Bad

Fearless #13

by Francine Pascal

I finally have Sam. I finally have a family. I finally have a way out.

What’s so bad about that?

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Romance, Suspense, Crime

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 10, 2002

About the author

Francine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I don't like the models they use for the covers though. They're so un-Gaiaish. I mean there wearing make-up and designer clothes. So un-Gaia

[Mayara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have skipped this one. Very unnecessary. The way Francine Pascal writes to make as many books possible is really annoying.

[OnePageAway · Rating 1 out of 5]

Summary: Loki and Gaia plan to leave the country together, Phoebe is taken into a halfway house to recover, Heather is faced with family financial problems, Ed is faced with the possibility of having the use of his legs restored with laser surgery, Sam spends time with Gaia, Sam is also faced with a close friend's death, and Tom wonders with George how they'll protect Gaia from Loki....

Eh, Bad is riddled with the same stupidity in Fearless so what should I really say here? I'm amused that book thirteen's title completely sums up what I think about this series.

1) The story claims that "Ed had become the first male FOH. The first Friend of Heather's who didn't wear lipstick" even though Sam was Heather's male friend too. Ed is definetly not the first.

2) Why does the author only NOW mention that Loki's phone is untraceable? It should have been stated earlier. Also, this makes me wonder how Loki pays his phone bills...

3) Gaia apparently discussed her favorite episodes of The Simpsons with Sam at some point even though Gaia is shown to not really watch much TV in the story so she wouldn't have any episodes to discuss. Sam isn't shown to watch lots of tv either.

4) When did Gaia learn how to drive? Did she even pass her driver's permit test, yet? When Gaia and Sam are making future plans with each other Gaia says she should drive too. It might have been a joke but it still made me think if Gaia has the proper driving skills.

5) What's with characters holding off on telling others about important events? It would erase lots of tension caused by lack of communication. It's seriously a huge problem in this series.

6) Gaia says she never lies, but we all know that's not true.

7) Gaia says she was different from all the other kids when talking about her Fearless-ness by saying she wasn't afraid of Frogs and horror movies. Those are weak points because plenty of little girls like frogs and kids can enjoy lots of horror films. If Gaia wanted to make her argument stronger she should have said something about having to face rabid guard dogs when she was younger. It would have sounded similar to one of Tom's memories of lil Gaia but still.

8) Gaia claims to not think about romance much even though it's clearly the opposite. This whole series has romance as one of it's main focuses so it ends up being completely hypocritical.

9) In the narration it goes from "Comforting wasn't Gaia's strong suit" to "Gaia had always prided herself on being there for the victims-for all the people who were manipulated and abused and beaten." You do realize that comforting would HAVE to be one of Gaia's advantages if she was so good at supporting people going through rough times, right?

10) I never cared about Mike and I could care less that he's dead.

11) I've brought up a similar point a few reviews ago but if Gaia's such a huge fucking know-it-all in school, why hasn't she been moved up a grade or two? If she has such a high IQ why hasn't she been pulled out and enrolled into a school for gifted kids? Better yet why can't she just be homeschooled with a private tutor or something? Probably because when these books are realistic there wouldn't be much plot to go out on.

I love me some contradicting writing.

[anolinde · Rating 3 out of 5]

How fitting to read a book with this title on Inauguration Day.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I am not happy with the ending at all. Loki is a manipulative person for sure. Convincing Gaia he's sick to get her not to back out of leaving with him. This sucks. I'll be happy when she figures it out and can get away from him for good.

I seriously think Heather is a gold digger. I mean Ed says he take care of her because he got money coming from his accident and now she set on that money so her family is better off. It's not right. I really don't like then together.

I feel bad for George and Tom both. Things are rough for both of them now.

[Merary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because I want to do something different I'm going to write the reviews in a Friends episode format. Enjoy!

The One Where Gaia and Sam are Finally Together

The moment everyone has been waiting for: Sam and Gaia are finally a couple. They couldn't be any happier. But then, Uncle Oliver offers Gaia the change to have a family. The thing is . . . he will move to Europe. Will Gaia say goodbye to New York? Meanwhile, Ed Fargo gets the shock of his life: There might be an opportunity to finally walk again. Will he tell Heather?

Damn it!! This book frustrated me a bit. Deep inside, Sam is still a coward! Fuck you, Sam Moon!! And Gaia, that wasn't a good decision!! Why the heck did you believe Olliver(a.k.a. Loki)?

Left with a cliffhanger, I want to know what happens next.

P.S. That book cover is gorgeous(The edition I'm reviewing, of course).

[YoSafBridg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fearless series is a great young adult series with appeal (i think) for both boys and girls (of course never having been a teenage boy~i can't really say for sure). Although it deals with the feelings of a young woman "born without the fear gene" and all the subsequent doubts and insecurities of dealing with that and the normal growing pains of adolescence it also has a fair amount of adventure and intrigue.
It makes great high interest reading for the "reluctant reader" because it is not difficult but it keeps up a rather frenetic pace, one novel leading into the next with cliffhanger after cliffhanger.
Unfortunately the author originally couldn't keep up with my demand and i moved on to other books. I kept collecting but never picked up the storyline again (i have every intention to~you know what they say about good intentions...)

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this series over ten years ago. But I remember it being very good. For the first 18 books. After that the more it lasted the worst it got. I stopped at book 32. These days I wouldn't give it more than 20.

Back to the good stuff. I found that Gaia was a good strong, pretty but still flawed character. She was special without being annoying. It's just that once the author stopped looking over the shoulder of the ghost writer. Things went down the drain pretty fast.

Last note. The series may be in boxes but I won't be giving them away any time soon. She's a good example of an interesting main character in an interesting premise.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series.

[Rose]

JF Pas

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think she will really leave.