I really liked The Life of Riley because it really expresses the power of friendships and how easily they can come and go.  The book is about a young boy called Riley who is cursed and has a run of back luck, leading to lots of disaster. Riley hopes that things will improve when a new boy joins his school, who seems to be lucky. This book was really amusing.  The characters were likeable and fun and there are some great illustrations. I feel that anyone can pick this book up, but would especially recommend it to those that enjoy funny books like Tom Gates.