Smells Like Tween Spirit: A Novel by Laurie Gelman

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Web ID: 15058423

Even with the cutthroat days of being Class Mom behind her, as a freshly minted mat mom of the Pioneer Middle School (PMS) wrestling team, Jen Dixon cannot catch a break. This year, as her son joins the ranks of the PMS wrestlers, Jen faces mystifying new social dynamics with her trademark combination of reluctance and resigned acceptance. The sights and smells of her son's wrestling matches are more than enough for her to deal with, but Jen also finds herself fully immersed in sports-mom competitiveness. These parents all seem perfectly unassuming until their kids start to wrestle, and then some become raging momsters. Jen steels herself for the indignities of middle school life, but she cannot quite fathom the extents to which some kids (and moms) will go for the sweet taste of victory. Add to this some truly bizarre encounters with students from her spin class and deeper challenges managing her parents, and Jen has more gum than she can chew... and even her riotously funny one-liners might not get her through it this time.

  • Product Features

    • Author - Laurie Gelman
    • Publisher - Holt, Henry & Company, Inc.
    • Publication Date - 08-02-2022
    • Page Count - 256
    • Hardcover
    • Age Range - Adult
    • Fiction
    • Product Dimensions - 6.2 W x 9.3 H x 1 D
    • ISBN-13 - 9781250777591
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3 years ago
from Corning, Ca

4th in a humorous series

This book is a fourth in a series and could be read as a stand alone. I would suggest though that you read the others first because you will fall in love with this humor-filled book and want to read the first three anyway. Jen is a 55 year old mom with three children, two adult girls out of the house and a son in seventh grade. This year Jen is a “mat mom” which is the name given to mothers of wrestlers. She also teaches spin class, babysits her granddaughter and helps take care of her dad. Jen and hubby stay embroiled in the family happenings by hosting weekly dinners, and we all know what family dinners can be like. The dialogue is tongue in cheek, sassy and often very funny. She’s the kind of outspoken woman that I aspire to be. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from Mandeville, LA

Loved It!

I loved this new book in the Jen Dixon series. While she’s not a class mom anymore, she is now a Mat Mom for Max, who is wrestling. Her signature emails are still around as is her sparkling wit and her hilarious sense of humor. I devoured this one as I did the others and loved everything about it. There are so serious moments as well and it definitely adds to the complexity of Jen’s character and her life in general. Highly recommended!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from NJ

Another great story about Jen Dixon

Another great book about Jen Dixon from Laurie Gelman. This is such a fun series to read and Jen is such a great character to follow on her journey as class mom, team mom and just mom in general. I flee through this one enjoying every bit of it. I hope there are more stories still to come for Jen and her family!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from Alabama

As a mother I really appreciated this book

This book was hilarious. I had not read any other books in the series but didn't feel like I was missing anything. I am planning on reading the other books, as I haven't laughed so much in a long time. Jen is married with children - she has a young son in middle school and two adult daughters in competition with each other. There are also some serious things going on - her father has Alzheimer's and her mother is not dealing with it too well. Jen works part time - she teaches a spin class, and boy, does she have some interesting people who attend her class. (I made a vow after reading this book to never be overly familiar with someone who teaches a class.) Her son is in the 7th grade this year, and joins the wrestling team. Jen volunteers to become a MAT Mom, which turns out to have a lot of pitfalls. The smell, the overly competitive parents, the smell - on top of everything else that she has going on with her family. This book has made me laugh more than any book I've read this year, and also almost brought me to tears at times. I especially appreciated the book's treatment of her father, who had Alzheimer's, and how difficult it was for Jen's mother to accept his decline. I did think the family was a little hard on Jen at one point - she had a lot to deal with. Thanks to the publisher Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this book. It was a pleasure to read and review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago

premium mom humor

First, this is my first Laurie Gelman book. I didn't realize this was a series till the note at the end of the book. I loved this book so much. My kids are still young. My oldest is 8. But I feel this book so much. Trying to find 'mom friends' is a different kind of beast, and trying to find a place in kids sports is another thing all together. I laughed out loud so many times with this book, I felt for her, I loved along with her. I honestly can't wait to go back to book 1 and read the whole series. This is not 'chick-lit' this is mom-lit. This is the kind of book that makes moms feel seen and less alone. Thank everything for books like this! Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook copy A million thanks to Laurie Gelman for this book and also the narration!! I always love when an author narrates their book. they always have a unique voice to their characters and you can tell they have a real passion for the words!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from Washington DC

A fun light read!

Laurie Gelman keeps it real with her latest book, Smells Like Tween Spirit. Her sense of humor and whit will keep you entertained! If you have ever raised a middle schooler, especially in sports, this book will resonate with you!

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from New Jersey

A fun read!

I love Jen Dixon! Her humor, devotion to her family, spin class, middle school wrestling team and the Mat Mom's is hilarious and definitely makes for a very real, fabulous story! I was a wrestling mom as well, and it is intense,heartbreaking at times, challenging,and exhilarating other times. Like Jen, we only want the best for our kids (not getting hurt and winning is a plus), and as seen by Jen Dixon, we will do anything for them. My favorite is washing the singlets. Pew! Laurie Gelman has nailed this novel and there is not a person, parent, grandparent or friend who will not be caught up in this wonderful, crazy book! I think it should be a MUST READ for all wrestling parents! Well done as are her other books and I am anxious to see what is next for Jen Dixon and family! Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC and provide my own review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from Pittsburgh, PA

Jen is Back....and Better than Ever!!!

Guess who’s back, back again, Jen Dixon is back….tell a friend! OMG, was I excited to receive and advanced copy of Smells Like Tween Spirit from @HenryHoltBooks and @goodreads and let me tell you, I finished that book in a day and a half! The Class Mom series has been one of my favorites over the last couple of years, in fact, this one is my favorite out of all of them so far! This time around, we follow along on as Jen deals with Max starting middle school and his sudden desire to try his hand at wrestling, dealing with her dad’s dementia, her daughters going into business, and trying to “get to know” the riders in her spin class. I suggest those who are new the Class Mom series, is to start from the beginning and work your way up. It will give you an appreciation of Jen Dixons personality (which is priceless!), family life, and how she is able to do it all! Please keep the series going!!!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com