Blog Tour | Book Review: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Release Date: May 8th 2012

Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books

Age Group: Young Adult 

Pages:  208

Overall: ♥♥♥

It’s the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She’s not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn’t sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn’t start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn’t want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn’t want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself spending more time with Inggy’s boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

My Thoughts:                                                                                                                          

Jersey Angel was an entertaining summer read that I enjoyed but somewhere along the line it fell flat for me. I adored Bauman's sassy, fresh upbeat writing style, it was very Jersey Shore. Just like the show, I’m always wondering ‘why am I watching this crap?’ The Answer: the characters, Bauman’s characters are complex, full of flaws and realistic charm. When I went into this book I somehow thought it was going to be like the Jersey Shore version of Forever…and maybe it was, sort of.

MC Angel is not your typical YA protagonist! She is sassy and opinionated and not afraid to do she wants whenever she wants. Angel is very comfortable with her sexuality. She likes sex and goes after it when and where she feels like it, no matter who the boy may be (or may be dating). I did enjoy going on the journey with Angel and her friends even if the dialogue was filled with sex, cussing etc. Everyone talked like real people. There was a lot of sex in this book, but I wouldn’t call any of it romantic or even cutesy, it just a part of Angel's life, her personality. Through it all, I did find a redeeming quality in this book and maybe Angel did grow towards the end.

I loved the realistic aspect of this book. The characters personality never wavered. I don't think they would change just because someone does like them. That's the redeeming quality for me!

Jersey Angel definitely stays true to the Jersey Shore essence!

copy courtesy of Netgalley/Publisher for honest review/blog tour