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Nina is Not OK
Nina does not have a drinking problem. She likes a drink, sure. But what 17-year-old doesn’t?
Nina’s mum isn’t so sure. But she’s busy with her new husband and five year old Katie. And Nina’s almost an adult after all.
And if Nina sometimes wakes up with little memory of what happened the night before, then her friends are all too happy to fill in the blanks. Nina’s drunken exploits are the stuff of college legend.
But then one dark Sunday morning, even her friends can’t help piece together Saturday night. All Nina feels is a deep sense of shame, that something very bad has happened to her…
A dark, funny - sometimes shocking - coming of age novel from one of the UK’s leading comedians. NINA IS NOT O.K. will appeal to fans of Caitlin Moran and Lena Dunham.
Nina’s mum isn’t so sure. But she’s busy with her new husband and five year old Katie. And Nina’s almost an adult after all.
And if Nina sometimes wakes up with little memory of what happened the night before, then her friends are all too happy to fill in the blanks. Nina’s drunken exploits are the stuff of college legend.
But then one dark Sunday morning, even her friends can’t help piece together Saturday night. All Nina feels is a deep sense of shame, that something very bad has happened to her…
A dark, funny - sometimes shocking - coming of age novel from one of the UK’s leading comedians. NINA IS NOT O.K. will appeal to fans of Caitlin Moran and Lena Dunham.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2016
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4382 people want to read
About the author
Shaparak Khorsandi
8 books154 followersShaparak "Shappi" Khorsandi (born 8 June 1973) is an Iranian-born British comedian.
The daughter of Hadi Khorsandi, her family was forced to flee from Iran to London after the Islamic Revolution following the publication of a satirical poem her father composed. The poem was perceived as being critical of the revolutionary regime. Shappi was raised without any religion.
Khorsandi graduated from the University of Winchester in 1995, with a degree in Drama, Theatre and Television, then moving onto pursue a career in comedy. In 2010, the University honoured her by awarding her an honourary doctorate.
Khorsandi was married to fellow comedian Christian Reilly, by whom she has a son named Charlie. They divorced in 2010. She lives with her son in west London near Richmond Park. Her father and brother are also stand-up comedians.
Khorsandi performs stand-up comedy, having been a noted performer at Joe Wilson's Comedy Madhouse throughout 1997. She has appeared on many BBC Radio 4 programmes, including Quote... Unquote, Loose Ends, You and Yours, Midweek, Just A Minute, The Now Show and The News Quiz, as well as BBC Television's Have I Got News For You. In July 2009 she hosted her own four-part series, Shappi Talk on BBC Radio 4, examining what it is like growing up in multi-cultural families. She also writes an occasional column for online magazine Iranian.com.
In 2007, she made her first trip to Australia and the Melbourne Comedy Festival with her show Asylum Speaker. She also appeared live on the Australia comedy talk show Rove. Later, she was nominated for best breakthrough act at the 2007 Chortle Awards. In December 2008, she appeared on the BBC stand-up television show Live at the Apollo alongside Russell Kane and Al Murray. She also made an appearance on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow on 20 June 2009, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 26 June 2009 and 8 Out of 10 Cats on 10 July 2009.
Khorsandi's memoir, A Beginner's Guide to Acting English, was published by Ebury Press on 2 July 2009. She performed her show, The Distracted Activist, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 6–31 August 2009.
She was a panellist on Question Time in 2006, and returned on 14 January 2010. During that show, she mentioned that her political support goes to Labour. She performed on the second episode of Let's Dance for Sport Relief 2010.
In 2010, Khorsandi took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, filmed live at the O2 Arena in London on 30 March. She appeared as a guest in Genius hosted by Dave Gorman on 31 October 2010. Khorsandi appeared on Channel 4's The Celebrity Bank Job in March 2012 and won £59,000 for her chosen charities.
The daughter of Hadi Khorsandi, her family was forced to flee from Iran to London after the Islamic Revolution following the publication of a satirical poem her father composed. The poem was perceived as being critical of the revolutionary regime. Shappi was raised without any religion.
Khorsandi graduated from the University of Winchester in 1995, with a degree in Drama, Theatre and Television, then moving onto pursue a career in comedy. In 2010, the University honoured her by awarding her an honourary doctorate.
Khorsandi was married to fellow comedian Christian Reilly, by whom she has a son named Charlie. They divorced in 2010. She lives with her son in west London near Richmond Park. Her father and brother are also stand-up comedians.
Khorsandi performs stand-up comedy, having been a noted performer at Joe Wilson's Comedy Madhouse throughout 1997. She has appeared on many BBC Radio 4 programmes, including Quote... Unquote, Loose Ends, You and Yours, Midweek, Just A Minute, The Now Show and The News Quiz, as well as BBC Television's Have I Got News For You. In July 2009 she hosted her own four-part series, Shappi Talk on BBC Radio 4, examining what it is like growing up in multi-cultural families. She also writes an occasional column for online magazine Iranian.com.
In 2007, she made her first trip to Australia and the Melbourne Comedy Festival with her show Asylum Speaker. She also appeared live on the Australia comedy talk show Rove. Later, she was nominated for best breakthrough act at the 2007 Chortle Awards. In December 2008, she appeared on the BBC stand-up television show Live at the Apollo alongside Russell Kane and Al Murray. She also made an appearance on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow on 20 June 2009, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 26 June 2009 and 8 Out of 10 Cats on 10 July 2009.
Khorsandi's memoir, A Beginner's Guide to Acting English, was published by Ebury Press on 2 July 2009. She performed her show, The Distracted Activist, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 6–31 August 2009.
She was a panellist on Question Time in 2006, and returned on 14 January 2010. During that show, she mentioned that her political support goes to Labour. She performed on the second episode of Let's Dance for Sport Relief 2010.
In 2010, Khorsandi took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, filmed live at the O2 Arena in London on 30 March. She appeared as a guest in Genius hosted by Dave Gorman on 31 October 2010. Khorsandi appeared on Channel 4's The Celebrity Bank Job in March 2012 and won £59,000 for her chosen charities.
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September 13, 2024
*Thank you to Netgalley and Ebury Publishing for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review*
I have to admit to having misgivings when I saw that Shappi Khorsandi had written this novel - I mean she's really great at 'stand up' comedy but would her literary efforts 'stand up' to scrutiny? Well, my misgivings were completely unfounded.
Nina is every mother's nightmare right now, she's quickly going from A grade student to alcoholic, and she's certainly getting plenty of practice in the latter, drinking at any and every opportunity. We first meet her when she's ejected from a nightclub after committing a sexual misdemeanour ( just being polite guys ). She's unceremoniously dumped with the bouncer's words " You should be ashamed of yourself" ringing in her ears. Nina is so smashed, she doesn't have a clue what really happened that night. However, it's a night that will come back to haunt her in the worst possible way.
Hidden deep inside Nina where feelings and emotions are buried, is a 9 year old child, still angry and hurting, inconsolable with grief at the loss of her adored daddy. Nina's never managed to come to terms with that loss. She also feels rejected by her mother who has a new man in her life ( Nina's stepfather Alan) who Nina hates. The one saving grace though, is 5 year old Katie, her half sister, whom she adores. On top of all this hurt and rejection, her boyfriend of two years, Jamie, goes to work for a year in Hong Kong, for his father, and despite all the promises that he'll be back for her, he actually meets someone new on the plane journey out. Who wouldn't feel rejected? It's after this that her life spirals out of control. She uses drink to disguise all this anguish.
There were times when I wanted to scream "No Nina, don't do it"! I really cared what happened to her, became so involved. This is an excruciating but riveting, snapshot of life in the modern age, where technology can be used in the most destructive way. It's funny too, but there are some deep and meaningful messages here that will tear your emotions to shreds, and yes I'll admit it, it did make me cry. I was gripped! Well done Shappi!
I have to admit to having misgivings when I saw that Shappi Khorsandi had written this novel - I mean she's really great at 'stand up' comedy but would her literary efforts 'stand up' to scrutiny? Well, my misgivings were completely unfounded.
Nina is every mother's nightmare right now, she's quickly going from A grade student to alcoholic, and she's certainly getting plenty of practice in the latter, drinking at any and every opportunity. We first meet her when she's ejected from a nightclub after committing a sexual misdemeanour ( just being polite guys ). She's unceremoniously dumped with the bouncer's words " You should be ashamed of yourself" ringing in her ears. Nina is so smashed, she doesn't have a clue what really happened that night. However, it's a night that will come back to haunt her in the worst possible way.
Hidden deep inside Nina where feelings and emotions are buried, is a 9 year old child, still angry and hurting, inconsolable with grief at the loss of her adored daddy. Nina's never managed to come to terms with that loss. She also feels rejected by her mother who has a new man in her life ( Nina's stepfather Alan) who Nina hates. The one saving grace though, is 5 year old Katie, her half sister, whom she adores. On top of all this hurt and rejection, her boyfriend of two years, Jamie, goes to work for a year in Hong Kong, for his father, and despite all the promises that he'll be back for her, he actually meets someone new on the plane journey out. Who wouldn't feel rejected? It's after this that her life spirals out of control. She uses drink to disguise all this anguish.
There were times when I wanted to scream "No Nina, don't do it"! I really cared what happened to her, became so involved. This is an excruciating but riveting, snapshot of life in the modern age, where technology can be used in the most destructive way. It's funny too, but there are some deep and meaningful messages here that will tear your emotions to shreds, and yes I'll admit it, it did make me cry. I was gripped! Well done Shappi!
September 7, 2016
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
WOW!! I really do have to give this one ALL THE STARS!
I first came across Nina is Not OK after reading my friend Louise's review of this book. After reading her review and the book description I wanted to read it right away.
The book opens as seventeen-year-old Nina is being marched out of a club by a bouncer. Her best friends, Beth and Zoe are still inside, while she's outside so drunk she can barely stand. Some time later she arrives home by cab, with her underwear in her hand, shocking her mother with the state she's in.
When she awakens the next morning, she's relieved that she is in her own bed fully clothed. However, she has no memory of how she got there. This isn't the first time Nina has drank so much she's blacked out, with no memory of what happened. Although her memory is almost blank she feels deeply ashamed at the little bits she does remember. Her mother is also not impressed and is losing patience with her, though she tries to be understanding as what's happening with Nina, is not unfamiliar to her.
***Possibly very minor spoilers***
Nina's father was also an alcoholic. One minute a happy drunk and the next he was yelling and throwing things. Her childhood was chaotic. After he passed away her mother got some help and eventually met and married Alan. He is a quiet man that Nina finds boring but grudging admits he's a good father to her little sister Katie.
Nina is trying to get over her recent break-up with ex-boyfriend Jamie. The break-up was out of the blue and Nina is still trying to make sense of it. And drinking seems to help her forget about it, at least for a little while.
When her step-father gets a job in Germany, they are all to go live there for a year. Nina is livid and refuses to go with them. It's decided she will stay with Beth and her father while they are gone. Nina's drinking gets worse and she's making some dangerous choices. Everyone is worried about her but Nina thinks she's fine. But one night things go way to far and even Nina knows it. She's taken to rehab. It takes time but she realizes that she does have a problem a huge problem and that she needs help. That the people in rehab truly understand.
"For the first time I'm with people who have boozed in a way that normal drinkers don't understand. Those who say getting wasted is a 'rite of passage' don't get it. We are not 'hard-core'. We are not 'party animals'. We are ill."
For awhile things are okay. Nina works the AA program. "One Day at a Time" becomes her mantra. New Year's Day though, Nina's world explodes. Angry and ashamed she doesn't think that she can make it through this.
Some readers may have a hard time liking Nina. She can definitely be hard to like sometimes. I'm in no way shaming her, as many addicts can be hard to like. Nina is an addict, an alcoholic. Generally addicts in the throes of their addiction don't treat people very well. They will often lie and manipulate in order to get what they want. Nothing is ever their fault etc. I feel like the author definitely succeeded in showing how a teenage addict could act.
There were many times that I loved Nina too. Her relationship with her sister, Katie is beautiful. Katie brings out all of the softness in Nina. Nina does not like six-year-old Katie to see her drunk and feels terrible when she's hung-over and grumpy with her.
**Warning** There are some brutally honest and graphic descriptions of situations that may upset and/or trigger some readers. However, I didn't feel like the author was trying to sensationalize these situations but trying to show the reality of what was happening in Nina's life.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"
Literally painful to read at times. The writing is authentic and accurate. The author tackles so many of the issues that our children are going through today. Drugs, alcohol, sex, school pressure, social media, relationships and more. I really became more and more emotionally invested into Nina's character as well as some of the other characters as the book went on.
This is definitely one of best books I've read lately. I loved so many of the characters, they were so well developed. The author is also a comedian and although there were many dark issues in this book, there were also some incredibly funny parts too.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ebury Press and Shappi Khorsandi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
WOW!! I really do have to give this one ALL THE STARS!
I first came across Nina is Not OK after reading my friend Louise's review of this book. After reading her review and the book description I wanted to read it right away.
The book opens as seventeen-year-old Nina is being marched out of a club by a bouncer. Her best friends, Beth and Zoe are still inside, while she's outside so drunk she can barely stand. Some time later she arrives home by cab, with her underwear in her hand, shocking her mother with the state she's in.
When she awakens the next morning, she's relieved that she is in her own bed fully clothed. However, she has no memory of how she got there. This isn't the first time Nina has drank so much she's blacked out, with no memory of what happened. Although her memory is almost blank she feels deeply ashamed at the little bits she does remember. Her mother is also not impressed and is losing patience with her, though she tries to be understanding as what's happening with Nina, is not unfamiliar to her.
***Possibly very minor spoilers***
Nina's father was also an alcoholic. One minute a happy drunk and the next he was yelling and throwing things. Her childhood was chaotic. After he passed away her mother got some help and eventually met and married Alan. He is a quiet man that Nina finds boring but grudging admits he's a good father to her little sister Katie.
Nina is trying to get over her recent break-up with ex-boyfriend Jamie. The break-up was out of the blue and Nina is still trying to make sense of it. And drinking seems to help her forget about it, at least for a little while.
When her step-father gets a job in Germany, they are all to go live there for a year. Nina is livid and refuses to go with them. It's decided she will stay with Beth and her father while they are gone. Nina's drinking gets worse and she's making some dangerous choices. Everyone is worried about her but Nina thinks she's fine. But one night things go way to far and even Nina knows it. She's taken to rehab. It takes time but she realizes that she does have a problem a huge problem and that she needs help. That the people in rehab truly understand.
"For the first time I'm with people who have boozed in a way that normal drinkers don't understand. Those who say getting wasted is a 'rite of passage' don't get it. We are not 'hard-core'. We are not 'party animals'. We are ill."
For awhile things are okay. Nina works the AA program. "One Day at a Time" becomes her mantra. New Year's Day though, Nina's world explodes. Angry and ashamed she doesn't think that she can make it through this.
Some readers may have a hard time liking Nina. She can definitely be hard to like sometimes. I'm in no way shaming her, as many addicts can be hard to like. Nina is an addict, an alcoholic. Generally addicts in the throes of their addiction don't treat people very well. They will often lie and manipulate in order to get what they want. Nothing is ever their fault etc. I feel like the author definitely succeeded in showing how a teenage addict could act.
There were many times that I loved Nina too. Her relationship with her sister, Katie is beautiful. Katie brings out all of the softness in Nina. Nina does not like six-year-old Katie to see her drunk and feels terrible when she's hung-over and grumpy with her.
**Warning** There are some brutally honest and graphic descriptions of situations that may upset and/or trigger some readers. However, I didn't feel like the author was trying to sensationalize these situations but trying to show the reality of what was happening in Nina's life.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"
Literally painful to read at times. The writing is authentic and accurate. The author tackles so many of the issues that our children are going through today. Drugs, alcohol, sex, school pressure, social media, relationships and more. I really became more and more emotionally invested into Nina's character as well as some of the other characters as the book went on.
This is definitely one of best books I've read lately. I loved so many of the characters, they were so well developed. The author is also a comedian and although there were many dark issues in this book, there were also some incredibly funny parts too.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ebury Press and Shappi Khorsandi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 26, 2016
We first meet a paralytic and drunk Nina when she is humiliatingly thrown out of a nightclub after performing a lewd sex act. She passes out with no memory of what happens until she is in a taxi home clasping her knickers in her hands. What happens on this night has nightmarish repercussions for Nina as her life begins to spiral out of control.
Nina had a volatile alcoholic dad whom she loved but died when she was 9 years old. Now at 17, she cannot stop drinking, but thinks that it is not a problem. However, her life is a car crash after a series of mortifying drinking incidents and sexual encounters take place. Her living arrangements at her best friend Beth's home come to an end with Nina's unpardonable behaviour with Beth's father. Nina is taken to a Rehab centre by her mum who is at the end of her tether. Nina has no choice, she has burnt all her bridges with friends and family.
As it happens this is the best thing that could have happened to her. Her stint there makes her acknowledge the depth of her problems and develop some strategies to cope which include AA. She is not perfect, and has a minor relapse but picks herself up to begin again. That is until a female friend of hers posts on social media a damning video of Nina having sex outside of the nightclub which she cannot remember. Nina's life becomes unbearable and she wants that drink. Fortunately this time she is well supported and she has more of a handle on her life. This allows her to do what she needs to do and gain some measure of control over her life.
This novel authentically captures the experience of alcoholism in a young girl and how her life disintegrates. It paints a picture of the unedifying face of social media and the crucifying implications it has on a vulnerable young woman. I could not help but engage with Nina as her life falls apart and marvel at her efforts to address her issues. Shappi Khorsandi is proving that she is a talented writer who can write about important contemporary issues. She does a remarkable job with Nina's character development throughout the story. A highly recommended and riveting read. Thanks to Random House Ebury for an ARC. I would particularly like to thank my good friend Maureen for recommending this book to me
Nina had a volatile alcoholic dad whom she loved but died when she was 9 years old. Now at 17, she cannot stop drinking, but thinks that it is not a problem. However, her life is a car crash after a series of mortifying drinking incidents and sexual encounters take place. Her living arrangements at her best friend Beth's home come to an end with Nina's unpardonable behaviour with Beth's father. Nina is taken to a Rehab centre by her mum who is at the end of her tether. Nina has no choice, she has burnt all her bridges with friends and family.
As it happens this is the best thing that could have happened to her. Her stint there makes her acknowledge the depth of her problems and develop some strategies to cope which include AA. She is not perfect, and has a minor relapse but picks herself up to begin again. That is until a female friend of hers posts on social media a damning video of Nina having sex outside of the nightclub which she cannot remember. Nina's life becomes unbearable and she wants that drink. Fortunately this time she is well supported and she has more of a handle on her life. This allows her to do what she needs to do and gain some measure of control over her life.
This novel authentically captures the experience of alcoholism in a young girl and how her life disintegrates. It paints a picture of the unedifying face of social media and the crucifying implications it has on a vulnerable young woman. I could not help but engage with Nina as her life falls apart and marvel at her efforts to address her issues. Shappi Khorsandi is proving that she is a talented writer who can write about important contemporary issues. She does a remarkable job with Nina's character development throughout the story. A highly recommended and riveting read. Thanks to Random House Ebury for an ARC. I would particularly like to thank my good friend Maureen for recommending this book to me
June 22, 2020
“Those who say getting wasted is a ‘rite of passage’ don’t get it. We are not ‘hard-core’. We are not ‘party animals’. We are ill.”
This book came and punched me right in the face. So fucking relevant - more people need to read this!
Nina is booted out of a nightclub after performing a blow job on a stranger. After then blacking out, she awakens inside a taxi where the taxi driver is furiously banging on her mums door to help her her inside.
This is a regular thing. Nina can’t go out for “just one”. She gets absolutely shitfaced and gets in absolute states.
As Nina spirals more and more out of control her mum doesn’t know how to cope. When finally things can’t get any worse, she is admitted to rehab.
This is a powerful story on alcohol culture, how alcoholism runs in families and how people need to stop legitimising the kind of situations that happen when people are wrecked.
I am the first to admit I’ve been in some god awful situations because of alcohol. It’s terrifying how thin the line is between having a good time and putting your life in danger.
It’s not all hardcore serious themes though. There are moments when I laughed out loud. Moments I nearly cried for Nina. Moments when I wanted to set people on fire (namely Zoe and Alex).
Overall though this book affected me more than I expected it to. It shines a light on victim blaming in society and just hits the nail right on the head.
4 stars ⭐️
This book came and punched me right in the face. So fucking relevant - more people need to read this!
Nina is booted out of a nightclub after performing a blow job on a stranger. After then blacking out, she awakens inside a taxi where the taxi driver is furiously banging on her mums door to help her her inside.
This is a regular thing. Nina can’t go out for “just one”. She gets absolutely shitfaced and gets in absolute states.
As Nina spirals more and more out of control her mum doesn’t know how to cope. When finally things can’t get any worse, she is admitted to rehab.
This is a powerful story on alcohol culture, how alcoholism runs in families and how people need to stop legitimising the kind of situations that happen when people are wrecked.
I am the first to admit I’ve been in some god awful situations because of alcohol. It’s terrifying how thin the line is between having a good time and putting your life in danger.
It’s not all hardcore serious themes though. There are moments when I laughed out loud. Moments I nearly cried for Nina. Moments when I wanted to set people on fire (namely Zoe and Alex).
Overall though this book affected me more than I expected it to. It shines a light on victim blaming in society and just hits the nail right on the head.
4 stars ⭐️
February 21, 2018
This book has reached my favourites list. I listened to the audio version, and I was appalled to realise only at the very end that this was narrated by the author! I lost reflection time in doing this. Shappi Khorsandi (how have I not heard of this interesting woman before?) is a comedian, Iranian born and raised in England. She was so entertaining in narrating her story. This piece of writing was snappy, quirky, serious, hilarious and quirky all at once. Such a good read. Encountering books such as this, full of despair, addiction and such serious themes, a reader always poses the question - "I wonder if this is this real, is it in any way autobiographical?" So of course I had to do a little searching. What an interesting woman! Have a little read of this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life...
I will listen to this again, albeit at normal speed next time, I was so wanting to know what happened to Nina and sped it up more than I should have to fully capture her voice! I loved the jokester vibe throughout as well. It is lovely to hear, she is whip smart funny, and I imagine she would be such good value and an extremely clever woman.
Confronting and scary, this book would be valuable to a large audience. I recommend the audio version, which I accessed through my local library's BorrowBox service, but I will also buy the hard copy to add to my beautiful pile of cherished favourites. I would love to see this book be loved by many more readers, it has value in many forms.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life...
I will listen to this again, albeit at normal speed next time, I was so wanting to know what happened to Nina and sped it up more than I should have to fully capture her voice! I loved the jokester vibe throughout as well. It is lovely to hear, she is whip smart funny, and I imagine she would be such good value and an extremely clever woman.
Confronting and scary, this book would be valuable to a large audience. I recommend the audio version, which I accessed through my local library's BorrowBox service, but I will also buy the hard copy to add to my beautiful pile of cherished favourites. I would love to see this book be loved by many more readers, it has value in many forms.
July 12, 2016
Wow! Absolutely stunning. Best coming-of-age story I have read in ages. Gripped me from page one and I tried to make time whenever possible to read this.
Nina is 17. Nina is an alcoholic. Nina wants to feel wanted. Performing an inappropriate sexual act with a random guy in a nightclub isn't the way to go about it, but when Nina starts drinking she turns into "the worst version of herself". Nina is so out of it that the time between being thrown out of the nightclub and getting home by taxi with her knickers in her hand is a total blur. But that night is going to be pivotal for Nina, as she follows a self-destructive path, going through denial and self-blame, before accepting that she is not ok.
Told from Nina's first person perspective, this was raw, seriously hard-hitting but incredibly insightful and very authentic. The author did an amazing job of not only tackling subjects such as alcoholism, the harmful use of social media and today's culture of victim blaming but she also explores bereavement, friendships, first loves and stepfamilies and doesn't shy away from the topic of young people exploring their sexuality.
Considering the topics covered, this was surprisingly full of humour. Some of the dialogue between Nina and her friends Beth and Trish was absolutely hilarious. Probably not a great surprise to many, as Shappi Khorsandi is a well-known comedienne in the UK. She has created a gripping and emotional story while keeping it totally real. The character development was fantastic. This book dealt so realistically with so many issues facing young people today, it should be required reading in secondary schools and colleges and on the shelves of any parents with teenagers.
Some of this may be uncomfortable reading due to the subject matter and the author certainly doesn't mince her words, but to me, it made this even more powerful and realistic. Absolutely perfect! One of my favourite books this year. Would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Many thanks to Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for my ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nina is 17. Nina is an alcoholic. Nina wants to feel wanted. Performing an inappropriate sexual act with a random guy in a nightclub isn't the way to go about it, but when Nina starts drinking she turns into "the worst version of herself". Nina is so out of it that the time between being thrown out of the nightclub and getting home by taxi with her knickers in her hand is a total blur. But that night is going to be pivotal for Nina, as she follows a self-destructive path, going through denial and self-blame, before accepting that she is not ok.
Told from Nina's first person perspective, this was raw, seriously hard-hitting but incredibly insightful and very authentic. The author did an amazing job of not only tackling subjects such as alcoholism, the harmful use of social media and today's culture of victim blaming but she also explores bereavement, friendships, first loves and stepfamilies and doesn't shy away from the topic of young people exploring their sexuality.
Considering the topics covered, this was surprisingly full of humour. Some of the dialogue between Nina and her friends Beth and Trish was absolutely hilarious. Probably not a great surprise to many, as Shappi Khorsandi is a well-known comedienne in the UK. She has created a gripping and emotional story while keeping it totally real. The character development was fantastic. This book dealt so realistically with so many issues facing young people today, it should be required reading in secondary schools and colleges and on the shelves of any parents with teenagers.
Some of this may be uncomfortable reading due to the subject matter and the author certainly doesn't mince her words, but to me, it made this even more powerful and realistic. Absolutely perfect! One of my favourite books this year. Would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Many thanks to Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for my ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2016
This incredibly brilliant debut novel by Shappi Khorsandi has left me slightly breathless. A disturbing and brutally frank account of a young 17 year old girl battling alcoholism, A levels, boyfriends and growing up at the same time. Told with frank and graphic honestly and with the authors wonderful self-deprecating humour, this story deals with living with an addict, the fall out and the shame. Totally gripping and heartbreaking and also thought provoking. 5 stars.
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June 25, 2016Nina is thrown out of a nightclub after performing a sexual act. She is 17 years old and an alcoholic but Nina is in denial. She is studying for her A levels.
The morning after Nina has no recollection of what happened after she left the nightclub. All she remembers is being in a taxi with her knickers in her hand. The taxi driver has to get her mother to help her into the house.
No one should have to endure the events that Nina has. I was truly caught up in Nina's story. I could not wait to see what happened to her. A well written novel. I loved it.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Random House UK Ebury Publishing and the author Shari Khorsandi for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The morning after Nina has no recollection of what happened after she left the nightclub. All she remembers is being in a taxi with her knickers in her hand. The taxi driver has to get her mother to help her into the house.
No one should have to endure the events that Nina has. I was truly caught up in Nina's story. I could not wait to see what happened to her. A well written novel. I loved it.
I would like to thank Net Galley, Random House UK Ebury Publishing and the author Shari Khorsandi for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2017
Readathon 6/26: Ένα Βιβλίο με το όνομα χαρακτήρα στο τίτλο.
This book was amazing.
It spoke about 17year old Nina, a girl that stayed with her mum, her little sister Katie and her stepdad Alan since his dad is dead.
Nina although is smart and kind she is also unsecure, with low confidence and she has issues with the death of her father.
And all that blows up when her boyfriend Jamie broken up with her. She put herself in a self pitty situation with a lof of booze and a lot of madness and bluriness and a lot of lost.
Untill she grabbed bottom.
This book is Nina's confess to us. Is the battle that she gave to stay sober. It's about the forgiveness about all the wrong things she said and done. It's the way she change her life and stand on her feet.
5 stars !!!
This book was amazing.
It spoke about 17year old Nina, a girl that stayed with her mum, her little sister Katie and her stepdad Alan since his dad is dead.
Nina although is smart and kind she is also unsecure, with low confidence and she has issues with the death of her father.
And all that blows up when her boyfriend Jamie broken up with her. She put herself in a self pitty situation with a lof of booze and a lot of madness and bluriness and a lot of lost.
Untill she grabbed bottom.
This book is Nina's confess to us. Is the battle that she gave to stay sober. It's about the forgiveness about all the wrong things she said and done. It's the way she change her life and stand on her feet.
5 stars !!!
June 7, 2018
I'd seen a fair number of reviews on here for this one but wasn't really sure if it was for me. After the first chapter I almost stopped reading it - I am so glad I kept going. Nina's story is not for the faint hearted. In a sense you want to leave her in the dark place she is in. However she is human and so am I. I've done some pretty silly things in my life too. I was glad I stayed with her. Enormously powerful, very unpleasant at times (though far worse for her). I found it hard to put down.
July 7, 2017
Oh, Nina. I was not prepared.
October 6, 2016
‘Is it right to accept you cannot help someone?’
Riveting. Heart-breaking. Realistic. Honest. Funny. Devastatingly dark. Brilliant! We could go on. And on. Nina is Not OK is a very real and vulnerable snapshot of today’s society from a seventeen year old girl’s point of view. A striking coming of age novel which highlights the downfalls such as binge drinking, addiction, sexual consent and the pit falls of social media. It also highlights the nature of friendships and family relationships. Understanding and forgiveness. Rights and wrongs. There’s a saying we thought of often whilst reading this book; be careful not to lose a diamond whilst being too busy collecting stones.
‘Sometimes, when I’m on the underground, and I hear the rumble of the train in the tunnel, I press my back right up against the wall, as far away from the platform as possible, just in case, at the very last second as the train hurtles onto the platform, I go mad and jump.’
Nina is Not OK was a difficult read in the sense that we start off by experiencing the ugly side of human nature- under the influence and follow through a journey of hatred, doubt, abuse and tragedy to make it out on the other side with a deep breath and an exhausted exhale. We have to applaud Shappi Khorsandi on a fantastic first novel, it was addictive and overwhelmingly well written. It’s incredibly hard to write an ‘easy read’ which has such a profound emotional affect and be so witty at the same time. This Author achieved just that as her writing felt unique and incredibly authentic. We cared deeply for Nina no matter how many times she challenged us.
‘I’m jealous of all these ‘great’ girls who are ‘girlfriends’, who don’t drink so much and don’t fuck someone just so they can have a cuddle. I’m jealous of these girls because the men who tell me to leave their house, don’t want them to leave.’
Nina, at first comes across harsh and self-serving yet intelligent and beautiful. A façade hiding a multitude of personal problems and unresolved emotional distress. Nina drinks to feel, yet in the same breath- drinks to not feel. An oxymoron. She lost her Dad at an early age to alcoholism and feels left out in her current family setting. Losing her boyfriend to another girl is the final catalyst in her turmoil of emotions and Nina loses herself in alcohol and meaningless and destructive sexual situations. The feeling of rejection, disconnection and an overwhelming loss of control can devastate anyone. Any human contact and acceptance no matter the form is sought to validate you and verify you are alive and being seen.
‘There is no ‘rite of passage’ to get out of booze. Booze sits its arse down in your life, pretends to be your friend, then trips you up, kicks you and throws rocks at you. You push it away; it runs back at you harder and knock you over. You barricade your door against it, and it’ll climb through your window. If you promise yourself you won’t drink, it’ll laugh at your promise, drag you screaming to the ground and batter you unconscious.’
There are so many beautiful relationships woven into the ugly reality of Nina’s alcoholism; a disease that takes hold and affects everyone involved. It throws one test after another to see at the end of the day who is left standing. An outside projection of internal hurt, grief and loneliness. A need to be understood and an inability to cope.
‘I was upside down, inside out and back to front. I was myself, just the worst ‘version’ of myself.’
Coping mechanisms are not automatic they are learnt through observation or taught. Shappi Khorsandi highlighted and touched upon these and so many subjects and issues that we currently experience or see in our society in this gripping read. From a rough beginning to an emotional harrowing un-put-down-able read. There is no question. One of the best books of 2016!
‘When you see someone that drunk, you look after them, or you find their mates and get them to look after them.’
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August 1, 2023
The whole way through I was like “4 stars? 4.5 maybe? No 4?” but by the end I was almost choking on tears. I devoured this book in two sittings and I found myself wanting to check in with Nina after the last page and see if she was okay?! She felt so flawed and real to me.
August 13, 2016
Nina is 17 and lives in London where she also goes to college. Nina is sociable and chatty plus she also enjoys a drink. Follow Nina for a year in this first person narrative.
The writing style of this novel was simply a pleasure to read. Shappi writes her novel in the same voice as she uses on her stand-up comedy routines on television. Reading her book, you can imagine Shappi performing the content as a monologue on stage. However, Nina can perform too, especially after a drink and you can’t forget how she got that mess on her hair.
The story starts as a jolly tale with a lot of wit. For example…
It’s not jealousy, it’s not. Just fucking infuriating. Why do guys go mental over tall, skinny women with blonde hair? Why do girls like Zoe get watches on second dates and I get pictures of dodgy men’s cocks?
...But as the story progresses and Nina turns 18, serious issues are raised, notably alcoholism and sexual consent. There is great social commentary in this novel, which is Shappi’s first and I found the language used was spot-on for how teenagers talk today. I found this book both enlightening and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and felt privileged to enter another world. You can escape into a world of youth and lots of drama.
Nina is NOT OK is a lovely down to earth drama which is easy to relate to and features ordinary people like the girl next door. I like the way Shappi built her supporting characters, they were a balanced mix of girl friends, boys and middle aged adults. The spread of Nina’s girl friends reminded me of that great sitcom on television called Some Girls which ran for 3 series between 2012 and 2014.
I think this book will appeal to both genders and all ages. I am a 57 year old man and I found this novel refreshing with all the social observations woven into the storyline. It is all about being human and making mistakes. There is a little bit of Nina in all of us, from making poor choices from time to time, enjoying a drink and getting sexual urges. This exploration of human nature with all it’s highs and lows plus some wonderful character development, made this book such a joy for me to read. The quality of writing is first class and I really engaged with Nina. It was a treasure to see the world through her eyes and this book creates a milestone of understanding about alcohol and sexual urges. It will help readers understand how some people can so easily become an alcoholic and how easy it can be for them to relapse, time and time again. Thanks to Shappi for writing a top class novel that I will vote the top score of 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Ebury Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
The writing style of this novel was simply a pleasure to read. Shappi writes her novel in the same voice as she uses on her stand-up comedy routines on television. Reading her book, you can imagine Shappi performing the content as a monologue on stage. However, Nina can perform too, especially after a drink and you can’t forget how she got that mess on her hair.
The story starts as a jolly tale with a lot of wit. For example…
It’s not jealousy, it’s not. Just fucking infuriating. Why do guys go mental over tall, skinny women with blonde hair? Why do girls like Zoe get watches on second dates and I get pictures of dodgy men’s cocks?
...But as the story progresses and Nina turns 18, serious issues are raised, notably alcoholism and sexual consent. There is great social commentary in this novel, which is Shappi’s first and I found the language used was spot-on for how teenagers talk today. I found this book both enlightening and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and felt privileged to enter another world. You can escape into a world of youth and lots of drama.
Nina is NOT OK is a lovely down to earth drama which is easy to relate to and features ordinary people like the girl next door. I like the way Shappi built her supporting characters, they were a balanced mix of girl friends, boys and middle aged adults. The spread of Nina’s girl friends reminded me of that great sitcom on television called Some Girls which ran for 3 series between 2012 and 2014.
I think this book will appeal to both genders and all ages. I am a 57 year old man and I found this novel refreshing with all the social observations woven into the storyline. It is all about being human and making mistakes. There is a little bit of Nina in all of us, from making poor choices from time to time, enjoying a drink and getting sexual urges. This exploration of human nature with all it’s highs and lows plus some wonderful character development, made this book such a joy for me to read. The quality of writing is first class and I really engaged with Nina. It was a treasure to see the world through her eyes and this book creates a milestone of understanding about alcohol and sexual urges. It will help readers understand how some people can so easily become an alcoholic and how easy it can be for them to relapse, time and time again. Thanks to Shappi for writing a top class novel that I will vote the top score of 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Ebury Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
March 21, 2017
It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me cringe in recognition. It made me mad as hell. I absolutely adored it. I'm gonna try to write a review that'll do i justice.
April 24, 2016
It doesn’t get much grittier or realistic than this. I am sure this will echo with quite a few readers, especially the ones who can relate to Nina’s life on a more personal level.
The relationship between Nina and her mother is pivotal. She feels abandoned by her mother, is reluctant to accept the new father figure in her life, but clearly dotes on her baby sister. Their plans revolve around what is best for her step-father and her mother.
Apparently being 17 going on 18 also means you can throw someone out of the nest. Like an animal being cast out of the herd. Of course the truth is age is just a number and doesn’t necessarily mean maturity.
Perhaps if Mom had been less involved with herself and her future plans she might have been able to help Nina sooner. In fact she should have asked more questions and been more concerned the day Nina came home in that state in the taxi.
Khorsandi’s story is bold. Unfortunately it is a vivid and true image of our society at the moment. One would think that in the 21st century sexual assault would finally be perceived differently, and the reactions to it should be more about victim support and less about victim blaming. Unfortunately that still isn’t the case. Something which is painfully clear in this book.
Zoe’s reaction is shameful, deplorable and all too common. Instead of questioning the actions of her boyfriend, she sets out to shame her friend. There really is no excuse for putting images and videos of sexual assaults or indecent images of victims online. It should be punished by law and that includes sharing them. If Nina had been under 16 years of age it would be considered to be an illegal offence.
The most interesting part of the story is Nina’s reaction to the events. She is quite willing to accept the global view that as a girl she is just out of control. She is easy, she’s a slut, she’s a whore and hey she is totally up for it. Oh wait I forgot, it is her fault because she had a drink.
Not once does any man/boy say let’s not, because you have had a little too much to drink. No one questions why she is clearly out of control or losing the plot. The combination of a genetic disposition, her family history and the events in the alley are all contributing factors in her downwards spiral.
It takes Nina a long time to comprehend what happened to her. To acknowledge the ugly truth about the events in the alley. To take the blame placed firmly upon her shoulders by others and putting it where it belongs, on the shoulders of the abusers.
I wish I could say Nina’s situation is just fiction and a great idea for a book. It isn’t, this is the reality of sexual assault, rape and abuse in our day and age. A society of people who have no idea what No means, and certainly have no clue that if the woman/man you’re with has not given their consent then you’re committing rape. Unconscious does not mean yes. Being so drunk you have no idea what is going on does not mean yes.
Be prepared for bare truths and no attempt at candy floss cover-ups. It is a book I will be recommending because of the way Khorsandi doesn’t gloss over the truth.
*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley, courtesy of Ebury Press.*
The relationship between Nina and her mother is pivotal. She feels abandoned by her mother, is reluctant to accept the new father figure in her life, but clearly dotes on her baby sister. Their plans revolve around what is best for her step-father and her mother.
Apparently being 17 going on 18 also means you can throw someone out of the nest. Like an animal being cast out of the herd. Of course the truth is age is just a number and doesn’t necessarily mean maturity.
Perhaps if Mom had been less involved with herself and her future plans she might have been able to help Nina sooner. In fact she should have asked more questions and been more concerned the day Nina came home in that state in the taxi.
Khorsandi’s story is bold. Unfortunately it is a vivid and true image of our society at the moment. One would think that in the 21st century sexual assault would finally be perceived differently, and the reactions to it should be more about victim support and less about victim blaming. Unfortunately that still isn’t the case. Something which is painfully clear in this book.
Zoe’s reaction is shameful, deplorable and all too common. Instead of questioning the actions of her boyfriend, she sets out to shame her friend. There really is no excuse for putting images and videos of sexual assaults or indecent images of victims online. It should be punished by law and that includes sharing them. If Nina had been under 16 years of age it would be considered to be an illegal offence.
The most interesting part of the story is Nina’s reaction to the events. She is quite willing to accept the global view that as a girl she is just out of control. She is easy, she’s a slut, she’s a whore and hey she is totally up for it. Oh wait I forgot, it is her fault because she had a drink.
Not once does any man/boy say let’s not, because you have had a little too much to drink. No one questions why she is clearly out of control or losing the plot. The combination of a genetic disposition, her family history and the events in the alley are all contributing factors in her downwards spiral.
It takes Nina a long time to comprehend what happened to her. To acknowledge the ugly truth about the events in the alley. To take the blame placed firmly upon her shoulders by others and putting it where it belongs, on the shoulders of the abusers.
I wish I could say Nina’s situation is just fiction and a great idea for a book. It isn’t, this is the reality of sexual assault, rape and abuse in our day and age. A society of people who have no idea what No means, and certainly have no clue that if the woman/man you’re with has not given their consent then you’re committing rape. Unconscious does not mean yes. Being so drunk you have no idea what is going on does not mean yes.
Be prepared for bare truths and no attempt at candy floss cover-ups. It is a book I will be recommending because of the way Khorsandi doesn’t gloss over the truth.
*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley, courtesy of Ebury Press.*
August 9, 2016
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book apart from what I had read in the book description, but this has to be one of the most brutal and harrowing story’s I have ever read. Nina is seventeen and loves a drink, well what seventeen year old doesn’t? You may ask, but Nina takes drinking to the extreme, Nina is in fact an alcoholic and in denial. We first meet Nina when she’s thrown out of a nightclub after committing a sexual act. She is so drunk, she doesn’t have a clue what really happened that night. However, it’s a night that will come back to haunt her in the most awful way. Nina is a girl hell bent on self-destruction and soon her drinking is out of control, having sex with strangers, sometimes more than one! falling out with friends and family, and drinking herself into oblivion. When Nina does the unthinkable, her mother at her wits end forces her to go to rehab.
You can’t help becoming emotionally involved in Nina’s story as her life spirals out of control, as does the drinking, at times she wasn’t the most likeable character, she appeared needy and desperate for affection, although in her defence you can see why she’s this way as the story unfolds, but she also had a vulnerable side which was heartbreaking to read about, as she made one bad choice after another, putting herself in some very dangerous situations. Nina’s character was frighteningly realistic as was her relationship with her mother, I felt I was living every mothers worse nightmare,and the relationship with her little sister Katie was heartwarming to say the least, and added warmth to a dark tale. fraught with tension and emotion throughout, I found myself completely immersed in Nina’s story. This could have been a dark and very depressing read, but the author adds just the right amount of humour through Nina’s dialogue with friends and family to counteract this.
As Nina begins her recovery and explores the issues surrounding her drinking, you can’t help hoping she will be able to find the strength to live a life without alcohol, I found this part of the book very emotional to read as Nina comes to terms with the terrible and heartbreaking things she’s done whilst under the influence. Nina Is Not Ok is the definition of character driven, I can’t remember the last book where I became so emotionally involved with the characters or the plot, so much so I actually cried reading a few scenes.
Brutally honest and hard hitting Shappi Khorsandi deals realistically with the many issues facing teenagers today. Yes it’s an uncomfortable read at times due to the subject matter, and the author is very forthright in her writing, but in my opinion this made for a very powerful and realistic read. This book may not be to everyone’s taste due to the subject and sexual content, but in the authors defence this adds credibility to a shocking story. I would highly recommend you get yourself a copy of this book, whether your a teenager, a parent in fact I would go as far to say everyone should read this book, It’s the most tragic yet unexpectedly uplifting novel I’ve read all year.
You can’t help becoming emotionally involved in Nina’s story as her life spirals out of control, as does the drinking, at times she wasn’t the most likeable character, she appeared needy and desperate for affection, although in her defence you can see why she’s this way as the story unfolds, but she also had a vulnerable side which was heartbreaking to read about, as she made one bad choice after another, putting herself in some very dangerous situations. Nina’s character was frighteningly realistic as was her relationship with her mother, I felt I was living every mothers worse nightmare,and the relationship with her little sister Katie was heartwarming to say the least, and added warmth to a dark tale. fraught with tension and emotion throughout, I found myself completely immersed in Nina’s story. This could have been a dark and very depressing read, but the author adds just the right amount of humour through Nina’s dialogue with friends and family to counteract this.
As Nina begins her recovery and explores the issues surrounding her drinking, you can’t help hoping she will be able to find the strength to live a life without alcohol, I found this part of the book very emotional to read as Nina comes to terms with the terrible and heartbreaking things she’s done whilst under the influence. Nina Is Not Ok is the definition of character driven, I can’t remember the last book where I became so emotionally involved with the characters or the plot, so much so I actually cried reading a few scenes.
Brutally honest and hard hitting Shappi Khorsandi deals realistically with the many issues facing teenagers today. Yes it’s an uncomfortable read at times due to the subject matter, and the author is very forthright in her writing, but in my opinion this made for a very powerful and realistic read. This book may not be to everyone’s taste due to the subject and sexual content, but in the authors defence this adds credibility to a shocking story. I would highly recommend you get yourself a copy of this book, whether your a teenager, a parent in fact I would go as far to say everyone should read this book, It’s the most tragic yet unexpectedly uplifting novel I’ve read all year.
January 11, 2018
4.5 stars
Nina is seventeen and likes to have a drink with her mates when she goes out. Who doesn't? Everyone drinks, don't they? Except not everyone drinks quite as much as Nina, and then one night she comes home with her knickers in her hand after being booted out of a nightclub with no real recollection of what happened, but a sneaking suspicion that it was something not good.
I was really interested to read this book - I've seen Shappi Khorsandi do stand up before and she's bitingly funny, so I was keen to see what she'd be like as an author. I wasn't disappointed.
Nina was a superb MC - she wasn't particularly pleasant, because people on a self-destructive spiral generally aren't. She did have good aspects, though, like her love for her younger sister.
The story was a lot darker than I thought it would be - all the things Nina got up to and happened to her when she was drunk were pretty awful. I kind of went away from the book thinking I'd never drink again. It was also really emotional - it sucked me in, chewed me up and spat me back out again once I'd finished.
As well as tackling alcoholism, Nina Is Not Okay also tackles social media and living in a society where all your mistakes can be published online for everyone to see and where nothing really ever goes away. Another issue tackled is rape culture and at first I thought the author was trying to downplay the effects of rape culture, which would just have been weird, but then she comes down like a hammer on it at the end and I could see that all along she was talking about how rape culture is just so ingrained in society that we don't even acknowledge it half the time.
The only thing that bothered me about the whole story was Nina's mum's reaction to her addiction. She knew that Nina was drinking too much (stealing booze, getting drunk in the daytime on her own) and had lived with an alcoholic for years, but still moved all the way to Germany and left Nina to fend for herself. Obviously, this doesn't go well and it really confused me because yes, there are obviously parents who would do this but in all other respects Nina's mum was pretty engaged so it didn't really ring true.
In all other areas though, this was a stellar book and a really worthwhile read.
Nina is seventeen and likes to have a drink with her mates when she goes out. Who doesn't? Everyone drinks, don't they? Except not everyone drinks quite as much as Nina, and then one night she comes home with her knickers in her hand after being booted out of a nightclub with no real recollection of what happened, but a sneaking suspicion that it was something not good.
I was really interested to read this book - I've seen Shappi Khorsandi do stand up before and she's bitingly funny, so I was keen to see what she'd be like as an author. I wasn't disappointed.
Nina was a superb MC - she wasn't particularly pleasant, because people on a self-destructive spiral generally aren't. She did have good aspects, though, like her love for her younger sister.
The story was a lot darker than I thought it would be - all the things Nina got up to and happened to her when she was drunk were pretty awful. I kind of went away from the book thinking I'd never drink again. It was also really emotional - it sucked me in, chewed me up and spat me back out again once I'd finished.
As well as tackling alcoholism, Nina Is Not Okay also tackles social media and living in a society where all your mistakes can be published online for everyone to see and where nothing really ever goes away. Another issue tackled is rape culture and at first I thought the author was trying to downplay the effects of rape culture, which would just have been weird, but then she comes down like a hammer on it at the end and I could see that all along she was talking about how rape culture is just so ingrained in society that we don't even acknowledge it half the time.
The only thing that bothered me about the whole story was Nina's mum's reaction to her addiction. She knew that Nina was drinking too much (stealing booze, getting drunk in the daytime on her own) and had lived with an alcoholic for years, but still moved all the way to Germany and left Nina to fend for herself. Obviously, this doesn't go well and it really confused me because yes, there are obviously parents who would do this but in all other respects Nina's mum was pretty engaged so it didn't really ring true.
In all other areas though, this was a stellar book and a really worthwhile read.
July 4, 2016
With thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Reading this book I wanted to shake some sense into Nina and other times wanted to hug her.
The book starts with Nina coming round in a taxi after being thrown out of a club. She wakes with her knickers in her hand and no recollection of how she ended up in the cab. The next morning she remembers she performed a sex act on a man called Alex before she was thrown out of the club. Alex and a friend followed Nina outside and put he in a cab.
Last year Nina would never of done anything like this. Nina and her long term boyfriend Jamie were in love and planned to go to uni together next year. Jamie went to live with his Father in Hong Kong on a gap year. He met a girl on a plane going out there and dumped Nina.
Devastated Nina started drinking heavily and having sex with random strangers. After all this is what teenager's do isn't it?
Nina becomes worse after her Mum and half sister Katie go to live in Germany for a year. Nina thinks she is fun when she drinks and has casual sex with men even if she doesn't fancy them.
The inevitable happens and Nina ends up in rehab. When she comes out of rehab something happens which threatens to destroy her abstinence.
Nina was a really smart brave girl but did not realise it. This was at times funny but thought provoking too.
This book should be read by all teenagers.
Reading this book I wanted to shake some sense into Nina and other times wanted to hug her.
The book starts with Nina coming round in a taxi after being thrown out of a club. She wakes with her knickers in her hand and no recollection of how she ended up in the cab. The next morning she remembers she performed a sex act on a man called Alex before she was thrown out of the club. Alex and a friend followed Nina outside and put he in a cab.
Last year Nina would never of done anything like this. Nina and her long term boyfriend Jamie were in love and planned to go to uni together next year. Jamie went to live with his Father in Hong Kong on a gap year. He met a girl on a plane going out there and dumped Nina.
Devastated Nina started drinking heavily and having sex with random strangers. After all this is what teenager's do isn't it?
Nina becomes worse after her Mum and half sister Katie go to live in Germany for a year. Nina thinks she is fun when she drinks and has casual sex with men even if she doesn't fancy them.
The inevitable happens and Nina ends up in rehab. When she comes out of rehab something happens which threatens to destroy her abstinence.
Nina was a really smart brave girl but did not realise it. This was at times funny but thought provoking too.
This book should be read by all teenagers.
July 19, 2016
I feel bad marking this low because it dealt with a lot of heavy issues; Drinking, Rape, Slut Shaming, females and how there interactions are judged differently.
Unfortunately I just couldn't like Nina our Main Character. She was unlikable and the story was boring, I mean a lot of crazy things happened but the plot didn't move up or down for me.
Pros:
Deals with Alcoholism in a truthful way
Tackles Rape and the issues around reporting rape
Lots of character development
Raw and realistic family setting
Cons:
Nina was a twat and she new it (yes she does try to change but she just annoyed me at the start)
Nina is a crappy friend and reminded me of Dumplin' at times with her I'm Ugly but I'm not "that" ugly talk about her friend Trish.
It was really cringey to read about her walk of shames and antics
Her Mum was a bit of a pushover and could have done more
The thing about this book is I was really flat and bored on nearly every page but the ending left me feeling happy and in good spirits. Why couldn't more of the book have felt like that?
I give this book a 2/5.
Thank you NetGalley and Ebury publishing for giving me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I just couldn't like Nina our Main Character. She was unlikable and the story was boring, I mean a lot of crazy things happened but the plot didn't move up or down for me.
Pros:
Deals with Alcoholism in a truthful way
Tackles Rape and the issues around reporting rape
Lots of character development
Raw and realistic family setting
Cons:
Nina was a twat and she new it (yes she does try to change but she just annoyed me at the start)
Nina is a crappy friend and reminded me of Dumplin' at times with her I'm Ugly but I'm not "that" ugly talk about her friend Trish.
It was really cringey to read about her walk of shames and antics
Her Mum was a bit of a pushover and could have done more
The thing about this book is I was really flat and bored on nearly every page but the ending left me feeling happy and in good spirits. Why couldn't more of the book have felt like that?
I give this book a 2/5.
Thank you NetGalley and Ebury publishing for giving me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2016
‘Is it right to accept you cannot help someone?’
Riveting. Heart-breaking. Realistic. Honest. Funny. Devastatingly dark. Brilliant! We could go on. And on. Nina is Not OK is a very real and vulnerable snapshot of today’s society from a seventeen year old girl’s point of view. A striking coming of age novel which highlights the downfalls such as binge drinking, addiction, sexual consent and the pit falls of social media. It also highlights the nature of friendships and family relationships. Understanding and forgiveness. Rights and wrongs. There’s a saying we thought of often whilst reading this book; be careful not to lose a diamond whilst being too busy collecting stones.
‘Sometimes, when I’m on the underground, and I hear the rumble of the train in the tunnel, I press my back right up against the wall, as far away from the platform as possible, just in case, at the very last second as the train hurtles onto the platform, I go mad and jump.’
Nina is Not OK was a difficult read in the sense that we start off by experiencing the ugly side of human nature- under the influence and follow through a journey of hatred, doubt, abuse and tragedy to make it out on the other side with a deep breath and an exhausted exhale. We have to applaud Shappi Khorsandi on a fantastic first novel, it was addictive and overwhelmingly well written. It’s incredibly hard to write an ‘easy read’ which has such a profound emotional affect and be so witty at the same time. This Author achieved just that as her writing felt unique and incredibly authentic. We cared deeply for Nina no matter how many times she challenged us.
‘I’m jealous of all these ‘great’ girls who are ‘girlfriends’, who don’t drink so much and don’t fuck someone just so they can have a cuddle. I’m jealous of these girls because the men who tell me to leave their house, don’t want them to leave.’
Nina, at first comes across harsh and self-serving yet intelligent and beautiful. A façade hiding a multitude of personal problems and unresolved emotional distress. Nina drinks to feel, yet in the same breath- drinks to not feel. An oxymoron. She lost her Dad at an early age to alcoholism and feels left out in her current family setting. Losing her boyfriend to another girl is the final catalyst in her turmoil of emotions and Nina loses herself in alcohol and meaningless and destructive sexual situations. The feeling of rejection, disconnection and an overwhelming loss of control can devastate anyone. Any human contact and acceptance no matter the form is sought to validate you and verify you are alive and being seen.
‘There is no ‘rite of passage’ to get out of booze. Booze sits its arse down in your life, pretends to be your friend, then trips you up, kicks you and throws rocks at you. You push it away; it runs back at you harder and knock you over. You barricade your door against it, and it’ll climb through your window. If you promise yourself you won’t drink, it’ll laugh at your promise, drag you screaming to the ground and batter you unconscious.’
There are so many beautiful relationships woven into the ugly reality of Nina’s alcoholism; a disease that takes hold and affects everyone involved. It throws one test after another to see at the end of the day who is left standing. An outside projection of internal hurt, grief and loneliness. A need to be understood and an inability to cope.
‘I was upside down, inside out and back to front. I was myself, just the worst ‘version’ of myself.’
Coping mechanisms are not automatic they are learnt through observation or taught. Shappi Khorsandi highlighted and touched upon these and so many subjects and issues that we currently experience or see in our society in this gripping read. From a rough beginning to an emotional harrowing un-put-down-able read. There is no question. One of the best books of 2016!
‘When you see someone that drunk, you look after them, or you find their mates and get them to look after them.’
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January 28, 2018
Nina likes to drink and does this a lot, but she doesn't think she has a problem. However, the gaps in her memory, embarrassing moments she doesn't have any control over and rash decisions she normally wouldn't have taken are proving she doesn't have her alcohol intake under control. When one night something devastating happens Nina feels dirty and ashamed. She doesn't remember the exact details of that night, but she knows something is terribly wrong. To make these feelings stop she drinks even more and this is the beginning of a downward spiral Nina can't easily get out of.
Nina's mother is busy with her job, her new husband and Nina's little sister Katie. Nina's problems are an inconvenience. When Nina needs her mother more than ever she's even more out of reach than she used to be. Nina is completely on her own and has to battle her demons by herself. She finds comfort in alcohol and drinks even more. What will happen to Nina now that her life is completely unhinged and everything she does feels totally wrong?
Nina is Not OK is an impressive story. Nina drinks a lot and she doesn't know when or how to stop. This makes her lose her boundaries and she gets into all kinds of situations she doesn't want to be in, but she can't help herself. She has a lot of problems and not many people are helping her. They don't see how much she's struggling and don't understand her behavior, which clearly comes from pain. This often made me tear up. Nina is unbalanced in many different ways and this made me feel really sad for her. She's such a bright and sweet girl and I kept hoping she could find her way through the darkness and get out of the nasty downward spiral she's in.
Shappi Khorsandi has written a fantastic emotional story. I was greatly impressed by the writing style and the vivid descriptions. She doesn't leave out any details. Nina is Not OK is a shocking book with many raw scenes. I love that it's an honest story about a young girl with alcohol problems. This is an important topic that should definitely be read and written about. Nina's story is thought-provoking and distressing. Nina is Not OK is a compelling poignant read filled with emotional layers, harsh reality and eventful twists and turns. I was blown away by this perplexing story.
Nina's mother is busy with her job, her new husband and Nina's little sister Katie. Nina's problems are an inconvenience. When Nina needs her mother more than ever she's even more out of reach than she used to be. Nina is completely on her own and has to battle her demons by herself. She finds comfort in alcohol and drinks even more. What will happen to Nina now that her life is completely unhinged and everything she does feels totally wrong?
Nina is Not OK is an impressive story. Nina drinks a lot and she doesn't know when or how to stop. This makes her lose her boundaries and she gets into all kinds of situations she doesn't want to be in, but she can't help herself. She has a lot of problems and not many people are helping her. They don't see how much she's struggling and don't understand her behavior, which clearly comes from pain. This often made me tear up. Nina is unbalanced in many different ways and this made me feel really sad for her. She's such a bright and sweet girl and I kept hoping she could find her way through the darkness and get out of the nasty downward spiral she's in.
Shappi Khorsandi has written a fantastic emotional story. I was greatly impressed by the writing style and the vivid descriptions. She doesn't leave out any details. Nina is Not OK is a shocking book with many raw scenes. I love that it's an honest story about a young girl with alcohol problems. This is an important topic that should definitely be read and written about. Nina's story is thought-provoking and distressing. Nina is Not OK is a compelling poignant read filled with emotional layers, harsh reality and eventful twists and turns. I was blown away by this perplexing story.
July 2, 2016
Also reviewed on my book blog:
http://www.gobookyourself.info/2016/0...
"I’m not being stupid, I’m being an arse. I’m being a brat. It’s hard to stop once I start."
I've closed the final page on Nina is not OK and there are so many things Im feeling and so many things that I want to say that it's almost overwhelming.
I want to talk about everything in this book but I can't because I would never want to spoil this amazing piece work for anyone else.
First of all, please don't be discouraged by the first few pages. The writing style is conversational, from the point of a 17 year old girl called Nina. It took me a couple of pages to settle in but once I did there was no going back.
I went through such a rang of emotions while reading this: shock at Nina's self destructive behavior. I smiled at her humor. I admired her friend Beth and the powerful positive effect she had on Beth's life. I felt such anger, both for her and towards her at various points.
‘You’re supposed to be a feminist, Beth!’ ‘I am, doesn’t mean I have to think everything you do is OK. It’s not OK because you don’t feel OK about it.’
Like Asking for It by Louise O Neill, Nina is not OK delivers powerful messages on alcoholism, sex and slut shaming. All topics that highly relevant right now.
Nina realises that it sometimes takes the people around you to face you and tell you, no you are not OK. You have a problem. You need help. Like most people Nina denies that anything is really wrong until her entire world comes crashing down around her.
"I’m a different person when I’m drinking. Sounds mad, because it clearly is me, but it’s not me. I want to stop. I want to be able to just drink normally and have fun."
She begins to realise she is not just another teen whose had a few too many on a night out. She wakes up to the fact that she is caught in cyclone of destructive behavior.
But does that mean the world will turn on its axis to suit is just because we sort ourselves out? No?
"Booze sits its arse down in your life, pretends to be your friend, then trips you up, kicks you and throws rocks at you. You push it away; it runs back at you harder and knocks you over. You barricade your door against it, and it’ll climb in through the window. If you promise yourself you won’t drink, it’ll laugh at your promise, drag you screaming to the ground and batter you unconscious."
Trouble was like a domino effect when it involved Nina. But it took such bravery for her to face and tame her 'dragons.'
Shappi Khorsandi should be extremely proud of this book. She didn't just emulate the teen experience she utterly embodied it in this book. The writing is raw, honest and utterly gripping. It's been one of my favorites of 2016 so far.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
http://www.gobookyourself.info/2016/0...
"I’m not being stupid, I’m being an arse. I’m being a brat. It’s hard to stop once I start."
I've closed the final page on Nina is not OK and there are so many things Im feeling and so many things that I want to say that it's almost overwhelming.
I want to talk about everything in this book but I can't because I would never want to spoil this amazing piece work for anyone else.
First of all, please don't be discouraged by the first few pages. The writing style is conversational, from the point of a 17 year old girl called Nina. It took me a couple of pages to settle in but once I did there was no going back.
I went through such a rang of emotions while reading this: shock at Nina's self destructive behavior. I smiled at her humor. I admired her friend Beth and the powerful positive effect she had on Beth's life. I felt such anger, both for her and towards her at various points.
‘You’re supposed to be a feminist, Beth!’ ‘I am, doesn’t mean I have to think everything you do is OK. It’s not OK because you don’t feel OK about it.’
Like Asking for It by Louise O Neill, Nina is not OK delivers powerful messages on alcoholism, sex and slut shaming. All topics that highly relevant right now.
Nina realises that it sometimes takes the people around you to face you and tell you, no you are not OK. You have a problem. You need help. Like most people Nina denies that anything is really wrong until her entire world comes crashing down around her.
"I’m a different person when I’m drinking. Sounds mad, because it clearly is me, but it’s not me. I want to stop. I want to be able to just drink normally and have fun."
She begins to realise she is not just another teen whose had a few too many on a night out. She wakes up to the fact that she is caught in cyclone of destructive behavior.
But does that mean the world will turn on its axis to suit is just because we sort ourselves out? No?
"Booze sits its arse down in your life, pretends to be your friend, then trips you up, kicks you and throws rocks at you. You push it away; it runs back at you harder and knocks you over. You barricade your door against it, and it’ll climb in through the window. If you promise yourself you won’t drink, it’ll laugh at your promise, drag you screaming to the ground and batter you unconscious."
Trouble was like a domino effect when it involved Nina. But it took such bravery for her to face and tame her 'dragons.'
Shappi Khorsandi should be extremely proud of this book. She didn't just emulate the teen experience she utterly embodied it in this book. The writing is raw, honest and utterly gripping. It's been one of my favorites of 2016 so far.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
June 15, 2016
"‘Do you think your drinking is a problem? Do you get drunk when you don’t mean to?’
I always mean to."
This is comedian Shappi Khorsandi’s first novel. Let’s get her writing more of these, please. Seventeen-year-old Nina drinks too much. She sort-of knows this and sort-of doesn’t. It’s just that things were easier before her longterm boyfriend Jamie met the love of his life on a plane and broke her heart. And things were definitely easier before that night she can’t entirely remember – the night she got kicked out of a nightclub for publicly giving a blow job to a random guy and ended up in a taxi some time later clutching her knickers in her hands.
As you might guess, this is not quite for younger teens, but I do hope that older teens as well as adults will pick up this coming-of-age novel. Nina goes through a lot: she feels “upside down, inside out and back to front. I was myself, just the worst ‘version’ of myself.” After the drinking gets out of hand and she does something utterly mortifying, destabilising the family she’s staying with while her stepfather, mother and half-sister are abroad, she ends up in rehab, where she notes:
"…feeling rejected is how most of us got to be in this place. No one says in a meeting: “I’ve always felt like I belong! Now if I could just sort out this silly drinking habit I could skip back off to my perfect life!” AA is not for those people."
This is a terrific exploration of sexuality, from the ways in which alcohol gets tangled up in decision-making (and in Nina’s and many girls’ cases, also leads them to blame themselves for the actions of predatory creeps) to what it means to be attracted to both men and women. I also loved Nina’s friend Beth, who has many feminist rants throughout the novel and points out some of the double standards that Nina can’t quite accept, blaming herself for an assault. It’s absolutely heart-breaking in places, and feels incredibly real: I loved it.
I always mean to."
This is comedian Shappi Khorsandi’s first novel. Let’s get her writing more of these, please. Seventeen-year-old Nina drinks too much. She sort-of knows this and sort-of doesn’t. It’s just that things were easier before her longterm boyfriend Jamie met the love of his life on a plane and broke her heart. And things were definitely easier before that night she can’t entirely remember – the night she got kicked out of a nightclub for publicly giving a blow job to a random guy and ended up in a taxi some time later clutching her knickers in her hands.
As you might guess, this is not quite for younger teens, but I do hope that older teens as well as adults will pick up this coming-of-age novel. Nina goes through a lot: she feels “upside down, inside out and back to front. I was myself, just the worst ‘version’ of myself.” After the drinking gets out of hand and she does something utterly mortifying, destabilising the family she’s staying with while her stepfather, mother and half-sister are abroad, she ends up in rehab, where she notes:
"…feeling rejected is how most of us got to be in this place. No one says in a meeting: “I’ve always felt like I belong! Now if I could just sort out this silly drinking habit I could skip back off to my perfect life!” AA is not for those people."
This is a terrific exploration of sexuality, from the ways in which alcohol gets tangled up in decision-making (and in Nina’s and many girls’ cases, also leads them to blame themselves for the actions of predatory creeps) to what it means to be attracted to both men and women. I also loved Nina’s friend Beth, who has many feminist rants throughout the novel and points out some of the double standards that Nina can’t quite accept, blaming herself for an assault. It’s absolutely heart-breaking in places, and feels incredibly real: I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2016
This story begins with Nina being ejected from a nightclub, she loses time and we follow her home in the taxi. When she wakes up in the morning she has no idea exactly what happened the night before and it leads to her life and her drinking spiralling out of control.
I knew from reading the blurb that this wasn't going to be your usual coming of age tale. Khorsandi has perfectly captured the slut shaming and victim blaming that has grown in our society despite the rise in the hook up culture, where our young people are encouraged by each other to drink lots and enjoy themselves with whoever they feel like. Those same people who encourage you will be the same people who tear you to strips for your actions... something Nina experiences first hand from some of the people closest to her.
Khorsandi has done an amazing job of writing Nina and her story. Nina has a bravery that isn't immediately evident, a strength that we see later once details of that night are revealed.
I've struggled with writing this review, I just cant seem to find the words that accurately describe my reading experience. How do you put in to words how a book has shaken you. How this book filled me with so much emotion that it leaked out of my eyes. Repeatedly. How this book gripped me so much that I couldn't step away from it, How I wanted more than anything else to reach inside the book and wrap my arms around Nina and tell her that I wouldn't leave her side not for a second, and tell her that she was safe,
I knew from reading the blurb that this wasn't going to be your usual coming of age tale. Khorsandi has perfectly captured the slut shaming and victim blaming that has grown in our society despite the rise in the hook up culture, where our young people are encouraged by each other to drink lots and enjoy themselves with whoever they feel like. Those same people who encourage you will be the same people who tear you to strips for your actions... something Nina experiences first hand from some of the people closest to her.
Khorsandi has done an amazing job of writing Nina and her story. Nina has a bravery that isn't immediately evident, a strength that we see later once details of that night are revealed.
I've struggled with writing this review, I just cant seem to find the words that accurately describe my reading experience. How do you put in to words how a book has shaken you. How this book filled me with so much emotion that it leaked out of my eyes. Repeatedly. How this book gripped me so much that I couldn't step away from it, How I wanted more than anything else to reach inside the book and wrap my arms around Nina and tell her that I wouldn't leave her side not for a second, and tell her that she was safe,
June 23, 2016
I feel really conflicted about this book; it was, for long stretches, incredibly bleak, with only occasional flashes of anything approaching positivity. The first half was relentless, with the horrible events of the early chapters followed by Nina's descent into alcoholism and depression (this isn't actually said in the novel and I'm not a psychologist, but it is fairly obvious that Nina is depressed).
I struggled with the attitudes of those around Nina; I get that people do not always respond supportively when rape is reported, but some of the responses in the book jarred with me. Nina's friend Beth, for example, is supposedly a feminist, but calls Nina a 'slut' when she doesn't know what actually happened that resulted in her being put in a taxi with her knickers in her hand. Nina's mum is particularly awful, abandoning her daughter to move to another country and then behaving like the whole situation is an inconvenience.
Really, I should have read the synopsis more carefully when invited to read the book; I really enjoy Korsandi's comedy but, obviously, there is no trace of this in the book. While I think it's important for these stories to be told, I can't say I enjoyed 'Nina Is Not OK,' and although I sense that it will stay in my mind, I'd really be happier if it didn't.
I struggled with the attitudes of those around Nina; I get that people do not always respond supportively when rape is reported, but some of the responses in the book jarred with me. Nina's friend Beth, for example, is supposedly a feminist, but calls Nina a 'slut' when she doesn't know what actually happened that resulted in her being put in a taxi with her knickers in her hand. Nina's mum is particularly awful, abandoning her daughter to move to another country and then behaving like the whole situation is an inconvenience.
Really, I should have read the synopsis more carefully when invited to read the book; I really enjoy Korsandi's comedy but, obviously, there is no trace of this in the book. While I think it's important for these stories to be told, I can't say I enjoyed 'Nina Is Not OK,' and although I sense that it will stay in my mind, I'd really be happier if it didn't.
April 21, 2016
I have always liked Shappi as a comedian, so was interested to see what she is like as an author. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
I thought this book was great! Nina is a 17 year old A Level student who is also a heavy drinker. After her boyfriend finishes with her, her problem gets worse, culminating in her being thrown out of a club for 'performing a lewd act', and then not being able to remember what happened with the 2 guys who put her in a taxi home with her knickers in her hand. The story follows Nina through more worrying scenarios, then to rehab, and finally to the horrendous truth about that night. It is really well written, and should be read by all teenagers, both boys and girls.
Well done, Shappi - this is brilliant!
I thought this book was great! Nina is a 17 year old A Level student who is also a heavy drinker. After her boyfriend finishes with her, her problem gets worse, culminating in her being thrown out of a club for 'performing a lewd act', and then not being able to remember what happened with the 2 guys who put her in a taxi home with her knickers in her hand. The story follows Nina through more worrying scenarios, then to rehab, and finally to the horrendous truth about that night. It is really well written, and should be read by all teenagers, both boys and girls.
Well done, Shappi - this is brilliant!
August 5, 2016
Nina has a problem; since her boyfriend has gone away she has become dependent on alcohol and when she drinks she does things she cannot remember. After being thrown out of a nightclub for lewd behaviour she eventually arrives home practically comatose. She is clutching her knickers, and has a vague memory of two men - but what had happened with them is a blank.
In spite of Nina's often horrific behaviour it is impossible not to like her. She tells her story without self pity and and excuses. This is a hard hitting book, full of believable characters. It was definitely a five star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this great book.
In spite of Nina's often horrific behaviour it is impossible not to like her. She tells her story without self pity and and excuses. This is a hard hitting book, full of believable characters. It was definitely a five star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this great book.
November 21, 2018
So so so much better than Eleanor Oliphant!
August 28, 2018
"You weren't yourself. You weren't well. You were nuts."
I was myself, just the worst 'version' of myself.
Okay.
Wow.
I shamefully have to admit I almost dnf-ed this book.
Nina can't get over her ex. Nina gets drunk and sleeps with a 40 year old guy.
Nina's family moves to a different country. Nina gets drunk and sleeps with two random guys.
Nina wakes up and, even though nothing seems hopeless that day, she still gets drunk and does something stupid.
It was so repetitive and frustrating that I found no enjoyment in turning pages.
But then all of the sudden, this book turned into amazeball.
Things got deeper, darker, scarier and I just couldn't put it down.
I was myself, just the worst 'version' of myself.
Okay.
Wow.
I shamefully have to admit I almost dnf-ed this book.
Nina can't get over her ex. Nina gets drunk and sleeps with a 40 year old guy.
Nina's family moves to a different country. Nina gets drunk and sleeps with two random guys.
Nina wakes up and, even though nothing seems hopeless that day, she still gets drunk and does something stupid.
It was so repetitive and frustrating that I found no enjoyment in turning pages.
But then all of the sudden, this book turned into amazeball.
Things got deeper, darker, scarier and I just couldn't put it down.
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