Have A Little Faith

Candy Harper
Being fourteen is a minefield: with fashion dilemmas, teacher trauma, embarrassing parents and boy drama, Faith is just hoping to make it through Year Ten without too many disasters. But when she and her best friend Megs sign up to take part in an inter-school choir with the local boys comprehensive, Faith’s life gets even more complicated… just how is she supposed to concentrate on becoming the next Cheryl Cole when she’s trying to understand how teenage boys’ minds work?
My relationship with my book loving friends pretty much revolves around mutual book pushing and promotion. There are the books fellow bloggers recommend, there are those that they rave about, escorting you to the shops or your amazon account to supervise your purchase or if you are lucky (and trusted) they will lend their copy to you. Then there are books, which they adore so much that they buy nine copies, just so that they can give them away and share the adoration (Yes, I’m looking pointedly at you Jim of YA Yeah Yeah fame). Nope? It was a first for me too!
Have A Little Faith came in to my possession (Thank you Jim) at just the right time, feeling under the weather, with a particularly busy home life, I was in the need for something light and uplifting. Told in short diary entries over the course of a school term, it was perfect for dipping in and out of as my schedule allowed. Although if I had had the time there is no doubt that I would have devoured it in a single sitting.
Sniggering and snorting with laughter from the very first page I couldn’t help warming Faith and the cast of supporting characters. Sassy, intelligent and fun, Faith is a girl who believes that gossiping about her TV shows with her friends is as vital as breathing and that at aged thirty her teacher has one foot in the grave! At times obnoxious and superficial she has vulnerability and a genuine affection for those around her, which allows you to forgive her flaws.
For me the thing that stands out the most, aside from the humor, are the fabulous relationships. I loved the dysfunctional-functional family and the supportive friendships. The teasing, one-upmanship and, at times, antagonistic interactions also shone though with feelings of familiarity, warmth and love.
The plot itself is fairly simplistic and predictable and there is minimal character development (thank goodness, as Faith is perfect just as she is!), never the less it is a fantastic, fun read and I look forward to diving in to the sequel.
Verdict: If you don’t read this book you are missing out- just saying ☺
Reviewed by Caroline