Wednesday 18 September 2013

Review ~ Stalk Me (Keatyn Chronicles 1) by Jillian Dodd

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 Stars

“Damn Disney, and all their happily-ever-after, unrealistic, bullshit stories.”

This is my first Jillian Dodd book and so I was going into the unknown not knowing what to expect. I have loved reliving my youth through teen stories so I knew that this would be one of those reads where I could drift back to my school years, which incidentally were far from pretty to a life of teen loves, romance, melodramas and all that goes with it and I was not disappointed!

Firstly I would just like to say I love Jillian’s style of writing, it is fun and it is flirty and it pulls you in, you cannot help but immerse yourself into Keatyn’s life and feel like you are living it with her. Whilst I was reading this, it sort of reminded me of a programme I used to watch when I was a teenager….many moons ago called Beverley Hills 90210. I had a soft spot for Jason Priestly!! Don’t judge me!! And I couldn’t stand Shannen Doherty!! (Bet you are all thinking…WHO??) Well I am sure there must be some old clips on YouTube!

Keatyn has a privileged life, her mother is a very talented actress called Abby Johnston and her father Tommy Stevens is a Hollywood legend. She has wardrobes full of designer clothes and shoes, she is Miss Popular at school, boys are queuing up to be her boyfriend and of course all this brings with it jealousy and contempt. When she was little, Keatyn had written what she perceived to be the perfect “life script” she had written her own movie of how she wanted her life to pan out. Obviously, things always go off course, but Keatyn is adamant that if she tries hard enough she can get her life back on track so that she can fulfil her ideal dream life.

Following Keatyn’s life at school there is a lot of drama thrown in, arguments, boy trouble and a stalker issue. This book though is more about Keatyn finding herself, it is through all the trials and tribulations of trying to be Miss Popular that she realises that actually it is not all it is cracked up to be and perhaps, just this once she needs to change. She does not like the person that she is becoming and doesn’t want to morph into the bitchy friends that she has gained whilst at school.

Eventually the stalker issue forces her life course to take a dramatic turn and maybe this is the change that she needs to find herself and become that person that she has always deep down wanted to be.

This book is full of hot boys too so you have some drool worthy dudes to get hot over, firstly I will mention Sanders, he is your typical high school popular kid, on the outside, he was sweet and charming but you always felt that he was hiding something, is he all what he seems?

After agreeing to breakup and remain firm friends Sander and Keatyn cracked me up after Sander got the lead role in Grease - “Good. You know what though? I’ve never had a role where I got my heart broken. In Grease, Sandy breaks my heart. Do you mind if I use our breakup as practice? Like, I’ll act all devastated at school. I’ll be all dreary and full of angst.”

Then comes the “Cushman” Mr Cocky!! He was good looking and he knew it, used it to his advantage and then some, his chat up lines were hilarious but you couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He was super cute! He also had a huge soft spot for Keatyn.

“You’re single. I’m single. Let’s mingle.”

Then we have Brooklyn, typical surfer dude but he was also very deep and meaningful at times. He would recite Keats for his Keats and this did make him fairly loveable, but he was so laid back her was virtually horizontal and I always felt that he was holding back. He was Keatyn’s first true love and she sort of hero worships him but I feel that he is just leading her on. He has his ambitions and their lifestyles are so different I think he feels he would never fit in. He feels that Keatyn is too “material” and this does not fit in with his aspirations.

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It’s Keats for my Keats.”

I will save the best till last….sigh!! Aiden Arrington “The God of All Hotties” yes he really is that hot…my heart melted as did my brain. His nickname for Keatyn was super cute and I feel that he has a very real connection with his “Boots,” I can see them as soul mates, lovers and hopefully married with lots of babies. I can’t wait to see where their relationship takes us going forward. I really hope they get together as I can see some hot, hot, hot panty melting scenes between these two. I just fell hopelessly and deeply in love with this guy…he really is that dreamy! We have 6 books though so I am sure that a lot is going to happen inbetween, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for these two.

“He should be down on his knees begging me to marry him and have his little Hottie babies.”

Keatyn…what can I say about the star of this book, well she can be frustrating, sometimes I wanted to give her a slap, but you felt her inner turmoil, you could see she was just trying to conform to the “in crowd” and you ended up cheering her on to do what was right for herself. She has some serious problems going on at the moment and that is a lot for anyone to deal with and I can’t wait to see her develop going forward.

“I think it was Betsey Johnson that said women dress for other women. If we dressed for men, we’d all run around naked.”

Jillian Dodd, I absolutely loved this book, I cannot wait for the next and the next and the next. I am itching to see how Keatyn changes and grows, this is really going to be one of those series that every teenager should read, they will be able to associate with Keatyn’s life so much and would probably pick up some amazing tips along the way. Jillian really has managed to encapsulate the teen drama and all that goes with growing up, I cannot wait to see Keatyn’s own metamorphisis.

Stalk Me is currently free at the moment, so what are you waiting for? Go grab it.
 
Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/17UxqEn

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