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Free on 18th - 20th Feb 16
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Wish you could find giggle-inducing tween books for girls?

Tired of young teen fiction that drags you down? Then try…

The Day I Washed My Face in the Toilet

A laugh-out-loud novel that’s perfect for girls and young teens!

All 14-year-old Monica Bloomfield wants is to spend August at a science camp far away from her idiot sister and weird little brother. Trouble is, Monica’s being dragged into the wedding party of her crabby old great aunt who lives in England–and if she wants to earn that science camp, she has to keep her siblings in line for the entire trip, plus convince her crazy Grandma to move into a nursing home pronto. Monica’s determined to succeed, but things start out badly–and go downhill fast.

First, her hyperactive brother overdoses on caffeine right before their eight-hour flight to England. Then a botched wine-tasting party ends so badly that even a policeman is left speechless (and in need of a new uniform). Getting into science camp isn’t going to be easy–especially with a rampaging bull, drunk parrot and the most gorgeous guy in the universe standing in her way.

The Day I Washed My Face In The Toilet is a fast-paced tale about a girl trying to have a positive impact on her world and see social injustices corrected–with hilarious results, and one badly-mangled bridesmaid’s dress.

A Personal Note From The Author:

Unfortunately, I came up with the title of this book–and a pretty big chunk of the plot-line–the day I washed my face in a toilet. In my defense, we were living in the middle of nowhere, and a brutal storm had left us with no hydro, no heat, no lights and no running water for almost a week. I was cold and grimy, and by the fifth day I snapped. I pulled the top off the toilet tank and peered in. The water had been sitting there for days, so it smelled really funky. Also, every chain and bobbly thing in there was covered with a thick layer of (and here, I’m using the scientific term) bleck. Still, I was desperate. So I used the slimy toilet tank water and had what was probably the fastest sponge bath on record.

Sadly, the curry incident happened to me, too. Shortly before I boarded an eight-hour flight from England to Canada, a friend took me out for a huge curry feast. I’d never had curry, and my intestines weren’t sure what to do with the stuff, so they promptly rejected it. I developed a massive case of explosive curry farts. I kept my coat zipped up for the entire flight home, hoping that would hide the smell. It didn’t. Toxic gasses trickled out through the neck of the coat, assaulting me and all of the passengers who were stuck sitting around me. Ironically, the coat made the problem worse, because it made me sweat–I was leaking curry vapors out of every pore of my body. This book is a labor of love–but it’s laced with some of my most cringe-worthy experiences, too!

If you’re on the look-out for great books for girls or young teens–and you don’t need vampires or zombies to make you happy–then this one’s for you!

Want to read more? Just scroll up and click the Look Inside feature on the top left hand side of the page.

Free on 18th - 20th Feb 16
View on Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

"Family chaos? Oh yes. A good book for teenagers? Again yes, although it would probably appeal to YA readers of any age, as the older ones can look back and laugh."

Reviewer: .


Monica's aunt is getting married, her Grandmother may be going into a home, and she's being sent from the US to the UK ahead of her mother to scout things out. The problem is she's fourteen, escorting her older sister and younger brother, and hasn't seen Granny in five years. Her brother is a holy terror, her sister has discovered boys and makeup, Granny doesn't want to go into a home, and there's a wedding coming up. Events go as smoothly as you'd think...

This is a funny story, with the kind of humour that comes from the ridiculous situations that families, and three unescorted teenagers overseas for the first time, can get into. Yes, events can make it quite logical to have to wash her face in the toilet - even as she is wondering what on earth she's doing. With a bribe like summer science camp to look forward to, she'd do worse - and might have to.

Written in first person, one of the nice things about this book is that while Monica starts off as the sane one of the family, you quickly discover that she has her own quirks. The rest of the family aren't above pointing these out (or the occassional eye roll), but then she's at the age where she cares what other people think and how things should be done far too much. Of course, being the sanest one in this family doesn't mean a lot when Granny greets them wearing a T-shirt reading Titty Ho (it's a street name). It is something of a guilty pleasure to watch Monica grow up, even if she doesn't grow up that much, as she finds out what's going on and exactly why her Great Aunt is so desperate for Granny to go into a nursing home. The resolution is well-thought out, neatly done, and I'll bet Monica is very glad the Atlantic is so wide after what she pulls to sort things out.

The only thing I'd have liked would have been an actual name for what is causing her brother's behaviour, because although every one acts as though there is a medical cause he's never treated or handled as if there is. Moncia's nickname of "Dementia Boy" is typically teenage sister-ish, but not very helpful to a reader (and don't worry, he gives as good as he gets).

Yes, I laughed, yes, it is an easy three and likely a four, no I don't have a clue what to say about it in a review. Family chaos? Oh yes. A good book for teenagers? Again yes, although it would probably appeal to YA readers of any age, as the older ones can look back and laugh.

Rating: 4



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Discussion

rz3300 (24 August 2016)
Well I have to say that the title does a good job of grabbing my attention, which is certainly a good thing. To hear that it has all the makings of a family drama also means that it is relateable to me, and probably everyone else on the planet. I would say that I am past that age that it looks like it is meant for, but I always like to have things to recommend to my students. Thanks for sharing.

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