Wednesday 16 April 2014

eARC Review: The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

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Title: The Break-Up Artist
Author: Philip Siegel
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Pages: 336
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Series: -
Where I Got It: The Publisher via NetGalley

Synopsis: Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash. Some work at the Gap. Becca Williamson breaks up couples. 



After watching her sister get left at the altar, Becca knows the true damage that comes when people utter the dreaded L-word. For just $100 via paypal, she can trick and manipulate any couple into smithereens. With relationship zombies overrunning her school, and treating single girls like second class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even her best friend Val has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.

One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. They are a JFK and Jackie O in training, masters of sweeping faux-mantic gestures, but if Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.

No one said being the Break-Up Artist was easy.

Philip Siegel
Philip Siegel
Philip Siegel grew up in New Jersey, which he insists is much nicer than certain TV shows would have you believe. He graduated from Northwestern University and promptly moved out to Los Angeles, where he became an NBC page. He likes to think that the character of Kenneth on 30 Rock is loosely based on his life rights. Currently, he works in downtown Chicago by day while he writes novels at night and during his commute sandwiched in between colorful characters on the El.

Review

I read this book on April 16th 2014.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher, via NetGalley.

Can I just start with how disgusting is Ezra? I mean, I hated the kid. So disgusting, I hated the character straight from the beginning of the book. Ugh, ok, I just had to get that off my chest. Moving on...

The story is pretty much this: Becca, single, breaks up couples at school for $100 paypal. She is not known by anyone at her school. Only her sister, Diane knows.
You'd like to think it just goes from there. However, the story has many different stories all together to make one. Diane has her own story, her ex-best friend Huxley, Valerie (Val), Ezra, and even Becca. It just felt there was to much going on in the story to be able to focus. Honestly, I didn't enjoy this book and had a hard time getting through it. It was very obvious. I knew exactly what was going to happen, when, and I predicted the ending.

The author had a few errors in the writing and some words were ones I didn't know and didn't understand. I also felt that the story line lacked something. I think the problem in the story might have been the fact that the writer was a man and the main character was a female. I don't know, but whatever the problem I couldn't connect with Becca on any level.

Note: this is just my opinion. Yours could be completely different from mine, and I do still recommend this book to readers who enjoy dramatic contemporary, young adult.

Ages: 14+
Grades: 8 and up

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