17-year-old Kat Hartland is not at all impressed when her mother insists she accompany her twin 12-year-old sisters to an Unrequited concert. They may be the world’s most popular boy band, but as far as Kat’s concerned, it’s all hype and marketing and no substance. Kat has no idea that attending this concert is going to change her life.Kat’s life is about to go into overdrive. There’s the gorgeous med student she met on the train, a mystery musician who sends her notes about a song she is composing, and Unrequited’s lead singer Angus Marsden is trying to track her down on Twitter. Her mother wants her to focus on studying for her final exams, but Kat’s heart tells her that she is on the edge of something amazing if she can just be brave enough to take the first step.
Unrequited is chicklit for teens – fun and filled with humour and romance. There are a few thoughtful moments as Kat ponders her future and the pros and cons of potential relationships, but more serious issues and themes are generally skipped over and the overall impact of the story is light-hearted with a very relatable modern setting and numerous pop culture references.
My 13-year-old daughter, who rolls her eyes at the hype surrounding boy bands, loved Unrequited. While the central characters are older, the story is still suitable for younger teens with the focus on music, friendships and the spark of new relationships (romance rather than the more physical aspects of relationships). Teens will also relate to the social media references and boy band hype.You can read sample chapters at the Unrequited website.
Unrequited is the perfect novel for lazy days at the beach or curled up on the lounge. It is the debut novel for Australian author Emma Grey, who has already another teen novel in the pipeline.
Title: Unrequited: Girl Meets Boy Band
Author: Emma Grey
Publisher: Emma Grey, $24.95 RRP
Publication Date: May 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781499143232
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult
