{Blog Tour} Faking It by Gabrielle Tozer: Review/Confessional

Faking It by Gabrielle Tozer

Released: 15th December 2014
Series: The Intern #2
Published by: HarperCollins Australia
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Publisher
Pages: 368
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Things are looking up for Josie Browning. Her boyfriend, James, is crazy about her, and she's scored a writing job at indi. Now the pressure is on for Josie to prove she's got what it takes to help plan indi's launch. Plus, she's battling with flatmates, frenemies and confusing feelings for travel writer Alex.

High on the perks at indi, Josie's doing a pretty good job of faking her way in the industry - even though she still hasn't mastered her hair straightener. But when Josie is invited to a media junket, she accidentally sets off a string of lies that threaten to ruin her reputation, love life and career forever.

Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Light, cute, fluffy, and undeniably hilarious. Yes, Faking It is all of those things, but in this stunning sequel to The Intern, Gabrielle Tozer has struck the perfect balance between a story that will make you laugh, yet deliver a deeper message at its core. While my expectations may have been high, I am so happy to say that they have been exceeded. 

If there's one word to describe that Josie Browning gets up to in this book, shenanigans would be it (and lots of them). In many ways, she's the epitome of the socially-awkward, eager-to-please and self confessed 'nerdbot' that many of us can relate to. She's got the same issues that a lot of young women face, trying to deal with the responsibilities of her dream job while balancing a personal life and boyfriend. What I love about Josie is that she's a character who transcends off the page and seems real. In the midst of all the trouble she gets into with her myriad of personal disasters and trying to fit in with the 'cool crowd' of the media circus, she has the kind of vulnerability and inner strength that is a reflection of what many of us feel too at times. Realistic and likable characters are a big plus in contemporary YA, and this is just one of the reasons why Faking It gets a big tick from me.

Even I had to admit I was getting awfully good at this faking-it business.
Maybe too good.

While the representation of the media in these books may not be 100% realistic, it still makes for a good story. It was nice to see that the secondary characters were also well developed in this book, like James who we get to see more of, along with Sia and Laini working at Indi. If anything, Faking It gave a glimpse into the pressures involved with working in the media and all the different types of colourful personalities within it. There were some great sub-plots working alongside Josie's personal journey which added more depth to the primary storyline. 

My name is Josie Browning, I'm eighteen years old and I'm a fake...but I don't want to be any more.

What cinched the deal for me was Josie's transformation and self-discovery. That may sound a little cliched, but in this case it rings true. Not only did she tackle the issues in her own family, but within her own character as well. No she's not perfect - but who is? She has flaws, but she tries her best to confront them as best as she can. That's what makes her admirable and someone you want to read about.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you've read The Intern, you're sure going to love Faking It which is just as good! This is a contemporary YA series that ticks all the boxes, as enjoyable reads that would be perfect for these summer holidays. Through Josie's story we learn that though at first we might 'fake it till we make it', at the end of the day it's being true to yourself that really matters.

FAKING IT confessional - from Gabrielle Tozer herself!

You’ve probably heard the saying “fake it ’til you make it” before. You may have even said it yourself! It’s a popular phrase, but as Josie Browning discovers when she enters the big bad world of the media in my new book FAKING IT (HarperCollins), while the method behind it sometimes works, in many situations it can only get you so far. (Like surgery… it’s probably best not to try and fake your way through brain surgery, am I right?)

Here, I call on the highly-accurate powers of the thematically-appropriate Fake-o-meter (on loan from the very scientific Gabrielle Tozer School of Made-up Stuff and Other Awesomesauceness) to reflect on and measure my own faking-it efforts... let’s do this!

FAKING IT at work…

Unlike my protagonist, Josie, who loses her mind in the presence of, well, anyone in the workplace, I can do a pretty good poker face when things can stressful. I’ve also been known to work damn hard (in between all of the 3.30itis vending-machine snacking, of course).
Fake-o-meter: 4/5

FAKING IT with guys…

Probably no surprises here: I’ve always been shockingly lame around cute guys! Blushing, avoiding eye contact, smirking, rambling, stammering – you name it, I’ve done it. In my whole life, I’ve probably convinced one guy EVER that I was semi-cool… but after spending more time with me, he quickly worked out the truth. From now on, you may address me as the President of Dorks “R” Us.
Fake-o-meter: 2/5

FAKING IT with public speaking…

This one goes two ways. Thanks to studying drama at high school, I’ve managed to bumble my way through talking in front of a few hundred people without notes, tricking them into thinking I’m the most confident person to ever grace the globe. But it’s not always like that. Sometimes, trying to fake it fails. Epically. Flashback to me, age seventeen, when I was asked to speak on a surprise topic for five minutes off the top of my head in front of fifty people for a public speaking competition. I stammered, blushed, held back tears, plonked myself back in my seat after one minute, then scurried outside with Mum in hot pursuit. That day ended with me face-planting a cheeseburger at McDonald’s. (Love you, Mum!) These days, I still get nervous talking in front of a crowd every now and then, but I let the adrenaline and nerves fuel me along – tongue-tied moments and all.
Fake-o-meter: 1/5 – 5/5

FAKING IT with athletic ability… 

There are some things I just can’t fake. Not now, not before, not ever, not if there was a million dollars at stake. Catching a cricket ball and doing a handstand are two of those things. Last picked during PE? Me? NEVER*.
Fake-o-meter: 0/5

*ALWAYS. ** Fact: I share Josie’s coordination and sporty prowess.

**Except partner dancing. Love the d-floor.

Gabrielle Tozer is an Australian author, journalist and editor. She has written for publications including Cosmopolitan, TV WEEK, Bride to Be, DOLLY and Girlfriend.

Her YA novel THE INTERN is out now and the sequel FAKING IT comes out in Australia in December this year.

Say hello: facebook.com/hellogabrielletozer, twitter.com/gabrielletozer, instagram.com/gabrielletozer and gabrielletozer.com. Feel free to squeeze in the hashtags #fakingitau #theinternau and #gabrielletozer if you fancy, too. Distractions are always welcome. Clearly.