Title: Bookshop Girl
Author: Chloe Coles
Genre: Contemporary YA
Format: E-Book
Length: 240 pages
Series: Bookshop Girl #`
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Publication Date: 14th June 2018
My Rating: ★★ (2 stars)
Goodreads | Storygraph
Synopsis:
A hilarious tale of female friendship, bookshops and fighting for a cause – perfect for fans of Holly Bourne and Louise Rennison.
Bennett’s Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It’s a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.
But, like so many bookshops, Bennett’s has become a ‘casualty of the high street’ – it’s strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.
Time is ticking – but that’s not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?
Written by debut author and Foyles bookseller Chloe Coles, this is the first in a new laugh-out-loud and sparky teen series that will make you want to rush out and start your own bookshop campaign!
My Review:
I was drawn to this book because it is a book about books, so when I saw it crop up on Netgalley I had to request it.
Bennett’s bookshop is a haven for 16-year-old Paige Turner (lol) where she can escape her hometown, hang with her best friend Holly, and earn some money. This book follows Paige trying to save the bookshop from closure; a casualty of the high street.
The premise of the novel sounded incredible. My main issue, which ultimately led to the low rating is that it felt that it was targeted to a younger demographic. It didn’t feel like young adult literature. I felt that if we didn’t know as a reader that Paige was 16, I would’ve thought she had just become a pre-teen. I did like the scenes in the art class, where we got to meet some of the people who took part in it, like Sue.
Chloe’s writing is light and humorous, and Paige was the essence of a teenage girl, just maybe not a sixteen-year-old one. One thing I would mention is the use of text speak in the novel like ‘oh em gee’, ‘defo’ and ‘obvs’, there was just a tad too much of it for my liking and I felt like it wouldn’t age well, in my opinion, it’s the equivalent to a film full of pop-culture references that die out a year later.
The novel is a quick read, and I think a younger audience will enjoy it, but unfortunately, it’s not one for me.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
