Sometimes a bit of mindless YA is what you need.

Editing Emma put me in mind of a modern day Angus, Thongs. Like if Georgia Nicholson had entered the digital world. It was funny and silly and you couldn't help but cringe for Emma when she got herself into a series of ridiculous situations - it was even funnier as your watched her try to get out of them.

Editing Emma is definitely a book to pick up when you are feeling low.

Editing Emma by Chloe Seager is available now.

For more information regarding Chloe Seager (@ChloeSeager) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding HQ (@HQstories) please visit www.hqstories.co.uk.

This just felt a bit dated - I honestly can't imagine anyone changing their relationship status on Facebook and that being how people find out about it.

I will not be posting a review on goodreads because I was unable to enjoy this book and do not feel comfortable leaving a negative review.

Good book. Good author. Loved the characters and the plot. Look forward to reading more of her work.

At the time of reading this book, I really enjoyed it. It was a fast read, I read it in one day. It reminded me a lot of the Georgina Nicholson books by Louise Rennison. It was witty, had some good female friendships, it made me laugh and it seemed to be a realistic portrayal of teenagers. I liked how honest it was about things (like masturbation!) and I loved that it mentions things like blogs and text messaging. Sometimes YA doesn't mention these things (so not to age books I think) but I find it so unrealistic when YA doesn't mention these things because it's such a big part the lives of teenagers these days.

The only real downside is that I can't really remember what happened with the story arc! I remember liking the book at the time but if someone was to ask me to tell them the ending of the book, I wouldn't be able to. Though it wouldn't put me off rereading this again or trying another of Seager's book, especially if I was in the mood for something contemporary.

This book had a lot of promise and while some chapters were very good others seemed to struggle. It's not a bad book at all but I'd expected more.

Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

This was such a light, quick read. Any moment I got to myself I would pick up reading it again, even during the ads whilst watching TV. I just needed to see what happened to Emma next.

Emma's character was fresh and full of innocence, but was also silly and naive at times. It shows her growth and what she learns about herself when it comes to the end of the book.

She's overly obsessed with her ex Leon, so much so that she keeps reminders of him in her room (ie Chewit wrappers under her bed, his bloody plaster under her pillow) and constantly stalks his and his new girlfriends Internet feed. Emma writes a private blog about everything that happens to her, about her new dating exploits with fellow students at her school, guys she meets at parties, or online through friends of friends. All while trying to get over Leon, which doesn't happen. She constantly puts her foot in things but she is just so cute and hilarious I love it. Sometimes she doesn't really know the repercussions of what her actions cause. Most of the time actually. And she always wallows away in self-despair, much to her mum's chagrin.

I love her friends. Steph tells her like it is and is more of the level-headed one, and the peacemaker in situations. Gracie seriously always gets annoyed at her and they have little spats at times, she is the take-no-nonsense type, and Faith I like to think is the cool one, who hasn't come out as gay to her parents yet and who through watching Emma and how she's trying, tries harder as well.

They talk openly about a range of subjects not commonly discussed between friends in books. (Ie. Sex, periods, shaving, catterfly - you will possibly only get this if you've read it) and it's refreshing to see and the conversations are made more real that way.

Also, I absolutely love Emma's mum who is going through her own dating disasters. Their interactions were always hilarious and had me cracking up countless times. You could see the daughter/mum bond there even if they had their disagreements.

Through all of Emma's findings about dating, and her trying to get over Leon she becomes more aware of how online differs from real life, society pressures, etc, and without having an online presence and relying on technology she discovers a lost passion she has. She discovers who she is, that she is someone worthwhile and doesn't need a guy to make her happy.

I was laughing out loud more often than not and just wanted to read passages out of the book to someone. I'm going to definitely buy a physical copy to lend to friends and family as this just needs to be shared.

I could talk about this forever but I'll stop now.

Emma Nash has been ghosted by her first love Leon. Not only that she only realises she's been totally dumped when she's sees that he's in a relationship on Facebook....and it isn't with her! After initially spending all her time locked in her room, stalking Leon and his new girlfriend through social media whilst avoiding human contact and the shower she decides to make a change.Changes or edits if you like to herself. She will find love and respect online and forget about Leon while recording her endeavours on her blog. Except it seems everyone makes edits online leading to disastrous dates and humiliating but amusing events.

OK so first I have to confess I am way too old to read this book never mind enjoy it. I keep reading that Chloe Seager is the next Louise Rennison. Well I can't comment on that. YA in my day was Sweet Valley High and Sweet Dreams. And this couldn't be further from those books. Very funny, blisteringly honest and a wee bit rude this made me laugh from beginning to end. Emma shouldn't be a likeable character however the fact she knows this and doesn't like herself much either makes her an endearing character. Reading this novel made me glad that a) I requested this novel and b) that social media didn't exist in my day!

I was interested in Editing Emma from the start because I had heard it being compared to Louise Rennison's series which I LOVED and which will always be one of my favourite things to read ever- I owe my love of books partially to her, but I'm digressing. Editing Emma was certainly deserving of this comparison! It's narrative which is told mostly through blog posts is very reminiscent of Georgia Nicolson and it also gave the same easy reading, you-could-read-it-in-an-afternoon sort of vibes which is just wonderful.

Emma is a teenager who's determined to become this new version of herself who is more successful when it comes to dating and general life after a guy completely ignores her when they were meant to be a couple. Emma starts a blog to document the changes she's making, it's brutally honest and hides nothing- it's the only YA book I've read that really talks about masturbation and how like that's a thing that girls do too, and in that way it's super important in helping teens to feel like they're not abnormal for doing such a thing. The book perfectly captures what it's like to be a 16 year old girl and it captures a level of relatable honesty that I only rarely see in books, so I loved it!

It occurred to me as I was reading that I am really not much very much like Emma (putting that largely down to her being very sex positive and me being the opposite, but that's cool) and that's the reason I've not given this a full five bees, just because at times I personally couldn't relate. Despite this I did find it really refreshing to read something that really shows what a group of teen girls are like? They're not all perfect and getting in successful relationships from young ages etc and that's just, truthful, I guess!

Overall Editing Emma is a fab book that I would truly recommend to anyone who is missing their Georgia Nicolson hits. It's hilarious, it's honest and it's just all round good fun.

Editing Emma began well, humouring me so much I laughed out load in a packed train carriage, affording a lot of disgruntled stares by passengers. Unfortunately where it started strong it weakened towards the middle and end. Being that I am not of the optimum audience age I think this had something to do with it. At times I felt it was unbelievable and the characters irritating - they are teenagers I suppose - but they felt very melodramatic and overly fascinated with 'getting off' with boys and obsessing over them to stalker-levels without any real feelings coming into play. I got the sense that whilst the protagonist obsesses over Leon she actually has no interest in being a girlfriend or falling in love, just winning him back since he ghosted here.

It had it strengths and its weaknesses and I think it is definitely a good step in the right direction for Chloe Seager, I just wouldn't read again but might suggest to fellow bloggers and teenagers I know.

The standout margin note I made while reading Editing Emma was: “WHERE WAS THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS A TEEN?!” Chloe Seager’s realistic portrayal of teenage voices, friendships and relationships is exactly what I needed during high school. I adored Emma and her friendship group. They are clever, supportive, witty… and I so want to be part of their gang! I loved their tendency to make up words (‘en-sausaged’ was a particular favourite) and Chloe really got their voices right.

Importantly, Chloe doesn’t censor Emma in the book. We get a realistic picture of all aspects of being a teen (including those that YA books often shy away from, like masturbation and periods) and it makes Emma incredibly relatable. It’s an honest and frank depiction of being a teenage girl, which of course means an abundance of hilarious anecdotes, as well as some heartache!

Editing Emma is a fun, addictive read, perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and Holly Bourne.

I loved reading Emma's very funny private blog. Highly recommended!

This book had good messages at the heart of it, but it had way too much stuff about sex and masturbation in it for me. I think it's good that it showed that girls masturbate as well as boys, but it just made me feel really awkward when Emma kept going on about how much she masturbated? I felt like it was just a little too much. It just felt like the whole book was about sex really.

There were a lot of feminist issues addressed in the book that I approved of though. The story, behind all the boys and dating and masturbation is really about Emma finding herself. It's about her processing what happened with Leon and finding out that her methods to deal with it are really that great. I really felt there were some good messages in this book, especially towards the end.

All in all though, I was just so put off by the sex stuff. I found it hard to empathise with Emma, even though I felt so sorry about her having to suffer through such a horrible way to be broken up with. By the end I liked her a bit better because she was a more developed character, but it's the beginning that invests you in a book or not.

As an adult reading this, I do think that maybe actual teenagers would connect better with this book.

It's always a little bit scary when a book you've picked up is compared to the work of an author you have loved for years, so when I heard 'Editing Emma' was the next Georgia Nicholson (Louise Rennisons' greatest character) I felt a little bit anxious. However, after just a few chapters I not only understood why the comparison had been made but found myself in complete agreement. I had been missing this book, this writing without even realising it!
Part of the beauty of this story is that nothing really happens. Emma could literally be any teenage girl dealing with boys, school, friends and family. She doesn't suddenly find herself in the celebrity limelight or swept off her feet by a rock star (not that there's anything wrong with escapist YA) but for me this was the absolute charm of the novel.
Emma is relatable, from her struggle to understand the male mind, to navigating friendships. She's a bit weird, a bit quirky and completely loveable. I also love that Seager openly discussed periods, masturbating and sex – they're a part of teenage life so it's only natural they should be discussed.
On a personal note, I really liked the fact that Emma lives with her mum and their relationship isn't rose-tinted. At times they get along, at times they don't. There is no reason given for Emma's dad's absence and there doesn't need to be. So many women are raising children alone and this was another aspect of the story that was just 'this-is-how-life-is' and it felt pretty refreshing to read. I've seen reviews that have criticised Emma and her mum's relationship, arguing that her mum is far from supportive, but the way I see it, she is an independent woman trying to encourage Emma to be the same. And I love the scene where she starts crying when Emma comes home from school, drops her bag and goes for a wee before acknowledging her, complaining that 'she is a person too and would like to be recognised as such!' I'm sure my parents said this to me plenty growing up.
This was a witty and realistic debut and I can't wait to see what Seager will bring us next.

Editing Emma is such a refreshing read. It is funny in all the right places, witty where it needs to be and honest. Before picking up the book I had heard whispers of comparison to Louise Rennison’s series and it took only a couple of pages for me to see why. It is filled with hilarious anecdotes that are so relatable I couldn’t help but cackle to myself.

Emma has been ghosted by her ‘boyfriend’ Leon and after taking what she deems as adequate time for self-pity, she takes to stalking him and his new girlfriend on social media. Then Emma embarks on a new journey, one where she will edit her own life to pursue her own new romance with unexpectedly funny and touching results. In true teenage fashion, Emma discovers a lot about herself in this book as well as about those around her. There’s plenty to make you both laugh and cringe in this hilarious set of blog posts.

It took only a few pages before I fell in love with Emma’s voice. She has such a refreshing voice and I’ve not read one quite like hers in a YA novel for some time. Written as a series of private (or not so private!) blog posts, we truly get to grips with exactly who Emma is right from the beginning of the book. I loved her edgy, sassy voice that, combined with some eye rolling moments and plenty of laughter, had me sucked in straight away. The main reason I loved Emma was that she was so relatable.

Whilst there is a big focus on romance in the book (Emma is, after all, trying to find herself a boyfriend) it doesn’t feel like it is pushed in your face. The anecdotal style writing makes for a light, quick read whilst actually Emma is making leaps and bounds in character development. I think a lot of teenage girls reading this book (basing this on the teens that I know) would really love the romantic aspects and reading about Emma’s dates – the good and not so good.

I loved how heavily weighted social media and the Internet were in the story. I thought the book did really well to show both the positive and negatives of using the internet. From approaching online personas and Internet safety, to online dating (even finding your Mum on there!) and a bit of good old Facebook stalking (which we are ALL guilty of…) there were definitely plenty of things to relate to for anyone of these modern times. As mentioned, the book is written as blog posts so the Internet was sure to have a big feature but I think one of my favourite moments was when Emma had her devices taken from her and she had to live without the Internet. She used the time to rediscover an old passion of hers and, whilst that may not happen for everyone, I thought it was a really nice way of showing that life isn’t all about the internet and sometimes we all need to take a break.

This book also delivered in many ways that I did not expect it to and I think that’s why I’ve given it a high rating. Not only is it a laugh out loud novel but it also covers so many topics that are often taboo in YA novels. Emma openly talks about masturbation in the book, both privately in her blog posts and openly with her friends, and it was nice to see this put out there in such a way that doesn’t make female masturbation embarrassing. There is talk of periods, the societal pressures put on women to act or look a certain way eg. to wear makeup or shave their legs – my feminist heart was bursting to the seams with joy at reading certain parts of this book. Level this out with really strong messages that (despite the romantic nature of the book) relationships aren’t the be all and end all and you don’t need to be with someone else to be happy and I was a very happy camper. There is diverse representation in the book as well and discussion between the main 4 girls (one of whom is a lesbian) about why being straight has to be considered the norm. Again, this book approaches topics I didn’t think I would find within the covers and I was very happy to see these topics being discussed so freely.

The four main characters are all flawed in their own ways. Emma certainly makes a lot of mistakes and it was nice to read a main character that is not deemed to be perfect. It also shows that friendships are not always perfect, even within our closest friendships we will all make mistakes and that’s okay. Editing Emma shows that even after some pretty horrific mistakes within a friendship things can be fixed if you work on it and I think that’s a great message to send out into the world. It was also good to see a rocky relationship between Emma and her mother being explored and there was a scene towards the end that really brought a tear to my eye.

This book truly reignited teenage Kelly within me and I can’t begin to imagine what it will do for the thousands of teenage girls out there who will read this. Teenage Kelly would have fallen head over heels for this book and I can’t wait to share it with some of my older pupils who will find so much of themselves in Emma.

Filled with plenty of laugh out loud, relatable moments and with a fresh new voice for the YA scene, Editing Emma is sure to capture many hearts.

I'm definitely not a teenager any more. That ship has sailed, but Editing Emma made me remember so vividly what it was like that to felt the embarrassment of those years all over again. Editing Emma is the story of being a teen whose life is lived out on social media. Her "boyfriend" has ghosted her and gone public with another girl. Emma is distraught. In Emma's world, relationships aren't real unless they're "Facebook official" and everything is about getting comments and likes. The lack of photos of her and Leon, and the abundance of him with his new girlfriend lead her to question her identity. So, it's no real surprise that Emma turns to blogging as an outlet for her emotions. This might be a world away from my own teen years with our scribbled notes and over emotional paper diaries, but a lot is the same: Emma is obsessing over potential boyfriends, comparing herself to others and trying to be popular. Emma's emotions are the same "going round and round in circles". Her friends have their own squabbles and difficulties. Emma also has the usual teenage issues with her mother, whose own dating life gives us a comparison to Emma's throughout the book. At points, the book makes some really sensible suggestions that I hope younger readers will take on board. My favourite of these was "DO NOT make life decisions that will actually affect your future based around someone you like. Even if you think you may 'love' them. It is not worth it."
Chloe has written a book that encapsulates the difficulty of being a teenager perfectly, and one which makes me feel grateful I was a teen long before social media was a thing.

Review will be posted to Goodreads and Amazon (when published), as well as on my blog charlottesomewhere.wordpress.com

This book had me laughing out loud on the train in parts and it was funny in the way that UKYA just seems to be (I have yet to find an America young adult book which “gets” it).

In the blurb for this book, we are told that the Editing Emma blog is a tool that Emma uses to catalog the findings of her reinvention after being ghosted - which thankfully I haven't experienced personally but have known it be done to friends - but really, the blog is more of a tumblr. Like I said before, it is funny and Emma reads like a real life sixteen year old girl but then again, Emma reads like a sixteen year old girl.

There were parts of this book that made me want to throw my kindle across the room and give Emma a good shake, or deliver a stuffed camels head to her front door. It is good that she wants to be all about feminism, and that is an amazing message to have in a book aimed at the intended age group, but at points she does harp on about Leon and how her life will never go on without him in her life. I get that that is a realistic feeling for some after a relationship breaks down but you can be happy as your own person. Another thing about this book was that, more than once, it made me feel old. You know that screenshot about the Little Mermaid claiming that she knows everything because she was sixteen years old and you feeling old after watching it as an adult? That was me reading this book. I am Poseidon / Emma’s mum .

All in all it was a good book and I really liked the format of it; it made for a really relaxing, easy read and I can't wait to see what the layout in the finished copy will be like. I can easily see this being a hit.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are a personal thing and please don't let mine affect yours.

Fun and quick contemporary read. Loved the blog format and it was funny (Emma's obsession with Leon in particular was very amusing) but I felt it started to drag a little from halfway in.