Life According to... Alice B. Lovely by Karen McCombie
| Life According to... Alice B. Lovely by Karen McCombie | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Robert James
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| Summary: While McCombie can always be relied on for a heart-warming and sweet read, this might just be her best yet. Karen McCombie popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 288 | Date: June 2012 |
| Publisher: Scholastic | |
| ISBN: 9781407131726 | |
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Thirteen-year-old Edie knows that she doesn't need a nanny. She's old enough to look after herself, and her six-year-old brother Stan. Between them, they've managed to scare off nearly everyone who their parents have hired to take care of them. So when a girl of just sixteen starts looking after them after school, Edie is less than impressed. But then the girl, Alice B. Lovely, with her captivating dress sense and strange way of looking at the world, starts to win over Stan... could she be the person to fix Edie's problems?
I'm assuming most people reading the review will have a fair idea of the answer to that one, but even if you're expecting the outcome to be predictable, trust me, this one is so delightful that it's a must-read to see exactly how things do improve! Edie's parents are divorcing, her brother is unhappy, and she's fed up of being treated like a child, particularly by the never-ending supply of Big Fat Phony nannies. She's also perhaps McCombie's least likeable main character ever, at least at the start of the novel - although given this is McCombie we're talking about, she's still fairly sympathetic. However, she's spikey, grumbly, and can be horrible to people, particularly the nannies. Watching the way she gradually changes as things start to get better at home is wonderful, and the development of her character is perfect. Alice, on the other hand, is delightful from her first introduction, and it's easy to see why Edie's parents and Stan are so quickly won over. The supporting cast, as always with McCombie's minor characters, are beautifully fleshed-out as well, with Stan, Edie's friend Tash, and a couple of very special pets standing out as especially good.
I think part of McCombie's magic is that you know exactly what you'll get with her writing. I've read nearly two dozen of her books by now, and if forced I think I'd probably say this was the best. With any of her stories, though, you know that you'll get a heart-warming story, with believable characters, fabulous dialogue, and a plot with enough twists to keep you guessing as to exactly how everything will turn out alright in the end.
Huge recommendation as one that younger teens will absolutely adore and older teens looking for a light read will also find to be well worth checking out.
Another of my favourites by McCombie is the delightful Six Words and a Wish by Karen McCombie, while Cathy Cassidy is another author who regularly produces absolutely lovely reads - my favourite of hers is probably Cherry Crush: The Chocolate Box Girls by Cathy Cassidy. We think you'll also enjoy The Year of Big Dreams and Little Bird Flies, both by Karen McCombie.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Life According to... Alice B. Lovely by Karen McCombie at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Life According to... Alice B. Lovely by Karen McCombie at Amazon.com.
Karen McCombie was kind enough to be interviewed by Bookbag.
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