Book Review: Scarlett Wakefield series by Lauren HendersonYA |
Girls |
Mystery |
Murder |
SeriesFirst Line: On January 1, I made two wishes. I know it's supposed to be resolutions, but the two things I really wanted you can't exactly make happen, like you can with resolutions. I wished to kiss Dan McAndrews. And I wished to have breasts, instead of two flat pancakes on my chest.Rating: 3. There are good cliffhangers, and then there are horribly mean ones!It seems that I am always talking about the covers, but I cannot help myself.
kiss me, kill me has a really pretty and ethereal cover that screams suspense - and I definitely prefer this cover to its sequel
kisses and lies. And I love the usage of heads in these covers! :)
Scarlett and her friends have always been the Jenny Humphreys, envious of the Blair Waldorfs as much as they despise these rich and mean-spirited girls. But one day Scarlett's world turns upside-down when she gets invited to join the inner circle and attend one of their exclusive house parties.
From page 21
Every little girl has a princess fantasy, even if it's only a fleeting moment here and there, watching a Disney film or picking up a Princess Barbie. Even if it makes her feel awkwardand wrong, because she'd really rather be climbing trees and throwing balls while wearing the kind of tomboy clothing that would make Princess Barbie faint in horror.
She jumps at the chance without a second glance at her now "uncool" best friends, especially when it brings her in closer vicinity of Dan McAndrews!
As the saying goes, wishes have a tendency to backfire - and the most fantastic kiss ever turns into the deadliest as Dan goes into anaphylactic shock and Scarlett gets blamed for his death. She receives nasty messages from her classmates at St. Tabby's. She cannot even turn to her best friends who shun her in order to protect themselves from any harrassment.
Basically Scarlett's life is absolutely ruined without any hope of redemption. Her grandmother whisks her away to Wakefield Hall with the hope of leaving her misfortune behind, and Scarlett tries to fit into this new school that focuses more on brains and less on scandal. Perhaps life does go on...
Only to yank Scarlett back to that ill-fated kiss when a mysterious note arrives that states that it wasn't her fault. Who left it, and what do they know about Dan's death?
kiss me, kill me was okay. I didn't really care that much for Scarlett, and that dampened any enthusiasm I might have had for the mystery. She just didn't have enough substance for me, too flaky, too self-absorbed in her woe-is-me. The other characters had a lot of potential, but they did not get that much spotlight to leave any sort of impression. The story seemed a little threadbare in details, never diving deep enough to explain that much, the events presented a little too quickly.
And when I reached the end, I could not have been more flabbergasted at its cliffhanger! Thank goodness I chanced upon this book
after the sequel has come out because you will definitely want both books on hand to get the full story!
First Line: "Show me something!" Dan says. He's laughing; his eyes are bright with excitement. I've never seen anything as handsome as him before. I could stare at him all day.Rating: 3 (and 1/2). Quite a soap opera of a book!I am surprised that
kisses and lies is a separate book. Granted, it might have been one
massive story, but at least you aren't left on a cliff after reading
kiss me, kill me and having to rush out for the 2nd book. I don't know about you, but I would have been happy with one book.
kisses and lies picks up where we left off - and where exactly that is I cannot say, but let's just say that Scarlett's investigation into Dan's death is far from over. In this book, she gets even closer to uncovering the truth. Which turns out to be pretty incredible to swallow.
From page 142
All I can see is Dan. Dan McAndrew, the boy who died last summer after I kissed him.
Dan McAndrew's ghost is leaning against the car, looking as if he would rather be anywhere but here.
And then my legs give way completely, and everything goes black, and I can't see anything. Not even Dan's ghost.
I was a little happier with the characters in the sequel, but they still fell a little flat. I still was not a fan of Scarlett - she just didn't feel quite right, not as cool as Veronica Mars as she could have been. She definitely tried to be, but I must be a tough egg to crack.
From page 28
Tell us to climb a rope or jump out of a window or smuggle ourselves into a penthouse, and we'll grab at the chance. But dress up and act like a cool clubber...that's a real challenge. I feel like everyone we pass is staring at me and laughing, because I look all wrong.
The plot went better in
kisses and lies, but it started to turn into more of a soap opera. Which is not a bad thing, but it's not a super-awesome thing either. Whereas the first book did not have a lot happening, the sequel just overflowed with plot twists!
There is also room for subsequent books, but I think the Dan McAndrew death has been exhausted for the time being. If anything, there will have to be a brand-new mystery for Scarlett and company - and
hopefully it can be solved in one book!
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Disclosure 10/7/09:
This has been bought with my hard-earned money.
Hello, all!
BRING ON THE FIREWORKS!
