BOOK REVIEW | Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

Title: Bookishly Ever After
Author: Isabel Bandeira
Series or Standalone: Book 1 in a series!
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: January 19th 2016
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley & Spencer Hill Press
GOODREADS

Synposis ---> In a perfect world, sixteen-year-old Phoebe Martins’ life would be a book. Preferably a YA novel with magic and a hot paranormal love interest. Unfortunately, her life probably wouldn’t even qualify for a quiet contemporary. But when Phoebe finds out that Dev, the hottest guy in the clarinet section, might actually have a crush on her, she turns to her favorite books for advice. Phoebe overhauls her personality to become as awesome as her favorite heroines and win Dev’s heart. But if her plan fails, can she go back to her happy world of fictional boys after falling for the real thing?


Thank you to NetGalley & Spencer Hill Contemporary for providing me with a copy of this book to review! As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to request it. I mean, it's every YA booklover's dream! A book about a main character obsessed with books? SIGN ME UP! 
THE PROS:
Okay so before I say anything else, I'm just going to say that this book is SO relatable and adorable - from the book signings, to the ignoring the world through reading, to the crushing on fictional characters! It was just so much fun to read about! I also LOVED the diversity! Dev is Indian and one of Pheobe's friends is a lesbian, but what I loved was that she wasn't stereotyped. She's a cheerleader and she's fashion and make-up obsessed and she just happened to like girls. SO WHAT? I loved how it wasn't made into a big deal and it didn't feel like the author just shoved an lgbt character in there so that there was diversity in her novel, you know? 
The other thing I really LOVED about this book is that the last 1/4 takes place at a camp for 6th graders and Dev & Phoebe sign up to help out and it was SO CUTE! And it totally took me back to my school camps and how fun it was and who I was crushing on at the time and it gave me all the nostalgic and giggly feels!
THE CONS:
So Phoebe was REALLY annoying because every time Dev put himself out there and gave her signs that he liked her, she just pushed him away. And I understand that she's an introvert and she's shy (I can relate), but she did it time and time again and it got a bit repetitive and frustrating.
If you've read the novel Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Bookishly Ever After followed the theme of having snippets from the MC's favourite books. And just like while I was reading Fangirl, I found myself skipping those parts because I honestly didn't care about them. I just wanted to get back to Phoebe and Dev! *heart eyes*
The writing wasn't anything spectacular or beautiful, but it wasn't bad in any way and definitely kept me hooked!

I definitely recommend this for fans of adorable YA Contemporary who want a relatable main character who fangirls as much as you do! 
~3.5 STARS~