You're the Kind of Girl I Write Songs About

by Daniel Herborn

Funny, sweet and beautifully depicted, YOU'RE THE KIND OF GIRL I WRITE SONGS ABOUT is a startlingly fresh voice from a very talented new author.
Tim is repeating the HSC, but he's more into music than studying. He is juggling playing in a band with handing in assignments and the music is winning. Mandy is taking a year off before she starts uni. Her problem is she doesn't really know what she wants to study, so she's working (sort of) and even by her own admission spends too much watching daytime TV and drinking tea with best friend Alice, with the tea being an excuse for talking - lots. Tim and Mandy meet at a gig. The attraction is immediate, but they are both so shy and self-conscious, but over time they slowly, awkwardly, move toward each, meeting by coincidence, each unsure as to how the other feels. Set in the cafes pubs and dives of Sydney's Inner West YOU'RE THE KIND OF GIRL I WRITE SONGS ABOUT is a ballad to that time of your life when you are trying to work out who you are, what it is you want and what will it take to get you there. Ages: 14+

• ISBN10: 1460703294
• ISBN13: 9781460703298
• Publish Date: 1 May 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: AU
• Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/10/youre-kind-of-girl-i-write-songs-about.html
You're The Kind of Girl I Write Songs About is a lovely coming of age about finding yourself and finding that person that makes life suck a little less. Told in dual points of view and both being heavily involved within the Sydney independent music scene, both Mandy and Tim are surprised neither of them have met before. Mandy is a barely employed sandwich artist, preferring to spend her day sleeping or watching mindless daytime television. While Tim was likable, I think everyone has had a Mandy in their life. She was unmotivated and stuck in a monotonous routine that is so incredibly hard to shake. Although meeting Tim isn't her saving grace, it allowed her to break out of her former life and find a sense of meaning again.

Tim is still at school and repeating his final year, the reasons behind his downfall are obscure and mysterious at first. He lives with his uncle and the two share a gruff but easy going relationship in which he has just officially adopted Tim and now his legal guardian. Tim's character was nothing short of lovely. He's creative and gentle and almost the polar opposite to Mandy.

There was something utterly charming about the early stages of their burgeoning relationship. It reminded me of my own teen years, finding likeminded friends and bonding over music. Not being the biggest fan of independent music, so many of the bands didn't resonate with me apart from Jeff Buckley. If you have no idea who he is, you really need to reassess your life choices and head over to watch him HERE. I loved that there was no excess drama that is generally associated with teen contemporaries. Tim's character, although he wasn't as transparent both with Mandy and readers, his revelation wasn't manufactured and not something that is brought up generally in conversations. But considering the nationwide conversation that's ongoing in Australia at the moment, it's an important discussion to have. It added an extra dimension and depth to a fluffy and funloving storyline that I wasn't expecting.

You're The Kind of Girl I Write Songs About was superbly entertaining and overall, a lovely and fluffy feel good read. Although I couldn't connect or relate directly to the independent Sydney music scene, I loved it regardless. Daniel Herborn lends such a raw honesty to his characters and has crafted an engaging and gentle storyline that I couldn't help but immerse myself in. A brilliant debut from a wonderful new voice in Australian young adult fiction. Excited to see what he's working on next.