Review: The Brightsiders

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Emmy is living a life most teens would die for. She's almost 18, is part of a wildly popular internationally known (and loved) band, and has money & fame, but for Emmy, things aren't always as they seem. She's got a girlfriend who is manipulative and living off Emmy's name, she's recently decided to come out a bi-sexual, her parents are perpetual losers whose lives are like one neverending party, and it seems like every decision Emmy makes land her in hot water. With the support of her surrogate family - bandmates Alfie & Ryan, cousin Kass, and a cast of other friends - Emmy is planning her next big hit, and this one will not let anyone down!

This was an easy read, but the unrealistic nature of the characters' lives just didn't ring true to me. The fact that a YA book finally embraces the queer community is awesome, but I felt that Wilde tried to tackle too many issues in one story (lgbtq issues, anxiety, family dysfunction, etc.)

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