Reviewing... Contemporary! (Mini reviews #3)

I know I'm definitely known for short reviews (I'd love to be known for anything, so who wants to advertise that Amy Bookworm writes some stinking long reviews?) but today, shaking it up! Here's some mini-reviews, I hope you don't mind. They may not look mini but my ones (2&3) are definitely less than 200; it turns out my Mum does succinct naturally so that's short too! Hope you enjoy these reviews & find a book you'd like amongst more boyish humour, one for a little more chick-lit laughs & serious "issue dealing" contemporary.

Reviewing... in short! Sources -- JC: OUP. TPTD&awlol: Grabbed on Kindle from Amazon. H2SaL: Also Kindle ebook I bought from Amazon.

The Private Blog Of Joe Cowley

(Sidenote: This review is by my Mum, who loves OUP & since we got this from their Jan event she felt she ought to review it as a 'Thank You' so here it is; the main purpose of this post!)
Joe Cowley. What a great dude!! (and I’m NOT saying that because I’m a secret Captain Picard follower!!) The main description is “Adrian Mole meets The Inbetweeners”: MUCH better than AM (tho I can see the same theme of trying to get the girl, his dad excruciatingly attempting to be young again). And despite the toilet banter between the lads, it’s actually not really sex-obsessed like Inbetweeners. Only using “cock” as favourite expletive reminds me of it...

All characters are caricatures, but realistic enough that you bond with them while they entertain. Joe’s best friends are Harry, Sherlock imitator including empty pipe (I mean, do YOU know any 14-year-old boys who’d do that??), and hilarious (without meaning to be) sidekick Ad, who mostly reminds me of Max’s friend Ben in TV’s Dani’s House (yes, really that dippy :P) His nemesis is the school tough-nut Gav James, whose girlfriend Joe lusts after; though Lisa really is only a Barbie character, the alternative love interest shows that Ben Davis really does live in the real world, and he skilfully shows realistic dynamics of friendships and status through interactions with Gav, Greeny (the school outcast with media skills) & Natalie, and also shows some wider society issues, like confused Granny who finds solace in the General Studies mock baby. Though there are plenty of places where characters’ motives are glaringly obvious to the reader but apparently not to Joe, there are also times when Davis surprises us, and what keeps you going in the cheesier bits are characters’ very entertaining language, the “artwork...when I should have been doing my chemistry homework”, and that I personally found I really started to like many of the main players :)

(2nd sidenote: No, she didn't just like the characters in Joe Cowley, she liked it all so much & has been literally telling me to read it since March. She read it & now she near enough wants to force me to read it. I think you should before she starts work on you too! I honestly believe she might, she has Twitter so be warned...)

The prom, the date and a whole lot of laxatives!

Amy Bookworm rated
TPTD&awlol 4*

Funny quick reads are great when it comes to contemporary, but what about a bit of malice? Similar to Mean Girls in that respect, it’s a great bonus to a novel dripping with humour! The most crazy school antics occur in what Alex thinks will be her last month & a half of school... An easy read, so mainstream- I bet it will appeal to the reluctant readers hiding in the teen girl audience, but also much more bookish ones.

Something for everyone, Alex is a main character who narrates this novel with such honesty & sometimes, stupidity! Seems like a great kind of nutty... will she nab the boys, or at least the boy she probably would want, with those nuts? (pun not entirely intended)... Which boy will you root for in the most realistic, unconventional love triangle I’ve ever read? Boys aren’t dropping at  her feet, anti-Mary Sue, but she sure is oblivious to even some small attention! Unreliable narrator, what will you think? Does it work? Yes it does!

Love Lewis, you know you wanna!  He's a great lad & one I wish was in my classes... But to

conclude, an enjoyable read to pick up!

How to Save a Life...

The song aside... (I’m sorry I keep being reminded of that; it’s Zarr’s fault for naming it the same XD), really interesting read! I'm glad other people have mentioned the song in their reviews :) H2SaL is a little creepy, in the same way as the song.
The concept’s different (to the song & any other YA novels that I’ve read) but that doesn’t mean it would automatically be good; I can almost sense it took work. Research, perhaps? I think it’s great when you get a broader family outlook & even delving in deeper to a parent’s thoughts, even as a YA I find this amazing! That’s just one tick against a whole load for this one though, of course! Didn’t know what to expect so such emotion could’ve knocked me back with ease! Jill and Mandy aren’t the easiest girls to relate to & poles apart!

Amy Bookworm rated
How To Save A Life 4*

Ha, Mandy gives Jill the creeps. I don't think any readers are as accepting of her as much as Robin (that's Jill's MUM).You have to use your digression, take her actions with a pinch of salt & not expect to fully understand her. Jill’s a jigsaw puzzle too- great characterization lastly!

So, to conclude, some great books which deserved a bit of attention from us. Thanks again to my Mum for writing a review for me to post here. I appreciate it Mum <3

I appreciate all of you reading as well. Care to comment (so I can appreciate you a little bit more)? Read any? Want to? Gosh, even my questions are short!

Bye! :D