3.5 Stars

This book was very cute! I loved all the nostalgic references being a 90's girl myself. It is not going to change any lives but it was a cute story that was a quick and easy read.

In the 90's, the mall was the place where it all happened--shopping, socializing, finding your first job. For Cassie, the mall serves as a considerable stepping stone to her big plan--getting out of her hometown, getting a good education, and doing it all with her boyfriend Troy.

Cassie's plans are foiled from the beginning--when the reader meets her, she is returning to her job at America's Best Cookie after suffering a bout of mono. It is here where she has a summer job with her boyfriend Troy, but as soon as she steps through those mall doors, she realizes that her whole life is being turned upside down. Troy has found someone else, her manager has filled her position, and she's stuck taking a job at Bellarosa, a clothing store that caters to the big-hair, skin-tight, high-heeled crowd. On top of that, her former friend Drea is her coworker.

But the job isn't the only thing in store for Cassie in the summer--she crushes on a boy at Sam Goody, parties with the mall workers in a hidden basement room called the Cabbage Patch, and goes on a secret treasure hunt, bringing her and Drea closer than ever before. Outside of the mall Cassie is dealing with the separation of her parents, but it still influences the thoughts and actions she takes in every situation that comes her way.

The entire story takes place at the mall, and it is interesting how that didn't take away from what was happening in Cassie's life outside of her mall life. The story is a familiar one because everyone understands what the mall represents, particularly for teens, and how those first steps of freedom inside the mall make a big difference in how a person takes those first steps of freedom outside of everything they know. The writing is so vivid and honest that this would definitely make a fun, entertaining movie.

Arc provided from NetGalley. Cassie has just graduated from high school and is ready to go to college after working at the mall for the summer. She is planning to have the perfect summer with her boyfriend but when her plans go wrong she learns there is more to life than best made plans. I enjoyed The Mall but not much really happened in the plot. The book is set in 1991 so there are a lot of early 90s references. Overall a 3 star read.

This book was laugh out loud funny for those of us of a certain age, for sure. the concept of the story taking place IN the mall was creative and fresh. I enjoyed this book very much,

For someone who grew up in NJ in the 90s, this definitely had a lot of appeal. Plus, it had a good main character who was finding herself after a nasty bout of mono that changed everything in her life. There was a crazy ridiculous treasure hunt, but even that was fun. There was a whole love interest plot with a guy who worked at Sam Goody whose name we did not know--that cracked me up, but I also spent my teen years shopping at Sam Goody so that might have helped. I do wonder what today's teens will take away from this one. Hopefully, they take away that teens pretty much always have the same problems no matter the year.

I was going to wait until closer to the published date to post my feedback on The Mall but I think by then I will have forgotten even more of the book. Ironic, since it is a book about the past. 😅

We are currently in the age of Nostalgia™. Everyone wants their childhood happiness and/or simplicity back. Looking at the current news all around the World, it's a no-brainer as to why. Nostalgia and memories are a trick our minds play on us. Things aren't always as great as we may have thought they were. 
I recently tried to reread The Baby-Sitters Club series because they were my absolute favorite and what got me into reading as a child. Oh. My. Goodness. They are pretty bad. And my heart is broken to learn that many of the books had ghost writers. I feel betrayed. But, I'm getting off topic. Kind of. 
The Mall is a book looking to play into the Nostalgic magic . (Think... Fuller House) The Mall is set in the 1990s (early 90s) when malls and such were in their prime. I had the discussion with my dad recently about how malls used to be an 'event'. You would go spend hours there shopping, meeting friends, eating, playing at the arcade, or seeing a movie. The Mall has bits and pieces of that. It is a fun read but a bit cliche at times. I never really connected to the characters and I don't feel like it really reflected my 90s. My predominant memories are of the later 90s, which might be part of it. I do think it will resonate with many, though. I don't know how today's teens will react to it as they may or may not get certain references. 

#NotMy90s #StopTryingToMakeFetchHappen

The Mall will be a perfect Summer and beach read and I look forward to seeing the response to it. 

***An arc was provided by St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and Netgalley.***

The Mall is a super fun throwback to working in the mall in the 80's. Remember Chess King, Orange Julius, Sam Goody's, and B.Dalton? Turn on some Marky Mark tunes and fall into memories about the months between graduating high school and starting college. Cassie's life turns upside down as everything she thought about life, "the plan", gets disrupted. Treasure hunts, secret parties, and fountain brawls are just the start of the hilarious escapades that happen as Cassie tries to figure it all out. This book is about, "family and friendship and love and loyalty and betrayal and sisterhood, "you know, all the most important shit in life". Easy read - would make a great beach book.

This is SUCH a fun YA coming of age, romance, and friendship story. McCafferty flawlessly transports readers to the 90s setting with so much attention to detail. I was super excited when I heard about this book and it surpassed expectations. This will be a fun pick for teens and adults alike and I look forward to recommending it.

The Mall is a likable book, that is hindered by its flat characters and barely-there plot. I'm not sure the 90's references will be appreciated by teens, so I'm not quite sure of the audience for this book.

While I was born in the early 90s, I still had nostalgic memories from this book. This is definitely one of my favorite YA novels to date, and not just because it's set in and heavily influenced by the 90s.

This is a cute book. It starts with Cassie on her way to work with her boyfriend Troy. Both are very smart and she plans to enjoy their graduation summer. Cassie also feels she has some time to make up because she has missed prom and graduation due to mono. However once she gets to work her whole life seems to shift. Troy breaks up with her for some bimbo at Bath And Body Works, she loses her job and has to find a new now asap. She does not want or need her parents to know what a mess her life has become. Then BAM her parents split up too!

I enjoyed hearing music from the late 80's early 90's (as it is 1991). I loved how the author talked about the stores that were in the Mall back in that time period. It was an all and all fun read. But to see how Cassie turns things around well you will just have to read the book!

Fun, and a great flashback to the very early 90s, THE MALL introduces readers to Cassie, a recent high school grad on the verge of a new life but still stuck in her old one. After a break up with her boyfriend, Cassie needs a new job and new outlook, and in finding both (at the mall, of course), she reignites a long-lost friendship.

This book has a lot of great things: a mystery, humor, and of course all of the 90's-era trappings which are so fun to remember. Unfortunately, I didn't find many of the characters compelling, though I did enjoy following the ups and downs of the friendship of Cassie and Drea.

Straddling the line between YA and NA, this book will be a fun summer read when it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Arc provided by Netgalley in return for an honesty review.

The story follows a girl named Cassandra who is dating Troy but after she gets sick and can’t attend their prom he ends up finding a new girlfriend. While Cassandra gets hired at the mall, she is helping Drea (a co worker) look for a hidden treasure.

This book had me laughing and it’s a fun read. It releases June 9, 2020 and its perfect to read during the summer.

Why should you read this book?
1. The cover is amazingly beautiful!
2. There is a scavenger hunt!
3. It’s a cute, funny, and hooks you from the beginning!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. I truly enjoyed this story!

As a child of the 90's, the setting, pop-culture references, and atmosphere of this book was 5 stars! It was easy to overlook things I liked less about the book because this aspect was so much fun. The problem I had with this book is I had a difficult time connecting to the characters or any of their personal strifes. I felt like a lot of the characters were flat, and despite this delightful setting (a mall in the 90's!) I had a hard time staying invested in this novel. Megan McCafferty always holds a soft spot in my heart though.

I would like to recommend this book for my class, but I think a lot of the references and a general understanding of the meaning of the mall during the early 90s would be lost on them. However, this was an incredibly fun read for someone who grew up in that time frame (OK, maybe a little after). It combined the feelings and themes of YA lit with the glory of mall culture and that fuzzy transition period from 80s to 90s. For older people who are young at heart, and whose literature tastes often reflect that, this is an easy buy.

I loved this book so much. It was relatable, quirky, intriguing, and easy to read. I loved the main character, she felt so real! I loved that even though its YA, it was still an awesome read for me, a 30-something. Definitely will be recommending to friends!

The Mall is a super fun, light read that transported you back to the height of the 80s. Think big hair, shoulder pads, and 90210 mania. At its heart, the story is one about breaking bonds and becoming your truest self. The MC starts her summer before college after a bout of mono caused her to be quarantined for weeks. Always the girl with a plan, she returns to the world to find her boyfriend stolen by a psycho and her summer job no longer available. She ends up working at a high end dress boutique that is totally not her style, with a former bff that ditched her for boys in middle school.. The estranged friends soon become allies in solving a mall mystery that many think is only urban legend. The hope is that treasure awaits. Bonding and hijinks ensue in a most enjoyable way!

I was so excited for this ARC and I have been looking forward to reading this book for a couple weeks now! I really loved the 90s vibe, and the adorable characters! It is such a fun read, with fun topics introduced but the author doesn't dive into the serious topics too much, making this a fun and light hearted read. I think this book will appeal to it's intended audience with the style of the writing and the pop culture references. The entire book was such a fun throwback and this made me enjoy it even more! People who are looking for a light hearted and quick read should definitely pick this book up! I am going to be promoting this book to everyone, as this is a book I feel so many of my followers would enjoy and blow through!

A fun look back at the epicenter of teen life in the 90s - THE MALL. While I personally came of age around 2000, I still delighted in all the callback references - B Dalton, Sam Goody, etc. I loved both Cassie's overachiever self and Drea, the fashion-forward former best friend. The treasure hunt sub-plot was silly, but overall I enjoyed this quick read!

I was a huge fan of Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series, and I couldn't wait to get the galley of this one (thank you, NetGalley! And the publisher, and the author!) There is a clear audience for this book - I'm not sure how it would be received by an older or younger group, but for those of us in the Oregon Trail generation, this book hits the sweet spot. Cassie Worthy has just completed high school. She's a nerd, but she's got a plan. She and her boyfriend, Troy, will be attending universities across the street from each other in New York City, planning to immerse themselves in the World of Knowledge while also having fun. Until Cassie gets sprayed by a rogue mister from Bath and Body Works - and it turns out the girl has been sneaking around with Troy. Cassie is suddenly unmoored, but over the course of the summer, she finds her way into all sorts of new adventures, learning about herself and who she is in the process. A confection that mall-lovers will adore, complete with a fun treasure-hunt subplot and several unlikely friendships.