Series: None
Author: Jenna Guillaume
Published April 1st 2020 by Peachtree Publishing
Goodreads Synopsis
You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES? This vacation is probably not going to be that.
The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she’d be doing over vacation 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 and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie’s already shaky confidence. And especially not when her best friend starts flirting with the boy she’s always loved. But Maisie’s got something to prove.
As she writes down all the ways this vacation is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn’t let anything, or anyone, hold her back.
Jenna Guillame’s American debut features a plus-size protagonist with a compelling, funny, and authentic narrative voice. This relatable and charming novel about friendship, confidence, and self-love will draw readers in as Maisie’s realistic emotional journey unveils the importance of embracing one’s body and celebrating one’s self.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via Edelweiss. This in no way impacted on my view.
I saw this book on Edelweiss one day as I was scrolling through, and because it was available for download, I decided it would be the perfect read for the Easter holidays, and I was right. In What I Like About Me, we follow Maisie as she and her family are away at the coast for the Christmas holidays, and she's dealing with family issues, crushes, and body image. Every December, her family would head to Cobbers Bay and spend the holidays with family friends, the Lees. This year, Maisie's dad isn't coming - he's busy with work, but her best friend, Anna, is instead - and her teacher has given her a diary she has to fill in for the entire holiday. She really doesn't want to, but as the days goes by, she finds that it's a good way for her to vent about what has been happening, especially when Anna gets with her long time crush, Sebastian, and leaves her with his friend, Beamer. Beamer has always been a thorn in Maisie's side, but, somehow, he's growing on her, and might just be what she needs. As well as all of this, she makes a new friend, Leila, who encourages her to take a chance and sign up for the local beauty pageant, that her sister entered a few years ago, and finally become confident in her body, and not be defined by the outdated standards.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. I honestly couldn't put it down and read it straight through in one sitting. Being set in Australia was a nice surprise, as I think I've only ever read one series set Down Under, and I really enjoyed Maisie as a character. She seemed like such a normal, and likeable teenager, with the body image issues and family angst being a not unknown occurrence these days. She came through her self doubt and her unsupportive sister to enter the pageant, and defy all those who said that someone who is larger than average isn't allowed in that kind of environment. There was an entry in her diary about things she liked about herself, and I loved that part, because we really saw her growth, and also her vulnerability. Beamer and Maisie's love hate relationship was sweet too, and I definitely enjoyed all of their interactions. Yeah, there was more angst than perhaps necessary in the book, but it was all enjoyable, nonetheless, and I look forward to what Jenna writes next.
Dates Read:
April 10, 2020Rating
4 Stars
