Reviews

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

chuskeyreads's review against another edition

4.0

What a great concept: a high school "fixer." I know a few folks that certainly could've used her services back in the day...

Tess is a gutsy character and very likeable. She's not perfect. She's just been removed from her home because her grandfather - suffering from Alzheimer's - is no longer able to care for her, according to her sister Ivy. The strained relationship with Ivy is not one that is quickly resolved, which adds to the complexity of the characters.

I'm a sucker for a good mystery, and Barnes is masterful at writing them. In every good mystery, there needs to be some comic relief. Enter Asher. I laughed. I chuckled. I guffawed a few times, too.

I'm always a little skeptical about books that deal with politics because the author's political opinions have a tendency to sully the story. This one, however, leaves out the political party and focuses on just the mystery and corruption without the distraction of a romance.

maryquitecontrary_22's review against another edition

3.0

I love the premise of Barnes' book, especially at a time when it feels like so much YA lit is unoriginal. (Not a lot of political conspiracy teen novels that I know about!) I didn't like the story as much as I expected to though- partly because the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would have hoped.

marieintheraw's review against another edition

4.0

I'm a fan of this author now. I've enjoyed too many of her books not to be

destinymorna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

tale_of_tales's review

4.0

Kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end!

christianallistergf's review against another edition

4.0

i have no words other than wtf

yeontan's review against another edition

4.0

The Fixer tells the story of sixteen year old Tess Kendrick who has spent her entire life with her grandfather on his Montana ranch. One day Tess' estranged older sister shows up and plucks her out of her quiet Montana life and tosses her headfirst into her political D.C. life.
I started this book because I was going through a very long reading slump and let me tell you, it was the best choice to get me out of said slump. I instantly connected with Tess. Jennifer Lynn Barnes wrote her with such a powerful voice and an affinity for protecting the weak, it was impossible not to love her. Tess' relationship with her sister was one of my favorite aspects of the story. It is complicated and filled with raw emotion. I felt every punch in the gut just a strongly as the Kendricks sisters did each time they interacted. And boy was their relationship complicated and grew even more so as the story progressed. Just when you think you know everything there is to know about Ivy and Tess - you realize you don't.

I also enjoyed Tess' relationship with her friends: Vivvie, Henry, Asher, and Emilia. I expected Tess' time at Hardwicke to be socially challenging and was pleasantly surprised she did not find herself the victim of bullying. Instead, Tess is able to seamlessly fit in with her classmates and make fast friends particularly, with Vivvie and Asher. Although I will say I was upset to see less and less of Asher and Vivvie as the story unfolded.

As Tess begins to spend more time in D.C. she realizes she doesn't exactly know everything about Ivy. Regardless of this fact Tess manages to earn herself a reputation as the school fixer and realizes she and Ivy have more in common than she thought. As her school's reluctant fixer Tess finds herself in the middle of one situation she can't fix and what is easily the nation's biggest scandal.

I have to say I was not expecting Tess to find herself in the middle of such a big conspiracy but was pleasantly surprised. The story telling was fast paced and addictive. The main villain is in plain sight yet I was still surprised. Jennifer Lynn Barnes did an excellent job at tying in every character to the overall conspiracy. Every person had a role in some way. As Tess discovered more and more about the conspiracy I was on the edge of my seat.

The Fixer is a tightly paced story with lovable and vivid characters. It is a story of family, political intrigue, and legacy. If you're looking for a quick read to end your reading slump highly recommend The Fixer.

full review on blog

m0rozovas's review against another edition

4.0

Really compelling and addictive! I couldn't stop reading, although I did see some twists coming. Still, I loved it.

analyticalchaos's review against another edition

4.0

Compelling from the first sentence. While some plot points are a little too convenient, The Fixer is an intriguing whirlwind that I did not want to put down.

jordun9008's review against another edition

4.0

I saw that someone compared this book to the tv show Veronica Mars (which I loved), and already being a fan of Barnes' The Naturals series I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. Although I did not love it as much as I did The Naturals series, I still really enjoyed it. The beginning of the book was slow going, but after a few chapters it picked up and had me on the edge of my seat till the end.

Plus that twist at the end...I usually see those things coming, but for some reason I didn't on this one. I don't know if I was just so immersed in the story that I missed the signs, or what.