The Good Names Are Gone is possibly the furthest thing from a book review blog at this point, more an unlocked diary left by mistake at the back of a bus but after reading this comical, rite-of-passage masterpiece, I feel compelled to try and force it down everyone’s throats.

I can’t remember the last time I was so engrossed in a book that I was saddened by the chunk of pages in my right hand whittling away as I chewed through each word. I quickly grew attached to Everything I know and never wanted it to end. Dolly Alderton does an incredible job of putting feelings, I believe every woman in her twenties tumbles through, into sentences with so much personality that it makes the reader feel as though they were experiencing it all together.

The book touches on so many important topics the young adulthood, leaving no emotional stoned left unturned in this roller-coaster read, touching on topics from the importance of close friends, the early days on MSN and one night stands to the rawness of losing someone to an illness, break ups, eating disorders and self discovery. Throughout the entire thing, it was as if I was at one of the many parties she touches on, sharing cigarettes as Dolly told me her life story in person and there is nothing I can appreciate more than a personal piece. Imagine if Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” was spread out over around 300 pages and that’s more or less exactly what you get.

There is so much to love about Dolly’s writing style, from the colloquialisms to the dotted recipes throughout the book, I really can’t say enough good things about it in order to do it justice but luckily, if you want to read another review on it, Lucy over at The Literary Edit has written a great one!

I strongly believe that Alderton is an asset to both her friendship group and the writing community based on Everything I Know About Love and we all need a pal like her but, failing that, the book is your closest bet.