Book Review: Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

I honestly can't remember the last time I sat down and read a book. Let's be truthful here, I can't actually remember the last time I sat down long enough!!

I'm on the go all day, then I work in the evenings. But I've recently changed my hours at work, so I get a little bit of extra ME time in the evenings. 

So I decided I really wanted to get back into reading. It's so relaxing and takes you away from the busy hustle and bustle of life, and for a short while, you're swept up in the story. 

I'd had Girl Online since Christmas. My other half bought it for me after I'd mentioned it. 

I'd been following Zoella's blog for years, way before she made it big, way before she took over YouTube. 

Personally, I think she's great. She gets a lot of stick in the blogging world which is a shame as she just started out just like us. So I was intrigued to give her first novel a read.

There was a big uproar when it came out that Zoe had help from a Ghostwriter. Really?? I mean, what celebrity / non-author doesn't get help from a ghostwriter? Come on! 

I wouldn't say it's your every day read for a 30+ year old. It's aimed more at teenage girls. But it was actually really refreshing to read. It took me back to being a teenager and all there was to worry about were issues such as friendships, crushes & teenage hormones.

To read, it's obvious it's written by an amateur, a beginner. If you like your books deep and extremely well-written, probably best you remove this one from your to-read list!

It's about a teenage girl from Brighton, called Penny. She's pretty unlucky, clumsy and seems to attract bad luck. She begins writing a blog, anonymously. 
Under the alias, 'Girl Online', she blogs about her panic attacks and school dramas.

After a really embarrassing event at school which ended up with her and her knickers going viral on You Tube thanks to her so-called mates, Penny goes to New York with her parents and her best friend, Elliot, for Christmas to get away from everything. She meets a guy called Noah who sweeps her off her feet, and she captures it all on her blog.

It's quite OTT at times. I often sat thinking 'Reaalllyyy?!'. 
It's very 'movie like' and I thought 'that wouldn't happen in real life', but that said, it's a story and you do get lost in it like a fairy tale. 

Penny has an amazing time in New York. Noah is exactly like the guy you used to dream about as a teenager. He teaches her how to deal with her anxiety and helps her forget about all the bad luck at home. But something doesn't seem quite right, and once home, everything unfolds and Penny's life is turned upside down.

The story focuses on anxiety, cyber bullying, internet hate, friendship issues, falling in love and general teenage worries, and I like this fact. Zoe has used this opportunity to raise these issues and hey, if it helps a teenage girl to understand or help deal with these issues then who's to knock it!

Of course, everything comes good in the end. :)

Personally I found the book quite predictable, over the top and often quite poorly written, BUT I enjoyed it. It made me smile and although at times I knew what was coming, I still couldn't stop reading. I think it's perfect for young readers, which is the audience it's aimed at. I know my 11 year old son's friends loved it. It'd be perfect for a gift for someone of that age. It's a very cute story! 

I actually want to start doing 'Magical Mystery Day' with my little family!! On Magical Mystery Day, Penny's family took out a map, closed their eyes and randomly picked a place, then they'd go and have an adventure there. AND on Magical Mystery Day you HAVE to eat cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'd clearly be the best Mum in the world if I pulled this one out once a year!

Read it if... You're a fan of Zoe and you're curious to read her story, you're a teenage girl or young adult or you simply want an easy read that takes you back to your younger years.

Hats off to Zoe. She's living the dream and fulfilling her goals. Despite the negative reviews, Girl Online was a huge bestseller, knocked Harry Potter off the top spot and has a sequel coming out soon.

Have you read Girl Online?

What did you think?

xxx