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Not My Problem
Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Readers
Aideen can fix anyone's problem - just not her own
When Aideen agrees to help ambitious class swot Maebh Kowalska deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. With this, Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out, from stealing confiscated mobiles to breaking into parties. All she asks for is a favour in return. But Aideen’s own life is a mess – her mam’s drinking again, her BFF Holly is avoiding her and she’s skipping school. Spending more time with the uptight (but annoyingly cute) Maebh and chatterbox Kavi, Aideen starts to wonder: can every problem be solved?
Aideen can fix anyone's problem - just not her own
When Aideen agrees to help ambitious class swot Maebh Kowalska deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. With this, Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out, from stealing confiscated mobiles to breaking into parties. All she asks for is a favour in return. But Aideen’s own life is a mess – her mam’s drinking again, her BFF Holly is avoiding her and she’s skipping school. Spending more time with the uptight (but annoyingly cute) Maebh and chatterbox Kavi, Aideen starts to wonder: can every problem be solved?
392 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2021
528 people are currently reading
42561 people want to read
About the author
Ciara Smyth
5 books1,659 followersCiara is starting to think that maybe she really did write that book about Asylum legislation and wonders if she is suffering from amnesia. She only remembers writing books about girls with problems and girl problems.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,813 reviews
October 12, 2020
This book is class. 12/10 would write again the same way.
March 28, 2022
How am I supposed to review my most anticipated release of the year? From the first page I knew my fears that it wouldn’t live up to The Falling in Love Montage or my (extremely high) expectations were pointless. Not My Problem is laugh out loud funny and full of heart – a coming of age novel that will stay with you long after the final page. Ciara Smyth explores themes of poverty, alcoholism, family and friendship with grace and nuance, offsetting them perfectly with her signature humour, teen hijinks and a charming romance. Lighthearted and real, Not My Problem is Derry Girls in book form and a must read for all contemporary lovers.
Aideen was a great main character and I loved reading from her perspective. Ciara Smyth has a real talent for writing characters that can be unlikeable and prickly to those around them, while allowing the reader to completely understand and sympathise with them. I very quickly connected with Aideen and could always empathise with her and understand her motivations, even as she made mistakes and frustrated me at times. She’s stubborn and proud and has had to grow up too quickly to take care of her mam and this all played perfectly into her character and decisions. I loved her development through the book, as she learned that it’s okay to ask for help and rely on others. Aideen’s use of wit and sarcasm to deflect from her problems was deeply relatable and I adored her sense of humour. Speaking of which, the humour in this book is some of the best I’ve read. It’s genuinely funny and, along with the rest of the dialogue, sounds like it’s coming from actual teenagers.
I loved the way this book explored different relationships, particularly the relationship that developed between Aideen and Maebh, the love interest. They’re both snarky and stubborn but in entirely different ways and I loved watching as they softened around each other, letting down their walls as they grew closer. I also loved Kavi and the himbo / lesbian solidarity between him and Aideen. He was just the sweetest ray of sunshine who brightened every scene he was in. I particularly loved the bathtub scene between the three of them; it was so touching and I really felt like it led to a deeper understanding of the characters, both for the reader and the characters themselves. There’s a real ‘misfits finding love, support and acceptance in a found family’ dynamic going on between those three and I really just loved reading their scenes together. I could go on forever about how perfectly they all fit together and complement each other but I’ll let you experience that for yourself.
Not My Problem also explores some more negative and unhealthy relationships with great sensitivity, while not shying away from just how toxic they can be and the effect that can have on someone. I thought the relationship between Aideen and her best friend, Holly, was particularly important and I really appreciated the resolution of that plotline. Aideen’s narration surrounding this relationship really let you into her thoughts and her insecurities, and also allowed you to see her grow and come into her own which I loved. Aideen’s relationship with her mam was complicated and messy and all too real. I can’t say whether it was done perfectly because I’m lucky enough to have never been in such a situation. However, I thought the author did a good job of showing the highs and lows and complex feelings that surround such a relationship and the effect your family’s situation can have on every aspect of your life.
Not My Problem was incredibly immersive and I found myself unable to put it down (leading to me finishing it late at night and sleeping past my alarm when I had an early morning class woops). The ending was perfect for the book and I loved how different plot points were resolved, while acknowledging that these characters still have a lot of growing to do and that everything cannot be suddenly fixed just because it’s the end of the book. The writing is engaging and witty and Aideen’s voice was clear all the way through. Once again Ciara Smyth has shown her talent for writing authentic characters and relationships. Everything about her books just feel so real to me and I love them so much. This book definitely wasn’t as romance centred as The Falling in Love Montage; it was more focused on Aideen’s character and the problems she faces. However, her relationship with Maebh still played an important role and there were an abundance of sweet moments.
Some other things I loved about this book include Aideen’s “social enterprise” of fixing other people’s problems. These favours led to lots of fun and new friends and I adored how it all played into the resolution of the book and Aideen’s development. I also loved the lesbian representation. As with Ciara Smyth’s debut, our main characters’ sexualities are already established and are never a source of conflict in the book. The use of the label ‘lesbian’ on page was as affirming as ever and I loved some of the discussions surround sexuality, particularly when Aideen and Maebh end up having to change together. Another thing I loved was the inclusion of ‘Irishisms’ – Irish slang, references and spellings. I felt like this did a lot to establish the setting of the book. As a Scot my language is similarly full of little bits unique to Scotland and although I didn’t recognise all of the Irish words, I did really enjoy seeing them and felt that it was a closer representation to the way I speak and my school experience than I’ve ever read before.
It is no secret that I love The Falling in Love Montage. I’d go as far to say that it’s my favourite book of all time. This is not just because of the book itself, but the impact it had on me. I read it at the absolute perfect time; I had been struggling with realising I was a lesbian and accepting this label for myself. Seeing Saoirse and Ruby as these lesbians who were confident and comfortable in their identity really helped me begin the journey towards being as comfortable with my own sexuality. That’s all to say, I don’t think I can compare Smyth’s novels fairly. Because the impact TFILM had on me and the personal meaning it took on is inseparable from my opinion of it and Not My Problem simply didn’t have this same impact. This is not a bad thing, or a point against it – not every book is going to change your life. Although I have no doubt that NMP will mean just as much to other readers as TFILM does to me. I love both of these novels for different reasons and I’m sure I’ll love anything else Ciara Smyth writes for its own unique reason too.
Once again the humanity of Ciara’s books astounds me. Not My Problem is full of authentic characters and relationships and explores real world problems with sensitivity and nuance. The humour, romance and complex feelings are all expertly written to create relatable characters with an emphasis on the power of human connection. This book is not always easy to read as it tackles difficult themes but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Full of charm, wit and feeling, Not My Problem is an instant favourite that I couldn’t recommend more. (And I promise I’m not just saying that because I’m in the acknowledgements).
If you’re interested in hearing more of my thoughts or seeing my reactions, check out my book talk here. And if you want to know more about why The Falling in Love Montage means so much to me, I speak about it here.
Thank you so much to Ciara Smyth for sending me a copy of this, I am eternally grateful ♡
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
Aideen was a great main character and I loved reading from her perspective. Ciara Smyth has a real talent for writing characters that can be unlikeable and prickly to those around them, while allowing the reader to completely understand and sympathise with them. I very quickly connected with Aideen and could always empathise with her and understand her motivations, even as she made mistakes and frustrated me at times. She’s stubborn and proud and has had to grow up too quickly to take care of her mam and this all played perfectly into her character and decisions. I loved her development through the book, as she learned that it’s okay to ask for help and rely on others. Aideen’s use of wit and sarcasm to deflect from her problems was deeply relatable and I adored her sense of humour. Speaking of which, the humour in this book is some of the best I’ve read. It’s genuinely funny and, along with the rest of the dialogue, sounds like it’s coming from actual teenagers.
I loved the way this book explored different relationships, particularly the relationship that developed between Aideen and Maebh, the love interest. They’re both snarky and stubborn but in entirely different ways and I loved watching as they softened around each other, letting down their walls as they grew closer. I also loved Kavi and the himbo / lesbian solidarity between him and Aideen. He was just the sweetest ray of sunshine who brightened every scene he was in. I particularly loved the bathtub scene between the three of them; it was so touching and I really felt like it led to a deeper understanding of the characters, both for the reader and the characters themselves. There’s a real ‘misfits finding love, support and acceptance in a found family’ dynamic going on between those three and I really just loved reading their scenes together. I could go on forever about how perfectly they all fit together and complement each other but I’ll let you experience that for yourself.
Not My Problem also explores some more negative and unhealthy relationships with great sensitivity, while not shying away from just how toxic they can be and the effect that can have on someone. I thought the relationship between Aideen and her best friend, Holly, was particularly important and I really appreciated the resolution of that plotline. Aideen’s narration surrounding this relationship really let you into her thoughts and her insecurities, and also allowed you to see her grow and come into her own which I loved. Aideen’s relationship with her mam was complicated and messy and all too real. I can’t say whether it was done perfectly because I’m lucky enough to have never been in such a situation. However, I thought the author did a good job of showing the highs and lows and complex feelings that surround such a relationship and the effect your family’s situation can have on every aspect of your life.
Not My Problem was incredibly immersive and I found myself unable to put it down (leading to me finishing it late at night and sleeping past my alarm when I had an early morning class woops). The ending was perfect for the book and I loved how different plot points were resolved, while acknowledging that these characters still have a lot of growing to do and that everything cannot be suddenly fixed just because it’s the end of the book. The writing is engaging and witty and Aideen’s voice was clear all the way through. Once again Ciara Smyth has shown her talent for writing authentic characters and relationships. Everything about her books just feel so real to me and I love them so much. This book definitely wasn’t as romance centred as The Falling in Love Montage; it was more focused on Aideen’s character and the problems she faces. However, her relationship with Maebh still played an important role and there were an abundance of sweet moments.
Some other things I loved about this book include Aideen’s “social enterprise” of fixing other people’s problems. These favours led to lots of fun and new friends and I adored how it all played into the resolution of the book and Aideen’s development. I also loved the lesbian representation. As with Ciara Smyth’s debut, our main characters’ sexualities are already established and are never a source of conflict in the book. The use of the label ‘lesbian’ on page was as affirming as ever and I loved some of the discussions surround sexuality, particularly when Aideen and Maebh end up having to change together. Another thing I loved was the inclusion of ‘Irishisms’ – Irish slang, references and spellings. I felt like this did a lot to establish the setting of the book. As a Scot my language is similarly full of little bits unique to Scotland and although I didn’t recognise all of the Irish words, I did really enjoy seeing them and felt that it was a closer representation to the way I speak and my school experience than I’ve ever read before.
It is no secret that I love The Falling in Love Montage. I’d go as far to say that it’s my favourite book of all time. This is not just because of the book itself, but the impact it had on me. I read it at the absolute perfect time; I had been struggling with realising I was a lesbian and accepting this label for myself. Seeing Saoirse and Ruby as these lesbians who were confident and comfortable in their identity really helped me begin the journey towards being as comfortable with my own sexuality. That’s all to say, I don’t think I can compare Smyth’s novels fairly. Because the impact TFILM had on me and the personal meaning it took on is inseparable from my opinion of it and Not My Problem simply didn’t have this same impact. This is not a bad thing, or a point against it – not every book is going to change your life. Although I have no doubt that NMP will mean just as much to other readers as TFILM does to me. I love both of these novels for different reasons and I’m sure I’ll love anything else Ciara Smyth writes for its own unique reason too.
Once again the humanity of Ciara’s books astounds me. Not My Problem is full of authentic characters and relationships and explores real world problems with sensitivity and nuance. The humour, romance and complex feelings are all expertly written to create relatable characters with an emphasis on the power of human connection. This book is not always easy to read as it tackles difficult themes but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Full of charm, wit and feeling, Not My Problem is an instant favourite that I couldn’t recommend more. (And I promise I’m not just saying that because I’m in the acknowledgements).
If you’re interested in hearing more of my thoughts or seeing my reactions, check out my book talk here. And if you want to know more about why The Falling in Love Montage means so much to me, I speak about it here.
Thank you so much to Ciara Smyth for sending me a copy of this, I am eternally grateful ♡
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
May 24, 2021
I loved this! I was a big fan of Smyth’s, The Falling in Love Montage, so this book was on the top of my must read of 2021 list. My expectations were high, but this book met every single one of them. I’m happily surprised to say this, but I thought this book was actually better than TFILM. This is the kind of book that I think is just a must for YA fans. And even if you are not a huge YA fan, this book is written so well that I think you will love it anyway.
This book didn’t even give me a minute to settle in. I was hooked after a few lines and Smyth had me wrapped around her little finger for the rest of the book. The writing was so good and there were many brilliant lines. I can’t even tell you how many quotes I wanted to write down since I lost track. I love Smyth’s humor. She is so witty and it is the kind of book humor that actually works for me. If I wasn’t so swamped with reading, I’d be turning back to page one -as soon as I finished this review- to read this whole book again. There are so many lines and parts that I want to enjoy again and if you read my reviews, you will know I’m not a big re-reader so it’s a huge compliment to Smyth’s writing.
Unlike The Falling in Love Montage, this is more of a coming of age story than a romance. There is a cute, sort of enemies to lovers romance, but it’s not the main focus. However, I thought the amount of romance worked perfectly with the book. With everything else going on for our main character, the amount of romance was a good fit and I thought the couple was adorable too.
While the plot is very good, never boring and keeps you turning the pages, the characters were the heart of the book for me. I loved them all. Aideen, is the perfect main character to be in the headspace of and every other important or secondary character was well done too. There were no cardboard cut-outs, instead everyone was really fleshed-out with their own unique voice.
This was the kind of YA that gave me all the feels. I did cry a little at one point, and had some misty eyes until the end, but the humor helped to keep this book much more in the feel good lane. This is the kind of YA book I love. I honestly have no complaints and am a very happy camper. I’m looking forward to gushing and chatting about this book as more reviews start coming in.
A copy was given to me for a review.
This book didn’t even give me a minute to settle in. I was hooked after a few lines and Smyth had me wrapped around her little finger for the rest of the book. The writing was so good and there were many brilliant lines. I can’t even tell you how many quotes I wanted to write down since I lost track. I love Smyth’s humor. She is so witty and it is the kind of book humor that actually works for me. If I wasn’t so swamped with reading, I’d be turning back to page one -as soon as I finished this review- to read this whole book again. There are so many lines and parts that I want to enjoy again and if you read my reviews, you will know I’m not a big re-reader so it’s a huge compliment to Smyth’s writing.
Unlike The Falling in Love Montage, this is more of a coming of age story than a romance. There is a cute, sort of enemies to lovers romance, but it’s not the main focus. However, I thought the amount of romance worked perfectly with the book. With everything else going on for our main character, the amount of romance was a good fit and I thought the couple was adorable too.
While the plot is very good, never boring and keeps you turning the pages, the characters were the heart of the book for me. I loved them all. Aideen, is the perfect main character to be in the headspace of and every other important or secondary character was well done too. There were no cardboard cut-outs, instead everyone was really fleshed-out with their own unique voice.
This was the kind of YA that gave me all the feels. I did cry a little at one point, and had some misty eyes until the end, but the humor helped to keep this book much more in the feel good lane. This is the kind of YA book I love. I honestly have no complaints and am a very happy camper. I’m looking forward to gushing and chatting about this book as more reviews start coming in.
A copy was given to me for a review.
November 14, 2025
Four words: I ADORE THIS BOOK!
Not My problem is a coming of age novel that deals with alcoholism, loneliness, unexpected love, as well as emotional connections that come with true friendship. The plot is pretty average but is still interesting. I enjoyed the quid-pro-quo concepts and how everyone comes together at the end. The story is elementary yet heartwarming.
Writing Style: If you're on a reading slump, I think this book is great for you to read. It's written in simple prose, clear plot points with well-defined characters; making it easier to read. If I am not occupied with my internship, I'd have finished this in a sitting.
Characters: The characters are a major success and the more reasons for you to love this book. Aideen is entertaining, compassionate and overall just loveable. Her character is raw and I teared up for the emotional authenticity that runs throughout the novel. I don't think I am similar to Aideen (I'm more assertive) but I find her personality to be very relatable.
Not to say, all the side characters are equally delightful. I love Meabh and her persona, Kavi for being the best best friend someone could ask for, the P.E teacher and even Holly, who is not much likeable. However, I valued all these flaws in the characters, showing us how timelessly human they are.
Romance: This book does not put romance as its focus but I find myself still enjoying them. Aideen and Meabh's dynamic is adorable and are complimentary to one another. Things started odd between them, but I'm never invested with adversaries to lovers as I did with this one.
At other times, I don't think I'd appreciate the kind of ending that this book has but Not My Problem finished its story wonderfully. The book is exceptionally well-layered and a fun read that would keep you hooked from the start. It's the perfect combination of amusing and eye-opening book that you would not want to miss. If you have this on your TBR, just go and start it!
“Was being happy for a little while better than never being happy?”
Not My problem is a coming of age novel that deals with alcoholism, loneliness, unexpected love, as well as emotional connections that come with true friendship. The plot is pretty average but is still interesting. I enjoyed the quid-pro-quo concepts and how everyone comes together at the end. The story is elementary yet heartwarming.
Writing Style: If you're on a reading slump, I think this book is great for you to read. It's written in simple prose, clear plot points with well-defined characters; making it easier to read. If I am not occupied with my internship, I'd have finished this in a sitting.
Characters: The characters are a major success and the more reasons for you to love this book. Aideen is entertaining, compassionate and overall just loveable. Her character is raw and I teared up for the emotional authenticity that runs throughout the novel. I don't think I am similar to Aideen (I'm more assertive) but I find her personality to be very relatable.
Not to say, all the side characters are equally delightful. I love Meabh and her persona, Kavi for being the best best friend someone could ask for, the P.E teacher and even Holly, who is not much likeable. However, I valued all these flaws in the characters, showing us how timelessly human they are.
Romance: This book does not put romance as its focus but I find myself still enjoying them. Aideen and Meabh's dynamic is adorable and are complimentary to one another. Things started odd between them, but I'm never invested with adversaries to lovers as I did with this one.
At other times, I don't think I'd appreciate the kind of ending that this book has but Not My Problem finished its story wonderfully. The book is exceptionally well-layered and a fun read that would keep you hooked from the start. It's the perfect combination of amusing and eye-opening book that you would not want to miss. If you have this on your TBR, just go and start it!
December 9, 2021
dumbass representation 💗💗💗
February 26, 2021
This was a incredible read from start to finish.
I truly loved how well layered and fleshed out the characters were. The book follows its main character Aideen. Aideen is sharp, sympathetic, loyal to a fault and funny as hell. Plus she's great at texting and PE(Meabh and Ms. Delvin can attest). There wasn't a dull moment in the book thanks to her and her layered personality. She uses sarcasm as a coping mechanism. When the story begins, she only has two people, her mom and her best friend, Holly. Both, damaging her self worth in different ways and her, always making excuses for them. By the end she goes through incredible character development and finally decides to work on 'her own problems' and has the most endearing group of friends.
Meabh, the love interest, on the outside is a annoying know-it-all but once you get a closer look, she is still a annoying know-it-all but she is also super passionate, adorably nerdy and in most things the complete opposite of Aideen. Which is one of the reasons why their relationship worked so well, others are their snappy banter and wonderful chemistry.
My favourite aspect of the entire book were the relationship dynamics. I can't describe how genuinely real the relationships felt, especially between Aideen and her toxic best friend Holly. I really like how this storyline was concluded as well. In fact I really liked the ending overall. It was refreshing to see that not everything got resolved with a magic wand within the last 50 pages and the characters will actually have to work on themselves.
Overall, It was sometime a hilarious and sometime emotional, but throughout an amazing read that I enjoyed immensely.
Copy provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.
I truly loved how well layered and fleshed out the characters were. The book follows its main character Aideen. Aideen is sharp, sympathetic, loyal to a fault and funny as hell. Plus she's great at texting and PE(Meabh and Ms. Delvin can attest). There wasn't a dull moment in the book thanks to her and her layered personality. She uses sarcasm as a coping mechanism. When the story begins, she only has two people, her mom and her best friend, Holly. Both, damaging her self worth in different ways and her, always making excuses for them. By the end she goes through incredible character development and finally decides to work on 'her own problems' and has the most endearing group of friends.
Meabh, the love interest, on the outside is a annoying know-it-all but once you get a closer look, she is still a annoying know-it-all but she is also super passionate, adorably nerdy and in most things the complete opposite of Aideen. Which is one of the reasons why their relationship worked so well, others are their snappy banter and wonderful chemistry.
My favourite aspect of the entire book were the relationship dynamics. I can't describe how genuinely real the relationships felt, especially between Aideen and her toxic best friend Holly. I really like how this storyline was concluded as well. In fact I really liked the ending overall. It was refreshing to see that not everything got resolved with a magic wand within the last 50 pages and the characters will actually have to work on themselves.
Overall, It was sometime a hilarious and sometime emotional, but throughout an amazing read that I enjoyed immensely.
Copy provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.
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May 7, 2023this book was exactly what I needed.
February 12, 2022
Not my Problem in three words is quick, lighthearted, and funny!
It follows Aideen, a witty and vibrant teen with tons of problems of her own but decides to solve others' problems instead of solving hers.
“I want you to game the system. Don’t let it beat you.”
Aideen's character and personality was entertaining. Her coping mechanism is humor and sarcasm. If she were my classmate, I'd want to be friends with her and I would definitely laugh freely at every joke she'll cracklet's not mention my broken humor.
From the blurb, I kind of expected to have this book centered on romance. Except, I think this revolved more about Aideen's problems, social life, and friendship, which made it actually better.
The newly formed friendship between Ravi, Meabh, and Aideen was amazing, I learned so many cute lessons from them! Ravi was an icon, I liked his talkative, energetic, and supportive characteristics. I adored Meabh as well, she was compassionate and a bit relatable.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you. I wish you would tell me, but I respect that maybe you have a good reason not to. But I am not disposable. I’m not a toy you can play with when it suits you and then ignore when you have other stuff to do. If you want to be my friend, you have to stop treating me like I don’t exist if you’re not looking directly at me.”
The friendship that we have in this book was authentic and it's the best thing here. I understood how painful it is to experience friendship break-ups, yet we shall move on from toxicity and go on. I couldn't help but sympathize with Aideen.
Overall, this was a fun read. There were times where I found stuff lacking, though this was still a refreshing read to get my mind off things. 3.5 stars✨
It follows Aideen, a witty and vibrant teen with tons of problems of her own but decides to solve others' problems instead of solving hers.
“I want you to game the system. Don’t let it beat you.”
Aideen's character and personality was entertaining. Her coping mechanism is humor and sarcasm. If she were my classmate, I'd want to be friends with her and I would definitely laugh freely at every joke she'll crack
From the blurb, I kind of expected to have this book centered on romance. Except, I think this revolved more about Aideen's problems, social life, and friendship, which made it actually better.
The newly formed friendship between Ravi, Meabh, and Aideen was amazing, I learned so many cute lessons from them! Ravi was an icon, I liked his talkative, energetic, and supportive characteristics. I adored Meabh as well, she was compassionate and a bit relatable.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you. I wish you would tell me, but I respect that maybe you have a good reason not to. But I am not disposable. I’m not a toy you can play with when it suits you and then ignore when you have other stuff to do. If you want to be my friend, you have to stop treating me like I don’t exist if you’re not looking directly at me.”
The friendship that we have in this book was authentic and it's the best thing here. I understood how painful it is to experience friendship break-ups, yet we shall move on from toxicity and go on. I couldn't help but sympathize with Aideen.
Overall, this was a fun read. There were times where I found stuff lacking, though this was still a refreshing read to get my mind off things. 3.5 stars✨
June 7, 2021
Ciara Smyth is now definitely on my automatic ‘to read’ list. Two 5-star books in a row, if that’s not a sign, then what is? The main characters in both books seem to possess exactly the type of sarcasm that I really like. Humor in books is a hit-or-miss for me, but these books nail it. But it’s not only the humor, there is also always a deeper emotional layer in her books. Like in the previous book “The Falling in Love Montage” Smyth has the ability to make me laugh out loud and cry five minutes later.
In this book Aideen struggles with a difficult home situation, she has grown up poor which is largely caused by her mother’s alcohol problem. The duality of her feelings is portrayed excellent, you can see her love for her mother, but also the resentment towards her, because of the drinking and the problems it causes every time her mother relapses. Because of her home situation she doesn’t have many friends and she has a pretty isolated life.
Aideen is no model student, she’s cheeky to her teachers (which is super funny), skips school and has slipping grades, but she’s not a bad person. When she solves a problem for a classmate in a rather unconventional manner, more people come to her for “help” and before she knows it, she has a small operation running. The shenanigans solving all these problems are entertaining and they get her into trouble, but helping other people is one thing she can do since she can’t seem to improve her own life.
This is not a coming-out type of coming-of-age story (that moment has already passed for the involved characters). There is a small f/f romance, which is cute, but it is not the main focus. The story really focusses on Aideen, it’s her story about finding friendship and finding a way in life. Aideen’s friends are also fantastic and each of them adds to the story, they all have distinct identities and all have their own problems and I liked (or disliked) them all.
I had so much fun with the audiobook of “The Falling in Love Montage” that I decided on listening to the audiobook for this one as well and I was not disappointed. That Irish accent is to die for! And (again) I would have never known how to pronounce those names without someone telling me…..
Highly recommended!
In this book Aideen struggles with a difficult home situation, she has grown up poor which is largely caused by her mother’s alcohol problem. The duality of her feelings is portrayed excellent, you can see her love for her mother, but also the resentment towards her, because of the drinking and the problems it causes every time her mother relapses. Because of her home situation she doesn’t have many friends and she has a pretty isolated life.
Aideen is no model student, she’s cheeky to her teachers (which is super funny), skips school and has slipping grades, but she’s not a bad person. When she solves a problem for a classmate in a rather unconventional manner, more people come to her for “help” and before she knows it, she has a small operation running. The shenanigans solving all these problems are entertaining and they get her into trouble, but helping other people is one thing she can do since she can’t seem to improve her own life.
This is not a coming-out type of coming-of-age story (that moment has already passed for the involved characters). There is a small f/f romance, which is cute, but it is not the main focus. The story really focusses on Aideen, it’s her story about finding friendship and finding a way in life. Aideen’s friends are also fantastic and each of them adds to the story, they all have distinct identities and all have their own problems and I liked (or disliked) them all.
I had so much fun with the audiobook of “The Falling in Love Montage” that I decided on listening to the audiobook for this one as well and I was not disappointed. That Irish accent is to die for! And (again) I would have never known how to pronounce those names without someone telling me…..
Highly recommended!
January 10, 2023
welcome to 202-Queer 🌈✨, the year where i only read queer books and finally have fun 🌈✨
honestly, at this point i just need Ciara Smyth to write more books.
this was both exactly what i expected it to be and also not.
the characters were once again just really charming. CS is just great at characterisation. a lot of the times in romance at least one of the love interests doesn't have... a personality, but CS's mains are always very unique and loveable and i just want to squish them both (affectionately). and the way the author writes male/female friendships??? unmatched. Kavi was a DELIGHT.
the family related subplot was once again just... very sad. YA contemporary romance really doesn't shy away from the harshness of reality, there's always a very deep and meaningful discussion to be had about problems that actually concern many people. it makes me appreciate YA contemporaries a lot, i realised. Adult romance is often just... - well.
i also liked the portrayal of toxic friendships in this one and the "life lesson" that there are people out there who will treat you with love and respect and that you don't have to put up with someone who is mean to you while pretending to care about you.
like The Falling in Love Montage this was also funny af and had me laughing out loud several times. there was also humour and levity in serious situations but it also managed to stay serious when the situation called for it.
overall i definitely liked The Falling in Love Montage better but i still enjoyed reading this one and i DESPERATELY need Ciara Smyth to write more books, i'm begging
honestly, at this point i just need Ciara Smyth to write more books.
this was both exactly what i expected it to be and also not.
the characters were once again just really charming. CS is just great at characterisation. a lot of the times in romance at least one of the love interests doesn't have... a personality, but CS's mains are always very unique and loveable and i just want to squish them both (affectionately). and the way the author writes male/female friendships??? unmatched. Kavi was a DELIGHT.
the family related subplot was once again just... very sad. YA contemporary romance really doesn't shy away from the harshness of reality, there's always a very deep and meaningful discussion to be had about problems that actually concern many people. it makes me appreciate YA contemporaries a lot, i realised. Adult romance is often just... - well.
i also liked the portrayal of toxic friendships in this one and the "life lesson" that there are people out there who will treat you with love and respect and that you don't have to put up with someone who is mean to you while pretending to care about you.
like The Falling in Love Montage this was also funny af and had me laughing out loud several times. there was also humour and levity in serious situations but it also managed to stay serious when the situation called for it.
overall i definitely liked The Falling in Love Montage better but i still enjoyed reading this one and i DESPERATELY need Ciara Smyth to write more books, i'm begging
August 29, 2021
ciara smyth does something in her books which i’ve found is quite rare, and it is that she makes them truly, genuinely funny. not even just a ‘i let out a huff of air to show that i appreciated that sentence,’ but real laughter. i read this book when i was sad, and it was the perfect reprieve from the world: even as the main character, aideen’s, world is falling apart, she manages to be absolutely hilarious throughout.
i would like to begin by saying that both leads are lesbians, and identify as such (!!!), which we definitely need more of in books. ‘not my problem’ is more of a slow burn than ‘the falling in love montage,’ focused more on plot than romance, but it is definitely still worth a read. for one, each of the main characters are both flawed and lovable. they are full, well-rounded people, who are more charming because they are complete. the title of the book is actually a little misleading, because aideen attempts to fix every problem she comes across, both those that are her own (desperately trying to stop her mam from drinking again), and those that aren’t (helping meabh with her busy schedule despite the fact that they aren’t even on friendly terms). (by the way: meabh is pronounced ‘maeve.’ yes, i had to google it.)
there wasn’t one point in this book where i got tired of it, or wanted to put it down. despite wanting to be an author, sometimes i struggle with words. i’m not certain how to truly promote this book or express how much i loved it. but, seriously: read this book.
i would like to begin by saying that both leads are lesbians, and identify as such (!!!), which we definitely need more of in books. ‘not my problem’ is more of a slow burn than ‘the falling in love montage,’ focused more on plot than romance, but it is definitely still worth a read. for one, each of the main characters are both flawed and lovable. they are full, well-rounded people, who are more charming because they are complete. the title of the book is actually a little misleading, because aideen attempts to fix every problem she comes across, both those that are her own (desperately trying to stop her mam from drinking again), and those that aren’t (helping meabh with her busy schedule despite the fact that they aren’t even on friendly terms). (by the way: meabh is pronounced ‘maeve.’ yes, i had to google it.)
there wasn’t one point in this book where i got tired of it, or wanted to put it down. despite wanting to be an author, sometimes i struggle with words. i’m not certain how to truly promote this book or express how much i loved it. but, seriously: read this book.
May 10, 2023
➥ 1 Star *:･ﾟ✧
This book was a rude-awakening for me, very much cementing the fact that YA rarely seems to be something I enjoy (or...maybe the book was shit? Both things?).
Granted, I did pick this book up because I thought it'd be a sapphic YA contemporary romance. This is tagged as romance on Goodreads and even the blurb seemed to revolve around the romantic premise, but where the fuck was it? There was near to no romantic development, or romantic moments at all. It wasn't slowburn because nothing was burning 😐. The love interests barely interacted. The was a total of one kiss, at the end. That's it, there wasn't a single other romantic moment. And before that kiss, there's the typical messy miscommunication trope 🥱
The love interest (I forget her name sorry) was really bland? And boring? And I don't really understand why the fmc was so taken with her. She was supposed to be the typical teenage girl desperate for academic validation...which I could enjoy...but it was so superficially written? There was like 0 nuance to it, and even though I don't think there's anything wrong with the YA genre itself, sometimes if feels like an excuse for the author to write something that's unsubstancial. I mean, this girl is supposed to be all try hard, do-gooder yet she has an obsession with Hillary Clinton? Excuse me?
We also see the fmc be an absolute doormat when it comes to her best friend, but we have to assume that she's victim to it because the fmc is just 'too nice' and assumes the best of everyone 🥺🙄.
I think the part I found most compelling about this book, was the way Smyth depicted the complex relationship between the fmc and her mother. She's obviously in a difficult situation, dealing with what it means to have an alcoholic parent. Smyth depicts the confusion and conflict in her mother being kind one day and vile the next. That on top of her schoolwork and highschool drama in general is something I can really empathise with.
I was looking for something a la She Drives Me Crazy, but I didn't get it here. If you're between Not My Problem and She Drives Me Crazy, I definitely recommend the latter.
'This is what you get for being a Good Samaritan. You die in a girls’ locker room at the hands of a deranged overachiever.'
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
This book was a rude-awakening for me, very much cementing the fact that YA rarely seems to be something I enjoy (or...maybe the book was shit? Both things?).
Granted, I did pick this book up because I thought it'd be a sapphic YA contemporary romance. This is tagged as romance on Goodreads and even the blurb seemed to revolve around the romantic premise, but where the fuck was it? There was near to no romantic development, or romantic moments at all. It wasn't slowburn because nothing was burning 😐. The love interests barely interacted. The was a total of one kiss, at the end. That's it, there wasn't a single other romantic moment. And before that kiss, there's the typical messy miscommunication trope 🥱
The love interest (I forget her name sorry) was really bland? And boring? And I don't really understand why the fmc was so taken with her. She was supposed to be the typical teenage girl desperate for academic validation...which I could enjoy...but it was so superficially written? There was like 0 nuance to it, and even though I don't think there's anything wrong with the YA genre itself, sometimes if feels like an excuse for the author to write something that's unsubstancial. I mean, this girl is supposed to be all try hard, do-gooder yet she has an obsession with Hillary Clinton? Excuse me?
We also see the fmc be an absolute doormat when it comes to her best friend, but we have to assume that she's victim to it because the fmc is just 'too nice' and assumes the best of everyone 🥺🙄.
I think the part I found most compelling about this book, was the way Smyth depicted the complex relationship between the fmc and her mother. She's obviously in a difficult situation, dealing with what it means to have an alcoholic parent. Smyth depicts the confusion and conflict in her mother being kind one day and vile the next. That on top of her schoolwork and highschool drama in general is something I can really empathise with.
I was looking for something a la She Drives Me Crazy, but I didn't get it here. If you're between Not My Problem and She Drives Me Crazy, I definitely recommend the latter.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
June 7, 2021
Aideen is sharp tongued, unfiltered, and funny as hell. She’s 16 years old and fantasizes about an HEA with Kristen Stewart that’s sure to happen someday, she thinks dreamily. But in reality, troubles at home and the difficulties of being a poor teen trying to keep up at a wealthy school are slowly drowning her. She’s not a loner but she’s not really seen by the other students which I think is by choice. Whether it’s because of shame or a sense of failure, Aideen works hard to hide her family secrets by showing up to just enough classes and shooting off a quick wit that deflects anyone from getting too close. Her best friend seems to have drifted away, making her feel even more alone. Then some unforeseen hijinks come Aideen’s way pushing her down a new path.
Two remarkable things about this author’s writing. One is that she buries her main character in the reader’s heart. The other is that she does not let you off the hook because once she’s gotten you to care, then you’re getting the whole story and you’re not going to turn away. I teared up, I belly laughed, and I wanted to tell Aideen that all would be well.
The secondary characters are wonderful too. Aideen learns as we do that everyone in life has their own struggles just like she does. But lucky for her, her new found friends refuse to let Aideen tackle the world alone. In case you’re wondering, a sweet crush is involved. I loved every bit of this book just as much as The Falling in Love Montage and I highly recommend.
Read an arc courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Two remarkable things about this author’s writing. One is that she buries her main character in the reader’s heart. The other is that she does not let you off the hook because once she’s gotten you to care, then you’re getting the whole story and you’re not going to turn away. I teared up, I belly laughed, and I wanted to tell Aideen that all would be well.
The secondary characters are wonderful too. Aideen learns as we do that everyone in life has their own struggles just like she does. But lucky for her, her new found friends refuse to let Aideen tackle the world alone. In case you’re wondering, a sweet crush is involved. I loved every bit of this book just as much as The Falling in Love Montage and I highly recommend.
Read an arc courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2021
Perfect for fans of Sex Education. Aideen is one of the most standout YA protags I've seen.
December 16, 2023
I promise we’ll be back to our usually scheduled programming—obscure pre-stonewall queer literature in translation, feminist science fiction, etc.—in the new year. But for now, I’m just having way too much fun with YA romance to stop. And really, the water is quite nice over here, warm and full of beautiful pacing, characterization, dialogue, scene-setting, and of course pages and pages of sheer silliness.
Enemies to lovers is the best YA romance novel trope. It’s just so delicious. Almost makes me wish I had an enemy, just so I could fall in love with them. And this book—this book should suck. Should be heavy handed, preachy, annoying, a combination “very special episode” and, well, very ordinary episode. The kind with a harebrained scheme that’s really just an excuse for its characters to be silly and the kind of contrived ending where the B plot sweeps in and unravels the knot of the A plot at the last minute.
But this book isn’t anything like that. It’s a delight, from start to finish. Everything that happens feels heightened in the way that everything feels heightened when you’re a teen. Our heroine’s horrifyingly adult problems, revolving around her alcoholic mother and asshole father, and her very adorably not adult problems, revolving around an election for student body president, each feel equally urgent. Which is life, isn’t it? The big problems and the little problems all wound together and you wish that the existence of the big problems would make it so the stupid little ones wouldn’t keep you up all night, but that’s just not how it works, is it?
Enemies to lovers is the best YA romance novel trope. It’s just so delicious. Almost makes me wish I had an enemy, just so I could fall in love with them. And this book—this book should suck. Should be heavy handed, preachy, annoying, a combination “very special episode” and, well, very ordinary episode. The kind with a harebrained scheme that’s really just an excuse for its characters to be silly and the kind of contrived ending where the B plot sweeps in and unravels the knot of the A plot at the last minute.
But this book isn’t anything like that. It’s a delight, from start to finish. Everything that happens feels heightened in the way that everything feels heightened when you’re a teen. Our heroine’s horrifyingly adult problems, revolving around her alcoholic mother and asshole father, and her very adorably not adult problems, revolving around an election for student body president, each feel equally urgent. Which is life, isn’t it? The big problems and the little problems all wound together and you wish that the existence of the big problems would make it so the stupid little ones wouldn’t keep you up all night, but that’s just not how it works, is it?
May 26, 2023
academic rivals to lovers just serves idk although they technically aren’t academic rivals i will still count it
May 18, 2021
Despite intending to start a different book, something compelled me to pick up Not My Problem instead and I was hooked very quickly. NMP has been compared to the TV programme Derry Girls, and it's a really accurate comparison - it's just as funny and filled with teen-related hijinks, but with an additional deeper underlayer that characterises Smyth's books.
Aideen is a heroine you love almost immediately - her narrative voice gripped me with it's humorous tone and compelled me to finish the book in under 24 hours. And the story itself is really heartwarming, with her going from an almost-loner to amassing a group of assorted friends through her little troubleshooter/favour-for-favour system. She's witty and sarcastic, but she also has a lot of heart and is always willing to help - even people she doesn't know. She's a really good egg.
Aideen's relationship with love interest Meabh is equally wonderful, building up slowly over the course of the novel over bickering text messages and ill-formed plans. Meabh, actually, is a character who is a stiff, high-strung overachiever . . . until you learn more about about her through Aideen's eyes and become really fond of her. She's not a 'perfect' character, but this meant I only liked her more because she felt genuine. Things that others would consider flaws were things Aideen really liked about her, which was really sweet and very much how it often goes in real life too.
Kavi is the second character who makes up the third member of their little trip, and he is THE cinnamon roll of this book! He's really darn cute and I love him, and the sense of warmth and joy and love he emanated throughout the book was priceless. He goes on spiels and you can really imagine him just saying all these massive speeches without stopping to breathe, and <33 I love him
Also, Ms Devlin!! Her dry humour and the way she interacted with Aideen was really wholesome to me. She really reminded me of Sister Michael from Derry Girls, except maybe slightly younger and also not a nun? Either way, one of my fave YA teachers.
Then there's side characters like Orla and Angela . . . all of the characters in this book were excellent and unique and brought something to the story. You get where I'm going - I'm just super fond of the cast here, down to the supporting characters.
Something that added a bit of a backbone of levity to a book filled with ill-formed plans was the fact that Aideen's mother is a struggling alcoholic. This is something that has seriously affected Aideen's home life and it means Aideen considers carefully how she gets by every day. This book also examines poverty in a thoughtful way. There's also the fact Aideen has anxiety, and although it's not diagnosed, the symptoms are really similar to what I've experienced. Then another tenet of this book is relationships: Aideen doesn't tell people about her problems at home, which means her relationships are never equal because she doesn't want to tell people about her problems and rely on them too much. But this book really does explore what friendships actually mean and how they should be equal, and how you should be able to rely on your friends and how they should be able to rely on you.
I enjoyed Ciara Smyth's debut The Falling In Love Montage, but on a personal level I connected to this one much more and found it much funnier so it's by far my favourite of Smyth's two books so far. Definitely recommend.
(I'll likely polish and extend this review later, but wanted to jot down some quick thoughts first.)
> 4.5 stars
rep: lesbian mc; lesbian polish-irish love interest
Aideen is a heroine you love almost immediately - her narrative voice gripped me with it's humorous tone and compelled me to finish the book in under 24 hours. And the story itself is really heartwarming, with her going from an almost-loner to amassing a group of assorted friends through her little troubleshooter/favour-for-favour system. She's witty and sarcastic, but she also has a lot of heart and is always willing to help - even people she doesn't know. She's a really good egg.
Aideen's relationship with love interest Meabh is equally wonderful, building up slowly over the course of the novel over bickering text messages and ill-formed plans. Meabh, actually, is a character who is a stiff, high-strung overachiever . . . until you learn more about about her through Aideen's eyes and become really fond of her. She's not a 'perfect' character, but this meant I only liked her more because she felt genuine. Things that others would consider flaws were things Aideen really liked about her, which was really sweet and very much how it often goes in real life too.
Kavi is the second character who makes up the third member of their little trip, and he is THE cinnamon roll of this book! He's really darn cute and I love him, and the sense of warmth and joy and love he emanated throughout the book was priceless. He goes on spiels and you can really imagine him just saying all these massive speeches without stopping to breathe, and <33 I love him
Also, Ms Devlin!! Her dry humour and the way she interacted with Aideen was really wholesome to me. She really reminded me of Sister Michael from Derry Girls, except maybe slightly younger and also not a nun? Either way, one of my fave YA teachers.
Then there's side characters like Orla and Angela . . . all of the characters in this book were excellent and unique and brought something to the story. You get where I'm going - I'm just super fond of the cast here, down to the supporting characters.
Something that added a bit of a backbone of levity to a book filled with ill-formed plans was the fact that Aideen's mother is a struggling alcoholic. This is something that has seriously affected Aideen's home life and it means Aideen considers carefully how she gets by every day. This book also examines poverty in a thoughtful way. There's also the fact Aideen has anxiety, and although it's not diagnosed, the symptoms are really similar to what I've experienced. Then another tenet of this book is relationships: Aideen doesn't tell people about her problems at home, which means her relationships are never equal because she doesn't want to tell people about her problems and rely on them too much. But this book really does explore what friendships actually mean and how they should be equal, and how you should be able to rely on your friends and how they should be able to rely on you.
I enjoyed Ciara Smyth's debut The Falling In Love Montage, but on a personal level I connected to this one much more and found it much funnier so it's by far my favourite of Smyth's two books so far. Definitely recommend.
(I'll likely polish and extend this review later, but wanted to jot down some quick thoughts first.)
> 4.5 stars
rep: lesbian mc; lesbian polish-irish love interest
December 23, 2022
I absolutely loved this. Ciara Smyth is the best.
I wrote a review for Autostraddle, Ciara Smyth's Books Remind Me of Being a Teenager.
I wrote a review for Autostraddle, Ciara Smyth's Books Remind Me of Being a Teenager.
May 30, 2021
Last year I had a really fun time reading Ciara Smyth’s debut novel, The Falling in Love Montage, and after seeing just how much Theresa over at Sappho’s Library adored this second novel, I knew that I needed to pick it up (and I was so lucky to actually win a signed copy in a giveaway!). Not My Problem follows Aideen who’s life isn’t going as smoothly as she’d perhaps hope – she’s failing pretty much every class at school, her best friend seems to have other best friends, and her mum’s drinking again even though she promised she wouldn’t. But one morning, Aideen walks in on headteacher’s daughter and all round annoying polymath, Meabh Kowalska, mid-breakdown in the PE.. changing rooms and everything changes. Meabh convinces Aideen to push her down the stairs so she can injure herself just enough to get out of her many responsibilities, and Aideen is all too happy to help. But soon, Aideen finds herself at the centre of an enterprise fixing other people’s problems but at the expense of her very own.
There’s a blurb on this book that compares Not My Problem to Derry Girls – and I think that that’s the perfect way to describe it, with a bit of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and maybe a sprinkle of Jacqueline Wilson’s novels thrown in there too! This book is honestly so, so much fun and absolutely hilarious! I loved how Irish this book is, first and foremost. It’s definitely a step up from her first novel in that sense, and with how close Irish and Scots slang is (as well as some of our culture) I really appreciated all of Aideen’s snarky quips!
Aideen herself was such a great main character and I really felt for her throughout the whole book. If I had to describe her I’d say that she’s a mix of Erin from Derry Girls and Georgia from Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, but also very very gay! Throughout the book she’s dealing with some pretty shitty situations, but she’s also really compassionate and empathetic in her own sarcastic way. I absolutely loved seeing what new ridiculous ailments she’d come up with to get out of doing P.E. as well as all the banter with her teachers. I also really loved Meabh and I felt so sorry for all the hatred people seemed to have for her. She really is the kind of girl who would do absolutely anything for her friends and I just really adored her. And don’t get me started on Kavi. I love a good himbo but Kavi…he’s up there with the best of them. He was definitely my favourite character in the book and I wish I had a himbo best friend like Kavi for myself. He was just the sweetest cinnamon roll and he even made me cry while reading the book because of how kind he is!
The plot, though it may sound a tad ridiculous at first, was really so much fun! I loved reading all the hilarious hijinks that Aideen got up to as well as seeing how all the characters’ plotlines all ended up mixing together at the end. Though this is a really funny book there are some more serious topics in here too, such as living with alcoholic parents and being poor. Though I can’t speak for either representation, I do think in general that they were handled very sensitively. Though I wish that no-one ever needed to use them, I think the inclusion of a main character going to a foodbank was something that is sadly very necessary to see in young adult, and also very realistic, and once again Ciara Smyth has managed to find the perfect balance between hilarious writing, sweet sapphic romance, and hard-hitting plotlines.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, so much more than I was expecting to when I first picked it up, and I think it’s one of the best YA contemporary novels that I’ve picked up this year so far. If witty writing and snarky sapphics doesn’t convince you enough to pick this book up…at least do it for Kavi!!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
There’s a blurb on this book that compares Not My Problem to Derry Girls – and I think that that’s the perfect way to describe it, with a bit of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and maybe a sprinkle of Jacqueline Wilson’s novels thrown in there too! This book is honestly so, so much fun and absolutely hilarious! I loved how Irish this book is, first and foremost. It’s definitely a step up from her first novel in that sense, and with how close Irish and Scots slang is (as well as some of our culture) I really appreciated all of Aideen’s snarky quips!
Aideen herself was such a great main character and I really felt for her throughout the whole book. If I had to describe her I’d say that she’s a mix of Erin from Derry Girls and Georgia from Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, but also very very gay! Throughout the book she’s dealing with some pretty shitty situations, but she’s also really compassionate and empathetic in her own sarcastic way. I absolutely loved seeing what new ridiculous ailments she’d come up with to get out of doing P.E. as well as all the banter with her teachers. I also really loved Meabh and I felt so sorry for all the hatred people seemed to have for her. She really is the kind of girl who would do absolutely anything for her friends and I just really adored her. And don’t get me started on Kavi. I love a good himbo but Kavi…he’s up there with the best of them. He was definitely my favourite character in the book and I wish I had a himbo best friend like Kavi for myself. He was just the sweetest cinnamon roll and he even made me cry while reading the book because of how kind he is!
The plot, though it may sound a tad ridiculous at first, was really so much fun! I loved reading all the hilarious hijinks that Aideen got up to as well as seeing how all the characters’ plotlines all ended up mixing together at the end. Though this is a really funny book there are some more serious topics in here too, such as living with alcoholic parents and being poor. Though I can’t speak for either representation, I do think in general that they were handled very sensitively. Though I wish that no-one ever needed to use them, I think the inclusion of a main character going to a foodbank was something that is sadly very necessary to see in young adult, and also very realistic, and once again Ciara Smyth has managed to find the perfect balance between hilarious writing, sweet sapphic romance, and hard-hitting plotlines.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, so much more than I was expecting to when I first picked it up, and I think it’s one of the best YA contemporary novels that I’ve picked up this year so far. If witty writing and snarky sapphics doesn’t convince you enough to pick this book up…at least do it for Kavi!!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
June 14, 2021
5⭐
save the date! me and this book will be getting married immediately.
i adored ciara smyth's first book, the falling in love montage, but this book hit me on a whole other level. aideen is witty and messy and comes alive from page one. her chemistry with meabh was addictive, and her character arc throughout the book deserves a roaring round of applause.
one of the (many) things ciara smyth is so good at is representing complex relationships. particularly friendships. the parallels in this story of aideen learning to become a good friend and recognize a bad one were brilliant, and if i teared up over how personally the holly storyline attacked/resonated with me...mind your business.
now i want a follow up short story or something where it's just solid meabh x aideen fluff for 50 pages.
save the date! me and this book will be getting married immediately.
i adored ciara smyth's first book, the falling in love montage, but this book hit me on a whole other level. aideen is witty and messy and comes alive from page one. her chemistry with meabh was addictive, and her character arc throughout the book deserves a roaring round of applause.
one of the (many) things ciara smyth is so good at is representing complex relationships. particularly friendships. the parallels in this story of aideen learning to become a good friend and recognize a bad one were brilliant, and if i teared up over how personally the holly storyline attacked/resonated with me...mind your business.
now i want a follow up short story or something where it's just solid meabh x aideen fluff for 50 pages.
September 17, 2021
I'm officially in love with this book, and maybe juuuust maybe I'm in love with Aideen too.
Although the plot was a bit crazy, I mean doing people favors and getting favors in return is one thing, pushing someone down the stairs is another, it wasn't too ridiculous, and I'm so thankful for that.
The problems the students had for Aideen to fix were pretty much normal teenager problems and relatable – I mean, who hasn't bitched about a teacher on a piece of paper with their friend during class? I never got caught though and needed help getting that paper back before the teacher reads it.
And even the pushing-down-the-stairs-thing, I was really excited for (I'm mean, I know), turned out pretty tame, but I liked it that way. Also, the girl who gets pushed becomes the love interest lauter on, which is so fun.
The romance was a bit secondary, the story focuses more on Aideen's life and her family and school troubles. I really liked Aideen and Meabh together though, and their friendship slowly turning into more was kinda sweet.
Oh, and it's about friendships too – the old and new ones. Aideen's childhood friend Holly is horrible, but I like that they included her. It was a great example of how messy friendships can be, and how you can love someone and still hate them at the same time.
The new friend Kavi on the other hand was exactly the sweet and kind friend Aideen needed. I loved him. He was hilarious.
I'm honestly shocked at how positive this book is. Aideen stars off with this pretty negative mindset and her slowly changing that is everything. How she learns to trust others and finds people who are good for her was amazing.
Kavi, Aideen and Meabh really made a killer team!
Although the plot was a bit crazy, I mean doing people favors and getting favors in return is one thing, pushing someone down the stairs is another, it wasn't too ridiculous, and I'm so thankful for that.
The problems the students had for Aideen to fix were pretty much normal teenager problems and relatable – I mean, who hasn't bitched about a teacher on a piece of paper with their friend during class? I never got caught though and needed help getting that paper back before the teacher reads it.
And even the pushing-down-the-stairs-thing, I was really excited for (I'm mean, I know), turned out pretty tame, but I liked it that way. Also, the girl who gets pushed becomes the love interest lauter on, which is so fun.
The romance was a bit secondary, the story focuses more on Aideen's life and her family and school troubles. I really liked Aideen and Meabh together though, and their friendship slowly turning into more was kinda sweet.
Oh, and it's about friendships too – the old and new ones. Aideen's childhood friend Holly is horrible, but I like that they included her. It was a great example of how messy friendships can be, and how you can love someone and still hate them at the same time.
The new friend Kavi on the other hand was exactly the sweet and kind friend Aideen needed. I loved him. He was hilarious.
I'm honestly shocked at how positive this book is. Aideen stars off with this pretty negative mindset and her slowly changing that is everything. How she learns to trust others and finds people who are good for her was amazing.
Kavi, Aideen and Meabh really made a killer team!
May 27, 2021
This book was wonderful
I came into this book with very high expectations because I loved Smyth's debut novel so so much. Somehow, this exceeded my expectations. Everything was just perfect.
May I just say, I have the fattest crush on Aideen. I have never loved a main character more than her. Her and Maebh work together so well. I loved their bickering dynamic very very much. They made this book adorable.
Another thing I want to mention! Aideen's character development was simply amazing. I loved watching her come into herself and fully face her own problems in her life.
The FRIEND GROUP. The friendship between Aideen, Kavi, and Maebh made my heart warm. It was hands-down my favorite part of this book.
I honestly have no qualms with this book. Only love--
I came into this book with very high expectations because I loved Smyth's debut novel so so much. Somehow, this exceeded my expectations. Everything was just perfect.
May I just say, I have the fattest crush on Aideen. I have never loved a main character more than her. Her and Maebh work together so well. I loved their bickering dynamic very very much. They made this book adorable.
Another thing I want to mention! Aideen's character development was simply amazing. I loved watching her come into herself and fully face her own problems in her life.
The FRIEND GROUP. The friendship between Aideen, Kavi, and Maebh made my heart warm. It was hands-down my favorite part of this book.
I honestly have no qualms with this book. Only love--
June 7, 2021
3 stars.
hmmm......idk what to think about this one. it was a quick and fun read, which i appreciated! but i did not feel that connected to the characters (and didn't like them all that much tbh🥲), and the romance was just mehhh (unrealistic and rushed) in my opinion. Aideen's narration was interesting for sure, but ahhhh idk,, to me, the writing came across as trying too hard to be funny and Aideen + her humor just didn't click with me. and i wanted more from the ending 😩
idk tbh i just thought this book was kinda wild LOL. a lot of things happened that i did not expect and honestly just didn't feel realistic slkdjfslk
and i still can't get over the way Aideen texted Meabh LMAO
i will say, the main aspect of the book that i really appreciated was the exploration of a toxic friendship and how hard it can be to stand up for yourself to someone you considered a best friend. it's easy to make excuses for other people's horrible behavior and feel like it's your fault that someone else is treating you badly, especially if you've known them for a long time. it can be so difficult to realize that sometimes, you have to leave the people closest to you because you deserve better. people can love you and still hurt you, and i liked that this book delved into these complexities and showed how a toxic friendship (or any relationship) prevents you from seeing the truth of what you deserve.
hmmm......idk what to think about this one. it was a quick and fun read, which i appreciated! but i did not feel that connected to the characters (and didn't like them all that much tbh🥲), and the romance was just mehhh (unrealistic and rushed) in my opinion. Aideen's narration was interesting for sure, but ahhhh idk,, to me, the writing came across as trying too hard to be funny and Aideen + her humor just didn't click with me. and i wanted more from the ending 😩
idk tbh i just thought this book was kinda wild LOL. a lot of things happened that i did not expect and honestly just didn't feel realistic slkdjfslk
and i still can't get over the way Aideen texted Meabh LMAO
i will say, the main aspect of the book that i really appreciated was the exploration of a toxic friendship and how hard it can be to stand up for yourself to someone you considered a best friend. it's easy to make excuses for other people's horrible behavior and feel like it's your fault that someone else is treating you badly, especially if you've known them for a long time. it can be so difficult to realize that sometimes, you have to leave the people closest to you because you deserve better. people can love you and still hurt you, and i liked that this book delved into these complexities and showed how a toxic friendship (or any relationship) prevents you from seeing the truth of what you deserve.
April 11, 2025
percabeth pero con lesbianismo 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
October 11, 2021
I FELL IN LOVE RIGHT OFF THE BAT 😍
And with that opening line, I was hooked. I simply had to know the story - why was Maebh having a temper tantrum? And what subsequent story was born from it? The answers did not let me down!
💙 What I Loved 💙
Friendship: In the beginning, Aideen, our MC, only really has one friend - Holly. But as the story evolves, Aideen expands her group of friends and realises what real friendship is actually supposed to be. Friendship is about standing up for each other, having each others backs and sharing with each other. I liked that this focused both on toxic friendships (I've been in one until recently, and this was uncomfortably recognizable) and healthy relationships. I think it's an important message to get out - just because someone used to be your friend doesn't mean they'll always bee your friend. Sometimes friendships fall apart and that's okay. A friendship is more than just a word. Remember that.
Laugh-out-loud: There were so many instances of genuine laugh-out-loud moments. The characters each bring their own sense of humour to the table and I was particularly fond of Aideen's many, various diseases.
Characters: Aideen's paying-it-forward scheme gets her in touch with a wide variety of characters who are all amazing in each their own way. There are some, that appear more frequently and that play bigger roles than others, but they each serve a purpose and represent a distinct lesson for Aideen to learn. My favourite characters were definitely Kavi (that boy is FUN!), Aideen and Maebh. They were each so relatable in their own way. I even loved to hate Holly.
Aideen: I rooted for Aideen all the way through. I rooted for her to find her own voice. For her to finally trust someone. For her to let someone into her life. For her to stand up for herself and chose to make herself happy for once. Her arc throughout this story was inspirational, heartwarming and amazing.
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"It started with Meabh Kowalska having a temper tantrum in the girls’ changing room."
And with that opening line, I was hooked. I simply had to know the story - why was Maebh having a temper tantrum? And what subsequent story was born from it? The answers did not let me down!
💙 What I Loved 💙
Friendship: In the beginning, Aideen, our MC, only really has one friend - Holly. But as the story evolves, Aideen expands her group of friends and realises what real friendship is actually supposed to be. Friendship is about standing up for each other, having each others backs and sharing with each other. I liked that this focused both on toxic friendships (I've been in one until recently, and this was uncomfortably recognizable) and healthy relationships. I think it's an important message to get out - just because someone used to be your friend doesn't mean they'll always bee your friend. Sometimes friendships fall apart and that's okay. A friendship is more than just a word. Remember that.
Laugh-out-loud: There were so many instances of genuine laugh-out-loud moments. The characters each bring their own sense of humour to the table and I was particularly fond of Aideen's many, various diseases.
Characters: Aideen's paying-it-forward scheme gets her in touch with a wide variety of characters who are all amazing in each their own way. There are some, that appear more frequently and that play bigger roles than others, but they each serve a purpose and represent a distinct lesson for Aideen to learn. My favourite characters were definitely Kavi (that boy is FUN!), Aideen and Maebh. They were each so relatable in their own way. I even loved to hate Holly.
Aideen: I rooted for Aideen all the way through. I rooted for her to find her own voice. For her to finally trust someone. For her to let someone into her life. For her to stand up for herself and chose to make herself happy for once. Her arc throughout this story was inspirational, heartwarming and amazing.
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Blog Post: 10 Books Perfect for Autumn Time
September 12, 2023
I to kolejna pozycja od wydawnictwa Moondrive, która totalnie ciągnie do siebie poprzez lekkość pióra i humor głównej bohaterki, która momentami jest wręcz ikoną hahaha. niektóre teksty i zwolnienia totalnie mnie rozbawiały, a to cenię w książkach prawie najmocniej!
ale pod płaszczykiem lekkiej lektury, jest tez wiele wartości i poważniejszych tematów, które przekazuje i które właściwie dla mnie weszły na najważniejszy plan. problemy w szkole, w domu, w relacjach. bo „kto powiedział, że bycie nastolatką jest proste?”. jeśli jesteście fanami młodzieżowych książek, które niosą za sobą dużo więcej, niż tylko miło spędzony czas - sięgnijcie po #toniemójproblem !
I dodam też o zakończeniu, które według mnie jest takie, jakie powinno, jestem usatysfakcjonowana! gdy pomagasz wszystkim… w końcu samemu potrzebujesz pomocy.
ale pod płaszczykiem lekkiej lektury, jest tez wiele wartości i poważniejszych tematów, które przekazuje i które właściwie dla mnie weszły na najważniejszy plan. problemy w szkole, w domu, w relacjach. bo „kto powiedział, że bycie nastolatką jest proste?”. jeśli jesteście fanami młodzieżowych książek, które niosą za sobą dużo więcej, niż tylko miło spędzony czas - sięgnijcie po #toniemójproblem !
I dodam też o zakończeniu, które według mnie jest takie, jakie powinno, jestem usatysfakcjonowana! gdy pomagasz wszystkim… w końcu samemu potrzebujesz pomocy.
June 23, 2024
3.5⭐️ si el percabeth lésbico no existe, entonces como explicas esto?????
May 9, 2021
Im going to be honest, I was about five pages into this book when I knew it was going to be a five star read. It’s rare for me to audibly laugh at a book but I was giggling to myself within a matter of pages. This book was hilarious, whilst at the same time being full of so much heart, soul and pain. I truly couldn’t put it down. I utterly devoured this book.
The slow burn rivals-to-lovers romance was everything and the chemistry was f-a-b. The friendship dynamics, both old and new, were wonderfully explored. The characters were all fully fleshed out and engaging in their own right and the multiple strains of character development were a+.
Aideen might be one of favourite voices in YA. She was quick, witty, gutsy, loving, proud, angry and scared. She felt incredibly authentic and watching her hard exterior slowly melt away, whilst not for one second leaving behind her snappy sense of humour, was a delight. I was invested in her life, story, relationships and story from page one and that investment didn’t waver for a single sentence.
I’m truly in awe of Ciara’s talent for creating characters who truly leap of the page and stories you can’t get enough of. She is such a positive, strong voice in YA and I can’t wait to keep reading whatever she writes next. I’m not going to stop pushing this book into everyone and anyone. Seriously. This is undoubtedly one of my favourite books I’ve read so far this year. It made my heart happy for so many reasons.
If you’re looking for a book that will play with you heart and have you laughing out loud, whilst wanting to shout ‘JUST KISS ALREADY’ (although, if like me, you’re all for the slow burn this book is truly a gift for us all), this is the book for you.
TW: alcoholism, parental neglect, bullying, toxic friendships
The slow burn rivals-to-lovers romance was everything and the chemistry was f-a-b. The friendship dynamics, both old and new, were wonderfully explored. The characters were all fully fleshed out and engaging in their own right and the multiple strains of character development were a+.
Aideen might be one of favourite voices in YA. She was quick, witty, gutsy, loving, proud, angry and scared. She felt incredibly authentic and watching her hard exterior slowly melt away, whilst not for one second leaving behind her snappy sense of humour, was a delight. I was invested in her life, story, relationships and story from page one and that investment didn’t waver for a single sentence.
I’m truly in awe of Ciara’s talent for creating characters who truly leap of the page and stories you can’t get enough of. She is such a positive, strong voice in YA and I can’t wait to keep reading whatever she writes next. I’m not going to stop pushing this book into everyone and anyone. Seriously. This is undoubtedly one of my favourite books I’ve read so far this year. It made my heart happy for so many reasons.
If you’re looking for a book that will play with you heart and have you laughing out loud, whilst wanting to shout ‘JUST KISS ALREADY’ (although, if like me, you’re all for the slow burn this book is truly a gift for us all), this is the book for you.
TW: alcoholism, parental neglect, bullying, toxic friendships
June 15, 2021
LOVED IT.
This book and its characters totally deserve the all caps treatment.
This book and its characters totally deserve the all caps treatment.
June 13, 2021
Easily one of my favorite reads this year, and confirms my theory that Irish sapphic books simply just Hit Different (source: Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating, The Falling In Love Montage, All the Bad Apples, and now this one. Very scientific, I know.). I adored Aideen from the first page; her voice was incredibly engaging, distinct, and funny. By far one of my favorite YA narrators. I really loved her friendship with the other kids that she helped and the exploration of toxic friendships. Definitely pick this one up!
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