So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

Reviewed by C.J. Darlington

"...will certainly charm it’s way onto the bookshelves of any lover of chick lit and fun, light-hearted fiction."

First she brought us Katie Parker, the loveable yet snarky teen heroine who couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble. We followed Katie’s hilarious escapades through In Between, On the Loose, and The Big Picture, and it was a sad day when the Katie Parker Production series ended. What would we do without our Katie and Mad Maxine fixes?

Luckily, Jenny B. Jones got right to work on a new set of books for Thomas Nelson called The Charmed Life series. So Not Happening introduces us to Bella Kirkwood, a New York socialite teen who, much to her dismay, finds herself packing her Prada bags and heading to Oklahoma. Her mom has remarried, her plastic surgeon father is ensconced in his work (and his latest girlfriend), and Bella is forced to abandon everything she holds dear. And did we mention she now has to share space with two step-brothers? This is so not good.

Well, actually, it is—for readers. So Not Happening is full of the humor and snappy comebacks we’ve come to expect in a Jenny B. Jones novel. Yet mixed in with all the mayhem and high school drama are poignant truths and spiritual insights. Bella deals with tough issues that all teens will relate to, but there’s never a note of condescension. This is real life drama . . . complete with cow patties.

It’s important to note that although Jenny’s novels are technically classified as YA fiction, adults enjoy them, too. Everyone’s been a teen. Both young and old can relate to the universal themes of acceptance and fitting in. Add a dash of mystery and suspense ala Brandilyn Collins, and Bella’s escapades will keep you flipping pages.

She may not be Katie Parker, and you might miss Mad Maxine, but Jenny B. Jones’ writing is always fresh, relevant and snappy. Book #1 in The Charmed Life series will certainly charm it’s way onto the bookshelves of any lover of chick lit and fun, light-hearted fiction.

C.J. Darlington's first novel, Thicker Than Blood, was the winner of the 2008 Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest. Her second novel, Bound by Guilt, has recently released from Tyndale, and you can watch that trailer today! When she's not writing, she's reading. Her hobbies include horseback riding, oil painting, and book collecting. She is also a contributing editor at Family Fiction Magazine. Visit her online at her author website and at her blog where she talks about books, writing, and publishing. You can also look her up at Twitter and Facebook.