The only reason any of us got out of bed today was to plot revenge. It’s quite a resuscitator.
Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout is the story of three girls who become friends and business partners after meeting in group therapy. Their business starts out focusing on revenge, but then they expand into matchmaking, mediation, and surveillance.
What I Liked
– I love the premise. Not just the revenge business, but that the three girls are also dealing with their parents’ divorces and trying to navigate their own relationships.
– Zahra is the narrator, and I like her a lot. In fact, I like all three of the girls. They have distinct personalities, clear motivations, and good growth. Also, their interests are really varied. Zahra’s wants to be a chef, Syd is a fantastic artist, and Kali is…I’m not sure what she’s into besides flirting. Computer programming, I think? (I remember now. Music.)
– The relationships are well-developed, and the characters are likable–except for the characters we’re not supposed to like, so that’s great.
– Zahra is first-generation American on her mother’s side, and a definite clash of cultures occur between her and her maternal grandparents. What I especially like about the authors’ take on it is that Zahra’s not navigating how to be American; she’s navigating taking sides in her parents’ separation. I mean, yes, questions of identity, but I like that the framework is a little different than what I’m used to in YA lit.
– I kind of love the cover. It just hits on all of the elements from the book, and I especially like that it looks like Zahra could be leaning out of a food truck.
– Although who Zahra ends up with is totally predictable (totally), I do like the way they get there.
– “Framily.”
What I Didn’t Like
– The book is a little long. I’m not sure how it could be shorter or why it would be, but it felt long. Also, I went on a day trip and left the book at home, and, when I got home and saw it, I was surprised I was still reading it. I was just like, “Oh yeah. I didn’t finish that book yet.”
In conclusion: I was looking for a fun and light-hearted book to read, and this one delivered. Great characters, great premise. It would make a great pool/beach read.
POC Challenge: 19; YA Reading Challenge: 30; Support Your Local Library: 34
The Englishist 