The seriously epic holiday of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

This is the ninth book in the Lottie Brooks series. 13-year-old Lottie is reunited with her frenemy Amber. Lottie is invited to join Amber, her father, Mark, and a potential stepfamily, on a skiing trip to a French resort. Things are awkward from the outset when Lottie sleeps in and has to wear her nightie with “I love ponies” on the plane trip. Then she accidentally loses her passport and ticket and nearly causes them to miss the flight. And no one seems to realize she has never learnt to ski. But the real problem is between Amber and her father. Why doesn’t he defend Amber in the disagreements she has with entitled, shoe-obsessed mother, Tamara, and her selfish, spoilt children? None of the children want Tamara and Mark to marry, so can they prevent Tamara and Mark doing that? And then there’s the battle over who gets to win the heart of Antoine the French heart throb.

The seriously epic holiday of Lottie Brooks is in a popular diary format. It is peppered with simple comic illustrations. WhatsApp chats help the reader learn more about Lottie’s friends and her boyfriend. Lottie’s take on the dramas unfolding on the holiday are really funny. Fortunately for the reader Lottie isn’t perfect, competing with 5-year-olds to win the daily ski prize at the ski school or hogging all the Easter eggs in the Easter egg hunt is hardly mature. Yet Lottie is not a fan of the affluence and lack of manners and gratitude by Tamara and her children. She is from a more humble and caring family background and being away from them makes her realize how much she appreciates them all. Lottie is also somewhat understanding of Amber’s bad behaviour in the light of Amber's parents’ divorce. This was a very entertaining quick read and similar to the fun book The embarrassing confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona Harris.

Themes: Friendship issues, Family problems, Skiing.

Jo Marshall