How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle
| How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Mollie Randtoul
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| Summary: A light-hearted, smile-inducing contemporary read all about journeys and paths and entwined destinies - this book has definitely left me in the summer-spirit! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 352 | Date: December 2014 |
| Publisher: Hot Key Books | |
| ISBN: 978-1471404849 | |
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Jesse, Vicks and Mel could not be more different, but they all want the same thing: to get out of Niceville and away from their troubles. Each have their own reasons for getting into a stolen station-wagon and hitting the road, but their easy-going road trip may not be as relaxing as they first expected - after driving through a hurricane, a visit to Disney Land, encountering an alligator and more equally unexpected escapades, the girls will learn that life is not a destination, it’s a journey, and that with the right company, a road map and enough nerve, it can be rather delightful…
How to Be Bad is a light-hearted and entertaining contemporary read from three well-loved Young Adult authors. The story is delivered through three perspectives: Jesse, a strict Christian girl who has just received unfortunate news on her mother’s health; Vicks, the rebellious, self-assured wild-child who is barely surviving the long-distance relationship between her and her beloved Brady, and Mel, the new, rich girl who is simply looking for a friend who appreciates her, regardless of how wealthy she is. Each voice is written by a separate author, making the three girls unique - although the characters were distinctive, I would have liked to see their personalities fleshed out a little further to give them more depth.
The romance element is very significant, although I enjoyed that it was not the main focus: friendship is the principal aspect of the novel. I loved the relationship between Jesse, Vicks and Mel and how they complemented each other’s personalities so effectively. As individuals, I felt invested in their personal dilemmas, but not so much connected to them as independent characters - in my opinion, they came as a package deal.
Despite enjoying this book, I felt as though it ended abruptly - we see how Vicks’ and Mel’s stories play out, but not Jesse’s - I was most intrigued to hear where Jesse’s personal road trip ended.
This story is all about journeys and paths and entwined destinies, predominantly the character’s journeys to finding themselves and overcoming their fears and obstacles in order to do so.
‘How to Be Bad’ was the perfect summer read, and after thoroughly admiring E. Lockhart’s previous work, I was not disappointed - I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle or Paper Towns by John Green. We also have a review of Genuine Fraud by E Lockhart.
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You can read more book reviews or buy How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle at Amazon.com.
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