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Deadly Cool #1
Deadly Cool
Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name.
But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.
But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.
303 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2011
178 people are currently reading
13303 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Halliday
95 books1,892 followersGemma had a hard time figuring out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She worked as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic, before finally selling her first book, Spying in High Heels, in 2005 and deciding to be a writer.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 769 reviews
December 22, 2011
How was it fair that I had to conduct a murder investigation and do trig?
If Nancy Drew had a cheeky sense of humor, she would be Hartley Featherstone. Hartley's boyfriend Josh has been cheating on her, and even worse, the girl turns up dead and Josh is now the prime suspect in Courtney's murder. What's a girl to do except band together with her best friend Sam and the good-looking Chase to try and solve the crime?
Reading Deadly Cool is like eating a bowl of ice cream. It's a refreshing treat following the afterburn of reading so many mopey and middling young adult novels, and it's one that goes down smoothly and will leave you craving more more more! I didn't expect for a murder mystery to keep me laughing throughout the entire story, but this one totally did. Hartley's observations are hilarious, and so are her interactions with everyone around her. At one point, an anonymous note demands a meeting with her on the football field at midnight, and she rolls her eyes and says,
"Seriously? Am I living in an episode of CSI: Silicon Valley?"
And when Josh tells her he's created a new account to chat with her, she says,
"My Space? No one is on that anymore."
"Exactly. What better way to hide out?"
This book feels very current and modern in a way that I'm not sure I've seen in any other YA novel, but the contemporary details are seamlessly interwoven and feel like a natural part of the story. There are also tons of funny pop culture references (sympathetic head tilts, etc.), Hartley's believably exasperated but loving relationship with her health-nut mom, and adults who aren't just props and actually try to help her...even if one of them does smell like Fancy Feast. I also appreciated that Hartley absolutely confirms that Josh has been cheating on her and dumps him (see the way she dresses him down in my status updates), but she decides immediately that she will help him anyway. Besides, how can you not love a girl who hides Ben & Jerry's in the back of the freezer, says "eff you" to her crappy mood by putting on sparkly flats, and admits to eating two slices of lasagna in one sitting? It's gluten-free tofu lasagna, but still.
The mystery is also pretty entertaining, with a good amount of plausible detailing, but it doesn't go overboard on the technical details. Even if you guess who the murderer is, it isn't going to spoil the experience of reading the book since the narrative voice is so bouncy and cute. The investigation, by the way, leads to a really funny scene where Hartley is trapped under a hot guy's bed who's unaware that she's there and he starts to undress. There are a number of scenarios like that might normally raise my eyebrows if they're tastelessly done, but Gemma Halliday writes with such wit and charm that they don't seem at all forced or tacky. Instead, you feel every bit of Hartley's embarrassment and anxiety, as well as her, um, inability to look away.
This book put me in such a good mood, and has a similar vibe to fresh and funny books such as Hex Hall and Flying Blind. Hartley is a lot like a cross between Sophie Mercer and Nancy Drew, actually, and she also quickly became one of my favorite YA characters. I had such a good time with this book, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel Social Suicide, which will be out soon in Spring 2012. If you enjoy non-angsty YA, Deadly Cool is a book you'll definitely want to take for a spin.
This review also appears in a The Midnight Garden.
P.S. I thought it was funny that one of the secondary character's names was Cody Banks, which made me think of the movie from awhile back. The name "Hartley" reminded me of Beverly Cleary's The Luckiest Girl, however, which was a big bonus in my book. :)
If Nancy Drew had a cheeky sense of humor, she would be Hartley Featherstone. Hartley's boyfriend Josh has been cheating on her, and even worse, the girl turns up dead and Josh is now the prime suspect in Courtney's murder. What's a girl to do except band together with her best friend Sam and the good-looking Chase to try and solve the crime?
Reading Deadly Cool is like eating a bowl of ice cream. It's a refreshing treat following the afterburn of reading so many mopey and middling young adult novels, and it's one that goes down smoothly and will leave you craving more more more! I didn't expect for a murder mystery to keep me laughing throughout the entire story, but this one totally did. Hartley's observations are hilarious, and so are her interactions with everyone around her. At one point, an anonymous note demands a meeting with her on the football field at midnight, and she rolls her eyes and says,
"Seriously? Am I living in an episode of CSI: Silicon Valley?"
And when Josh tells her he's created a new account to chat with her, she says,
"My Space? No one is on that anymore."
"Exactly. What better way to hide out?"
This book feels very current and modern in a way that I'm not sure I've seen in any other YA novel, but the contemporary details are seamlessly interwoven and feel like a natural part of the story. There are also tons of funny pop culture references (sympathetic head tilts, etc.), Hartley's believably exasperated but loving relationship with her health-nut mom, and adults who aren't just props and actually try to help her...even if one of them does smell like Fancy Feast. I also appreciated that Hartley absolutely confirms that Josh has been cheating on her and dumps him (see the way she dresses him down in my status updates), but she decides immediately that she will help him anyway. Besides, how can you not love a girl who hides Ben & Jerry's in the back of the freezer, says "eff you" to her crappy mood by putting on sparkly flats, and admits to eating two slices of lasagna in one sitting? It's gluten-free tofu lasagna, but still.
The mystery is also pretty entertaining, with a good amount of plausible detailing, but it doesn't go overboard on the technical details. Even if you guess who the murderer is, it isn't going to spoil the experience of reading the book since the narrative voice is so bouncy and cute. The investigation, by the way, leads to a really funny scene where Hartley is trapped under a hot guy's bed who's unaware that she's there and he starts to undress. There are a number of scenarios like that might normally raise my eyebrows if they're tastelessly done, but Gemma Halliday writes with such wit and charm that they don't seem at all forced or tacky. Instead, you feel every bit of Hartley's embarrassment and anxiety, as well as her, um, inability to look away.
This book put me in such a good mood, and has a similar vibe to fresh and funny books such as Hex Hall and Flying Blind. Hartley is a lot like a cross between Sophie Mercer and Nancy Drew, actually, and she also quickly became one of my favorite YA characters. I had such a good time with this book, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel Social Suicide, which will be out soon in Spring 2012. If you enjoy non-angsty YA, Deadly Cool is a book you'll definitely want to take for a spin.
This review also appears in a The Midnight Garden.
P.S. I thought it was funny that one of the secondary character's names was Cody Banks, which made me think of the movie from awhile back. The name "Hartley" reminded me of Beverly Cleary's The Luckiest Girl, however, which was a big bonus in my book. :)
December 13, 2014
4.5 stars.
Hartley is definitely one of my favorite characters.
I love her 'excellent sarcastic wit', I like how she is so stubborn in trying to find the real killer and save her ex-boyfriend from jail, even though she does it mostly because she thinks it's her right (and only hers) to kick his ass and she would gladly do that.
"I immediately opened my window, checking outside to make sure Josh had a clear path. The last thing I wanted was for him to get hurt on his way to me killing him"
Now off course this book should come with a big don't-do-that-at-home warning sign, as it makes no sense at all to try to investigate a crime on your own, or meet some suspicious guy at midnight in a deserted place, but I guess that we all are grown-up by now and we know how to take a book for what it really is - a book, fiction, entertainment.. nothing more.
To get it out of the way, what I didn't like is how she dismissed so easily every suspect in the crime, usually in less than half page, with only a promisse of not to be the killer from the suspect. What did she think, that the killer would come to her and when she asked if he was the one he would confess in a heartbeat? And why wasn't she on the suspects list if she was there, even more judging by the way the interrogation went with her saying all the wrong things?
But this is just a tiny minus on a list full of reasons to like the story:
- I liked how Sam was Hartley’s friend (a good friend I might add) and how she constantly supported her.
- Maybe she wasn’t really doing the right thing but she was a good friend.
- I liked Chase and how there was no love at first sight and no triangle involved.
- I liked the striptease scene (and I know that I told you this before). Of course it was a bit unrealistic as well, but who cares as long as it was quite sexy.
- I liked how Hartley didn’t forgive cheating, even though she was so damn conflicted and it showed.
- I liked how she had her pride, and her brains too from time to time.
- I liked how we kept guessing who the killer might be, and how they all seemed to have reasons for it (not necessarily what I would call ‘a good reason’, but I don’t think a killer stops for a moment to think if he has a good reason or not to end someone’s life, right?)
- Did I tell you that I really liked Hartley? Oh, yeah.. I guess I did.
I stared at a spot of lint on my comforter, blinking back a piece of dust in my eye. (Yes, dust. It was not tears. I had allergies. Probably from having hidden under Chace's bed. No way were they tears, and no way did they mean I had any feelings whatsoever for Josh.)
All in one this was a very cute book. It made me laugh from the first page to the last one and I had a very great time reading it.
Funny bottom line:
"That craptastical, gutless, son-of-a-cactus-humping butt monkey!"
This review can also be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
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April 14, 2012
There are a ton of funny books out there, and sure, plenty have made me chuckle, but very few have made me laugh out loud. Deadly Cool is one of them. Add in an engaging mystery and a dash of romance, this is perfect for a fun, diverting read. It's exactly what I was in the mood for.
Hartley's cheating ex-boyfriend is the #1 suspect in a murder. Convinced it wasn't him, Hartley is determined to find the real killer. Besides, how can she kick his ass if he's in jail? If you know me at all, you know very well that humor and sarcasm are my friends, thus it's safe to say that Hartley and me would easily become fast friends. I love her mindset, her way of thinking is in sync with my own; I could not have related to her more. Above this amusing attitude, she's feisty, smart, and super sweet. She is perfect for the tone of the story.
Although it's a murder mystery involving more than one dead body with a constant threat for more, Deadly Cool keeps it on the lighter side. It does have a surprisingly tense ending, but in no way is this a scary or dark book. It's delightful entertainment that's perfect for a pick-me-up book; in my case, it was a great change of pace from all the dystopians and dark paranormals I've been reading. The mystery itself kept me engrossed; I kept theorizing who the killer might be. In the end I can't say it would be impossible to predict, but I was satisfied with Gemma's ability to keep me in the dark, while having all the clues fit undeniably well together in the end. Honestly, I was so consumed by the amusing tone of the book that I didn't stop to ponder very much about the killer. Even if I would have guessed it on page one, it wouldn't have spoiled my enjoyment of the book whatsoever.
As fun as it is, it's not just fluff; there are some real emotions throughout. Overall, from Hartley's relationship with her mom, to her encounters with the ever present police officer, to the copious modern day details - we've got a very realistic teenage life representation that is built through quirky observations and amusing behavior from Hartley herself. I mean, who doesn't consider Ice Cream (with nuts and fruit!!) a balanced meal, or drive a car that runs on cooking oil?
Witty, clever, and carefree - Deadly Cool an all around great time that's sure to bring a smile on your face. It's a perfect escape that will leave you craving for more!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Hartley's cheating ex-boyfriend is the #1 suspect in a murder. Convinced it wasn't him, Hartley is determined to find the real killer. Besides, how can she kick his ass if he's in jail? If you know me at all, you know very well that humor and sarcasm are my friends, thus it's safe to say that Hartley and me would easily become fast friends. I love her mindset, her way of thinking is in sync with my own; I could not have related to her more. Above this amusing attitude, she's feisty, smart, and super sweet. She is perfect for the tone of the story.
Although it's a murder mystery involving more than one dead body with a constant threat for more, Deadly Cool keeps it on the lighter side. It does have a surprisingly tense ending, but in no way is this a scary or dark book. It's delightful entertainment that's perfect for a pick-me-up book; in my case, it was a great change of pace from all the dystopians and dark paranormals I've been reading. The mystery itself kept me engrossed; I kept theorizing who the killer might be. In the end I can't say it would be impossible to predict, but I was satisfied with Gemma's ability to keep me in the dark, while having all the clues fit undeniably well together in the end. Honestly, I was so consumed by the amusing tone of the book that I didn't stop to ponder very much about the killer. Even if I would have guessed it on page one, it wouldn't have spoiled my enjoyment of the book whatsoever.
As fun as it is, it's not just fluff; there are some real emotions throughout. Overall, from Hartley's relationship with her mom, to her encounters with the ever present police officer, to the copious modern day details - we've got a very realistic teenage life representation that is built through quirky observations and amusing behavior from Hartley herself. I mean, who doesn't consider Ice Cream (with nuts and fruit!!) a balanced meal, or drive a car that runs on cooking oil?
Witty, clever, and carefree - Deadly Cool an all around great time that's sure to bring a smile on your face. It's a perfect escape that will leave you craving for more!
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
September 10, 2017
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
RANT REVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMad...
*I am sorry for the amount of foul language that is about to occur, Mother, forgive me.*
There is probably going to be some spoilers so beware.
Hartley Featherstone has just discovered Josh, her beloved boyfriend of 6 MONTHS has cheated on her with the Head of the high school chastity club, Courtney Clines. When she goes to his house to confront him later that day, she finds Courtney strangled in his closet. Pleading his innocence, Josh asks her to help him clear his name in the murder investigation. With the help of her friend Sam and resident bad boy Chase, Hartley decides to help her piece of shit EX-boyfriend. But when bodies begin to pile up, Hartley begins to realise that she may be next on the killers list of victims.
THIS BOOK MADE ME SO ANGRY I CAN NOT EVEN.
First off, WHY THE HELL DID HARTLEY GO TO SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR A GUY WHO CHEATED ON HER IS BEYOND ME! Like bittttttttttttch, if a boy cheated on me I'd be like SEE YA LATER SUCKER, have fun rotting in jail ya murderer. Like girl, why are you sitting there thinking he's cute and you want to help him, I would have kicked him back through the window he climbed through. I don't even care if he murdered her or not, serves you right for cheating on this bad bitch, I'm just saying.
Lets talk about some of the ideas the author puts forth in this book... The amount of girl on girl shaming in this book makes me cringe. At least once per chapter their is a mention of someone either being too fat, too skinny or a slut. Can we just take in this one line on page 153... ""Rape!" I screamed instinctively, swatting at my attacker. It was far from the truth, but as a girl it was what I'd been programmed to yell when attacked." ... I am so uncomfortable... The amount of stereotyping and bashing in this book just made me want to throw it across the room. The author made sure to reinforce the idea that all cheerleaders were sluts who got pregnant by age 15 then dropped out of school to raise their child after the father OBVIOUSLY ditched them for another cheerleader. Another issue I had was that Josh's "reason" for cheating on Hartley was simply because she "wouldn't put out" after only 6 months of dating so she was a "prude". Like... excuse me... that is not something that we should be trying to reinforce to young girls. Also... it is said multiple times that Chase is "totally ripped" and little virgin Hartley thinks that, if her boyfriend had been ripped like that, he probably wouldn't have had the problems getting her to have sex with him... AGAIN WHAT?! EXCUSE ME?! The idea that males were superior to females was often thrown in as well which quickly got on my nerves... It was also stated throughout the book that Sam, Hartley's best friend was trying to stop swearing because her boyfriend told her that it was 'unfeminine'... like BITCH LET ME JUST START BY SAYING I AM MY OWN WOMAN AND IF I WANT TO SWEAR LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER I'MMA SWEAR LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER AND AIN'T NO MAN ABOUT TO TELL ME I CAN'T.
On to my next rant.. WHY IN THE WORLD DOES THIS BITCH KEEP GOING TO A DESERTED FOOTBALL FIELD AT MIDNIGHT TO MEET UP WITH RANDOM PEOPLE!? Like bitch... did your parents not teach you about stranger danger... why do we think this is a good idea.... serves you right getting hit over the head. Also... she goes on to national television exclaiming that she is "SO CLOSE" to solving the murder and discovering who the killer is. I'm pretty sure if a random 16 year old was going behind police officer's backs and 'investigating' on her own, it would be stopped pretty dang fast... but okay girl, you do you.
ALSO THE SPELLING THAT EVERYBODY USED DURING TEXTING MADE ME SO ANNOYED. Ya girl is a stickler for actually spelling out words... so like can we please use vowels? PLEASE?!
Now lets talk about the attempt at a romance. There is a 'love triangle' if you can even call it that. First, Josh, the typical jock character who turns out to be a lying, cheating, sorry excuse for a male... then there is Chase, the typical bad boy who is afraid of cops and wears all black with a hint of 'guyliner' to top the look off. So... lets start with Josh. HE'S A PIECE OF SHIT - The end. Now Chase... THERE IS LITERALLY NO CHEMISTRY WHATSOEVER and then ya boy pulls Hartley from a burning building and then they're suddenly kissing on the floor, she passes out and then they pretend it never happened. WHY EVEN INCLUDE AN ATTEMPT AT THE ROMANCE ANGLE?!
The one redeeming quality was that Hartley was a pretty funny character and she did have some good one liners and banter with a couple of the characters but more often than not I wanted to punch her. It was also a quick read that I was able to finish in under 4 hours so at least I didn't waste too much time on it.
Honestly, I could go on and on and on about the problems I had with this book but YA GIRL IS TIRED.
RANT REVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMad...
*I am sorry for the amount of foul language that is about to occur, Mother, forgive me.*
There is probably going to be some spoilers so beware.
Hartley Featherstone has just discovered Josh, her beloved boyfriend of 6 MONTHS has cheated on her with the Head of the high school chastity club, Courtney Clines. When she goes to his house to confront him later that day, she finds Courtney strangled in his closet. Pleading his innocence, Josh asks her to help him clear his name in the murder investigation. With the help of her friend Sam and resident bad boy Chase, Hartley decides to help her piece of shit EX-boyfriend. But when bodies begin to pile up, Hartley begins to realise that she may be next on the killers list of victims.
THIS BOOK MADE ME SO ANGRY I CAN NOT EVEN.
First off, WHY THE HELL DID HARTLEY GO TO SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR A GUY WHO CHEATED ON HER IS BEYOND ME! Like bittttttttttttch, if a boy cheated on me I'd be like SEE YA LATER SUCKER, have fun rotting in jail ya murderer. Like girl, why are you sitting there thinking he's cute and you want to help him, I would have kicked him back through the window he climbed through. I don't even care if he murdered her or not, serves you right for cheating on this bad bitch, I'm just saying.
Lets talk about some of the ideas the author puts forth in this book... The amount of girl on girl shaming in this book makes me cringe. At least once per chapter their is a mention of someone either being too fat, too skinny or a slut. Can we just take in this one line on page 153... ""Rape!" I screamed instinctively, swatting at my attacker. It was far from the truth, but as a girl it was what I'd been programmed to yell when attacked." ... I am so uncomfortable... The amount of stereotyping and bashing in this book just made me want to throw it across the room. The author made sure to reinforce the idea that all cheerleaders were sluts who got pregnant by age 15 then dropped out of school to raise their child after the father OBVIOUSLY ditched them for another cheerleader. Another issue I had was that Josh's "reason" for cheating on Hartley was simply because she "wouldn't put out" after only 6 months of dating so she was a "prude". Like... excuse me... that is not something that we should be trying to reinforce to young girls. Also... it is said multiple times that Chase is "totally ripped" and little virgin Hartley thinks that, if her boyfriend had been ripped like that, he probably wouldn't have had the problems getting her to have sex with him... AGAIN WHAT?! EXCUSE ME?! The idea that males were superior to females was often thrown in as well which quickly got on my nerves... It was also stated throughout the book that Sam, Hartley's best friend was trying to stop swearing because her boyfriend told her that it was 'unfeminine'... like BITCH LET ME JUST START BY SAYING I AM MY OWN WOMAN AND IF I WANT TO SWEAR LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER I'MMA SWEAR LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER AND AIN'T NO MAN ABOUT TO TELL ME I CAN'T.
On to my next rant.. WHY IN THE WORLD DOES THIS BITCH KEEP GOING TO A DESERTED FOOTBALL FIELD AT MIDNIGHT TO MEET UP WITH RANDOM PEOPLE!? Like bitch... did your parents not teach you about stranger danger... why do we think this is a good idea.... serves you right getting hit over the head. Also... she goes on to national television exclaiming that she is "SO CLOSE" to solving the murder and discovering who the killer is. I'm pretty sure if a random 16 year old was going behind police officer's backs and 'investigating' on her own, it would be stopped pretty dang fast... but okay girl, you do you.
ALSO THE SPELLING THAT EVERYBODY USED DURING TEXTING MADE ME SO ANNOYED. Ya girl is a stickler for actually spelling out words... so like can we please use vowels? PLEASE?!
Now lets talk about the attempt at a romance. There is a 'love triangle' if you can even call it that. First, Josh, the typical jock character who turns out to be a lying, cheating, sorry excuse for a male... then there is Chase, the typical bad boy who is afraid of cops and wears all black with a hint of 'guyliner' to top the look off. So... lets start with Josh. HE'S A PIECE OF SHIT - The end. Now Chase... THERE IS LITERALLY NO CHEMISTRY WHATSOEVER and then ya boy pulls Hartley from a burning building and then they're suddenly kissing on the floor, she passes out and then they pretend it never happened. WHY EVEN INCLUDE AN ATTEMPT AT THE ROMANCE ANGLE?!
The one redeeming quality was that Hartley was a pretty funny character and she did have some good one liners and banter with a couple of the characters but more often than not I wanted to punch her. It was also a quick read that I was able to finish in under 4 hours so at least I didn't waste too much time on it.
Honestly, I could go on and on and on about the problems I had with this book but YA GIRL IS TIRED.
November 6, 2011
Can I haz that girls eyes, please?
This book was not what I was expecting. Usually when you think murder mystery, you think dark and scary. And while this book definitely had it’s creepy moments, I laughed and smiled through most of the novel.
This novel doesn’t have much depth, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad book. Sometimes those are just what a reader is looking for, and it’s exactly what I was looking for at the time! This book was fun! It’s entertaining and absorbing, and it will keeping you guessing as to who the killer is until the last few pages! It’s faced-paced and action filled from the first page to the last! You won’t be bored!
Hartley was a riot! The only complaint I have about her was that she never used her assertive nature on her cheating boyfriend! Even when she had all the proof she needed. Sure she “broke-up” with him, but she never gave him a piece of her mind! Instead she agrees to clear his name and puts herself in danger in the process. But other than that I loved her snarky nature!
This book surprised me, and in a good way! If you’re looking for a quick entertaining read with a murder mystery, this is definitely the book for you! I will be reading Halliday’s novels in the future!
This book was not what I was expecting. Usually when you think murder mystery, you think dark and scary. And while this book definitely had it’s creepy moments, I laughed and smiled through most of the novel.
This novel doesn’t have much depth, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad book. Sometimes those are just what a reader is looking for, and it’s exactly what I was looking for at the time! This book was fun! It’s entertaining and absorbing, and it will keeping you guessing as to who the killer is until the last few pages! It’s faced-paced and action filled from the first page to the last! You won’t be bored!
Hartley was a riot! The only complaint I have about her was that she never used her assertive nature on her cheating boyfriend! Even when she had all the proof she needed. Sure she “broke-up” with him, but she never gave him a piece of her mind! Instead she agrees to clear his name and puts herself in danger in the process. But other than that I loved her snarky nature!
This book surprised me, and in a good way! If you’re looking for a quick entertaining read with a murder mystery, this is definitely the book for you! I will be reading Halliday’s novels in the future!
September 22, 2018
It is a pages-turner, the sense of humor is great and although the teenagers in the story can be air-headed and a bit annoying at times, still they are a funny crew to hang out with, the murder mystery is only so-and-so but it isn't something that I can't live with. I will look forward for the sequel.
May 22, 2021
It’s always strange to revisit books that you read in your youth! I read this one when it first came out in 2011. A decade ago, and a lot has change since then, A WHOLE LOT.
I can’t bring myself to rate this one anything less than 4*, because I can feel my younger self rebelling against me. But I can’t say that I enjoyed this to the same degree at 23 that I clearly did at the age of 13!
Naturally age and maturity plays a part in that, but I think the true factor is the societal changes we’ve experienced since then. I think that this book’s references and presentation of teenagers was already a bit dated when it was first published, so it hasn’t held up well to the process of time. From simple outdated elements like the way they talk via texts, the mention of waterbeds (do they even exist anymore?), to harder to swallow topic that age the book immediately like slut shaming, it feel like the book needs an update if it is to go anywhere in 2021 with the new release of a third installment.
The general plot is fine! It’s nothing spectacular, and reads a little over dramatic to me now, but it plays the part well enough! This is a good option if you’re looking for very very light teen crime fiction reading. The murder isn’t addressed in any real way, other than to serve the purpose of creating a solvable crime. So if you prefer a lot of comedy and no delve into the emotional consequences of being confronted with death at a young age (Hartley literally found a dead body, but seemed more concerned about how people at school were viewing her??), this is a good option for you!
Things kick up a bit towards the end of the book, but it felt like it was far too over dramatic in order to overcompensate for the for the otherwise very chill narrative.
Would I recommend it in 2021? Probably not at it currently stands; but with a update then maybe!
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You can find this review and other on my blog:
This. Was. Amazing.
So, yeah... I really don't know where to begin. I loved this book! I fell in love with it when I added it to my to-read list on Goodreads, so when I casually walked past it today at Waterstones, I backtracked! And you know what? It was actually reduced! Uh... I'm supposed to be talking about the content of Deadly cool aren't I? Yeah, thought so (:
Well, the plot was good, kept me guessing and even though I guessed who the murderer was, I felt myself doubting myself; I love a book that can make me do that! It's so refreshing from some of the more predictable YA novels I read..
I was grinning and 'mentally face-palming' (as our beloved main character- Hartley- would say) throughout this book, I loved every moment of this read, and read it in 4 hours strait! Which, I guess some people will probably roll their eyes at and say I read slowly, but whatever! At this point I don't really care about anything other than getting my hands on Social Suicide, my doorway to all things Chase and Hartley and Sam, who has officially claimed my Best-Best-Friend-Character-Of-2011 award (I don't actually have one, this is all purely in my head..Though I should, that would be awesome!)
I'd recommend this to anyone interested in a book that will not only make them cringe and grin when it should, but leave them wanting more!
Over and Out, T xx
I can’t bring myself to rate this one anything less than 4*, because I can feel my younger self rebelling against me. But I can’t say that I enjoyed this to the same degree at 23 that I clearly did at the age of 13!
Naturally age and maturity plays a part in that, but I think the true factor is the societal changes we’ve experienced since then. I think that this book’s references and presentation of teenagers was already a bit dated when it was first published, so it hasn’t held up well to the process of time. From simple outdated elements like the way they talk via texts, the mention of waterbeds (do they even exist anymore?), to harder to swallow topic that age the book immediately like slut shaming, it feel like the book needs an update if it is to go anywhere in 2021 with the new release of a third installment.
The general plot is fine! It’s nothing spectacular, and reads a little over dramatic to me now, but it plays the part well enough! This is a good option if you’re looking for very very light teen crime fiction reading. The murder isn’t addressed in any real way, other than to serve the purpose of creating a solvable crime. So if you prefer a lot of comedy and no delve into the emotional consequences of being confronted with death at a young age (Hartley literally found a dead body, but seemed more concerned about how people at school were viewing her??), this is a good option for you!
Things kick up a bit towards the end of the book, but it felt like it was far too over dramatic in order to overcompensate for the for the otherwise very chill narrative.
Would I recommend it in 2021? Probably not at it currently stands; but with a update then maybe!
—
You can find this review and other on my blog:
Hartley Featherstone life isn't all that peachy right now; not only is her boyfriend cheating on her, but when he's suddenly accused of murder, Harley somehow ends up having to prove his innocence..
Oh, and try not to killed trying.
This. Was. Amazing.
So, yeah... I really don't know where to begin. I loved this book! I fell in love with it when I added it to my to-read list on Goodreads, so when I casually walked past it today at Waterstones, I backtracked! And you know what? It was actually reduced! Uh... I'm supposed to be talking about the content of Deadly cool aren't I? Yeah, thought so (:
Well, the plot was good, kept me guessing and even though I guessed who the murderer was, I felt myself doubting myself; I love a book that can make me do that! It's so refreshing from some of the more predictable YA novels I read..
I was grinning and 'mentally face-palming' (as our beloved main character- Hartley- would say) throughout this book, I loved every moment of this read, and read it in 4 hours strait! Which, I guess some people will probably roll their eyes at and say I read slowly, but whatever! At this point I don't really care about anything other than getting my hands on Social Suicide, my doorway to all things Chase and Hartley and Sam, who has officially claimed my Best-Best-Friend-Character-Of-2011 award (I don't actually have one, this is all purely in my head..Though I should, that would be awesome!)
I'd recommend this to anyone interested in a book that will not only make them cringe and grin when it should, but leave them wanting more!
Over and Out, T xx
November 2, 2011
This was a cute mystery/romance with a Nancy Drew like feel. It was also pretty funny (I stayed up pretty late to finish this and had to keep it down with the cracking up because I didn’t want to wake my husband!)
The story opens up with Hartley, a junior in high-school breaking into her boyfriend, Josh’s locker to find out if the mornings text rumors are true: Josh has gotten up-close and personal with the president of the Chastity Club, Courtney Cline. In there she finds a girlfriends worst nightmare: an empty condom wrapper. Hartley attempts to confront Josh but she can’t get a hold of him. In meantime she finds out that Courtney has been murdered and the prime suspect is Josh.
This is when Hartley, with the help of her best friend Sam, and the school newspaper editor, Chase Erickson set out to find the killer. Because even though Hartley knows her boyfriend is a lying sack of %#*%@, she knows he is not a murderer (or she thinks she knows). I don’t know if I could’ve been as noble after finding out my boyfriend was cheating on me! She helps even though she’s been betrayed and hurt by this loser! Along the way though, Hartley starts to notice that Chase is somewhat of a hottie: tall, dark and dangerous. She can’t help it when he starts creeping into her thoughts more and more. I’ll have to refer you to the scene of Hartley hiding under Chase’s bed, all kinds of funny and yum at the same time! I wished there was a little more with Hartley and Chase and would’ve been disappointed if I didn’t know there’s going to be a sequel. This seems like the setup for more things to come in the romance department. There’s a sneak peek to the next book, at the end of this one, where it describes Chase as “sex in a pair of jeans,” so, yeah, I think there’s more swoon-worthy stuff to come!
This was a total page turner too (thus the staying up way too late to finish). You want to know who did it! Loved this one! So glad we don’t have to wait a whole year for the sequel! It comes out next April! Yay!!
The story opens up with Hartley, a junior in high-school breaking into her boyfriend, Josh’s locker to find out if the mornings text rumors are true: Josh has gotten up-close and personal with the president of the Chastity Club, Courtney Cline. In there she finds a girlfriends worst nightmare: an empty condom wrapper. Hartley attempts to confront Josh but she can’t get a hold of him. In meantime she finds out that Courtney has been murdered and the prime suspect is Josh.
This is when Hartley, with the help of her best friend Sam, and the school newspaper editor, Chase Erickson set out to find the killer. Because even though Hartley knows her boyfriend is a lying sack of %#*%@, she knows he is not a murderer (or she thinks she knows). I don’t know if I could’ve been as noble after finding out my boyfriend was cheating on me! She helps even though she’s been betrayed and hurt by this loser! Along the way though, Hartley starts to notice that Chase is somewhat of a hottie: tall, dark and dangerous. She can’t help it when he starts creeping into her thoughts more and more. I’ll have to refer you to the scene of Hartley hiding under Chase’s bed, all kinds of funny and yum at the same time! I wished there was a little more with Hartley and Chase and would’ve been disappointed if I didn’t know there’s going to be a sequel. This seems like the setup for more things to come in the romance department. There’s a sneak peek to the next book, at the end of this one, where it describes Chase as “sex in a pair of jeans,” so, yeah, I think there’s more swoon-worthy stuff to come!
This was a total page turner too (thus the staying up way too late to finish). You want to know who did it! Loved this one! So glad we don’t have to wait a whole year for the sequel! It comes out next April! Yay!!
January 10, 2012
This review will also appear on my blog, Mindful Musings.
In a Sentence: Though I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, Deadly Cool was a quick and fun read with a wonderfully loveable main character who will definitely have me reading the sequel.
My Thoughts
There are some days when I wish I had half-heart ratings because once again, I found myself debating over whether to give a book a three or a four. I finally settled on a three (mainly because of an issue I'll mention later), though it's a very high three. I was lucky enough to get Deadly Cool for less than $5 thanks to a coupon Barnes and Noble had out last week, so I snatched it right up. I had heard lots of great things about it around the book blogosphere and thankfully, the book mostly lived up to my expectations.
Picking up Deadly Cool was a relief for me because I had been in a somewhat fickle reading mood for the last few days. I kept going through my pile of books, trying a few pages here and there in order to find something that would keep my attention, but nothing really caught my interest until I fell in love with the first couple of lines of this book (which you can see above). I immediately dived into Deadly Cool and quickly developed a girl crush on the main character, Hartley. Seriously, if she was a real person, I'd be knocking down her door to introduce myself as her new best friend. Hartley is an intelligent, sarcastic, and all-around awesome character. Her witty comebacks had me laughing out loud off and on throughout the book, which I finished in two sittings. Gemma Halliday did a fabulous job of creating Hartley's character and utilized a certain cynical creativity to craft some very entertaining dialogue. For example:
"I rolled my eyes. 'Teenagers have sex, Caitlyn. Get over it.'
'Well, they shouldn't,' Caitlyn countered. 'It's wrong. They should be saving themselves. Our bodies are our temples. They should have a little more respect for themselves than that.'
'You know, I could have sworn I saw you shoveling Cheetos into your temple last week.'
'Oh, but I'm pretty sure those were nonfat,' Kaylee piped up.
Oh brother." (pp. 108-109).
This next one has to be my favorite:
"I'll go," he said.
"And that's safer because?"
"I'm a guy."
"Right, and having a pair of dingle balls makes you invincible how?" (p. 139).
Aside from being downright hilarious, at heart, Hartley is a really good person. After all, how many of you would waste nearly all your free time trying to clear your cheating scumbag of a boyfriend of murder charges when he just got done sleeping with the president of the Chastity Club when you wouldn't put out? Not to mention the cramp it puts on Hartley's social life. The cops are stalking her house in hopes of catching her sleezeball-but-not-the-murdering-type ex-boyfriend and she's the topic of all the good gossip as the girl whose guy got caught boinking another chick in the band room.
I also really liked the minor characters in Deadly Cool, especially Hartley's best friend, Sam, whose constant attempt to try to clean up her swear-like-a-sailor act kept me giggling. I also liked the quirkiness of Hartley's paranoid, tofu and Yogalates-obsessed Mom commonly referred to as the SMother. The minor characters (while minor, as the name suggests), played fairly strong parts in the story, which is nice to see in a category of literature where the development of secondary characters frequently falls by the wayside.
The one problem I had with Deadly Cool and the reason I decided to give it a three instead of a four was the ending. For those of you who know me well, you know I'm fairly good at seeing twists coming. However, I can honestly say that this wasn't the case with Deadly Cool. But this time, it wasn't a good thing. I don't want to ruin the ending, so I won't say too much, but let's just say that I thought the character who turned out to be the murderer was a liiiittle far-fetched. His/her motives for killing just didn't really seem enough to me, and as a result, I found the conclusion of Deadly Cool to be a bit 0ff-putting. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book as a whole and will definitely be picking up the sequel, Social Suicide, when it comes out in April.
In a Sentence: Though I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, Deadly Cool was a quick and fun read with a wonderfully loveable main character who will definitely have me reading the sequel.
My Thoughts
There are some days when I wish I had half-heart ratings because once again, I found myself debating over whether to give a book a three or a four. I finally settled on a three (mainly because of an issue I'll mention later), though it's a very high three. I was lucky enough to get Deadly Cool for less than $5 thanks to a coupon Barnes and Noble had out last week, so I snatched it right up. I had heard lots of great things about it around the book blogosphere and thankfully, the book mostly lived up to my expectations.
Picking up Deadly Cool was a relief for me because I had been in a somewhat fickle reading mood for the last few days. I kept going through my pile of books, trying a few pages here and there in order to find something that would keep my attention, but nothing really caught my interest until I fell in love with the first couple of lines of this book (which you can see above). I immediately dived into Deadly Cool and quickly developed a girl crush on the main character, Hartley. Seriously, if she was a real person, I'd be knocking down her door to introduce myself as her new best friend. Hartley is an intelligent, sarcastic, and all-around awesome character. Her witty comebacks had me laughing out loud off and on throughout the book, which I finished in two sittings. Gemma Halliday did a fabulous job of creating Hartley's character and utilized a certain cynical creativity to craft some very entertaining dialogue. For example:
"I rolled my eyes. 'Teenagers have sex, Caitlyn. Get over it.'
'Well, they shouldn't,' Caitlyn countered. 'It's wrong. They should be saving themselves. Our bodies are our temples. They should have a little more respect for themselves than that.'
'You know, I could have sworn I saw you shoveling Cheetos into your temple last week.'
'Oh, but I'm pretty sure those were nonfat,' Kaylee piped up.
Oh brother." (pp. 108-109).
This next one has to be my favorite:
"I'll go," he said.
"And that's safer because?"
"I'm a guy."
"Right, and having a pair of dingle balls makes you invincible how?" (p. 139).
Aside from being downright hilarious, at heart, Hartley is a really good person. After all, how many of you would waste nearly all your free time trying to clear your cheating scumbag of a boyfriend of murder charges when he just got done sleeping with the president of the Chastity Club when you wouldn't put out? Not to mention the cramp it puts on Hartley's social life. The cops are stalking her house in hopes of catching her sleezeball-but-not-the-murdering-type ex-boyfriend and she's the topic of all the good gossip as the girl whose guy got caught boinking another chick in the band room.
I also really liked the minor characters in Deadly Cool, especially Hartley's best friend, Sam, whose constant attempt to try to clean up her swear-like-a-sailor act kept me giggling. I also liked the quirkiness of Hartley's paranoid, tofu and Yogalates-obsessed Mom commonly referred to as the SMother. The minor characters (while minor, as the name suggests), played fairly strong parts in the story, which is nice to see in a category of literature where the development of secondary characters frequently falls by the wayside.
The one problem I had with Deadly Cool and the reason I decided to give it a three instead of a four was the ending. For those of you who know me well, you know I'm fairly good at seeing twists coming. However, I can honestly say that this wasn't the case with Deadly Cool. But this time, it wasn't a good thing. I don't want to ruin the ending, so I won't say too much, but let's just say that I thought the character who turned out to be the murderer was a liiiittle far-fetched. His/her motives for killing just didn't really seem enough to me, and as a result, I found the conclusion of Deadly Cool to be a bit 0ff-putting. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book as a whole and will definitely be picking up the sequel, Social Suicide, when it comes out in April.
May 28, 2019
I bought this book ages ago... like 5 years ago and it sat on my shelf. I’d finally had it. Looking at it was making me sick, so I finally picked it up. I have to say this is so cheesy. And it comes with a sequel which I’m sure will be equally cheesy, but for some god awful reason, I think I actually liked this book. I really enjoyed Hartley and Sam and yes even Chase. They all were kind of lame 16 year olds, but they also had this sweet side that got stuck in my teeth. It’s absolutely not the best mystery. But it was good enough. I’m rating it a 3.5 star. I won’t be keeping this book, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be reading the sequel. I mean what do I have to lose... I already read and enjoyed the first one.
You might ask yourself what is this YA murder mystery about? Well it’s about 3 teens playing Scooby-Doo trying to catch a killer. It’s about virgin pacts, color-guard and cheating boyfriends. It’s about high school drama and social media. It’s about a girl who knows her boyfr... ex-boyfriend isn’t a killer, but is a lying cheating bastard. And lastly it’s about trying to find the truth even if it has to hit you in the head.
If you are a teen, you’ll probably love this book and if you are a slightly old thirty something you might like it too.
You might ask yourself what is this YA murder mystery about? Well it’s about 3 teens playing Scooby-Doo trying to catch a killer. It’s about virgin pacts, color-guard and cheating boyfriends. It’s about high school drama and social media. It’s about a girl who knows her boyfr... ex-boyfriend isn’t a killer, but is a lying cheating bastard. And lastly it’s about trying to find the truth even if it has to hit you in the head.
If you are a teen, you’ll probably love this book and if you are a slightly old thirty something you might like it too.
December 30, 2016
I AM VERY FUCKING ANGRY
March 3, 2012
I've just had a sleepless night because I had to inhale this book in one sitting.
And now where is book two, eh!?
*taps her foot impatiently*
And now where is book two, eh!?
*taps her foot impatiently*
June 30, 2014
Rating: 4/5
I've been in the mood for YA mystery books lately, so it was only natural that I picked up Deadly Cool, since I owned it ever since it came out. In this book, Hartley finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her and decides to confront him, but when she sneaks in his bedroom, instead of him she finds a dead girl, the girl he was cheating with. After that Hartley's world is turned upside down. The police is after her ex-boyfriend, the media is all over her and her whole school is talking about the girl that finds dead bodies. And did I forget to mention that her ex is counting on her to find the real killer.
This was a very fast paced book. Hartley was a very enjoyable person. She was fun and quirky and most of all loyal, even to her ex who didn't really deserve her. She knows that he is not the killer and will do anything in her power to prove it, even if it means getting herself in harms way. Another person I thoroughly enjoyed during this book was Chase, the bad boy that helps Hart with her investigation. He is smart and curious and the editor of the school's newspaper. Doesn't really hurt that he is drop dead gorgeous either, although I wouldn't mind if he wasn't.
The mystery in this book is not what I am used to. During the story Hartley gets a lot of tips and info but everything leads to a dead end. No one seems to have a motive (I am used to the exact opposite, everyone being a suspect) so no one is a valid suspect. And once the killer was releaved it felt kind of awkward. There was this big monologue explaining everything that went down, which I am not a big fan of. I prefer to fit the little pieces of info together myself that have the whole puzzle solution told to me. But besided this part, the book was a really fun read and I am looking forward to the next one.
I've been in the mood for YA mystery books lately, so it was only natural that I picked up Deadly Cool, since I owned it ever since it came out. In this book, Hartley finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her and decides to confront him, but when she sneaks in his bedroom, instead of him she finds a dead girl, the girl he was cheating with. After that Hartley's world is turned upside down. The police is after her ex-boyfriend, the media is all over her and her whole school is talking about the girl that finds dead bodies. And did I forget to mention that her ex is counting on her to find the real killer.
This was a very fast paced book. Hartley was a very enjoyable person. She was fun and quirky and most of all loyal, even to her ex who didn't really deserve her. She knows that he is not the killer and will do anything in her power to prove it, even if it means getting herself in harms way. Another person I thoroughly enjoyed during this book was Chase, the bad boy that helps Hart with her investigation. He is smart and curious and the editor of the school's newspaper. Doesn't really hurt that he is drop dead gorgeous either, although I wouldn't mind if he wasn't.
The mystery in this book is not what I am used to. During the story Hartley gets a lot of tips and info but everything leads to a dead end. No one seems to have a motive (I am used to the exact opposite, everyone being a suspect) so no one is a valid suspect. And once the killer was releaved it felt kind of awkward. There was this big monologue explaining everything that went down, which I am not a big fan of. I prefer to fit the little pieces of info together myself that have the whole puzzle solution told to me. But besided this part, the book was a really fun read and I am looking forward to the next one.
November 30, 2011
Rating: 3.5
I don't know what it was about this book, but it called to me from the first time I discovered it. Maybe it was the cover-girl's gorgeous eyes (SO BLUE!) or my desire to be just like Nancy Drew when I grow up, but I knew I wanted to read Deadly Cool.
And it was so much lighter and fun-filled than I would've ever expected from a mystery! Even with the threat of unexpected deaths and trying to find the murderer, I found myself grinning constantly at Hartley's sarcasm and wit. Gemma Halliday's quirky writing style made it so easy to get absorbed in this mystery.
Smart, hilarious, and every bit the horomonal teenage girl she was, Hartley was such a fun narrator! She was exactly the clever albeit a little reckless heroine needed in every mystery novel, and bad boy Chase (who was actually SO sweet) made the perfect sort-of sidekick. The only thing I wish is that it was a little longer so we could get more character depth, but other than that, it was great!
All in all, Deadly Cool was a quick and fun mystery novel that's sure to keep you entertained for a few hours. Definitely a one-sit read. Thank goodness this is a series, because you'll be craving for the next book as soon as the last page is turned!
BUY or BORROW?: Even if you're not into mysteries, you should definitely pick this one up! I promise it'll make you grin at least once! ;)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
I don't know what it was about this book, but it called to me from the first time I discovered it. Maybe it was the cover-girl's gorgeous eyes (SO BLUE!) or my desire to be just like Nancy Drew when I grow up, but I knew I wanted to read Deadly Cool.
And it was so much lighter and fun-filled than I would've ever expected from a mystery! Even with the threat of unexpected deaths and trying to find the murderer, I found myself grinning constantly at Hartley's sarcasm and wit. Gemma Halliday's quirky writing style made it so easy to get absorbed in this mystery.
Smart, hilarious, and every bit the horomonal teenage girl she was, Hartley was such a fun narrator! She was exactly the clever albeit a little reckless heroine needed in every mystery novel, and bad boy Chase (who was actually SO sweet) made the perfect sort-of sidekick. The only thing I wish is that it was a little longer so we could get more character depth, but other than that, it was great!
All in all, Deadly Cool was a quick and fun mystery novel that's sure to keep you entertained for a few hours. Definitely a one-sit read. Thank goodness this is a series, because you'll be craving for the next book as soon as the last page is turned!
BUY or BORROW?: Even if you're not into mysteries, you should definitely pick this one up! I promise it'll make you grin at least once! ;)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
December 8, 2011
I fell in love with this book!!!! I stayed up until four reading this, and then I had to finish it as soon as I woke up. This book was not what I was expecting at all. It even had me cracking up in several parts. I loved this romance/mystery novel.
Hartley hears rumors that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Chastity club, Courtney. She ends up finding an opened condom wrapper in his locker. Hartley and Sam, her best friend, head to Josh's house. They break in and find Courtney dead. Josh is the lead suspect for the murder, but no one has seen him except Hartley. She agrees to prove that he is innocent even though he is a cheating loser. Then Chase comes into the picture. Yum is all I have to say. I am totally crushing on him. Even Hartley starts realizing how tall dark and gorgeous he is. Chase is the editor of the school newspaper. He wants the exclusive story so Hartley, Sam and Chase set out to find the killer.
Deadly Cool was a very quick read. It was fast-paced and action packed from the beginning to the end. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to read Social Suicide when it comes out in April!!! I am hoping to see a lot more swoon worthy moments with Hartley and Chase!!!
Hartley hears rumors that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Chastity club, Courtney. She ends up finding an opened condom wrapper in his locker. Hartley and Sam, her best friend, head to Josh's house. They break in and find Courtney dead. Josh is the lead suspect for the murder, but no one has seen him except Hartley. She agrees to prove that he is innocent even though he is a cheating loser. Then Chase comes into the picture. Yum is all I have to say. I am totally crushing on him. Even Hartley starts realizing how tall dark and gorgeous he is. Chase is the editor of the school newspaper. He wants the exclusive story so Hartley, Sam and Chase set out to find the killer.
Deadly Cool was a very quick read. It was fast-paced and action packed from the beginning to the end. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to read Social Suicide when it comes out in April!!! I am hoping to see a lot more swoon worthy moments with Hartley and Chase!!!
October 13, 2011
2.5 stars
Gahhh! Such a...bland book.
Let's start with the good stuff. I maybe read Deadly Cool in two hours. Despite being fairly long, it's incredibly fast and pretty good fun. I'm a huuuuuge Veronica Mars fan, so a mystery in high school was right up my street. If you love mystery, and don't mind it being fairly light and fluffy, I would read this. However, maybe get it from the library instead of buying it? There's really no reread value in this one at all, and apat from Hartley's sparky voice and the incredible speed of the plot and general enjoyment factor, there's not much else to recommend. Although my personal rating is 2.5, I've been changing my GoodReads rating backwards and forwards from 2 and 3 since finishing it. "I liked it" and "it was okay" - both of these are totally, mutually true.
Although Hartley isn't a loathable character - there are very few BITCH WHAT U SMOKING?! moments of ridicule and/or absurdity. She isn't wholly stupid. Okay, she meets people in dark fields late at night even though she's definitely the killer's next victim, which is the very definition of stupidity, but Halliday just about convinces me that Hartley's diehard certainty of Josh's innocence is a human flaw rather than a hallmark of a total moron. Also, although it sped the story along and justified her actions well, Hartley's voice felt very, very dated to me. I'm not sure what it was. There were a lot of pop-culture references - CSI, Kings of Leon, Paris Hilton, Facebook, Myspace - that made me squirm. I don't like pop culture references in general (although they can be used to enhance the somewhat 'period' setting, like the late-90s era of We Need To Talk About Kevin) because I think it's a sign that the book will date very badly. Also, perhaps even worse, there were some uses of very modern slang like "facepalm", which made me cringe. This book came out YESTERDAY in the UK, but there was such an influx of modern and fashionable references that felt so modern that they were on the cusp of becoming dated, if that makes any logical sense? Coupled with Hartley's almost-but-not-quite grating voice - sprinkled with an unbelievable amount of slang like "dude", "like", "so" and "totally", like a bad valley girl imitation - this felt almost like an adult trying too hard to be 'down with the kidz.' I'm aware of how snobby that sounds, but the voice just didn't feel organic to me at all.
I'm ashamed to say that I did not figure out the killer, so kudos to Gemma Halliday. I'm not trying to sound like a 'sore loser' with this point, because I LOVE it when a book surprises me, but, even though I didn't guess the killer, it wasn't really a surprise? That sounds weird, I know, but what I'm trying to say is that I was expecting it to be less obvious than it was. Also, since I have been insulting this book, I did think that the setting was well-drawn and it did feel like I could have been there. The best thing of all, though, was definitely the pacing. Halliday knows exactly how to space out her plot twists, how much time to give to every plot point and - most importantly - how to keep her audience reading. I definitely was.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, Halliday's characters are this book's ultimate failure. Criticisms of Hartley aside, her love interests (thankfully given very little face time in the novel) and the romance angle is downplayed, but it doesn't change the fact that this is a cliched, pathetic, trite and irritating excuse for one. The two love interests are the biggest cliches since Unlucky Childhood Friend: there's Josh (Dickish Spineless Football Player) and Chase (Rugged Bad Boy). Chase was such a massive, massive cliche. He wears black all the time and, just in case we thought he was a poser (spoiler: I did!), Halliday gets Gemma to say over and over that 'somehow Chase made it work.' Well, of course he did, Hartley, because he's your super special love interst. Speaking of which - he is, of course, totally ripped, and Hartley - who is a virgin - thinks that, if her boyfriend had been ripped like that, he probably wouldn't have had the problems getting her to have sex with him. Mostly irritatingly of all, though, All the other characters are cliches and/or just quirks with legs -- Hartley's best friend, Sam, comes to mind. I learned nothing about Sam except that her parents were desperate for her to go to Stanford (repeated about x2000 times a page...approximately) and she'd tried to stop swearing because her dumb-as-rocks boyfriend told her that it was 'unfeminine.' I remember thinking, when I was reading that, that if a boy said that to me, I'd have a few unfeminine things to say to him. But, yeah, that means that, while Sam does absolutely nothing useful, we're subjected to swearword substitutes like "effing" (approx. x5000000 a page) which are supposed to be funny, but really, really aren't.
SPOILER paragraph on the killer. So the motive could have been pulled out of thin air and there were very no clues that I remembered except for the totally obvious ones , but the motive was vaguely interesting. I mean, there was no emotional range to the killer at all - s/he was just a manic psycho, which I suppose is to be expected, but s/he wasn't really developed at all, just took off his/her metaphorical mask and became totally fruit-loop crazy. However, what really irritated me was the total stupidity shown in the last 10 pages or so. While this book had hardly been a masterwork of style, strucuture and logic, there were so many stupid things done that I spent much of those last 10 pages rolling my eyes.
This book isn't really as bad as I've made it sound -- it's not offensive, it's just a collection of stupid cliches strung along a very well-paced line. Bland and throwaway.
Gahhh! Such a...bland book.
Let's start with the good stuff. I maybe read Deadly Cool in two hours. Despite being fairly long, it's incredibly fast and pretty good fun. I'm a huuuuuge Veronica Mars fan, so a mystery in high school was right up my street. If you love mystery, and don't mind it being fairly light and fluffy, I would read this. However, maybe get it from the library instead of buying it? There's really no reread value in this one at all, and apat from Hartley's sparky voice and the incredible speed of the plot and general enjoyment factor, there's not much else to recommend. Although my personal rating is 2.5, I've been changing my GoodReads rating backwards and forwards from 2 and 3 since finishing it. "I liked it" and "it was okay" - both of these are totally, mutually true.
Although Hartley isn't a loathable character - there are very few BITCH WHAT U SMOKING?! moments of ridicule and/or absurdity. She isn't wholly stupid. Okay, she meets people in dark fields late at night even though she's definitely the killer's next victim, which is the very definition of stupidity, but Halliday just about convinces me that Hartley's diehard certainty of Josh's innocence is a human flaw rather than a hallmark of a total moron. Also, although it sped the story along and justified her actions well, Hartley's voice felt very, very dated to me. I'm not sure what it was. There were a lot of pop-culture references - CSI, Kings of Leon, Paris Hilton, Facebook, Myspace - that made me squirm. I don't like pop culture references in general (although they can be used to enhance the somewhat 'period' setting, like the late-90s era of We Need To Talk About Kevin) because I think it's a sign that the book will date very badly. Also, perhaps even worse, there were some uses of very modern slang like "facepalm", which made me cringe. This book came out YESTERDAY in the UK, but there was such an influx of modern and fashionable references that felt so modern that they were on the cusp of becoming dated, if that makes any logical sense? Coupled with Hartley's almost-but-not-quite grating voice - sprinkled with an unbelievable amount of slang like "dude", "like", "so" and "totally", like a bad valley girl imitation - this felt almost like an adult trying too hard to be 'down with the kidz.' I'm aware of how snobby that sounds, but the voice just didn't feel organic to me at all.
I'm ashamed to say that I did not figure out the killer, so kudos to Gemma Halliday. I'm not trying to sound like a 'sore loser' with this point, because I LOVE it when a book surprises me, but, even though I didn't guess the killer, it wasn't really a surprise? That sounds weird, I know, but what I'm trying to say is that I was expecting it to be less obvious than it was. Also, since I have been insulting this book, I did think that the setting was well-drawn and it did feel like I could have been there. The best thing of all, though, was definitely the pacing. Halliday knows exactly how to space out her plot twists, how much time to give to every plot point and - most importantly - how to keep her audience reading. I definitely was.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, Halliday's characters are this book's ultimate failure. Criticisms of Hartley aside, her love interests (thankfully given very little face time in the novel) and the romance angle is downplayed, but it doesn't change the fact that this is a cliched, pathetic, trite and irritating excuse for one. The two love interests are the biggest cliches since Unlucky Childhood Friend: there's Josh (Dickish Spineless Football Player) and Chase (Rugged Bad Boy). Chase was such a massive, massive cliche. He wears black all the time and, just in case we thought he was a poser (spoiler: I did!), Halliday gets Gemma to say over and over that 'somehow Chase made it work.' Well, of course he did, Hartley, because he's your super special love interst. Speaking of which - he is, of course, totally ripped, and Hartley - who is a virgin - thinks that, if her boyfriend had been ripped like that, he probably wouldn't have had the problems getting her to have sex with him. Mostly irritatingly of all, though, All the other characters are cliches and/or just quirks with legs -- Hartley's best friend, Sam, comes to mind. I learned nothing about Sam except that her parents were desperate for her to go to Stanford (repeated about x2000 times a page...approximately) and she'd tried to stop swearing because her dumb-as-rocks boyfriend told her that it was 'unfeminine.' I remember thinking, when I was reading that, that if a boy said that to me, I'd have a few unfeminine things to say to him. But, yeah, that means that, while Sam does absolutely nothing useful, we're subjected to swearword substitutes like "effing" (approx. x5000000 a page) which are supposed to be funny, but really, really aren't.
SPOILER paragraph on the killer. So the motive could have been pulled out of thin air and there were very no clues that I remembered except for the totally obvious ones , but the motive was vaguely interesting. I mean, there was no emotional range to the killer at all - s/he was just a manic psycho, which I suppose is to be expected, but s/he wasn't really developed at all, just took off his/her metaphorical mask and became totally fruit-loop crazy. However, what really irritated me was the total stupidity shown in the last 10 pages or so. While this book had hardly been a masterwork of style, strucuture and logic, there were so many stupid things done that I spent much of those last 10 pages rolling my eyes.
This book isn't really as bad as I've made it sound -- it's not offensive, it's just a collection of stupid cliches strung along a very well-paced line. Bland and throwaway.
November 23, 2011
This review was originally published to Bookish Blog
320 pages of pure fun and entertainment - Deadly Cool is a pretty cool book indeed. It's a teen murder mystery told with a surprising lightness and sprinkled with some seriously hilarious teenage humor. Fast-paced and riveting, this book will both chill you and make you laugh out loud!
The story kicks-off with Hartley discovering a condom wrapper in her boyfriend's locker (FYI, Hart is still a virgin). And I know what you're thinking, but well, it's not for the school project about reproduction ;) All of a sudden the rumors about Josh hooking up with the president of the Chastity club (Courtney Cline) are starting to make sense. Sorry to burst your bubble, Hart! Denial aside, she decides to confront her boyfriend and find out what the hell is going on. Together with her best friend, Sam, Hartley heads over to Josh's house, but instead of answers, she finds Courtney's dead body. Now, Josh might not be an exemplary boyfriend, but Harley's convinced that he's not a killer. A lying scumbag - yes, but he just doesn't have it in him to strangle someone with the cord of her iPod earbuds. But if Josh didn't kill the staying-a-virgin queen, then who did? And why?
I had a lot of fun reading this book. In fact, it took me just a few hours to finish it and these were hours well invested. It was a relaxing and enjoyable read. Now, I know this might sound weird. After all it's a murder mystery, there are dead bodies involved, a killer on the loose and at least a couple of really dangerous situations. But at the same time, the MC's narrative voice was extremely amusing and I was often cracking up at all the silly things she said/thought. It was so high-school-drama at times, it felt like reading some sort of dark and twisted version of Gossip Girl. And I do enjoy Gossip Girl. Throw in a vicious killer and it only gets better.
As much as I enjoyed the plot and the humor, I found it hard to connect with the main character. Maybe it's the personality. If I'd be the one betrayed by someone I loved and trusted, I wouldn't probably find it in me to try and help that person, I wouldn't protect him and risk my own life to prove his innocence. Hell no! There would be way more butt-kicking and less talking and tongue-biting involved! And a whole lot of really bad words, not necessarily censored. I really couldn't relate to Hartley being so understanding and forgiving. So OK she didn't quite forgive him, they didn't get back together, but still.. They guy cheated on you and then lied about it, show some real emotions, girl!
Chase, on the other hand, was a fantastic supporting character. Mysterious, hot, funny, a little bit on the darker side, with a light touch of eyeliner to make him even more unique and swoon-worthy! Sam's a great chick, too! She was a true friend, a little bit over-the-top drama queen (in a cute way) at times, but at the same time fully supportive of Hartley and ready to be her accomplice anytime she needed one. These three made a fab team and it was really fun to follow their adventures.
Overall, this was a deliciously entertaining read. One combining delirious humor and a seriously thrilling murder mystery. Gemma Halliday's writing was exquisite, the storyline she created - clever and brilliant. I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm really glad that this wasn't a stand-alone novel. Can't wait to read the sequel!
320 pages of pure fun and entertainment - Deadly Cool is a pretty cool book indeed. It's a teen murder mystery told with a surprising lightness and sprinkled with some seriously hilarious teenage humor. Fast-paced and riveting, this book will both chill you and make you laugh out loud!
The story kicks-off with Hartley discovering a condom wrapper in her boyfriend's locker (FYI, Hart is still a virgin). And I know what you're thinking, but well, it's not for the school project about reproduction ;) All of a sudden the rumors about Josh hooking up with the president of the Chastity club (Courtney Cline) are starting to make sense. Sorry to burst your bubble, Hart! Denial aside, she decides to confront her boyfriend and find out what the hell is going on. Together with her best friend, Sam, Hartley heads over to Josh's house, but instead of answers, she finds Courtney's dead body. Now, Josh might not be an exemplary boyfriend, but Harley's convinced that he's not a killer. A lying scumbag - yes, but he just doesn't have it in him to strangle someone with the cord of her iPod earbuds. But if Josh didn't kill the staying-a-virgin queen, then who did? And why?
I had a lot of fun reading this book. In fact, it took me just a few hours to finish it and these were hours well invested. It was a relaxing and enjoyable read. Now, I know this might sound weird. After all it's a murder mystery, there are dead bodies involved, a killer on the loose and at least a couple of really dangerous situations. But at the same time, the MC's narrative voice was extremely amusing and I was often cracking up at all the silly things she said/thought. It was so high-school-drama at times, it felt like reading some sort of dark and twisted version of Gossip Girl. And I do enjoy Gossip Girl. Throw in a vicious killer and it only gets better.
As much as I enjoyed the plot and the humor, I found it hard to connect with the main character. Maybe it's the personality. If I'd be the one betrayed by someone I loved and trusted, I wouldn't probably find it in me to try and help that person, I wouldn't protect him and risk my own life to prove his innocence. Hell no! There would be way more butt-kicking and less talking and tongue-biting involved! And a whole lot of really bad words, not necessarily censored. I really couldn't relate to Hartley being so understanding and forgiving. So OK she didn't quite forgive him, they didn't get back together, but still.. They guy cheated on you and then lied about it, show some real emotions, girl!
Chase, on the other hand, was a fantastic supporting character. Mysterious, hot, funny, a little bit on the darker side, with a light touch of eyeliner to make him even more unique and swoon-worthy! Sam's a great chick, too! She was a true friend, a little bit over-the-top drama queen (in a cute way) at times, but at the same time fully supportive of Hartley and ready to be her accomplice anytime she needed one. These three made a fab team and it was really fun to follow their adventures.
Overall, this was a deliciously entertaining read. One combining delirious humor and a seriously thrilling murder mystery. Gemma Halliday's writing was exquisite, the storyline she created - clever and brilliant. I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm really glad that this wasn't a stand-alone novel. Can't wait to read the sequel!
February 13, 2012
http://unforgetablebooks.blogspot.com...
My absolute favorite books to read are ones with great mystery. Mystery novels is one of my favorite genres because I love solving them and creating theories. I experienced an enjoyable Agatha Christie faze last year. (Where I was able to correctly guess some murders!) I find that the best murder mysteries contain confusing clues, logical solutions, relatable characters and plenty of twists. Deadly contained all that.
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday creates on of the best high school set mysteries I ever read. I was completely surprised about the killer's identity. I love being completely surprised about who the killer turned out to be.
Hartley, the main character, has a sly humor to match my favorite poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her reacts to the horrible events that occur are hilarious. She is easy to relate and has an authentic teenage voice. She is a strong lead. When her boyfriend cheats on her, she doesn't take him back. When she is in danger, she doesn't freak out, she tries to find out a way of the problem. Hartley is not perfect. Thankfully her flaws are understandable; she makes mistakes and misjudges other characters.
Her best friend Sam is a true best friend who helps Hartley all the way. Her reactions to the events in Hartley's life are priceless and she always gives supportive advice. I can easily see that Sam is a separate character with her own personality.
I love how Hartley and Sam share all the secrets they find out to each other. I am so tired of main characters who keep secrets from their best friend. This book doesn't not contain that pet peeve of mine!
I also love how Hartley and her romantic interest, Chase Erickson, didn't fall in love in this book or even start dating in this book. This book showed how they grew to become good mystery solving partners and get a chance to meet each other.
This book was well written an fun to read. I love reading all the freights that Hartley had to go through to survive. Her creative way to escape from her house was an interesting scene. Also, the scene where she is hiding from Chase is hilarious. This is a perfect book to read when you want to relax and dive into a well-writen and surprising mystery.
In all, I found this book delightful and hope to read Social Suicide soon.
My absolute favorite books to read are ones with great mystery. Mystery novels is one of my favorite genres because I love solving them and creating theories. I experienced an enjoyable Agatha Christie faze last year. (Where I was able to correctly guess some murders!) I find that the best murder mysteries contain confusing clues, logical solutions, relatable characters and plenty of twists. Deadly contained all that.
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday creates on of the best high school set mysteries I ever read. I was completely surprised about the killer's identity. I love being completely surprised about who the killer turned out to be.
Hartley, the main character, has a sly humor to match my favorite poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her reacts to the horrible events that occur are hilarious. She is easy to relate and has an authentic teenage voice. She is a strong lead. When her boyfriend cheats on her, she doesn't take him back. When she is in danger, she doesn't freak out, she tries to find out a way of the problem. Hartley is not perfect. Thankfully her flaws are understandable; she makes mistakes and misjudges other characters.
Her best friend Sam is a true best friend who helps Hartley all the way. Her reactions to the events in Hartley's life are priceless and she always gives supportive advice. I can easily see that Sam is a separate character with her own personality.
I love how Hartley and Sam share all the secrets they find out to each other. I am so tired of main characters who keep secrets from their best friend. This book doesn't not contain that pet peeve of mine!
I also love how Hartley and her romantic interest, Chase Erickson, didn't fall in love in this book or even start dating in this book. This book showed how they grew to become good mystery solving partners and get a chance to meet each other.
This book was well written an fun to read. I love reading all the freights that Hartley had to go through to survive. Her creative way to escape from her house was an interesting scene. Also, the scene where she is hiding from Chase is hilarious. This is a perfect book to read when you want to relax and dive into a well-writen and surprising mystery.
In all, I found this book delightful and hope to read Social Suicide soon.
May 18, 2012
3.5/5
How awesomely funny was this?
If at first she read sometimes shallow and with not that much to her, well... I was wrong. After a couple things happen to her, around her, her reactions were enough to get me to consider her more, and in the end, I say, I actually I do like this particular girl detective. Because this girl detective would likely give Sophie of Hex Hall fame a run for her money in snark. Well, that and the fact that her story is very straightforward in the telling and never dry (I don’t think it would have been possible given the kind of girl she is.)
Even the little moments of playing at current didn’t hamper my liking this one. The girl is smart, funny and sassy…a t times a bit clueless but determined. And, still I liked it. I liked her as well as most people in it. Her BFF is precisely that: a BFF that’s there. Sam also added an different sort of funny, minus the snark, she could give as good as the other. Together though, well, let’s just say that I enjoyed the dynamic they had going for them. The back and forth of one staying listening, then the other piping up, then maybe another siding with the other her, or perhaps disagreeing in an honest but always funny way. My point? I enjoyed these best friends.
There’s no absence of boy drama, but that she’s in it to clear despite what a douche a certain someone could be? Well, that amped things up a bit more. And also, the maybe, might be, could be that was taking place with Chase, it was that aspect of it that had me all a tingle. Absence of teen boy drama, my butt. I liked her trying to get over the other and failing miserably. Then her making mistakes and basically her (sometimes) making a fool of herself, but still pushing forward nonetheless. I even liked her threatening bloody murder... because all of that? Well, all that rang truthful and accurate… and hilarious. Read this. Fluffy, funny… and just the right kind of read for me right now.
3.5/5
And how she describes getting vats of veggy oil from restos for a converted car? Been there, done that… and the girl is right… saving mother earth is dirty (smelly) business.
How awesomely funny was this?
If at first she read sometimes shallow and with not that much to her, well... I was wrong. After a couple things happen to her, around her, her reactions were enough to get me to consider her more, and in the end, I say, I actually I do like this particular girl detective. Because this girl detective would likely give Sophie of Hex Hall fame a run for her money in snark. Well, that and the fact that her story is very straightforward in the telling and never dry (I don’t think it would have been possible given the kind of girl she is.)
Even the little moments of playing at current didn’t hamper my liking this one. The girl is smart, funny and sassy…a t times a bit clueless but determined. And, still I liked it. I liked her as well as most people in it. Her BFF is precisely that: a BFF that’s there. Sam also added an different sort of funny, minus the snark, she could give as good as the other. Together though, well, let’s just say that I enjoyed the dynamic they had going for them. The back and forth of one staying listening, then the other piping up, then maybe another siding with the other her, or perhaps disagreeing in an honest but always funny way. My point? I enjoyed these best friends.
There’s no absence of boy drama, but that she’s in it to clear despite what a douche a certain someone could be? Well, that amped things up a bit more. And also, the maybe, might be, could be that was taking place with Chase, it was that aspect of it that had me all a tingle. Absence of teen boy drama, my butt. I liked her trying to get over the other and failing miserably. Then her making mistakes and basically her (sometimes) making a fool of herself, but still pushing forward nonetheless. I even liked her threatening bloody murder... because all of that? Well, all that rang truthful and accurate… and hilarious. Read this. Fluffy, funny… and just the right kind of read for me right now.
3.5/5
And how she describes getting vats of veggy oil from restos for a converted car? Been there, done that… and the girl is right… saving mother earth is dirty (smelly) business.
February 10, 2017
It's funny, and the characters are largely engaging. But the mystery isn't much of one, and Hart is painfully naive to a point that defies belief. Yes, it's a fun, light read, but it's not one I feel compelled to continue into the next book. And even less so since it seems the third book in the series is unlikely to be published any time soon. But I can recommend it as a light mystery starring a (mostly) believable teenage girl.
December 14, 2011
Gemma Halliday’s debut, Deadly Cool, was an addictive mystery novel. It was packed with fun twists, turns, and characters that are very appealing but non-irritating. I loved how Halliday showed great effort in leading the characters and then twisting it to something entirely different. Her writing style just made the reading more fun and exciting.
The story was very alluring with all the clues that Hartley uncovers. Halliday’s unique way of making her readers become part of the investigation was something that I truly enjoyed. I occasionally found myself conducting my own investigation when clues are revealed.
Overall, the book enclosed a satisfying surprise. It was difficult to let go as I was holding on to dear life dying to know who “done it”. It was a mind boggling murder mystery and a complex plot that made it a good “who done it” book.
The story was very alluring with all the clues that Hartley uncovers. Halliday’s unique way of making her readers become part of the investigation was something that I truly enjoyed. I occasionally found myself conducting my own investigation when clues are revealed.
Overall, the book enclosed a satisfying surprise. It was difficult to let go as I was holding on to dear life dying to know who “done it”. It was a mind boggling murder mystery and a complex plot that made it a good “who done it” book.
January 13, 2023
very fun for what it is !
January 5, 2024
3.5 - Enjoyed the plot, but I had a few issues with the authors morals .
August 15, 2011
Deadly Cool is a murder mystery with delightfully hilarious characters and a twisting plot. When it starts out, Hartley has just busted into her boyfriend's locker, and found something that's proof positive to the fact that he's a lying, cheating jerk. And with the president of the Chastity Club, no less! When she goes to confront Josh, she finds a dead body instead... Unfortunately, that's not the only dead body Hartley will find. Now her boyfriend--ex-boyfriend-- is a wanted suspect and on the run, Hartley is the hottest topic at school, known as the chick who keeps finding dead people, and she's determined the find the real killer... Except she may die before she finds out.
What I Liked...
This book is much funnier than I thought it would be from the summary. There had to be at least 5 times that I started chuckling out loud from the hilarity of Hartley and her best friend Sam, and even Chase, despite his Bad Boy-ness. The way Gemma wrote the dialogue and Hartley's thoughts was seriously comedy gold. Even from the first few sentences it's funny!
"There are three things you never want to find in your boyfriend's locker: a sweaty jockstrap, a D minus on last week's history test, and an empty condom wrapper.
Lucky me, I'd hit the trifecta."
-- first lines quoted from an ARC
There wasn't one character in this book that I didn't like. Hartley was cool and very relatable. It amazed me that she was able to keep her head under the pressure of a murderer who is obviously pin pointing her. But she stuck to her promise to Josh to find out who the killer is. Sam is the funny best friend, always there to crack a good joke, I loved Sam's humor. And then there's Chase, a senior that gets caught up in the girls' investigation. He's got that dry humor that made me smirk almost every time he said something. Plus, I totally dig the Bad Boy. :) I loved how he was a part of the story from the very beginning, but his role grew substantially as it went on.
Gemma's writing was really fluid and the tone realistically teenaged, which I think contributed to why I related well with Hartley. It was fast-paced and not overly wordy--I finished the book in just a few hours! Fast reads are the best.
The plot wasn't entirely original (how many 80s high school slasher flicks are there?), but it was executed pretty well. I was wondering the entire time who the killer was, going back and forth between suspects just as Hartley did. And in the end, when it was revealed, for me it was an "AHA!" moment. I really didn't see it coming. I was also glad that it didn't just end off after finding out who the killer was. We got a little extra story that tied it all together, but at the same time left some things open to interpretation.
Overall...
Deadly Cool was a welcome change from all the paranormal and fantasy I've been reading, and a great one at that. Definitely recommended if you're looking for something relatively quick, with great characters and a fun mystery to solve. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
What I Liked...
This book is much funnier than I thought it would be from the summary. There had to be at least 5 times that I started chuckling out loud from the hilarity of Hartley and her best friend Sam, and even Chase, despite his Bad Boy-ness. The way Gemma wrote the dialogue and Hartley's thoughts was seriously comedy gold. Even from the first few sentences it's funny!
"There are three things you never want to find in your boyfriend's locker: a sweaty jockstrap, a D minus on last week's history test, and an empty condom wrapper.
Lucky me, I'd hit the trifecta."
-- first lines quoted from an ARC
There wasn't one character in this book that I didn't like. Hartley was cool and very relatable. It amazed me that she was able to keep her head under the pressure of a murderer who is obviously pin pointing her. But she stuck to her promise to Josh to find out who the killer is. Sam is the funny best friend, always there to crack a good joke, I loved Sam's humor. And then there's Chase, a senior that gets caught up in the girls' investigation. He's got that dry humor that made me smirk almost every time he said something. Plus, I totally dig the Bad Boy. :) I loved how he was a part of the story from the very beginning, but his role grew substantially as it went on.
Gemma's writing was really fluid and the tone realistically teenaged, which I think contributed to why I related well with Hartley. It was fast-paced and not overly wordy--I finished the book in just a few hours! Fast reads are the best.
The plot wasn't entirely original (how many 80s high school slasher flicks are there?), but it was executed pretty well. I was wondering the entire time who the killer was, going back and forth between suspects just as Hartley did. And in the end, when it was revealed, for me it was an "AHA!" moment. I really didn't see it coming. I was also glad that it didn't just end off after finding out who the killer was. We got a little extra story that tied it all together, but at the same time left some things open to interpretation.
Overall...
Deadly Cool was a welcome change from all the paranormal and fantasy I've been reading, and a great one at that. Definitely recommended if you're looking for something relatively quick, with great characters and a fun mystery to solve. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
April 16, 2011
Hartley loved Josh.
Until she found out that Josh didn’t love her as much.
In fact, Josh cheated on her.
With the president of The Chastity Club.
Allegedly.
So what else is a girl to do but confront the boy who is hiding from the girl because, well, rumors are spreading like wildfire in their high school?
Except when Hart enters his bedroom, she doesn’t find him.
She finds a dead president of The Chastity Club.
Now, Josh is the number one suspect and Hart is doing her own investigation to clear his name.
Unfortunately, that’s not the easiest thing in the world to do.
In fact, writing a thrilling type of novel with humor and wit isn’t the easiest thing to do, either, but Gemma Halliday does it wonderfully. With modern quips and silly anecdotes, DEADLY COOL is a fun and breezy piece of work that is comparable to the adult “summer beach reads.” If you’re not usually into those types of books, don’t let that stop from picking this one up, because you’ll be missing out on some great lines.
The thing with DEADLY COOL is that it makes readers feel like they’re in the story. As I was reading it, I tried to pick up on clues and it was almost eerie how, as soon as I thought something, Hart did a few paragraphs or pages later, or if I wasn’t sure about something in particular, Hart makes the decision for me. Often times, I found myself thinking “Yes! I know who the killer is!” to then retracting my statement before the end of a chapter.
It isn’t a very serious novel nor will it make you feel like you’ve accomplished something great by the time you’re done. It does, however, give you an escape from the real world for a couple of hours. The characters are a bit of a cliche, at least in what one would expect to see in a movie like Clueless. There are different cliques and not everyone likes each other (cheerleaders and flag squad girls are very different and Hart explains why), there’s revenge of the greatest kind (or is it wishful thinking?), and there’s even a touch of teenage hormones raging (besides the whole cheating with the president of The Chastity Club, I mean).
DEADLY COOL may not be rocket science but it’s refreshing and definitely worth a read.
Until she found out that Josh didn’t love her as much.
In fact, Josh cheated on her.
With the president of The Chastity Club.
Allegedly.
So what else is a girl to do but confront the boy who is hiding from the girl because, well, rumors are spreading like wildfire in their high school?
Except when Hart enters his bedroom, she doesn’t find him.
She finds a dead president of The Chastity Club.
Now, Josh is the number one suspect and Hart is doing her own investigation to clear his name.
Unfortunately, that’s not the easiest thing in the world to do.
In fact, writing a thrilling type of novel with humor and wit isn’t the easiest thing to do, either, but Gemma Halliday does it wonderfully. With modern quips and silly anecdotes, DEADLY COOL is a fun and breezy piece of work that is comparable to the adult “summer beach reads.” If you’re not usually into those types of books, don’t let that stop from picking this one up, because you’ll be missing out on some great lines.
The thing with DEADLY COOL is that it makes readers feel like they’re in the story. As I was reading it, I tried to pick up on clues and it was almost eerie how, as soon as I thought something, Hart did a few paragraphs or pages later, or if I wasn’t sure about something in particular, Hart makes the decision for me. Often times, I found myself thinking “Yes! I know who the killer is!” to then retracting my statement before the end of a chapter.
It isn’t a very serious novel nor will it make you feel like you’ve accomplished something great by the time you’re done. It does, however, give you an escape from the real world for a couple of hours. The characters are a bit of a cliche, at least in what one would expect to see in a movie like Clueless. There are different cliques and not everyone likes each other (cheerleaders and flag squad girls are very different and Hart explains why), there’s revenge of the greatest kind (or is it wishful thinking?), and there’s even a touch of teenage hormones raging (besides the whole cheating with the president of The Chastity Club, I mean).
DEADLY COOL may not be rocket science but it’s refreshing and definitely worth a read.
January 14, 2012
Rating 3.5
Deadly Cool proves that murder and high school can be a killer combination. (:D heehehehehe)
Our story revolves around Hartley, your average teen girl turn Nancy Drew after her cheating boyfriend (Josh) is framed for murder when the body of his fling, the popular "chaste" Courtney Cline, turns up straggled in his bedroom.
The more I read Deadly Cool, the more I got into the story. The way that everything comes together from the who-done-it mystery to the characters involved was all extremely well done.
Hartley made for a great detective, she was charming without being annoying and clever without being completely unbelievable. She fit right in with the rest of the high school cast and acted in a way that made clear she really was just trying to find her way, instead of becoming an instant super-sleuth. And while I'm at it I have to say that "Hartley" is possibly one of the best detective names I have ever seen, it's right up there with "Castle" and "Sherlock". It just sounds detective-y.
I was however, pretty annoyed by the character of Josh as a whole. He was well written for the role of the cheating boyfriend but I didn't have the connection with him that Hartley clearly had. I really didn't care whether he was guilty or not, which made it difficult for me to invest in the mission of clearing his name. I needed a connection, I didn't need to like him, but I needed more of a reason of why Hartley did. Her trusting ways made me give a few knocks against her character since I had nothing to back it up with.
The strength of the mystery plot itself was pretty impressive. All the elements worked and the suspect pool was interesting. I wasn't surprised by who the murderer was but the reasoning behind the killings was great to read.
I did have some small problems, like the overly detailed outfit descriptions and the convenience factor of some the events. But overall I really enjoyed Deadly Cool and will most definitely be reading Social Suicide and any other future Hartley mysteries.
Deadly Cool proves that murder and high school can be a killer combination. (:D heehehehehe)
Our story revolves around Hartley, your average teen girl turn Nancy Drew after her cheating boyfriend (Josh) is framed for murder when the body of his fling, the popular "chaste" Courtney Cline, turns up straggled in his bedroom.
The more I read Deadly Cool, the more I got into the story. The way that everything comes together from the who-done-it mystery to the characters involved was all extremely well done.
Hartley made for a great detective, she was charming without being annoying and clever without being completely unbelievable. She fit right in with the rest of the high school cast and acted in a way that made clear she really was just trying to find her way, instead of becoming an instant super-sleuth. And while I'm at it I have to say that "Hartley" is possibly one of the best detective names I have ever seen, it's right up there with "Castle" and "Sherlock". It just sounds detective-y.
I was however, pretty annoyed by the character of Josh as a whole. He was well written for the role of the cheating boyfriend but I didn't have the connection with him that Hartley clearly had. I really didn't care whether he was guilty or not, which made it difficult for me to invest in the mission of clearing his name. I needed a connection, I didn't need to like him, but I needed more of a reason of why Hartley did. Her trusting ways made me give a few knocks against her character since I had nothing to back it up with.
The strength of the mystery plot itself was pretty impressive. All the elements worked and the suspect pool was interesting. I wasn't surprised by who the murderer was but the reasoning behind the killings was great to read.
I did have some small problems, like the overly detailed outfit descriptions and the convenience factor of some the events. But overall I really enjoyed Deadly Cool and will most definitely be reading Social Suicide and any other future Hartley mysteries.
March 19, 2012
RATING: 3.5 Out Of 5
The one thing that makes this novel is the humour. If it wasn't for the humour I would have stopped reading this cheesy, slightly childish-ly written novel. However I was laughing so often I just had to keep reading.
Great Funny quotes:
"Yeah? Well, at least my boyfriends not effing the president of the Chastity Club"
"Effing?"
"We're censoring now"
"Hey, I'm already driving the getaway car. I might as well be a full-blown accomplice"
"If we can get on the roof, it'll be easy to climb in the window."
"What are you ten? Who climbs on roofs?"
"His face a shade of pale that even a Twilight actor couldn't achieve"
"How come he could be a jerk, but when I was a jerk, stupid guilt took all the fun out of it?"
Best Scence:
Hartley hiding underneith Chase's bed.
The Plot:
So the story line stars Hartley (I love her name! Very unique) being our main girl, finds out her jock boyfriend is doing the president of the chastity club! When she goes to her boyfriends place to confront him and beat the crap out of him, she finds Courtney (Miss queen chastity herself) dead on his floor and strangled by iPod earphones (wow Halliday, that’s definitely a unique way to kill someone, and so modern too haha.) Convinced that her now ex-boyfriend Josh couldn’t be the killer Hartley and her best friend Sam take it upon themselves to become modern Nancy Drew's and find the real killer. With the help of a spunky hot emo guy who runs the schools newspaper.
Overall:
Even though this novel contained themes like sex and murder it was quite childish and the killers confession of why they killed Courtney, stupid! (I mean come on really?!) I wasn’t really buying it. But the book was a big bucket of laughs and a nice quick read, so i will be reading the next one: Social Suicide; hope it’s as funny as this one.
The one thing that makes this novel is the humour. If it wasn't for the humour I would have stopped reading this cheesy, slightly childish-ly written novel. However I was laughing so often I just had to keep reading.
Great Funny quotes:
"Yeah? Well, at least my boyfriends not effing the president of the Chastity Club"
"Effing?"
"We're censoring now"
"Hey, I'm already driving the getaway car. I might as well be a full-blown accomplice"
"If we can get on the roof, it'll be easy to climb in the window."
"What are you ten? Who climbs on roofs?"
"His face a shade of pale that even a Twilight actor couldn't achieve"
"How come he could be a jerk, but when I was a jerk, stupid guilt took all the fun out of it?"
Best Scence:
Hartley hiding underneith Chase's bed.
The Plot:
So the story line stars Hartley (I love her name! Very unique) being our main girl, finds out her jock boyfriend is doing the president of the chastity club! When she goes to her boyfriends place to confront him and beat the crap out of him, she finds Courtney (Miss queen chastity herself) dead on his floor and strangled by iPod earphones (wow Halliday, that’s definitely a unique way to kill someone, and so modern too haha.) Convinced that her now ex-boyfriend Josh couldn’t be the killer Hartley and her best friend Sam take it upon themselves to become modern Nancy Drew's and find the real killer. With the help of a spunky hot emo guy who runs the schools newspaper.
Overall:
Even though this novel contained themes like sex and murder it was quite childish and the killers confession of why they killed Courtney, stupid! (I mean come on really?!) I wasn’t really buying it. But the book was a big bucket of laughs and a nice quick read, so i will be reading the next one: Social Suicide; hope it’s as funny as this one.
November 16, 2011
Phenomenal! Yes, I used the word phenomenal to describe this book because it really is.Deadly cool takes you on a thrilling mystery through out the pages. You are left guessing who did it and honestly I did NOT see the ending coming.It was the last person I would have expected to do that.Maybe it was just me who was thrown off,but I really didn't guess this person. Than again, you know what they say the one you least expect is the one who always does it.
Now on to Harley,first of all what a cool name. (Hartly Grace Featherstone)Now second,(After all that randomness)she was being exactly what she thought she was being a "Nancy Drew" but it's ok because I liked it;She was on a misson to solve this case and lettme tell you see cracked it wide open taking a lot of risk and going to extreme measures to see that her ex-boyfriend, Josh was innocent.There were moments when she was unsure of her feelings for Josh and I'm glad she stayed strong because Josh was a jerk. I mean he cheated on her and than she's trying to help him and he's being a jerk.She pushed through it though because she knew the real killer was still out there and if she didn't stop this person who will.Getting off of Josh,I really liked Chase.Chase is a mysterious,bad boy who is also a writer, who wouldn't like him.Oh, and did I forget to mention he's supposed to be hot.
There was some romance,but nothing serious the book stayed on the topic of finding the killer and I loved it. It had that dash of romance and even some laughter to make it perfect.
Overall loved this book! Gemma did an amazing job on explaning characters,and the scene it had me wanting to read more and guessing until the last page.You can deffintley count me in for the next thrilling mystery of this series!Can't wait to see somemore Chase,Hartley, and we can't leave out sam.
Now on to Harley,first of all what a cool name. (Hartly Grace Featherstone)Now second,(After all that randomness)she was being exactly what she thought she was being a "Nancy Drew" but it's ok because I liked it;She was on a misson to solve this case and lettme tell you see cracked it wide open taking a lot of risk and going to extreme measures to see that her ex-boyfriend, Josh was innocent.There were moments when she was unsure of her feelings for Josh and I'm glad she stayed strong because Josh was a jerk. I mean he cheated on her and than she's trying to help him and he's being a jerk.She pushed through it though because she knew the real killer was still out there and if she didn't stop this person who will.Getting off of Josh,I really liked Chase.Chase is a mysterious,bad boy who is also a writer, who wouldn't like him.Oh, and did I forget to mention he's supposed to be hot.
There was some romance,but nothing serious the book stayed on the topic of finding the killer and I loved it. It had that dash of romance and even some laughter to make it perfect.
Overall loved this book! Gemma did an amazing job on explaning characters,and the scene it had me wanting to read more and guessing until the last page.You can deffintley count me in for the next thrilling mystery of this series!Can't wait to see somemore Chase,Hartley, and we can't leave out sam.
June 6, 2014
When I first started this book I wasn't sure how much I was really going to like it because its a murder mystery, and those aren't usually something that I read. BUT I am happy to say that it kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing the entire time! Unlike a lot of other heroines that are popular right now, Hartley was a different kind of heroine. She was a strong personality and not nearly as whiny as some other heroines.
In the beginning of the story it basically starts out with her finding out that her boyfriend, Josh, cheated on her with some girl on the Color Guard. And when Hartley goes to confront him at his house she finds the girl he's been sleeping with dead. Even though, yea it was pretty scummy, I did feel bad for her EX-boyfriend when he had to continuously be on the run.
I also liked how she confided in her friend Sam and didn't try to hide everything and deal with everything herself like a lot of other stubborn heroines.
Throughout the story she teams up with the school bad boy and her best friend to figure out who is framing her boyfriend and who keeps murdering people.
Chase. LOVED Chase!!!! He's the bad boy of the story and always has the best snide comments! I probably would've liked Josh a lot more also if he hadn't cheated on her. Because from what we saw of him in the book he seemed really genuine and sweet.
Even though I don't usually read murder mysteries, I LOVED this story! I can't wait to read the next one and definitely get more Chase! But I'm wondering if the author is gonna make Hartley the center of another murder type thing :/ Don't know, but I know this book was good enough for me to read the next one ! ! ! :DDD
In the beginning of the story it basically starts out with her finding out that her boyfriend, Josh, cheated on her with some girl on the Color Guard. And when Hartley goes to confront him at his house she finds the girl he's been sleeping with dead. Even though, yea it was pretty scummy, I did feel bad for her EX-boyfriend when he had to continuously be on the run.
I also liked how she confided in her friend Sam and didn't try to hide everything and deal with everything herself like a lot of other stubborn heroines.
Throughout the story she teams up with the school bad boy and her best friend to figure out who is framing her boyfriend and who keeps murdering people.
Chase. LOVED Chase!!!! He's the bad boy of the story and always has the best snide comments! I probably would've liked Josh a lot more also if he hadn't cheated on her. Because from what we saw of him in the book he seemed really genuine and sweet.
Even though I don't usually read murder mysteries, I LOVED this story! I can't wait to read the next one and definitely get more Chase! But I'm wondering if the author is gonna make Hartley the center of another murder type thing :/ Don't know, but I know this book was good enough for me to read the next one ! ! ! :DDD
December 1, 2011
I'm a fan of the breezy mystery. Those mystery novels that aren't just blood and guts, the ones that are also funny with a (usually female) spunky crime-solver. Deadly Cool fits this bill. It is the story of Hartley who finds out through the high school grape vine that her boyfriend, Josh, has been cheating on her--with the president of the chasity club. She goes to her house to confront him; breaking into his bedroom through the window when he doesn't answer the door. There she finds Ms. Chasity in her BF's closet, strangled to death from ipod earphones. When Josh later asks her to help him clear his name she is both disbelieving and willing. She knows the dude is a sleazy cheater--but she also believes he is innocent.
So Hartley is on the case like a modern day Nancy Drew, complete with her likeable best friend and the surprisinly sexy, all-black-wearing, tall, broad, online-school-paper editor, Chase. Anonymous tips come in, another body is found, misunderstandings and dead ends abound. I figured out who donnit before the big reveal, but I'm not giving myself too many props as this is, after all, a YA book.
My only complaints were the following (may contain mild spoilers): some of the lines were so silly, like she says at one point that somebody has the police on speed dial, what? We all have the police on speed dial--it's called 911. Also, some of the wrap-up was just wholly unbelievable with pretty bows just put on too many secondary characters. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Deadly Cool and will be on the lookout for the next book in the series.
So Hartley is on the case like a modern day Nancy Drew, complete with her likeable best friend and the surprisinly sexy, all-black-wearing, tall, broad, online-school-paper editor, Chase. Anonymous tips come in, another body is found, misunderstandings and dead ends abound. I figured out who donnit before the big reveal, but I'm not giving myself too many props as this is, after all, a YA book.
My only complaints were the following (may contain mild spoilers): some of the lines were so silly, like she says at one point that somebody has the police on speed dial, what? We all have the police on speed dial--it's called 911. Also, some of the wrap-up was just wholly unbelievable with pretty bows just put on too many secondary characters. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Deadly Cool and will be on the lookout for the next book in the series.
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