AUTHOR: Jenna Guillaume GENRE: YA Contemporary PAGES: 250 RELEASED: 26 February 2019 SYNOPSIS: Here lies Maisie Martin, dead from embarrassment, aged sixteen. The last thing Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing this summer is entering a beauty pageant. Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone. Not when her dad is AWOL for Christmas and her best friend starts going out with the boy she's always loved. But Maisie's got something to prove. And she's not going to let anything or anyone - including herself - hold her back. A summer of self love, finding yourself and diving into new experiences.
Every Christmas, Maisie and her family head to Cobbers Bay, spending the holidays with the Lees - her mum's BFF and family, which includes her long-time crush Sebastian and his friend Beamer. But this year is different. Her dad is working over Christmas, and she starts picking up on tension between her parents that could be leading to divorce. Maisie decides to bring along her bestie Anna to keep her company, but that soon backfires when Sebastian and Anna start getting close, and she's left hurt by her friend going after the guy she's in love with. To make matters worse, this means spending more time than she'd like to with Beamer, who's been annoying her ever since he started coming on this holiday, and she's about to learn why this summer. When she meets local girl Leila, she's persuaded to enter the local Miss Teen Summer Beauty Pageant. The thing is, she's not like the girls who usually enter the competition - she's not a skinny model who can strut the catwalk with confidence. But as she starts to see herself through fresh eyes, along with a confidence boost from her new friends, Maisie begins to take note of what she likes about herself. She doesn't know it, but this summer is the start of a new chapter. This story was so freaking awesome, cute and beautiful! I laughed, cried and cringed as I followed Maisie's journey of self-discovery and self-love. Maisie was a character I instantly connected with and related to so much. Jenna captured the highs and lows of being a teenager, especially one that hasn't quiet found her self-confidence. I really wish this book had existed when I was a teen, because I know my teenage self could have used the message of loving yourself more back then. One thing that I loved was the Aussie-ness of the book. I've read so many YA contemporaries and romances that are set in the US or UK, so it was refreshing to actually read one set here in Australia, filled with things that are actually so relatable - 'youse', eskies, barbies, tomato sauce debates, prawns at Christmas. It was only a small thing, but as an Aussie, it was nice to read a book that was so Australian. I definitely need to read more Aussie books set in Oz! It's no surprise that Jenna filled this book with pop culture references. I especially loved her making Maisie compare the events of her summer with teen movies - anyone who knows Jenna will know she's an expert in teen romcoms, so it was great to see her incorporate that into her story. All it was missing was a Noah Centineo reference, but maybe she's saving that for her next book. I loved every minute of What I Like About Me - I started it at midnight and couldn't put it down until I finished it at 4am. It's such a beautiful story that is a MUST read for everyone. It's such a cute coming-of-age story that is sure to have a lasting impact on those who read it, especially those who are still trying to find themselves like Maisie is. The only downside? I wanted more! (and I'm so annoyed that Jenna didn't reveal Beamer's real name!) Go out and read this book - you won't regret it! Also, someone get Netflix on the phone, because this needs to be a film! |
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