My Life Gone Viral

March 1, 2020
The incomparable Millie Porter is back in this follow-up to My Life Uploaded (2018). Millie's life is going well, but anxiety, that thief of time and happiness, won't let her enjoy it. She just knows disaster is coming down the pike. To cope with the catastrophic thinking that chases all rational thought from her brain, Millie follows Mum's advice to focus on the facts: Millie is moving back home now that she and Gary the Neat Freak (Mum's boyfriend) have come to a compromise over biscuit crumbs; she and best friend Lauren have smoothed things over; Danny is her boyfriend after a great deal of confusion; and her vlog, Hashtag Help, has gone viral thanks to Dave the cat's accidental on-camera shenanigans. Also a fact: Success is hard, what with the whole "being quite great all the time" thing and her new agent, who's pushing for "maximum Dave." And then there are the not-so-pleasant surprises that come her way. Millie's confiding first-person direct address is punctuated with blog and vlog transcripts. Her anxiety-driven thought tangents will be familiar to readers who also suffer from anxiety, an oft-misunderstood and minimized mental health issue that is dealt here with honesty, gentle sarcasm, and a warm heart. The book assumes a white default; Danny has mixed Chinese and French Canadian heritage. Will have readers cheering for #MoreMillie. (Fiction. 12-16)

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April 1, 2020

Gr 6-10-The sequel to My Life Uploaded features Millie (and her cat, Dave) trying to maintain their viral vlog success. But with success comes a whole new world of monitoring followers, agents, sponsored offers, and more. She also has to contend with changes in her relationship with her boyfriend, family drama, and friend drama. In high contrast to all the issues-heavy books of the past few seasons, this book is refreshingly light. With no strong language and only a few chaste kisses, it has a lot of appeal for tweens and younger teens, and any reader looking for something that is just plain fun. In the middle of all of that, however, is an in-depth look at what it takes to be a social media influencer, as well as what to expect in a relationship. Sprinkled throughout is a lot of humor, a little romance, and quite a bit of empowerment. Although it is set in the UK, there are not too many Britishisms. VERDICT A terrific first purchase for collections that have the prior installment, or are simply looking for a wholesome, funny book on social media.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

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