Rebecca Ryan - My (Extra) Ordinary Life

Rebecca Ryan - My (Extra) Ordinary Life   

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction

Pages: 448

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Date Published: 5th January 2023

Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and Tandem Collective UK for sending me a proof copy of this book and for inviting me to be a part of #TandemCollectiveUK #MyExtraOrdinaryLife Readalong

Book Blurb: 

The Average UK Woman…

Has brown hair
Is 5’4
Eats meat
Doesn’t live in London
Will fall in love before they're 30…
Emily knows how she measures up. How do you?

When watching a documentary on the average human experience, Emily realises she's the epitome of the typical woman. Her name, her height, her occupation… even her blood group. The only thing unusual about her is that she’s a twin. But her twin died when they were only 8 and Emily can't help but think maybe her sister was meant to live instead of her. Secretly she suspects her sister would have done a better job at life... better than average anyway. So Emily writes a list committing her to live a more extraordinary life… she’ll become a vegan, run a marathon and bungee jump.

But the one thing she knows she can’t do though is fall in love… because according to the stats this is the perfect time for her to meet the person she’ll marry. And normal just won’t do.

My Review: 

This book was a breath of fresh air! It is not only beautifully written but also touches on very important topics, like grief and loss, but in a much lighter way than many books that I have read before. This story made me laugh out loud and then cry my eyes out just in a span of one chapter. Reading this book, I didn’t think it was Ryan’s debut, as she writes so beautifully, whilst also exploring and developing characters so well throughout the whole book.

The story follows Emily, who after watching a show about average people decides that she needs to do something drastic to stop being average. She wants to get out of her comfort zone, try new things, be cool, and live life to the limit. Although she tells herself that she is doing this because of the show, soon both, she and the reader realise that she is doing this for a completely different reason. It is for her sister Claire, who Emily promised to live crazy and adventurous life before Claire passed away. So, we follow Emily, with her ‘Life-List’, that not only takes effort to complete but involves some awkward, funny, loud-out-loud, as well as sad moments.

I loved the flashback chapters throughout the book. Firstly, it was such a clever way of revealing the real reason why Emily doesn’t want to be average. Secondly, these chapters gave younger Emily an authentic voice, as well as portraying her grief and loss in a way that stays with the reader throughout the book and even after.

Emily as a character is also very relatable. Reading this book at times I felt that I am reading about myself or that Emily is reading my mind. She is funny, awkward, tough, and complex, and has a personality and life moments we all can in different ways relate to.

Also, Wetherspoons and Costa get a mention...If you know, you know...

Overall: This is one of those books that stays with you for a long time. I mean it took me a long time just to sit down and write this review (and I am not doing a good job with it as I am waffling a lot), since the book is so good and there’s so much I want to say about it, but I think the main thing is, you need to read it to experience the beauty of it and to get to know Emily and other great characters, such as Kaz and Josh. Beautifully written, heart-warming and yet heart-breaking, with lovable characters that I just want to hug and be friends with. This book gave me a lot of comfort and allowed me to look at grief and loss from a different viewpoint. An amazing debut and I can’t wait to see what Rebecca Ryan will write next as I will be reading! Definitely one of my top 10 and my favourite of 2023!

About the Author:

Rebecca Ryan lives in Bradford with her husband and three young children. Although she always loved writing, it hadn’t really occurred to her that she could do it professionally. She recently left her job as a teacher to pursue writing full-time. She enjoys walking in the countryside and takeaways (if that counts as a hobby).

https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Rebecca-Ryan/184613549