Thursday, May 19, 2011

REVIEW: Lottie Biggs Is (Not) Desperate by Hayley Long


Lottie Biggs is recovering from her mental disorder of a reasonably significant nature with the help of her counsellor, who rather helpfully looks like Johnny Depp. Things are looking up - her hair is an excellent shade of black, she has a Saturday job in a hairdresser and Gareth Stingecombe and his manly thighs are still the love of her life. When Gareth undoes his trousers to show Lottie a fetching bruise on one of the aforementioned thighs, she comes to the realisation that, unlike everyone else she knows, she is A TOTAL UTTER VIRGIN. But how can she get any sort of experience when her boyfriend is doggedly, stubbornly and infuriatingly determined to preserve his energies for the rugby field?

I seriously love this series and also Hayley Long for creating such a wonderful character as Lottie Biggs. Lottie Biggs Is (Not) Desperate is even more funny than the previous book. I absolutely howled with laughter at some points and I squirmed in embarassment for her as well. Because while the previous book, Lottie Biggs Is (Not) Mad primarily dealt with introducing Lottie and also of mental disturbance of a significant nature, this book focuses more on Lottie and her urges to have sex with Gareth Stingecombe. The result? Hilarity.

In this book, she's still seeing a counsellor, who advises Lottie in his weird, New Zealander ways to write in a notebook of emotions (not a diary!). And things in Lottie's life are pretty eventful. I do adore Lottie Biggs, even when silly, petty things seem to get in the way of her friendship with Goose. I adore her even though Lottie treats her mother terribly and she's a little self-centred and selfish. I still think she's fantastic.

And as she's struggling with her new lustful feelings for Gareth, there's still loads of other great stuff going on as well. Her new Saturday job in a hair salon sees her learn new things about the people around her and about herself. Lottie delves a little bit into her strange family dynamic and with her older sister who comes for a visit. I loved the ways in which Lottie learns to become more aware of her feelings, and how a mental disturbance could happen again and also how she's able to learn better methods of coping and preventing. And the friendship (and subsequent fight) with Goose are just as apparent and heartfelt and believeable as in the previous book.

But really, it's the funny situations that Lottie finds herself in to do with Gareth Stingecombe that make me giggle weeks after reading this book. Funny, funny stuff.

Again, I loved the illustrations! It just makes it so much fun to SEE how Lottie thinks sometimes. I love the addition of a chinchilla into the mix and Britney Spears makes an appearance in the most unlikely of places. This book is an absolute JOY to read and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next in the series! Highly recommended.

6 comments:

  1. Fab review, I really must get and read this :D

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  2. You should, Jenni! It's wonderful. And hilarious. :)

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  3. Aww Michelle, What are you doing to me?! My TBR shelf is huge and I only just read the first in this series (after your fab review!) now I'm gunna have to get this one too! lol
    I'm glad its even funnier than the previous book! :D I may have to get it and let it sit on my tbr until I need a funny book! :D x

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  4. By the book's title alone, I would definitely want to read it. It sounds every bit as hilarious as you describe in your review - and it's part of a series? Even better then. :)

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  5. I loved this one too! Thanks for the great review.

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  6. Raimy - Oh I'm so sorry! (I'm not really!) But now that you've read the first book in the series, how can you not read the second? :)

    Tammy - Yes! This is the second book in the series, the first is Lottie Biggs is (Not) Mad. The third (called Lottie Biggs is (Not) Tragic) is out in August! I can't wait! :)

    Luisa - YAY! You're welcome :)

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