Review: Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Title: Tangled
Author: Carolyn Mackler
Format: ARC
Source: Won it from the author
Release Date: 12/29/2009










From the author's website:

Paradise wasn’t supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean. Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting. It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn’t have to be a jerk just because people think he’s one. It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences. And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise….

From confused to confident and back again, one thing’s certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

Tangled is about four teenagers, who couldn't be any more different, whose lives come together while vacationing in Paradise.

First, we have Jena who is the average teenager. She likes reading. She's goes through some self esteem issues; she's not stick-thin and finally decides that she is "luscious". She's the one I can relate to, her and Owen. Jena has this "everything book" where she jots down quotes and favorite sayings, anywhere from a book to a movie to something one of her friends might say (or write in a note). She even has some Nicholas Sparks (my favorite author!) quotes in that book!

Next, there's Skye, the aspiring actress. She popular, pretty and everyone wants to either be her or be with her. Jena is very jealous of Skye and gets uncomfortable during any conversation they have. Jena and Skye are on vacation together at Paradise because their moms are BFFs. Skye may seem perfect from the outside but she's battling her own demons.

Dakota is an athlete and a typical horny teenager. He's hot and can get any girl he wants. He's on vacation with his brother, Owen, and their mom.

Owen is the computer nerd who has more friends online than in real life. He writes a blog, Loser with a Laptop, and is the complete opposite of Dakota.

My Thoughts:
Since this was my first read by Carolyn Mackler, I have to admit I didn't know what to expect. I am happy to say that she didn't disappoint; her writing blew me away. I was pulled in right from the beginning. Her writing flows smoothly and there is no fumbling. I got completely absorbed into the story from page one. This is the type of book where before you know it, you're halfway through it. And boy, does Carolyn do a great job of getting into the head of a teenage boy!

Tangled is told from 4 points of view, following each character for one month. The reader is left with a cliffhanger at the end of each character's narration but things come together by the end of the book. I was left wanting more. I wasn't ready to give up Jena's story but I got closure later on.

The title and cover fit perfectly with this book. The title is simple yet captures the essence of the book with one word. These four teenagers' lives are tangled with each other. The cover, too, is simple but it's also cute and eye catching. I love how the pink ribbon and blue ribbon meet in the middle as purple.

All in all, Tangled was a great read. I will definitely check out Carolyn Mackler's other releases!

The Book Vixen's Rating:

 

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