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Shucked
Suburgatory meets Indiana Jones...on a farm
Fifteen-year-old Tabitha has had the kind of life that would impress even the greatest adventurers. She's escaped a croc attack in the Amazon, walked the length of the Great Wall of China, and earned a black belt in taekwondo in Korea. She owes her worldly experience to her mother's career in archaeology, but when her mother takes on a dangerous new assignment, Tabitha is devastated to learn she can't tag along.
Instead, she's forced to live on a midwestern farm with her grandparents where she'll have to attend a full year of public school. It's Tabitha's greatest nightmare, because despite all her adventures, she has no practical experience with the one thing that frightens her the most - other teenagers.
Her math teacher is her mom's old high school boyfriend, she can't tell the friendly girls from the mean ones, and she develops a major crush on a boy she knows she can't trust. And just when she thinks she'll never get the hang of this normal teenager thing, an attack brings the danger of her previous life right up to her midwestern porch. Who could have ever guessed getting totally shucked would bring her face-to-face with her most exciting adventure yet?
Fifteen-year-old Tabitha has had the kind of life that would impress even the greatest adventurers. She's escaped a croc attack in the Amazon, walked the length of the Great Wall of China, and earned a black belt in taekwondo in Korea. She owes her worldly experience to her mother's career in archaeology, but when her mother takes on a dangerous new assignment, Tabitha is devastated to learn she can't tag along.
Instead, she's forced to live on a midwestern farm with her grandparents where she'll have to attend a full year of public school. It's Tabitha's greatest nightmare, because despite all her adventures, she has no practical experience with the one thing that frightens her the most - other teenagers.
Her math teacher is her mom's old high school boyfriend, she can't tell the friendly girls from the mean ones, and she develops a major crush on a boy she knows she can't trust. And just when she thinks she'll never get the hang of this normal teenager thing, an attack brings the danger of her previous life right up to her midwestern porch. Who could have ever guessed getting totally shucked would bring her face-to-face with her most exciting adventure yet?
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2013
14 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Megg Jensen
37 books609 followersMegg Jensen is a two-time USA Today bestselling author of epic fantasy.
No stranger to top ten lists on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore, Megg's novels have garnered millions of downloads, attracting fans from all over the world.
She lives in Chicago with her husband, kids, and two insane miniature schnauzers.
No stranger to top ten lists on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore, Megg's novels have garnered millions of downloads, attracting fans from all over the world.
She lives in Chicago with her husband, kids, and two insane miniature schnauzers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
September 7, 2016
This book met every last cliché about a girl with an adventurous life, coming to live in the suburbs. The characters were one-dimensional and annoyed me SO much.
Becky: Heyyy! I dont know you, but let's call ourselves BFFs. I'm rambling all the time and try to be dorky and a supermodel!
Alex: Ohh, I'm the guy EVERYONE wants. I'm intelligent and sooo hot, but I feel an instant connection to the new girl. And though I've slept with almost every girl, I'm somehow the nice guy, just trying to find looove.
Illinois Jon: Nooobody would've guessed you're her father. Nope. And the whole working undercover thing. Sooo cool. And by the way: it's really great to tell your daughter (who never had a decent father figure) that she IS your daughter only so you can forbid her to date.
Tabitha's mother: First of all: It's really nice to give your kid a two-day's notice that she's going to spent the next year without you. Just send a postcard with a nice picture. It'll help. And then: How stupid/careless/ergh? can you be to accidentally send this one of a kind, invaluable artefact (that's stored in a BIG package) instead of a necklace (that should be packed up in a SMALL package) to your daughter!? And by the way: Really good of you to put a GPS tracker and a comm device into the necklace and not tell your daughter about it. Thanks for the trust!
And last: Tabitha herself! "Oooh, I grew up all over the world in dangerous places. I can defend myself!" Defend!? I don't know how often I read that she wanted to or DID hurt somebody with her taekwondo, that is (like she said, but obviously not kept in mind) for defense only. She's so small and has sooo much anger inside her. (I would most definitely recommend therapy). And thanks again, Megg Jensen, for not using the stereotype of the small girl, who masters some kind of martial arts. (Note to Tabitha: It's NOT cool to give death threats on a daily basis and think about how easily you could hurt fellow students!)Oh, but very nice that the characters fell in love after a normal ammount of time, not like these really horrible books where the persons fall deeply in love as soon as the girl meets the guy, and it's the ONE TRUE LOVE. Oh... wait. Sorry, wrong book.
To conclude my rant:
I like the idea of traveling while growing up. I really do. But if it results in books like this? I'm sorry I ever said that.
The one and only reason I finished this book is that it was the free kindle edition and I didnt have internet yet to download another ebook. If I had paid money for this, I'd have been a danger to myself and other people!
Becky: Heyyy! I dont know you, but let's call ourselves BFFs. I'm rambling all the time and try to be dorky and a supermodel!
Alex: Ohh, I'm the guy EVERYONE wants. I'm intelligent and sooo hot, but I feel an instant connection to the new girl. And though I've slept with almost every girl, I'm somehow the nice guy, just trying to find looove.
Illinois Jon: Nooobody would've guessed you're her father. Nope. And the whole working undercover thing. Sooo cool. And by the way: it's really great to tell your daughter (who never had a decent father figure) that she IS your daughter only so you can forbid her to date.
Tabitha's mother: First of all: It's really nice to give your kid a two-day's notice that she's going to spent the next year without you. Just send a postcard with a nice picture. It'll help. And then: How stupid/careless/ergh? can you be to accidentally send this one of a kind, invaluable artefact (that's stored in a BIG package) instead of a necklace (that should be packed up in a SMALL package) to your daughter!? And by the way: Really good of you to put a GPS tracker and a comm device into the necklace and not tell your daughter about it. Thanks for the trust!
And last: Tabitha herself! "Oooh, I grew up all over the world in dangerous places. I can defend myself!" Defend!? I don't know how often I read that she wanted to or DID hurt somebody with her taekwondo, that is (like she said, but obviously not kept in mind) for defense only. She's so small and has sooo much anger inside her. (I would most definitely recommend therapy). And thanks again, Megg Jensen, for not using the stereotype of the small girl, who masters some kind of martial arts. (Note to Tabitha: It's NOT cool to give death threats on a daily basis and think about how easily you could hurt fellow students!)Oh, but very nice that the characters fell in love after a normal ammount of time, not like these really horrible books where the persons fall deeply in love as soon as the girl meets the guy, and it's the ONE TRUE LOVE. Oh... wait. Sorry, wrong book.
To conclude my rant:
I like the idea of traveling while growing up. I really do. But if it results in books like this? I'm sorry I ever said that.
The one and only reason I finished this book is that it was the free kindle edition and I didnt have internet yet to download another ebook. If I had paid money for this, I'd have been a danger to myself and other people!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2014
I'd gotten Shucked as a freebie on Amazon a few months ago and I had never gotten around to actually reading it ( like 99% of all freebies I get) but I was on a three hour drive back from a book event and it was dark and I didn't feel like using my phone as a light to read the hardcover I was reading.
I browsed though my Kindle app on my phone, looking for an ebook under 300 pages to read in the dark. I seen Shucked was only 160 pages and I was like, Jackpot!
I really have no words for Shucked.
Shucked starts with the main character, Tabitha, having a big whine fest including screaming, punching a pillow, and being a bitch to her grandmother. Not a good start.
It's hard for me to find words for how I felt reading Shucked. Or the first 15% of Shucked because I just couldn't stand it.
It was very amateur writing. I felt like I could have done a better job if I was writing the story.
Just... everything was very, very amateur. Like it was the very first draft not the finished copy.
I'm really disappointed about how Shucked turned out.
I browsed though my Kindle app on my phone, looking for an ebook under 300 pages to read in the dark. I seen Shucked was only 160 pages and I was like, Jackpot!
I really have no words for Shucked.
Shucked starts with the main character, Tabitha, having a big whine fest including screaming, punching a pillow, and being a bitch to her grandmother. Not a good start.
It's hard for me to find words for how I felt reading Shucked. Or the first 15% of Shucked because I just couldn't stand it.
It was very amateur writing. I felt like I could have done a better job if I was writing the story.
Just... everything was very, very amateur. Like it was the very first draft not the finished copy.
I'm really disappointed about how Shucked turned out.
May 9, 2013
Well, that was fun. I’m not being sarcastic either. The best way to describe this book is simply fun. It was short, light, funny mixed with just enough drama to keep the pages turning. YA Contemporary isn’t my first love by any stretch of the imagination. I am, however, a fan of Megg Jensen so when I discovered she was straying away from her comfortable fantasy genre I decided the least I could do was see what she was up to.
Even though I trusted this author, I was just a little leery. Given the synopsis this could easily have turned into a ‘Mean Girls’ remake. I’m happy to say it didn’t. Of course there were the normal teenage drama filled moments. When you read a book about teenagers that’s to be expected. From experience I know that’s just the nature of the beast. The difference in Shucked was that the story didn’t totally center around petty teenage drama. Tabatha was smart, funny and strong and just the right amount of quirky. During the course of her extended stay she found out that there were things in life she was missing that she didn’t even realize that she needed. Sure, there was petty drama, but there was also some pretty intense real life drama that she had to battle too. I loved the twists and turns that Shucked took readers on. Some were predictable but others you never saw coming. I like it when even a light read keeps me on my toes.
The characters were great and the small town that Shucked took place in was just as much a part of the story as they were. Megg got the small town thing down perfectly….
It’s okay,” I answered. “I just want to know how you know so much about me. My mom’s postcard just arrived yesterday.”
Becky blushed. “Oh, um, my mom heard from Jenny’s mom, who works at the café and she overheard Justin’s mom who lives next door to Tara’s mom who works at the post office and read it on the postcard your mom sent.”
My jaw dropped. How many stereotypes about small towns did Becky just confirm for me?
By the time I reached the end of Shucked, I wanted more. Mainly because I fell in love with Tabitha and her wit. Even something as seemingly normal as a bus ride home from school made me giggle…
Were buses invented as a form of torture? Maybe the U.S. government would have been in a lot less trouble if they’d driven the Gitmo detainees around in school buses with obnoxious teenagers until they cracked. It would have worked on me.
Even though Shucked was a departure from the genre that Megg Jensen usually writes, I’d say she got it right. If I’m not mistaken I’d say a little bit of her own personality came through in Tabitha, which made it even better. If you’re looking for a light, fun read with a touch of sweet romance and a few surprises thrown in, this is one you should definitely check out.
Even though I trusted this author, I was just a little leery. Given the synopsis this could easily have turned into a ‘Mean Girls’ remake. I’m happy to say it didn’t. Of course there were the normal teenage drama filled moments. When you read a book about teenagers that’s to be expected. From experience I know that’s just the nature of the beast. The difference in Shucked was that the story didn’t totally center around petty teenage drama. Tabatha was smart, funny and strong and just the right amount of quirky. During the course of her extended stay she found out that there were things in life she was missing that she didn’t even realize that she needed. Sure, there was petty drama, but there was also some pretty intense real life drama that she had to battle too. I loved the twists and turns that Shucked took readers on. Some were predictable but others you never saw coming. I like it when even a light read keeps me on my toes.
The characters were great and the small town that Shucked took place in was just as much a part of the story as they were. Megg got the small town thing down perfectly….
It’s okay,” I answered. “I just want to know how you know so much about me. My mom’s postcard just arrived yesterday.”
Becky blushed. “Oh, um, my mom heard from Jenny’s mom, who works at the café and she overheard Justin’s mom who lives next door to Tara’s mom who works at the post office and read it on the postcard your mom sent.”
My jaw dropped. How many stereotypes about small towns did Becky just confirm for me?
By the time I reached the end of Shucked, I wanted more. Mainly because I fell in love with Tabitha and her wit. Even something as seemingly normal as a bus ride home from school made me giggle…
Were buses invented as a form of torture? Maybe the U.S. government would have been in a lot less trouble if they’d driven the Gitmo detainees around in school buses with obnoxious teenagers until they cracked. It would have worked on me.
Even though Shucked was a departure from the genre that Megg Jensen usually writes, I’d say she got it right. If I’m not mistaken I’d say a little bit of her own personality came through in Tabitha, which made it even better. If you’re looking for a light, fun read with a touch of sweet romance and a few surprises thrown in, this is one you should definitely check out.
August 10, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author Megg Jensen.)
15-year-old Tabitha has spent her summers on her grandparent’s farm since she was 8 and her mother put her on a plane alone to send her there. Every year after summer was over, her mother sent for her though, and they took off on another archaeological adventure.
This year Tabitha’s mom isn’t sending for her though, and Tabitha is going to be stuck at her grandparents for the rest of the year, which means among other things, she is going to have to go to school!
Can Tabitha survive the school year? Can she make friends? And what is her mother doing that means that she can’t go with her?
This was an okay story, but I did find some things difficult to believe.
Tabitha was an okay character, she had a lot of life experience, and was fairly self-sufficient, but she wasn’t really prepared for high school. I did find some of her claims a little far-fetched though. At the age 15 it seemed a little OTT that she was a black belt in Taekwondo, could fight with a stick and a sword, had birthed several babies in the bush, and knew loads of other random stuff. I know that she had obviously been to a lot of different places, and had real-life experience, but considering how little attention her mother paid to her, I just didn’t buy that she had managed to do all these things by herself by the age of 15.
The storyline in this book was okay, but again there were certain things that were just a little hard to believe. Her mother’s true profession was one example, and there were several more that I don’t want to talk about for fear of dropping spoilers. There were several moments when I just thought ‘What?’ though, and this really did ruin the story.
The ending was okay, but while I didn’t guess one of the twists, I did guess most of what happened, and I thought that the book was quite predictable in places. I also thought the romance storyline was quite obvious too, and even though Tabitha’s new best friend (who had a bad case of verbal diarrhoea) told her that she wouldn’t be able to tame the resident Don Juan, Tabitha of course did.
I did think that this was okay overall, but the hard to swallow bits really spoilt it, and the predictability also got annoying. If you can look past these less-believable parts, you could probably enjoy this story a lot more though.
Overall; an okay YA contemporary mystery, but a little unbelievable in places.
5 out of 10.
15-year-old Tabitha has spent her summers on her grandparent’s farm since she was 8 and her mother put her on a plane alone to send her there. Every year after summer was over, her mother sent for her though, and they took off on another archaeological adventure.
This year Tabitha’s mom isn’t sending for her though, and Tabitha is going to be stuck at her grandparents for the rest of the year, which means among other things, she is going to have to go to school!
Can Tabitha survive the school year? Can she make friends? And what is her mother doing that means that she can’t go with her?
This was an okay story, but I did find some things difficult to believe.
Tabitha was an okay character, she had a lot of life experience, and was fairly self-sufficient, but she wasn’t really prepared for high school. I did find some of her claims a little far-fetched though. At the age 15 it seemed a little OTT that she was a black belt in Taekwondo, could fight with a stick and a sword, had birthed several babies in the bush, and knew loads of other random stuff. I know that she had obviously been to a lot of different places, and had real-life experience, but considering how little attention her mother paid to her, I just didn’t buy that she had managed to do all these things by herself by the age of 15.
The storyline in this book was okay, but again there were certain things that were just a little hard to believe. Her mother’s true profession was one example, and there were several more that I don’t want to talk about for fear of dropping spoilers. There were several moments when I just thought ‘What?’ though, and this really did ruin the story.
The ending was okay, but while I didn’t guess one of the twists, I did guess most of what happened, and I thought that the book was quite predictable in places. I also thought the romance storyline was quite obvious too, and even though Tabitha’s new best friend (who had a bad case of verbal diarrhoea) told her that she wouldn’t be able to tame the resident Don Juan, Tabitha of course did.
I did think that this was okay overall, but the hard to swallow bits really spoilt it, and the predictability also got annoying. If you can look past these less-believable parts, you could probably enjoy this story a lot more though.
Overall; an okay YA contemporary mystery, but a little unbelievable in places.
5 out of 10.
July 11, 2016
I have never expected to love ''Shucked'' so much. I just wanted an easy read, with a cute and funny story, but this book surpassed my expectations. I hope the author will write a sequel, because I'll read it for sure.
After her mother gives her the news that she must stay at her grandparents for the school year, Tabitha is furios and shattered. She travelled her whole life with her archaeologist mother in places that no one has ever been. And now she must face the beasts: the teens from the public school.
Here, she finds what she never had, a true BFF - Becky was a great girl, funny and with a hidden secret. She was always supportive with Tabitha and she loved her like a sister - and a crush - Alex was sexy, funny, and a big playboy. All the girls were falling for him. Tabitha wasn't the exception, but she was different in a certain way.
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I must say that this girl is one of my favorite characters ever!!! She was so strong and so special. With her taekwondo moves and her sarcastic remarks, Tabitha enchanted everyone. She isn't your typical teenager, because a normal teenager doesn't have a mother involved in problems of the government and an unknown father as a math teacher. She will face so many obstacles in this book, you'll feel like in an action movie. But Tabitha is strong and a bad-ass<3
Overall, I absolutely love ''Shucked'' and I highly recommend it! A little bit of romance mixed with a LOT of action and suspense. I haven't read Megg's fantasy series, but she does a great job writing contemporary books. This book will get you hooked from the first page till the last one. Prepare yourself for a great adventure<3
After her mother gives her the news that she must stay at her grandparents for the school year, Tabitha is furios and shattered. She travelled her whole life with her archaeologist mother in places that no one has ever been. And now she must face the beasts: the teens from the public school.
Here, she finds what she never had, a true BFF - Becky was a great girl, funny and with a hidden secret. She was always supportive with Tabitha and she loved her like a sister - and a crush - Alex was sexy, funny, and a big playboy. All the girls were falling for him. Tabitha wasn't the exception, but she was different in a certain way.
I must say that this girl is one of my favorite characters ever!!! She was so strong and so special. With her taekwondo moves and her sarcastic remarks, Tabitha enchanted everyone. She isn't your typical teenager, because a normal teenager doesn't have a mother involved in problems of the government and an unknown father as a math teacher. She will face so many obstacles in this book, you'll feel like in an action movie. But Tabitha is strong and a bad-ass<3
Overall, I absolutely love ''Shucked'' and I highly recommend it! A little bit of romance mixed with a LOT of action and suspense. I haven't read Megg's fantasy series, but she does a great job writing contemporary books. This book will get you hooked from the first page till the last one. Prepare yourself for a great adventure<3
May 20, 2013
I found Shucked while reading reviews on a few different blogs that I follow, and it sounded perfect for me! An adventuresome girl, dumped in a small midwest farming community. What an amazing story, right?? I had to have it, and immediately downloaded it for my Kindle.
Meg Jensen’s writing is great, her story flows well and her characters are pretty great too. But about the halfway point in this story, it took a turn that was just too far out there for me. I love contemporary YA, but when I read one? I want it to be believable. I want it to be something that can, and does, happen. And this story took one of those twists that just doesn’t happen. Ever. (I wish I could say more – but without being all spoilerish? I just can’t.)
The other thing on this book? Insta-love. Serious insta-love. Which drives me insane. Because of it? I just couldn’t get into the romance plot either. Which really bummed me out.
The characters of Tabitha and her new (also insta) best friend? Aside from the whole insta-BFFness they have going on? (Because that’s just as cheesy as Insta-love!) They were great. I loved their friendship – despite the fact that Becky is also harboring this big hidden and WAY too far out there secret too.
Seriously. I wanted to love this book. You go to Goodreads and there is nothing but four and five star reviews. Unfortunately? I didn’t love it, and I feel like I need to give it an honest review. (It really would be so much easier to just skip. But, I don’t feel like I can.) There was so much about this book that wasn’t real to me. So SO much. And while the plot started off fantastic, even if a bit far-fetched, it quickly takes a turn for just plain OUT THERE.
Meg Jensen’s writing is great, her story flows well and her characters are pretty great too. But about the halfway point in this story, it took a turn that was just too far out there for me. I love contemporary YA, but when I read one? I want it to be believable. I want it to be something that can, and does, happen. And this story took one of those twists that just doesn’t happen. Ever. (I wish I could say more – but without being all spoilerish? I just can’t.)
The other thing on this book? Insta-love. Serious insta-love. Which drives me insane. Because of it? I just couldn’t get into the romance plot either. Which really bummed me out.
The characters of Tabitha and her new (also insta) best friend? Aside from the whole insta-BFFness they have going on? (Because that’s just as cheesy as Insta-love!) They were great. I loved their friendship – despite the fact that Becky is also harboring this big hidden and WAY too far out there secret too.
Seriously. I wanted to love this book. You go to Goodreads and there is nothing but four and five star reviews. Unfortunately? I didn’t love it, and I feel like I need to give it an honest review. (It really would be so much easier to just skip. But, I don’t feel like I can.) There was so much about this book that wasn’t real to me. So SO much. And while the plot started off fantastic, even if a bit far-fetched, it quickly takes a turn for just plain OUT THERE.
May 13, 2013
I have never been disappointed with any of Megg Jensen's books. Her stories are always fresh and her characters come to life beautifully. Her writing leaves me hungry for more. Shucked is a fun-filled, quick, YA book with some action and a little romance. That is what I love about Megg's writing, there is always a lot of action and some romance.
Tabitha has been raised pretty much all over the world. She has seen things that most teenagers never have the opprotunity to experience. She's lived in jungles and come face to face with crocodiles. With an archaeologist for a mom, she has lived an exciting life. Unfortunately, her mother has been called away on a dangerous assignment and Tabitha will have to extend her stay at her grandparents farm.
She has never been in a traditional school so when she is forced to attend she is less than thrilled, maybe terrified is a better word. Despite all of her wild and sometimes dangerous adventures, she has zero experience with kids her own age. There's no way she can fit in.
In her short time at the school she finds a best friend, a guy that causes her heart to skip a beat and butterflies to dance in her belly, and the strangest thing...her math teacher is her mom's old flame.
Shucked is a YA novel you don't want to pass up. If you're a mom and wondering about the language, it's very mild. I highly recommend this novel.
Tabitha has been raised pretty much all over the world. She has seen things that most teenagers never have the opprotunity to experience. She's lived in jungles and come face to face with crocodiles. With an archaeologist for a mom, she has lived an exciting life. Unfortunately, her mother has been called away on a dangerous assignment and Tabitha will have to extend her stay at her grandparents farm.
She has never been in a traditional school so when she is forced to attend she is less than thrilled, maybe terrified is a better word. Despite all of her wild and sometimes dangerous adventures, she has zero experience with kids her own age. There's no way she can fit in.
In her short time at the school she finds a best friend, a guy that causes her heart to skip a beat and butterflies to dance in her belly, and the strangest thing...her math teacher is her mom's old flame.
Shucked is a YA novel you don't want to pass up. If you're a mom and wondering about the language, it's very mild. I highly recommend this novel.
May 19, 2013
Synopsis (unspoiled) Tabitha Smith is a sophomore mystery. She's a taekwondo blackbelt who has never been to school, and yet she's the hot topic of the small Illinois farming town she has visited the past eight summers to spend time with her grandparents. Unfortunately, this fall, instead of globe trotting with her archeologist mother, Tabitha is going to high school. And, she's not happy about it!
What then follows is a friendship with a band geek who harbors her own fantastic secrets, and an innocent budding romance with a boy most consider to be a "player". Add in an unexpected gift that's priceless and a absentee father who wishes for a relationship and you get...ninjas. Yes, ninjas. But it's fun and adds some spice to a story that hums along.
This is a great read for teens with a satisfying ending that sets up (what will undoubtedly be) a sequel.
What then follows is a friendship with a band geek who harbors her own fantastic secrets, and an innocent budding romance with a boy most consider to be a "player". Add in an unexpected gift that's priceless and a absentee father who wishes for a relationship and you get...ninjas. Yes, ninjas. But it's fun and adds some spice to a story that hums along.
This is a great read for teens with a satisfying ending that sets up (what will undoubtedly be) a sequel.
April 25, 2013
A fun, light hearted young adult read. I would recommend to any young adult more so in high school as the theme had a strong high school feel... I enjoyed what made Tabitha, Tabitha. I loves that there was a bit of mystery and originality to this character. (thank you for mo love triangle!) The side kick character was perfectly written and complimented the main character and story.
This book was a fast, light read for me. Even though it was light it definitely kept me reading, in fact like any good book I wished it was longer. The word 'end' came too soon. A good ending for the book but to me it left the door wide open if the author decides to make it into a series.
So what are u waiting for - get shucked!
This book was a fast, light read for me. Even though it was light it definitely kept me reading, in fact like any good book I wished it was longer. The word 'end' came too soon. A good ending for the book but to me it left the door wide open if the author decides to make it into a series.
So what are u waiting for - get shucked!
November 3, 2013
Nice, quick-reading YA novel. When Tabitha's mom gets an archeological assignment that is too dangerous for Tabitha to accompany her on, Tabitha finds herself tossed into a normal teenage life. She is left with her grandparents, with whom she's spent the last several summers, and made to go to school with other teens. After having lived in exotic places around the world, Tabitha finds the American teenager to be the epitome of uncivilized behavior.
I liked this book because it was so very true in the portrayal of cliques in a high school. As a teacher, I see this often. Tabitha tries to be tough, but the reader really does get to see her vulnerabilities.
Like I said, "Shucked" is a very quick read. I would recommend it to others, especially my students.
I liked this book because it was so very true in the portrayal of cliques in a high school. As a teacher, I see this often. Tabitha tries to be tough, but the reader really does get to see her vulnerabilities.
Like I said, "Shucked" is a very quick read. I would recommend it to others, especially my students.
April 19, 2013
What a great read! Loved all the local aspects of the book. A very sweet love story with mystery and intrigue mixed in. Another reason I read all her books.
May 21, 2013
This book was a breath of fresh air. I loved the originality of the story. It was a quick, fun read and I look forward to more by this author!
March 4, 2014
I'm just going to copy my review on Amazon to here because I'm too lazy to start all over, and I have a lot to say.
I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting. Ooo, female Indiana Jones living on a farm? Okay, that's different. There was a one-day-free sale, so I downloaded it and began to read. This was a month ago. I'm still not done with the book. I'm a little over halfway through it. And the reason for that is ... I just can't get into it. I put it down, and have little interest in picking it up again. And normally I wait until I FINISH a book before reviewing, but at the rate I'm going, that might not happen until sometime next year, so I'm just going to comment on what I've read so far. Warning: there WILL be spoilers in this review, so read at your own risk.
First, I want to say that from a technical standpoint the author really isn't a bad writer. I mean, I've definitely read worse (lots of typos and poor editing and such). However, I think a lot of problems I have with the book might've been solved had she written it in the third person perspective rather than the first. I have a lot of issues with 1st POV. Only a very few authors have actually pulled it off with success. Sadly, Megg Jensen isn't one of them. And here is why:
- So far, I hate her main character. This is a BAD thing. Tabitha, in describing herself as being awesome and unique and basically better than everyone around her, comes across as a stuck-up, holier-than-thou, self-absorbed Mary Sue-like character who is too perfect to be believable. That's the main problem with this book. Tabitha is completely unrealistic as a character. On the "GEEZ this girl is annoying as hell" scale, she's waaay up there, almost level with Bella Swan (Bella being worse because she has no discernible personality at all). Tabitha just comes across as psychotic.
My problems with this character start with:
- She's stuck up and judgmental. She's determined not to be like those other teenagers but in having such an attitude she is pretty much EXACTLY like those other teenagers. I'm also pretty disappointed that the cheerleaders she decided on sight were a bunch of stuck-up snobs actually turned out to be stuck-up snobs. How cliche. I would've liked to see them greet her and be friendly and actually MEAN it, not turn into a bunch of standard teenage-drama bullies.
- Alex. Well, I don't really know what to say about this. Every single reaction Tabitha has to his presence seems like an OVER-reaction. Okay, teenage crushes, I get it, but this girl has so many mood swings over this guy I'm starting to think she needs to be medicated or something. One moment she's thinking "Nope, not gonna get involved 'cause he's a player and my VERY SMART FRIEND warned me to stay away or I'd get hurt." The next, she's plotting on how to seduce him and make him hers. And now she thinks hes back with his old girlfriend (one of the evil cheerleaders) and is in the depths of despair and blah blah blah. For heaven's sake PICK ONE. You want to be friends or you want to be more, either way DECIDE! Quit wasting valuable plot space acting like a lovesick idiot! Also, she needs to decide if she likes living on the farm or not. From the very beginning it's established that she hates living there and would rather be with her mother, but suddenly, during a conversation with her new friend Becky, she pulls a complete random 180 and announces that she'd rather just live on the farm. No buildup to that at all. WTF? Where did that COME from?
- Becky. I LIKE Becky. So far, she's the best character in the book. Aside from one. little. absolutely RIDICULOUS. detail. She hides her true, beautiful self by dressing like a nerd and wearing glasses. I'm sorry, am I reading an American novel or a Japanese shoujo manga? A plot like that works fine for a manga. It's pretty standard, actually. Because manga are completely unrealistic and fluffy and fun. But for a novel like this? I'm sorry, are all those people idiots that they can't tell she's gorgeous? She braids her hair, throws on a pair of glasses and bad clothes, and everyone instantly believes she's not this gorgeous secret model but just a frumpy nobody? Who is she, Clark Kent? Really. While Becky is an awesome character (I think SHE should be the main character. I like her a LOT better than Tabitha), her subplot seems completely unnecessary to the story so far. In fact, if you cut it out, it'd probably make the main plot (such as it is) move along a LOT faster. It's unrealistic and random and so far has done nothing to move the story along. Although, Tabs is about to leave with Becky for Chicago; I dunno, maybe SOMETHING exciting might finally happen there.
- Speaking of main plot, I'm 51% into the book and only NOW are there any hints of the actual plot taking place. You know, the one that was PROMISED in the description but as of yet hasn't actually shown up. Over halfway through the book! Snooze. This is supposed to be some exciting Indiana Jones-type story and so far it's reading more like ... well, like a shoujo romance manga. Only not as cute. (By the way - spoiler - I knew from the moment the Dogu showed up at the beginning of the book that it was probably a real artifact and would play an important part of the plot, and yet Tabitha - who according to her knows EVERYTHING - can't tell a real artifact from a fake? Despite being on all those digs with her mom? She learned NOTHING? Not even suspected something is off? Really?)
- Tabitha's Taekwondo blackbelt. Oh...what can I possibly say about this? *insert rolling of eyes here*
1. Exactly when did she learn it, and who taught her? According to her, she constantly moves around countries on digs with her mother, and spends summer months visiting her grandmother. Or something. So, who taught her those super awesome moves that made her into a blackbelt so skilled she can kill a person? In order to become THAT talented, wouldn't you need YEARS of training under your belt? With a single teacher? Different teachers have different teaching styles, don't they? So doesn't it make sense to study for years and years under a single master to learn how to kill people? And it isn't like there are Taekwondo masters in, say, South America or Mexico. So, she lived for less than a year in Korea, but I highly doubt that was enough time to get as good as she apparently is. It's just ... one more unrealistic attribute atop a pile of them, and probably one of my main problems with this character.
2. Speaking of Taekwondo, I thought Tabitha pulling those moves on Alex for his implied insult was WAY too much of an overreaction. And, I'm sorry, but she got off with basically a slap on the wrist? In WHAT state would something like that be acceptable?! Any high school would probably suspend or even EXPEL a student who attacked another classmate that way! And I'm pretty sure a trip to the nearest police station would be involved, too. Especially since the first time could hardly be constituted as provoked. And I say "first time" because she did this to TWO SEPARATE PEOPLE within a single week, and she STILL isn't expelled or arrested (or heavily sedated, for that matter). I think it was probably at this point that I decided that, yes, Tabitha is definitely one of those dreaded Mary Sue characters who are normally reserved for the worst of fanfiction. And, yes, this is going to be a REALLY. LONG. book to get through. But I'm going to get through it, in the hopes that there is SOME silver lining (in the name of the ACTUAL PLOT) looming on the horizon. Because I'm a glutton for punishment that way, and this book couldn't possibly get any worse. I hope.
I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting. Ooo, female Indiana Jones living on a farm? Okay, that's different. There was a one-day-free sale, so I downloaded it and began to read. This was a month ago. I'm still not done with the book. I'm a little over halfway through it. And the reason for that is ... I just can't get into it. I put it down, and have little interest in picking it up again. And normally I wait until I FINISH a book before reviewing, but at the rate I'm going, that might not happen until sometime next year, so I'm just going to comment on what I've read so far. Warning: there WILL be spoilers in this review, so read at your own risk.
First, I want to say that from a technical standpoint the author really isn't a bad writer. I mean, I've definitely read worse (lots of typos and poor editing and such). However, I think a lot of problems I have with the book might've been solved had she written it in the third person perspective rather than the first. I have a lot of issues with 1st POV. Only a very few authors have actually pulled it off with success. Sadly, Megg Jensen isn't one of them. And here is why:
- So far, I hate her main character. This is a BAD thing. Tabitha, in describing herself as being awesome and unique and basically better than everyone around her, comes across as a stuck-up, holier-than-thou, self-absorbed Mary Sue-like character who is too perfect to be believable. That's the main problem with this book. Tabitha is completely unrealistic as a character. On the "GEEZ this girl is annoying as hell" scale, she's waaay up there, almost level with Bella Swan (Bella being worse because she has no discernible personality at all). Tabitha just comes across as psychotic.
My problems with this character start with:
- She's stuck up and judgmental. She's determined not to be like those other teenagers but in having such an attitude she is pretty much EXACTLY like those other teenagers. I'm also pretty disappointed that the cheerleaders she decided on sight were a bunch of stuck-up snobs actually turned out to be stuck-up snobs. How cliche. I would've liked to see them greet her and be friendly and actually MEAN it, not turn into a bunch of standard teenage-drama bullies.
- Alex. Well, I don't really know what to say about this. Every single reaction Tabitha has to his presence seems like an OVER-reaction. Okay, teenage crushes, I get it, but this girl has so many mood swings over this guy I'm starting to think she needs to be medicated or something. One moment she's thinking "Nope, not gonna get involved 'cause he's a player and my VERY SMART FRIEND warned me to stay away or I'd get hurt." The next, she's plotting on how to seduce him and make him hers. And now she thinks hes back with his old girlfriend (one of the evil cheerleaders) and is in the depths of despair and blah blah blah. For heaven's sake PICK ONE. You want to be friends or you want to be more, either way DECIDE! Quit wasting valuable plot space acting like a lovesick idiot! Also, she needs to decide if she likes living on the farm or not. From the very beginning it's established that she hates living there and would rather be with her mother, but suddenly, during a conversation with her new friend Becky, she pulls a complete random 180 and announces that she'd rather just live on the farm. No buildup to that at all. WTF? Where did that COME from?
- Becky. I LIKE Becky. So far, she's the best character in the book. Aside from one. little. absolutely RIDICULOUS. detail. She hides her true, beautiful self by dressing like a nerd and wearing glasses. I'm sorry, am I reading an American novel or a Japanese shoujo manga? A plot like that works fine for a manga. It's pretty standard, actually. Because manga are completely unrealistic and fluffy and fun. But for a novel like this? I'm sorry, are all those people idiots that they can't tell she's gorgeous? She braids her hair, throws on a pair of glasses and bad clothes, and everyone instantly believes she's not this gorgeous secret model but just a frumpy nobody? Who is she, Clark Kent? Really. While Becky is an awesome character (I think SHE should be the main character. I like her a LOT better than Tabitha), her subplot seems completely unnecessary to the story so far. In fact, if you cut it out, it'd probably make the main plot (such as it is) move along a LOT faster. It's unrealistic and random and so far has done nothing to move the story along. Although, Tabs is about to leave with Becky for Chicago; I dunno, maybe SOMETHING exciting might finally happen there.
- Speaking of main plot, I'm 51% into the book and only NOW are there any hints of the actual plot taking place. You know, the one that was PROMISED in the description but as of yet hasn't actually shown up. Over halfway through the book! Snooze. This is supposed to be some exciting Indiana Jones-type story and so far it's reading more like ... well, like a shoujo romance manga. Only not as cute. (By the way - spoiler - I knew from the moment the Dogu showed up at the beginning of the book that it was probably a real artifact and would play an important part of the plot, and yet Tabitha - who according to her knows EVERYTHING - can't tell a real artifact from a fake? Despite being on all those digs with her mom? She learned NOTHING? Not even suspected something is off? Really?)
- Tabitha's Taekwondo blackbelt. Oh...what can I possibly say about this? *insert rolling of eyes here*
1. Exactly when did she learn it, and who taught her? According to her, she constantly moves around countries on digs with her mother, and spends summer months visiting her grandmother. Or something. So, who taught her those super awesome moves that made her into a blackbelt so skilled she can kill a person? In order to become THAT talented, wouldn't you need YEARS of training under your belt? With a single teacher? Different teachers have different teaching styles, don't they? So doesn't it make sense to study for years and years under a single master to learn how to kill people? And it isn't like there are Taekwondo masters in, say, South America or Mexico. So, she lived for less than a year in Korea, but I highly doubt that was enough time to get as good as she apparently is. It's just ... one more unrealistic attribute atop a pile of them, and probably one of my main problems with this character.
2. Speaking of Taekwondo, I thought Tabitha pulling those moves on Alex for his implied insult was WAY too much of an overreaction. And, I'm sorry, but she got off with basically a slap on the wrist? In WHAT state would something like that be acceptable?! Any high school would probably suspend or even EXPEL a student who attacked another classmate that way! And I'm pretty sure a trip to the nearest police station would be involved, too. Especially since the first time could hardly be constituted as provoked. And I say "first time" because she did this to TWO SEPARATE PEOPLE within a single week, and she STILL isn't expelled or arrested (or heavily sedated, for that matter). I think it was probably at this point that I decided that, yes, Tabitha is definitely one of those dreaded Mary Sue characters who are normally reserved for the worst of fanfiction. And, yes, this is going to be a REALLY. LONG. book to get through. But I'm going to get through it, in the hopes that there is SOME silver lining (in the name of the ACTUAL PLOT) looming on the horizon. Because I'm a glutton for punishment that way, and this book couldn't possibly get any worse. I hope.
May 26, 2018
DNF 65%
I cannot deal with any more of this. The protagonist is ridiculously egotisitical. The plot is boring and filled with clichés. I cannot read anymore.
I cannot deal with any more of this. The protagonist is ridiculously egotisitical. The plot is boring and filled with clichés. I cannot read anymore.
June 19, 2013
Tabitha has spent her entire life traveling around the world with her mother, to whichever archeological dig she happened to be working at the time. The only time that changed was for the three months of summer in the northern hemisphere, when Tabitha would spend her summers at her maternal grandparents house in Illinois. Every summer was spent with grandma Mimi and the rest of the year in foreign locales with ancient cultures to explore and learn, new friends to be made and new languages to be learned.
Then, the summer before what would be her sophomore year, had she ever gone to an actual school, Tabitha received a postcard from her mom. That was odd in itself, since she normally got a letter with a plane ticket to where ever her mom was at the time. What took it beyond weird and into catastrophic was what the postcard said. Her mom was going to a dig where the civil unrest was just "to high to risk bringing her daughter," which meant Tabitha was going to spend the entire year with her grandparents. That wouldn't be so terrible if it didn't mean Tabitha was going to have to go to high school - the most frightening place known to man and animal alike. She'd faced down lions, wrestled with gators, but none of those things scared her as much as the mere thought of attending high school. Add to it the high school was small, and everyone already knew each other and had spent their lives going to school together. Tabitha was going to stick out like a giraffe at a Shriners' convention.
Her only perception of high school in the US came from reality TV and 90210. Picture early scenes from the movie 'Mean Girls' where the various student 'cliques' were represented as different species of predators and prey, because that is what Tabitha was envisioning.
Luckily Tabitha quickly becomes friends with first girl she meets - a nice girl named Becky. Of course Becky was really tall, wore glasses, her hair in braids, and was in the marching band, but it turned out she had a really big secret - she models professionally and wants to do that for a living while getting her college degree... her geeky facade hides a glamorous model. Putting tiny 5'1" Tabitha next to 6' something Becky made for an odd pair, but they didn't care.
Tabitha develops a huge crush on Alex, a six-foot plus Korean guy. Becky tells her to stay away as he is a player. But then he goes and dumps his current girlfriend the very day he meets Tabitha, earning Tabitha an enemy. Tabitha has to join a club or sport and is involuntary signed up to be a cheerleader. During her very first practice Kailey tries to hurt her to get back at her for making Alex dump her. And Tabitha is the one who gets in trouble by using her black-belt Tai Kwan Do on Kailey to show her that she could hurt Kailey much worse that Kailey could hurt her. And she didn't even hurt Kailey! But since the whole incident gets Tabitha kicked off the squad she's OK with it. Then Kailey breaks her ankle the next day and one of the other cheerleaders ask Tabitha to come back on the squad, apologizing for the way she didn't stick up for Tabitha the day before. So Tabitha accepts the offer and becomes a cheerleader, shocking herself.
Tabitha & Alex begin dating. Alex not what he seems - he's got far more depth than he shows the general population & is an all around nice guy.
Things get strange when her Mom sends her a package. It turns out its not what it seems. In fact, nothing in Tabitha's life is what it seems. As Tabitha makes the adjustments to fit into school the rest of her world unravels.
This is a fun book, and very entertaining. It is nice to have a strong female character who manages to navigate the 'dangerous' world of high school, with all its different cliques and pitfalls, without ever losing herself. She always stays true to the Tabitha that began this adventure, growing up some, but never sacrificing who she is just to fit in somewhere.
Then, the summer before what would be her sophomore year, had she ever gone to an actual school, Tabitha received a postcard from her mom. That was odd in itself, since she normally got a letter with a plane ticket to where ever her mom was at the time. What took it beyond weird and into catastrophic was what the postcard said. Her mom was going to a dig where the civil unrest was just "to high to risk bringing her daughter," which meant Tabitha was going to spend the entire year with her grandparents. That wouldn't be so terrible if it didn't mean Tabitha was going to have to go to high school - the most frightening place known to man and animal alike. She'd faced down lions, wrestled with gators, but none of those things scared her as much as the mere thought of attending high school. Add to it the high school was small, and everyone already knew each other and had spent their lives going to school together. Tabitha was going to stick out like a giraffe at a Shriners' convention.
Her only perception of high school in the US came from reality TV and 90210. Picture early scenes from the movie 'Mean Girls' where the various student 'cliques' were represented as different species of predators and prey, because that is what Tabitha was envisioning.
Luckily Tabitha quickly becomes friends with first girl she meets - a nice girl named Becky. Of course Becky was really tall, wore glasses, her hair in braids, and was in the marching band, but it turned out she had a really big secret - she models professionally and wants to do that for a living while getting her college degree... her geeky facade hides a glamorous model. Putting tiny 5'1" Tabitha next to 6' something Becky made for an odd pair, but they didn't care.
Tabitha develops a huge crush on Alex, a six-foot plus Korean guy. Becky tells her to stay away as he is a player. But then he goes and dumps his current girlfriend the very day he meets Tabitha, earning Tabitha an enemy. Tabitha has to join a club or sport and is involuntary signed up to be a cheerleader. During her very first practice Kailey tries to hurt her to get back at her for making Alex dump her. And Tabitha is the one who gets in trouble by using her black-belt Tai Kwan Do on Kailey to show her that she could hurt Kailey much worse that Kailey could hurt her. And she didn't even hurt Kailey! But since the whole incident gets Tabitha kicked off the squad she's OK with it. Then Kailey breaks her ankle the next day and one of the other cheerleaders ask Tabitha to come back on the squad, apologizing for the way she didn't stick up for Tabitha the day before. So Tabitha accepts the offer and becomes a cheerleader, shocking herself.
Tabitha & Alex begin dating. Alex not what he seems - he's got far more depth than he shows the general population & is an all around nice guy.
Things get strange when her Mom sends her a package. It turns out its not what it seems. In fact, nothing in Tabitha's life is what it seems. As Tabitha makes the adjustments to fit into school the rest of her world unravels.
This is a fun book, and very entertaining. It is nice to have a strong female character who manages to navigate the 'dangerous' world of high school, with all its different cliques and pitfalls, without ever losing herself. She always stays true to the Tabitha that began this adventure, growing up some, but never sacrificing who she is just to fit in somewhere.
August 12, 2013
My review: Much like everything, Megg Jensen writes, I loved Shucked. This is the first young adult contemporary fiction novel from the author of the amazing fantasy saga series, Song of Eloh. Very different from her previous work, Shucked is just as wonderful. Tabitha is a fantastic main character, typical and extraordinary all at once. She has all of the teenage hormones, insecurities, and angst that is true to the age. But she has lived all over the world, has ever been to school, and has lived a life that most would believe to be unreal.
There is humor and action and adventure right alongside the mystery and the intrigue, with all kinds of twists and turns throughout. All of the teenage angst is treated with humor as Tabitha navigates the hell of teenage life in public school, with lots of funny moments, keeping it from getting overly serious. The action and adventure was my favorite, however. I love some good intrigue and this kind was not what I would have expected in a YA novel. But no matter how serious the danger and mystery... there were ninjas. I have to love any YA book in which ninjas appear and it isn't silly!
Things to love about Shucked...
--Tabitha. She is a kick ass heroine and I loved her! She was tough, strong, and mature, all while still being a kid. Fabulous!
--Becky. She had a story of her own and secrets, too. I loved that she had the moral character to keep her secrets for the reasons that she did. She rocked!
--The secrets. Okay, so maybe the secrets in Tabitha's life weren't what any of us would say are normal, but that's the beauty of fiction. Anything can happen! I loved it, thought it was a fantastic addition to YA literature.
Things I wanted more of...
--Becky. While not the main character, I truly loved her. I had a mental image of her, reminding me of Holly Truman on Army Wives. Sweet, innocent, a little nerdy, but gorgeous nonetheless!
My recommendation: Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic! No paranormal elements, like most of what I read, but I absolutely adored this book!
There is humor and action and adventure right alongside the mystery and the intrigue, with all kinds of twists and turns throughout. All of the teenage angst is treated with humor as Tabitha navigates the hell of teenage life in public school, with lots of funny moments, keeping it from getting overly serious. The action and adventure was my favorite, however. I love some good intrigue and this kind was not what I would have expected in a YA novel. But no matter how serious the danger and mystery... there were ninjas. I have to love any YA book in which ninjas appear and it isn't silly!
Things to love about Shucked...
--Tabitha. She is a kick ass heroine and I loved her! She was tough, strong, and mature, all while still being a kid. Fabulous!
--Becky. She had a story of her own and secrets, too. I loved that she had the moral character to keep her secrets for the reasons that she did. She rocked!
--The secrets. Okay, so maybe the secrets in Tabitha's life weren't what any of us would say are normal, but that's the beauty of fiction. Anything can happen! I loved it, thought it was a fantastic addition to YA literature.
Things I wanted more of...
--Becky. While not the main character, I truly loved her. I had a mental image of her, reminding me of Holly Truman on Army Wives. Sweet, innocent, a little nerdy, but gorgeous nonetheless!
My recommendation: Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic! No paranormal elements, like most of what I read, but I absolutely adored this book!
January 31, 2014
The book was cute to start, and I enjoyed the premise of the world-weary travel trying to fit in to a "normal" public high school. Tabitha's voice is hilarious and she carries the story. I also liked her friend Becky and her grandmother Mimi, and her relationships with these two characters provided a lot of entertainment.
However, the book suffered some identity issues. In between the main plot of Tabitha trying to fit into the town, avoid dating the bad boy, and figure out her mom's past history before she left the town, there was a weird international spy thread involving stolen archeological artifacts and some serious conspiracy stuff. These parts of the book felt tacked-on, they weren't well-developed, and they distracted from the story about Tabitha. I didn't expect it in the book at all, so it really threw me for a loop--not to mention that it was completely unbelievable. By the time Tabitha was fighting off ninjas and rogue spies, I found myself skimming just to get to the end, because it felt like it had morphed into a completely different book.
If either of these two plots had been handled separately, or if they had meshed together better in the book, I would have really enjoyed it, because the author's writing style was breezy and easy to follow. But they felt like they just clashed too much and were competing for screen time. I was rather disappointed. I felt like some of sub plots (Tabitha's relationship with her mom or her dad, and her conflict with her bad boy crush) didn't really get resolved well because of the lack of space.
I would read other books by this author if they were better managed instead of two books mashed into one.
However, the book suffered some identity issues. In between the main plot of Tabitha trying to fit into the town, avoid dating the bad boy, and figure out her mom's past history before she left the town, there was a weird international spy thread involving stolen archeological artifacts and some serious conspiracy stuff. These parts of the book felt tacked-on, they weren't well-developed, and they distracted from the story about Tabitha. I didn't expect it in the book at all, so it really threw me for a loop--not to mention that it was completely unbelievable. By the time Tabitha was fighting off ninjas and rogue spies, I found myself skimming just to get to the end, because it felt like it had morphed into a completely different book.
If either of these two plots had been handled separately, or if they had meshed together better in the book, I would have really enjoyed it, because the author's writing style was breezy and easy to follow. But they felt like they just clashed too much and were competing for screen time. I was rather disappointed. I felt like some of sub plots (Tabitha's relationship with her mom or her dad, and her conflict with her bad boy crush) didn't really get resolved well because of the lack of space.
I would read other books by this author if they were better managed instead of two books mashed into one.
June 11, 2014
This was a quick, easy, kind of fun read. The problem was the total unbelievability of the plot and one-dimensionalness of the characters. Tabitha's mom is an archaeologist and they have traveled around the world together while Tabitha is sort of homeschooled. For the past several years, Tabitha has stayed with her grandparents in the summers on their farm in Illinois. Until this year when her mom sends her a postcard telling her that she will have to stay for the school year too. The book has many bizarrely unbelievable parts. Even though it is a small town and she has been there every summer for several years, Tabitha knows no one. Her grandmother did not make her meet other kids at all so when she has to start high school, having never been to school at all in her life, she knows no one. Then, since the school requires that she either be in some sort of sport or school activity and since she is a black belt in tai-kwon-do, they make her be a cheerleader even though she has no experience or desire to be one. That part just blows my mind. Has the author not ever been to high school? Cheerleaders have to try out and be voted in. It is a highly desirable position and at least one Texas mom tried to kill a girl who was competition for her daughter's position on a cheerleading squad. There is no way a school would just stick a new kid on a cheerleading squad. Pretty much everything else in the book is exaggerated and so far out of reality that is unbelievable as well. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.
February 3, 2014
Tabitha is a 15 year old girl who has had a lot of adventure in her life. Her mom, though seemingly irresponsible, is an archeologist who travels the world over and Tabitha has come along for the adventures...until now. During the summers, Tabitha is dropped off in an Illinois farming town with her grandparents, anxiously awaiting word from her mother to where they will go next. This summer, Tabitha gets a postcard and a mysterious package saying it's too dangerous to tag along and she'll begin her first ever formal schooling until it's safer. Tabitha is not a fan of this plan, but has no choice. She adjusts to small town life and even makes a friend, Becky. As the weeks go on, she finds out more and more about her mysterious mom and the mysteries that have surrounded her her entire life. Tabitha learns about herself along the way, all in good humor.
This was a fun and easy read! The story is told thought Tabitha's eyes, which means lots of humor (a few profane words) and a priceless teenage perspective. I enjoyed the lighthearted feel of this book and the build up to some of the mysteries being solved. I would say this book may date itself in the future with too many references to 2013 culture (IPhones, Gangnam Style, etc.) and that the story became a little jumbled in the end. It is age appropriate (15-16, with brief mentions of sex and some profanity) and entertaining!
This was a fun and easy read! The story is told thought Tabitha's eyes, which means lots of humor (a few profane words) and a priceless teenage perspective. I enjoyed the lighthearted feel of this book and the build up to some of the mysteries being solved. I would say this book may date itself in the future with too many references to 2013 culture (IPhones, Gangnam Style, etc.) and that the story became a little jumbled in the end. It is age appropriate (15-16, with brief mentions of sex and some profanity) and entertaining!
February 4, 2014
This is a good book! There was something missing though, a lot of books have this thing missing like Unwind. I can't figure out what it is, but it makes a books seem less professional. This book is great, it has a great plot, amazing characters and all that, but it is missing that special thing that made all those great books great. I should probably figure it out before I go and write a book of my own. Anyway, I loved this book, I can really relate to Tabitha, she understands me. Another favorite character of mine was her grandpa (and her grandma, but not as much) he was almost completely silent throughout the whole book accept to say some witty thing at just the right time. Over all a great book, just missing that special something that all the great writers had, I guess I should stop being picky and not judge books against The Hunger Games and Ender's Game and books like that. Four and a half starts!
January 29, 2014
Shucked by Megg Jensen is a fun, light-hearted, YA rom-com-adventure read, perfect for escaping dishes and laundry for an afternoon. It’s the story of 15 year old Tabitha who was raised by an archeologist mom who took her all over the globe in pursuit of adventure. Tabitha’s comfortable in a Korean dojo or trekking solo through Egypt, but attending school in an average American mid-western high school is enough to send her spiraling.
Good thing she has her grandmother to lean on.
Along with all the typical teen drama of mean girls, does-he-like-me-I-think-I-like-him boyfriends, cheerleading practice, catching up in math, and finding a best friend, Tabitha is confronted with questions about her mother’s past—and current whereabouts—that leave her vulnerable to international smugglers. It’s a rocket-paced read full of outlandish, comedic coincidences that make it easy to keep turning pages.
Tabitha’s voice and perspective is easily identifiable as a teenage girl. She’s funny, real, and worth getting to know.
I know I’m not the target audience, but I do think teen girls will find much to love in this book. In fact, I’m passing it along to my own 14 year old daughter. There’s enough PG romance to titillate, but nothing to make parents blush.
Good thing she has her grandmother to lean on.
Along with all the typical teen drama of mean girls, does-he-like-me-I-think-I-like-him boyfriends, cheerleading practice, catching up in math, and finding a best friend, Tabitha is confronted with questions about her mother’s past—and current whereabouts—that leave her vulnerable to international smugglers. It’s a rocket-paced read full of outlandish, comedic coincidences that make it easy to keep turning pages.
Tabitha’s voice and perspective is easily identifiable as a teenage girl. She’s funny, real, and worth getting to know.
I know I’m not the target audience, but I do think teen girls will find much to love in this book. In fact, I’m passing it along to my own 14 year old daughter. There’s enough PG romance to titillate, but nothing to make parents blush.
January 19, 2014
I downloaded this book for free on my Kindle.
This was a quick and fun book. It wasn't particularly deep, but I really didn't expect it to be, so I wasn't disappointed with it.
I was expecting this to be a straight-up contemporary YA fiction, but when it turned out to have an espionage twist, I was a little bit surprised. The setup that led to that twist were a quite contrived, though, so once the events were in motion, the plot was pretty predictable.
I also had issues with the "instant love" in the book. Seriously, you can be "in like" with someone quickly, but not like I felt like it was portrayed in this story.
If you're looking at this book for younger readers, there is some profanity (never the "f-word"), mild romance (kissing), and mild violence.
I may read more from Megg Jensen in the future.
This was a quick and fun book. It wasn't particularly deep, but I really didn't expect it to be, so I wasn't disappointed with it.
I was expecting this to be a straight-up contemporary YA fiction, but when it turned out to have an espionage twist, I was a little bit surprised. The setup that led to that twist were a quite contrived, though, so once the events were in motion, the plot was pretty predictable.
I also had issues with the "instant love" in the book. Seriously, you can be "in like" with someone quickly, but not like I felt like it was portrayed in this story.
If you're looking at this book for younger readers, there is some profanity (never the "f-word"), mild romance (kissing), and mild violence.
I may read more from Megg Jensen in the future.
April 25, 2014
I received a copy of this novel, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a cute and easy 3.5/5 star read. The novel focuses on 15 year old Tabatha, who has led a life full of adventure, and is now forced to go to an American high school in the Midwest. It was a mixture of slice of life and chick lit, both of which I enjoy. There were times when the novel tried to have high stakes action, but I found it fell a little flat for me. I found that the idea of a Tabatha’s best friend, Becky, being able to hide how gorgeous she was simply by braiding her hair and wearing glasses a little far-fetched. Tabatha also brings up the fact that she has a black belt far too many times throughout the book. Overall though, I found the novel interesting and an enjoyable read.
This book is a cute and easy 3.5/5 star read. The novel focuses on 15 year old Tabatha, who has led a life full of adventure, and is now forced to go to an American high school in the Midwest. It was a mixture of slice of life and chick lit, both of which I enjoy. There were times when the novel tried to have high stakes action, but I found it fell a little flat for me. I found that the idea of a Tabatha’s best friend, Becky, being able to hide how gorgeous she was simply by braiding her hair and wearing glasses a little far-fetched. Tabatha also brings up the fact that she has a black belt far too many times throughout the book. Overall though, I found the novel interesting and an enjoyable read.
April 28, 2014
You're entering your sophomore year in high school but you've never been to school before!
Instead, you've traveled the world with your archeologist mom, earning a black belt in taekwondo in Korea, surviving a crocodile attack in the Amazon, hiking the Great Wall of China - but now you face your greatest terror - trying to fit in with a bunch of small town teenagers!
Will you survive? Especially when you meet the boy who has dated every girl in school, your math teacher who is more than your math teacher, and your best friend who looks like a geek but who has killer looks when she wants to and models in Chicago...
Grab this is non-stop read that will make you laugh, cry, and hope Tabitha survives the wilds of high school and surprises that will change her life!
Instead, you've traveled the world with your archeologist mom, earning a black belt in taekwondo in Korea, surviving a crocodile attack in the Amazon, hiking the Great Wall of China - but now you face your greatest terror - trying to fit in with a bunch of small town teenagers!
Will you survive? Especially when you meet the boy who has dated every girl in school, your math teacher who is more than your math teacher, and your best friend who looks like a geek but who has killer looks when she wants to and models in Chicago...
Grab this is non-stop read that will make you laugh, cry, and hope Tabitha survives the wilds of high school and surprises that will change her life!
May 31, 2013
I got an ebook copy of this book from the author cauz I won a giveaway at http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/
So... I <3 this book.:) It's one of those breathers I think not sure what you call it. The kind of books with not much drama and heartbreaks just light stuff and all.
Anyway Tabitha is a badass main character. Who wouldn't like a black belt cheerleader who kicks ass??:)) Almost everyone who pissed her off was put to their knees literally. And I LOVE Becky a nerd with a very unexpected secret. The perfect best friend.
The only problem in this book is that there really wasn't much romance but it was still awesome especially those little twists in the end.:) NINJAS!:D
So... I <3 this book.:) It's one of those breathers I think not sure what you call it. The kind of books with not much drama and heartbreaks just light stuff and all.
Anyway Tabitha is a badass main character. Who wouldn't like a black belt cheerleader who kicks ass??:)) Almost everyone who pissed her off was put to their knees literally. And I LOVE Becky a nerd with a very unexpected secret. The perfect best friend.
The only problem in this book is that there really wasn't much romance but it was still awesome especially those little twists in the end.:) NINJAS!:D
October 31, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't that different from any other YA book, but the main character was a lot of fun. The side characters were interesting as well and I enjoyed the mystery/spy element that played into it. Overall, a fun little YA book that almost (but not quite) avoids many of the tropes and plotlines that plague YA books. I really enjoyed that the writer did not make the parents entirely dumb. The teenage protagonist didn't know everything but she was bright enough that you weren't yelling at her in frustration to wake up. Cute book. I'll be looking for more from this author.
August 27, 2016
Plot: 2 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Style: 2 stars
Pace: 3 stars
Cute bordering on twee, the strongest thing this book has going for it is that it's short. The plot line was predictable and not terribly suspenseful, and I liked the best friend more than the main character and love interest combined. The editing could have been worse, but there were several typos and missing/duplicated words that a sharp eye should have caught. All in all, I'm glad I got this really cheap, but I won't bother snagging more of hers. (rounding up because at least it was cute and there were a couple good lines)
Characters: 3 stars
Style: 2 stars
Pace: 3 stars
Cute bordering on twee, the strongest thing this book has going for it is that it's short. The plot line was predictable and not terribly suspenseful, and I liked the best friend more than the main character and love interest combined. The editing could have been worse, but there were several typos and missing/duplicated words that a sharp eye should have caught. All in all, I'm glad I got this really cheap, but I won't bother snagging more of hers. (rounding up because at least it was cute and there were a couple good lines)
February 14, 2014
This book is about Tabitha Smith a 16 year old girl who spends the school year traveling the world with her mother an archeologist, and her summers on a farm in Illinois with her Mimi and Gramps. Except this year Tabitha gets an unexpected and unpleasant surprise. Her mom sends her a postcard informing her that her latest assignment is to dangerous and Tabitha will have to remain on the farm. Now Tabitha must face her most terrifying experience to date, going to an American High School with American Teenagers!!
Megg Jensen does an amazing job of combining humor and mystery. I highly recommend this book!!
Megg Jensen does an amazing job of combining humor and mystery. I highly recommend this book!!
October 20, 2013
This was a cute book. : ) I really liked it. I used it to procrastinate reading my book for school, which is strange, as that one's a really good book too.
The only things I have to say about it, for those like me who want to know what exactly a book is like before reading, is that there is a little bit of swearing, and some talks of sexual things, but no sex. Actually, no kissing either. Really, it's pretty clean except for lines like "haha, if we can't have sex till after we're married you better dance superclose," so I'd say it's appropriate fore middle school age.
The only things I have to say about it, for those like me who want to know what exactly a book is like before reading, is that there is a little bit of swearing, and some talks of sexual things, but no sex. Actually, no kissing either. Really, it's pretty clean except for lines like "haha, if we can't have sex till after we're married you better dance superclose," so I'd say it's appropriate fore middle school age.
April 25, 2014
This book was only so-so for me. Interesting concept but I just didn’t enjoy it like I wanted to. I never felt connected with the main character and then the instalove killed it for me. Literally she met him once and yes there was attraction (which I can completely understand) and chemistry but that doesn’t equal love. YOU DON’T LOVE SOMEONE AFTER ONLY SPEAKING A COUPLE WORDS. Overall, the story and characters fell flat for me.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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