3.5/3.75 stars.

I really enjoyed the nostalgia this book gives.....I wish things were as easy as life seemed for 1990's me.  Give me all the music, scrunchies, cabbage patch kids, mall fashion shows and 90210 (They just don't make them like they used to, I'm looking at you Brandon Walsh, Dylan McKay, Steve Sanders and David Silver!).  I did enjoy the friendship between Drea and Cassie. 

I wasn't a huge fan of the ending but I laughed and smiled my way through this and sometimes that is just what you need!  If you're from my generation pick this up and relive the time of our lives!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid book. I’d lean more towards 3.5 stars. I finished it in a day. Even though the treasure hunt seemed out of place, it’s honestly what kept me interested. The story had a good pace, the characters were well developed(I truly did not like Cassie. And I’m okay with that. Not liking her actually made me want to keep reading. See if there was anything redeeming about her.) and I felt that it was just the right amount of nostalgia. Good world building, because she truly captured the essence of the mall.

Cassie just wants to work at the Mall before heading to college in the fall.  She's got it all planned out...until the plan falls apart and shes left scrambling to save her last summer here.

Cassie reunites with an old friend and explores so many more areas of the Mall that shes never done before.  Cassie truly spends a summer making herself the best her she could be.

“Never referred to by its full name—always and only the mall—this capitalist mecca wasn’t the biggest or the best or the newest our state had to offer, but it was the closest. For that reason alone, the mall was the center of the universe for bored hordes of teens with limited spending money and infinite time to waste.” 

Cassie Worthy’s summer isn’t going the way she had planned. The plan was to work at the mall with her boyfriend Troy and save up money before going to school in New York City in the fall. Instead  she spent the last six weeks with the worst case of mono her doctor has ever seen and on her first day back at work, she finds out her boyfriend cheated on her. And she was fired. No boyfriend, no job, no plan. But her summer is not a total waste. She finds a new job and unexpectedly reconnects with an old friend and finds love…and also goes on the craziest treasure hunt that involves of all things Cabbage Patch dolls. Needless to say this was not the summer that Cassie had planned but it was exactly what she needed. 

This book is filled with all the 90’s nostalgia. I’m a 90’s baby and though I don’t have fond memories of all the references in this book, I did enjoy it. Also being from New Jersey I loved that the book is set in New Jersey…even if it’s south Jersey ; ) For me the book was kinda slow at times and though there are parts of it that picked up..it was just ok. Good but not great. BUT If you are looking for a book that gives you all the 90’s mall nostalgia then…then this book is for you! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book!

*I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a honest review*

3.5 stars

This was a lot of fun! It was very nostalgic that—as a 90's girl—I very much appreciated, but might alienate some readers who don't understand the references. It was so clever to set the entirety of the book at the mall. In the early 90's, teens spent all their time at the mall because that all there was to do. 

I wasn't expecting for this to be a tale of rekindling friendships, but once Cassie is left with no job, she finds herself in the shop owned by her ex best friend's mom. She is whisked away to the back where she ultimately accepts a position as a bookkeeper until she leaves for college in a few months.  Drea and Cassie are now forced to work together and come to terms with how their friendship crumbled in the first place. While hijinks, ex boyfriends, and a little bit of love follow these girls as they travel through the mall, at the end of the day their friendship is the most compelling part of the book.

In all, this was entertaining. Did it grab me emotionally or deliver much depth? No, but it offered an entertaining, albeit cheesy, 300-pages of distraction.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This quite clever young adult novel is set in a mall during the 1990’s when hair was big, makeup was blue eyeshadow, cassettes the only way to listen to music and a jean jacket a must. It’s when the real Beverly Hills 90210 was a hit.

Cassie and her boyfriend Troy who have been together for years and have a life plan for themselves get ready to begin phase two of the so called plan (college). They will spend their last summer together working as planned at the mall at the America’s Best Cookie store.  Until Cassie gets mono and has to spend weeks in bed.  When she is fully recovered she thinks life will go back to “as planned” the way it should.  Until she finds out Troy has dumped her for another girl and she cannot work at the store any longer and now has no job and she can’t tell her parents. She suddenly feels her whole life becoming a series of downward spirals.

As she interviews at other establishments and judges the employees working there (most who went to school with her) as beneath her, she accidently walks into a clothes shop which she finds is owned by the mother of her bestfriend in fifth grade.  Although they have not seen each other since, she gets hired as the bookkeeper for the rest of the summer.

Her past bestfriend Drea who is her total opposite, dates whoever, wears whatever and really doesn’t care what other people think begins teaching her about other ways of seeing people and relaxing her rigid objectives.  And Drea begins to learn from Cassie’s positive attributes.

During her summer at the mall, Cassie meets quite the cast of characters and she and Drea find themselves obsessed with finding a “legend has it” treasure hidden somewhere in the mall. Cassie begins to learn some valuable lessons. Such as what is on the outside sometimes is not what is on the inside of a person.  And looks can be deceiving. Sometimes it’s those quirks that make a person special.

What Cassie learns from others during her last six weeks until going to college is invaluable.  True friendships will last forever and don’t judge others. Loyalty and honesty in friends really exists, real friends have each other’s backs even if they unintentionally hurt you and plans can be changed. When her stint at the mall is over, Cassie walks out very differently than when she first walked in.

The Mall is an inspiring story for young girls with strong female characters and an intriguing treasure hunt which keeps the reader fascinated until the end.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #MeganMcCafferty #TheMall for the advanced copy.  The book will be out July 28.

First of all, thanks to Meghan from Wednesday Books for sending me via NetGalley an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


3,5 stars rounded up to 4. 


Cassandra Worthy is hit by a bad case of mononucleosis at the beginning of summer that even makes her skip the prom and the graduation ceremony - but it's just a small accident on the way in a plan that involves much bigger and more interesting things than two high school passage rites.

The day she is ready to go back to work at the mall, however, everything changes when her boyfriend of two years Troy gives her the cold shoulder and the she's almost suffocated to death by a cucumber-melon body spray that a sort of demon came out of hell - aka Helen, which apparently has replaced her in her own relationship and at work - sprayed on her as a petty joke.
With no more boyfriend and employment - no more Plan - Cassie feels lost and without direction; things even get worse when her parents also give her news that challenges everything she has always thought about the relationship between her parents.

It's not easy to start over - especially when the summer has already started and only a few places are still looking for staff. Even less easy is when you make a list of the mall's stores and the jobs you can do and as a rating scale to compare them you use the "attractiveness" of the male characters of 90210.
It doesn't help the guy from the music store who makes fun of you just when you're having the worst time and then you burst into tears right in front of your ex-best friend's mother - but hey, in the end it's Gia Bellarosa who offers to hire you, albeit under the bewildered and wary eyes of her daughter Drea, and Gia's boutique is so beyond that it cannot even be classified according to the lineup of 90210.

This is an opportunity to start again, perhaps to find a lost friendship, to learn to flirt and let go, to exchange pungent jokes with the boy from the music store and also to participate in a treasure hunt that begins in the basement of the mall.

Maybe not sticking to the Plan can also lead to great results.


So, we had a good start, then in the second part we went a little downhill.

I was very excited by the beginning: the 90s atmosphere, Cassie's cynical and caustic jokes, her melodramatic way of telling Helen's attack on her, the sudden but always worthy appearances of Zoe Gomez - who later turns out to be a sort of feminist "vigilante".

The reconstruction of the friendship with Drea is something hard and awkward at the beginning and although it was Drea who stopped being her friend seven years earlier, in the end it's Drea who decides to involve Cassie in the treasure hunt and that pushes her to be who she should always have been - and with statement Cassie will understand that two years with Troy, in an almost imperceptible way, have clipped her wings a little at a time.

However, Cassie never stops saying she's going to leave in a few weeks, that she's only keeping herself busy before she begins her real life in New York - getting on my nerves and on everyone's around her. At one point, Cassie believes she's the only one smart enough to go to college - especially since, perhaps unconsciously or perhaps not, she doesn't pay enough attention to Drea and her dreams and almost tramples on them mercilessly.

Cassie made me very angry in those moments, belittling the work of those who work inside a shopping center and those who - by choice or not - decide to not move to a big city.

I've always said that characters similar to me I either love them or hate them and this was the second case because it was precisely my similarities with Cassie that made me feel angry at her.
Because I too had dreams of glory, because I too would have liked to live in a city, because I too have a degree but I am still unemployed here at the moment, because I too - unfortunately - evaluate work based on how "cool" they could be, but I still worked the same in a shopping center last year and in the past years I had a job where I worked every day in summer without ever stopping because here we rely on tourism to get by.
But I never would have dreamed of stepping on other people's dreams believing myself more intelligent or capable because I know I'm not.

The story takes place in a month and a half, so don't expect great insights - it's a story with characters that remain quite shallow and Cassie herself and the boy from the music store don't share their name with each other except at the end despite several interactions, so much so that I asked myself more than once in the course of the reading if the name with which Cassie called him was not really the correct one and I had missed the presentations along the way.

Although the second part is not up to the first - and this is attributable to Cassie and her selfishness - it's still a book that gives great importance to women, their intelligence and their ability to rebuild a life starting from scratch without the need of Prince Charming to come and save them because they really can do it alone.
And it's true that it's also a slightly light and shallow book, but it's fluid thanks to its short chapters and is perfect for the summer - above all it's ideal if you are stuck in a slump like I was before reading it - because it's fun without wanting to be it at all costs and although I was born in 1989 (so I lived the 90s only in part), I found in this book all that distinguished them and all that was important for teenagers at the time.

I enjoyed reading several aspects of this book! The pacing was wonderful, characters were well drawn, and the reading experience on the whole was delightful.

This book was a melodramatic fun experience to read about. As a kid and growing up, I loved going to the mall, and I still do. I usually never buy anything, but it's always been this really great place to hang out with friends, try on clothes you're never going to buy, etc. I think that the writing in this book was upbeat, fast paced, definitely dramatic since the main characters are teenagers, so a job well done in that aspect. I wanted to keep reading to find out the next clues to the treasure hunt and I found the interactions between characters to be highly amusing. Being that I was born in 1999, I didn't understand a good chunk of the references so I couldn't enjoy that aspect as much, but it didn't bother me too much. Unfortunately, what ended up bothering me was the main character Cassie. I was hoping she'd go through some character development or something, but the entire time she was this anti-feminist who slut shamed Drea constantly, was very whiny and thought that her problems were the only important ones, got mad at her mom for making a choice for HERSELF and her betterment, and ranked working at stores on a scale so that it seemed that some jobs were more important and elite than others (which is really disrespectful to the people who work these jobs and I did not appreciate it at all). I get that she was going through a bad break up and all this stuff, but she was just so stuck up and thought because she was smart she was better than other people, especially other women who cared about their appearance and clothing (which if they do, is none of her concern, we should support all women). There was just too much negative energy from her. It was really disappointing not seeing any character development in Cassie from the beginning to the end of the book, well a little at the very end, but I don't think it negates the fact that she was awful for 90% of the book. I would have liked this book a whole lot more if she had been a better constructed character. On the other hand, I actually really liked Drea and how she didn't fit into society's box. She did what she wanted, spoke up about what she thought, and was overall a badass. I'm so disappointed in this book because I thought I'd really enjoy it. 


Writing: 7/10
Characters: 3/10
Plot: 5/10
Ending: 4/10
Originality: 6/10
Overall: 25/50
Cover: 7/10

This book definitely did not go the way that I expected. What I predicted would be a cheesy YA with flagrant 80's references every five seconds was actually a lot more nuanced than that. Don't get me wrong, the cheese was still there, but not in the in-your-face way that I was bracing myself for. We follow Cassie, who upon returning to the mall the summer before college, loses both her boyfriend and her job in the blink of an eye. Somehow, she gets a job at her ex-best friend's family's boutique. Said ex-friend, Drea, enlists Cassie's help to find a rumored "treasure" hidden somewhere in the mall. And all the while, Cassie keeps on running into this Morrissey-wannabe who works at the music shop. 

All in all, the nostalgia factor was fun without being too overwhelming. Elements of the '80s- like cabbage patch kids, the music references, and the fashion- were all brought up in a way that felt more worldbuilding and less "Hey! Don't forget we're in the '80's!" 

The plot felt intriguing enough, with the girls running around on a treasure hunt the mall.

However, I wish I cared about the characters more.

This was a really fun read! I loved the 90s setting and the teenage mall life. I read through this book in a couple of days; it was so fun and easy to get into. While some of the plot lines were a little hard to wrap my mind around, this was overall a fun and easy read. Recommend to anyone looking for something lighthearted and nostalgic.

The Mall was a fun read that gave me all the nostalgic 90s feels. 

In the 80s and 90s, before social media, before smart phones, the mall was the place to see and be seen. It had everything you'd need: book stores (Waldenbooks!), music stores (Sam Goody!), clothing and shoe stores and, of course, the food court (Hot Dog on a Stick!)

This is a fun story about Cassie, a girl who gets dumped by her boyfriend, which ruins her summer, and so she has to remake it, all while working at the Mall. The mall commentary was really funny but after a while I felt there was a little too much atmosphere and a not quite enough going on. That said, this was also a fun trip down memory lane!

I was super excited to be allowed the opportunity to read The Mall. As an early 80's baby the 90's are totally my jam. The Mall started off well, with lots of 90's references, a bad breakup and a little mystery. But after awhile I grew tired of the constant 90's references that seemed to be ill placed at times. And while I enjoyed the little mystery it seemed like it's purpose was to be able to work in those 90's references and not the growth and friendship of Cassie and Drea like I originally hoped. It was tough to like Cassie, she had potential for a lot of growth, but we didn't really see most of it. 

It was nice to take a trip down memory lane, but I wanted more from The Mall in terms of story. 

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

This YA story takes you back to the 90’s when malls weren’t dreaded and in fact we’re a place that teenagers loved to visit and socialize at. At first I didn’t think I was going to like our main character but through the summer Cassie begins to grow and realize how fortunate she is to have the friends and relationships she does before moving into her next stage.

McCafferty really captures the essence of the early 1990's, in large part because she's set the entire plot within the mall. We see all of the specialty shops, the culture of the mall. Now, since the plot is essentially a treasure hunt it has an almost magical air. Really, though, that hunt is just a framework for the character development. It's a method by which Cassie explores the complexity of relationships, the ways people change for each other, and finding the balance between healthy compromise and staying true to yourself. It makes some interesting points about toxic masculinity but the characters are a little progressive for their time. While the attitudes are understandable now, they were far less common in 1991. It makes some interesting points about emotional maturity, though it's not likely to be my first choice.

"Throwback" days on social media exist to remind us of better(?) or at least interesting times in our past.  THE MALL is definitely a throwback reminder for those of us who experienced life at the mall.  Meet Cassie, a teenager who knows everything there is to know about life and has hers set according to a plan....remember plans?  As all plans eventually do, Cassie's hits a few bumps that quickly derail her immediate future, leaving her floundering to figure out what comes next.  Over one summer between high school graduation and the rest of her life, Cassie will find out what is really important and how the best plans are those that include friends, family and fun.   A really entertaining story of a young woman entry into life as an adult.

I was only six during the time The Mall takes place so I wasn't ever a Mall Rat, but I do remember going to the mall all the time for shopping, the food court and the crappy movie theatre. 

The Mall brings me back to my teenage years and I loved those aspects of the story. 

The Mall is a fast paced story. Good writing, fun characters, interesting plot! Highly recommend.

The Mall is a self-described "monument to consumerism." While that may be true, with the setting occurring almost exclusively in a 90s Mall, this book really felt like a monument to friendship. All the imperfect, complicated, messy, and unlikely friendships, but friendship all the same.

Cassie, our protagonist, is perfect. Or so everyone (including herself) thinks. With the plan, Cassie is sure she'll have an easy summer working at the Mall with her boyfriend, Troy, before they both head off to NYC for college. Of course, unexpected revelations and altercations completely ruin Cassie's plan, leaving her grappling for a new one and a new summer job at the last minute.

That's where Drea comes into the story, the fashionista daughter of Gia Bellarosa, the owner of Bellarosa Boutique. Bellarosa Boutique isn't quite Cassie's style, but working as the boutique's bookkeeper is the best and only option she has left. Cassie and Drea used to be best friends before they grew apart, but now that they're confined to the same nine hundred thousand square feet of the Mall all summer, maybe their friendship is in for a do-over.

As Drea and Cassie dive deep into a Mall mystery/scavenger hunt, will they finally truly get to know and appreciate each other for who they are?

I will be completely honest: Cassie is really difficult to like as a character. She's selfish, judgemental, and not at all the feminist that she thinks she is when the book begins. I almost set this book aside because of that, but I'm really glad I didn't. I'm not sure that, as readers, we are completely expected to like Cassie from the beginning, which is why I was so compelled to keep reading. This book oozed potential character redemption and development, and I was hooked to find out.

Cassie realizes that the perfect plan and the perfect life maybe isn't the most important thing in the world and that friendship, love, and staying true to yourself are what really matter. Cassie's redemption and her coming-of-age story are definitely my favorite aspects of this book. And of course, the friendships!

The nostalgia and 90s vibes are pretty good too. If you're a fan of Stranger Things season two and the flashy, neon Mall time-capsule aesthetic, you'll love this one! (I won't lie, there were several times I wished Cassie and Drea could just google-translate their clues! Modern-reader frustration!)

The Mall is a feel-good coming-of-age adventure that will drag you back to the 90s to the true and classic Mall experience. It has a more commercial feel which some readers might find off-putting, but if you're looking for an entertaining book about friendship and growing pains, this is definitely a good pick!

I loved this story so much! When I started reading this, I really didn’t expect it to be anything grand. An entire story that takes place in the setting of a shopping mall? But, once I started reading, I fell in love with the characters and the plot and couldn’t put it down.

Cassie is wonderful as the main character. She is a full on nerd who excels academically but fails in other aspects. I loved her friendship with Drea. They both complement each other so well and I enjoyed how confident Cassie becomes under Drea’s influence. Also, Gia, Sam, Zoe and even Helen are so memorable. Each of them add their own dynamic to the story. Even Cassie’s parents were quirky in their own manner. On a side note, I laughed out loud so much on Kathy’s obsession with Barbra Streisand.  I actually felt sad that the story ended because I didn’t want to let go of all these characters.

I have not read the author’s previous novels, but I really want to now. Honestly, I just adored her style of writing! The way she sets the treasure hunt between the various locations was just genius! I was intrigued and excited whenever Cassie and Drea got a new clue to the treasure. Moreover, I loved all the throwbacks to the 90s nostalgia which I grew up with, and it made me feel nostalgic. I really wish I had an adventure like this whenever I went to the mall.

Overall, this book was funny, thoroughly entertaining and made me feel good. I definitely want to read some of her other novels.

this was awesome. I think this was very interesting and I hope more people talk about it because I haven't heard too much.