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michalice's review against another edition
3.0
When I saw Blonde Ops on netgalley the synopsis drew me in and I need to know more. I have had this book waiting for a while and I finally got chance to read it. My review doesn't really go into too much detail as I don't want to reveal what happens, or who are the suspects, and who the culprit really is, or even how Rebecca solves it.
We begin Blonde Ops with an interesting look into a chapter yet to come, and it definitly had me guessing how they got into this situation. We then formally meet Rebecca, who is being sent to Italy after being expelled from another school. Her Mum has had enough of her making adjustments to school related things..like hacking into the system to change a grade, and packs her off to stay with an old friend, Parker. What she doesn't tell Rebecca is that whilst in Italy she will be an intern for Edge, a magazine that Parker is editor in chief of. However an accident leaves Rebecca in the care of Candace, and Rebecca is determined to find out what really happened.
Blond Ops was a unique read, with fashion, sleuthing, and computer hacking all combined to make an interesting read. The fashion part is easy for me to give up, but I fell in love with the hacking aspects and how 'resourceful' Rebecca is when it comes to discovering the truth. Some of the techniques she uses I never would have thought possible, and she did lose me on a few technical details of certain investigations, but I did like the result from these.
The beginning of each chapter comes with 'Tips & Tricks for the Edge-y Girl' and I looked forward to reading each new tip before delving right back into the story. Rebecca is a very talented girl, and even though her talents are more often than not used for her own gain, they do all assist in the investigation, and help get herself and her friends out of a sticky situation.
Blonde Ops is the first book I have read by these authors, and I will have to look into the other books they have written. While Blond Ops isn't necessary in my list of amazing-blew-me-away reads, it does rank up there with some of my favourites. The unique mix of subject matter, and a eclectic but great mix of characters makes Blonde Ops an enjoyable read and definitly kept me turning the pages.
We begin Blonde Ops with an interesting look into a chapter yet to come, and it definitly had me guessing how they got into this situation. We then formally meet Rebecca, who is being sent to Italy after being expelled from another school. Her Mum has had enough of her making adjustments to school related things..like hacking into the system to change a grade, and packs her off to stay with an old friend, Parker. What she doesn't tell Rebecca is that whilst in Italy she will be an intern for Edge, a magazine that Parker is editor in chief of. However an accident leaves Rebecca in the care of Candace, and Rebecca is determined to find out what really happened.
Blond Ops was a unique read, with fashion, sleuthing, and computer hacking all combined to make an interesting read. The fashion part is easy for me to give up, but I fell in love with the hacking aspects and how 'resourceful' Rebecca is when it comes to discovering the truth. Some of the techniques she uses I never would have thought possible, and she did lose me on a few technical details of certain investigations, but I did like the result from these.
The beginning of each chapter comes with 'Tips & Tricks for the Edge-y Girl' and I looked forward to reading each new tip before delving right back into the story. Rebecca is a very talented girl, and even though her talents are more often than not used for her own gain, they do all assist in the investigation, and help get herself and her friends out of a sticky situation.
Blonde Ops is the first book I have read by these authors, and I will have to look into the other books they have written. While Blond Ops isn't necessary in my list of amazing-blew-me-away reads, it does rank up there with some of my favourites. The unique mix of subject matter, and a eclectic but great mix of characters makes Blonde Ops an enjoyable read and definitly kept me turning the pages.
labraden's review against another edition
3.0
Blonde Ops is the story of Bec Jackson, a teenager who has been kicked out of several schools due to her hacking. Bec's parents don't have time for her, so she is constantly shuffled from relative to relative, until this time. Bec is sent to Rome to work for her mother's best friend, Parker who is the editor of a fashion magazine doing a shoot there. Bec barely gets a chance to meet Parker when she is in a car accident and hospitalized somewhere in Rome. Bec knows Parker was seriously injured, but can't find out any specifics about her condition or even what hospital she is in. When Bec starts to investigate the wreck, she finds out that there is more going on than just a car crash. With the imminent arrival of the First Lady of the United States for the photo shoot, Bec starts to wonder about all of the people she is working with and what their endgames really are, especially the mysterious Taj and attractive Dante who have both shown interest in her.
Blonde Ops is well written and interesting, but I had trouble reconciling the fact that when the woman who is tasked with taking care of Bec is injured, she isn't sent back to her parents rather than being allowed to remain in a European city with people that her parents don't know. Also some of the descriptions of Rome are a little long-winded. Otherwise this was a good mystery/adventure story with a good plot and unique characters.
Blonde Ops is well written and interesting, but I had trouble reconciling the fact that when the woman who is tasked with taking care of Bec is injured, she isn't sent back to her parents rather than being allowed to remain in a European city with people that her parents don't know. Also some of the descriptions of Rome are a little long-winded. Otherwise this was a good mystery/adventure story with a good plot and unique characters.
carolinekeyes's review against another edition
4.0
I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. It was fun and entertaining, and the mystery is enough to keep you reading all the way through. Even though I guessed the big plot twist, the other characters were still just suspicious enough that I was never 100% sure of my guess. It was a good, light read, but if you're looking for something more, I would recommend something else
emilyanne3000's review
4.0
Models. Hackers. Plots. And Rome.
Need I say more?
Blonde Ops is a fluffy adventure ideal for fans of Ally Carter and Robin Benway. The characters are fun and entertaining, the plot is exciting although a tad predictable, and the setting is awesome!
The main character, Bec, is a hacker just kicked out of a boarding school for the umpteenth time. I absolutely loved reading from her POV! She is smart, quirky, and... how can I phrase this?... very meddlesome. Additionally, Bec was refreshingly enthusiastic about Rome, food, and of course, the cute Italian delivery guy!
Once Bec was shipped of to EDGE, under the custody of EDGE's editor, Parker. However, soon after arriving, things start going awry and Bec must use al her skills to find out a scheme involving the first lady! While I predicted the "bad guys", i still immensely enjoyed the mystery/adventure aspect of Blond Ops!
I've been to Italy before. The place is so amazing. I loved visiting there again while reading Blonde Ops! Also, I enjoyed the setting of Edge. There were a lot of quirky models, photographers, assistants etc. Also, I think I lot of YA books portray people who enjoy fashion in a bad way, so I enjoyed how the authors didn't shame anyone into fashion. I also enjoyed the light-hearted portrayal of the drama of the magazine. I especially like Sophie, Candace, and Kevin.
Overall, the two authors of Blonde Ops have written a delightful, unputdownable story! I've been wondering if they will write a sequel as the ending wrapped enough up while still leaving the story open for a next installment. A girl can hope!
4/5 Stars
*I received this book for free from FirstReads in exchange for an honest review*
Need I say more?
Blonde Ops is a fluffy adventure ideal for fans of Ally Carter and Robin Benway. The characters are fun and entertaining, the plot is exciting although a tad predictable, and the setting is awesome!
The main character, Bec, is a hacker just kicked out of a boarding school for the umpteenth time. I absolutely loved reading from her POV! She is smart, quirky, and... how can I phrase this?... very meddlesome. Additionally, Bec was refreshingly enthusiastic about Rome, food, and of course, the cute Italian delivery guy!
Once Bec was shipped of to EDGE, under the custody of EDGE's editor, Parker. However, soon after arriving, things start going awry and Bec must use al her skills to find out a scheme involving the first lady! While I predicted the "bad guys", i still immensely enjoyed the mystery/adventure aspect of Blond Ops!
I've been to Italy before. The place is so amazing. I loved visiting there again while reading Blonde Ops! Also, I enjoyed the setting of Edge. There were a lot of quirky models, photographers, assistants etc. Also, I think I lot of YA books portray people who enjoy fashion in a bad way, so I enjoyed how the authors didn't shame anyone into fashion. I also enjoyed the light-hearted portrayal of the drama of the magazine. I especially like Sophie, Candace, and Kevin.
Overall, the two authors of Blonde Ops have written a delightful, unputdownable story! I've been wondering if they will write a sequel as the ending wrapped enough up while still leaving the story open for a next installment. A girl can hope!
4/5 Stars
*I received this book for free from FirstReads in exchange for an honest review*
siobhan27's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars! Super cute fun read!
When I saw Blonde Ops I knew that I wanted to read it because I was in desperate need of a light and fun read. I will admit that this book is fun at times, and I love a good mystery, especially when that includes a plot to kidnap the first lady of the USA. But for me, Blonde Ops was a slower read than what I was hoping for.
What I loved the most about this book was the narrator, Bec Jackson, because she was everything I love in a character. She was witty and sarcastic, as well as independent and free spirited. From the very first page I loved her because her voice is so strong, and her personality comes through every word. The same cannot be said for the secondary characters. I found most of them to be a bit two dimensional at times with little to no impact on the actual story line. It is a very big pet peeve of mine when reading to find character that have no relation to what happens in the story, and I found a few in this book.
The pacing of this book was a bit slow for me at times, even though I loved the mystery aspect of the story. I found that the beginning was quite slow, then the middle sped up a little bit, then it slowed down again, and finally went full speed with a couple of chapters left. I found that inconsistency in pace that hindered my enjoyment of the book because my emotions were going from happy to intrigued and then to frustrated too many times.
My biggest dislike in any YA novel is the love triangle, and this one had one from the get-go. And I very much disliked it all the way through the book. Even though the authors explain why there were two love interests I found them both to be a bit boring. I never really had any particular feelings towards any of them, and honestly I never really saw what Bec saw in them. They were kind of like a distraction from the real plot of the book, which annoyed me even more.
Overall Blonde Ops is a great mystery read that ultimately lags at times throughout the novel. The main character makes up for the lack of interesting secondary characters, and the end result was a great surprise and a fun end to the book. Ultimately this book was not my favorite but I do think it is a great read for those interested in a fun witty character that tries to solves a very interesting mystery.
When I saw Blonde Ops I knew that I wanted to read it because I was in desperate need of a light and fun read. I will admit that this book is fun at times, and I love a good mystery, especially when that includes a plot to kidnap the first lady of the USA. But for me, Blonde Ops was a slower read than what I was hoping for.
What I loved the most about this book was the narrator, Bec Jackson, because she was everything I love in a character. She was witty and sarcastic, as well as independent and free spirited. From the very first page I loved her because her voice is so strong, and her personality comes through every word. The same cannot be said for the secondary characters. I found most of them to be a bit two dimensional at times with little to no impact on the actual story line. It is a very big pet peeve of mine when reading to find character that have no relation to what happens in the story, and I found a few in this book.
The pacing of this book was a bit slow for me at times, even though I loved the mystery aspect of the story. I found that the beginning was quite slow, then the middle sped up a little bit, then it slowed down again, and finally went full speed with a couple of chapters left. I found that inconsistency in pace that hindered my enjoyment of the book because my emotions were going from happy to intrigued and then to frustrated too many times.
My biggest dislike in any YA novel is the love triangle, and this one had one from the get-go. And I very much disliked it all the way through the book. Even though the authors explain why there were two love interests I found them both to be a bit boring. I never really had any particular feelings towards any of them, and honestly I never really saw what Bec saw in them. They were kind of like a distraction from the real plot of the book, which annoyed me even more.
Overall Blonde Ops is a great mystery read that ultimately lags at times throughout the novel. The main character makes up for the lack of interesting secondary characters, and the end result was a great surprise and a fun end to the book. Ultimately this book was not my favorite but I do think it is a great read for those interested in a fun witty character that tries to solves a very interesting mystery.
reader_jenn's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at page 147. I was going to try to skim the second half of the book but i'd rather read something that better captures my attention. I think I expected it to be more mystery and danger and less fashion/photo shoots/glam etc. The protag is actually really likable, I just didn't care to read her story.
guardianofthebookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a cute read! Definitely reminded me of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Also Known As.
amelieboucher's review against another edition
2.0
I dove into this book expecting it to be a cute, cheesy teenage romance set in Italy, but this just wasn't it.
I knew this was going to be very cliché and probably include a million tropes, and this is exactly what I got. However, I feel like they weren't necessarily done well.
The plot was a little bit all over the place, to be honest. It was all very improbable and a little unrealistic at times. It didn't always make sense to me, but I was running with it. Obviously, it was somewhat predictable. However, I never saw that plot twist at the end coming! The big reveal was definitely unexpected to me, and this is what kept me from simply giving this book one star.
The characters felt very flat and unidimensional. Our main character, Bec, is not like other girls . *eye roll* She's a HACKER, she has PINK HAIR, and she doesn't want to be in Italy interning for a fashion magazine after being kicked out of her posh boarding school for the millionth time, she would much rather be home in the US and start things over in a new school that she'll inevitably get kick out of eventually. To be honest, Bec is a brat. I mean, really? The not-like-other-girls trope? We're in 2018, I thought we were past that. I feel like the authors attempted to make their main character stand out, but it just felt like they tried too hard. The rest of the characters were pretty cliché and uninteresting too. They all followed some kind of trope and none of them, including our main character, really evolve throughout the story.
One thing that I do feel the authors did write is the actual writing. Despite being written by a duo, the story read pretty seamlessly and if I hadn't known this was written by two different people, I never would have been able to tell. The story was also greatly paced and kept me entertained pretty much all the time. The only flaw in the writing, in my opinion, was the lack of descriptions of the environment. The story is set in Rome, and yet, the city is barely described. The only reason I even picked this book up to begin with was because it was set in Europe, and yet, we barely an idea of where it's taking place. A few tourist spots were mentioned, but that was pretty much it. That left me disappointed and wanting more.
Despite its flaws, I feel like this book would make a great Disney Channel-style movie. It just wasn't that great of a book.
I knew this was going to be very cliché and probably include a million tropes, and this is exactly what I got. However, I feel like they weren't necessarily done well.
The plot was a little bit all over the place, to be honest. It was all very improbable and a little unrealistic at times. It didn't always make sense to me, but I was running with it. Obviously, it was somewhat predictable. However, I never saw that plot twist at the end coming! The big reveal was definitely unexpected to me, and this is what kept me from simply giving this book one star.
The characters felt very flat and unidimensional. Our main character, Bec, is not like other girls . *eye roll* She's a HACKER, she has PINK HAIR, and she doesn't want to be in Italy interning for a fashion magazine after being kicked out of her posh boarding school for the millionth time, she would much rather be home in the US and start things over in a new school that she'll inevitably get kick out of eventually. To be honest, Bec is a brat. I mean, really? The not-like-other-girls trope? We're in 2018, I thought we were past that. I feel like the authors attempted to make their main character stand out, but it just felt like they tried too hard. The rest of the characters were pretty cliché and uninteresting too. They all followed some kind of trope and none of them, including our main character, really evolve throughout the story.
One thing that I do feel the authors did write is the actual writing. Despite being written by a duo, the story read pretty seamlessly and if I hadn't known this was written by two different people, I never would have been able to tell. The story was also greatly paced and kept me entertained pretty much all the time. The only flaw in the writing, in my opinion, was the lack of descriptions of the environment. The story is set in Rome, and yet, the city is barely described. The only reason I even picked this book up to begin with was because it was set in Europe, and yet, we barely an idea of where it's taking place. A few tourist spots were mentioned, but that was pretty much it. That left me disappointed and wanting more.
Despite its flaws, I feel like this book would make a great Disney Channel-style movie. It just wasn't that great of a book.
buuboobaby's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Pacing issues at the halfway point slowed this read wayyyy down
Full review soon
Pacing issues at the halfway point slowed this read wayyyy down
Full review soon
madetofly's review
2.0
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads, and I entered the giveaway because this looked like it had the potential to be a fun book. Overall, I think it did live up to my expectations. It was a fun book, and I can see a lot of people really enjoying it.
I did have problems with the book just because I couldn't get over how unrealistic everything seemed. I don't want to say too much and ruin the book for those who haven't read it, but Candace's backstory was the most illogical to me. I think those who've read the book can get what I mean from that. I didn't find that believable at all, and I had the hardest time with it.
The book was also incredibly predictable, and the love triangle all seemed rather pointless and boring. I honestly would have preferred the book without the hints at romance at all. Bec frustrated me where the boys were concerned because she really did string both of them along. I would say more about that as well, but again, I don't want to say anything spoilery.
The book was fun for the most part, and I enjoyed it enough to keep reading to the end. However, I wouldn't go into this book expecting much, and you really do have to suspend your disbelief for almost everything. I just couldn't get behind a lot of the story that seemed too unbelievable to me.
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-blonde-ops-by-charlotte.html
I did have problems with the book just because I couldn't get over how unrealistic everything seemed. I don't want to say too much and ruin the book for those who haven't read it, but Candace's backstory was the most illogical to me. I think those who've read the book can get what I mean from that. I didn't find that believable at all, and I had the hardest time with it.
The book was also incredibly predictable, and the love triangle all seemed rather pointless and boring. I honestly would have preferred the book without the hints at romance at all. Bec frustrated me where the boys were concerned because she really did string both of them along. I would say more about that as well, but again, I don't want to say anything spoilery.
The book was fun for the most part, and I enjoyed it enough to keep reading to the end. However, I wouldn't go into this book expecting much, and you really do have to suspend your disbelief for almost everything. I just couldn't get behind a lot of the story that seemed too unbelievable to me.
http://hmweasley-blog.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-blonde-ops-by-charlotte.html