Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Perfect quick read! Reminded me in places of the Girls series by Jaqueline Wilson. Took me right back to school and how hideous it was for anyone who didn't fit in.

Pretty Funny is certainly a funny sort of read. Definitely aimed at younger teens, the author has developed a vibrant and complex voice that reminds me of some of Jaqueline Wilson’s early characters. However, these characters present certain problems that could pose a danger for young readers.

I wasn’t a fan of the putting-down-other-girls-so-our-protagonist-feels-special trope that weaves its way in and out of the book. The “not like other girls” narrative is tired, outdated, and misogynistic and I cannot stand it. I think that presenting this through a relatable protagonist is pretty harmful, and not the direction that YA should be taking.

I also think that, for a book that is advertised as a body-positive comedy for young teens, our protagonist taught the readers some unhealthy lessons. Rather than embracing her appearance, Haylah, or “Pig”, opts to turn it into a joke. I appreciate what the author was going for, but I don’t think that young girls struggling with their weight need more narratives that present them as the butt of the joke.

The book can certainly be comedic at times. Without the comedy, I don’t think I could’ve finished the book. I feel like the author could be fantastic if she was writing a novel for older readers, but the tone in this story didn’t sit right with me.

Overall, I think that this book does present some potentially dangerous lessons, wrapped up in the guise of an optimistic comedy. I wouldn’t recommend it to younger readers. At the end of the day, it’s an overdone sort of plot with a couple of admittedly clever jokes thrown in. I wasn’t a fan.

This book did not disappoint! From the get go, I thought I was going to get a story that would make me laugh out loud and while it did that multiple times, I did have issues staying engaged with the plotlines. Really, I loved the characters and the jokes and the well-written humor but the story itself was just a bit meh.
Definitely recommend though if you're in need of some uplifting literature!

I knew I was going to like this book the moment I got it.
I was like "This book is going to make me laugh so much", and it didn't fail to disappoint!
I loved Haylah's character. Although she made mistakes and came across quite selfish in the first half, she redeemed herself, and her character grew into someone very likable: brave, beautiful, confident and loveable.
I didn't like the character of Leo, and still don't like him in the end because of what he did.
I liked that Rebecca had Leo as a black character.
I loved that friendship plays a big part in this book as well as feminism.
I really liked the fat representation in this book. It's very body positive of loving yourself and being yourself.
I found myself laughing and smiling so much at this book.
This was definitely a very good feel-good sort of book.
A book that will make you smile and appreciate things.
A book that will help make you feel confident and love yourself no matter what.
Definitely give this a read!

I absolutely loved the main character Haylah in this story and actually found the jokes laugh out loud funny - especially the set she did at the end! She is the kind of protagonist that we need to see more of in YA and giving everyone the chance to see character like themselves in books! I can already imagine this making a really good Netflix adaptation (fingers crossed)!

Thank you for the review copy!

*I requested a copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*

I love how Rebecca Elliot captures Haylah's voice: her strengths, her doubts, and her fears - she's a relatable character, and her doubts and fears felt realistic. I think it takes a lot of personal growth on our end to be more accepting of who we are. I'm glad that Haylah has a great support system that encourages her to be herself (although she should put more efforts in her studies), and allows her to define her version of 'beautiful'. Really loved this book.

This book is funny. Read bits out to your mum funny. There are so many likeable characters in Pretty Funny, I believe it's the ultimate feel good book of the year so far. Haylah (aka Pig) is absolutely hilarious, she wants to be a stand up comedian so that makes sense, but her one liners and insults are genuinely very funny and highly quotable. One of my favourites being Haylah's description of her mum's new beige, bearded 'friend' and when he speaks, "It's like someone poked a hole in a Shredded Wheat".
I already miss the characters from this book and I'm so happy to have discovered there's a sequel out in August, I've already pre-ordered it on my kindle.
Although Pretty Funny is a YA book, adults will absolutely appreciate this book just as much. Highly recommend if you need something light and humourous.

Pretty Funny was a cracking read that had me laughing almost all the way through. It was entertaining and really had me wanting to read on, so much so that I read it all in one sitting. The writing style was so relaxed and casual and it did feel like you were actually one of Haylah’s friends at times. The author managed to pull of the comedic tone so incredibly well and I commend them for it! It can be very hard to write YA Comedy, but Pretty Funny was one that was literally perfect.

The story itself was really insightful and the fact that it revolves around stand up comedy was so refreshing! I only watch stand up comedy once in a blue moon and can probably only name about 5 comedians, so I learnt a lot about the industry from this book and have promised myself I will start watching more stand up. The plot involving cool boy Leo, however, I found to be somewhat predictable and I did find myself guessing what was going to happen by the end of the book. I’ve read a few books with similar romantic plot lines, so it was no surprise to me about what was going to happen. Mind you, this didn’t deter from the fact that overall the plot was really well executed.

Now, let’s talk about Haylah! What a character! She’s definitely one that sticks with you long after you finish reading. Her self confidence and self acceptance regarding her body was turly remarkable and inspirational. Haylah could even be seen as a role model for girls and prove that you don’t need to change anything about yourself to be happy. Also, the fact that she never conformed to the beauty standards forced onto her throughout the book was admirable. She loved who she was and never let anything get in the way of that. In addition to this, the fact that she wanted to pursue a career as a comedian was really unique. You don’t get many girls admitting to wanting to go down that career path, so yet again this was really inspiring.

Body image is one of the main topics of Pretty Funny and one that I am highly passionate about. I am someone who really enjoys reading YA on the topic of body confidence and self acceptance and this was no different. The fact that Haylah embraced the fact that she was bigger and never let it get to her was very encouraging to read. Yes, she got called all the standard names that someone could call a ‘fat’ person, but she took it in her stride. Reading body positive books is something that I feel like everyone should do, and we need more of them within YA.

Pretty Funny was a fun, witty, inspiring read that I really did enjoy! The stand out for me was most definitely Haylah and her confident, entertaining persona. If you want a positivity boost or just want a laugh, then you need to get your hands on this.

Strong and relatable character has appeal & charm, and the set-up is unusual & engaging though falls into some typical teen-fiction cliches at times. Overall it's a warm, funny & safe YT read so worth a few certainly

I really wanted to love this book after reading the synopsis but sadly ended up dnf-ing it.

The book was well written and the jokes were funny but I just found myself struggling to feel invested in the storyline.

Really gutted that this book wasn't for me but dont let that stop you from picking it up! Like I said, it was well written and funny!

Haylah lives with her Mum and little brother. With her Mum working shifts to earn as much money as she can, Haylah is often in charge of her brother. She has a good group of friends who appreciate Haylah's humour, although Haylah has not plucked up the courage to admit to many people that her ambition is to become a stand-up comedian. This is because she half doubts her ability, but mainly because she feels her size will prevent her from being confident enough to put herself onto centre stage.
Haylah's home life is filled with love and laughter, and her friends provide the same. But then boys enter the fray! Her two friends find boyfriends, whilst Haylah becomes mixed up with an older - cool - student, also intent on pursuing a career in comedy. To cap it all, her Mum finds herself a boyfriend, and Haylah just can't cope.
Haylah and her young brother Noah are wonderful characters, both well developed by the heartwarming writing. The teenage arguments are realistic, and best of all Haylah works out things for herself, coming to terms with what she is capable of and believing in herself to do something positive.
This is more than a YA romance as the humour adds a great element to a slightly off-piste story.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

I was intrigued by the concept of a novel about stand-up comedy because although I've read a lot of novels which are classed as a comedy, never have I read one that is about comedy.

Haylay is a ridicolous relatable character and even though as a reader you can kind of tell why Leo is contracting her services, you're still hoping he won't be a douche (for Haylay's sake, not for his!). The way Haylay thinks, not even once suspecting that he might be using her, is so relatable and really shows you how much boys can screw with your head!

I love Noah, the younger brother, who was like a cuddly toy. The book is very much about love but in different ways - love for what you do, love for family, love for friends - and how it can go wrong but also so right.

This was a pleasant read and there were definitely many one-liners you won't be able to get out of your head!