This book is 
 glorious 
 . 
 How exactly did I come to this conclusion? 
 Well, the very second that I finished it I wanted to start reading it again. 
 In fact, I am fighting some very strong compulsions to start reading it again now, even though I am in the middle of two other books. 
 (update: I may have put the ebook on my cellphone and reread it three weeks after my initial reading while I was on call and the hospital was quiet.. and finished it within two days again... I regret nothing.) 
 Sally Thorne has managed to write a gem on her first try! 
 The Hating Game is so engagingly absurd and just absolutely delightful, I was smiling practically the entire time. 
 I don't think I have ever enjoyed reading a book as much this. 
 "He glances over his shoulder, no doubt hearing my insanely loud shoes stop in their tracks. Then he looks again. It's a double take for the record books. 
 "I'm out stalking," I call. It doesn't come out the way I'd intended. It's not lighthearted or funny. It comes out like a warning. I'm one scary bitch right now. I hold my hands up to show I'm not armed. My heart is racing. 
 "Me too," he replies. Another cab cruises past like a shark. 
 "Where are you actually going?" My voice rings down the empty street. 
 "I just told you. I'm going out stalking." 
 "What, on foot?" I come closer by another six paces. "You were going to walk?" 
 "I was going to run down the middle of the street like the Terminator." 
 We have two office mates who, by unspoken agreement, are engaged in a year long battle of the Hating Game, which consists of them consistently trying to get the upper hand over one another with many smaller ridiculously entertaining games. 
 "He did not smile back, and somehow I feel like he's been carrying my smile around in his breast pocket ever since. He's one up." 
 "How You Doing, Little Lucy?" His bright tone and mild expression indicates we're playing a game we almost never play. It's a game called How You Doing? and it basically starts off like we don't hate each other. We act like normal colleagues who don't want to swirl their hands in each other's blood. It's disturbing. 
 "Great, thanks, Big Josh. How You Doing?" 
 "Super. Gonna go get coffee. Can I get you some tea?" He has his heavy black mug in his hand. I hate his mug. 
 I look down; my hand is already holding my red polka-dot mug. He'd spit in anything he made me. Does he think I'm crazy? "I think I'll join you." 
 We march purposefully toward the kitchen with identical footfalls, left, right, left, right, like prosecutors walking toward the camera in the opening credits of Law & Order. It requires me to almost double my stride. Colleagues break off conversations and look at us with speculative expressions. Joshua and I look at each other and bare our teeth. Time to act civil. Like executives. 
 "Ah-ha-ha," we say to each other genially at some pretend joke. "Ah-ha-ha." 
 We sweep around a corner. Annabelle turns from the photocopier and almost drops her papers. "What's happening?" 
 Joshua and I nod at her and continue striding, unified in our endless game of one-upmanship. My short striped dress flaps from the g-force. 
 "Mommy and Daddy love you very much, kids," Joshua says quietly so only I can hear him. To the casual onlooker he is politely chatting. A few meerkat heads have popped up over cubicle walls. It seems we're the stuff of legend. "Sometimes we get excited and argue. But don't be scared. Even when we're arguing, it's not your fault." 
 "It's just grown-up stuff," I softly explain to the apprehensive faces we pass. "Sometimes Daddy sleeps on the couch, but it's okay. We still love you." 
 This book is majestic and I would recommend it to anyone. 
 Beyond how absolutely hilarious it was, it was adorable and sweet and had depth as well. 
 I love it so much that the ebook is not enough, I will soon be ordering a hard copy that I can sit and stroke while I sigh happily as I read it again and again. 
 Sally Thorne, please write faster!!