My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
Title: My Not So Perfect Life
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Bantam Press
Publish Date: February 7, 2017
Source: Library
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for, particularly her boss, Demeter Farlowe. Demeter is brilliant and creative, lives with her perfect family in a posh townhouse, and wears the coolest clothes. Katie's life, meanwhile, is a daily struggle--from her dismal rental to her oddball flatmates to the tense office politics she's trying to negotiate. No wonder Katie takes refuge in not-quite-true Instagram posts, especially as she's desperate to make her dad proud.
Then, just as she's finding her feet--not to mention a possible new romance--the worst happens. Demeter fires Katie. Shattered but determined to stay positive, Katie retreats to her family's farm in Somerset to help them set up a vacation business. London has never seemed so far away--until Demeter unexpectedly turns up as a guest. Secrets are spilled and relationships rejiggered, and as the stakes for Katie's future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life."
My Two Cents:
"My Not So Perfect Life" is the story of Katie, whose life is falling apart even if she keeps making things look really, really good on her Instagram account. When she gets let go from her job in London, she ends up back at home in the countryside where she helps her parents set up a place for city folks to go glamping. When her old boss shows up and has no idea who she is, Katie decides to have a little fun and get some revenge.
We all know that social media can be deceptive. Katie sees all of her friends' feeds and is incredibly jealous of what they have. She is incredibly jealous of her ex-boss who seems to have the perfect life and little regard for Katie's talent and ideas even when they are really good. This is a book about how looks can be deceiving! I really liked this story. Sophie Kinsella is always one of my go-to writers when I want something fun, light, with a lot of heart. This book definitely fit the bill.
I loved the journey of self-discovery that Katie goes through in the book. I know that social media can be deceiving but it can be so hard not to get sucked into endless comparisons with what other people are doing. Katie realizes eventually that sometimes showing a little more reality is more endearing and helpful than showing the picture perfect all the time. This is a good lesson for us all!