A really quick and easy read with wonderful discussions of the importance of friendship, and how much more important kindness is. It's a great read for any fans of Jacqueline Wilson, and would be a solid addition to any school library.

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have admired this writing duo for a few years now, since their non-fiction book Slay In Your Lane was a huge hit. I was lucky enough to work at HarperCollins when it published and I remember the excitement in the office for it. So, I was very excited to read their new middle-grade novel and have a world of fun with it.

Ade’s stepdad has recently moved the family to a new area and Ade is hugely unhappy with it, confiding in her diary about her feelings. Shanice spends most of her time outside of school at her dad’s hair salon and writing in her journal. When the two girls meet at the salon, they quickly become best friends and have great conversations online. But offline, things change incredibly quickly…

Ade feels like a bit of an outcast within her own family because she’s the only one who can’t accept their stepdad. I think I would have liked to have seen more of Ade’s home life because I couldn’t really work out why she hated him so much. I understand that he has moved the family away from the place she knows but he does everything he can to win her over. I would have loved to see more interaction between the sisters too because I think they would have been really lovely relationships to explore.

Shanice definitely stands out at Archbishop Academy and unfortunately it’s not really the best place to be different. She is such a kind, sweet girl and I got really frustrated with Ade at some points as various plot points started to threaten their friendship. I held on to the belief that their bond would last and that they’d both emerge from the book, hand in hand in solidarity against the cruel world that is their school.

The plot deals chiefly with friendship dramas between pre-teens and the ever-changing social hierarchy that comes with that. It reminded me of how young we are when we’re introduced to that very well established societal norm. The girls are 12, which is arguably one of the worst times to be a girl because your whole life becomes about fitting in and changing yourself, even if it’s not for the better. Both Ade and Shanice were written in such a wonderful authentic way that I began to see them as little sisters and so obviously, I was just screaming at them both for most of the narrative -at Ade to do the right thing and at Shanice to hang in there because things would get better.

There were also some references to our heroines’ cultures and how their family dynamics are affected by that. I love any book that shows me something that I don’t have in my real life and for some reason, I especially love it when I see it through the eyes of a young person. These little nods to their backgrounds enhanced the girls’ realness and opened my eyes to their whole worlds, not just their inner selves.

The Offline Diaries is a heartwarming, engaging middle-grade story about friendship, told through two refreshing, lively voices. I have a feeling that so many young readers will be able to see themselves and their friends in this book and for that reason, its magic bursts off the page.

This was a great middle grade read that was based on friendship! I loved the themes and the friendship between Ade and Shanice! They were very well rounded and fun to read about. The writing was engaging and made this reading experience quite fun! Overall this was a great read and I would recommend it!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the free e-arc!

This is such a great book, full of great characters that you instantly gel with and take to your heart. You just want to be best friends with all of them. It is a great, feel good story line and I enjoyed it.

I read this book in one sitting and I adored it. It was well written with a gripping narrative and well developed characrters that I loved, I have literally fallen for Ade and Shanece, I wanted to go back to school and be best friends with them. It is definitely a book that will appeal to children and I loved the front cover, so eye catching and stunning.