Skip to main content

Sweet and Vicious


I received this book, Claudia Gabel's third installment of the In or Out series, from an awesome contest site, teensreadtoo.com. Honestly, though, I would recommend others to start from the beginning of the series rather than to jump right into the third book like I did. Which I usually don't do. But, ya know, I wasn't gonna go buy the others JUST because I won the third.

I can't help but feel that this book (and the others in the series) have suffered from Bad Cover Syndrome. This is just a personal opinion, and nothing against the girls on the cover or the people who designed it - but it just looks marketed way too young. Even though the two main characters are 14, they seem much older - and I wouldn't classify it anywhere near a Babysitter's Club book, which is what the cover kind of made me think of.

Okay - besides the cover now.

Shy Marnie and social-climbing Nola used to be best friends, but after some wild and hurtful accusations, that is all in the past. Now they are enemies. Marnie has moved on to a top-tier boyfriend, popular friends, and parties in her honor. Nola, in the meantime, is left in the dust to deal with her unrequited (it seems) crush on her friend Matt, a meddling 17 year old babysitter for her little brothers that seems to think he needs to watch over her too, and no best friend to talk to it all about.

But then Nola finds a mean, vengeful streak that releases some of her anger onto Marnie and Marnie starts to realize her picture-perfect new life, yeah well, between the secret meeting between her new best friend and boyfriend and her ever so tension-filled cling to the thin string connecting her to the clique, it ain't as great as she thought it would be.

I actually enjoyed it quite thoroughly. I was thrown by the fact that Marnie and Nola are only supposed to be 14, when I'd guess them more around 16 or 17, but maybe I'm just getting older and 14 seems so much younger now (I'm 20, if you were wondering, not 40, lol). At first I was kind of bored, but then it really started to pick up with all the twists involving the two main characters.

Not to mention all the HOT guys.

Seriously. Is this Poughkeepsie place (where the book takes place) real? Because maybe I want to move there! There were five, yes count them - FIVE incredibly hot guys in this one book alone. Sure, one was sleazy enough to be kicked off the list - but STILL. How is that POSSIBLE? Lol. Anyway, it was a fun read that did make me interested in reading more of the series and see what happens next!

But I'd recommend starting with the first novel - In or Out. Go for it.

And let's go book our tickets to Poughkeepsie! Who's with me?

Comments

Cassie Beale said…
Haven't yet read the book, but Poughkeepsie DOES exist -- in New York. Sadly, not very many hot guys.
Dominique said…
Nice review! I read this book too--and it was the 1st in the In & Out series I read! lol
I think I should check out the rest of the series!

yes, Poughkeepsie, NY does exist, but don't know if they're hot guys there or not (I think Cassie Beale knows more than me on this! lol)
Angie said…
Well, I'm starting to think we should save our plane ticket money for the rest of the books in the series, instead. Lol.

But we can always dreams, girls, right? ;)

Popular posts from this blog

Author Q & A - Jan Eldredge Stops By!

Next Wednesday y'all will be getting my oh-so-humble opinion of Evangeline of the Bayou , the Summer 2018 Kids' Indie Next List selection! (That means it was picked via booksellers at independent bookstores countrywide.) Until then, I have a Q&A with the Louisiana born and raised author herself: Jan Eldredge! (Don't forget to come back next week for my review!!) A Conversation with JAN ELDRIDGE Author of Evangeline of the Bayou 1) The glossary in the back of the book is so helpful! Where did you learn about all these creatures? Which creature from the book is your favorite? I have a small, but growing, collection of books about mythical creatures around the world. If I couldn’t find what I was looking for there, I researched library books, online websites, and the occasional documentary. Something that really surprised me as I started learning more about mythical monsters was the number of different cultures that share very similar

First Step: Admit You Have a Problem

Hi fellow Bibliophiles! I have been rather neglectful to this blog... instead continuing to stay buried in a book as I have during the holidays. I'm hopeful that most of you have been doing this too and can easily accept my apology. Have I been reading? Um, yeah! (Translation: duh.) Just haven't been able to pull myself away long enough to actually WRITE about what I'm reading. Lol. But that's me, a bibliophile, an addict, an addict who's fallen off the wagon and fully embraced her love of reading - especially with all this free time to do so!!! I've also been watching awesome holiday movies, eating yummy, but bad-for-me, food and hanging out with the people I love best! You too? I hope! ;) Anyway, I will return with a new book review next week, most likely on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for your patience and keep reading!!!

Promotion Celebration for Maximum Ride!!!

Do you love the series Maximum Ride ? How about James Patterson? Are you a huge fan of action-packed books? Well, I’m thrilled to bring to you an opportunity to stock up on some awesome reading!!! ENTER TO WIN A SET OF JAMES PATTERSON PAGETURNERS! MAXIMUM RIDE – IF SHE LIVES, THE WORLD LIVES, IT’S THAT SIMPLE. Read “MAX” - the newest book in the bestselling Maximum Ride series. On sale in paperback 09/01/09! Still reeling from their most recent adventure, Maximum Ride and the rest of the flock must head out to sea to uncover the secret behind a brand new series of disasters—fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii, hundreds of ships are being destroyed. As if that weren’t enough, they’re also being tracked by a criminal mastermind with, oh yeah, an army of mercenaries. Can the flock save themselves and the ocean, and the world, from utter destruction? Now for the rules : The Maximum Ride: Max Promotion is open to legal US residents who are at least 13 years of age as of August 24, 200