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cutenanya's review
5.0
I didn't like a single character in another series by Barnes (The Naturals) but I like every single character in this book and adore Asher (swoon). The best part about The Fixer is the family theme (Ivy & Tess, Tess & her grandpa, Adam and his father, etc). Family is where most children learn to love, to hate, and to become human. Family can be the source of all your troubles, but alas, it's also the first place where one instinctively runs to when one has troubles.
There is also an intricate plot in this book, intertwining the fates of all the characters with the resourceful and dauntless Tess in the center. Some parts of the book may seem exaggerated and hard to execute (even for kids of the rich and powerful) but overall, it's fascinating, intriguing, and mysterious.
Although there is no romantic plot yet, I smell a love triangle forming (but I hope I'm wrong because I detest all sorts of love triangle) and really, it's the plot that matters in this book, not the romance. I certainly will read the sequel as I want to know what happens next.
There is also an intricate plot in this book, intertwining the fates of all the characters with the resourceful and dauntless Tess in the center. Some parts of the book may seem exaggerated and hard to execute (even for kids of the rich and powerful) but overall, it's fascinating, intriguing, and mysterious.
Although there is no romantic plot yet, I smell a love triangle forming (but I hope I'm wrong because I detest all sorts of love triangle) and really, it's the plot that matters in this book, not the romance. I certainly will read the sequel as I want to know what happens next.
cdee02's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
rhrie38's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
It was really good, the characters were funny and interesting. To be honest the plot took a backseat for me as I'm not super into mysteries but the characters came through!
brendalovesbooks's review
3.0
I'm not sure why I requested this on Netgalley in the first place, since it really isn't my type of book. Something about the synopsis caught my eye though, I guess. After reading, I'm still pretty sure it's not my type of book.
It was interesting enough, but there was nothing that really drew me in, and I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable. And then there were certain aspects of the plot that were really predictable too. I really wish the book had been about her friend Asher, or that he would at least have been in the book a lot more, because he was really the only interesting character for me.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this unless you really like political stuff.
It was interesting enough, but there was nothing that really drew me in, and I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable. And then there were certain aspects of the plot that were really predictable too. I really wish the book had been about her friend Asher, or that he would at least have been in the book a lot more, because he was really the only interesting character for me.
Overall I wouldn't recommend this unless you really like political stuff.
freadomlibrary's review against another edition
5.0
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Critically
Plot – 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is the kind of story that hooks you in from the very beginning. It’s full of suspense and intrigue. There’s so much action and constant twists and turns. It’s filled with secrets, lies, conspiracies, politics and even kidnappings! It was entertaining and addicting that I just flew through it and was completely captivated.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
The writing style completely compliments the story. It’s quite simple but the medium pace keeps the reader engaged and focused on the story. While the story has quite serious parts, there’s also a lot of banter and sarcasm that lightens the moment and makes me laugh out loud.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
I love the cast of characters in this book! They’re all so distinct and complex and they interact well with each other. Tess is our main character and one of the easiest words to describe her is as a fighter. She’s sarcastic and sassy and incredibly smart. She’s determined to be independent and to stick to how she is and how she wants to live her life. She’s honest and caring but tough and a little bit cold at times. I loved her attitude and how she took control of her life. The rest of the characters were also totally amazing. They’re complex and intriguing. And the friendships in this book are amazing! The group that forms in this book is so entertaining and to real. I loved getting to know each character by themselves and as part of the group. Asher is definitely one of my favorites because he’s so funny and sassy and a little bit reckless but he cares about his friends a whole lot either way. There’s so much intensity and insanity when it comes to how the relationships develop between all the different characters that it was actually quite hard to keep up with.
Emotionally
The plot was intense! It revolved around the murder of an important member of the government and how our main character is the first on the case. It doesn’t come to her conventionally considering she’s in high school and the story starts involving the children and grandchildren of the wealthy and important. There are so many different things going on in this book and it sucks you into the story from the start. There’s a huge theme in this book surrounding politics and its affects on the citizens. It’s something that I haven’t really read in a YA book before and it was really interesting to see how some of the behind the scenes things happen in government, which to be quite honest may be fictional but don’t seem that farfetched. And it was so interesting to see the correlation between that and the way the high school worked since they majority of them come from that background. It’s kind of a controversial thing because it shows the dirty and ugly side of politics, the ones people know happen but don’t really want to confirm. There are so many plot twists in this book! Things are just constantly changing and shifting and you never know who to trust and that totally impressed me and became addicting. The greatest part of those twists is that I never saw any of them coming! Too many books lately have had twists that are just too predictable and I really appreciated how this story kept me on my toes the entire time.
Tess is amazing! She’s really tough and determined. I loved how she had a sassy attitude and kind of rough manners and she was totally badass. She took the situations she didn’t agree with and made things right, just because she was there and she was capable. It was really awesome how she took control and tried to fix things (no pun intended… sort of). However, she was still vulnerable and she struggled with fitting into her new life. She’s emotional and has a hard time accepting where she is and how she life changes but she’s a really caring person. Honestly, I loved her.
The amount is side characters is vast and they’re all complex. Ivy was so intriguing. She’s kind of an enigma, not only for the other characters and Tess but also for the reader. Her job is interesting and something that is risky yet she carries herself really well, she’s powerful and she knows it. I love how she felt about Tess even though they don’t have the best relationship. You can tell she tries her hardest to make everything okay but it’s a long road ahead for both of them. Asher I mentioned above because he’s so awesome. He’s the light hearted one in the group and brings some much needed humor to the story. Vivi is such a sweetness! My heart broke for her because her life is completely turned upside down along with the plot of this story. I love how her friendship with Tess blossomed and developed and I’m just a huge fan of female friendships in general and this one was great! Lastly, we have Henry, who just a hard nut to crack. Honestly, he’s kind of like a mini adult, really serious with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s the hardest character to get to know and I’m still not a hundred percent sure on how I feel about him but I want to find out.
Overall, I love this book! It’s everything I look for in a contemporary thriller. It’s addicting and the plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters were all complex and flawed which made for interesting relationships and dynamics between them. There’s so much tension in this book and it’s a huge exhilarating ride to read. Definitely recommend!
Critically
Plot – 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is the kind of story that hooks you in from the very beginning. It’s full of suspense and intrigue. There’s so much action and constant twists and turns. It’s filled with secrets, lies, conspiracies, politics and even kidnappings! It was entertaining and addicting that I just flew through it and was completely captivated.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
The writing style completely compliments the story. It’s quite simple but the medium pace keeps the reader engaged and focused on the story. While the story has quite serious parts, there’s also a lot of banter and sarcasm that lightens the moment and makes me laugh out loud.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
I love the cast of characters in this book! They’re all so distinct and complex and they interact well with each other. Tess is our main character and one of the easiest words to describe her is as a fighter. She’s sarcastic and sassy and incredibly smart. She’s determined to be independent and to stick to how she is and how she wants to live her life. She’s honest and caring but tough and a little bit cold at times. I loved her attitude and how she took control of her life. The rest of the characters were also totally amazing. They’re complex and intriguing. And the friendships in this book are amazing! The group that forms in this book is so entertaining and to real. I loved getting to know each character by themselves and as part of the group. Asher is definitely one of my favorites because he’s so funny and sassy and a little bit reckless but he cares about his friends a whole lot either way. There’s so much intensity and insanity when it comes to how the relationships develop between all the different characters that it was actually quite hard to keep up with.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I was super interested in this book since I heard about it and I am super glad that I read it because it did not disappoint.The plot was intense! It revolved around the murder of an important member of the government and how our main character is the first on the case. It doesn’t come to her conventionally considering she’s in high school and the story starts involving the children and grandchildren of the wealthy and important. There are so many different things going on in this book and it sucks you into the story from the start. There’s a huge theme in this book surrounding politics and its affects on the citizens. It’s something that I haven’t really read in a YA book before and it was really interesting to see how some of the behind the scenes things happen in government, which to be quite honest may be fictional but don’t seem that farfetched. And it was so interesting to see the correlation between that and the way the high school worked since they majority of them come from that background. It’s kind of a controversial thing because it shows the dirty and ugly side of politics, the ones people know happen but don’t really want to confirm. There are so many plot twists in this book! Things are just constantly changing and shifting and you never know who to trust and that totally impressed me and became addicting. The greatest part of those twists is that I never saw any of them coming! Too many books lately have had twists that are just too predictable and I really appreciated how this story kept me on my toes the entire time.
Tess is amazing! She’s really tough and determined. I loved how she had a sassy attitude and kind of rough manners and she was totally badass. She took the situations she didn’t agree with and made things right, just because she was there and she was capable. It was really awesome how she took control and tried to fix things (no pun intended… sort of). However, she was still vulnerable and she struggled with fitting into her new life. She’s emotional and has a hard time accepting where she is and how she life changes but she’s a really caring person. Honestly, I loved her.
The amount is side characters is vast and they’re all complex. Ivy was so intriguing. She’s kind of an enigma, not only for the other characters and Tess but also for the reader. Her job is interesting and something that is risky yet she carries herself really well, she’s powerful and she knows it. I love how she felt about Tess even though they don’t have the best relationship. You can tell she tries her hardest to make everything okay but it’s a long road ahead for both of them. Asher I mentioned above because he’s so awesome. He’s the light hearted one in the group and brings some much needed humor to the story. Vivi is such a sweetness! My heart broke for her because her life is completely turned upside down along with the plot of this story. I love how her friendship with Tess blossomed and developed and I’m just a huge fan of female friendships in general and this one was great! Lastly, we have Henry, who just a hard nut to crack. Honestly, he’s kind of like a mini adult, really serious with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s the hardest character to get to know and I’m still not a hundred percent sure on how I feel about him but I want to find out.
Overall, I love this book! It’s everything I look for in a contemporary thriller. It’s addicting and the plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters were all complex and flawed which made for interesting relationships and dynamics between them. There’s so much tension in this book and it’s a huge exhilarating ride to read. Definitely recommend!
chuskeyreads's review
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.
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
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
4.0
I'm a fan of this author now. I've enjoyed too many of her books not to be
destinymorna's review
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 against another edition
4.0
Kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end!