MG Monday: Guest Review: Kisses for Lula by Samantha Mackintosh

Title: Kisses for Lula
Series: Lula's Adventures #1
Author: Samantha Mackintosh
Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd
Publication Date: 4 Jun 2010

Synopsis: From Amazon

Lula Bird! Lula Bird is gorgeous, funny and dreading her birthday because you can't turn 16 if you've never been kissed...So why does every boy in Hambledon run a mile the second she bats her eyelids? The fact is, they fear for their lives. Rumour has it Lula's been jinxed! And it's not as if that's her only problem: Lula thinks she has a stalker, her dad keeps sneaking out at night with a lady's handbag, and a mysterious theft is threatening to bring the town to its knees...

Guest Review by Beth of The Pieces of Me

It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything in the vein of Kisses for Lula by Samantha Mackintosh but I jumped at the chance to guest review for Emma and am pleased to say my first review book didn’t disappoint.

Kisses for Lula is told from the point of view of sixteen year old Tallulah Bird daughter of esteemed poet and songwriter Spenser Bird and historical librarian Dr. Ann Bird. Tallulah AKA Lula, Lu and even Tatty for some undisclosed but seemingly embarrassing reason has a big problem, it’s five days before she turns sweet sixteen and she has never been kissed. This is clearly a catastrophe! Even worse, she hasn’t been kissed because of some creepy curse everyone believes she has as all boys she’s ever been close to have met sticky situations! As the day creeps closer Lula HAS to find a boy to kiss and she begins with The List her friends wrote for her. The List includes all sorts of people from Fat Angus (but wait, her younger sister Pen covets him) to pre-teens (don’t even go there) so Lula is stumped. With the help of her library assistant colleague Arnold (even he was once a possible “kissee”) she secures a date with the gorgeous Ben Latter, her dream guy. What could be better? However, as well as Ben there’s creepy Jack de Souza on the scene. Older cousin of one of her best friends, Lula is far from impressed by university student Jack but could he be the one? Lula doesn’t think so.

Behind all this extremely important and life-changing drama, there’s another mystery afoot. Important documents have gone missing from Lula’s Mum’s office and there’s a desperate hunt to find them. A hunt that turns life-threatening. Add to this her Dad’s strange illness and creeping about in the evening…with a women’s handbag, could Lula’s life be any more difficult?

This is a brilliant, hilarious and well-written YA novel which I’m really happy to have had the opportunity to read as I’d never have come across it on my own.  Lula is an extremely believable and lovable character who I think anybody would love and Mackintosh is extremely accomplished in covering both the trials of teenager-hood with more serious issues that come to light relating to Lula’s parents. Fantastic read!