Lona’s internal struggles, her awkward encounters, and her search for meaning feel real and relatable. It’s a quiet story that doesn’t rush to any big revelations, which can feel a bit meandering, but it perfectly captures that weird, aimless period many people go through. If you’re in the mood for a gentle, thoughtful read on self-discovery, Loner is worth picking up.

I DNFed this book, it felt boring and the plot was weird. I really liked the writing style and want to see more of the author thought.

I didn't enjoy this book, it fell flat for me, The plot was a bit boring and it just didn't draw me in at all. I didn't feel like I could connect with Lona at all.

First of all a big thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

This was not my usual genre of book but I really enjoyed this. This was about life and it’s many difficult, dull, heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. While reading this you just want the best for Lona. I loved the writing style. It made this a really quick read.

This book was so boring. The plot was very lacking in detail
I did like the main character though
Not very enjoyable

This book was OK. Mostly I didn't jive with the writing and I found this 247 page book too long.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, I finished this book but the entire plot felt flat and boring for me. It didn’t really feel like there was a direction that the plot was going in majority of the time, so even though I could emphasize with the main character and didn’t mind her for the most part, it was hard to stay with the plot because of its lack of clarity.
I did like the short chapters though, it helped move along the mostly non-moving plot. I’d still give this author another shot.

Stars 3.5

Description- Loner is a humorous and heartfelt exploration of new adulthood.

Lona kills her days sneaking into the dark room at her old art school to develop photographs. She kills her nights DJ-ing the roller disco at Planet Skate. She is in inexplicable, debilitating love with a bespectacled, Doctor Who-obsessed former classmate, and in comfortable, platonic love with her best friend Tab. Lona works hard to portray a permanent attitude of cynicism and ennui but will her carefully constructed persona be enough to protect her from the inevitable sorrows and unexpected joys of adult life?

Loner re-examines notions of social isolation experienced by young people, suggesting sometimes our own company can be a choice and not a failing.

I want to start by making it clear that I did not finish this book. I know, I know… who starts a review like that but I wanted to be transparent. I tried so many times to start this novel, I mean… I did receive it as an ARC from NetGalley years ago, but something about Lona didn’t resonate with me and I just couldn’t push through. I would like to try again so day, and when I do will re-review.

If you're looking for a set of answers to new adult/modern life, you won't find them here. But you will find a wry and, at times, amusing insight into the life of a young woman struggling to find her place in a world that is both too easy and too hard.

Lona isn't hard-done by in any conventional sense, and she's not looking for sympathy either. However, she also doesn't know entirely what it is that she's looking for. Whether that's in friendships, partners, a job, life. It feels as though she should have a lot more figured out than she does.

But she also knows that she is young, has a stable family to fall back on, and doesn't need to have any of it figured out either, but she will do her best, in her own introverted way.

The structure of the book - or novella, really - is quick and well-paced, with headings drawn from each paragraph/chapter that run you through the story quickly and easily. However, you may find it frustrating that there isn't a story as such - it's more a one year insight into Lona's life - some of which you may find intensely boring and dull, and other parts fascinating. It's quite a human story, and well-written as an honest insight, after all.

I received an eARC of the book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read with short, punchy chapters about Lona, who is a true introvert that prefers binge-watching Netflix series, reading, doing art, which I can totally relate to. Overall, an interesting read, there isn’t really a plot, but it is a realistic life story.

Loner is a book that has been on my shelf for a while, and I did start reading it about a year ago too. This time I did finish the book, however I had very similar feelings about it this readthrough as well.

The book is a contemporary coming-of-age story set in Australia, with our main character who’s dropped out of college and isn’t the best at socialising (how relatable!). Whilst Lona is extremely relatable as an introvert myself, the entire book kind of leans on that for why she’s not doing much of anything.

This makes the book really dull at times, and often there’s a few paragraphs on one thing and then it skips to the next part of her life. The dullness, and disjointedness does feel like a purposeful use of the text to emulate Lona’s life, however it never seems to grip your attention as a reader. Overall the book just wasn’t fun to read unfortunately.

Thank you for this arc copy. I ending up thinking it was just ok and wasn't really my type of book. I did really enjoy the cover though.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book! I really enjoyed this story and felt like I could relate to it a lot!

Very tedious. Mostly lackluster. I wasn't really sure if I was ever supposed to like Lona or if she was supposed to be unlikeable on purpose? She didn’t seem to grow as a person at all from who she was at the beginning. She was all “woe is me” but then did nothing to really try to convince anyone that she was someone who had redeeming qualities.

I really hate that I didn't vibe with this book because it seemed right up my alley!

A brilliantly refreshing coming-of-age novel that really made me sit up and think. Full of quirky narrative, Loner is a novel I'll be thinking about for a long time.

What's the book about?

Lona is a woman in her 20s who is going through an existential crisis and trying to figure out what she wants out of life.

My thoughts:
A quick read and my biggest pull to Lona was her love for books. Depression was covered well but the ending felt a bit rushed.

I have tried multiple times to get into thos on and I just can't, the writing style is clunky and the plot just doesn't draw me in

It took me a while to pick this up, as I think the cover initially put me off. However it was a good read and once I picked it up I went through it fairly quickly. 3.5 stars.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

This was exactly my type of book and character. Similar in tone to the comic and film Ghost World, the futility of late-teens/not-quite-being-a-proper-grown-up-yet is so clear. Lona is a vivid character going through such normal life events, but not realising her impact on the people around her, good and bad. Family and interpersonal relationships are explored, and realised by the end of the book. Lona's relationships and misunderstanding of her own feelings are incredibly relatable.

This is definitely not a book for everyone, as it is a slow burner with no "action", but it was definitely for me. I loved it.