Deadly Cool
There was something very humorous and fun about this book even though it dealt with murder and betrayal. I think it the voice that Gemma gave to her main character, Hartley. Hartley was funny, cute, maddening and feisty. A mix bag of pure, relatable human. She had attributes that I found fascinating - like her loyalty to someone who was such an ass that I wanted to kick him from my side of the hemisphere to the other. Personally, Hartley was more forgiving then I would have been when it came to her ex-boyfriend, Josh.When Josh found himself in trouble, he asked Hartley to clear her name and she agrees, but only because she truly believed in his innocence.
As I read on, I had to question some of the decisions she made. Some of them were just horror-movie, dumb-blonde, stupid. (No offence to blondes) But you know the ones I mean, the ones that go places alone and you just know they're asking for trouble, so you're not surprised if they get whacked. She doesn't though, which is good, because she's such an awesome character.One other thing I can say for Hartley is that she has amazing friends. She has such a fantastic sidekick in her friend, Sam.
Sam was hilarious, always up for anything, and was always there for support. I don't think the book would have been the same without her.Chase was also another character I loved. He was like a contradiction in terms. He dressed like a Goth, but had incredible smarts and skills. He was funny and, I think, absolutely gorgeous. The trio made an incredible crime-solving team, although a majority of the time it was mainly Hartley and Chase.
There is definitely a Nancy Drew feel to this book, but it has its own unique flavor. There was even a touch of romance between Hartley and Chase, which I really hope goes somewhere. He is definitely more suited for Hartley then Josh ever was.All in all, it was a very enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery and a touch of drama and romance.
One word of warning though - there are scenes in the book that some people would consider slut-shaming, but in this case, it was central to the plot of the whole book.
