I inadvertently read three World War II Nazi books in a row. 
So this little bundle of nonsense was just what I needed. 
Don't get me wrong... its not that good. But it was just good enough, just light enough, to clear my brain.

Every now and then you need to break up the deep literary masterpieces with an angsty teen drama. And this one fits the bill.
Bad boyfriend - check
BFF drama - check
New boy drama - check
Problems at home? - check


And then cue the full house lesson learning music... she figures it all out...

I received an advanced copy of The Mall from the publisher so that I could share my review with you!

Cassie Worthy has spent much of her life coordinating the ultimate plan for happiness and success.  This plan includes working at the mall for the summer, before setting off for college in the fall.  She did not expect her summer to be derailed by an (almost) life-threatening case of mono, a cheating boyfriend, and the loss of her job.  Her plan is in shambles and Cassie is left without purpose or direction.  Needing something to keep her out of the house, Cassie starts applying for work at some of the mall’s many stores.  Things look grim, until she happens upon the perfect job working at an upscale boutique.  The only catch?  Her ex-best friend is the boss’s daughter.  If they can get over their history, they just might be able to uncover the mall’s deeply buried secrets.

You can get your copy of The Mall on July 28th from Wednesday Books!

The Mall is an ode to the teenagers who struggled (and are still struggling) to find where they fit in the world.  I loved the 1990s setting of the story, which popped up in many ways!  The fashion trends featured in the book were delightfully vintage, hailing back to by-gone trends.  The message of the story spoke to a teenage experience that transcends a specific time, making The Mall a relatable and fun read for today!

My Recommendation-
If you love stories full of vintage flair, The Mall would be a great pick for your next read!  I quite enjoyed the complex friendships and relationships between the characters, because this was definitely a character driven story for me.  If you love such 90s hits as Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You, you’ll love The Mall!

This book is a hilarious throwback to 90's mall life and I was so entertained. It's a blast from the past, not only because it's a reminder to how the mall used to be, but is also a reminder of the silly high school drama that we all had.

I enjoyed the mystery element of this book, as small as it was, as well as the frendships made and lost at the mall.

I would recommend this for anyone looking to reminisce about high school summers.

Malls were already a thing of the past, but with the current pandemic, who knows when any of us will be able to stroll through one again? The Mall was a perfect nostalgia dive through a typical 90s suburban mall, and I loved it. The added treasure hunt story was a perfect addition. The characters were relatable and mostly likable (ugh, Troy), and the writing was easy to breeze through.

I was excited by the idea of a 1990s-themed book centred around a shopping mall. The story was fun and felt a bit like a 1990s television movie (young woman [Cassie] has her life planned out, everything falls apart [loses boyfriend, job, etc.], and then she slowly rebuilds a better life for herself). The references to the 1990s weren't especially well integrated, though, or they were so contrived that they began to feel a bit annoying. If you are dying to immerse yourself in 90s nostalgia, then this might be the right book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to DNF this book around the 30% mark. This book reads very juvenile to me, and while I understand that it is YA the writing just wasn't particularly mature or captivating.

I'm not entirely sure who the book is for; it is written in 2020 for teens and yet is full or nostalgic 90s references that I assume were important to the author as she was growing up. As someone born in 1987 I understood a lot of what the author was referring to even though I was a bit young at that time. However, I have no idea how today's teens would relate to this book at all. It's too early to reference Friends or some of the other 90s pop culture phenomenons that have come back around for today's youth. I'm sure those readers a little older than myself will find lots of fun nostalgia here, though.

It’s the summer of 1991 and brainiac Cassie Worthy has her entire life planned out, from which colleges she and long-time boyfriend, Troy, will attend in the fall to the careers they both intend to pursue. Her future seems picture-perfect, organized to a T. Cassie just has to get through her summer job at the local mall and then the next glorious chapter of her young life can begin.  But then everything falls apart when Troy dumps her for another girl and Cassie must ask herself: what now? With her epic life-plan suddenly turned upside down, Cassie embarks on a journey of self-discovery, finding new love and repairing old friendships along the way. 

Chock-full of 90210 references and set against the backdrop of a local New Jersey shopping center, Megan McCafferty’s newest young adult novel, The Mall, is a modern tribute to the flashy aesthetics and fun times of ‘90s American mall culture. Being a younger reader not alive during the ‘90s, many of the pop culture references, admittedly, went straight over my head. Without any fond childhood memories of the time period, I didn’t harbor any innate attachment to the setting. However, the central narrative of pre-college jitters transcends time for the most part. 

Although, I found it difficult, at times, to become invested in any of the characters or their relationships due to their lack of dimension and the hyper-quippy dialogue. And while I expected the story to strictly follow Cassie’s post-breakup fallout, it takes an abrupt turn by adding in a Cabbage Patch Kids-themed treasure hunt and sudden trouble at home as well. Combined, these three plotlines don’t always align seamlessly for a larger thematic payoff. Overall, even though The Mall wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea, some readers may still enjoy it as a light summertime read laced with ‘90s nostalgia, humor, and a touch of romance. 

Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an ARC copy of the book from NetGalley.

I was intrigued by the concept of the story taking place in a mall during the 1990's. I really enjoyed the story about a girl working at the mall during the summer before she goes off to college. It was great nostalgia from when I was a kid. The author does a great job combining interesting characters with a great time period. The treasure hunt at the mall was a good addition to the story. The story shows that sometimes life doesn't always go the way we plan, you just have to roll with the punches and everything will work out for the best. I also loved the nostalgia throwback to the music and toys from the 90's. The ending was good and I wouldn't mind reading a sequel.

I'll admit that it pains me a little bit that I can't give this a higher rating. I'm a huge Megan McCafferty fan and was absolutely obsessed with her Sloppy Firsts books. I read them as an adult (when I was about 23) and though I wasn't a big fan of YA, I found them so relatable, funny, and just real. I was super excited for The Mall and though I did enjoy reading it, it didn't even come close to living up to Sloppy Firsts for me.

As you may have guessed, the book's main setting is a mall. The book takes place in the early 90s and is absolutely packed with nostalgia. I loved this as I was definitely a 90s mall lover, hanging out there with my friends any chance we got. There are lots of blasts from the past in The Mall from B. Dalton bookstore to Kaybee Toys and other long-forgotten stores. I loved the 90210 references and comparisons to characters and summer jobs, Marky Mark talk, etc.

Cassie has just graduated from high school and is working at the mall for the summer. After a rough bout with mono and a breakup with her boyfriend, she's focused on just making some money for the summer before she's off to NYC for college. When she's forced to find a new job in an effort to get away from her ex-boyfriend, she is hired at a posh clothing shop with an old childhood friend.

Honestly, I just felt a little meh about everything and thought the plot, dialogue, etc. was a little boring. Cassie is a fine, fairly likable main character, but she lacks a lot of depth and it's hard to really get a feel for her (does she really have no friends??)... She made me miss Jessica Darling! I also feel like the book is stuck in a weird spot... The 90s nostalgia is going to appeal to people in their 30s and 40s, but are young people really going to enjoy it/understand it?? I think the plot will appeal to young people, but most adults will likely find it lacking.

That said, I'm still a huge Megan McCafferty fan and will read and support everything she writes. And now that I'm done with The Mall, I think it's time I re-read the Sloppy Firsts series!

This was the first book I have read by this author and after reading this book it most definitely will not be the last.  I instantly felt as though the clock had turned back time and I was back in the 90s granted I was only 4 in 1991, I still felt many of these connections and nostalgia that I remembered from that time.

I was instantly drawn into the cover of this story and seeing it set in a mall (one of my favorite places) I couldn’t wait to see what this story would hold.  I really enjoyed the protagonist I felt as though the character development was great.  She really grew as a person over the summer leaving her ex boyfriend in the dust, finding a new(old) best friend all before she leaves for NYC for school.

The plot and events moved along nicely and I enjoyed the shorter chapters. I found myself late into the night saying oh I can read just one more they are short.  I personally enjoyed the side treasure hunt with cabbage patch dolls - again loved all the 90s reference.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great feel good read.  I read this book pool side and enjoyed every moment of it.  I will definitely be recommending this book to friends.  I give this book five out of five stars.  Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

I grew up in the nineties and this book had all the details of mall life spot on. The teenage realtionships, friendships and squabbles were also true to life. The mystery of the missing money gave the plot some structure but the main part of the plot is Cassie's growth in her transition from High School Student to College and in her new and renewed friendships.

This book made me cringe, laugh and cry. I would read more books by this author, and would love to see how Cassie gets through College.

Slight, silly, and nostalgic. If you grew up in the late 80s or early-to-mid 90s, this will hit a pleasant nerve for you and remind you of your preteen or teen years spending every available minute at the local mall. While the story, itself, is pulled in far too many directions and never fully fleshes out any of its characters, The Mall is a fun escape back to the days of Sam Goody, Orange Julius, and arcades, even if it never lives up to what it could be.

Early 90s YA set in a mall? Sign me UP!!! 
I mean, I was 5 in 1991, but I still have fond memories of NKOTB and going to the mall when it was still full of shops and people, like the cute boy at the music store that my mom would never let me go into. The KayBee toys with the robot puppies. Perfume stores. Giant cookies. (All things mentioned in the book too, but these are MY memories) 
In "The Mall," we meet Cassie Worthy, recently graduated, and working at the giant cookie store with her boyfriend as they save up college money for THE PLAN (go to college, get straight As, get into medical school, succeed, get married, have babies, etc.) 
But, you know how plans work. 
15 minutes after her first shift back from having an illness that kept her from even attending her prom and graduation, Cassie is without a boyfriend, or a job. Until a figure from the past swoops in with possibilities aplenty. 
"The Mall" is not my first experience with McCafferty. I grew up right alongside Jessica Darling, so I knew going into this one that it was going to be fun and have some heavy moments."The Mall" did too. And there was also a treasure hunt. 
"The Mall" may not hit current teens the way it hit me since they didn't grow up with the same mall experience. They may not even know Mark Wahlberg used to be a shitty rapper convicted of a hate crime. But the themes of friendship, teen drinking spots,  and being unsure about your future when it's about to become the present are themes that will never be out of touch. 
I 100% enjoyed this book. 5/5 
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

This was a really quick and fun read and it felt so easy to travel back in time and get lost in the teenage angst, drama and love McCafferty spun in this story. The plot centers around Cassies last summer before college and it felt like you were right alongside her as she experienced the craziness of that summer in life. This would be a great read to have for the beach, sitting by the pool or for a quick trip. It was easy to pick up and hard to put down.

Sadly, this book fell extremely short for me. 

The relationship between Cassie and Drea felt so forced and flat. They both acted terribly towards each other and in the end, I couldn't see how they would still be considered friends. Drea never apologized for cutting Cassie out of her life in middle school, and she became friends with Cassie again for selfish reasons. It made their entire friendship throughout the book feel so unreal. 

The only part I was happy about was when Cassie never felt like getting back with her ex. She immediately left that guy on the curb and never looked back. 

Overall, this book just felt incomplete. The characters were all very flat and I didn't care what happened to any of them. All the relationships were just surface-level relationships and because of that, I didn't feel like much had changed from the beginning to the end.

I had very high expectations going into this book and I'm not sure why. The story really intrigued me with it being set in the '90s over the summer and primarily at a mall. It all sounded like fun and games and I was ready for a light and fluffy read. The problem that I found with this book is that it was so clique and when it tried to tackle bigger issues, the author did not really focus on them but instead just threw them in. The writing was also a little weird. I found that there was an overuse of caps lock and name dropping things in attempt to give off 90s nostalgia.

Cassie Worthy has summer and her NYC college career all planned out. All the Summer 1991( one year before I was born haha)  plans come crashing down when she discovers her boyfriend was seeing someone else when she was busy finishing her high school career. Cassie also gets fired. WTF?  This won't stop her, heck no.Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself.

I disliked this book. It was decently written,  but felt like a bare bones movie script instead of a novel. It meandered and many scenes would work better as movie montages. This is historical fiction (gasps) but I didn't have any connection to Cassie. She's your standard privileged white girl. Just say already what's wrong dont lie to your parents.  They'll get used to it .The faking and misunderstandings weren't cute ,maybe it would have worked better in a romcom.   We live capitalistic hellhole, we do our best to survive. I luckily never had nostalgia for the mall, it exists in Suriname but not the enormity like the US.  YOU might like it if you have fun memories working in the mall. I might've liked it if it was a movie. Who knows maybe it will. I'm not interested in any other McCafferty book in the future that is certain

It's 1991, and Cassie is excited to work the summer at the Parkway Center Mall with her boyfriend, Troy. In just a few short months, they'll be off to college together in New York City. Everything is going according to plan, but on her first day at America's Best Cookie, she discovers that Troy has a new girlfriend with a homicidal streak. Heartbroken and jobless, she finds work at Bellarosa Boutique, a high-end fashion store that Cassie would never, ever shop in, and just happens to be owned by the mother of her former best friend, Drea. Drea tells her about a fortune secretly hidden in one of the mall's stores, and together they set off to find clues, flirt with boys, and discover friendship in unlikely places. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin's Press and an invitation to join the blog tour. Trigger warnings: sexual harassment, slut-shaming (mostly countered on-page, or at least hilariously avenged), divorce, cheating.

I'm honored to be asked to read this book, since I'm not sure it's one I would have requested on my own. Its title doesn't do it justice. The Mall makes it sound like it's a story about vapid, Clueless-era mallrats--no hate, I adore Clueless and I'm fond of malls, but this story is far more charming than the title lets on. First of all, it's a love letter to the 90s. If the mall of the 90s was your natural habitat as a teenager, then you're sure to enjoy all the nostalgic references to stores that are no longer around, like Kay-Bee Toys, Orange Julius, and Sam Goody. It really took me back to days of hanging at the mall with my friends, stocking up on 10 for $10 jewelry at Claire's and searching for clearance band/horror movie t-shirts at Sam Goody, Suncoast, and Media Play before there ever was such a thing as a Hot Topic at my mall. I love that McCafferty set her story in this time period, and it's sure to resonate with readers slightly older than the average YA audience.

It's also fun for anyone who's ever worked in a mall, since they develop their own weird inner cultures. Cassie has Kool-Aid and Everclear and a Cabbage Patch Kids treasure hunt; I had urban legends about cursed objects and The Buckle challenge, wherein employees of other stores try to make it to the back wall of The Buckle without being pounced on by another retailer. The treasure hunting plot is fun, not unlike the teenagers trying to crack Russian codes in Stranger Things (without the guns and monsters). It gets enough attention to keep the plot moving, but as in life, it's not always the obvious things that end up having the most impact. The treasure hunt turns out to be secondary to the real plot development of the novel, which is Cassie's self-discovery and her friendship with Drea. It's a funny, moving coming-of-age story that handles its issues with humor and just the right amount of heart.

I like Cassie; she's my people. She's a straight-A student and an over-achiever, and her brand of know-it-all humor is just my style. McCafferty manages to capture that purely teenage arrogance that comes from being one of the smart kids without making Cassie wholly unlikable. She obviously thinks she's too good to work in a clothing store, and the mall is just a holdover until her real life starts in New York. Yet the book pushes her (not always gently) toward a more adult perspective that there are all kinds of worthwhile jobs in the world and that being a snob to people who earn their living in a mall isn't acceptable. I enjoyed her conquering her fears of her ex-boyfriend and discovering new sides of her personality, her cute new summer romance with "Sam Goody", and most of all her friendship with Drea. They're opposite poles, with Drea being the popular, sophisticated friend with panache, and I like how the book allows them both to be vulnerable in different ways. Cassie is far from a perfect person, and she doesn't give Drea's dreams the respect they deserve but, as with the best characters, she tries hard to learn from her mistakes. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I review regularly at https://brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

This book was packed with early 90s nostalgia and I was there for it! I was 11 in 1991 and loved following the characters in the book as they went on adventures through the mall, which was THE place to be in the 90s! This was the kind of book that is good to read when you need a smile...not a ton of substance to the plot but a lot of fun to read. Very atmospheric and full of pop culture references, I highly recommend this one to my fellow 90s kids!

I received an e-arc of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book gives me all the feels and vibes from my high school time. Full of nostalgia and hope, The Mall is everything I want in a summer read - summer jobs, teenage hookups, fashion, and a treasure hunt. Other people may not be fully on board with giving this a rating as high as I have, but I would totally read this book again. I MIGHT read this book every summer…..

Hopefully, you guys will read this book and let me know if you felt about it how I did.

You can see my video review here:
https://youtu.be/8CcI6IkBTus