Book Review: Faking It

Faking It (The Intern #2)

By: Gabrielle Tozer

Published By: Harper Collins

Publication Date: February 23rd, 2016 (US)

Page Count: 386

Buy it at Amazon or Book Depository

Source: Borrowed from Library

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary

This is the sequel to The intern, which told the story of media student, Josie Browning, scoring an internship at a top fashion magazine and the adventures and disasters that followed. It is possible to read Faking It as a standalone, it makes sense by itself, but reading The Intern first will give you some extra insight into the characters. The Intern is a little like an Australian version of The Devil Wears Prada. Gabrielle Tozer is well acquainted with the Australian magazine industry, and it shows.

Faking It picks up where The Intern left off. Josie is now working at indi (lower case i intentional!), an online magazine aimed at young women. Not content to be another shallow fashion magazine, indi looks to go deeper and to explore the real issues affecting young people. As a features writer with an actual by-line, Josie is delighted with how things are going professionally. But personally, she's not so sure. Thins with her boyfriend, James, are going well, but they haven't said those three little words yet, and she's not quite sure how to handle that. And they definitely haven't done "it" yet. Josie thinks she's ready, but she's not sure how or when to bring it up.

Josie is a walking disaster area. Anything at all that can go wrong, will go wrong, so it's only a matter of time before her career, which seems to be going so well, is under threat. When she has to step in for the beauty editor by attending luxurious junkets she knows she doesn't fit in with the others there. Can she hold her own, or will they tear her apart? 

I absolutely adore Josie. She's funny and honest and a hot mess. If there is a disaster to be found, she will find it, but the whole time you're really willing her to succeed. She's at that age where you're legally an adult, living away from home, earning money and paying bills, but at the same time so unsure of yourself and your abilities and your relationship with others. I really wish Josie had been around when I was 18/19 because I really could have done with reading her columns.

Faking It is about finding your voice, and taking ownership of your life and career. Although romantic relationships feature strongly in the book, it's not the main focus. This book is about Josie herself, and her relationship with James is a part of it, but it's not the central point of the story.

Faking It is an absolute delight to read and I devoured it in a day. 

Summary:

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.