The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlim and Nicola Kraus

I really really don't know where I first heard about The Nanny Diaries, but like I said before, I think I heard good things about it. Thankfully, the book lived up to my expectations - it was entertaining and unexpectedly emotionally gripping. The only thing that ruined the book (slightly) for me was the ending.

There are three main characters in the book. As I introduce them, you'll get an idea of what the book is about.

Nanny, or Nan - the main character of the book, and the titular Nanny. She's a university student who wanted to work part-time as a nanny, but she gets sucked into being more-or-less a full-time slave for Mrs X, and slowly gets emotionally attached to the rambunctious Grover. Nanny was a meh character for me, since she doesn't actually do anything heroic in the novel, but her narration was entertaining.

Grover - the child, and therefore one of the main characters. Grover was a spoilt brat at first, but as the book goes on, it's clear that he suffers from behavioural problems because of the emotional neglect from his parents. I have a soft spot for him, because I do have a younger brother about his age, so most of the feels/emotionally gripping parts came from him.

Mrs X - the unreasonable employer and therefore the antagonist of the book. She's actually the second wife of Mr. X, and while she does have some drama of her own, she more or less negates any pity the reader might have for her by being a terrible mother and employer.

Most of this book was actually very entertaining. I enjoyed reading about the trials of being a nanny to a rich kid with a distant but overly-controlling mother. But, I felt that the ending was a let down. As the book progressed, my expectation that something was going to happen, something was going to change grew higher and higher. But in the end, nothing happened. The non-ending was really a let down for me.

I think, if you're looking for a light read, this book would suit that perfectly. Just don't expect a traditional ending, where the antagonist suffers some sort of fall, or where the protagonist gains a victory.