Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood

About this book

14-year-old Emily’s life is ruined. 

Her phone is broken and she’s been forced to paint walls with her mum’s friend, instead of hanging out with her bestie and Toby, the boy she likes. Her mum just doesn’t understand! 

But then she finds her mum’s teenage diary from the 90s and discovers that 16-year-old Lila had troubles of her own. Starting at a new sixth form college, desperate to be cool, and falling for a gorgeous boy who is being really slow to kiss her, Lila pours it all out in her diary. 

Might Emily and her mum find some common ground after all? 

The dual perspective in this book is very effective, with chances for the reader to guess certain elements in Lila’s life before Emily does. The 90s is brilliantly evoked, with both its positives – no social media to obsess over – and its negatives; for instance, gay teenagers were often scared of coming out. 

The content is relatively innocent even though Lila is 16, but there is some drinking at parties and lots of yearning for boys. Overall, it’s a funny coming-of-age story, with both Emily and Lila learning some hard truths about 'being in love’ and about themselves and their behaviour.