Mad World

Mad World #1

by Hannah McBride

An Enemies-to-Lovers College Romance

I'm Madison.
I spent the last seventeen years in a trailer with my mom as she rolled from one addiction to the next. All I wanted was to survive high school and get out of this place. Finding out I had a long lost twin sister on the other side of the country seemed like something out of a movie.

Too bad I didn't realize it was a horror movie.

Now I'm Madelaine.
We were only supposed to switch lives for a summer. But then the unthinkable happened and now I have the chance to be my twin for the rest of my life. I get the fancy house, the rich father, and the elite school.

But all of those things come with a price I don't think I can afford.

Maybe taking over my dead twin sister's life isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

Mad World is the first book in a new series by Hannah McBride . It contains dark themes (including bullying) that may be triggering for some readers.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance, Dark, Contemporary, College, New Adult

470 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2021

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Hannah McBride absolutely hates writing her own bio, so here's the abbreviated version:

She loves her chocolate lab (JoJo), horror movies, playing New World or Legend of Zelda, and she insists glitter is a color (and the best one).

Hannah McBride also write dark omegaverse under the name Megan Cain.

Reviews

[Ceceliaₓₒₓₒ | hotforbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

《 5 ✰ 》

This is a dark academia enemies-to-lovers romance riddled with twists and turns! Flashlight required.

At first, I wasn’t vibing with the book. It starts out pretty dark and well the darkness never lets up, but the story was intriguing. Before I knew it I was halfway through! It is fast paced!

Madison is living in a trailer with her junkie mom and focused on trying to make it to college to have a better life. One day she discovers Madelaine — her wealthy twin living a life of luxury.

❝
I mean, what did I really think was happening here? I had a long-lost twin sister who lived like every bit the princess to my completely stereotypical pauper? That shit only happened in movies.

They meet and decide to switch places. Are you picturing The Parent Trap? Bc I sure did. Well, the Parent Trap minus the loving parents, add drugs, add bullying, add abuse, and the the only trap is — well you’ll just have to read it.

❝
“I’m sorry, okay? Sarcasm is my default setting. My therapist says I use it as a coping mechanism when I get flustered.”

A dressing suite. I had needed to ask for clarification on what that even was. Apparently it was when your closet was big enough to have its own room and seating area.

Staying busy to avoid unpacking an emotional suitcase was my normal plane of existence.

Seriously, these girls put the itch in bitch. The longer I was around them, the more my skin felt like it was crawling.

His eyes were brimming with amusement. “I had no idea you were a cuddler.”
My eyes narrowed. “Uh, you were clearly on my side of the bed.”
“You have a side now?” His head tilted quizzically. “Damn. You spend one night and—”
“You know what I meant!” I interrupted.

“I’m not leaving Maddie,” he said firmly, his fingers tangling with mine. My breath caught as he drew them to his lips and kissed the back of my hand.

“I think I created a monster,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
I looked him in the eye and smiled slowly. “Maybe I was always a monster. Maybe I just needed another monster to show me the way.”

Thank you to my sweet angel Cara for reading this with me! I had so much fun going back and forth sharing our predictions and reactions!! 😚❤️


Thank you to Nenia for recommending this read! 🥰


*Correction* took the ZA reference out since that was confusing. The similarities: bullying, school setting, fierce friendships, strong fmc, the fast pace, and a plot full of twists and turns.

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Parent Trap but make it dark. Much darker... And better.

This was such a fun read! From the first page till the last, it was a wild ride. I wanted to savour it.

✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Bully romance
✔️ Dark academia
✔️ Fake relationship
✔️ Juicy smut (3/5 🌶️)
✔️ Possessive/Jealous love interest (if you're into it)

In all honesty, it is not something unique, it has a lot of cliches. It is also predictable. But it is still fun and fast paced! The characters are what make the story and keep one interested.

Maddie is a powerful and badass FMC. I liked her from the start, I was really happy to know she's interested in my field of study. It made me relate to her more. PS- she also reads Reverse Harem 👀 Ryan is the typical douche with a heart of marshmallow once you get to know him. I honestly fell for him hard. The guy made me swoon so much; definitely book boyfriend material. The chemistry is off the charts.

The ending 🤌🤌 The drama 🤌🤌
I must start with the second book already ahh.

Rebecca, Cecelia and Cara's reviews made me read this.. got no regrets. 😉

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I just change my mind and rate down? Yes, I did, it happens mind your business 🫠

BC my babies Cecelia and Cara peer pressured me with their awesome reviews!!!

4.5 This book was so addictive, I could not put it down!

It's like the most twisted messed up parent trap ever but also filled with tension and so much toxic drama!!
I don't want to give many details bc I went in pretty blind other than knowing that my girlies loved this book, and I loved the anticipation of not knowing what was going to happen. This book gave me ANXIETY but in the best way! It was just a good time!

Also Maddie is a top tier baddie FMC, seriously I don't know how anyone can read this book and not absolutely love her. And of course, one of the best characters is Rebecca/Bex bc obvs! I loved the setting and the writing and pacing were really good. Will be starting the next book as soon as I finish writing this review bc that cliffhanger!!!!

Please check TW besties, there are some dark themes.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whyyyyy do I always start unfinished series?? Why? Ugh. I need book two, NOW.

I finished this last night at two am and was so riled up, I couldn’t sleep for another hour 😫
Was the concept original? No. Were the twists surprising? Not really. But it was so freakin entertaining, I just couldn’t put it down. I’m torn between giving this 4 and 5 stars. It was a sure 5 stars read for me until about 65% into the story when, all of the sudden, it was like a switch was flipped and things got a little…well, it’s hard to say without spoilers but things started bugging me a little. Nevertheless, this consumed me and was a shit ton of fun, so 5 stars it is. Now gimme book two PLEASE!

[give me books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5
Zacznijmy od plusów - jest wciągająca, główna bohaterka jest spoko, niektórzy poboczni bohaterowie byli fajni

Minusy- główny bohater przeszedł randomową przemianę niczym Jacek Soplica w księdza Robaka, fabuły zbytnio nie ma, często się nudziłam, zwrot akcji jest totalnie przewidywalny i wiadomo jak to się wszystko stało a fakt, że bohaterka wychodzi na tą złą jest głupi.
Nie wiem czemu ludzie piszą że to dark academka, to zwykła szkoda z internatem dla bogatych dzieciaków.


Niemniej wiem, że dużej części z was spodoba się ta historia zwłaszcza jeśli czytacie “Wattpadowe” książki.

[Medollga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to drink some water, pet a cat and GO READ THIS BOOK!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Once upon a time Cecelia and Cara posted their reviews, and the intrigue and interest awakened in me was so strong, I couldn't stay away from this book. And from the first few pages, I was HOOKED! 👑👑👑👌👌👌❤❤❤

If you ever saw TV shows like The Lying Game or Ringer, you'll know the vibe of this book. Only, it's even darker, grittier, more twisted and entertaining! I really feel out of my comfort zone writing this review, cause normally I only bitch about things I DIDN'T like, which were...not here *jaw's on the floor*🤯🤯🤯🤯😅

The build up to the switch was done greatly: we got enough info to know what's what, without being dragged through unnecessary chapters. Thesingle POV from the heroine was a smart choice, considering we were thrown in through her eyes in a foreign surroundings. The pacing of the story was just what I needed: it never dragged, but never skipped important milestones of the plot.

I was afraid that the secret identity would cause unnecessary miscommunication later on in the plot, or that the heroine would be illogical in keeping her secret, but nothing like that happened. Also, for those who find it as important as I do: the romance part happened with full knowledge of who's who 😉 There were no silly stuff like "Oh, but I always hated her, why am I suddenly so attracted to her?" COULDN'T BE HAPPIER ABOUT IT! 👌🔥

I don't know if this was this book's thing or a me thing, but the tension between the hero and the heroine was FIRE! Even when he hated her, even when nothing too extreme or too kinky was happening, the author managed somehow for the tamest stuff to be laced with passion and sparks and chemistry 🤷🏼‍♀️🙌

This book gave me HAPPINESS, PURE, UNADULTERATED HAPPINESS 🤩🤩🤩🥵🥵🥵🥵 I couldn't put it down, until I finished it. The book ends up on a CLIFFHANGER, so be advised. I didn't particularly enjoyed HOW the book ended, but all the signs throughout the whole book pointed out to this going in THAT direction 🙃 I'm already on book 2, and as I suspected, the come back from the SITUATION in the end tempers a bit with my enjoyment of book 2. But that can be a personal preference...🤔

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 3.25 ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Parent trap meets Gossip girl mixed with Dynasty is what I’m thinking.

Overall it was pretty entertaining, there was definitely some areas that were a slog and I found myself super speed reading to get to something else/better.

Like ALMOST every guy in this book is a super misogynist/ pedo / rapist/ physical/emotional abuser.

None of these things are necessarily triggers for me but literally almost every male character is basically a scumbag because if you have money surely you must be a vile human being? Weird flex but okay.

Very over the top soap operay.

Lol I’ll likely read book 2

[winotka.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Księżniczka i Żebraczka wersja z mrocznymi tajemnicami drugiej bliźniaczki, której idealne życie i wcale nie okazuje się takie idealne.
Ja się zaangażowałam. Naprawdę, serio, całkowicie się zaangażowałam.
Na początku myślałam, że rozgryzłam te książkę i jako, że to trylogia to tu na koniec wyjdzie ta zamiana na jaw czy coś.
Nic nie poszło tak jak myślałam, że pójdzie. Co jest na ogromny plus, bo nie poszło szablonowo.
Powoli odgrywamy z Maddy kolejne tajemnice jej bliźniaczki, fajne tutaj wchodzi motyw found family, myślę że walnie mocniej w następnym tomie, ale ma dobre początki.
No dawać drugi tom bo ja jestem tu zaangażowana!

Ps. Żeby nie było, ta książka nie jest idealna. Czasami ma takie swoje głupotki, ale kompletnie mi nie przeszkadzały.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

ARC generously provided by the author.

I can’t keep this spoiler free without saying how I feel about certain things so I added a tag. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since I first saw the cover and I got so excited when I got an ARC!

An interesting start to a new series. Madison who lives in a trailer park finds out she has a rich twin sister called Madelaine. She contacts her and they end up switching lives. At first things go well (oddly enough nobody notices they switched) but then Lainey ends up dead and Maddie agrees to keep on pretending to be Lainey by their father’s request, who she came clean to after she found out her sister is dead.

Top notch plan guys, really.

I wouldn’t exactly call this a sports romance (as it is advertised) because a lot of the actual sport is going on behind the scenes. It gets mentioned, we’re present around and at the end of games but that’s about it.

It baffled me how lightly everybody went over Lainey’s death. It’s like they all felt like they just got a replacement, the 2.0 version with new and better features. Lainey was a huge bitch who messed with a lot of people so I get that it’s easier, but even her father barely showed emotion. She’s still a human being. Or maybe there’s more to that coming later because Lainey probably isn’t dead at all.

The love interest Ryan may not be the most trusting guy out there and for good reason, but it’s proven again and again it takes very little for him to stop believing anything Maddie says. They exchange ILY’s fairly quickly once they get together but it goes back and forth a lot. A guy talks to her, well then she MUST be sleeping with him. Gaslighting 1.0, jumping the gun,… it happens way too often in a short amount of time. The climax of the story made things between them blow up so fast and I cannot believe how quikckly his love turned into hate. And how much of her “friends” dropped her instantly.

I’m curious to see where this goes though so I’m hoping book two won’t take long.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐️

I definitely liked this one!

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!

4.5 stars

A storyline of fake relationship, bully romance, assumed identity, and dark-themed princess and the pauper retelling. Madison, a confident, strong and sweet young adult discovers by chance she has a twin sister, Madelaine, and decides to contact her. Her seemingly egotistical sister convinces her to trade lives for the summer. Little does Madison realize that while she might come from an impoverished background and have to care for drug-addicted mother, the privileged lifestyle she assumes is not all it seems, and in fact, might even be dangerous as power plays and individual agendas manifest themselves.

I loved this heroine who demonstrated a softness and vulnerability, simultaneously strength and confidence, and particularly noteworthy protectiveness of those she cared for. Madison was one of my favorite heroines because of the balanced combination. She was no pushover, but she was not portrayed as invincible either. She was feisty, warm, and without bravado. She discovered love for Ryan although it was a journey to arrive for both of them, with secrets and misconceptions. Ryan was the alpha, socially powerful football player demonstrating bad boy qualities, though was artfully characterized with tenderness as the relationship evolved with a hint of jealous-possessiveness. The side characters were nicely woven into the storyline, with unique and fascinating plot lines, and their integration also showcasing the main characters. I loved the breadth of personalities, hidden agendas, camaraderie, bromances, and adversarial cast in both a high school and high-society setting.

A medium burn, progressive pace, and the beauty of this story was that it did not employ overused vices such as withholding communication to artificially build angst. Simply, it was a story of complexity, of multiple layers, twists and suspense.

Excellent rendering of sexual tension and chemistry particularly between the Madison and Ryan, and while the heroine was a virgin, she was not depicted with naive artifice. Their relationship evolved to higher levels of intimacy as the book progressed. For my personal tastes, I prefer spicier relations occur sooner in the story rather than withholding. Perhaps a set up for the second book in the series, sure, but I would not characterize this story as high in steam, at least not initially. In addition, Ryan's jealous and caveman tendencies were tempered, frankly maturely written, versus over the top (again personal preference).

Overall, this was entertaining, engaging read. Well-written, complex plot line and characters, creative, it is definitely a favorite book this year. The cliffhanger will have you throwing your e-reader.

[lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to hannah for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕
Click the link for my FULL Review! https://cozywordsandcoffee.com/2021/1...
Hannah has created a sports/bully/dark NA romance that has rocked my world. To get the one thing that bugged me out of the way first: I thought the ages were a little weird. The MC is in high school and there may be a reason why that will be revealed in later books why that is an important tidbit… but I wish they would have all just been in college. BUT— that is easily overlooked. I loved Maddie so much and loved seeing how much she cared about the people her sister came in contact with in her life. Hannah has never shied away from hard topics in her books, which is something I love about them. I love how she deals with some of the issues in this book. I love Ryan (even if I don’t trust him still). I’m excited to see the friendship between Maddie and Rebecca grow in the next book. Which I need RIGHT NOW???

I originally gave this book 3 stars because I wasn’t hooked until it was over. I am giving four stars because after rereading now that I know where it was going, it was a whole new experience!

[Gabriela Almeida · Rating 3 out of 5]

reading this book makes me feel like I´m smoking bananas 😐

[Birjis]

Found this on Facebook. The blurb is enough to pull me in.

[Inés Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I’d learned a long time ago that promises were just like eggs; easily broken and frequently spoiled."

This book was just WOW. It's the parent trap gone wrong in high school.

[mors]

Not me reading the first line and adding it to my tbr 😅 (Also because @Cara loved it)

[Elif Arslan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lanet olsun! Cidden lanet olsun! O son neydi öyle ya? Sinirden okuyamadım kaç kere kapatıp açtım bilmiyorum. Öfffff, cidden mi Ryan? Gerçekten mi? 😫😡😩 kelimenin tam anlamıyla tam bir aptalsın ama oraya geleceğiz.

Kitap gerçekten beni heyecanlandıran bir konuya sahip. İkiz bebekler doğdukları anda ayrılmışlar ve Madison annesiyle fakir bir hayat yaşarken Madelaine babasıyla zengin bir hayata sahip olmuş. Ama tabiki ikisinin hayatı da farklı sorunlarla dolu ve tam bu esnada Maddison ikiz kardeşinden haberdar oluyor ve ona mesaj atıyor.
Tam bir sürtük olan kız kardeşi de bu fırsatı kullanıp ona göz boyayan bir teklifle geliyor. Birbirlerinin yerine geçmek… İşte bu noktada gerçekten eğlendiğimi söylemek istiyorum. Yani onun gibi davranmaya çalışması komikti ama kısa sürdü. Önemli olan insanlara kardeşinin öldüğünü öğrendiği anda kendini ifşa etti. Ama babası ‘tatlı dilini kullanarak’ ona bir teklifte bulundu. Maddison da zavallım kabul etti. 🥺 halbuki kendi hayatından daha kötü hayatlar olduğunu bile bilmiyordu.

Öncelikle Madelaine tam bir pisliksin. 😑 Kelimenin tam anlamıyla iğrenç birisin ve boktan kişiliğini kız kardeşinin üzerine yıkıp öldüğüne gerçekten inanamıyorum. Yaşadığın iğrenç olay yüzünden böyle birine dönüşmene, zavallı Bex e zorbalık etmene gerek yoktu. Yanında olmaya çalışan tek kişiye davranış şeklin bile senin hakkında yeterince şey anlatıyor.

Onun aksine Maddison çok akıllı, tatlı ve iyi niyetli bir kızdı. Kardeşinin hayatını alıp iyi bir noktaya taşımakta gerçekten iyiydi. Amigoluğu, ders çalışmayı ve insalarla iletişim kurmayı seven tam bir genç kızdı. Ayrıca mutlu olduğunu görmek beni de mutlu etti çünkü bunu hak ediyordu. Keşke katlandığı tüm şeylerden sonra karşılığında daha iyi sonuçlar alsaydı ama işin draması da burada 😎 bir sonraki kitap için deli gibi merakta kalmama neden oldu. Bolca acı çekeceğimiz çok belli ve tabiki drama da olacak 🤩

Rayn gelelim sana… 😏 Başta tam bir öküz olmanı gerçekten anlıyordum. Yani yaşadığın büyük bir travma kabul ediyorum, sözde nişanlın sana inanılmaz şeyler yapmış. Baban boktan, hasta kız kardeşin için planlananlar dehşet verici… Bu yüzden elinden geldiğince değiştiğinde sana güvenmiştim. Mükemmel değildin ama iyiydin. İlgini, şefkatini, sevgini hissedebildim. Öfke problemlerinin bir sebebi vardı. Ama son sahnede… Dostum gerçekten durup bir düşünmedin bile! Malın önde gideni gibi düşmanına inandın yemin ederim küfür etmemek için dilimi ısırıyorum. 😡 Bir sonraki kitapta yeri yalamanı diliyorum, inan bana zevkle okuyacağım.

Bex, sen bu kitabın en mükemmel karakterlerinden birisin. Gerçekten en sevdiğim yan karakterler listesine kolayca girdiğini söyleyebilirim. Başına gelenlerden sonra o tatlılığını asla kaybetmemiş olmandan gurur duyuyorum. Madison a sadık olan tek sendin, sana bayılıyorum 💋 Linc, Ash ve Court… Yani bir karakteriniz var sanmıştım ama ama son bölümlerde Rayn’ın yancısından başka bir şey olmadığınızı kanıtladınız. Sizin kendi fikriniz yok mu oğlum? Ne bu üçüz dingiller gibi hareketleriniz? 😒 Ayrıca Gary Allah senin belanı versin. Aynı şekilde Beckett senin de! Ama en büyük yavşak Adam umarım o bamyan en kısa sürede hadım edilir seni yaşlı moruk!

Oh içimin yağları eridi.

[thesebooksiread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah McBride’s new contemporary romance is OUTSTANDING and completely ADDICTING. With a shift from paranormal to contemporary I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this new series but before chapter 1 was concluded I was OBSESSED. This new world is totally crazy, addicting and insane. I absolutely love the characters and how the progressed through out the book. Every time I thought I knew what would happen, Hannah swerved the opposite direction. So much mystery surrounding the truth and all these characters and I can’t wait for more! It left me speechless and emotionally like WHAT!!! I need more now. Hannah McBride has clearly been hiding and with this new series so different than Blackwater Pack, she’s definitely a new indie author to keep an eye on! So good!!!!

[Anita P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Na prawdę bardzo ciekawa pozycja. Ja akurat słuchałam audiobooka i słuchało mi się tego świetnie. Byłam bardzo ciekawa jak się to wszystko potoczy. Pióro autorki bardzo przypadło mi do gustu. Omijałam sceny zbliżeń bo im więcej czytam tym te sceny są dla mnie zbędne. Ale osoby które lubią takie sceny myślę że będą zadowoleni. Ogromny minus za to że nigdzie nie było informacji że jest to seria a to jest jedynie pierwsza część. Ja czekam na kolejne!

[Gayane♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! 😳 this book was an insane. I was hooked from chapter one, literally biting my nails on my toes hooked. 😬 This book took out all my emotions, what a twist of events. WOW!! 😲 I still have so many questions??? I’m literally jumping on book 2 after I write this review. I WANT REVENGE!!!! 😡

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cliff hanger! I’m kicking myself for reading this now. I tried to wait until the 2nd book came out, but I just couldn’t resist. I need the next book ASAP!

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game.

This was so addicting.

Maddie has been dealt a shitty hand. Growing up in a small town outside of Detroit with a drug addict for a mom, she has had to fend for herself. By pure coincidence, while researching for a school project, she comes across an article with a photo of a girl who looks exactly like her. After a bit of sleuthing, Maddie ends up messaging the girl on Instagram. When weeks pass with no response she thinks it's a bust.

That is until said girl shows up in her life and informs her that they're twins.

In true cinematic fashion, the two wind up agreeing to switch places for the summer. But, of course, nothing goes as planned. Madison loses contact with Madeline and through a series of circumstances winds up stuck living her life. Lainey warned Maddie that her life was a gilded cage, yet nothing could have prepared Maddie for all that was to come.

As the saying goes, all that glitters isn't gold. Nothing and almost no one is as they seem.

Romance, violence, friendship, bullying, sex, this book has it all and a lot more. Trigger warnings are listed at the start of book one, so please check those if you need them.

This book is in no way a literary masterpiece, however, it is compulsively readable.

Not only did the main couple have chemistry, but the entire cast of friends did as well. I love them all. If you're looking for a book that hooks you from the start and feels as though it just flies by, read this.

Random Note: The book did have one or two typos which didn’t really bother me, but I know such things might bother others.

[Ellie J. (semi-hiatus with 👶🏼🎀) · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAHHHH—this book was so freaking good!! I am a sobbing little wreck right now! Ryan, how could you? 🥲

[eyes_on_words · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️
Stracony potencjał, gdzieś w połowie straciłam zainteresowanie wyborami głównej bohaterki.

[Michal Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect contemporary romance for readers who are used to fantasy.
* This review contains no spoilers. Thank you Hannah for sending me an arc of this book to review. I absolutely loved it.

“You’re mine, Maddie,” he said quietly, solemnly. “And I told you; I protect what’s mine.”
A strangled laugh loosed from my chest. “How very caveman of you.”

Man, I have so much to say about this book this is going to be long and weirdly structed. I was a bit concerned entering this mad world, since as a fantasy reader I am very hard to be kept interested and excited without the, well.. Fantasy element. And let me tell you - this book is PERFECT.

Lets start off with ticking off all the best tropes in this spectacular contemp:

V Strong, independent MC
V Enemies to lovers (and magnificent ones at that)
V Separated twins
V Pretending to be someone else
V Arranged marriage
V Poor to rich
V Bully/jock
V THE PROTECTOR
V Virgin/women's man
V I like you and I hate everyone else
V Makeover
V (potential) Us against the world

This book is basically every chick flick I used to adore when I was a teenager. It's Mean Girls meets The Parent Trap meets Cinderella Story meets Freaky Friday meets A Day in NY meets so much more. Yet while being a combination of so many nostalgic things, it still manages to be new and exciting. There is a mystery/thriller element to it and I can feel that this first book is just a glimpse into Hannah's complex plans for this story.
I don't usually enjoy contemp because it almost never spikes my interest - but Mad world kept me on the edge of my seat, and even a few weeks after finishing it I still find myself running it through my head coming up with theories and speculations.


MADDIE

'I was too old to let it phase me the way it had when I was a kid who lived with a lifetime of broken promises. My whole life was a broken promise. Or maybe it was just plain broken.'

Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Mads is a tough girl in a teddy bear coating. She is kind and loving as a person who took care of her mother most her life, yet she can still take care of herself. Along with that we get to see a raw side of her - full of fear, of a feeling of being an impostor (which jumps to a whole new level when she gets to actually be one) and of the most adorable goofiness when she is presented to the world of her sister.

'I glanced down to see a glass bottle of water in the cupholder behind the center console. Who bottled water in glass? Was plastic too pedestrian? I tried not to fidget, but the urge to run my hands across every surface in this vehicle was killing me.'

Maddie isn't afraid to show us who she is. She is awkward and tense but also very smart with a strong personality. It is amazing to see her grow and she is very easy to relate to. I almost never like the female leads in these books, but here I have nothing bad to say. Hannah managed to portray a need for a protector in a way that doesn't lower the girl to a damsel in distress and it's an amazing achievement.


RYAN

“Madison, last night was …” He trailed off and shook his head, before rubbing the back of his neck with an impish smirk.

I won't say much about him. I will let you figure him out on your own, because man, that's a fun journey to take.
As a fantasy reader, regular men usually have no way to even compete with the divine, sometimes winged, powerful, inhuman book boyfriends that are out there. There's just not enough to go on, you know? Well this is not the case.
A jock, a bully, the king of the school and a generally unpleasant, impulsive, strong, hot damn swoony man. On the inside though hides a side no one could ever suspect is there..
Ryan is one of my favorite contemporary book boyfriends. He is so easy to fall in love with, and it's another great show of Hannah's talents to write men who are HOT and dominant without resorting to possessiveness, obsession, toxicity or abuse. I won't say they reached to a point where their relationship is healthy - but I can definitely see them getting there. And I can't wait.

“God, I’m going to love corrupting you, baby.”

Ryan's relationship with Maddie goes from mad to madder, it's awesome, it's sweet, it's a whole rollercoaster of emotion burning faster than me finishing my chores so I can Keep. On. Reading.
Their interaction is also HYSTERICALLY funny at times, and usually feels like a clashing of a lion and a lioness, claws and roars and b**ch slaps and all. The amount of confusion on both sides at first, and emotional baggage they both carry is a gleeful paradise for the drama loving reader. I was reminded with the way Mulan and Shang were acting when recognizing the spark between them.


THE GANG

“Ash isn’t into needles. His is the smallest. It’s on his shoulder. Court’s is on his ribs.”
“And Linc?”
He tipped his head back and laughed at a distant memory. “His is right above his dick.”
My brows shot up as a laugh burst from me. “Seriously?”
Ryan grinned. “Yeah. He lost a bet, and Court got to pick the place he got the tat.”

Here comes my only complaint - some of the characters and the relationship between them kind of reminded me the ones from Hannah's previous books, Blackwater Pack series. Ash was a smarter Rhodes, Bex was basically Larkin. I wish in the rest of the story they will grow further from the familiar because I was kind of bothered by that.
Now that I have that behind me, I can freely say I love this gang and their friendships so much. The silent computer geek, the newly reformed previously bullied girl, the punch-drunk dense comic relief, the bodyguard and person to trust with physical errands, and, of course, the fierce pack leader. Their gang is the ABSOLUTE BEST, their interactions are frequently hillarious in a way that reminded me One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
It naturally takes a while for Maddie to be accepted by this squad, but when she does, she takes the place of sort of a Snow White to their seven dwarves and I'm absolutely living for it. Reading about this group of friends made me kind of jealous even, this is friendship goals right there. I can't get enough of them, and while side characters in those stories frequently make fillers for the story, in Mad World I enjoyed their bits just as much as the interaction between the MC and the love interest.

“Stop looking at my cards!” Bex snapped, shoving Linc’s shoulder so he backed off.
He gave her an innocent look. “I wasn’t trying to see your cards, B.”
She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Oh, no? Then what?”
“I was looking down your shirt,” he replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

READ. THIS. BOOK.
It has quickly become my favorite contemporary by a mile. It's hilarious, its exciting, nostalgic, mysterious and full of action. It is an emotional rollercoaster, it will give you the worst hangover ever, it's also totally worth it.
I cannot WAIT for the next book to come.

[Travelogged Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I think I created a monster,” he chuckled, shaking his head. I looked him in the eye and smiled slowly. “Maybe I was always a monster. Maybe I just needed another monster to show me the way.”

Okay so this book has left me astonished because damn the plot is definitely something else. In a world where the rich and privileged can get away with anything, Madison now has to take the place of her twin and learn to survive in it. There were so many shocking plot twists and I couldn't understand which characters to trust. I can't wait to continue this series to know what happens next because the storyline has definitely left me wanting for more!

[Zawszezaczytana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ✨

Fajna książka, typowy odmóżdżacz, który angażuje od pierwszych stron 🤭 chciałam dać 4,5 ALE zabieram pół gwiazdki za plot twist 💀 MIMO TO CZEKAM NA KONTYNUACJĘ (będzie w lutym!!)

[slavic_zelva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75|5★
Gdzieś w połowie przestałam nadążać za ilością dram i intryg. Intuicja podpowiada mi, żeby nie wierzyć w tragiczną śmierć blondynki.

Poza tym, wciągnęłam się.

[sthaboutbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️

Meeeega wciąga!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this!! So many of my Goodreads friends have review this book so I’ll keep mine short and sweet.

It is indeed a twisted, dark, suspenseful retelling of The Parent Trap. I am living for the plot and the characters!!
The cliffhanger has me immediately on to the next book.