Review : 7 Clues To Winning You by Kristin Walker

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : 7 Clues To Winning You

Author : Kristin Walker
Publisher : Razorbill

Publication Date : April 26th 2012

Goodreads - The Book Depository

When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.

Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about.

Personal Thoughts

Don’t you just love reading books that are so terribly cute that they make you melt into a puddle while reading? I know I do. Funny and totally adorable contemporaries with an interesting story-line can be very hard to find these days, since we tend to compare them to Stephanie Perkins’ Anna and The French Kiss. Well, I can openly say that 7 Clues To Winning You was as good as Anna!

                               
As a result of Blythe’s father obtaining a promotion from Principal to Superintendent, Blythe and her brother have to not only move homes, but also switch to a different school, where their dad is the Principal. To make things even worse, a picture of Blythe in a humiliating pose goes viral at her new school. Now, the uber popular Blythe ends up being a social outcast at her new school. To regain her previous popularity, she participates to win the Senior Scramble Scavenger Hunt.

I absolutely loved Blythe’s character. She was a typical teenager who loved her clothes, her friends and would easily throw a fit at meaningless things. Yet, she really stood out with her witticism, snark and humor. Honestly, the things she did or said had me laughing my head off at times because she was that funny. You’ve got to love a character whose inner monologue can make you crack up! Plus, she wasn’t a clueless or silly character either. In fact, I thought she was a smart and independent girl. I really liked the fact that she was the sort of girl who knew when she was making a poor decision and didn’t try to justify her wrong move. Moreover, the girl actually made an effort to mend the damage she unknowingly made. I also adored that the author didn’t make her perfect. She had her flaws, but she was still very lovable. Her sweet nature usually bubbled to the surface when she was volunteering at a nursing home, taking care of two old women who constantly bickered, Ms. Franny and Ms. Eulalie. Truthfully, all the characters in 7 Clues To Winning you were delightful. Reading about them was a pleasant experience for me. Luke, Blythe’s love interest, was an adorable and geeky guy. Charm, confidence and wisecracks gushed out of this embraceable character. I loved the passion he had for his online paper. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that he was a multi layered character, I do think he was well-fleshed out. He ,too, like Blythe, could be seriously fun with his comments and actions. However, my favorite characters have to be Ms Franny and Ms Eulalie. They were a joy to meet. Those two kept on squabbling like an old couple, making an already funny story even humorous!

7 Clues To Winning You was a story that radiated happiness. You can’t help but love it because of that. While the characters were definitely the focal point for me, the plot too was a fun ride. The book had a tinge of everything I love in contemporaries; friendship, family life and romance. Additionally, there was also a Scavenger Hunt, which made the book all the more exciting. The romance in the book was my favorite kind. There was nothing rushed about it. Instead, what I got was a budding friendship that eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship as the tension and chemistry between the characters kept surging as the book progressed. It’s the kind of love story that has you squealing in joy and your heart fluttering out of happiness. I was very glad to see that the author gave a lot of importance to the different relationships in the book. Many YA books these days tend to entirely dismiss family life, especially the most important people in a teenager’s life, parents. Blythe’s parents were prominent figures throughout the book and while they weren’t exactly focused on their daughter due to other problems at home, they were there whenever Blythe needed them.

7 Clues To Winning You was a book that glued a silly grin on my face the whole time I was reading. It had all the necessary ingredients to craft up a beautiful YA contemporary romance: appealing characters, an engaging story-line, a swoon-worthy romance and tons of fun moments! I would recommend the book to readers looking for a cute summer beach read. Fans of Anna and The French Kiss will relish this !

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5