Deadly Cool - Gemma Halliday
Synopsis: First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?
As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.
I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.
I had read so many raving reviews about this book, most saying that the story was actually much deeper than it appeared to be. Yet, I was still completely shocked when it turned out to be a smart and perceptive social critique. I just want to say right off the bat, that if you are skipping over this book because you think it looks shallow or superficial, then stop it. Trust the reviews - this book is so worth reading.
It does come off as a simple, light read - which is why I picked it up in the first place. I wanted something fun. And it is fun, despite the grisly murder that the whole book revolves around. I thoroughly enjoyed Hartley's narration. Her voice was just so wonderful, and I honestly felt like she was one of my best friends by the time I finished. After I closed the book, I felt like my BFF went home after a slumber party, only I wished my parent's would have consented to let her live with us. (You can't deny that you've had a friend like that!) I also loved that she does sometimes talk like she's a peppy, air-headed teenager, but she actually is very smart - whether it's figuring out ways to solve a murder or just knowing when enough is enough and kicks her boyfriend to the curb.
I finished this book and felt like Gemma Halliday was performing magic tricks - playing with the distraction of *look at this shiny object over here, while she was laying down the foundation of some really important topics over there* - so by the end I saw something amazing, but I didn't know how it happened. I think my best guess is that the secret lies in the secondary characters. They all carry some piece of the puzzle and they all serve significant purposes, whether it's representing beliefs, demonstrating different teenage issues, or acting to unite different social circles. Even if some of the secondary characters are stereotypes, they still have some depth, particularly when seen through Hartley's eyes.
I'm so excited that Hartley will be back in Social Suicide, which is slated for release on April 24, 2012. I would say that I don't know if I can get enough of Hartley and her sleuthing, but it worries me how many people would keep dying around her. Still, April can't come soon enough! I just highly recommend that if you haven't picked up Deadly Cool yet, or if you have but haven't opened it, then you should do that as soon as possible.
Deadly Cool - Gemma Halliday
Synopsis: First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?
As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.
I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.
I had read so many raving reviews about this book, most saying that the story was actually much deeper than it appeared to be. Yet, I was still completely shocked when it turned out to be a smart and perceptive social critique. I just want to say right off the bat, that if you are skipping over this book because you think it looks shallow or superficial, then stop it. Trust the reviews - this book is so worth reading.
It does come off as a simple, light read - which is why I picked it up in the first place. I wanted something fun. And it is fun, despite the grisly murder that the whole book revolves around. I thoroughly enjoyed Hartley's narration. Her voice was just so wonderful, and I honestly felt like she was one of my best friends by the time I finished. After I closed the book, I felt like my BFF went home after a slumber party, only I wished my parent's would have consented to let her live with us. (You can't deny that you've had a friend like that!) I also loved that she does sometimes talk like she's a peppy, air-headed teenager, but she actually is very smart - whether it's figuring out ways to solve a murder or just knowing when enough is enough and kicks her boyfriend to the curb.
I finished this book and felt like Gemma Halliday was performing magic tricks - playing with the distraction of *look at this shiny object over here, while she was laying down the foundation of some really important topics over there* - so by the end I saw something amazing, but I didn't know how it happened. I think my best guess is that the secret lies in the secondary characters. They all carry some piece of the puzzle and they all serve significant purposes, whether it's representing beliefs, demonstrating different teenage issues, or acting to unite different social circles. Even if some of the secondary characters are stereotypes, they still have some depth, particularly when seen through Hartley's eyes.
I'm so excited that Hartley will be back in Social Suicide, which is slated for release on April 24, 2012. I would say that I don't know if I can get enough of Hartley and her sleuthing, but it worries me how many people would keep dying around her. Still, April can't come soon enough! I just highly recommend that if you haven't picked up Deadly Cool yet, or if you have but haven't opened it, then you should do that as soon as possible.
