Tips for Tuesday - Books: Wish You Were Her & The Wrong Sister; Movie: Bang Bang

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Wish You Were Her & The Wrong Sister 

Today, we recommend Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll. At 18 years old, Allegra Brooks is a famous actress secretly hiding her autism from the public. After a bad interview experience, she decides to spend the summer with her somewhat estranged father, who owns a bookstore in the small town of Lake Pristine. There, she meets his employees, prickly Jonah, who constantly starts fights with her, and much more friendly Simon. However, first impressions can be deceiving and Allegra and Jonah may have more in common than they realize. 

This is a charming book with a sweet, endearing story and an abundance of mostly lovely characters. Elle McNicholl does an excellent job of capturing what it is like to be different. Her neurodiverse characters are extremely well written, as are all of her characters.

Fans of the musical She Loves Me will appreciate the plot's parallels to that story. There have also been several similar movies, including The Shop Around the Corner and You've Got Mail, which may be more familiar to some people.  There are even some sly references to She Loves Me within the story, as well as one overt reference.

Today, we recommend The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith. As the only witness to her sister's kidnapping, Caitlin has always felt guilty for freezing and not calling for help right away, and thus, has always strived to be the perfect daughter. When her sister allegedly returns, Caitlin's life starts falling apart, and she is the only one who is not quite convinced that the woman claiming to be her sister is not. 

This is a quite riveting and unputdownable book. Although there have been previous books revolving around similar basic plots, this book offers a completely unique spin on the idea, making it feel fresh and new rather than just another tired retread of the same thing. It is chock full of exciting twists and turns and is thrillingly unpredictable. 

Movies: Bang Bang

Today, we recommend Bang Bang. This film revolves around a former boxer who reconnects with his grandson and begins training him to box. At first this movie feels like it will be just another tired retelling of a story in which an older, experienced mentor helps to unleash the hidden talent in a young athlete. However, it turns out to be a much more unique and bittersweet story about the grandfather confronting his past. Reading the dedications in the end credits and learning about the director's personal connection to the material only makes the story that much more poignant.

And that's our view. Wish You Were Her and The Wrong Daughter were published on August 26. Bang Bang will open in select theaters this Friday, September 12. 

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

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