Storygraph | Bookshop.org

Whatever happened to beloved Girls series characters Ellie, Magda and Nadine?
They’re all grown up now – but if they think life’s done surprising them, they’d better think again…
Being an adult isn’t quite what Ellie Allard dreamed it would be when she was fourteen years old. Though she’s got her beautiful daughter Lottie, life-long best friends in Magda and Nadine and her trusty cat Stella, her love life is non-existent and she feels like she’s been living on auto-pilot, just grateful to be able to afford the rent on her pokey little flat.
But this year on her birthday, the universe seems to decide it’s time to for all that to change – whether Ellie wants it to or not. As she navigates new, exciting and often choppy waters, she’s about to discover that life will never stop surprising you – if only you let it.

I grew up reading Jacqueline Wilson books. She is that author for me. The author that grabs you and keeps you interested in reading throughout your childhood. I had a massive collection of her books, I wrote to her (and I was overjoyed when I received a letter back!), I subscribed to her magazine, and I had the merch. I was a die-hard Jacqueline Wilson fan, and have continued to admire her as I’ve grown up, seeing her talk on stage about her work.

Revisiting the world of the Girls was a delight. Being back with Ellie, Magda and Nadine felt so nostalgic, and I genuinely don’t know how Ellie’s voice shines through so clearly despite the years since the original books were published, and the fact she is now a 40 year old character. The writing is so witty, engaging and made me laugh out loud a few times, which is rare for me!

Following Ellie again felt like such a comfort, and I couldn’t put this book down. I loved how all of the characters and family were interwoven, and how we face a lot of the issues in Jacqueline’s books for children (such as divorce and single parenthood) through an adult lens. We even see some of the same themes, such as worrying about settling down and falling in love, translate from the girls’ early teen years to adulthood, and of course there are new worries too. Worries that are very real and relatable to adult readers.

Overall, it was an absolute honour to read a pre-release copy of this, when I have so much love and nostalgia for the author and her work. I loved how familiar and comforting the voice of this book felt, and it was a joy to rejoin this group of girls!

5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Booktube | Storygraph | Instagram | Twitter| Goodreads