Friday 9 July 2010

Seriously Sassy: Crazy Days by Maggi Gibson



1st July 2010, Puffin
224 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's, 8 years and up

Cushions: 0.5
Paperclips: 0.5
Smiles: 5
Nayuleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥

Summary from Puffin 

'I'm gonna use my fame and money to make the world a better place . . . OK?'
Life is seriously good for Sassy Wilde - she's had her first kiss, she has the two bestest bezzies ever and her rock-chick dreams are on the verge of coming true.
But just as everything's set to take off, her new boyfriend starts acting weird - and then the record company turns Sassy's world upside down!
Sassy feels like giving it all up - until a real disaster strikes. Now's not the time for Sassy to pack away her guitar, cos her talents are needed more than ever . . .




Liking Cathy Cassidy's books (who recommends the Sassy series), I was intrigued by the idea of this environmentally aware girl who loves music. It turned out to be a great read. 

Sassy's character is spot on for a teen. Everything is very black and white. Grey doesn't exist for part of the book. If she makes a decision, she sticks to her guns, even if she has doubts. Thankfully her friends and family know her a little better than she knows herself, and come to the rescue when she makes some spur of the moment decisions. 

It's pretty hard for her to hear that she won't be signed because of her opinions on certain issues. I could feel her pain as she imagined herself never getting into the music industry. But it's because of her nature that I loved reading the ups and downs of Crazy Days. Sassy's life really is crazy. The mood swings seem typical for a teenager. They were quite funny to read. I really liked how Sassy promotes healthy eating without it being a sermon. It was the way drinking smoothies were mentioned throughout the book which made me feel that eating healthily gained subtle advertisement. 

Sassy's friends all have their own characters. I like how they rallied round, sneaking into the house via her bedroom window - that's one form of entry I've never tired. I feel that it was a good move to have a disaster which indirectly affected one of her friends which brings Sassy out of the gloomy world she inhabits for a while. This is common in real life, often it is other people who spur us on to do things. 

I think the funniest moment for me was near the end, with an event that involves some inventive moves from elderly people at a local home. It's a scene I will never forget and randomly makes me smile throughout the week. 

Seriously Sassy: Crazy Days tells how crazy life is for Sassy. It is mostly a good crazy, filled with laughter, a few tears and many smiles. 

Unsurprisingly Sassy has her own website!  Go check it out to find the latest goings on in her life.

Suggested reading: Shine on, Daisy Star  and Angel Cake both by Cathy Cassidy.

1 comment:

jenny wilson said...

Thanks for the review, sounds a great series must give it a tryx