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A review by steph01924
Jackpot by Nic Stone
3.0
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed Stone's conversational writing style; it made Rico's voice very real and lived in and it was a breeze to read. The swoon was also quite good! Overall, I liked it quite a bit.
I did struggle with a few things that made me roll my eyes or confused me; things that kept this book from being a complete winner for me--spoilers ahead:
- Rico's complete lack of awareness that Zan was head-over-heels for her got to be a but much as we got closer to the end. Girl, you cannot seriously still think he's secretly disgusted with you and will screw you over at any chance you get.
- Also, Rico's constant anxiety and stress about not having enough money was, sadly, very realistic but a super bummer to have to live in throughout the novel. (I'm not saying there's anything wrong with showing that at all, just not what I was wanting to have to "deal" with in my fun reading time right this moment). And then to tie it all up with her inability to let ANYone help her drove me insane. I know it was supposed to, but I really wanted to shake her, like, hard. It got to a point where I almost didn't want her to get a happy ending because she was really being too effing ridiculous and I...can be vindictive.
- Zan's many, many nicknames that included things like Zanny-Zan, said to him by characters with straight faces. The name Zan in general. I disliked it all.
- I really wanted Rico's mom to get her just desserts for being such a shitty mom. There are so many different levels of crap parents, and she's by far not the WORST one you've ever seen, but even after Rico's little brother had to go to the hospital, she STILL wasn't open to the idea of public assistance? Not even to help her daughter work less so she could actually get the schooling you put her in poverty for? Screw off, lady.
- And then the fact that Rico hands over a good chunk of her monthly lottery stipend directly to her mom at the end and makes it sound like she'll continue to do so really pisses me off. You know this woman is bad with money!!! I get that you want to take care of your family, but it sounds like YOU were the only responsible one in the family taking care of the money, Rico! Give your mom some pocket money and handle the finances yourself.
- I didn't quite get Zan's angle in keeping the lottery ticket a secret for so long. Like...what did you seriously expect to happen? His reasoning and choices didn't make much sense to me.
I did struggle with a few things that made me roll my eyes or confused me; things that kept this book from being a complete winner for me--spoilers ahead:
Spoiler
- Rico's complete lack of awareness that Zan was head-over-heels for her got to be a but much as we got closer to the end. Girl, you cannot seriously still think he's secretly disgusted with you and will screw you over at any chance you get.
- Also, Rico's constant anxiety and stress about not having enough money was, sadly, very realistic but a super bummer to have to live in throughout the novel. (I'm not saying there's anything wrong with showing that at all, just not what I was wanting to have to "deal" with in my fun reading time right this moment). And then to tie it all up with her inability to let ANYone help her drove me insane. I know it was supposed to, but I really wanted to shake her, like, hard. It got to a point where I almost didn't want her to get a happy ending because she was really being too effing ridiculous and I...can be vindictive.
- Zan's many, many nicknames that included things like Zanny-Zan, said to him by characters with straight faces. The name Zan in general. I disliked it all.
- I really wanted Rico's mom to get her just desserts for being such a shitty mom. There are so many different levels of crap parents, and she's by far not the WORST one you've ever seen, but even after Rico's little brother had to go to the hospital, she STILL wasn't open to the idea of public assistance? Not even to help her daughter work less so she could actually get the schooling you put her in poverty for? Screw off, lady.
- And then the fact that Rico hands over a good chunk of her monthly lottery stipend directly to her mom at the end and makes it sound like she'll continue to do so really pisses me off. You know this woman is bad with money!!! I get that you want to take care of your family, but it sounds like YOU were the only responsible one in the family taking care of the money, Rico! Give your mom some pocket money and handle the finances yourself.
- I didn't quite get Zan's angle in keeping the lottery ticket a secret for so long. Like...what did you seriously expect to happen? His reasoning and choices didn't make much sense to me.