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All About Mia
One family, three sisters.
GRACE, the oldest: straight-A student.
AUDREY, the youngest: future Olympic swimming champion.
And MIA, the mess in the middle.
Mia is wild and daring, great with hair and selfies, and the undisputed leader of her friends – not attributes appreciated by her parents or teachers.
When Grace makes a shock announcement, Mia hopes that her now-not-so-perfect sister will get into the trouble she deserves.
But instead, it is Mia whose life spirals out of control – boozing, boys and bad behaviour – and she starts to realise that her attempts to make it All About Mia might put at risk the very things she loves the most.
GRACE, the oldest: straight-A student.
AUDREY, the youngest: future Olympic swimming champion.
And MIA, the mess in the middle.
Mia is wild and daring, great with hair and selfies, and the undisputed leader of her friends – not attributes appreciated by her parents or teachers.
When Grace makes a shock announcement, Mia hopes that her now-not-so-perfect sister will get into the trouble she deserves.
But instead, it is Mia whose life spirals out of control – boozing, boys and bad behaviour – and she starts to realise that her attempts to make it All About Mia might put at risk the very things she loves the most.
363 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2017
32 people are currently reading
2226 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Williamson
12 books533 followersLisa was born in Nottingham in 1980. She spent most of her childhood drawing, daydreaming and making up stories in her head (but never getting round to writing them down). As a teenager she was bitten by the acting bug and at 19 moved to London to study drama at university.
Following graduation, Lisa adopted the stage name of Lisa Cassidy and spent several happy and chaotic years occasionally getting paid to pretend to be other people. Between acting roles she worked as an office temp and started making up stories all over again, only this time she had a go at writing them down.
Lisa lives in London, where she is lucky enough to split her time between writing and acting. In her spare time she reads a lot of books, continues to daydream and eats way too much ice cream.
Following graduation, Lisa adopted the stage name of Lisa Cassidy and spent several happy and chaotic years occasionally getting paid to pretend to be other people. Between acting roles she worked as an office temp and started making up stories all over again, only this time she had a go at writing them down.
Lisa lives in London, where she is lucky enough to split her time between writing and acting. In her spare time she reads a lot of books, continues to daydream and eats way too much ice cream.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
February 27, 2024
Mia-in-the-middle is not doing well. Something like loneliness lingers, an itch that can’t be scratched. It doesn’t make sense to her that someone who adores alone time (but is never actually alone) could feel lonely. Anyway, the small window of time that gave her a bit of breathing space has slammed shut.
It felt decadent, using Grace’s room while her elder sibling spent her gap-year in Greece (no doubt doing something amazing). But now, out of the blue, Grace is coming home early. And she’s bringing her “spoddy” boyfriend. An aggravating situation exacerbated by the overwhelming excitement of their parents. Already annoying, on their love-crazed-wedding-planning-cloud, they are absolutely insufferable with enthusiastic joy.
Her younger sister, Audrey, will never be an ally. Aside from training for swim meets, she only has time for Beyoncé, her beloved guinea pig. Mia’s three best friends, generally good-to-go with whatever floats her boat, seem a bit strange and stand-offish. Not so supportive, terribly frustrating.
Initially, I didn’t like Mia. But then it hit me. I was seeing Mia through her eyes. Neither one of us had figured out that she wasn’t feeling very fond of herself. Or that she felt invisible. Slowly, I began to understand her outrageous behavior and blatant disregard for everyone close to her. Unable to articulate the aching emptiness; Mia could only act out.
I’m excited to share All About Mia with students here in the U. S. because I think that, like me, they will delight in the English dialect and phrasing and they will definitely appreciate the cultural differences. Which reminds me—in the U.S. the legal drinking age is 21. The Campbell-Richardson family resides in Rushton, a small English hamlet. Although Mia does over-indulge, and it is under-age drinking; it is in a world where wine (albeit watered-down) is welcome with evening meals and the legal drinking age is 18.
Mostly, I’ll be recommending this because I believe that everyone who meets Mia will feel a little less lonely.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
It felt decadent, using Grace’s room while her elder sibling spent her gap-year in Greece (no doubt doing something amazing). But now, out of the blue, Grace is coming home early. And she’s bringing her “spoddy” boyfriend. An aggravating situation exacerbated by the overwhelming excitement of their parents. Already annoying, on their love-crazed-wedding-planning-cloud, they are absolutely insufferable with enthusiastic joy.
Her younger sister, Audrey, will never be an ally. Aside from training for swim meets, she only has time for Beyoncé, her beloved guinea pig. Mia’s three best friends, generally good-to-go with whatever floats her boat, seem a bit strange and stand-offish. Not so supportive, terribly frustrating.
Initially, I didn’t like Mia. But then it hit me. I was seeing Mia through her eyes. Neither one of us had figured out that she wasn’t feeling very fond of herself. Or that she felt invisible. Slowly, I began to understand her outrageous behavior and blatant disregard for everyone close to her. Unable to articulate the aching emptiness; Mia could only act out.
I’m excited to share All About Mia with students here in the U. S. because I think that, like me, they will delight in the English dialect and phrasing and they will definitely appreciate the cultural differences. Which reminds me—in the U.S. the legal drinking age is 21. The Campbell-Richardson family resides in Rushton, a small English hamlet. Although Mia does over-indulge, and it is under-age drinking; it is in a world where wine (albeit watered-down) is welcome with evening meals and the legal drinking age is 18.
Mostly, I’ll be recommending this because I believe that everyone who meets Mia will feel a little less lonely.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
September 28, 2019
Contemporary A Thon: Read a diverse book
4.5 Stars
I just devoured All About Mia. I hadn't intended to read this in one day. In fact I didn't think I be able to finish it during Contemporary A Thon but once I started reading about Mia I just couldn't stop.
Mia Campbell-Richardson is a trainwreck. She's 16 but she spends the majority of her time drunk, partying, throwing herself at anything with a dick, and blowing off school.
She's a loser but God, forbid someone call her a loser, then she gets all in her feelings. She's a fuck up!
But Mia is also funny, smart and capable of great things if only she would get out of her own way.
I really loved this book. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much I did. But I just fell in love with Mia and just like Tyra Banks I ended up rooting for Mia to get her shit together.
All About Mia is the second book by Lisa Williamson I've read I enjoyed both of them.
A must read!
4.5 Stars
I just devoured All About Mia. I hadn't intended to read this in one day. In fact I didn't think I be able to finish it during Contemporary A Thon but once I started reading about Mia I just couldn't stop.
Mia Campbell-Richardson is a trainwreck. She's 16 but she spends the majority of her time drunk, partying, throwing herself at anything with a dick, and blowing off school.
She's a loser but God, forbid someone call her a loser, then she gets all in her feelings. She's a fuck up!
But Mia is also funny, smart and capable of great things if only she would get out of her own way.
I really loved this book. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much I did. But I just fell in love with Mia and just like Tyra Banks I ended up rooting for Mia to get her shit together.
All About Mia is the second book by Lisa Williamson I've read I enjoyed both of them.
A must read!
September 12, 2017
This is one of those books that strike you as so completely not your sort of thing that there could never be any hope of you enjoying it. And yet, somehow, you find yourself flying through it with a massive grin on your face, identifying with each and every one of the characters and bemoaning the fact that the book has ended when it seemed like you only opened it minutes before!
February 7, 2017
I was so excited to get this book through the door last month. I finished it in one greedy glup and adored it completely. This book is fab because of Mia. Mia is so real as a character. She's full of heart but also crazy infuriating with the decisions she makes. She's that girl we all know from school. She's loud and brash and seems touchable doing what she wants, when she wants without a care in the world. From the minute you meet her you see her live up to this stereotype perfectly making those around her want to pull their hair out as they try to work out how to deal with her. However as the story progresses you start to see that underneath the surface Mia isn't at all the person she plays up to being and all her acting out is a sign of her hurting and trying to get attention because she feels lost and left out. The story itself is highly entertaining because when Mia acts out she really acts out. She really embraces the teenage rebel and takes it to the next level. I loved following the story and getting to know the Mia under the surface and seeing how she grows over the course of the book.
February 15, 2018
I know a lot of people think Mia is a spoilt bitch who makes shitty decisions and I can understand why people would think that. Having said that, I can totally relate to her and get why she is the way she is. Yes, some of her decisions and actions were slightly dramatic and unnecessary but I get what it feels like to be constantly overshadowed by your siblings, so I get why she does it. It’s a book of self discovery and a realistic teenage life.
I’m not going to write a long review, I’m just going to say that I really enjoyed this book and I flew through it. There was never really a dull moment and I found that it was one of those books that I desperately wanted to finish, but didn’t want it to be over. The ending was heartwarming and emotional and it made me cry, giving it an automatic 5 stars.
I’m not going to write a long review, I’m just going to say that I really enjoyed this book and I flew through it. There was never really a dull moment and I found that it was one of those books that I desperately wanted to finish, but didn’t want it to be over. The ending was heartwarming and emotional and it made me cry, giving it an automatic 5 stars.
December 17, 2017
I'm an only child. I'll never know what it's like to have someone who 'gets' your family the same way you do. I don't know what it's like to grow up with someone always by your side. I had close friends, of course, but sibling relationships always felt otherworldly to me; something I'll never get to experience. And so I was eager to pick up Lisa Williamson's All About Mia, just about that very thing.
Mia is the middle child. She has a younger sister, Audrey, who's a champion swimmer, and an older sister, Grace, who's perfect in every way. What's Mia got? She's great at styling hair and has a feisty attitude... who cares about that? But when Grace comes home with some shocking news, Mia thinks it's time for her to shine. She's a fascinating, refreshing character in YA. Mia's unlikeable, really, but that makes you want to get to know her more. Slowly, slowly I began to see her point of view – when Mia began spiralling out of control, I desperately wanted to make sure she was okay. I adored the Campbell-Richardson family, both loving them and hating them (that's Mia's influence rubbing off on me) at the same time. All About Mia picks out everything complicated there is about family and gives us a joyous, funny UKYA read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Mia is the middle child. She has a younger sister, Audrey, who's a champion swimmer, and an older sister, Grace, who's perfect in every way. What's Mia got? She's great at styling hair and has a feisty attitude... who cares about that? But when Grace comes home with some shocking news, Mia thinks it's time for her to shine. She's a fascinating, refreshing character in YA. Mia's unlikeable, really, but that makes you want to get to know her more. Slowly, slowly I began to see her point of view – when Mia began spiralling out of control, I desperately wanted to make sure she was okay. I adored the Campbell-Richardson family, both loving them and hating them (that's Mia's influence rubbing off on me) at the same time. All About Mia picks out everything complicated there is about family and gives us a joyous, funny UKYA read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
March 13, 2017
When I picked up this book I had no idea that I wasn’t going to move until I had devoured the whole thing but that is exactly what happened. This book was such a refreshing read and I loved that as well as tugging on my heart strings I was able to openly laugh along.
Mia is the middle sister of the Campbell-Richardson family. Big sister Grace is an academically high achiever who has secured herself a place in one of the UK’s most prestigious universities. Little sister Audrey is a competitive swimmer who is rumoured to have Olympic glory in her future. Mia is the middle sister who thinks she has nothing going for her. She hasn’t found her ‘thing’ yet and feels she is living in the shadow of her sisters. When Grace returns to the family home with an unexpected surprise, Mia’s expectations do not become a reality and she takes a turn down a path of self-destruction.
When I think about this book, I can only think about how much adored it. Lisa Williamson has a brilliant writing style that completely captures everything I love in a YA book. Her characters are so real and I could empathise with each one at some point in the book. Her characters are also flawed in their own ways and this is something I always love to read, especially in YA where such valuable life lessons can be learnt from fiction. I think this will be a book that a lot of young readers will connect with easily. I love the way this teaches the reader that if you haven’t found your ‘thing’ yet, that’s okay. You are still loved and appreciated and your time will come.
Grace’s predicament was fairly predictable but I loved what then came out of it. Mia certainly starts down a whole path of self-destructive behaviour with drinking, sexual encounters, falling out with friends, persistent lying and that’s just the beginning. I loved her character development throughout this book and was so glad to follow her full circle. Without spoiling anything, the last couple of chapters of this book brought nothing but love and warmth to my heart and I truly felt like I had been on the experience with her. There is a particularly special scene between Mia and her mother at the end of this book that completely reduced me to tears.
At times during this book I just felt endless sadness and tinges of anger. As someone who works with teenagers on a daily basis, Mia’s behaviours really reminded me of some of those really vulnerable teenage girls I work with who follow a very similar path to Mia. The way Mia craves attention for her sexiness was something that I didn’t particularly like but I unfortunately know it to be true of so many young girls these days. There is no doubt in my mind that Lisa Williamson has an excellent understanding of teenage girls and their feelings of self-doubt.
I LOVED Mia so much. Don’t get me wrong, at times she is exceptionally whiny and says some extremely bitchy things but I can understand why. We have all had those moments where we feel that we are invisible to those around us, whether that be family or friends. It is the worst feeling and more often than not brings out the worst in us. This is why I cannot possibly dislike Mia, I just get her. I loved her sense of humour and how her sarcasm just shone through – how very British! Mia doesn’t always get things right, she makes a whole series of questionable choices in this book but by the end she has discovered her true self and finds someone that she is happy to be. Mia is such a huggable character and she will stick with me for a long time.
I actually really liked all of the characters in this book by the end! I was a little wary of Sam for a while as my crazy imagination suspected him of ulterior motives straight away. I really adored Audrey who just seemed like the sweetest little thing and I also liked Grace, despite seeing her through Mia’s eyes.
The family dynamics in this book are marvellously written and I have to thank Lisa Williamson for that. This book focuses heavily on the relationship between the three sisters and I loved every second. There were so many moments that touched my heart whether it be the Audrey asking her big sister Mia for advice about periods or the heart to heart that Grace and Mia have, I just felt that these relationships were so true to real life sibling relationships. It was refreshing to read a book where sibling relationships aren’t perfect but worked towards all three sisters developing a better understanding of how the others feel. It was wonderfully written.
Heart-warming and emotional with plenty of laugh out loud moments, All About Mia is a book that is bound to touch the hearts of many.
Mia is the middle sister of the Campbell-Richardson family. Big sister Grace is an academically high achiever who has secured herself a place in one of the UK’s most prestigious universities. Little sister Audrey is a competitive swimmer who is rumoured to have Olympic glory in her future. Mia is the middle sister who thinks she has nothing going for her. She hasn’t found her ‘thing’ yet and feels she is living in the shadow of her sisters. When Grace returns to the family home with an unexpected surprise, Mia’s expectations do not become a reality and she takes a turn down a path of self-destruction.
When I think about this book, I can only think about how much adored it. Lisa Williamson has a brilliant writing style that completely captures everything I love in a YA book. Her characters are so real and I could empathise with each one at some point in the book. Her characters are also flawed in their own ways and this is something I always love to read, especially in YA where such valuable life lessons can be learnt from fiction. I think this will be a book that a lot of young readers will connect with easily. I love the way this teaches the reader that if you haven’t found your ‘thing’ yet, that’s okay. You are still loved and appreciated and your time will come.
Grace’s predicament was fairly predictable but I loved what then came out of it. Mia certainly starts down a whole path of self-destructive behaviour with drinking, sexual encounters, falling out with friends, persistent lying and that’s just the beginning. I loved her character development throughout this book and was so glad to follow her full circle. Without spoiling anything, the last couple of chapters of this book brought nothing but love and warmth to my heart and I truly felt like I had been on the experience with her. There is a particularly special scene between Mia and her mother at the end of this book that completely reduced me to tears.
At times during this book I just felt endless sadness and tinges of anger. As someone who works with teenagers on a daily basis, Mia’s behaviours really reminded me of some of those really vulnerable teenage girls I work with who follow a very similar path to Mia. The way Mia craves attention for her sexiness was something that I didn’t particularly like but I unfortunately know it to be true of so many young girls these days. There is no doubt in my mind that Lisa Williamson has an excellent understanding of teenage girls and their feelings of self-doubt.
I LOVED Mia so much. Don’t get me wrong, at times she is exceptionally whiny and says some extremely bitchy things but I can understand why. We have all had those moments where we feel that we are invisible to those around us, whether that be family or friends. It is the worst feeling and more often than not brings out the worst in us. This is why I cannot possibly dislike Mia, I just get her. I loved her sense of humour and how her sarcasm just shone through – how very British! Mia doesn’t always get things right, she makes a whole series of questionable choices in this book but by the end she has discovered her true self and finds someone that she is happy to be. Mia is such a huggable character and she will stick with me for a long time.
I actually really liked all of the characters in this book by the end! I was a little wary of Sam for a while as my crazy imagination suspected him of ulterior motives straight away. I really adored Audrey who just seemed like the sweetest little thing and I also liked Grace, despite seeing her through Mia’s eyes.
The family dynamics in this book are marvellously written and I have to thank Lisa Williamson for that. This book focuses heavily on the relationship between the three sisters and I loved every second. There were so many moments that touched my heart whether it be the Audrey asking her big sister Mia for advice about periods or the heart to heart that Grace and Mia have, I just felt that these relationships were so true to real life sibling relationships. It was refreshing to read a book where sibling relationships aren’t perfect but worked towards all three sisters developing a better understanding of how the others feel. It was wonderfully written.
Heart-warming and emotional with plenty of laugh out loud moments, All About Mia is a book that is bound to touch the hearts of many.
September 12, 2019
I read this in one sitting and honestly I’m extremely glad that I did. I used a lot of sticky tabs throughout this book, too!
— British humour! It’s surprising how infrequently I read books by British authors set in a realistic Britain, and it was so refreshing. It felt so realistic and the delivery of humour was excellent. It had me cracking up on numerous occasions!
— Frank discussion about periods! YES! When I was growing up, a few girls around me felt anxious that their periods hadn’t come when everyone else’s seemed to have. Seeing that portrayed in a YA novel was fantastic, and definitely a subject that isn’t discussed enough. I really enjoyed the discussion between Mia and Audrey, and the way periods were dealt with overall.
— Extremely refreshing to see parents actually in love with one another. It’s becoming increasingly frequent to see parents hating one another, with a bitchy step mother involved that makes everything complicated. It just felt so heart warming to see parents in love with one another, and definitely added a joyous time to the novel.
— Consent was a huge portion of this book too - both towards Mia and towards a male who Mia tries to kiss, but he says no. I think it’s important that this is discussed frankly, honestly and it was dealt with brilliantly. Given that this is a YA novel, the importance of its presence was evident.
— I loved the best friend element. How they argued, came back together... it was thoroughly heartwarming to see their interactions at the end. Ahhh, love.
— When I was growing up I found it so hard to figure out what my “calling” in life was. To be honest, I still struggle a little. I really appreciated that being the underlying message of the story; that there’s no rush to figure out your “calling”. I really resonated with Mia’s frustration whenever she was probed about what she was going to do in life, what her hobbies were and her aspirations. I felt like that a lot through my teenage years and honestly I wish I’d had a book like this to help guide me through that. I felt it was amazingly depicted, sensitively captured and so gut wrenching to read. The realism captured by the author is stunning, and I unarguably felt a likeness between Mia and myself. It also discussed the fact that many people have skills that they don’t realise they have and their lack of self confidence blocks them from seeing that. That was another aspect I adored and really connected with.
— The frank discussion about how oftentimes women are at risk when out. It was proven that Mia was at risk one night, and I think it was incredibly important to portray that realistically when writing a novel for such an audience with intense subject matter. I felt it was dealt with delicately, yet massively realistically.
— The ending!!! The ending stole my heart, warmed it up, turned it mushy and gave it back to me! It was gorgeous. I loved the ending and it filled me with such joy, that I can’t quite begin to describe.
Though everything in this novel was dealt with extremely well and delicately, it still can be relatively hard hitting in places — but that, by no means, was the undertone of the book. This book was funny, charming, inspiring, hilarious, witty and brilliantly written. The other themes are just an undertone woven within the story itself which gives it a massively realistic feel. I loved this story and can’t wait to go back to the parts I highlighted again. Given my history with Lisa Williamson, I had no doubt I would love this novel too — but I didn’t anticipate it becoming a firm favourite!
I would recommend this to people of all ages; but I think it is essential for young people to read it as it covers a lot of important topics. Since I’m recommending it to all young people I think it’s worthwhile adding some content warnings for: alcohol (strong use, long descriptions), mild drug mention, sex, and swearing.
— British humour! It’s surprising how infrequently I read books by British authors set in a realistic Britain, and it was so refreshing. It felt so realistic and the delivery of humour was excellent. It had me cracking up on numerous occasions!
— Frank discussion about periods! YES! When I was growing up, a few girls around me felt anxious that their periods hadn’t come when everyone else’s seemed to have. Seeing that portrayed in a YA novel was fantastic, and definitely a subject that isn’t discussed enough. I really enjoyed the discussion between Mia and Audrey, and the way periods were dealt with overall.
— Extremely refreshing to see parents actually in love with one another. It’s becoming increasingly frequent to see parents hating one another, with a bitchy step mother involved that makes everything complicated. It just felt so heart warming to see parents in love with one another, and definitely added a joyous time to the novel.
— Consent was a huge portion of this book too - both towards Mia and towards a male who Mia tries to kiss, but he says no. I think it’s important that this is discussed frankly, honestly and it was dealt with brilliantly. Given that this is a YA novel, the importance of its presence was evident.
— I loved the best friend element. How they argued, came back together... it was thoroughly heartwarming to see their interactions at the end. Ahhh, love.
— When I was growing up I found it so hard to figure out what my “calling” in life was. To be honest, I still struggle a little. I really appreciated that being the underlying message of the story; that there’s no rush to figure out your “calling”. I really resonated with Mia’s frustration whenever she was probed about what she was going to do in life, what her hobbies were and her aspirations. I felt like that a lot through my teenage years and honestly I wish I’d had a book like this to help guide me through that. I felt it was amazingly depicted, sensitively captured and so gut wrenching to read. The realism captured by the author is stunning, and I unarguably felt a likeness between Mia and myself. It also discussed the fact that many people have skills that they don’t realise they have and their lack of self confidence blocks them from seeing that. That was another aspect I adored and really connected with.
— The frank discussion about how oftentimes women are at risk when out. It was proven that Mia was at risk one night, and I think it was incredibly important to portray that realistically when writing a novel for such an audience with intense subject matter. I felt it was dealt with delicately, yet massively realistically.
— The ending!!! The ending stole my heart, warmed it up, turned it mushy and gave it back to me! It was gorgeous. I loved the ending and it filled me with such joy, that I can’t quite begin to describe.
Though everything in this novel was dealt with extremely well and delicately, it still can be relatively hard hitting in places — but that, by no means, was the undertone of the book. This book was funny, charming, inspiring, hilarious, witty and brilliantly written. The other themes are just an undertone woven within the story itself which gives it a massively realistic feel. I loved this story and can’t wait to go back to the parts I highlighted again. Given my history with Lisa Williamson, I had no doubt I would love this novel too — but I didn’t anticipate it becoming a firm favourite!
I would recommend this to people of all ages; but I think it is essential for young people to read it as it covers a lot of important topics. Since I’m recommending it to all young people I think it’s worthwhile adding some content warnings for: alcohol (strong use, long descriptions), mild drug mention, sex, and swearing.
June 25, 2017
4.5/5 sterren.
Ik ben dol op Lisa's schrijfstijl! Hoofdpersonage Mia is echt geniaal met der sarcasme. Erg leuk verhaal, leest lekker weg.
Ik ben dol op Lisa's schrijfstijl! Hoofdpersonage Mia is echt geniaal met der sarcasme. Erg leuk verhaal, leest lekker weg.
November 18, 2021
I'm an only child, but I know some examples of "middle child syndrome"so yeah, I get that Mia is a complete pain the the arse but it's also believable. It's clear fairly early on that the many ways in which she's insufferable stem from deep insecurities, and her way of dealing with those manifests as being... well, Mia.
With that said, there's some real flaws from the other characters too; Grace the golden child older sister comes off as pretty aloof the whole way, and the mum is openly biased af. Honestly, I was more annoyed at her than Mia. Though I suppose they've all fallen into their grooves and dug deep over the years.
Despite Mia being *that* version of Mia for 2/3rds of the book, I did really enjoy it. It's a simple, quick read once you get into it and it's given me a perspective on sisterhood that I didn't have before. It was just... nice. And easy, and mostly (see below) what I needed right now while I've been unable to focus on ANYTHING.
★★★★☆
On a completely irrelevant but personal note - of the 5 books I've read recently, 3 have featured really difficult birth scenes. Is it that I've never noticed them as much before because they didn't affect or hurt me personally, or is the universe really being that much of a b!tch to me since my miscarriage? 🤷♀️
With that said, there's some real flaws from the other characters too; Grace the golden child older sister comes off as pretty aloof the whole way, and the mum is openly biased af. Honestly, I was more annoyed at her than Mia. Though I suppose they've all fallen into their grooves and dug deep over the years.
Despite Mia being *that* version of Mia for 2/3rds of the book, I did really enjoy it. It's a simple, quick read once you get into it and it's given me a perspective on sisterhood that I didn't have before. It was just... nice. And easy, and mostly (see below) what I needed right now while I've been unable to focus on ANYTHING.
★★★★☆
On a completely irrelevant but personal note - of the 5 books I've read recently, 3 have featured really difficult birth scenes. Is it that I've never noticed them as much before because they didn't affect or hurt me personally, or is the universe really being that much of a b!tch to me since my miscarriage? 🤷♀️
April 13, 2021
3,5*
Natürlich war Mia eine Bitch, aber das war irgendwie der Punkt. Ich fand ihre Geschichte spannend und auch ihre Entwicklung gut. Trotzdem haben mich so einige Dinge gestört, wie z.B. Mias Freunde, die sich teilweise genauso toxisch verhalten haben wie sie. Schreibstil war aber top, ich mag es sehr, wie Lisa Williamson schreibt.
Natürlich war Mia eine Bitch, aber das war irgendwie der Punkt. Ich fand ihre Geschichte spannend und auch ihre Entwicklung gut. Trotzdem haben mich so einige Dinge gestört, wie z.B. Mias Freunde, die sich teilweise genauso toxisch verhalten haben wie sie. Schreibstil war aber top, ich mag es sehr, wie Lisa Williamson schreibt.
September 4, 2017
Full review here
In All About Mia we follow our main character Mia (kinda obvious here). Mia is the middle child, and she always feels left out in her family. Her older sister Grace, who is nineteen, is a straight A-student and is incredibly smart. It is not strange for Grace to go to the best university.
Audrey is Mia’s younger sister. She is thirteen years old and an amazing swimmer. Everyone expects her to participate in the Olympics somewhere in the future.
The only thing that is all the same, it that all three of the sisters have chocolate brown eyes. Both Audrey and Grace have the smooth, wavy hair from their Irish mother. Mia ended up with her Jamaican dad’s big curly hair. The only thing that Mia has, and no one in her family has, is quite a curvy body. Something that the sixteen-year-old Mia likes to flaunt with. Mia’s life revolves more around her sisters, and Mia’s only talent is partying and drinking ‘till the sun comes up.
When Mia’s oldest sister comes home from university with shocking news, Mia is hoping that her parents realize that Grace isn’t so perfect as she seems to be. But, it is not Grace who is getting into trouble, once again, it is Mia. But it is not the usual trouble…
Mia is the kind of person that always wants that things go her way. She wants that her parents’ life revolves around her, and not her sisters’. Mia tries to get her parents’ attention by getting into trouble over and over again. She doesn’t seem to care if the gets positive or negative attention, as long as it is some form of attention.
Williamson’s writing style is amazing. I enjoyed it so much! The book reads so easily, you will be done with it in no time! You don’t have to think while reading, which makes is a great read for non-native English speakers & readers. It also makes the book an ideal summer book (aka, beach book)!
In All About Mia we follow our main character Mia (kinda obvious here). Mia is the middle child, and she always feels left out in her family. Her older sister Grace, who is nineteen, is a straight A-student and is incredibly smart. It is not strange for Grace to go to the best university.
Audrey is Mia’s younger sister. She is thirteen years old and an amazing swimmer. Everyone expects her to participate in the Olympics somewhere in the future.
The only thing that is all the same, it that all three of the sisters have chocolate brown eyes. Both Audrey and Grace have the smooth, wavy hair from their Irish mother. Mia ended up with her Jamaican dad’s big curly hair. The only thing that Mia has, and no one in her family has, is quite a curvy body. Something that the sixteen-year-old Mia likes to flaunt with. Mia’s life revolves more around her sisters, and Mia’s only talent is partying and drinking ‘till the sun comes up.
When Mia’s oldest sister comes home from university with shocking news, Mia is hoping that her parents realize that Grace isn’t so perfect as she seems to be. But, it is not Grace who is getting into trouble, once again, it is Mia. But it is not the usual trouble…
Mia is the kind of person that always wants that things go her way. She wants that her parents’ life revolves around her, and not her sisters’. Mia tries to get her parents’ attention by getting into trouble over and over again. She doesn’t seem to care if the gets positive or negative attention, as long as it is some form of attention.
Williamson’s writing style is amazing. I enjoyed it so much! The book reads so easily, you will be done with it in no time! You don’t have to think while reading, which makes is a great read for non-native English speakers & readers. It also makes the book an ideal summer book (aka, beach book)!
February 7, 2017
I love, love, loved this book about the troubled middle sister in a high-achieving family. Mia is NOTHING like I was as a teen (I was a Grace, minus the big mistake...), but Lisa's writing is warm and thoughtful enough to make me empathise with her mishaps and errors, and want to watch her fix them. Lovely. 12+
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
January 2, 2022
At first, I was put off by the characters in the book not really liking any of them and not understanding Mia's behaviour. But I soon took alike to her realising she's not a mean or moody girl she's just hurt but doesn't know how to tell people. I love the story line and the way as the book goes on, it goes more in to depth of Mia's personality and thoughts.
July 2, 2018
Review from a drowzy brained person.
I really, really, really liked this book. This book was just totally fantastic. From the very start I was drawn into it and it was amazing.
I had so many mixed feelings during this read and most of all it was anger. I was so angry with how everyone treated Mia. It was always 'Whatever Mia, we do not want to hear' when she did something wrong. I was not misbehave, it was a call from attention.
I really really hated Grace in this book, she was little miss perfect and if she fucked things up, she was still handled like the queen of England. She was so judgy towards Mia as well. And that makes me hate her parents as well. They just did not care at all. I do not think that Mia was a holy angel, but I understand actions. She felt left out and clearly she is an emotional drinker.
I must say that I did not expect the plottwist at the end. It was very surprising and I was so happy with the way the book ended. It's amazing how many good books I have read this year, and I'm glad this one was on my to read. People pick it up, it's amazing.
I really, really, really liked this book. This book was just totally fantastic. From the very start I was drawn into it and it was amazing.
I had so many mixed feelings during this read and most of all it was anger. I was so angry with how everyone treated Mia. It was always 'Whatever Mia, we do not want to hear' when she did something wrong. I was not misbehave, it was a call from attention.
I really really hated Grace in this book, she was little miss perfect and if she fucked things up, she was still handled like the queen of England. She was so judgy towards Mia as well. And that makes me hate her parents as well. They just did not care at all. I do not think that Mia was a holy angel, but I understand actions. She felt left out and clearly she is an emotional drinker.
I must say that I did not expect the plottwist at the end. It was very surprising and I was so happy with the way the book ended. It's amazing how many good books I have read this year, and I'm glad this one was on my to read. People pick it up, it's amazing.
Want to read
November 16, 2021As a middle child myself, I feel like I'm honour-bound to like this or at least give it a try!
September 19, 2017
All about Mia is a YA novel from the author of «The Art of Being Normal», and follows the main character Mia Campbell-Richardson who is the middle sister. She is still trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be when her sister Grace comes home with shocking news. Hoping her sister Grace gets into trouble, it’s suddenly herself who gets out of control.
Mia is the middle child, where her older sister Grace is a straight A-student nineteen year old who goes to the best university. Audrey is Mia’s younger sister, an amazing thirteen year old swimmer with a bright future, hopefully in the Olympics. Mia is just the sixteen year old sister in the middle, she’s the girl who doesn’t put her energy into studying, makes selfish choices, makes stupid decisions, goes to parties, and drinks alcohol.
Mia continuously made selfish choices and said mean things to her sisters, to her friends, and to her parents. In her eyes, the whole world revolves around her. Even though I understand that a lot of kids act like this in this age, it didn’t make her less of an annoying brat. She constantly wanted everybody else to get in trouble without seeing the mistakes she made herself, and blamed everything that happened on other people. She kept telling her parents that they treated her like a child when she obviously acted like one, and there wasn’t really a turning point. She doesn’t care if the attention she gets is positive or negative, she just wants it.
Again, I have to say I understand why she is mad, but that’s not an excuse. She doesn’t care about other peoples feelings, and when she thinks «Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t act like this because it’ll most definitely hurt one of my best friends feelings» she goes ahead, makes a stupid excuse and continues doing the wrong thing. Making mistakes is a part of growing up, and you’re allowed to make mistakes, but Mia doesn’t even learn from them. She just moves on and think her friends is stupid if they get angry or choses not to forgive her for the damage she caused. When she gets caught she blames her friend for not «backing her up» when all they want is the truth.
I can't stand when ya characters under the age of 18 drink alcohol and goes to parties in almost every single chapter. Even though I know a lot of teenagers like to sneak out and drink a couple of beers, I find it annoying and kind of uncomfortable to read about, especially when they clearly can't control them selves and end up ruining things for other people. I don't find it cool or charming at all, and in a way I lose respect for them. Even towards the end, I still thought she needed to grow up and stop acting childish. Even though it's realistic, I don't like reading about people who continuously screw over their friendship and has this "I don't care" attitude, I'm just not here for it. All in all, I didn't really care for the characters, I thought the main character was a brat, which made the book less entertaining for me.
Mia is the middle child, where her older sister Grace is a straight A-student nineteen year old who goes to the best university. Audrey is Mia’s younger sister, an amazing thirteen year old swimmer with a bright future, hopefully in the Olympics. Mia is just the sixteen year old sister in the middle, she’s the girl who doesn’t put her energy into studying, makes selfish choices, makes stupid decisions, goes to parties, and drinks alcohol.
Mia continuously made selfish choices and said mean things to her sisters, to her friends, and to her parents. In her eyes, the whole world revolves around her. Even though I understand that a lot of kids act like this in this age, it didn’t make her less of an annoying brat. She constantly wanted everybody else to get in trouble without seeing the mistakes she made herself, and blamed everything that happened on other people. She kept telling her parents that they treated her like a child when she obviously acted like one, and there wasn’t really a turning point. She doesn’t care if the attention she gets is positive or negative, she just wants it.
Again, I have to say I understand why she is mad, but that’s not an excuse. She doesn’t care about other peoples feelings, and when she thinks «Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t act like this because it’ll most definitely hurt one of my best friends feelings» she goes ahead, makes a stupid excuse and continues doing the wrong thing. Making mistakes is a part of growing up, and you’re allowed to make mistakes, but Mia doesn’t even learn from them. She just moves on and think her friends is stupid if they get angry or choses not to forgive her for the damage she caused. When she gets caught she blames her friend for not «backing her up» when all they want is the truth.
I can't stand when ya characters under the age of 18 drink alcohol and goes to parties in almost every single chapter. Even though I know a lot of teenagers like to sneak out and drink a couple of beers, I find it annoying and kind of uncomfortable to read about, especially when they clearly can't control them selves and end up ruining things for other people. I don't find it cool or charming at all, and in a way I lose respect for them. Even towards the end, I still thought she needed to grow up and stop acting childish. Even though it's realistic, I don't like reading about people who continuously screw over their friendship and has this "I don't care" attitude, I'm just not here for it. All in all, I didn't really care for the characters, I thought the main character was a brat, which made the book less entertaining for me.
December 18, 2018
This book has the most dislikable main character I ever came across. And not dislikable in a good way, but in a bad way. Mia is honestly just awful.
June 21, 2022
I really enjoyed The Art of Being Normal so I was excited to try another book by Lisa Williamson. This... well, it doesn't live up to Williamson's previous work in my opinion.
Mia is the middle child between two perfect sisters - Grace, brainy and beautiful, and Audrey, funny and a potential contender for Olympic swimming. Mia? Well, Mia's more of an average teenager; she likes hanging out with her mates, drinking, arguing with her parents (who are, incidentally, about to get married), drinking, partying, flirting with boys... you get the drift.
When Grace comes home from her year abroad pregnant, Mia is sure the shit will hit the fan now - she won't be so perfect anymore! But, somehow, Grace still manages to remain the perfect daughter and Mia has just had enough. Everything and everyone in her life is against her, ruining her fun, and she needs to find a way out.
My main problem was just that Mia was so annoying! I know that she was meant to be - that's kind of the point of her character and she has a sort of redemption arc type thing - but it stopped my enjoyment. Remembering back to when I was that age and had friends who acted like that and it was just awful. I wanted to shake her - much like I wanted to shake people at the time (and occasionally did...) I know it's a stage of growing up, but it's not one I want to read about particularly; we can all remember our own cringeworthy experiences of being so self-centred that we ignore our friends, are totally unreasonable, make awful decisions... I don't want to read about it!
I suppose Mia was a well written character from that point of view that she was realistic! But the story didn't really have much going for it either... it was just kind of blah. I feel mean and also totally not the intended audience for this book, so I'm sure it could be good for the right person!
(Even the title is annoying me lol)
Mia is the middle child between two perfect sisters - Grace, brainy and beautiful, and Audrey, funny and a potential contender for Olympic swimming. Mia? Well, Mia's more of an average teenager; she likes hanging out with her mates, drinking, arguing with her parents (who are, incidentally, about to get married), drinking, partying, flirting with boys... you get the drift.
When Grace comes home from her year abroad pregnant, Mia is sure the shit will hit the fan now - she won't be so perfect anymore! But, somehow, Grace still manages to remain the perfect daughter and Mia has just had enough. Everything and everyone in her life is against her, ruining her fun, and she needs to find a way out.
My main problem was just that Mia was so annoying! I know that she was meant to be - that's kind of the point of her character and she has a sort of redemption arc type thing - but it stopped my enjoyment. Remembering back to when I was that age and had friends who acted like that and it was just awful. I wanted to shake her - much like I wanted to shake people at the time (and occasionally did...) I know it's a stage of growing up, but it's not one I want to read about particularly; we can all remember our own cringeworthy experiences of being so self-centred that we ignore our friends, are totally unreasonable, make awful decisions... I don't want to read about it!
I suppose Mia was a well written character from that point of view that she was realistic! But the story didn't really have much going for it either... it was just kind of blah. I feel mean and also totally not the intended audience for this book, so I'm sure it could be good for the right person!
(Even the title is annoying me lol)
January 23, 2022
i picked this book up after reading ‘the art of being normal’
and okay, so i didn’t like this as much as that BUT it was still such a great book!
okay, so thoughts:
- a lot of the time i didn’t like mia that much (but I think we weren’t supposed to)
- i pretty much guessed all of the plot twists that happened and they were quite predictable
- some parts were relatable which i liked
- i was disgusted and shocked by what happened between mia and paul - just why?!
- the bonding between mia and grace at the end was great and i’m so happy that happened!
- a lot of the time i felt bad for mia because i knew she didn’t have rational over what she was doing
- honestly i loved how flawed mia’s character was - as that doesn’t often happen with a book. all her feelings and actions are so human that i could so easily empathise with her
so yes, some things i didn’t like, but i thoroughly enjoyed the story and yet again stayed up pretty late wanting to see what was going into to happen
and okay, so i didn’t like this as much as that BUT it was still such a great book!
okay, so thoughts:
- a lot of the time i didn’t like mia that much (but I think we weren’t supposed to)
- i pretty much guessed all of the plot twists that happened and they were quite predictable
- some parts were relatable which i liked
- i was disgusted and shocked by what happened between mia and paul - just why?!
- the bonding between mia and grace at the end was great and i’m so happy that happened!
- a lot of the time i felt bad for mia because i knew she didn’t have rational over what she was doing
- honestly i loved how flawed mia’s character was - as that doesn’t often happen with a book. all her feelings and actions are so human that i could so easily empathise with her
so yes, some things i didn’t like, but i thoroughly enjoyed the story and yet again stayed up pretty late wanting to see what was going into to happen
November 14, 2017
Rating: 3.5 Stars
A thoughtful look at being the middle child, finding your place in the family, and the complicated relationships that exist between sisters.
Full review to follow.
A thoughtful look at being the middle child, finding your place in the family, and the complicated relationships that exist between sisters.
Full review to follow.
March 9, 2017
This is my first novel from Miss Williamson, and although my students keep telling me to read The Art of Being Normal I never really got round to it if I'm honest. When I saw this coming out, I knew it was a book that I had to get, I don't know what it was about it but it was calling to me. All About Mia is just such a real, raw and a genuine joy to read. I look forward to meeting Lisa in the next couple of weeks.
Being a Campbell-Richardson is nothing short of being exhausting especially for Mia. Grace, the eldest is the first born, A-student to go to university. Audrey, the youngest, is set for Gold, training to swim for Olympics and champion of the pool at such a young age. And Mia, well she's the middle sister, she doesn't have a thing, she's the disappointment, she getting through college with a sticker on her saying 'Failing Campbell-Richardson'. That's the brutality of it really. That's Mia's life. It's not until, the star of the family comes home early with her boyfriend with a bun in the oven... at 19 years old.....at the point of her career, you would really think this would ruin her name wouldn't you? That's what Mia would think, but to her disgust, everyone is just completely over the moon and that just makes it a whole lot worse for her.
I adored Mia's character, she's completely off the rails, ha. You couldn't help but not smile, laugh, occasionally cringe or at times think, 'Oh Mia, whhhhhhyyyyyy'. But truth be told you can totally relate to it in some way, shape or form. I feel for Mia, I can understand her rebellious nature and her jelousy that it borders pure hatred at some point towards to her sister Grace. That's not surprising really. She adores her little sister, she's trying to be the bigger sister to Audrey but she doesn't want to be like her big sister, Grace either. I think she tries to act up as the middle sister, but it always backfires on her. Her parents are no better, my god did I feel very antagonistic toward them. Seriously, they didn't help Mia, they are all about Audrey and Grace. They were belittling her at every point, they didn't consider her opinion or just her side for once. It was frustrating and this is where I found I related with this novel.
Miss Williamson took a very realistic approach to society nowadays. There's a lot of pressure on teenagers. From a librarian's point of view, I see the stress they go through, 5 years of studying for realistically 1 hour exam for each of their subjects. But I digress, what I mean is that the weight of their future on girls is unimaginable but we've all been through it, or going through it. Does it get easier? No and society isn't helping with that. Relationships and friendships will always be effected by it for better or for worse. We have to work harder, be a role model, we have an expectation, and Audrey and Grace are the epitome of this. Well Audrey more so, she has to go to training at half 5 every morning, her passion is in the pool but when she's out of it, she just like any other teenager, struggling to get through the rest of her life.
For Mia however, it's even harder because her sisters have a 'thing', Mia doesn't know what that is, she 16 years old, life isn't given to you on a platter straight away, she will find her thing in her own time. But everyone is different. Mia needs to be given a chance, she needs some time with her parents, to actually think 'you have me too, I need you guidance as well.' I think that what lead to her very colourful nature. Life is like a jigsaw puzzle, just like the cover. Pieces will fit together in it's own time. But don't give up, continue your passions even if it doesn't lead you down the path you thought you would. I think that's the message of the book but also from me too.
All About Mia, is a perfectly imperfect novel on self discovery and the reality of being a teenage girl. Mia embodies an imperfect nature to and perfectly normal part of society. Sometimes we all need a bit of our time, we should have a All About...[insert name] to figure life out. It's where our most valued perception of us as individuals come from.
Rating - 5
Being a Campbell-Richardson is nothing short of being exhausting especially for Mia. Grace, the eldest is the first born, A-student to go to university. Audrey, the youngest, is set for Gold, training to swim for Olympics and champion of the pool at such a young age. And Mia, well she's the middle sister, she doesn't have a thing, she's the disappointment, she getting through college with a sticker on her saying 'Failing Campbell-Richardson'. That's the brutality of it really. That's Mia's life. It's not until, the star of the family comes home early with her boyfriend with a bun in the oven... at 19 years old.....at the point of her career, you would really think this would ruin her name wouldn't you? That's what Mia would think, but to her disgust, everyone is just completely over the moon and that just makes it a whole lot worse for her.
I adored Mia's character, she's completely off the rails, ha. You couldn't help but not smile, laugh, occasionally cringe or at times think, 'Oh Mia, whhhhhhyyyyyy'. But truth be told you can totally relate to it in some way, shape or form. I feel for Mia, I can understand her rebellious nature and her jelousy that it borders pure hatred at some point towards to her sister Grace. That's not surprising really. She adores her little sister, she's trying to be the bigger sister to Audrey but she doesn't want to be like her big sister, Grace either. I think she tries to act up as the middle sister, but it always backfires on her. Her parents are no better, my god did I feel very antagonistic toward them. Seriously, they didn't help Mia, they are all about Audrey and Grace. They were belittling her at every point, they didn't consider her opinion or just her side for once. It was frustrating and this is where I found I related with this novel.
Miss Williamson took a very realistic approach to society nowadays. There's a lot of pressure on teenagers. From a librarian's point of view, I see the stress they go through, 5 years of studying for realistically 1 hour exam for each of their subjects. But I digress, what I mean is that the weight of their future on girls is unimaginable but we've all been through it, or going through it. Does it get easier? No and society isn't helping with that. Relationships and friendships will always be effected by it for better or for worse. We have to work harder, be a role model, we have an expectation, and Audrey and Grace are the epitome of this. Well Audrey more so, she has to go to training at half 5 every morning, her passion is in the pool but when she's out of it, she just like any other teenager, struggling to get through the rest of her life.
For Mia however, it's even harder because her sisters have a 'thing', Mia doesn't know what that is, she 16 years old, life isn't given to you on a platter straight away, she will find her thing in her own time. But everyone is different. Mia needs to be given a chance, she needs some time with her parents, to actually think 'you have me too, I need you guidance as well.' I think that what lead to her very colourful nature. Life is like a jigsaw puzzle, just like the cover. Pieces will fit together in it's own time. But don't give up, continue your passions even if it doesn't lead you down the path you thought you would. I think that's the message of the book but also from me too.
All About Mia, is a perfectly imperfect novel on self discovery and the reality of being a teenage girl. Mia embodies an imperfect nature to and perfectly normal part of society. Sometimes we all need a bit of our time, we should have a All About...[insert name] to figure life out. It's where our most valued perception of us as individuals come from.
Rating - 5
February 10, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I was able to relate to all the characters on some level and that made it such a good and easy read. Mia is a great character. Sometimes you want to hug her and sometimes you want to give her a wake up slap and to have a character that feels so real was really wonderful. I share so many feeling with Mia about my older sister (now we both get a long but it has taken a long time to get there!) and I feel so much for both Grace and Audrey.
May 3, 2021
Young adult family drama about Mia, middle child with two gifted sisters. Easy read with only mild peril, but addresses some interesting sibling dynamics, but with characters revealed in berol poster art pens rather than more subtley blended crayons.
September 5, 2017
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature scenes, alcohol abuse, some slightly triggering scenes)
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
"That girl is such a mess." "Why can't she be like her sisters?"
Blah, blah, blah. That's all Mia Campbell-Richardson ever hears. From her parents, her teachers, and her never-do-wrong older sister, Grace.
So what if she parties too hard and studies too little? Who cares if she tends to end up with the wrong guys or says the wrong things at the wrong times? She's still a good friend (except when she isn't). And she still knows the way things should go (except when they don't).
When Grace comes home with shocking news, Mia hopes that it's finally Grace's turn to get into trouble. But instead it's Mia whose life spirals out of control.
So if you've ever said something you later regretted (likely), accidentally broken a friend's heart (possibly), or ruined a wedding in spectacular fashion (hopefully you haven't), All About Mia will make you laugh, cry, cry-laugh, and laugh-cry in recognition that life is sometimes most entertaining when it's at its most unfair. – Amazon.com
I’ve never had the joy of experiencing human siblings (although I am the older sister to tons of cats and dogs!). So going into this book I felt a bit scared that I wouldn’t be able to understand what Mia would feel since she is the middle child of 3 children all together. However my fears were quickly calmed when I read this fun book! I instantly became absorbed in Mia’s life and issues and I was so invested in her wellbeing. I credit this to how wonderfully well the book was written and how easy of a read it was (I read it in one day!). Not only did I feel invested in Mia’s life, but I also felt that most of the other characters were very well developed and were wrote so realistically. The plot is very well developed as well and it naturally comes about. The struggles that Mia goes through fill so natural and feel like something that could happen to a middle child and a teenage girl. I also want to praise the author on the diversity of the book and that the author used a realistic teen in her book. I feel that I read a lot of books about teen girls in which they seem so perfect. I actually have a term for this. I call it the Moana character because in my opinion Moana was perfect. She did the island duties and did everything her parents wanted, the only thing she did wrong was that she wanted to go explore the ocean beyond the reef. And because of that she felt like she wasn’t the perfect daughter. Coming from someone who messed up not as much but close to what Mia did, I feel that characters wrote like that aren’t realistic to me. This is why I connected to Mia so much. She did bad things and she wasn’t at all perfect. She messed up majorly a lot of times, like a real teenager does.
While I immensely enjoyed the book I felt that the pacing was a bit until you got used to it. The story jumps around a bit and skips indeterminately around to a random place in the future and so it takes the reader a bit of time to figure out where in the timeline they are. I also feel that the reader is introduced to characters like Mia’s friends or her parents, but they aren’t as well developed as some of the other major players in this story are.
Verdict: Never before had I read about such a realistic teenage character in my YA foray before and I’m honestly so sad that I completed the book. I fell in love with Mia and I just want her story to continue! This book is an excellent read for YA readers and maybe some mature middle grade readers, I would just be cautious about some of the topics discussed in the novel. If you enjoy YA contemporaries and want a realistic character, then this book is definitely for you! This book releases September 12, so pre-order now!!
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature scenes, alcohol abuse, some slightly triggering scenes)
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
"That girl is such a mess." "Why can't she be like her sisters?"
Blah, blah, blah. That's all Mia Campbell-Richardson ever hears. From her parents, her teachers, and her never-do-wrong older sister, Grace.
So what if she parties too hard and studies too little? Who cares if she tends to end up with the wrong guys or says the wrong things at the wrong times? She's still a good friend (except when she isn't). And she still knows the way things should go (except when they don't).
When Grace comes home with shocking news, Mia hopes that it's finally Grace's turn to get into trouble. But instead it's Mia whose life spirals out of control.
So if you've ever said something you later regretted (likely), accidentally broken a friend's heart (possibly), or ruined a wedding in spectacular fashion (hopefully you haven't), All About Mia will make you laugh, cry, cry-laugh, and laugh-cry in recognition that life is sometimes most entertaining when it's at its most unfair. – Amazon.com
I’ve never had the joy of experiencing human siblings (although I am the older sister to tons of cats and dogs!). So going into this book I felt a bit scared that I wouldn’t be able to understand what Mia would feel since she is the middle child of 3 children all together. However my fears were quickly calmed when I read this fun book! I instantly became absorbed in Mia’s life and issues and I was so invested in her wellbeing. I credit this to how wonderfully well the book was written and how easy of a read it was (I read it in one day!). Not only did I feel invested in Mia’s life, but I also felt that most of the other characters were very well developed and were wrote so realistically. The plot is very well developed as well and it naturally comes about. The struggles that Mia goes through fill so natural and feel like something that could happen to a middle child and a teenage girl. I also want to praise the author on the diversity of the book and that the author used a realistic teen in her book. I feel that I read a lot of books about teen girls in which they seem so perfect. I actually have a term for this. I call it the Moana character because in my opinion Moana was perfect. She did the island duties and did everything her parents wanted, the only thing she did wrong was that she wanted to go explore the ocean beyond the reef. And because of that she felt like she wasn’t the perfect daughter. Coming from someone who messed up not as much but close to what Mia did, I feel that characters wrote like that aren’t realistic to me. This is why I connected to Mia so much. She did bad things and she wasn’t at all perfect. She messed up majorly a lot of times, like a real teenager does.
While I immensely enjoyed the book I felt that the pacing was a bit until you got used to it. The story jumps around a bit and skips indeterminately around to a random place in the future and so it takes the reader a bit of time to figure out where in the timeline they are. I also feel that the reader is introduced to characters like Mia’s friends or her parents, but they aren’t as well developed as some of the other major players in this story are.
Verdict: Never before had I read about such a realistic teenage character in my YA foray before and I’m honestly so sad that I completed the book. I fell in love with Mia and I just want her story to continue! This book is an excellent read for YA readers and maybe some mature middle grade readers, I would just be cautious about some of the topics discussed in the novel. If you enjoy YA contemporaries and want a realistic character, then this book is definitely for you! This book releases September 12, so pre-order now!!
November 22, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Mia Campbell-Richardson often feels as though she can't measure up to the accomplishments of her older sister, the Amazing Grace, who always seems to make the right choices and do the right thing. Now that her younger sister, Audrey, seems destined for fame as an Olympic swimmer, Mia feels more lost than ever. She spends way more time partying than studying--and her partying is over the top, sometimes landing her in trouble. When Grace unexpectedly arrives back home from Greece with a new boyfriend in tow--and pregnant, Mia figures that Grace will finally get her just desserts from their parents. Instead, after initially being shocked, they deal with the situation well, which upsets Mia even more. She can't help but think about their reaction if she were the one was pregnant. Consequently, Mia engages in a flurry of even more self-destructive decisions. Along the way, she puts herself into several compromising situations and hurts one of her friends, not to mention her siblings. While most teens will be able to relate to Mia's feelings of inadequacy and rudderlessness, even though she turns a new leaf eventually, she still seems to flounder a bit with no sense of direction. I wasn't sure where the story would take me, but when she and Grace reconnect during the stress of searching for their younger sister, I was not surprised. Nor was I surprised when she has to step up while they are on that road trip. I laughed at several parts of the book, but I also found the plot and various aspects of the story all-too predictable. After all, when someone like Mia feels as though she can never measure up to that family paragon of virtue, why not head in the other direction? I'm sure many teens will be able to relate to Mia's actions. I just wish there had been more to her life than having fun, hanging out, taking risks, and trying to attract suitors with her physical charms. This book might provide some teen readers with food for thought as they consider what they might have done in her situation and how much we owe our family and friends. The relationship between her parents and how they handle their offspring were points of interest for me here.
August 27, 2018
I have found a new favourite author! This is the first book I have read by Lisa and I absolutely loved it and devoured it. I will definately be reading her previous book and new book which is soon to be published. Eee. Exciting.
This story will have you reminiscing on your own teenage years. Mia is the average teenager, we’ve all been there… Wanting to stand out, wanting to be popular, wanting attention, wanting the boys, showing off and the love for alcohol AKA underage drinking. We’d be lying if we say we haven’t done it.
I fell inlove with her character, she is the middle child to what she describes as two perfect sisters… She’s the odd one out or so she thinks. In parts I found her quite a selfish character and uncaring. However, in other parts she really shines through the loving and caring girl she can really be. Like most teenagers she thinks the world is against her when it’s not. She loves a drink but sometimes… actually most of the time she takes it too far. Will she change?
Towards the end of the story Mia starts to change and its a brilliant, unexpected, wonderful and heart warming ending for all! I loved it and I was proud of her character. Now I am still classed as a young adult (FOR NOW) and I bloody loved this story! I would highly recommend it to you all… Dive into Mia’s world. It isn’t dull. She gets upto all sorts of mischief. Brilliant. A well deserved four stars, well written and easy to read.
This story will have you reminiscing on your own teenage years. Mia is the average teenager, we’ve all been there… Wanting to stand out, wanting to be popular, wanting attention, wanting the boys, showing off and the love for alcohol AKA underage drinking. We’d be lying if we say we haven’t done it.
I fell inlove with her character, she is the middle child to what she describes as two perfect sisters… She’s the odd one out or so she thinks. In parts I found her quite a selfish character and uncaring. However, in other parts she really shines through the loving and caring girl she can really be. Like most teenagers she thinks the world is against her when it’s not. She loves a drink but sometimes… actually most of the time she takes it too far. Will she change?
Towards the end of the story Mia starts to change and its a brilliant, unexpected, wonderful and heart warming ending for all! I loved it and I was proud of her character. Now I am still classed as a young adult (FOR NOW) and I bloody loved this story! I would highly recommend it to you all… Dive into Mia’s world. It isn’t dull. She gets upto all sorts of mischief. Brilliant. A well deserved four stars, well written and easy to read.
April 23, 2020
You know what? I liked Mia. I feel like she'll strike a chord with a lot of young readers who don't quite have it 'all worked out'. It's important to learn as a teenager that you don't need to have all the answers, or really any. Mia was definitely reckless and really needed to learn from her mistakes but that made her an interesting character. Much better than someone who's perfect all the time.
This was a fast-paced, relatable and fun read. It is also one I would definitely recommend to YA readers.
My main criticism is over some of the secondary characters. I felt some were a little flat, and I wanted a lot more development from others. I had so many questions about Sam and Grace which were never answered. I find that annoying.
This was a fast-paced, relatable and fun read. It is also one I would definitely recommend to YA readers.
My main criticism is over some of the secondary characters. I felt some were a little flat, and I wanted a lot more development from others. I had so many questions about Sam and Grace which were never answered. I find that annoying.
April 14, 2018
I loved this book. Especially the way that it was told from the protagonist's point of view. This helped me to understand her decisions and actions.
I really liked Mia's relationship with Sam because you can see him wanting her to like him and she just wants to hate him.
I wished that they had explained a bit more on the fallout of Mia and Grace. When Audrey ran away I thought that it happened way too close to the end of the book, and it should have happened a little earlier.
I really liked the ending because it showed that Mia was forgiven for all that she had done.
I thought that the motif was Mia's t-shirt that says 'all about Mia'. I thought this because it kept on coming up and she always wore it when she was just being herself and not trying to impress anyone.
I really liked Mia's relationship with Sam because you can see him wanting her to like him and she just wants to hate him.
I wished that they had explained a bit more on the fallout of Mia and Grace. When Audrey ran away I thought that it happened way too close to the end of the book, and it should have happened a little earlier.
I really liked the ending because it showed that Mia was forgiven for all that she had done.
I thought that the motif was Mia's t-shirt that says 'all about Mia'. I thought this because it kept on coming up and she always wore it when she was just being herself and not trying to impress anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2018
I absolutely loved the narrative voice! I could read about Mia all day. She's different to a lot of YA characters I've read - and I've read a lot! Not often you get to read about someone like Mia, and it was so refreshing. Yes, she makes mistakes, and no, these are no cute mistakes as so often in YA. These are real, messy mistakes, but because Williamson is so skilled, it was obvious why Mia was doing the things she was doing, and therefore even though sometimes Mia was outrageous, I forgave her.
I was addicted right from the start. I read the whole thing in about 4 sittings. At one point I read 100 pages in one go. I loved every page.
I was addicted right from the start. I read the whole thing in about 4 sittings. At one point I read 100 pages in one go. I loved every page.
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