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Very Bad Company
Every year executives at the trendy tech startup Aurora gather the company’s top employees for an exclusive retreat in Miami and this year, Caitlin Levy—Aurora’s newest hire—is joining the team as Head of Events. The benefits are outstanding: a seven-figure salary, stock shares, a discretionary bonus, and limitless vacation days. What could possibly go wrong?
When another high-level executive vanishes after the first night, the disappearance has the potential to derail the future of the company’s sale and cost everyone on the team millions. Now more than ever Caitlin and her colleagues must continue the charade—partaking in team-building exercises, group brainstorms, and dinners—to keep the future of Aurora afloat amid the fatal speculations.
When another high-level executive vanishes after the first night, the disappearance has the potential to derail the future of the company’s sale and cost everyone on the team millions. Now more than ever Caitlin and her colleagues must continue the charade—partaking in team-building exercises, group brainstorms, and dinners—to keep the future of Aurora afloat amid the fatal speculations.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2024
About the author
Emma Rosenblum
2 books696 followersEmma Rosenblum is chief content officer at Bustle Digital Group, overseeing content and strategy for BDG’s editorial portfolios, including Bustle, Elite Daily, Romper, NYLON, The Zoe Report, Romper, Scary Mommy, Fatherly, The Dad, and Inverse. Prior to BDG, Emma served as the executive editor of ELLE. Previously Rosenblum was a senior editor at Bloomberg Businessweek, and before that a senior editor at Glamour. She began her career at New York magazine. She lives in New York City, with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 679 reviews
May 12, 2024
First I would like to thank Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced audio book copy.
I love stories about the workplace and I thought it would be great for me. The narrator was great.
The story is interesting and well paced, but I had a hard time engaging with the characters, who felt somehow all the same.
I usually love rooting for good characters who are terrible people, but I felt like here they lacked some depth and complex motivation.
I still would recommend if you are familiar with the author.
I love stories about the workplace and I thought it would be great for me. The narrator was great.
The story is interesting and well paced, but I had a hard time engaging with the characters, who felt somehow all the same.
I usually love rooting for good characters who are terrible people, but I felt like here they lacked some depth and complex motivation.
I still would recommend if you are familiar with the author.
May 19, 2024
This was a 3-3.5/5 entertaining amount of thriller. I think I was expecting more from the endings and reveals, but the bulk of the story kept me guessing and intrigued.
There were a surprising amount of nods to corporate culture and being a woman (in particular the cold temperature of offices was brought up on multiple occasions) but there was no biting commentary or direction to go with it, just something brought up during the female POVs. (There was little if any nods to being Black or gay during those respective POVs, so I thought the author was going for a stronger feminist angle than we ultimately got.)
Audiobook Notes:
The narrator is clear and crisp and is able to differentiate all the voices by changing her register or accent to better reflect each character.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There were a surprising amount of nods to corporate culture and being a woman (in particular the cold temperature of offices was brought up on multiple occasions) but there was no biting commentary or direction to go with it, just something brought up during the female POVs. (There was little if any nods to being Black or gay during those respective POVs, so I thought the author was going for a stronger feminist angle than we ultimately got.)
Audiobook Notes:
The narrator is clear and crisp and is able to differentiate all the voices by changing her register or accent to better reflect each character.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for granting me an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 3, 2024
I believe in the Pop-Tart food group as much as the Steel-Cut Oats one, and likewise, I don’t think everything we read needs to be Ulysses or The Iliad or whatever. And when readers do choose to engage in that more “processed frosted breakfast pastry” type of fare, the Rich People Behaving Badly In Warmer Climes genre is a perennial favorite flavor, on which Corporate Malfeasance and Badly-Behaved Tech Bros and CEOs are “the sprinkles” in this latest by Rosenblum. But while I thought the author’s last book, Bad Summer People, worked just fine on this insubstantial-but-briefly-satisfying level, unfortunately Very Bad Company failed to fully coalesce for me despite some initial potential and fizzled out in the end.
Some plot threads and characters were left to languish or too efficiently summed up, and the big reveal behind the crime at the novel’s center was anticlimactic and pretty predictable. I had a very hard time getting any kind of strong visual image of the distasteful, persistently Churchill-quoting CEO; he just didn’t ever come through for me as a cohesive character I could wrap my head around and conceptualize. Worst of all, I felt like characters were generally summed up by their physical characteristics throughout the novel and that is about as deep as their characterizations got: for instance, we have Flowery Dress, Adult Headband, Tight Short-Shorts, and seriously one character is basically just Enormous Breasts, accompanied by Guy Staring With a Goofy Grin at Said Breasts.
Let it be known that it pains me to write this pretty unflattering review: I think Rosenblum is a talented writer and I liked her last book way more than a lot of readers did. Something here just seemed desultory or off: maybe she is ready to move on and write her own Steel-Cut Oats novel? Would love to see what she does with it!
Some plot threads and characters were left to languish or too efficiently summed up, and the big reveal behind the crime at the novel’s center was anticlimactic and pretty predictable. I had a very hard time getting any kind of strong visual image of the distasteful, persistently Churchill-quoting CEO; he just didn’t ever come through for me as a cohesive character I could wrap my head around and conceptualize. Worst of all, I felt like characters were generally summed up by their physical characteristics throughout the novel and that is about as deep as their characterizations got: for instance, we have Flowery Dress, Adult Headband, Tight Short-Shorts, and seriously one character is basically just Enormous Breasts, accompanied by Guy Staring With a Goofy Grin at Said Breasts.
Let it be known that it pains me to write this pretty unflattering review: I think Rosenblum is a talented writer and I liked her last book way more than a lot of readers did. Something here just seemed desultory or off: maybe she is ready to move on and write her own Steel-Cut Oats novel? Would love to see what she does with it!
April 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It followed start up company on a retreat where nothing goes as expected. Never knew what was going to happen or who was behind anything. Would definitely recommend for a beach read. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review!
June 22, 2024
What could go wrong when an unlikable corporate crew travels to Miami for their annual executive team retreat? This is all you need to know when starting Very Bad Company, a fun, coworkers behaving badly, whodunnit story.
Very Bad Company includes excessive spending, competition among team members, clandestine romance, high drama, and secrets abound. While the characters are unlikable, I found this to be a fast, entertaining book. Perfect for poolside reading or an escape for a few hours.
Very Bad Company includes excessive spending, competition among team members, clandestine romance, high drama, and secrets abound. While the characters are unlikable, I found this to be a fast, entertaining book. Perfect for poolside reading or an escape for a few hours.
May 28, 2024
3.5 rounded up
Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted ALC. #MACAUDIO2024
Very Bad Company
Emma Rosenblum
🎙️ January Lavoy
Out now
⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5)
(Narration - 5 stars)
Very Bad Company is a satirical drama set at a tech startup's annual retreat, where nothing is what it seems and you have no idea who to trust. It's full of secrets and schemes and (intentionally) unlikeable characters. While entertaining, I struggled to become fully invested. January Lavoy's narration is the star of the show, as her multi-character performance enhanced my experience and made me push through to the end (which I probably wouldn't have if I'd read it with my eyes).
And if I never hear another Winston Churchill quote, it'll be too soon. IYKYK 😆
Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted ALC. #MACAUDIO2024
Very Bad Company
Emma Rosenblum
🎙️ January Lavoy
Out now
⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5)
(Narration - 5 stars)
Very Bad Company is a satirical drama set at a tech startup's annual retreat, where nothing is what it seems and you have no idea who to trust. It's full of secrets and schemes and (intentionally) unlikeable characters. While entertaining, I struggled to become fully invested. January Lavoy's narration is the star of the show, as her multi-character performance enhanced my experience and made me push through to the end (which I probably wouldn't have if I'd read it with my eyes).
And if I never hear another Winston Churchill quote, it'll be too soon. IYKYK 😆
April 25, 2024
Very Bad Comapny ….. Is a very, very good audio book! Scandal, lovable characters, and lots of dark humor. January LaVoy did an amazing job narrating this story. My first book by Rosenblum & I’m already on the hunt for more!
Thank you NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for an ARC copy of this title.
Thank you NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for an ARC copy of this title.
July 6, 2024
This book is probably a 5 star read for someone but that someone isn’t me. From the description I was expecting some drama, but it also described a missing person and a lot of mystery. This book was 99% drama and 1% mystery and that’s not the ratio I was looking for. So much of this book nothing really happened except horrible people being awful to each other. I didn’t care about a single person in this book and I didn’t care what happened next or the “whodunnit.” The writing was pretty good, this one was just not for me. All of the upper management for Aurora is on their annual corporate retreat at a fancy hotel with tons of speedy activities including the newest member Caitlin. But there are a lot of secrets between these people and secrets have a way of coming out.
June 3, 2024
CALLING ALL THOSE INTO BUSINESS DRAMA!!!
Caitlin Levy has just landed her dream job at the trendy tech startup company, Aurora. Without a firm job description, she’s a little wary of attending the annual business retreat in Miami Beach. With this multi-million dollar company, what could go wrong? When a top executive goes missing and lines are blurred between relationships, Caitlin begins to realize Aurora is hiding dark secrets. Told from every viewpoint, this Fortune 500 fiction is JUICY
Though I found myself wanting to know how it ended to the reading of January Lavoy’s brilliant character voicing, this particular book was not for me at all. Completely a preference. The writing was honestly well done, I just didn’t enjoy the storyline, business trope, or the type of drama. In addition, the all-characters points of view also made the storyline tough to get into initially. I fully believe there is an audience out there waiting to give this 5 stars.
A very special thank you to Emma Rosenblum, January LaVoy, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the chance to read this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Caitlin Levy has just landed her dream job at the trendy tech startup company, Aurora. Without a firm job description, she’s a little wary of attending the annual business retreat in Miami Beach. With this multi-million dollar company, what could go wrong? When a top executive goes missing and lines are blurred between relationships, Caitlin begins to realize Aurora is hiding dark secrets. Told from every viewpoint, this Fortune 500 fiction is JUICY
Though I found myself wanting to know how it ended to the reading of January Lavoy’s brilliant character voicing, this particular book was not for me at all. Completely a preference. The writing was honestly well done, I just didn’t enjoy the storyline, business trope, or the type of drama. In addition, the all-characters points of view also made the storyline tough to get into initially. I fully believe there is an audience out there waiting to give this 5 stars.
A very special thank you to Emma Rosenblum, January LaVoy, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the chance to read this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2024
This is different from the kind of books I normally read, but it was very entertaining. So much drama! There was always something going on, some secret being uncovered, salacious rumors being told. It was a very quick read.
There was just something about the ending that didn’t sit quite right with me. It left me with lingering questions and feeling like some loose ends needed to be tied up.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and I thought the narrator did a great job at portraying these complex characters.
Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook.
There was just something about the ending that didn’t sit quite right with me. It left me with lingering questions and feeling like some loose ends needed to be tied up.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and I thought the narrator did a great job at portraying these complex characters.
Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook.
May 21, 2024
Emma Rosenblum just gets me. I freaking love her books. Terrible people, lots of money, beautiful settings, and lots of lots of drama. This is the perfect book to listen to to kick off summer!!
I've been on a couple work retreats and it's safe to say, my company must be doing them all wrong because I've certainly never stayed in a five-star resort, gone jet skiing, clubbing, or eaten a Michelin-starred dinner on a yacht. Aurora definitely knew how to party and John Schiller definitely knew how to throw a bash. So what someone died? Just a little more drama and another story to tell, amiright?!
Honestly, even as the reader it was easy to forget that someone had died. I really can't imagine a real life scenario where a work trip wouldn't be cut short if one of your own died on the trip, but you can't say it didn't make for some great reading!
I had such a hard time knowing who or what to believe. The way everyone was so nonchalant about the death made me wonder if it truly was an accidental overdose. But as the secrets started spilling, everyone seemed (and was!) guilty of at least something and I started to believe anything was possible.
I loved how everything shook out, how despicable everyone was, and the (maybe not so realistic) insight into a startup hitting major success and going through a sale.
This book was perfect for audio and I loved the narrator. It's told by different character perspectives and I usually prefer multiple narrators for those formats, but January LaVoy is so good I didn't need it here.
This is one I definitely recommend and I can't wait to see what other shenanigans Rosenblum gives us next!!
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the copy.
I've been on a couple work retreats and it's safe to say, my company must be doing them all wrong because I've certainly never stayed in a five-star resort, gone jet skiing, clubbing, or eaten a Michelin-starred dinner on a yacht. Aurora definitely knew how to party and John Schiller definitely knew how to throw a bash. So what someone died? Just a little more drama and another story to tell, amiright?!
Honestly, even as the reader it was easy to forget that someone had died. I really can't imagine a real life scenario where a work trip wouldn't be cut short if one of your own died on the trip, but you can't say it didn't make for some great reading!
I had such a hard time knowing who or what to believe. The way everyone was so nonchalant about the death made me wonder if it truly was an accidental overdose. But as the secrets started spilling, everyone seemed (and was!) guilty of at least something and I started to believe anything was possible.
I loved how everything shook out, how despicable everyone was, and the (maybe not so realistic) insight into a startup hitting major success and going through a sale.
This book was perfect for audio and I loved the narrator. It's told by different character perspectives and I usually prefer multiple narrators for those formats, but January LaVoy is so good I didn't need it here.
This is one I definitely recommend and I can't wait to see what other shenanigans Rosenblum gives us next!!
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the copy.
April 3, 2024
She writes about her “diverse characters” like a male author writes female characters; like she doesn’t understand them at all.
March 28, 2024
Dark humor always gets me - especially when it’s mixed in with mystery and drama. Loved this story and the characters. Having worked at several large companies and a start up, I’ve attended retreats similar to the one depicted in this book. Not as over the top, of course, but I found the scenario somewhat relatable. I do wonder if someone without exposure to this world would find it as entertaining.
I found this book funny and entertaining with just the right amount of fluff. The ending wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it could have been but all in all this was a great book. The perfect beach read!
4.4 rounded down to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
I found this book funny and entertaining with just the right amount of fluff. The ending wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it could have been but all in all this was a great book. The perfect beach read!
4.4 rounded down to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
May 19, 2024
"Very Bad Company" is an enjoyable, if not entirely memorable, novel of rich people behaving badly. The top-level executives of a well-known tech start-up are gathering for their annual corporate retreat in Miami. This year, they are joined by their newest hire, Caitlin, who is appointed for the somewhat nebulous position of Head of Events. Led by the eccentric CEO, John, the group of executives is already borderline dysfunctional even before one of them goes MIA during the event. And after that disappearance, tensions raise in a hurry.
This book isn't quite a thriller, but it's definitely got more intrigue than most contemporary fiction. There is a large cast, but most characters are well fleshed out. I will say that I rarely do well spending time humoring the misdeeds of the overpriveleged, but Rosenblum did a great job of crafting characters that were largely likeable despite their many, many flaws. The narration was done well, and the pages flew by. I was never tempted to put this one in my DNF stack, though I admit it's also one that likely won't stick with me for long. Not all books need to be life changing and with you for the long haul, though, and this one was a fun ride for the time I spent with it.
3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advance copy for honest review.
This book isn't quite a thriller, but it's definitely got more intrigue than most contemporary fiction. There is a large cast, but most characters are well fleshed out. I will say that I rarely do well spending time humoring the misdeeds of the overpriveleged, but Rosenblum did a great job of crafting characters that were largely likeable despite their many, many flaws. The narration was done well, and the pages flew by. I was never tempted to put this one in my DNF stack, though I admit it's also one that likely won't stick with me for long. Not all books need to be life changing and with you for the long haul, though, and this one was a fun ride for the time I spent with it.
3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advance copy for honest review.
May 17, 2024
Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum
Thank you so much Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, & NetGalley the free audiobook.
Blurb:
A gripping, darkly comic novel from the national bestselling author of Bad Summer People about a team of wealthy and powerful executives on retreat in Miami when one of them goes missing . . .
✨My thoughts:
Such a great audiobook! I knew from the cover I was going to love it, and I did. This is the book and audiobook you’ll want to read or listen to at the beach or on vacation. I’m a big fan of dark humor and not only do you get a laugh, you get drama, and our entertainment. January LaVoy narrated the audiobook and it was superb! It’s already been recommended to all of my audiobook lovin’ feiends. I loved Bad Summer People last year and I’m so happy I loved Very Bad Company too. Emma Rosenblum is officially a new auto buy author for me. I need to get my hands in a finished copy!
Happy reading 📖
Thank you so much Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, & NetGalley the free audiobook.
Blurb:
A gripping, darkly comic novel from the national bestselling author of Bad Summer People about a team of wealthy and powerful executives on retreat in Miami when one of them goes missing . . .
✨My thoughts:
Such a great audiobook! I knew from the cover I was going to love it, and I did. This is the book and audiobook you’ll want to read or listen to at the beach or on vacation. I’m a big fan of dark humor and not only do you get a laugh, you get drama, and our entertainment. January LaVoy narrated the audiobook and it was superb! It’s already been recommended to all of my audiobook lovin’ feiends. I loved Bad Summer People last year and I’m so happy I loved Very Bad Company too. Emma Rosenblum is officially a new auto buy author for me. I need to get my hands in a finished copy!
Happy reading 📖
May 9, 2024
A trendy tech company retreat gone wrong when someone ends up murdered and everyone is trying to figure out what happened while also harboring their own secrets.
There were a ton of characters to keep up with and it was hard to remember all their back stories at times. Honestly when someone turned up missing I didn’t even remember who that person was. Not to mention most of the characters weren’t very likeable.
A little too much business talk and Winston Churchill facts and quotes for my liking.
January LaVoy did an incredible job narrating though! This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but it may be yours 😊
Thanks so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my ALC!
#MacAudio2024
There were a ton of characters to keep up with and it was hard to remember all their back stories at times. Honestly when someone turned up missing I didn’t even remember who that person was. Not to mention most of the characters weren’t very likeable.
A little too much business talk and Winston Churchill facts and quotes for my liking.
January LaVoy did an incredible job narrating though! This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but it may be yours 😊
Thanks so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my ALC!
#MacAudio2024
July 14, 2024
Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review!
I really enjoyed this one, it has all of the elements I love - bingeable, awful people, murder, corporate drama that is so extra, and it all takes place at a corporate retreat. I devoured this in an afternoon, and really enjoyed all of these awful people and watching them self-destruct. The audio was excellent and overall I definitely recommend this one, it is a perfect beach read for this summer!
I really enjoyed this one, it has all of the elements I love - bingeable, awful people, murder, corporate drama that is so extra, and it all takes place at a corporate retreat. I devoured this in an afternoon, and really enjoyed all of these awful people and watching them self-destruct. The audio was excellent and overall I definitely recommend this one, it is a perfect beach read for this summer!
May 8, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Review to come
Review to come
May 1, 2024
3.5/5
May 12, 2024
This was entertaining but I don't anticipate it being a standout for me this year. Recommended for those who enjoy a good deep dive into the complexities and toxic nature of corporate culture. Good on audio too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
July 16, 2024
Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum
8h 49m narrated by January LaVoy, 272 pages
Genre: Contemporary Suspense, Dark Humor
Featuring: Miami, Florida; April, Workplace Retreat Setting, Character List, Itinerary, Articles, Resort Hotel, New Yorkers, Multiple POVs, Whoisit Trope, High Earners, Sex, Drama, Group Activities, Mystery, Winston Churchill, Tech, Office Setting, Unnumbered Chapters, Unlikable Characters, Upper Management Executives, Corporate Culture, Missing Person Trope, Media, Deception, Interpersonal Relationships
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Miami" by Will Smith, "Be The One" by Xample, "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, "When We Were Young" by Adele, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"/"Fight for Your Right" by The Beastie Boys, "Vogue" by Madonna, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory, "This Kiss" by Faith Hill, "Kissing You" by Faith Evans, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Julia Ward Howe and William Steffe
Books mentioned: Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling, Darkest Hour: How Churchill Brought England Back from the Brink by Anthony McCarten, The Guncle by Steven Rowley
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🏢🛫📑
My thoughts:📱26% 2:17:21 Part 2 Caitlin Levy - I love it! Hilarious! I'm going to have to break so I can finish my hardback. I don't want to stop, but I must.
📱67% 5:56:03 Part 3 Zach Wagner - I have been fighting for my time with this book all day, and now I have to stop for book club and an author's chat. Time to juggle.
This was good. Not amazing but I liked it a lot. No clue why it was just an intriguing story. I enjoyed it a bit more than Bad Summer People, probably because it's faster pace and everyone wasn't immediately unlikable.
Recommend to others: Yes. I'm definitely going to be anticipating her next release.
8h 49m narrated by January LaVoy, 272 pages
Genre: Contemporary Suspense, Dark Humor
Featuring: Miami, Florida; April, Workplace Retreat Setting, Character List, Itinerary, Articles, Resort Hotel, New Yorkers, Multiple POVs, Whoisit Trope, High Earners, Sex, Drama, Group Activities, Mystery, Winston Churchill, Tech, Office Setting, Unnumbered Chapters, Unlikable Characters, Upper Management Executives, Corporate Culture, Missing Person Trope, Media, Deception, Interpersonal Relationships
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Miami" by Will Smith, "Be The One" by Xample, "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, "When We Were Young" by Adele, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"/"Fight for Your Right" by The Beastie Boys, "Vogue" by Madonna, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory, "This Kiss" by Faith Hill, "Kissing You" by Faith Evans, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by Julia Ward Howe and William Steffe
Books mentioned: Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling, Darkest Hour: How Churchill Brought England Back from the Brink by Anthony McCarten, The Guncle by Steven Rowley
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🏢🛫📑
My thoughts:📱26% 2:17:21 Part 2 Caitlin Levy - I love it! Hilarious! I'm going to have to break so I can finish my hardback. I don't want to stop, but I must.
📱67% 5:56:03 Part 3 Zach Wagner - I have been fighting for my time with this book all day, and now I have to stop for book club and an author's chat. Time to juggle.
This was good. Not amazing but I liked it a lot. No clue why it was just an intriguing story. I enjoyed it a bit more than Bad Summer People, probably because it's faster pace and everyone wasn't immediately unlikable.
Recommend to others: Yes. I'm definitely going to be anticipating her next release.
April 5, 2024
this may not be literary gold but i was thoroughly entertained. Rosenblum writes straight bangers, i don’t make the rules
April 3, 2024
This audiobook was made available to me by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The narrator of Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum is January LaVoy. There are multiple point of view (pov) characters and January was able to very effectively give each of these characters a unique tone, inflection and style of speaking to make it easier for the listener/reader to differentiate between the characters.
Even with the wonderful narration, there were so many similar characters I found myself confused in places. About 20% into the book, I started a character list and took light notes. The characters were not complicated, really, just rich and shameless. Parts of this story almost read like a season of HBO's The White Lotus TV show. The novel wasn't quite as funny as the show but definitely had quirks that would easily be laughable on camera. I tend to enjoy thriller novels with unlikable main characters, and this was no exception.
The main action of this novel is set at the annual week-long retreat for the senior staff of Aurora tech startup at an exclusive resort in Miami. The founder John, his assistant, and his most senior seven-figure salaried chief officer of their department staff members, including a new hire who has yet to work her first day at the company. This has an eccentric founder, Elon Musk-style, a hard-nosed investigative reporter, and vapid, competitive, shallow, selfish staff members. The cast is perfect for this type of domestic thriller. Revealed during the retreat are surprises planned by the founder as well as unplanned surprises revealed by the various founder and his staff members. In between these reveals, the characters are busy heavy drinking, with hook-ups, hard drugs, dancing, swimming, and planned group excursions. Most of the staff members have a long and secretive history with each other and the company with a major financial incentive to keep the company's secrets hidden. This is fast-paced, amusing, quirky, and an excellent thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced story.
I think the story would have benefited from maybe 2 fewer pov characters. Also some of the Black woman characters’ personality & bio felt stereotypical, including her background and dating situation. I liked this author's previous thriller and will definitely read her next novel.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook novel. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
The narrator of Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum is January LaVoy. There are multiple point of view (pov) characters and January was able to very effectively give each of these characters a unique tone, inflection and style of speaking to make it easier for the listener/reader to differentiate between the characters.
Even with the wonderful narration, there were so many similar characters I found myself confused in places. About 20% into the book, I started a character list and took light notes. The characters were not complicated, really, just rich and shameless. Parts of this story almost read like a season of HBO's The White Lotus TV show. The novel wasn't quite as funny as the show but definitely had quirks that would easily be laughable on camera. I tend to enjoy thriller novels with unlikable main characters, and this was no exception.
The main action of this novel is set at the annual week-long retreat for the senior staff of Aurora tech startup at an exclusive resort in Miami. The founder John, his assistant, and his most senior seven-figure salaried chief officer of their department staff members, including a new hire who has yet to work her first day at the company. This has an eccentric founder, Elon Musk-style, a hard-nosed investigative reporter, and vapid, competitive, shallow, selfish staff members. The cast is perfect for this type of domestic thriller. Revealed during the retreat are surprises planned by the founder as well as unplanned surprises revealed by the various founder and his staff members. In between these reveals, the characters are busy heavy drinking, with hook-ups, hard drugs, dancing, swimming, and planned group excursions. Most of the staff members have a long and secretive history with each other and the company with a major financial incentive to keep the company's secrets hidden. This is fast-paced, amusing, quirky, and an excellent thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced story.
I think the story would have benefited from maybe 2 fewer pov characters. Also some of the Black woman characters’ personality & bio felt stereotypical, including her background and dating situation. I liked this author's previous thriller and will definitely read her next novel.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook novel. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
June 27, 2024
I can pinpoint the exact line I knew I should have DNF'd this one. 48% of the way in, upon finding out an employee of his is dead, we are subjected to this line: "A jolt of orgasmic relief shot through John's body, causing his penis to instantly harden." Yeah, it's gonna be a no from me. Very bad company? More like very bad book. I really don't have anything good to say about this other than the narrator of the audiobook did a good job.
Given its title, it's not surprising that basically each and every character is unlikable and/or unreliable, but not one of them is at all endearing or charismatic enough to make you give a shit about them; they're just one-dimensional and that one dimension is that they're in some way a bad person. This is most prominent with John, the company CEO, likely because given his role he *should* be charismatic in a way that gets the reader to somehow like him despite his questionable behavior. Instead, he is simply smarmy and annoying, never in any way endearing himself to the reader. John is noted for having a habit of saying people's names three times, and practically every time he speaks, we have to be subjected to it; not quirky, simply annoying.
Everybody kind of hates this guy, women included, and yet practically every female is supposed to be attracted to him or has some sort of sexual fantasy about him at some point; it makes no sense.
There's also a lot of bouncing around in time, but not in any productive way that adds to the story. A character will be in one place and time, then suddenly we start getting their story from a previous place and time but told as a memory being recounted by the character in the current moment, before suddenly being brought back to the current action again. Instead of adding context or detail to the narrative, it often disrupts the flow of the story and slows things down, not to mention is highly confusing.
As the book nears the end, the story tries to spin some sort of "everyone is a bad person" narrative but it just feels so flat. There were never any stakes raised for you to care about. So what if everyone is bad? We were never given any reason to like or care about these characters anyways to be shocked by any fall from grace or dark revelations. All in all, the only positives are a pretty cover and solid audiobook narration; neither of these warrant the time you'd spend reading the book, so maybe give this one a pass.
Given its title, it's not surprising that basically each and every character is unlikable and/or unreliable, but not one of them is at all endearing or charismatic enough to make you give a shit about them; they're just one-dimensional and that one dimension is that they're in some way a bad person. This is most prominent with John, the company CEO, likely because given his role he *should* be charismatic in a way that gets the reader to somehow like him despite his questionable behavior. Instead, he is simply smarmy and annoying, never in any way endearing himself to the reader. John is noted for having a habit of saying people's names three times, and practically every time he speaks, we have to be subjected to it; not quirky, simply annoying.
Everybody kind of hates this guy, women included, and yet practically every female is supposed to be attracted to him or has some sort of sexual fantasy about him at some point; it makes no sense.
There's also a lot of bouncing around in time, but not in any productive way that adds to the story. A character will be in one place and time, then suddenly we start getting their story from a previous place and time but told as a memory being recounted by the character in the current moment, before suddenly being brought back to the current action again. Instead of adding context or detail to the narrative, it often disrupts the flow of the story and slows things down, not to mention is highly confusing.
As the book nears the end, the story tries to spin some sort of "everyone is a bad person" narrative but it just feels so flat. There were never any stakes raised for you to care about. So what if everyone is bad? We were never given any reason to like or care about these characters anyways to be shocked by any fall from grace or dark revelations. All in all, the only positives are a pretty cover and solid audiobook narration; neither of these warrant the time you'd spend reading the book, so maybe give this one a pass.
June 13, 2024
2.5 ⭐’s (rounded to 3) for me but this will be a 4 - 5 ⭐ perfect beach read for many.
Told from multiple POV’s the plot sucked me in quickly but then for a short book it felt like the pace draaaaaged out even though there was so much (too much?) happening at all times.
The author captures wild startup life well and seems to have made the CEO a version of all our weirdo billionaires out there (he felt very musk-esque) and the company was giving Zuckerberg and the Twins (iykyk).
I don't want to give the mystery away so no spoilers - but there were several major plot holes left wide open - specifically surrounding Madison & what she took from one of the rooms yet the police found what she took in the room…made zero sense, along with other mistakes missed by the author and editor. I didn't like how this book was positioned to be about Caitlyn but we don't even get the details of her situation at the end, or what the CEO meant about her role when telling his other staff his plans. It was a lot of build up to a lot of predictable results or nothingness.
There were SO many characters and we were left with little details about many of them or details that didn't make sense with characters (Nikki didn't address the person who torpedoed her chance at a role…ever? Yet she's a hot head who flys off the handle? It just broke her character foundation.
For the author being in business fields it's clear she's not been part of acquisition due diligence. There's no way a sale like this could go through without crazy financial due diligence (which was the CEO’s main worry) and they just get stuck on one coding issue? For the average non corporate employee the storyline is probably great but if you know how these things actually work you're going to roll your eyes a lot.
-1 ⭐ for major plot holes
-1 ⭐ for loose and too predictable ending(s)
-.5 ⭐ the build up to nothing
I would give this author another try for a fluff read between heavier thrillers, but while I wouldn't recommend this book to regular readers of mystery or business related books, I would recommend it to the average person looking for a scandalous escape read.
Told from multiple POV’s the plot sucked me in quickly but then for a short book it felt like the pace draaaaaged out even though there was so much (too much?) happening at all times.
The author captures wild startup life well and seems to have made the CEO a version of all our weirdo billionaires out there (he felt very musk-esque) and the company was giving Zuckerberg and the Twins (iykyk).
I don't want to give the mystery away so no spoilers - but there were several major plot holes left wide open - specifically surrounding Madison & what she took from one of the rooms yet the police found what she took in the room…made zero sense, along with other mistakes missed by the author and editor. I didn't like how this book was positioned to be about Caitlyn but we don't even get the details of her situation at the end, or what the CEO meant about her role when telling his other staff his plans. It was a lot of build up to a lot of predictable results or nothingness.
There were SO many characters and we were left with little details about many of them or details that didn't make sense with characters (Nikki didn't address the person who torpedoed her chance at a role…ever? Yet she's a hot head who flys off the handle? It just broke her character foundation.
For the author being in business fields it's clear she's not been part of acquisition due diligence. There's no way a sale like this could go through without crazy financial due diligence (which was the CEO’s main worry) and they just get stuck on one coding issue? For the average non corporate employee the storyline is probably great but if you know how these things actually work you're going to roll your eyes a lot.
-1 ⭐ for major plot holes
-1 ⭐ for loose and too predictable ending(s)
-.5 ⭐ the build up to nothing
I would give this author another try for a fluff read between heavier thrillers, but while I wouldn't recommend this book to regular readers of mystery or business related books, I would recommend it to the average person looking for a scandalous escape read.
July 12, 2024
This is an irresistible, darkly funny beach read about a trendy tech startup’s team-building retreat in Miami. When they arrive, they discover the company is on the verge of being sold. They have a big drunken night out to celebrate, and then the following day, one of the executives is missing, and no one knows what's happened. The question becomes: Is she dead or alive?
The book offers a darkly humorous take on the tech world and covers themes of workplace shenanigans, corporate politics, and intrigue. It has a great mix of characters, including new and older employees. I love how it delves into company politics regarding who likes who, who's in the loop with executives, and who's left out of crucial meetings. Infusing this extra tension was an excellent way to create intrigue on top of the core plot that someone may have died. I think the author pulled off something complicated by equally developing a cast of characters.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
The book offers a darkly humorous take on the tech world and covers themes of workplace shenanigans, corporate politics, and intrigue. It has a great mix of characters, including new and older employees. I love how it delves into company politics regarding who likes who, who's in the loop with executives, and who's left out of crucial meetings. Infusing this extra tension was an excellent way to create intrigue on top of the core plot that someone may have died. I think the author pulled off something complicated by equally developing a cast of characters.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
June 26, 2024
This was atrocious. I would have stopped reading after page 20 if I didn’t need to finish it for book club. I hated the way this was written, it was constantly jumping between different time frames and events every other sentence, I was not following. I didn’t like a single character except maybe for Marc. John is public enemy number 1. Also, why did this feel like a Winston Churchill biography….I got absolutely nothing from the 100 Churchill references.
May 8, 2024
Audiobook: After recently listening to another book narrated by January LaVoy (Listen for the Lie), I was excited to hear her narrate this one. Very Bad Company gave me vibes of the non-fiction books by John Carreyrou, Bad Blood/Hatching Twitter, along with the TV show White Lotus. If you've enjoyed those, you may enjoy this story of a company with a lot to hide on a group retreat. It was an enjoyable listening experience, but there were a lot of characters. I'm not even sure if reading a hard copy of the book would have made it easier to keep the characters straight because there were a lot to follow, and their jobs and personality traits seemed to blend together a bit. LaVoy did great job of differentiating the characters from a narration perspective, so that definitely helped. A light, fun summer read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy - out on May 14, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy - out on May 14, 2024
June 7, 2024
3 stars
May 14, 2024
Emma Rosenblum returns following her smashing debut, Bad Summer People with another scandalous sizzling summer show-stopper, VERY BAD COMPANY.
This time, we are headed to Miami (my backyard) for a corporate retreat like no other!
A darkly comic novel about a team of greedy, wealthy, and powerful executives on a corporate retreat in Miami when one goes missing and turns up dead. Is there a murderer among them? What secrets are to come?
The trendy tech startup, Aurora has set their annual exclusive retreat in Miami this year for all the top executives.
When: Tues-Friday Apr 23-26
Where: The 1 Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
An exclusive resort hotel
Attendees:
~John Shiller, CEO
~Dallas Joy, CTO
~Zach Wagner, CRO
~Martin Ito, CIO
~Debra Foley, CPO
~Nikki Lane, EVP
~Olive Green, DOC
~Caitlin Levy, Head of Events
~Jessica Radum, Head of Partnerships
Organizer:
~Madison Bez, Assistant to John Shiller
Caitlin Levy, their newest hire as Head of Events, will join them for the first time this year. The benefits include a seven-figure salary, stock shares, a discretionary bonus, and limitless vacation days.
Things get off to a rocky start when one of the executives vanishes after the first night, which may derail the company's future sale—and cost everyone millions.
Miami can be a dangerous place...
However, the show must go on as they all come together for the charade, presentations, and team-building.
Told from multiple POVs:
part one-part five
~Caitlin
~Olive
~Debra
~Nikki
~Madison
~John
~Zach
~Martin
~Dallas
The Finger Waggers Reunion (catchup)
Epilogue
Who will be able to play the corporate game? It's a fun, wild, roller coaster, soapy ride. Who will be out/in?
From dark secrets, drinking, drugs, dancing, hookups, arm candy, back-stabbing, greed, ambition, surprises, corruption, power games, blackmail, scandal, and dark company secrets. Highly entertaining!
AUDIOBOOK: You must get the audiobook, narrated by the fabulous January LaVoy, juggling multiple POVs for an impressive, witty, riveting, and entertaining performance for all the voices.
I have managed numerous corporate retreats in Miami and South Beach; however, none quite as racy as this one.
VERY BAD COMPANY is for fans of Kaira Rouda's The Kingsley series, Under the Palms. (May 21, 2024)
Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and #MacAudio2024 for an advanced listening copy for an honest opinion. #SMPInfluencers
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
May Newsletter
May 2024 Must-Read Books
This time, we are headed to Miami (my backyard) for a corporate retreat like no other!
A darkly comic novel about a team of greedy, wealthy, and powerful executives on a corporate retreat in Miami when one goes missing and turns up dead. Is there a murderer among them? What secrets are to come?
The trendy tech startup, Aurora has set their annual exclusive retreat in Miami this year for all the top executives.
When: Tues-Friday Apr 23-26
Where: The 1 Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
An exclusive resort hotel
Attendees:
~John Shiller, CEO
~Dallas Joy, CTO
~Zach Wagner, CRO
~Martin Ito, CIO
~Debra Foley, CPO
~Nikki Lane, EVP
~Olive Green, DOC
~Caitlin Levy, Head of Events
~Jessica Radum, Head of Partnerships
Organizer:
~Madison Bez, Assistant to John Shiller
Caitlin Levy, their newest hire as Head of Events, will join them for the first time this year. The benefits include a seven-figure salary, stock shares, a discretionary bonus, and limitless vacation days.
Things get off to a rocky start when one of the executives vanishes after the first night, which may derail the company's future sale—and cost everyone millions.
Miami can be a dangerous place...
However, the show must go on as they all come together for the charade, presentations, and team-building.
Told from multiple POVs:
part one-part five
~Caitlin
~Olive
~Debra
~Nikki
~Madison
~John
~Zach
~Martin
~Dallas
The Finger Waggers Reunion (catchup)
Epilogue
Who will be able to play the corporate game? It's a fun, wild, roller coaster, soapy ride. Who will be out/in?
From dark secrets, drinking, drugs, dancing, hookups, arm candy, back-stabbing, greed, ambition, surprises, corruption, power games, blackmail, scandal, and dark company secrets. Highly entertaining!
AUDIOBOOK: You must get the audiobook, narrated by the fabulous January LaVoy, juggling multiple POVs for an impressive, witty, riveting, and entertaining performance for all the voices.
I have managed numerous corporate retreats in Miami and South Beach; however, none quite as racy as this one.
VERY BAD COMPANY is for fans of Kaira Rouda's The Kingsley series, Under the Palms. (May 21, 2024)
Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and #MacAudio2024 for an advanced listening copy for an honest opinion. #SMPInfluencers
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 14, 2024
May Newsletter
May 2024 Must-Read Books
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