It teaches you how to make a SANDWICH
The 28 year old "vlogger" (read: woman-child who can't move on from her life as a 20 year old) has been the centre of a lot of controversy over the past 18 months. There was the disastrous YouTube meet and greet event, HelloWorld, where tickets retailed at £99 and fans were promised the chance to properly mingle with their favourite YouTube stars - which, obviously, didn't happen. Then there was the series of offensive tweets she posted between 2010 and 2012 (one reading "I find it funny when gay men spit... it's like they're trying to be a bit macho but never work"). There's also her 'Girl Online' book that was actually ghostwritten (shock), and FINALLY there was her £50 2017 advent calendar that was actually only worth about £21. Damn. Is anyone else tired after reading all that?
But apparently not content with being possibly one of 2017's most hated celebrities (is celebrity even the right word?), she's trying to enter the leaderboard for 2018 too with her brand new addition: 'Cordially Invited'. Amazon describes it as "a seasonal guide to celebrations and hosting, perfect for cosy Autumn nights, with Halloween and Bonfire Night inspiration!". Sounds perfect for her fans, you know, all those tweens and young teens that adore her and are absolutely, definitely, 100% hosting dinner parties and lighting fireworks for bonfire night.
The "advice" literally ranges from how to make a sandwich (honestly I wish I was kidding) - "lay your bread out on your work surface and butter each slice" - to the ever insightful comments on how to avoid getting wet in the rain - "take an umbrella — weather can be a little unpredictable at this time of year so it’s best to be prepared".
Unsurprisingly, fans are less than impressed, with some calling it the "definition of over-hyped publicity", and a lot of people are slagging it off saying they were expecting more crafty things with personal touches. Which, tbf, is what it was being marketed as.
The fact that her so-called "inspiration" for the book was her truly terrible stays at hotels which she "struggled with" probably tells you everything you need to know: “The pillows weren’t the same, the bedding wasn’t mine, there was no personalisation and it felt to me like a very sterile environment”. The whole point of a YouTube personality is a) they're supposed to actually have a personality, and b) they're relatable, but also something to aspire to. Having to stay in multiple hotels all around the world just isn't relatable. Especially not for 14 year olds - Zoella's target audience.
Possibly the best thing about it all is Zoella's - sorry, Zoe Sugg's - "heartfelt" post about the book on Insta, which reads:
Having worked on this for what feels like so long, Cordially Invited is now available to add to your book shelf, recipe stand or coffee table. I’m so pleased with it & poured my vision & creativity into every page. I really hope there is something in there to inspire you or encourage you to make an occasion out of every day, because life is too short not to to be honest 🍂🧡 I’d love to know which page is your favourite!
Try not to laugh too much when she talks about creativity, considering most of it is stuff you can find very easily online on places like Pinterest - so not original, and available for free. Seriously, her ideas for spring activities involve opening the windows to "let in the fresh air" and "having a spring clean" - I could have told you that when I was 5. Hell, my dog could probably guess that's what every household is gonna do come springtime, and he barely knows how to jump up on the sofa.
Like the rest of the tat Zoella produces, Cordially Invited has a rushed, "this will do" air about it. She knows it'll sell, and she knows she'll make money from it, so she really doesn't care about putting the time and effort into making it something that's actually worth a tenner (putting it in perspective, my younger brother gets £40 allowance. A lot, yes, and yet this book is still basically the price of his wage for a week. Pretty extortionate).
I mean, at least she actually wrote this one herself. A positive, I guess?
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