Love Song - Sophia Bennett

The Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Nina doesn't get why everyone's obsessed with The Point - but when she averts a backstage disaster and is offered a job on tour, she can hardly turn it down. She quickly learns that being with the hottest band on the planet isn't as easy as it looks: behind the scenes, the boys are on the verge of splitting up. Tasked with keeping an eye on four gorgeous but spoiled rock stars, Nina's determined to stick it out - and not fall for any of them ...

The Review

There are some book reviews that I dread writing.  This is one of them.  I just know that it'll be impossible to convey everything I loved about this book in a few short paragraphs, because as young adult fiction goes, Love Song is pretty darn perfect.

Nina is an ordinary seventeen year old - well, sort of.  All around her people are going crazy for hot band The Point, but she doesn't see the attraction.  In fact, she only goes to their gig to keep her sister, who's a big fan, company.  However, when by a twist of fate she's offered an opportunity to join them on tour she sees a different side to each of the boys and they're no longer celebrities staring out of a magazine but real people with real problems...

It's gently humorous and touching and I adored Nina - she's such a relatable character.  Although she's in an extraordinary situation she comes across as a normal, grounded young woman discovering who she is and what she wants from life, which sets this book apart from some of the other reads out there with a celebrity backdrop.  It was well written and engaging, and I genuinely couldn't stop reading it.  I actually fell asleep with it in my hand - that's how unwilling I was to put it down.

However, what I loved most about this book was the way it unflinchingly examined what it means to be a fan to the point of what some people might class as 'obsession'.  As a self-confessed fangirl I absolutely related to the hoards of fans who bonded over a shared love the band.  Sophia Bennett captured the essence of what it is to love a band, and more importantly be part of a fandom, perfectly.  I actually shared certain passages from this book on social media to try and explain that "Yes!  This is how it feels to be a fan!" to all those who have mocked and accused and been dismissive of what it means to be a part of a community of people who love the same thing.  Part of me hoped they'd see it and understand.  But there's a selfish part of me that didn't want them to, because it really feels that Love Song is for us die-hards, for those who've pressed F5 until their fingertips have gone numb on ticket release day, or those who've queued for eight hours for the doors to a gig to open. 

I hope all the other fangirls I know read this book and love it as much as I did.  Love Song is a book I know I'll reread again and again and again.

Love Song is out now, published by Chicken House books.

Books for Christmas- A guide to buying those last minute presents

Last minute shopping getting you flustered?  In my opinion you can't go wrong with a book, and here are my recommendations for the game addict, teenager, fangirl and bibliophile in your life.

For the one addicted to games-
Collins Little Book of Bananagrams

If you're buying for one of the many Bananagrams addicts out there, then this little book of hints and tips could be the perfect stocking filler.  It's a handy, pocket-sized guide of useful ways to work challenging letters into a game, variations to the traditional game and even ways to get extra vital seconds of time over your opponent (who knew there was such a knack to turning over tiles?)

My only slight gripe is there are LOTS of exclamation marks and ellipses in this book, which when you read it cover to cover rather than dipping in and out can be a bit much.  However, the book fulfils exactly what it sets out to, so I can't argue with it as a fun gift for the wordaholics.

After reading this I'm expecting to win every game of Bananagrams I play over Christmas and reign as Top Banana in my house. 


For the teenager-
Girl Online- Zoe Sugg

There's been a lot of furore over this one, especially the question did 'Zoella' write it herself ?  (The answer to that is no, it was ghostwritten).  Most importantly, is it worthy of the hype?

I have to say I really enjoyed Girl Online.  It's not a lifechanging book, not the best written, it's predictable.  But I found myself whizzing through, keen to find out if Penny and Noah had a future.  It's a contemporary look at teen life which examines the effect social media has on friendships and relationships, and as a blogger myself I thought it really came across how a community can come together through shared interests and discussion.  Personally, I would have liked to have seen more of Penny's blog posts and feel it would have allowed further character development and for me as a reader to get to know more of her innermost thoughts.

There are plenty of fantastic YA books out there right now, but if you're looking for the must have book for teen girls this Christmas then you can't go wrong with Girl Online.

For the fangirl-
McBusted- Jennifer Parker

For the die hard fans of Busted and McFly, McBusted feel like a bit of a compromise.  True, there's an overlap in their guitar-led musical styles, their devil-may-care attitudes and their lack of conformity towards mainstream fashions, but they have very definite fanbases of their own.  However, now McBusted are an actual bone fide band rather than a bit of a musical experiment as it first seemed (their debut album as a six piece released last month signifying this as a serious project for all involved rather than the extended 'lad's trip' of music, madness and mayhem which doubled as their 2014 tour), they earned a book of their own.  And Jennifer Parker was the one to write it. 

If you've ever been a fan of Busted and/or McFly then you'll find excerpts from interviews and the official books quoted throughout familiar.  It's probably most suited to a newbie to the fandom. Although this is an unofficial product, there's obviously been great care taken to make this book as reliable and trustworthy as possible- not something which can always be said when it comes to unofficial books about popstars. 

There are plenty of pictures for your visual pleasure and if your fangirlling heart doesn't beat faster reliving Harry's bulging biceps during Strictly Come Dancing or Danny's half unbuttoned shirts (hello chest hair!) then there's something seriously wrong.

If you can't give the gift of Mr Judd or Mr Jones to the McBusted fan in your life this Christmas (and you can't- sadly they're already spoken for) then this book could well be the next best thing. 

For the bibliophile-
The Bookshop Book- Jen Campbell

I don't know where to start with this one.  My mind was literally blown. 

I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm totally and utterly smitten by all things books.  I wouldn't have a blog dedicated to them if I wasn't!  And bookshops are even better, so many of these beautiful word-carrying, dream-fuelling objects all gathered together in one space.

The Bookshop Book shares the stories of some of the best/most unique/most famous book shops in the world, as well as those of the people who run them and the people who keep them going.  I beamed continually as I read this book and made a mental list of the ones I desperately need to see for myself!

So be warned, this is a great present for anyone who loves books and bookshops, but may lead to daydreaming and wanderlust.

With thanks to the publishers of McBusted, The Bookshop Book and Collins Little Book of Bananagrams for providing me with a copy of these books in return for an honest review.