Jessica Brody's My Life Undecided (Review + Giveaway!)

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else decide which book I read for English. And whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it. Read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

Review:

Hilarious, memorable, and pitch perfect, Jessica has yet another winner with My Life Undecided, her newest YA novel!

My Life Undecided starts the same day Brooklyn Pierce ends up in jail. For Brooklyn, this is not a big surprise, as she has always been a bit decisionally challenged when it comes to her life. From her “Baby Brooklyn” days, to the three times she has been rushed to the hospital after bad choices, Brooklyn has always ended up in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. However, this time changes everything, because not only does she have to participate in community service, but also at school she’s suddenly a nobody, which makes her think there’s only one way she can get her life back: start a blog in which her readers make her choices for her. Therefore, from her after school actives to whom she dates everything is now decided with a yes or no poll. Though can every decision be made this way? In addition, what happens when everything takes a spin for the crazy side once again? Only time and more pages can tell in this fast-paced adventure sure to charm even the most reluctant of readers.

Brooklyn Pierce is one of best kinds of characters, because not only is she sweet and likable but she is also flawed, which makes her all the more relatable, in my opinion. I loved the focus on her bad decision making especially because what reader hasn’t made a bad decision (or decisions) before? Better yet, I loved how Jessica tied this into Brooklyn’s coming of age. I also enjoyed the supporting characters such as Brian, the nerdy yet adorable debate team boy, as well as Hunter, the good at heart popular boy, because both played such an important role in Brooklyn’s story.

The premise of this was also delightful, and one I had not seen much of before. I really enjoyed the addition of being able to read Brooklyn’s blog as well as seeing how it always managed to switch and twist everything around. However, one of my favorite parts of the story had to be Brooklyn’s community service, because not only did it introduce a great secondary plot point, but it also played a big role in shaping who Brooklyn became at the end.

Lastly, Ms. Brody yet again proves what a great storyteller she is with My Life Undecided. Her writing was great- it moved in a swift pace and perfectly introduced key characters and plot points. Furthermore, I love the comedy that always comes with Jessica’s books as well, because no matter how serious it gets, there is always a funny scene to lighten up the mood, and what reader does not what that?

Contemporary fiction at its best, My Life Undecided is a book that should be high on your summer reading list; not only for its memorable and relatable characters but also for all the laughter it is sure to spark within you.

Grade: A+

My Life Undecided is now out!

Source: Publicist at FSG- thanks Ksenia!

Thanks to Ksenia, I also have one copy of My Life Undecided to giveaway. To enter, please fill out the form below.

Official Contest Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older to enter
~ Must have a US or Canada mailing address
~ This giveaway will close on June 22, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST!

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.*

Be sure to also check out my interview with Jessica!