REVIEW: The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting - Holly Bourne

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues

PAGES: 464
PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

This book will be released on 1/08/14 and can be preordered in store with a £3 deposit.

SUMMARY

Bree is a loser, a wannabe author who hides behind words. But when she's told she needs to start living a life worth writing about, The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting is born. Six steps on how to be interesting. Six steps that will see her infiltrate the popular set, fall in love with someone forbidden and make the biggest mistake of her life.

REVIEW

Wow, this book is awesome!

Bree is my ideal main character - she is relatable, funny, observant and even before she tried to become interesting, I wanted to know about her and her situation. 

After being rejected for a publishing deal for a second time something in Bree cracks and she feels she NEEDS to transform herself for the sake of the writing, and being able to see her transformation is brilliant. Holly touches upon lots of pop culture references and combines them all the create something new and unique. Important issues are dealt with and they never feel gratuitous, there is a point for them being in the story and I felt they were dealt with sensitivity and the Q&A with Holly at the end further highlights the importance of these issues (can't say what they are or I'll spoil it!).

As you can tell, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author (I've already read and LOVED Soulmates, so bring on book 3!)

- Gem

GUEST REVIEW: Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 384
PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 3 Stars

SUMMARY

Budding designer Lola has an outrageous sense of style, a hot rocker boyfriend and big plans for the future. Everything is perfect - until Cricket Bell returns to the neighbourhood. When he steps back into her world, Lola must reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. And perhaps discover that true love can be closer than you think.

REVIEW

So Lola. Strange but cool. When I say I love this book, I seriously mean it. This book is beautiful.

I love how Anna and Étienne feature in this. I adore the fact that Anna has taken a big sister role over Lola. But I have to be honest. I love Étienne way more than I do Cricket Bell.

Cricket Bell is adorable in all aspects but he is no Étienne. Let’s be real now. No-one can be as beautiful as Étienne is.

Serious question though. How do you get from Delores to Lola? This is the one thing that bothered me throughout the whole book. I love the name Lola because it’s one of my own but how do you get such a drastic name change?

Anyway back to the point.

I like Lola because she is strange and cool. The issues she has with Calliope Bell are certainly interesting and the young romance with Cricket are some of the aspects that I love the most about this book.

Cricket is cute. I definitely imagine him as tall and quietly handsome. He is a very quiet character and I love him for it but I think that this is one of the reasons I prefer Étienne- he shows his affection more openly.

I like the fierceness that Calliope shows and she reminds me of Isabelle Lightwood (The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare) in that sense. Calliope is one of those characters you don’t expect to change but you hope for it to happen.

My favourite line in this book would have to be the last but you can read that for yourself. When you read the whole book and the get to that last line, it just made me smile so I am hoping to share the joy.

- Makayla

REVIEW: A Boy Called Hope - Lara Williamson

GENRE: Contemporary/Issues
PAGES: 304

PUBLISHER: Usborne
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 5 Stars

This review refers to an uncorrected advance edition.

SUMMARY

Thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud funny, A Boy Called Hope is a bold and astonishingly moving book about family life in all its shapes and sizes.

REVIEW

This is a beautifully written book that has a seemingly sad premise - a boy desperate for his dad to love him - but it is dealt with so sensitively that it never becomes sentimental or depressing. Dan is a fabulous narrator, he is wonderfully funny, observant, hopefully and his 11 yr old innocence shines through in some brilliant scenes...no spoliers, let's just say if you read it when you get to the scene when he reads something he's found in his mum's handbag you will be cracking up with laughter!

The story builds brilliantly, full of little twists and revelations - some more obvious than others - and the ending of the book made me cry for the last 30 pages or so...it was so sad, happy, uplifting and heartbreaking all at once!

This kind of book would appeal to fans of Wonder or John Green - basically anyone who wants a heartfelt and captivating story.

If you come in and purchase A Boy Called Hope, we'll give you an awesome wristband that says "A little hope goes a long way". We totally spoil you guys...

- Gem.