Book Review: The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 272
Source: Received from publicist for honest review

Summary:

"Personally, I’m tired of waiting for the universe to get off its butt and start fixing stuff. I don’t want to wait around fomatter . . . I want to be there to see it happen."

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. It’s that mysterious, powerful force that brings harmony to the universe. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what’s coming to you. A sort of cosmic balancing act. But when Mason Brooks, Maddy’s boyfriend of two years, gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and absolutely nothing happens to either of them—except that they wind up the hot new couple of Colonial High School, it seems like Karma has officially left Maddy in the lurch. That’s why Maddy and her best friends, Angie and Jade, decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization whose sole purpose is to clean up the messes that the universe has been leaving behind. Whether they’re modifying Heather Car Mason to get what’s coming to him. Or Heather Campbell, for that mpbell’s acne cream as part of “Operation Butterface,” or righting a few wrongs when it comes to Angie and Jade’s own slimy exes, they know they’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place. They’re taking care of one another. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. Because it turns out, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back. Now Maddy must find a way to balance her life for good, even as everything around her seems to be toppling to the ground.

My Review: The Karma Club was witty, sarcastic and fun! Jessica's humorous writing was highly addictive and laugh out loud funny. Madison was by far the most entertaining character I've read this year. After catching her boyfriend and the most popular girl in school making out, her life changed. Her mother got tired of seeing Madison mope around the house, so they both went to a retreat where she discovered the theory of karma. Instead of letting go of the past and moving on she had an epiphany of seeking revenge against her ex.

Madison approached her friends with the idea of starting a Karma Club that will cause the same pain toward there ex's. Now, the revengeful tactics they used were quite creative, however they never thought about the long lasting repercussions. Her choice in messing with Karma sent out negative energy which effected Madison and her friends in the end. However, Madison does seem to have a growing love interest throughout the book which I thoroughly enjoyed. He was such a sweetheart and totally fit the profile of an outstanding gentleman. I really loved this book from start to finish. I recommend it if you're looking for a light read that will leave you smiling.

Read an excerpt here

My Rating:
Book Trailer:


Author's Info:
Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self "publishing" her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples and electrical tape. After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author. Between 2006 and 2007, Jessica sold two adult novels to St. Martin's Press and two young adult novels to Farrar, Straus, Giroux. The Fidelity Files, her debut, is now available in stores (in real binding) and the follow-up, Love Under Cover, released in November 2009. The Karma Club, Jessica's debut YA novel will be released on April 27, 2010 with her next YA release, My Life Undecided slated for Spring of the following year. The Fidelity Files and Love Under Cover have recently been optioned to Marina Grasic, the executive producer of Crash as a television series and has already been sold in the UK, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, China, and Taiwan (to date). Click here for a full list of foreign sales and publishers. Jessica now works as a freelance writer and producer in Los Angeles.

For more info on Jessica, visit her site(s):
Website: http://www.jessicabrody.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jessicabrody
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Brody/24409326149
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jessicabrody1