Author: Meg Cabot
Release Date: August 1st 2007
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: Stand-alone
Pages: 272
Format: Hardback
Rating: ★★★
"Jean Honeychurch hates her boring name (not Jean Marie, or Jeanette, just . . . Jean). What's worse? Her all-too-appropriate nickname, Jinx. Misfortune seems to follow her everywhere she goes even to New York City, where Jinx has moved to get away from the huge mess she caused in her small hometown. Her aunt and uncle welcome her to their Manhattan town house, but her beautiful cousin Tory isn't so thrilled. . . .
In fact, Tory is hiding a dangerous secret one that could put them all in danger. Soon Jinx realizes it isn't just bad luck she's been running from . . . and that the curse she has lived under since the day she was born may be the only thing that can save her life." Source, Goodreads.
I just finished reading Jinx and what else can I say but, hmmm. Now I've read a few of Meg Cabot's fiction books which I must admit I rather enjoyed, but this is the first of her YA novels I've picked up and I'm slightly disappointed. Now the other books of hers I've read I knew what I was getting into. I picked up a chick lit expecting a chick lit. Jinx on the other hand I did not expect. After reading the blurb I expected a rather high emphasis on witchcraft. I expected magical twists and turns but really all I got was contemporary fiction.
Odd, I'm sure I picked up a paranormal book with a paranormal plot, but that's not what I got. Yes there were scenes of witchcraft and spells, but really I just felt like these parts had been added into the plot purely because it was a popular topic and might have sold more copies. One thing I don't particularly like is being conned into buying a book, I much prefer to go into something roughly knowing what to expect. I think if the paranormal aspect had been removed and Jinx was just unlucky and had a 'real' stalker I would have enjoyed the plot a lot more. Seen as I'm not going to get my wish I'll just remove those paranormal aspects myself and judge the book as contemporary YA. The plot was ok. I enjoyed that the story was set in New York and though I've never actually visited myself I felt she captured how I imagine NY to be. The relationship between Jean and Zach kept me interested and though it pained me how Jean was completely unaware of Zach love for her I enjoyed watching as thier story unfold. I think the stalker aspect was a little odd, or at least Jean's reaction to it. Early on in the book you find out that the reason Jean moves to New York was to escape her stalker back in Iowa. If I was in Jean's boots I would be terrified, where as Jean doesn't really give it a second though except to blame herself. Seriously the whole stalker sub-plot could have been taken a lot further. I personally loved Petra and though we didn't get to see her that much I though her role was very important. And last but not least Tory Jean's cousin. Well, well, well, Tory. Tory is riddled with jealously, and I guess jealous people do crazy things and Tory is no exception.
Overall if we slot this into the paranormal category I would have to give this book a very low rating of 1 star because I just don't feel it meets all the requirements of being a good paranormal book. Where as if we place this into the contemporary section and remove all the paranormal mumbo-jumbo I would have to give this a 4-5 stars. For this reason only I give Jinx 3 stars. I do feel like I've been lied to, but overall I enjoyed it.
Katie
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