Saturday, June 20, 2015

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Review



"When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series."


NetGalley. Thanks for the copy.

Perfect Squad is one of my favorite YA Espionage book. Before reading The Fixer, I set up a high expectation for Jennifer Lynn Barnes because of her wonderful and exciting Squad series. I'm glad to see my expectations met. To my greatest surprise, Jennifer Lynn Barnes goes above and beyond that. She simply gets better and better. 

Tess Kendrick, after trying to defend a student from a nasty teacher/bully, is sent to detention. (Now, I have a perfect "10 Things I Hate About You" gif, but I don't want to find it.) Almost instantaneously, Tess Kendrick's infamous and notorious and deadly sister, Ivy Kendrick, picks up Tess's life and moves her to Washington D.C. Ivy is shaking and stirring up things as she goes. Tess is an extremely likable character, and I easily empathize with her sudden move and personality. The sole narrator, she provides an easy window into the complicated world of politics. In fact, I believe the welcome sign to the capital should be simply this: "Welcome to politics. Watch your back."

Speaking of politics, the conflict and mystery of the book is very, very complicated. Those who want to read this book should keep a scratch piece of paper to record their suspect(s) and revealed facts. The book is going to pile a lot of information, and it is easy to forget a crucial piece as a reader goes along the fast-paced book. (Hello, politics!) The lines and connections are going to be difficult to see, and everything (that spells politics) is blurred and muted. I'm very impressed by how Tess is able to waddle through all of these facts and connections. I'm even more impressed by how Barnes can keep everything straight. It simply blows my mind. 

As for Scandal (ABC's tv show), I don't know if there are a lot of connections. I never watched Scandal before, but I know that Ivy Kendrick and Olivia Pope are powerful fixers. Tess Kendrick, herself, is on the path to being the next Ivy Kendrick. So there might be a similarity. 

The ending of The Fixer is one of the best, jaw-dropping parts of the book. I can't wait to see what Jennifer Lynn Barnes brings next, and I will immediately sell my soul (to the devil) for the sequel. It is amazingly cliffhanging, and wow!

Overall, The Fixer brings an exciting new beginning to Tess Kendrick. I absolutely can't wait to see where the series will go. With politics, a dangerous conspiracy, and a powerful kingmaker, The Fixer is one of my most treasured books. I'm definitely putting this one on the list of "to be reread over and over," because it is that good. 

Rating: Five out of Five

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