't seen many books out there featuring jewish characters (besides the ones set in time of WWII of course).
There are quite a few alternating points of view, but the main focus is on Becca. A childhood cancer survivor. I was rooting for Becca all the way through.
Nolan, well in my book Nolan can jump up his own ass and die! For me there was no redemption for him. I understand what his point of view meant to portray, but I just couldn't get on board with it.
Jordana was next after Nolan in her annoyingness, although I might have disliked her so much because I saw pieces of myself in her. Jordana's ocd and constant need to control and micromanage everything showed me that maybe some of my tendencies in life aren't pretty.
Holly, oh Holly. I absolutely adored her. There was not enough of her in the first part of the book, but later she became the central figure and oh my goodness that was tough to bear.
Lex was fun to read about and surprisingly I totally understood and supported where she came from, and why she did hat she did.
Seth was alright, but his POV was kinda annoying, mostly because his inner dialog was so childish I had to keep rolling my eyes.
Adam and Sal did not have enough page time , especially Sal - I feel like I even don't know Sal at all.
This was a solid 4 star read all the way through, but the ending did feel rushed and a bit unfinished so down to 3.75 it went. I realize that this was supposed to be one of "life goes on" endings, but I still felt like I needed some more closure.
I am very happy that I read this - it just randomly caught my eye on Netgalley, and surprise books often turn out to be the best books.
Big thanks to Get Red PR, SparkPress and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
The Cast is a wonderful and emotional story of friendship, illnesses and loss. I think it would be perfect for bookclubs - there is a lot to discuss in here! I'd especially recommend this book to be read in the month of October - if you read this, you will know why. Hint, no not because of Halloween.
The cover caught my eye - I loved the greens and the blues, and the casual prettiness of it. And for the cover whore like me - thats an important aspect of the book.
I do have to say that The Cast deals with some heavy topics, although it handles them with a gentle hand. But if anybody out there is as much of a hypochondriac as I am - beware.
Before I talk about the cast (get it?) I wanted to mention quickly that this book is very rich on jewish traditions and customs - which was so great to read, because I feel like I've learned so much. It was also nice, because to be honest I haven't seen many books out there featuring jewish characters (besides the ones set in time of WWII of course).
There are quite a few alternating points of view, but the main focus is on Becca. A childhood cancer survivor. I was rooting for Becca all the way through.
Nolan, well in my book Nolan can jump up his own ass and die! For me there was no redemption for him. I understand what his point of view meant to portray, but I just couldn't get on board with it.
Jordana was next after Nolan in her annoyingness, although I might have disliked her so much because I saw pieces of myself in her. Jordana's ocd and constant need to control and micromanage everything showed me that maybe some of my tendencies in life aren't pretty.
Holly, oh Holly. I absolutely adored her. There was not enough of her in the first part of the book, but later she became the central figure and oh my goodness that was tough to bear.
Lex was fun to read about and surprisingly I totally understood and supported where she came from, and why she did hat she did.
Seth was alright, but his POV was kinda annoying, mostly because his inner dialog was so childish I had to keep rolling my eyes.
Adam and Sal did not have enough page time , especially Sal - I feel like I even don't know Sal at all.
This was a solid 4 star read all the way through, but the ending did feel rushed and a bit unfinished so down to 3.75 it went. I realize that this was supposed to be one of "life goes on" endings, but I still felt like I needed some more closure.
I am very happy that I read this - it just randomly caught my eye on Netgalley, and surprise books often turn out to be the best books.
Big thanks to Get Red PR, SparkPress and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
November 29, 2018
When ninth grader Becca was in the hospital, her friends made a Saturday Night Live style video to cheer her up. Twenty five years later, the group of friends, Becca, Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex, have made plans to celebrate the anniversary of the video and Becca's good health. However, nothing seems to go according to plan, relationships will be tested and some things will never be the same.
I thought this was an interesting idea for a story, a group of teenagers who share a lifelong bond due to their friend Becca, spending so much time in the hospital when they were younger. While the story is mainly centered around Becca, each chapter follows a different character including Becca's husband, Nolan, and each friend, with the exception of Lex. Maybe in an effort to trim the length of the book, the author made the choice not to have Lex's perspective represented, but I just thought it was jarring not to include her as her life and problems were no less interesting than the other characters.
I really struggled with one of the characters, but even though the reactions and behavior seemed over the top at times, it unfortunately was realistic. Like I said earlier, I like the idea of the story but as a whole the book felt incomplete. I ended up enjoying different bits and pieces, but after reading the entire book, it was more like an average read. Given the subject matter though, I think some readers will connect much better with the story so I do recommend giving it a shot.
I won a free copy of this book from Chick Lit Central and Get Red PR. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
I thought this was an interesting idea for a story, a group of teenagers who share a lifelong bond due to their friend Becca, spending so much time in the hospital when they were younger. While the story is mainly centered around Becca, each chapter follows a different character including Becca's husband, Nolan, and each friend, with the exception of Lex. Maybe in an effort to trim the length of the book, the author made the choice not to have Lex's perspective represented, but I just thought it was jarring not to include her as her life and problems were no less interesting than the other characters.
I really struggled with one of the characters, but even though the reactions and behavior seemed over the top at times, it unfortunately was realistic. Like I said earlier, I like the idea of the story but as a whole the book felt incomplete. I ended up enjoying different bits and pieces, but after reading the entire book, it was more like an average read. Given the subject matter though, I think some readers will connect much better with the story so I do recommend giving it a shot.
I won a free copy of this book from Chick Lit Central and Get Red PR. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
August 15, 2018
The Cast has one of my favorite structures in a book, it’s told from several various perspectives and gives the reader the opportunity to see the dynamics of a group of lifelong friends through all of their eyes. I love the insight this provided into their thoughts, feelings and emotional processes and felt pretty bonded to these five people by the end of the book.
I think anytime an author writes an ensemble story it must be tricky to maintain different voices for each character and Blumenfeld does an admirable job. This is also the authors debut making it all the more impressive and besides maintaining individual personalities and voices for each character, she also manages to write really smoothly about some heavy topics.
This is definitely a pretty emotional read about the highs and lows of life and the friendships that help people keep it together when things are really tough. The relationships between Becca, Jordana, Holly, Lex and Seth are both complicated and sweet and entirely relatable on so many levels. There was also some humor and lightness so it’s definitely not all heavy, but it’s one that makes you think and be grateful for the people in your own life who are there no matter what may be happening.
The Cast in three words: Meaningful, Honest and Tender.
I think anytime an author writes an ensemble story it must be tricky to maintain different voices for each character and Blumenfeld does an admirable job. This is also the authors debut making it all the more impressive and besides maintaining individual personalities and voices for each character, she also manages to write really smoothly about some heavy topics.
This is definitely a pretty emotional read about the highs and lows of life and the friendships that help people keep it together when things are really tough. The relationships between Becca, Jordana, Holly, Lex and Seth are both complicated and sweet and entirely relatable on so many levels. There was also some humor and lightness so it’s definitely not all heavy, but it’s one that makes you think and be grateful for the people in your own life who are there no matter what may be happening.
The Cast in three words: Meaningful, Honest and Tender.
July 19, 2018
4.5 wonderful stars for The Cast!
I am hands down a sucker for books about friendship that evolve over time and take place from multiple perspectives (The Interestings, anyone?!?) and when I learned that this was going to be the format of The Cast, I was immediately interested. Blumenfeld does a wonderful job of giving voices to each of the characters that really let the differences in each of their personalities shine. I loved seeing how the relationships changed over the years from childhood to present day in this group of friends.
I can't wait to see what comes next from this new-to-me author who is now cemented on my must-read list!
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I am hands down a sucker for books about friendship that evolve over time and take place from multiple perspectives (The Interestings, anyone?!?) and when I learned that this was going to be the format of The Cast, I was immediately interested. Blumenfeld does a wonderful job of giving voices to each of the characters that really let the differences in each of their personalities shine. I loved seeing how the relationships changed over the years from childhood to present day in this group of friends.
I can't wait to see what comes next from this new-to-me author who is now cemented on my must-read list!
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
September 3, 2018
This novel was filled with so much warmth and emotion. The author created characters I felt like I knew, and I so enjoyed sharing their lives for a little while. I highly recommend!
March 30, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! It is a must read at the very least for women in their 40s yet relevant far beyond and before that. The characters develop vividly: their beings and emotions feel palpable. If I could have I would have read it one sitting; I had to force myself to put it down each night. It was like an unfolding movie. The choices these women and men make are choices we face and they give you pause, making you wonder what you yourself might do at each juncture with no choice being easy. It is told from the perspective of each character in a group of friends: this cast lives in our world and suffers the heartbreak and trauma we know both as young friends forever altered by the life-threatening illness of one in the group and with new life choices in their reunion 25 years later when they've grown into their adult and complicated selves with the addition of marriages, children, careers.
Although switching characters for each chapter has become common fare in novels, hearing these voices is anything but: the reader is exposed to the perspectives of how different people in a close-knit group deal with each other and themselves, with illness and friendship, with hierarchy, group dynamics, loyalty and what that actually means. Each voice is unique and recognizable.
I am eager to share this story with my book club in the fall when it releases. I am glad it was written and that it came into my hands. I don't know anything that has been written yet on this subject with quite the honesty, intensity and at times raw emotion with which it was written through the characters; and yet it is fluid and absolutely accessible.
Although switching characters for each chapter has become common fare in novels, hearing these voices is anything but: the reader is exposed to the perspectives of how different people in a close-knit group deal with each other and themselves, with illness and friendship, with hierarchy, group dynamics, loyalty and what that actually means. Each voice is unique and recognizable.
I am eager to share this story with my book club in the fall when it releases. I am glad it was written and that it came into my hands. I don't know anything that has been written yet on this subject with quite the honesty, intensity and at times raw emotion with which it was written through the characters; and yet it is fluid and absolutely accessible.
August 23, 2018
I enjoy reading books written in multiple perspectives. It helps me as a reader better understand the drivers behind behavior. The Cast is told from the perspectives of five friends. I loved the depth of their friendship and growth over the course of 25 years. Each were relatable and well-played. A very entertaining story and makes for a great beach read.
October 8, 2018
I hated this book. Incredibly cheesy. The writing was terrible and just when I thought it could not get worse, the ending was extremely anticlimactic. I think all of the glowing reviews must be paid or fake.
May 29, 2018
My Review of “The Cast” by Amy Blumenfeld , GetRedPr Sparkpress August 14,2018
OMG! WOW! I loved everything about “The Cast” by Amy Blumenfeld. Kudos to Amy Blumenfeld for her storytelling and her vivid descriptions and colorful cast of characters. I was captivated and enthralled with this emotionally charged intense novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The story takes place twenty five years before in the past, and the present.
The characters in this story are complex, complicated, emotional, confused, loyal, and flawed, which adds substance to the story. Twenty five years ago, a group of ninth graders make a video to cheer up Becca, their classmate who has cancer, and is in the hospital. They make the video in the style of Saturday Night Live. This video is significant throughout this story.
Now in the present, it is twenty-five years later, and the entire cast of friends are celebrating Becca’s life. A very good friend of Becca’s has made copies of DVD’s for each person as a gift of the original tape. Becca’s daughter enjoys watching this slap-stick comedy that her friends had put together. What the friends don’t realize is that from all the radiation that Becca had, she now has a diagnosis of breast cancer, which seems to be contained with surgery.
Becca appreciates life and knows she will have the surgery but is thinking long and hard about reconstructive plastic surgery and the complications. Her husband doesn’t understand Becca’s reaction. Becca’s husband also feels at time as an out-cast to the group of friends.
As the friends are to get together, each one has their own dramatic problems to deal with. Wrong decisions are made, and wrong conclusions are made. This is a novel that looks at deep and loyal friendship that withstands time, and the ups and downs in life. I love and appreciate that the author brings up such a difficult topic of cancer with such dignity and class. She also discusses the importance of emotional support, family, friendship, forgiveness, love, faith and hope. I would highly recommend this novel to readers that enjoy women’s fiction. There are some Kleenex moments. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
OMG! WOW! I loved everything about “The Cast” by Amy Blumenfeld. Kudos to Amy Blumenfeld for her storytelling and her vivid descriptions and colorful cast of characters. I was captivated and enthralled with this emotionally charged intense novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The story takes place twenty five years before in the past, and the present.
The characters in this story are complex, complicated, emotional, confused, loyal, and flawed, which adds substance to the story. Twenty five years ago, a group of ninth graders make a video to cheer up Becca, their classmate who has cancer, and is in the hospital. They make the video in the style of Saturday Night Live. This video is significant throughout this story.
Now in the present, it is twenty-five years later, and the entire cast of friends are celebrating Becca’s life. A very good friend of Becca’s has made copies of DVD’s for each person as a gift of the original tape. Becca’s daughter enjoys watching this slap-stick comedy that her friends had put together. What the friends don’t realize is that from all the radiation that Becca had, she now has a diagnosis of breast cancer, which seems to be contained with surgery.
Becca appreciates life and knows she will have the surgery but is thinking long and hard about reconstructive plastic surgery and the complications. Her husband doesn’t understand Becca’s reaction. Becca’s husband also feels at time as an out-cast to the group of friends.
As the friends are to get together, each one has their own dramatic problems to deal with. Wrong decisions are made, and wrong conclusions are made. This is a novel that looks at deep and loyal friendship that withstands time, and the ups and downs in life. I love and appreciate that the author brings up such a difficult topic of cancer with such dignity and class. She also discusses the importance of emotional support, family, friendship, forgiveness, love, faith and hope. I would highly recommend this novel to readers that enjoy women’s fiction. There are some Kleenex moments. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
August 17, 2018
Thanks so much to Get Red PR for providing my free copy of THE CAST by Amy Blumenfeld- all opinions are my own.
This surprising and lovely debut is exactly what I needed to read right now. The story centers around a group of old friends at 40 years of age who decide to have a reunion. This cast of characters (Becca, Holly, Jordana, Lex, and Seth) have all been friends since childhood and have kept in touch throughout Becca’s cancer diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager and treatment. When they were teenagers they made a video in the style of Saturday Night Live in order to cheer up Becca after her diagnosis and this video holds great significance throughout the book. Twenty-five years later, Jordana decides to organize a reunion to celebrate Becca’s 25th year anniversary of being in remission. What starts out to be a simple celebratory get-together quickly goes awry. There are marital troubles, an old flame, unexpected health issues, contemplative lifestyle changes, and friendship turmoil: typical things that can crack any facade when old friends reconnect.
This is a stellar, complex story about what it means when your friends are more than just that, when they are also your family. I absolutely love Blumenfeld’s writing style and the masterful way she gives a distinct voice to each character. Most of the story takes place over a weekend, but there is so much depth, complexity, and authenticity that you really get to know each character in such a short time. I loved every unique personality as I found each of them interesting, fun, flawed, complicated, and relatable. THE CAST reveals the importance of having an emotional support system, people you can count on, and what it means to be a loving and loyal friend. If you enjoy emotional, intricate stories with vibrant, well drawn out, and complex characters, then you will love this book!
This surprising and lovely debut is exactly what I needed to read right now. The story centers around a group of old friends at 40 years of age who decide to have a reunion. This cast of characters (Becca, Holly, Jordana, Lex, and Seth) have all been friends since childhood and have kept in touch throughout Becca’s cancer diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager and treatment. When they were teenagers they made a video in the style of Saturday Night Live in order to cheer up Becca after her diagnosis and this video holds great significance throughout the book. Twenty-five years later, Jordana decides to organize a reunion to celebrate Becca’s 25th year anniversary of being in remission. What starts out to be a simple celebratory get-together quickly goes awry. There are marital troubles, an old flame, unexpected health issues, contemplative lifestyle changes, and friendship turmoil: typical things that can crack any facade when old friends reconnect.
This is a stellar, complex story about what it means when your friends are more than just that, when they are also your family. I absolutely love Blumenfeld’s writing style and the masterful way she gives a distinct voice to each character. Most of the story takes place over a weekend, but there is so much depth, complexity, and authenticity that you really get to know each character in such a short time. I loved every unique personality as I found each of them interesting, fun, flawed, complicated, and relatable. THE CAST reveals the importance of having an emotional support system, people you can count on, and what it means to be a loving and loyal friend. If you enjoy emotional, intricate stories with vibrant, well drawn out, and complex characters, then you will love this book!
August 29, 2018
Childhood friends--Becca, Jordana, Holly, Lex, and Seth--reunite years later for a weekend getaway. Will they all get along as well as they used to? Or, has time and distance changed their friendships?
Even though it was Becca who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma when they were teens, her health scare affected all of them in numerous ways and for years to come. Even though there were a large cast of characters and numerous story lines, I didn't have any trouble keeping everyone straight and following along. If you love stories about lifelong friendships, then don't miss this humorous, authentic, and heartfelt debut!
Trigger warning: Breast cancer
3.5 stars
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Location: New York City
Even though it was Becca who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma when they were teens, her health scare affected all of them in numerous ways and for years to come. Even though there were a large cast of characters and numerous story lines, I didn't have any trouble keeping everyone straight and following along. If you love stories about lifelong friendships, then don't miss this humorous, authentic, and heartfelt debut!
Trigger warning: Breast cancer
3.5 stars
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Location: New York City
April 5, 2018
The Cast is an emotionally charged story that involves several main characters all trying to have a great weekend for THE main characters, Becca. There is a Big Chill-esque quality to the friendships in this cast of characters. So much raw emotion. Kudos to the author for harkening me back to the early 90s of my youth.
August 23, 2018
I requested an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley because I love books about close groups of friends who reunite after many years. I enjoyed what the author did with the novel with combining multiple points of view of the friends and spouses who came together to celebrate 25 years since the "cast" of friends made a Saturday-Night style video to cheer up an ailing friend. However, I didn't realize before I started reading it that the ailing friend had cancer and for personal reasons, that topic is too close to my heart right now. I ended up skim-reading parts of it to keep a distance from it. I would like to re-read this in a few years, possibly by audio book as I think it would be an absorbing audio-read. The book is now out and I would recommend it, just with a caveat for those sensitive to cancer topics.
March 26, 2018
There's not much more important in life than good friends. When Becca is 15 she suffers from Hodgkin's Lymphoma and her family and tight knit group of friends fear she might not make it. One day the friends make Beca tape modeled after a Saturday Night Live show to try and cheer her up and thus The Cast is born.
Fast forward 25 years, Beca is happily married to Nolan and has a precious daughter Emma and best friend Jordy has planned a reunion of the cast to Celebrate Becca. But Beca has a secret she is keeping from The Cast and a crack is forming in her relationship with Nolan. Decisions made during the reunion weekend will change the lives of The Cast forever.
I really liked this book! I was interested in the story lines of all of the cast members, Seth, Lex, Holly and Jordanna - not just Beca's. I found Beca and Nolan's issue to be in interesting one and not one that I had seen tackled in fiction before. I did wonder many times while reading how often that is an issue in a relationship.
Overall an interesting, entertaining read!
Fast forward 25 years, Beca is happily married to Nolan and has a precious daughter Emma and best friend Jordy has planned a reunion of the cast to Celebrate Becca. But Beca has a secret she is keeping from The Cast and a crack is forming in her relationship with Nolan. Decisions made during the reunion weekend will change the lives of The Cast forever.
I really liked this book! I was interested in the story lines of all of the cast members, Seth, Lex, Holly and Jordanna - not just Beca's. I found Beca and Nolan's issue to be in interesting one and not one that I had seen tackled in fiction before. I did wonder many times while reading how often that is an issue in a relationship.
Overall an interesting, entertaining read!
January 20, 2021
The Cast was not what I expected at all. I went in blind, and I think I was expecting something along the lines of Trust Exercise. This book is probably as far from that book as you could get. There should be a lot of trigger warnings with this one, as the book primarily focuses on Becca, who is a child cancer survivor, and there is a lot of mention of cancer throughout the book.
Becca, as a teenager, has a great friend group (The Cast) that rallies around her to help her cheer up. Seth, Lex, Jordana and Holly made a tape for her, and then they reconnect for a reunion weekend 25 years later. This book primarily takes place during that weekend, although there is enough of backstory to make it all make sense.
There is a lot of jumping from character to character (although not all characters get a chapter, which was an odd choice), but since they are together for the weekend, it's not too jumbled. There is a lot going on and I think the author tried to tackle too much with this. Each character had major life issues that needed addressing and it detracted from the story as a whole. I did like that they were Jewish and it brought a lot of Jewish customs and traditions into the story. However, the end seemed rushed and it was just a lot going on.
Becca, as a teenager, has a great friend group (The Cast) that rallies around her to help her cheer up. Seth, Lex, Jordana and Holly made a tape for her, and then they reconnect for a reunion weekend 25 years later. This book primarily takes place during that weekend, although there is enough of backstory to make it all make sense.
There is a lot of jumping from character to character (although not all characters get a chapter, which was an odd choice), but since they are together for the weekend, it's not too jumbled. There is a lot going on and I think the author tried to tackle too much with this. Each character had major life issues that needed addressing and it detracted from the story as a whole. I did like that they were Jewish and it brought a lot of Jewish customs and traditions into the story. However, the end seemed rushed and it was just a lot going on.
March 18, 2018
This book is exceeding my expectations. i thought this would be another slice-of-life story, centering the then terminally ill character, but it’s not. It is about the journey they have when they were growing up, about the choices, the heartbreak, the betrayal. The book also capture that when your loved ones is sick, especially with the serious-terminal illness, it will also affect you too. And it’s okay to be scared, it’s okay to be exhausted once a while.
I also love how the author portray the main characters, it’s realistic. Except the mommy and daddy of Becca that I think is too good to be true.
Thank you netgalley and publishers for providing the arc.
I also love how the author portray the main characters, it’s realistic. Except the mommy and daddy of Becca that I think is too good to be true.
Thank you netgalley and publishers for providing the arc.
March 9, 2018
In her captivating and wholly engrossing debut, Blumenfeld pulls the reader in from the very beginning. She deftly handles the perspective of multiple characters as well as writing about complicated issues with levity and grace. This well told story is timely and relatable and leaves the reader wondering how she would handle similar situations.
March 10, 2018
Brimming with tenderness, humor and heart, The Cast expertly explores how the experiences in childhood forever shape our adulthood. Blumenfeld has created richly-drawn characters who are flawed and relatable and easy to root for despite their mistakes. This is a must-read novel!
August 16, 2018
Reading other reader's reviews makes me think that maybe I'm too cynical. The Cast by Amy Blumenfeld is good, but it's not...life changing or super emotional.
The Cast is the story of a group of friends coming together to celebrate Becca Night Live, a silly video the friends made, in their childhood, for Becca who was suffering through childhood cancer. The time period if 15 years later and New York/Upstate New York is the setting. It's got all the makings of a good, friendship type book. Different view points, a secret, an illness, a baby...... But there was something missing for me. Some depth or something. It's not A Little Life, and it's not The Big Chill. It's...a grown-up BabySitter's Club, plus illness and a lot of mention of praying and God.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The Cast is the story of a group of friends coming together to celebrate Becca Night Live, a silly video the friends made, in their childhood, for Becca who was suffering through childhood cancer. The time period if 15 years later and New York/Upstate New York is the setting. It's got all the makings of a good, friendship type book. Different view points, a secret, an illness, a baby...... But there was something missing for me. Some depth or something. It's not A Little Life, and it's not The Big Chill. It's...a grown-up BabySitter's Club, plus illness and a lot of mention of praying and God.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 18, 2018
I can’t say enough great things about this book. The dynamic between the cast and their lifelong relationships are what everyone dreams of when they are young.
The conflict between Becca and Nolan is sadly realistic and at times makes you dislike Nolan but also feel for him. Becca and her friends have been thru this before and saw the devastating effects it had. Nolan was not around during that period in her life and sadly his reactions show a different side to him.
Holly losing her husband after the birth of their child broke my heart but also showed how incredibly strong she is and how strong the bonds of friendship are.
I do wish that there would be a follow up book to see where they end up. What happens with Becca and Nolan as their conflict was never fully resolved.
The conflict between Becca and Nolan is sadly realistic and at times makes you dislike Nolan but also feel for him. Becca and her friends have been thru this before and saw the devastating effects it had. Nolan was not around during that period in her life and sadly his reactions show a different side to him.
Holly losing her husband after the birth of their child broke my heart but also showed how incredibly strong she is and how strong the bonds of friendship are.
I do wish that there would be a follow up book to see where they end up. What happens with Becca and Nolan as their conflict was never fully resolved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'Though I was snuggling on the sofa with my daughter, every other part of my being was back in that room over two decades earlier, experiencing Becca Night Live for the very first time.'
Twenty-five years ago Becca’s best friends Holly, Seth, Lex and Jordana gave her the gift of laughter with a video tape in the same style as Saturday Night Live to help her heal from a very serious illness, Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While her friend’s lives go on as that of most ninth graders, homework, goofing around and first dates Becca feels locked out of it all, stuck in bed, trapped by tubes, IVS. The tender gift gives her something for herself, something she doesn’t have to share with her hovering, overbearing but caring parents. Becca’s illness is a noxious brew of mixed emotions, a longing to be a part of the group fully again, instead of being left out of even the smallest details, it’s like time standing still for her, while her friends are forging ahead, she is left behind in a sterile room with an uncertain future. It is 25 years later, she has a daughter of her own Emma (whom she loves beyond anything in the world), and a husband Nolan whom she met in college and fell hard for. But how much honesty can she take from him and why do his real feelings make her question if his love is genuine? This is an interesting part of the story, because people aren’t supposed to be honest about things that make them seem vain, a man’s perspective about such an intimate body/health issue of his wife’s hardly seems fair. But there are two sides, even if it comes off as selfish or cruel, it’s his truth even though it won’t sit well with most women.
As the friends come together, something is failing in each of their lives. Becca’s illness creates a division between her and Nolan, and all the friends are aware things aren’t good between them. All the treatments she received as a teen left its mark on her body. Her friends kept a lot from her, how deeply painful it was to stand by and watch her suffer when they were so young. There are other issues too that come to a head during the ‘reunion’. Not everyone who seems to be living the perfect life is truly happy. Every member of The Cast has a voice in the novel. Something came between Holly and Jordana when they were young, it smacked of betrayal though that may not have been intentional and many years later it still causes an ache. Old jealousies arise, feeling as if time never passed. Jordana is still attuned to her best friend and the atmosphere, she knows something is wrong again. All the old fears bubble inside of her, and it’s time to confess just how frightened she was all those years ago. But first, she has to know what is going on. Is she being pushed out again, by Holly, who took something else from her before? Lex has so much and should be fulfilled, so why is she crowing so loudly in defense of Becca’s own marital struggles, so sure Nolan (as the man) is to blame? Three children, a successful husband and perfect home may not be enough for her anymore. Seth was headed for success at Princeton so long ago, the wind in his sail changed his direction and his romantic life is more about getting women out of his bed as fast as in. Strange now to find himself getting closer to the very married Lex, and giving her business advice? Just how much has she changed? Bonds will be tested, and bridges will be built, some on grief. The friends have been dealing with very adult issues since the year their beloved friend Becca was diagnosed decades ago, and once again they will all need each other’s love and support as life takes a bite out of them.
This is perfect for a book club, it could spark serious conversation about women’s issues that also become men’s issues.
Publication Date: August 14, 2018
Get Red PR
SparkPress
'Though I was snuggling on the sofa with my daughter, every other part of my being was back in that room over two decades earlier, experiencing Becca Night Live for the very first time.'
Twenty-five years ago Becca’s best friends Holly, Seth, Lex and Jordana gave her the gift of laughter with a video tape in the same style as Saturday Night Live to help her heal from a very serious illness, Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While her friend’s lives go on as that of most ninth graders, homework, goofing around and first dates Becca feels locked out of it all, stuck in bed, trapped by tubes, IVS. The tender gift gives her something for herself, something she doesn’t have to share with her hovering, overbearing but caring parents. Becca’s illness is a noxious brew of mixed emotions, a longing to be a part of the group fully again, instead of being left out of even the smallest details, it’s like time standing still for her, while her friends are forging ahead, she is left behind in a sterile room with an uncertain future. It is 25 years later, she has a daughter of her own Emma (whom she loves beyond anything in the world), and a husband Nolan whom she met in college and fell hard for. But how much honesty can she take from him and why do his real feelings make her question if his love is genuine? This is an interesting part of the story, because people aren’t supposed to be honest about things that make them seem vain, a man’s perspective about such an intimate body/health issue of his wife’s hardly seems fair. But there are two sides, even if it comes off as selfish or cruel, it’s his truth even though it won’t sit well with most women.
As the friends come together, something is failing in each of their lives. Becca’s illness creates a division between her and Nolan, and all the friends are aware things aren’t good between them. All the treatments she received as a teen left its mark on her body. Her friends kept a lot from her, how deeply painful it was to stand by and watch her suffer when they were so young. There are other issues too that come to a head during the ‘reunion’. Not everyone who seems to be living the perfect life is truly happy. Every member of The Cast has a voice in the novel. Something came between Holly and Jordana when they were young, it smacked of betrayal though that may not have been intentional and many years later it still causes an ache. Old jealousies arise, feeling as if time never passed. Jordana is still attuned to her best friend and the atmosphere, she knows something is wrong again. All the old fears bubble inside of her, and it’s time to confess just how frightened she was all those years ago. But first, she has to know what is going on. Is she being pushed out again, by Holly, who took something else from her before? Lex has so much and should be fulfilled, so why is she crowing so loudly in defense of Becca’s own marital struggles, so sure Nolan (as the man) is to blame? Three children, a successful husband and perfect home may not be enough for her anymore. Seth was headed for success at Princeton so long ago, the wind in his sail changed his direction and his romantic life is more about getting women out of his bed as fast as in. Strange now to find himself getting closer to the very married Lex, and giving her business advice? Just how much has she changed? Bonds will be tested, and bridges will be built, some on grief. The friends have been dealing with very adult issues since the year their beloved friend Becca was diagnosed decades ago, and once again they will all need each other’s love and support as life takes a bite out of them.
This is perfect for a book club, it could spark serious conversation about women’s issues that also become men’s issues.
Publication Date: August 14, 2018
Get Red PR
SparkPress
December 21, 2018
I was intrigued by the premise of this novel. Especially since the synopsis started by talking about a Saturday Night Live type of video. I used to watch SNL all the time in the 80s and 90s, so I enjoyed hearing about all the characters they were trying to be when I read about it in the novel.
The Cast is extremely well-written and it's hard to believe that this is a debut. The characters were strongly developed and their interactions and dialogue felt genuine and realistic. It was easy to visualize people and places. I loved all the Chicago and New York references, as well as the Jewish ones. And I especially loved that one of the characters was Orthodox, as I don't find them that often in women's fiction (unless it's written by Naomi Ragen). It was easy to relate to her and I felt we had similar struggles and feelings.
There was one part I wish hadn't taken place, but it was interesting to see how the characters handled the situation. I also wish Lex had been given her own narrative instead of being seen through everyone else's perspectives.
I had a hard time putting this book down. Even when I could go online or watch TV after Shabbat, I wanted to continue reading until I was finished. If you have not yet read The Cast, I highly recommend it. I hope Amy Blumenfeld will write another novel soon!
Of course, this book needs a cast!
Becca: Rachael Leigh Cook
Jordana: Amanda Schull
Seth: Daniel Gillies
Lex: Danielle Harris
Holly: Felicia Day
Adam: Dave Annable
Nolan: Chris Pratt
The Cast is extremely well-written and it's hard to believe that this is a debut. The characters were strongly developed and their interactions and dialogue felt genuine and realistic. It was easy to visualize people and places. I loved all the Chicago and New York references, as well as the Jewish ones. And I especially loved that one of the characters was Orthodox, as I don't find them that often in women's fiction (unless it's written by Naomi Ragen). It was easy to relate to her and I felt we had similar struggles and feelings.
There was one part I wish hadn't taken place, but it was interesting to see how the characters handled the situation. I also wish Lex had been given her own narrative instead of being seen through everyone else's perspectives.
I had a hard time putting this book down. Even when I could go online or watch TV after Shabbat, I wanted to continue reading until I was finished. If you have not yet read The Cast, I highly recommend it. I hope Amy Blumenfeld will write another novel soon!
Of course, this book needs a cast!
Becca: Rachael Leigh Cook
Jordana: Amanda Schull
Seth: Daniel Gillies
Lex: Danielle Harris
Holly: Felicia Day
Adam: Dave Annable
Nolan: Chris Pratt
December 1, 2020
I had this on my shelf for awhile and once I started I was enthralled, captivated.
I read this several months ago but recommend it highly.
Twenty-five years ago, a group of ninth graders produced a Saturday Night Live–style videotape to cheer up their ailing friend. The show’s running time was only ninety minutes, but it had a lasting impact: Becca laughed her way through recovery, and the group—Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex—became her supporting cast for life.
On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health—but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected
back cover
I read this several months ago but recommend it highly.
Twenty-five years ago, a group of ninth graders produced a Saturday Night Live–style videotape to cheer up their ailing friend. The show’s running time was only ninety minutes, but it had a lasting impact: Becca laughed her way through recovery, and the group—Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex—became her supporting cast for life.
On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health—but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected
back cover
August 26, 2018
Thank you @getredpr for sending me a free advance copy of The Cast! This was a thoroughly engrossing five star read for me by debut author and journalist, Amy Blumenfeld. The theme had a Big Chill feel for those of you old enough to be familiar with that movie but instead of gathering upon the death of an old friend, the group of friends is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their friend who is a pediatric cancer survivor. Maybe because I lost a friend and classmate to cancer when I was in 8th grade but this book resonated deeply with me. Just released August 14th and highly recommended by this bookworm! 📖
August 14, 2018
The description of this book and any review I will write will never do this book the justice it deserves. Wow, what an amazing read! While the underlying theme of friendship and the lengths we go to to protect a friend are strong, the bigger issue of REAL LIFE is so well represented. I devoured this book so quickly—I just had to know what happened next.
Without giving spoilers—I HATED Nolan, cried for Holly, and celebrated Lexi. As for Jordana and Becca, I think we could all hope for a bond that strong.
I received an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Without giving spoilers—I HATED Nolan, cried for Holly, and celebrated Lexi. As for Jordana and Becca, I think we could all hope for a bond that strong.
I received an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
December 16, 2018
I have to admit that I'm a sucker for the "getting the band back together" genre of books and this one delivers. I love the "cast" of characters. Each one is interesting and real with unique challenges to face during the course of the story. Blumenfeld's writing brought me right in to the the lives of the cast and the touches of humor kept the story from getting bogged down during the tragic moments. I really enjoyed this debit novel and I look forward to more from Blumenfeld.
January 16, 2022
This book sat on my shelf for so long and now that I’ve finished, I’m wondering what took me so long to pick it up?? Full of heart, friendship, and a healthy dose of reality, it had my crying at the end and wondering if they author has more.
August 15, 2018
Great summer read!
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