Revenge, Ice Cream and Other Things Best Served Cold by Katie Finn

Published: May 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 400

Copy Provided by: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

The war rages on between Gemma and Hallie in the second installment of the Broken Hearts and Revenge series.

After the humiliating events on the 4th of July, Gemma's trying to handle the fact that Hallie knew who she was all along, and she was the one who stole Teddy from her. Gemma vows revenge, but things get more complicated than she planned. Ford, Gemma’s long-time crush, has arrived in the Hamptons cuter than ever. Josh is refusing to speak to her after she lied to him, and Teddy is playing champion to his beloved Marsh Warbler (in Gemma's backyard, no less).

Gemma and Hallie find themselves locked in an escalating revenge cycle. Just when Gemma thinks she has the upper hand, the biggest bombshell of all is dropped. And it’s one that threatens to change her life forever. This exciting sequel to Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things To Mend will leave you begging for the third installment.

Review:

This series is so much fun to read!  Right after book #1, I bought #2 in e-book format (I LOVE the instant purchasing.  Convenient but a little scary...)  So let's recap....

Gemma does something bad to Hallie as a child, barely a pre-teen and Hallie spends years planning out her revenge.  I get that Hallie was a super B**ch to Gemma but we still haven't seen either character take the high road here.  Why spend so much time getting revenge for something that they haven't even TALKED about in years? I'm not saying that they need to be friends either but they both seem to be in better places in their lives, right?

So Gemma and Josh or Gemma and Ford?  I am kind of voting for Ford since Josh did not even give Gemma a chance to explain the Hallie and Teddy text fiasco.  Speaking of which, how would Teddy not have programmed Hallie's number with the ID attached, so that when Gemma was posing as Hallie, it would show that the text was not from Hallie's number?

Unfortunately, the idea of the two girls scheming against each other started to get old about 1/2 way through the book.  The ending was predictable but I still enjoyed watching how it was all going to unfold.  

I will search out book #3 when it is released just to see what these two monsters will do to each other next. I hope it is still just as fun but perhaps a little less predictable.  I had a lot of sympathy for Gemma in this one.  She got steamrolled pretty badly....and then the steamroller backed right over her again....keep it on your fun summer reading list!

Broken Hearts, Fences and other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

Published: May 2014

Publisher: Fiewel & Friends

Pages: 339

Copy Provided by: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Hot sun. Blue waves. New romances. Old secrets.

Gemma had her summer all planned out, but it takes a sharp turn when she gets dumped and finds herself back in the Hamptons after a five-year absence.

Being there puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friends (that is, before Gemma ruined her life). But people don't hold grudges forever. Do they?

Gemma intends on making amends, but a small case of mistaken identity causes the people she knew years ago—including Hallie and her dreamy brother, Josh—to believe she's someone else. As though the summer wasn't complicated enough already.

Filled with summer sun, boys, and friendships gone sour, Katie Finn's first novel in the Broken Hearts and Revenge series sizzles and delights. 

Review:

What caught my eye with this book is not only the title but the cover. It looked like a GREAT summer read. And it is. Not too intense but SO MUCH FUN!!  So Hallie has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. Not that she isn't entitled to it but she has literally invested YEARS into plotting against Gemma.  They were friends when they were younger and then all hell broke loose and an instead of coming clean with her friend, Gemma's lies have caught up to her in a BIG BAD way.  

I really enjoyed this title. Although some of it was a little disheartening to read (the extents that these girls go to in order to mortify the other), it is still a fun, light read.  I do think you should read Hallie Hath No Fury prior to reading this title so you get both character POVs.  I had so much fun that I had to buy and read book #2 as soon as this one was done!

If you are a fan of crazy stunts and misinterpretations, you will love this story.  It reminded me of the crazy antics in the Shopaholic series...  This is why you never want to piss off your girlfriends.  Guys have it so easy. They get mad and physically hit one another and then shake hands and move on.  Women are so much more calculating and manipulative.  Bad scenario upon bad scenario all stacked up.  Does the truth REALLY set you free when you are tangled up in a web of lies?  Great title to add to your summer reading list!

Hallie Hath no Fury by Katie Finn

Published: February 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends 

Pages: 32

Copy provided by: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

There are two sides to every story, right?

Hallie's life was ruined five years ago when her supposed best friend Gemma plotted against their parents getting together. Well now the tables have turned, and it's Hallie's turn to tell her side.

This satisfying e-short story will give readers of Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend history and insight on how Gemma's former best friend, Hallie dealt with the fallout.

Review: 

I had had my eye on Broken Hearts and Fences to Mend for AGES so I bought Hallie Hath no Fury as a short story to see if I would enjoy the series.  Hallie is SO ANGRY and reading her side of the story, she does have a right to be but she becomes downright obsessive with making Gemma pay for what she has done to her family.  Years were spent devising a plan to make Gemma's life and take away the things that Gemma loves but in the end, is it all worthwhile? I really felt for Hallie and what had happened to her.  But when you look at the bigger picture, how much time had she invested into this scheme when she could have been expanding herself in better, more positive ways?  Does her anger and negativity really fuel her soul.  by the end of the book I felt more pity than anything for Hallie for wasting so much time in her life....but I immediately bought Book #1 to start reading the series from Gemma's point of view.  If you thought girls were complicated, you have no idea.....This would be a great summer reading series for your to-read list!