Girl Online || Zoe Sugg [Zoella]

When I found out that YouTube's very own phenomenon Zoella aka Zoe Sugg was releasing her very first novel, I knew that I would inevitably own it. One chance day shopping in Belfast lead me to Waterstone's and to purchasing Zoe's book, Girl Online. I finally got around to finishing it - don't judge. My attention span is that of a grapefruit at times and I still have to finish A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin and I only have 100 pages to go and yet managed 24 Star Trek related books in a month. Where was I? Oh yes, Zoe's book...

Penny has a secret. Under the alias Girl Online, Penny blogs her hidden feelings about friendships, boys, her crazy family and the panic attacks that have begun to take over her life. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets Noah: a gorgeous, guitar-strumming American. Suddenly, Penny is falling in love - and capturing every moment of it on her blog. But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover - and her closest friendship - forever. 

I had no real idea what this book was going to be about as I pretty much stayed away from posts about it or spoilers. I did however follow Zoe's publicity surrounding it and the competition for the front cover and the front cover's final unveiling. The cover is very cute and eye-catching and so very Zoe. You find out why the cover is littered with photographs when you read the book.

The story sucked me in from the get-go. Zoe's style of writing is very informal and casual, writing in the first-person narrative of her protagonist, Penny Porter. I would like to say that I could hear Zoe's voice speaking this whenever I read it. Is that weird? I personally love first-person narratives. In the two books that I've read recently, this one included, the first-person narrative has actually gone off on the tangents that my own mind tend goes to off on when I'm reading and that is a refreshing thing because it actually helps me focus on the narrative and what is going on. Plus, the terminology that Zoe uses is contemporary and reflective of the today's speech. The story is easy to follow with great twists and turns as you follow Penny on her adventure and there is never a dull moment. I read it consistently when I bought it but set it aside when the Christmas season hit and picked it up the other day to finish and I couldn't put it down. 

My favourite chapter was Twenty. I won't tell you why because I don't want to spoil anything but I just fell in love with the book in this chapter.  

Girl Online is a great novel for young adults and those in their early to mid-twenties (which I am currently in the latter bracelet) but it can be read by pretty much anyone. Another thing that I personally loved about this book is that it gave those that suffer from anxiety and panic attacks helpful pointers for things to do when they feel that tell-tale tightening of the chest. Whether or not I'll recall those is another thing altogether. Thank you, Zoe!

Have you read Girl Online? Let me know what you thought of it in the comments. If not, it's a lovely book if you're looking for something to read.