Theatrical

If you don’t already know, Maggie Harcourt’s second novel, Unconventional was one of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE reads of 2017. It was adorkable, awkward, filled with RIDICULOUSLY cute moments, authors and being locked in convention centres! Absolutely stunning, and a MUST read. As soon as I was done, I stalked Maggie Harcourt’s Goodreads profile, only to find her next book, Theatrical listed RIGHT THERE. Needless to say, it made my 2018 ‘HAVE TO READ’ list. And here we are. I finished Theatrical a few days ago, and I’m only just finding the time to sit down and write my review for it: IN A NUTSHELL: Theatrical had all the elements I LOVED about Unconventional – family, finding yourself, romance, awkwardness, girls with Purpose and it was SUCH a glorious read. In fact, it was THE highlight of an otherwise very crappy week. At the same time, while it was a GOOD, even GREAT book, it lacked that final element that made Unconventional PERFECT, and I can’t even explain what it is. (Maybe I just liked Lexi and Adrian better than Hope and Luke? Maybe I like the Comic Con -esque setting better than the Theatre? – Who even knows?) THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK: 1. ALL THE THEATRE: I adored looking at the theatre through Hope’s eyes. I’m not an ardent fan like she is, but I’ve always admired the shows and the cast and I loved the love letter to theatre that was Maggie Harcourt’s Theatrical. 2. HOPE AND LUKE: Maggie Harcourt knows how to write adorkable, which in my opinion, is almost every teenager ever. There are very few teens that actually are like the humans with 'game' that you see on TV/ the movies, and I loved the delicious awkwardness between Hope and Luke that slowly blossomed into trust, picnics, a mutual love for theatre, the feeling of being seen and tiny cardboard cut-outs ;) 3. TOMMY KNIGHT: He wasn’t a character I thought I’d like within the first few chapters of the book, but this movie star grew on me, especially as he covered for Hope and Luke, and actually grew into a real person, with real hopes and fears. 4. THE SMALL SURPRISE APPEARANCE IN THE FINALE: THERE WAS A SMALL CROSSOVER BETWEEN MY FAVOURITE BOOK OF 2017, Unconventional, and this one at the VERY END AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I was pretty much flailing and AAAAH. 5. ALL THE AWKWARDNESS: Really, this is a legitimate thing. I loved that all teenagers, but especially Luke and Hope in this book were so awkward and perfect, and it was really quite funny to read. WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? Definitely, ALONG WITH UNCONVENTIONAL, which is just the most perfect thing ever. A hilarious, ultra-adorable love letter to theatre filled with the cutest romance that is just a perfect feel good read.