Not My Problem

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Two remarkable things about this author’s writing. One is that she buries her main character in the reader’s heart. The other is that she does not let you off the hook because once she’s gotten you to care, then you’re getting the whole story and you’re not going to turn away. I teared up, I belly laughed, and I wanted to tell Aideen that all would be well. When it comes to your personal and professional responsibilities, not everything is only your problem. Remember that your personal responsibilities can be shared by those around you. You can assist others, and they can assist you. By collaborating, you can create positive working relationships that benefit the team. That being said overburdening yourself with the responsibilities of others can also have a negative effect. Selfishness? You pursue rugged individualism and believe others should too. You look out for yourself and only yourself. And you isolate yourself from the group and the group’s purpose as a result. So although you get s*** done, you lose your human compassion in the process.

Overall, It was sometime a hilarious and sometime emotional, but throughout an amazing read that I enjoyed immensely. In this book Aideen struggles with a difficult home situation, she has grown up poor which is largely caused by her mother’s alcohol problem. The duality of her feelings is portrayed excellent, you can see her love for her mother, but also the resentment towards her, because of the drinking and the problems it causes every time her mother relapses. Because of her home situation she doesn’t have many friends and she has a pretty isolated life. And with that opening line, I was hooked. I simply had to know the story - why was Maebh having a temper tantrum? And what subsequent story was born from it? The answers did not let me down! I don’t get paid enough for this” is a funny way to say “that’s not my problem. You might want to use it when dealing with a difficult customer. There’s a blurb on this book that compares Not My Problem to Derry Girls – and I think that that’s the perfect way to describe it, with a bit of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and maybe a sprinkle of Jacqueline Wilson’s novels thrown in there too! This book is honestly so, so much fun and absolutely hilarious! I loved how Irish this book is, first and foremost. It’s definitely a step up from her first novel in that sense, and with how close Irish and Scots slang is (as well as some of our culture) I really appreciated all of Aideen’s snarky quips!

7. I Don’t Get Paid Enough for This

I loved this! I was a big fan of Smyth’s, The Falling in Love Montage, so this book was on the top of my must read of 2021 list. My expectations were high, but this book met every single one of them. I’m happily surprised to say this, but I thought this book was actually better than TFILM. This is the kind of book that I think is just a must for YA fans. And even if you are not a huge YA fan, this book is written so well that I think you will love it anyway. like The Falling in Love Montage this was also funny af and had me laughing out loud several times. there was also humour and levity in serious situations but it also managed to stay serious when the situation called for it. It is no secret that I love The Falling in Love Montage. I’d go as far to say that it’s my favourite book of all time. This is not just because of the book itself, but the impact it had on me. I read it at the absolute perfect time; I had been struggling with realising I was a lesbian and accepting this label for myself. Seeing Saoirse and Ruby as these lesbians who were confident and comfortable in their identity really helped me begin the journey towards being as comfortable with my own sexuality. That’s all to say, I don’t think I can compare Smyth’s novels fairly. Because the impact TFILM had on me and the personal meaning it took on is inseparable from my opinion of it and Not My Problem simply didn’t have this same impact. This is not a bad thing, or a point against it – not every book is going to change your life. Although I have no doubt that NMP will mean just as much to other readers as TFILM does to me. I love both of these novels for different reasons and I’m sure I’ll love anything else Ciara Smyth writes for its own unique reason too.

If possible, could you give some little hints about what you’re working on next? (If not, no worries!)One time, I ditched school to drive her to an emergency centre. She tried to jump out of the car when we were driving 50 km/hr and I felt solely responsible for keeping her alive. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. Aideen is a heroine you love almost immediately - her narrative voice gripped me with it's humorous tone and compelled me to finish the book in under 24 hours. And the story itself is really heartwarming, with her going from an almost-loner to amassing a group of assorted friends through her little troubleshooter/favour-for-favour system. She's witty and sarcastic, but she also has a lot of heart and is always willing to help - even people she doesn't know. She's a really good egg. Boundaries are a healthy thing. You cannot take the whole world onto your shoulders and expect to do everything well. I’m afraid this does not affect me” is a great formal alternative. It is polite, as it shows that you are not interested in someone else’s problem without dismissing it. It’s a scenario where “not my problem” can be helpful when served with a side of compassion and caring. You can still be a compassionate listener without taking on a problem as your own.

Instead of brushing off the request of others as “not your problem” you can accept responsibility. This is one of the hardest things to do. Society teaches children to embrace responsibility for their actions but forget that the message needs to be reinforced to adults Characters: Aideen's paying-it-forward scheme gets her in touch with a wide variety of characters who are all amazing in each their own way. There are some, that appear more frequently and that play bigger roles than others, but they each serve a purpose and represent a distinct lesson for Aideen to learn. My favourite characters were definitely Kavi (that boy is FUN!), Aideen and Maebh. They were each so relatable in their own way. I even loved to hate Holly. When the blurb for Not My Problem was first shared, I was immediately drawn to the premise, which featured the hate to love trope – something I adore. When I sat down to read the book, I absolutely loved it! It’s charming and funny and absolutely wonderful (if you love the TV series Derry Girls, then you’ll love Not My Problem). I’m so excited Ciara was able to stop by beyond a bookshelf (as part of Pride Book Tours’ tour for the novel) to discuss her writing and LGBTQ+ books she’s enjoyed lately. It’s quite professional and polite, allowing you to appear in a positive way without insulting someone. We also see the fmc be an absolute doormat when it comes to her best friend, but we have to assume that she's victim to it because the fmc is just 'too nice' and assumes the best of everyone 🥺🙄.

I think the part I found most compelling about this book, was the way Smyth depicted the complex relationship between the fmc and her mother. She's obviously in a difficult situation, dealing with what it means to have an alcoholic parent. Smyth depicts the confusion and conflict in her mother being kind one day and vile the next. That on top of her schoolwork and highschool drama in general is something I can really empathise with.