Merit Press, December 18 2012
young adult contemporary
received from author (thank you!)
Summary:
Ever since she fell from the popular crowd ranks, Miranda's been stuck at a rotten fast-food job with only chipper Ariel to claim as a friend. When a snowstorm closes down the mall with Miranda and the other teen mall employees -- and the popular crowd -- still inside, Miranda takes on a case of a string of thefts. And if she can seek revenge on her former clique at the same time? All the better.The cover:
Beyond the Times New Roman font choice for the title (*shudder*), I like it! The illustrated style works well in conveying the mood of this book and the details, like the snowflakes and the soda drink, make it all the more charming. Good positioning of the author names, too.
The book:
Tempestuous is fun. That pretty much sums of the entire book. This light contemporary doesn't go too far in-depth into any themes, but works nicely if you're looking for an escapism read. Believability is sometimes strained, from a stand-up scene involving the villain to a concert where the lead guitarist somehow plays his guitar with Miranda's hand attached to his hand (from personal playing experience, this would be near-impossible), but the reader will most likely be willing to go along for the ride.
Miranda comes with excellent backstory and loaded wit that makes her growth as a character easy to read about. Her chemistry with Caleb is relatively great, even if they do ricochet through hate and like rather often, and their relationship is definitely worth cheering for. (Caleb even gets jealous, the precious boy. :3) Ariel and Miranda also have excellent banter; they're perfect foils for each other, and some hilarious moments come from their over-the-top conversations.
However, the over-the-top factor doesn't always work. The writing gets cringe-worthy awkward occasionally, and cliché dialogue is present. But the plot and subplot carry enough substance to keep the reader engaged until the very end, complete with twists in relationships and a dramatic showdown.
Rating: 3.2 out of 5
