Review: Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Title: Jersey Angel
Author: Beth Ann Bauman
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House Children's Books
Summary: Goodreads
Buy: Amazon
Rating: 3 stars

*Obtained from Netgallery and Publisher for honest review 


Summary: 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.


Review: Jersey Angel was interesting but honestly I don't really know what to think right now. I'm stuck somewhere between hating this book and thinking its the closest thing I've ever read to actually sounding like most teenage girls this generation.


Maybe its because of that stupid but entertaining show Jersey Shore, which has ultimately given New Jersey a bad rep but when I read this book it almost didn't surprise me with the way they all act. Let's make this clear: I do not think everyone in New Jersey is like  the people in that show, in fact I know its the complete opposite but I couldn't help it. 


I felt bad for Joey (her on again/off again 'boyfriend') because he's actually a really good guy and Angel is kind of.. promiscuous. I get that she doesn't know what she wants but seriously? The way she's acting, she's going to end up on Maury! But despite that, I really liked Angel; she defines so many teenagers and I totally understand  the whole I don't know what to do/ who am I feeling. Like I said before I don't really know how I feel about this book. 

One thing I do know though is that I dislike her mother. A lot. I mean with the way her mother is no wonder Angel acts the way she does. Her mom is one of those mothers who can't seem to realize that 40 is not the new 17. Maybe that's mean but seriously her mom needs to grow up. And from the looks of Angel's younger sister Mimi, she's probably going to follow her mother's foot steps. 


I just can't help but feel like the topic of love and sex were just not taken seriously. I mean they were but everyone was just having sex with everybody. Or maybe that was just Angel. I think Jersey Angel is one of those books you have to read and judge for yourself. Some will love it, some will hate it and some (like me) will be somewhere in the middle.