Jenny Valentine won the prize. Keeping it won’t be easy. She’s filthy rich, she’s dating the head cheerleader, she’s blackmailing the star athlete, and she’s got an ace up her sleeve that no one will see coming. Life is good for Jenny Valentine, the tiny teenage sleuth and misanthropic heiress to the late RJ Valentine’s bestselling Girl Detective publishing empire. After putting her evil stepmother away for Dad’s murder, book sales and merchandise are way up, and Jenny’s anxiety is way down. Only trouble is, the real killer is still out there, and he knows Jenny is lying. With six heirloom clues left, the game remains afoot, and a shocking murder case from the past might be the Stranger’s new playground. Between an active serial killer, mean girls at school, an anonymous cyberbully, and a nosy reporter, everyone wants a piece of Trouble. Can’t a girl have it all? The money, the fame, the romance, the secrets, and Danger too?
James Taylor is a writer, podcaster, and jack-of-all-trades media producer. Over the years, he’s been a barista, a professional gambler, and a tech support phone jockey. When he’s not tucked into a corner at a random Starbucks working on Trouble, you can find him road-tripping around the west coast, drinking a pint of Dunkel by a fire pit, or playing video games in his office when he should be doing something productive. He lives in the Golden State.
I should have reread the first novel, My Name is Trouble, because there is so much going on in this story that I felt a little lost for the first couple of chapters. Trouble Always Finds Me picks up after the events of My Name is Trouble. Every sentence I started to write contained a spoiler, so if you haven’t read the previous novel, BYE! Though, I am keeping my review spoiler free.
Trouble Always Finds Me is a satisfying read. After the events of the previous novel, readers get to experience the shenanigans of the first novel, but with all the information; thereby making Trouble Always Finds Me fun and gratifying.
Jenny continues to be a brash character, though her rough edges seemed to have been ironed out in this novel. She’s a much more likeable and related character, though this may be a consequence of the reveal at the end of the first novel.
Trouble Always Finds Me continues with the pop culture references. If you’re a fan of the authors’ podcasts, their interests become readily apparent (cough Reylo cough).
I can clearly imagine this story as a television show. Admittedly, the authors did intend for this story to a television show first before a novel. It has everything a teen show viewer could want: mystery, intrigue, a intelligent and kickass main character, a core relationship, and a bumbling police force ;).
Overall, Trouble Always Finds Me is a worthwhile sequel that improves on its predecessor tenfold. Readers are in for a wild ride as Jenny continues to investigate the clues left behind by her late father. You won’t believe where it takes her!
Another fun, twisty installment of the Trouble series! The main mystery of this novel was exciting and just as gripping as that of , which continues to hang over our heroine's head.
I appreciate the complexity of all the residents of Blackbird Springs — every one of them is complex and morally gray, including Trouble herself, which not only makes them feel more real, but makes them all potential suspects, which is super enjoyable as a reader. I was particularly impressed with
Also, trying to pick up on all the various references sprinkled in (Crash and the Girls! Page 5! Pink Drink!) is a ton of fun.
Happy to say the second Trouble book is just as fun and entertaining as the first! So much so that I stayed up way too late to finish reading it. I picked up the first Trouble book as a fan of James and Marco, but I picked this one up as a fan of Trouble. Already looking forward to the next installment!
This was a great squeal. The second installment really dug deeper into the emotions and complexities of the main character(s). I love having a ton of mysteries to solve at once and how in classic PLL fashion, every character is just shady enough. These books are really fun. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
I really enjoyed the first book, and I think I enjoyed this second book even more! I didn’t know how I was going to like the “twin stuff,” but the authors did a great job creating the new character of Eliza/ Danger and adding her to the story. I enjoyed the back and forth between their perspectives throughout. The reveal of the “hangman” was not expected but well done! Overall, it was a very fun read and I’m looking forward to book 3!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Had me laughing, screaming and smiling with satisfaction throughout. I loved every moment reading, Trouble is an amazing character to fall in love with.
Another super fun mystery with lots of twists and turns. I appreciate the character development and suspense. Fans of the first book won’t be disappointed by the equally exciting second installment!
I started following the Trouble series because James and Marco make podcasts that I thoroughly enjoy. They clearly know their TV stuff and they’re a joy to listen to. Turns out, they’re good at making the stuff too. This book is by no means a predictable dime-a-dozen teen murder mystery series. The characters are diverse, queer characters are featured in a seamless multi-dimensional way, and the same can be said for the characters of color. I can’t wait to see more of what Trouble & Danger get into. Plus if you’re a PLL fan, there are loads of nostalgic Easter eggs and head nods just for you.
A great sequel to My Name Is Trouble. Good mystery once again, and a lot of really great character moments. I love how fun and funny this book is. I also appreciate the diverse representation. Already can’t wait for the third adventure!
I really enjoyed this second book in the series - it’s maybe even better than the first! I loved how it continued to build on Jenny’s world, develop the characters, and brought in a new mystery. Can’t wait for the next book!