Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

Review:

After reading Megan McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series, I was eager to read more by her. Therefore, when Bumped, her new dystopian, landed in my hands, I was excited beyond words. Luckily enough, Megan has made her “official” YA debut with a quite the bang, as Bumped is compelling, enthralling, and full of twists and turns that will leave nearly any reader on the edge of their seat, dying to know what will happen next.

The main aspect that originally drew me to Bumped was the premise. The idea of teenagers completely embracing the idea of pregnancy and all the wealth and power it brought them seemed startling yet something that could unquestionably happen in the future. The execution turned out to be purely brilliant, because not only did Megan McCafferty fully flesh out this idea, but also she brought so much than just that to the table. You see, Bumped is so much more than just a “teen pregnancy” novel; instead, it is a book about embracing yourself, overcoming society’s perceptions on how you should or should not be. It is about being strong when all you want is to be a weak fledging, about becoming the best person you can be- someone you admire as well as like- and that makes it all the more valuable, in my opinion.

Tying into this, the main characters in Bumped were the ones fighting these standards of this dystopian society. For one, there’s Harmony, a girl whose always lived in a world where signing a fertility contract a must have, but the thing is Harmony doesn’t really want this. She wants to be able to date her best friend/crush; more importantly, she wants to be normal, making her relatable to the fullest potential. Then, there was Melody, her twin sister. She's a girl who has grown up in Godside where religion is everything. Nerveless, just like Harmony, Melody wants so much more than what she's given. However, what I loved most about these characters was that they were average- they made mistakes, but they learned from them; they did not know where they were going or whom they wanted, but they knew they would find out eventually; they were bratty and annoying at times, but who is not? Their imperfections are what made them perfect in my eyes, and I think most others will agree with me on this.

I also have to add that I loved the secondary characters in this. From Zen to Jondoe, nearly all secondary characters were developed fully to bring not only more heart to the novel but some big laughs as well.

Lastly, Megan McCafferty’s writing and world building in this is simply fabulous. Her writing truly captured the voice of a teen as well as brought the world and its characters to life. However, I have to admit I was still left with several questions about everything, but I’m sure they will be answered in the sequel.

Well worth a read, Bumped is a novel I will definitely be recommending come its release.

Grade: B+

Bumped will be released April 26, 2011!

Source: HarperCollins via Netgalley- thanks!

In additon, be sure to check out the video below, in which Megan talks about Bumped.

Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

Summary from Goodreads:

Old flames are reignited in the fifth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series.

Captivated readers have followed Jessica through every step and misstep: from her life as a tormented, tart-tongued teenager to her years as a college grad stumbling toward adulthood. Now a young professional in her mid-twenties, Jess is off to a Caribbean wedding. As she rushes to her gate at the airport, she literally runs into her former boyfriend, Marcus Flutie. It’s the first time she's seen him since she reluctantly turned down his marriage proposal three years earlier–and emotions run high.

Marcus and Jessica have both changed dramatically, yet their connection feels as familiar as ever. Is their reunion just a fluke or has fate orchestrated this collision of their lives once again?

Told partly from Marcus’s point of view, Perfect Fifths finally lets readers inside the mind of the one person who’s both troubled and titillated Jessica Darling for years. Expect nothing less than the satisfying conclusion fans have been waiting for, one perfect in its imperfection. . . .
 
Review:
 
The Jessica Darling series was one of my favorite ones out there until a little book called Forth Comings came out, and in turn left me utterly disappointed in what this series had became. So when I received Perfect Fifths for review last year, I was somewhat scared to see what would occur in the final volume; which probably was the reason why it took me a year to finally give it the chance and read it. Thankfully enough, Perfect Fifths was the book that reminded me, once again, why I this series became one of my favorites all those years back. Since it finally gave me the closure I had hoped for.
 
In Perfect Fifths, Jessica, Marcus, and all my favorite characters were back; which left me to love seeing the different paths they had all gone over the years, and how they had grown because of it.
Also, it was intriguing to see the book partly told in the view of the most mysterious character of all in this series-Marcus; and let me tell you, I wasn't the least bit disappointed with his part or Jessica's, for the matter.

In all, Perfect Fifths was in all ways perfect to me; it even brought a slight tear to my eyes when I finally reached the last page, believe it or not, because of the fact I couldn't believe Jessica and Marcus crazy journey was finally over. So, if you haven't read Perfect Fifths because your own reasons READ IT, and if you haven't even read the first Jessica Darling novel READ THEM ALL. (Though, don't let Forth Comings disappoint you and make you take forever to read Perfect Fifths as it did to me.)

Grade: A

Pefrect Fifths is now out!

Source: Author/Publisher for reveiw. Thanks Megan and Crown!
 
PS) Here’s the official announcement via HarperCollins about Megan's next work in progress:

Alessandra Balzer at Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins Children’s Books acquired World English rights to New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty’s new novel in a two-book deal from Heather Schroder at ICM. Bumped is a sharply funny and provocative dystopian novel set in a world where only teens are able to have babies, and are contracted by adults to carry them to term. Megan is best known for her Jessica Darling series, which started with Sloppy Firsts and most recently ended with Perfect Fifths.

Dosen't it sound AMAZING? I can't wait to read it. :)