REVIEW: ...And a Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne

Photograph by me

Title: ...And a Happy New Year?

Author: Holly Bourne

Publisher: Usborne

Release Date: 1st November 2016

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Page Count: 224

Original Language: English

Format Read: Hardcover

Other books in series: Yes! The Spinster Club series

Movie Adaptation: N/A

Buy: Here, Here

I read this book as part of my #14books14days #14daybookchallenge on Twitter.

Same bench. Same view. Same girls. and yet totally different girls...
Evie, Amber and Lottie are having a New Year party to remember.
10... 9... 8...
For the first time since leaving college, all three girls are back together. It's time for fun and flirting, snogs and shots.
7... 6... 5...
(And not tears or tantrums or terrible secrets.)
4... 3... 2... 1
Because everything's going great for these girls - Spinster Club forever! Right?

I freaking love Holly Bourne. She was amongst the first panel of authors I ever saw at an event, and her books mean a lot to me. I read her during my first year of university, which if anyone has been keeping up with the blog for a couple of years knows, it wasn't the greatest time of my life. 

The Spinster Club girls rock. I love their passion, their loyalty to one another, and their feminism. Feminism is tough to talk about, and even harder to write about, because there will always be someone in the back of the room who says stuff like "women have all of the rights now!" "why can't you just call it equality?" "stop being angry man-hating, bra-burning, frigid women!". 

Obviously, feminism is a lot more nuanced than this. But my point is, Holly Bourne writes about feminism brilliantly. She's one of the best in the business. 

I'll be completely honest with you. This book (which is number 3.5 of the Spinster Club series, marking it's end) is not my favourite of the lot. I love the Spinster Club, and I adore how Holly writes, but this one just wasn't for me. There was a lot of crying and arguing, which is pretty realistic to what goes on at teenage house parties where alcohol is involved, but the character development just wasn't there for me like it was in the other books.

Perhaps this particular book in the series just wasn't for me - like I say, I love the other books. Despite this, I found myself really enjoying it, and as always, Holly's writing keeps me on that emotional rollercoaster - which is exactly what a book is supposed to do. 

That rollercoaster is pretty fun. 

Don't let me put you off reading this book. I still gave it 4 stars on Goodreads! As with every book series, not everyone will like every single book. However, this doesn't stop you from loving the series as a whole, or loving the author. 

I will always love the Spinster Club!