Title: Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall
Author: Wendy Mass
Edition: Paperback Reprint
Publisher: Little, Brown
MSRP: $7.99
Pages (numbered): 251 pp
Rating: * * * */5
(So, I really like this new format. I cover more points and it's more organized. Agreed? TOO BAD if not coz it's my blog- MUAHAHAHAHA!! *ahem* Sorry ;))
Synopsis- When 16 year old Tessa suffers a shocking accident in gym class, she finds herself in heaven (or what she thinks is heaven), which happens to bear a striking resemblance to her hometown mall. In the tradition of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol", Tessa starts reliving hrt life up until that moment. She sees some things she'd rather forget. learns some things about herself she'd rather not know, and ultimately must find the answer to one burning question-- if only she knew what that question was.
Written in sharp, witty verse, Wendy Mass crafts an extraordinary tale of a spunky heroine who hasn't always made the right choices, but who needs to discover what makes life worth living.
PLOT- I loved the way this book was plotted out: once you got into it, and she's given a bag with seemingly random items purchased by/for her throughout the years at the mall, and she tells the story behind each. I LOVED that! You really got to know Tessa, for better or worse, and all her imperfections. It was executed beautifully.
CHARACTERS- Seeing as it's a verse kind of thing (not rhymy, though. I couldn't take it if it was :{) there aren't neccessarily a lot of characters. Mainly Tessa, her family, and her 3 friends. But Tessa was really wonderfully written- expressed perfectly, and her faults are shown as well as the good times, which is important. She seems so real. My complaint about it, though, is Tessa is kinda a horrible person! She steals and lies shamelessly, and she was SO unbelievably self-centered. But looking back, I think that was the point- sure, she did some awful things in her life, things she tries to forget, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to live. But, y'know what, it could have been done down a little. :(
SETTING- I loved the mall heaven thing! It was so different and fun.
START/ENDING- Start was pretty good. It definitely drew me in- I was standing in front of the shelve at B and N, and I read the whole first 20 pages just standing like that! Then my legs started cramping, and some really tall dude is guyliner, etc. pretty much knocked me over. So I just went and bought it :)
Overall: A quick yet deep book that won't leave you dissapointed, and will have you thinking enough as this summer comes to an end so as to remove some summer brain damage.
P.S. Here's my English journal, how it turned out ( I found my camera!): 
Do ya like it? I was v. v. picky about the movies :P And the books on the back are a) my favorites or b) books that have meant something important to this blog. Also, any thoughts on my button for Serendipity Reviews? I used Picnik- ridiculously easy and fun, BTW- at midnight last night, so I'm not sure if I was fully under creative influence :P JK.
Also, for your viewing pleasure, here's some piccys of my puppy Maddi:
Enjoy! xD
