Please Don’t Be True by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Synopsis

“Alice had a plan for her junior year. She’d laugh a lot, reinvent herself a little, and always have her friends right there with her. But lately, laughing hasn’t been as easy as it used to be. Maybe it’s because everyone is in a little over their heads with relationships and school and too much to do…or maybe something has changed between Alice and Liz and Pam and Gwen. Before Alice can even think about what that might mean, something DOES change. Something big. And no nothing can ever be the same again.”

-Synopsis from the back of the book

Review

Please Don’t Be True is the third collection of Alice books #19-21: Dangerously Alice, Almost Alice and Intensely Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

It’s no secret that I’ve been enjoying re-reading this series over the last few months! However, as of now my “re-reading” has finished – the final collection, including the last book in the series, are new-to-me and I have no idea what to expect.

I’ve mentioned in past reviews how relatable these books are, specifically how relatable of a character Alice is. Like many readers, I feel like I “know” her personally. I adore Alice’s musings, the interactions with her older brother Lester and her sweet but kooky Aunt Sally, and reading about all the crazy things that happen in their lives.

The funny thing is, her life really isn’t that crazy, it’s just normal and realistic and that makes it all the more believable. I don’t connect with a lot of books that deeply so these will always have a special place on my bookshelf, figuratively and literally.

I’m including a little photo of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the one from her Goodreads profile, just for fun. I recall reading her book Shiloh when I was in fifth grade and being totally unaware of the Alice books at the time, not discovering them until years later.

I really hate when my favorite authors start getting older and older because well, you know what that means! I definitely didn’t mean for this review to take such a sad turn but only meant to include this to say that she is an author I admire and respect. I may not read the final book (s) until later in the year but I do plan to finish them before 2019 is over.