I absolutely loved this nostalgic throwback. I've long been a fan of McCafferty---I grew up with Jessica Darling. The cover is stunning and the story contains all the elements of teen life--sour relationships and difficult friendships. Takes place in the pre-cell phone days, when malls hosted fashion shows in the food court, and you were lucky if you had an old beater of a car to make out in. I can smell the cookie stand and hear the arcade as I read!

This reminded me of Mallrats and the hours I spent at the mall in my youth in the best possible way. Would be a great choice for a mother-daughter book club and I can see it appealing to adult age YA fans, in addition to current teens.

A fun throwback for fans of Pineville, New Jersey. I loved the Jessica Darling series as a teenager, and still do - and that's primarily what drew me to this book. As a late millennial, I also enjoyed indulging in the nostalgia. I'm hoping that this will lead new readers to Jessica Darling, and what made her so great, and I know that original fans will love this book.

I enjoyed this one. A light read with several interweaving plots going on, but it never felt to crowded. My only real complaint with it was with some of the seemingly random details and touches thrown in that didnt contribute to the story. The one that really just bugged me was the 90210 scale she used for the mall. I know this detail was supposed to draw you into the feel of the era, but it was so overdone. Not to mention, this is a young adult book, A lot of the readers are not going to be familiar enough with 90210 to recall who the exact people are and what they looked like. Especially after learning some more about Troy during the book, i have a hard time believing he would joke about that with Cassie enough to be considered an inside joke. Every time this bit would come up, it would just rip me from the story. 
To avoid giving spoilers this issue will be very vague, Helen's final scene versus Drea's scene at the fashion show. Why did you have to do that to Drea? 
All in all a fun read about a teenage girl coming into her own while working a summer job. There's love, loss, treasure, cabbage patch kids, and all kinds of hi-jinks and drama in between.

I was a young kid in the '90s, not a teen, but this read was still super nostalgia-filled and felt very much like an old teen movie. The characters are the sort of caricatures you would expect from a story like this -- the overachiever whose well-laid plans are upended; the pretty, well-dressed girl who seems materialistic and vapid but is more than meets the eye; the cute alternative guy who gets the overachiever to loosen up; the crappy ex-boyfriend who seemed like a catch but was actually a jerk -- and the plot is pretty much what one might expect. This books is like eating a bag of '90s candy; It's good fun in the moment but lacks any real depth.

This book has an interesting premise, but lacks depth. The characters are one-dimensional, and the plot is lacking. I truly wanted to like it, based on the fun premise, but I just couldn't get into it.

Set in a New Jersey mall in 1991, this YA book is as cheesy and nostalgic as you would expect. It took me down memory lane with references to KB Toys (which was the best place on earth) and record stores, it definitely put a smile on my face. Also, I really want to go to the mall now. 

We follow a 17 year old name Cassandra (Cassie for short) whose dealing with a breakup just weeks before summer ends....She had a plan, THE PLAN. Going off to college with her high school sweetheart, and dreams too big for the small town she lives in. And to top it off, she just got fired from her job at the mall. Cassandra is now determined to find another job at the mall, a cool job. The job everyone wants so she can be part of the social hierarchy. Of course things don’t work exactly how she wants them, and little by little she discovers she’s not the person she was at the beginning of summer, but she’s liking who she’s become. 

This book was a fun, easy read for me. It was nice to be nostalgic for a bit with my own mall memories. On the other hand our main character Cassie, was not likeable to me. She is very selfish and bratty. She comes across as condescending to people around her, she sees herself as better since she’s leaving her hometown. Through some drama she does experience some growth, buuuut not enough for me 😂 this was definitely an entertaining novel, if you want to dive headfirst into nostalgia, go for it!

The Mall by Megan McCafferty had all my nostalgia neurons firing. I did not come of age in the 1990s nor did we have a mall in easy driving distance. The closest mall was about an hour away and I actually came of age in the early 2000s. However, being a kid during the 1990s and seeing all the Mall Madness commercials, reading this book really took me back. Personally, I really enjoyed my time with The Mall because I felt like I was reading a story from an older cousin.

The Mall follows Cassie Worthy who is about to start working her mall job at America's Best Cookie after missing out on some major milestones due to mono. She's also ready to give her boyfriend Troy her v-card, finally. Unfortunately, in one fell swoop she is attacked by a cloud of cucumber melon, broken up with by her boyfriend, and loses her job. Down on her luck, Cassie ends up working in the last place in the mall she'd ever expect - Bellarosa's. From there, she embarks on a quest for treasure with her ex best friend and spends the summer learning to be less judgmental.

I think if you go in expecting this book to mirror the Jessica Darling books, you'll be disappointed. If you go in expecting nostalgia for when malls were the place for youth to hang out, you'll enjoy this trip down memory lane. I don't necessarily know how actual youth will feel about The Mall. Personally, I enjoyed my time with this book and read it incredibly fast. It's easily a one sitting read and in these times, I am so here for that.

This was a great coming of age novel that lets the reader live through the glory days of the 90's prior to cell phones, internet, and social media. If you didn't live through the 90's you probably don't have much recollection of the cultural staple that the mall held for families and teenagers alike and I am so sorry you don't have those memories. I loved following along with the main character, Cassandra, as she navigated her first job and break up, as well as the social hierarchy that existed before technology.

I went into this book not expecting to be blown away and, while this isn't a life changing book, it is extremely well written and, most of all, it is beyond FUN. There is a little intrigue and mystery added in with the Cassandra and her former best friend, Drea, trying to unravel the mystery of a fortune hidden somewhere in the mall with by decoding messages in Cabbage Patch Dolls. That alone should make you want to pick this one up. At the same time, they are rebuilding a friendship that seemed to vanish years prior with the onset of puberty and popularity. The relationship between the two girls is built up so well. I also love the dive into Cassandra's love life that the book takes, never letting it take away from the friendship as well as her own journey of being more comfortable with herself. The fact that she is a teenaged girl who can maintain her independence makes this a great read for all ages to appreciate. 

Go into this one with no expectations and enjoy the ride it takes you on. It is light and easy and just a perfect read to make for a good distraction. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this one in exchange for my honesty.

I love the 90's and anything to do with it. Reminds me of the movies of that time. Thanks for bringing me back to my awesome childhood!

I loved this book! As a 90’s teen it brought back so many memories for me. There is a cute summer romance, but that’s not the heart of the book. It’s really about Cassie growing up and being true to herself, and her female friendships are the real love story here.  Loved the 90210 references and The Cabbage Patch treasure hunt was really fun too.

ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.

This book started out really well. There was a good set up to bring two former best friends together for the summer before the main character goes away to college. The treasure hunt was so fun to begin with and the friendship development was really strong for the first part of the book. Towards the end things started to get a little messy, and not all in a good way. Overall though, this is a fun YA contemporary with a 90s throwback that I had fun reading, even if I was left a little unsatisfied at the end. Also I really loved the mall setting

This would make *such* a great movie or TV series. The sets, costuming, characters, scavenger hunt...I want to see it all happen on screen! 

Cassie is a great protagonist: she fails spectacularly, yet she keeps getting up and trying again, and you can't help but root for her. Megan McCafferty is great at writing uptight smart girls who think they're different (read: superior?) to everyone else. She's also great at pulling the rug out from under those girls and giving them glamorous best friends with depth and brains to show that book smart isn't the only way to be smart and that it's okay to be trendy/flashy or not, whichever suits you. 

The interpersonal stuff in The Mall was great; I loved how a person's summer job and social class were so closely linked. And to put a scavenger hunt on top of that and make it all work? To tie in the hopes and wants and dreams of each employee? To make Cassie manipulate them to get the clues but then start to see those around her as fully-fleshed people...that had to have taken some intense planning, but McCafferty makes it look so smooth. I'm always impressed when someone can do something I know is tough but make it look effortless, and as much as I knew Megan had to be sweating pretty hard behind the scenes, I couldn't see it. 

This was a great read: fun, funny, moving, cringe-inducing...I really enjoyed the time I spent with this book.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley.

I unfortunately didn't connect that much with the MC Cassie, because I couldn't help but think "Jessica Darling is so much better" all along...
The fact the book happens during the teens of Jessica's older sister doesn't help as instead of creating a pleasant connection with McCafferty's previous series, it mainly made me regret Jessica.
There is potential because McCafferty is a gifted writer, but the first 40% lost me. Some things went too fast while others dragged. Cassie is not really endearing and I wanted to slap her more times than not. 
It's hard to describe, I was just not...feeling it all that much, and I was the first surprised to struggle to keep going, because hello, Megan McCafferty? A book about the 90's?? But I wasn't invested with the characters' fate and didn't even laugh as I used to while reading one of her books.

I will give The Mall another chance at some point because I love the author, and Jessica, Marcus and the others will forever have a spot in my heart and will forever make me laugh to tears. So maybe reading it at another moment would change my opinion? They say timing is the key...

I'm sorry but as for now, The Mall and I didn't match.

This book doesn’t hit as hard as the sloppy firsts series, but it is a fun jog down memory lane. While the depiction of the mall culture is spot on, the premise of the treasure hunt is a little silly. I wish Drea and Cassie early friendship had been a little more fleshed out, but otherwise enjoyed their summer of fun.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher/ marketing manager who *helped me get this book when it became read now, because I was initially declined*, which I don't hold against the author at all. I was delighted to escape my current reality for the Jersey mall of the early 1990's. The summer of 1991 holds memories for me as well, although I was 15, not 17 like the narrator Cassie Worthy, who has plans to attend Barnard in the fall pre-med. She didn't plan on having mono and missing her prom and graduation, or her boyfriend of 2 years dumping her at her 1st day back at America's Favorite Cookie in the food court. She swiftly looks for another summer job at the Mall. Most of the story takes place there. I could imagine this mall and the quirky 90s characters the author created. 

Cassie gets a job as the bookkeeper at an upscale very Jersey clothing boutique, where her former best friend is the salesgirl and her mom owns, Bellarosa. She and Drea start a scavenger hunt of sorts that involve off brand Cabbage Patch Kids, imposters, in search of a possible treasure. It's not clear exactly why Drea and Cassie stopped being best friends but they soon resume their friendship. Cassie is very vocally intent on counting down the weeks until she starts her life in New York. She gets friendly with the guy who works at the music store, and sparks fly for her. It's obvious Troy was never the right guy but I appreciated all the ancient Greek names, Helen, Troy, Cassandra etc. 

The ending was a little jarring to me as the girls have a conflict and yet they make up. At times, Cassie wasn't that likeable as a person, but 17-18 year olds can be so sure if themselves. All in all, I enjoyed the book. Fun nod to this time in history, the style, 90210 references I understood and music. (Downplaying how Nirvana would take over the music scene) this book is more for those who were teens in the 90s than teens now.

In this 90’s blast from the past, I found this book full of good bits and pieces. It had me laughing and chuckling at times when the main character Cassie and her former best friend Drea were going back forth with their witty banner. For someone who has worked retail before (thankfully not at the mall. It’s so stressful apparently!), it was interesting to read about the different in and outs of the mall, the food chain of different jobs available. The dream job to the worst job imaginable. The various characters were either questionably likable or you want to hate them. I wanted to kick Troy where the sun didn’t shine, Drea had me laughing at her matter-of-factness but my favorite was “Ghost Girl” and her sneakiness. Boo.

I will be honest, there is a good chance that if you are younger, such as, someone who is a milennial (AKA born in the 1990s & up), some of these references may go over your head and not be as funny as someone who was alive in that decade, lived through it. I read some reviews from other bloggers that suggested that tone, they also fit in that age bracket. I feel that may be why they didn’t get the whole point of the book or that the jokes or references were lost of them. I think the book still carries it self and if you weren’t a part of that decade, you’ll still find it enjoyable. Long live the 90’s!

In my overall opinion, I felt that the book’s theme was that your plan doesn’t always have to be THE plan. Things change and that’s okay. Life will go on and everything will adapt and be okay.

I would like to give a special thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of The Mall in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is June 9th 2020 by Wednesday Books.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this title in return for my honest review. 

Cassie never worried about her future because she's always had "the plan". The perfect, Odyssey of the Mind champion boyfriend of two years, a summer job at the local mall working together, and college together in New York City (different colleges of course because they're a mature couple). Unfortunately, Cassie's meticulous plan takes a serious hit when she gets mono and has to miss the last 6 weeks of her senior year. But the punches don't stop there, after finally breaking free of mono-quarantine Cassie sees her perfect summer vanish before her eyes. Luckily, while in the middle of contemplating death by mall fountain drowning, an old friend comes to her rescue and Cassie joins the Bellarosa Boutique team. The summer that follows is full of hilarious encounters with psychopathic Bath & Body Works employees, Cabbage Patch Doll conspiracies, self-empowerment, acceptance, friendship, new starts, and a creepy, but lovable, goth fairy godmother.

The book is so amazingly, awesomely great! McCafferty does an impressive job creating real and believable characters that keep you laughing. And by laughing I mean big belly laughs that leave you with tears in your eyes and the thought that "maybe I'll get abs from this". The Mall is incredibly nostalgic in all the right ways. Mentions of Sam Goody, food courts, floppy discs, ARCADES, mall fashion shows, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and teased bangs were described in such fantastic detail that I thought I was back in the early 90s. Cassie and Drea make the perfect duo to follow through the summer before college. Their characters are complex, sincere, and I think we can all see a little of ourselves in their coming of age story.

Megan McCafferty has done it again. What a perfect young adult coming of age novel. Who doesn’t remember 1991, the scrunches, mixtapes, and 90210. The main character Cassie Worth, is stoked to spend the next six weeks working with her boyfriend at the Parkway Center Mall. She is putting “the plan” to work. The plot follows Cassie through friendship, love, and finding herself. Along the way she learns that “the plan” isn’t everything and that’s ok. I felt like Megan brought us back to Mallrats or Empire Records with this book. One of my favorite authors stuns me again. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Maybe a reunion of sorts with Jessica Darling and her friends?

Megan McCafferty has been one of my favorite writers and it was fun to go back to a retro read of the 90s with her brand of humor. While it wasn’t as awesome as Sloppy Firsts, I have to just acknowledge that nothing ever will be. A breezy fun read.

I'm not sure where to start with The Mall. The writing style was easy to follow, the dialogue full of quick witted comebacks, and the setting a flashback to my own pubescent years. 

My main issue with The Mall was the fact it didn't read as a YA for today's generation. I have a sneaking suspicion that someone between the ages of 13-17 won't know the original cast of 90210 and their ranking of popularity. I know The Mall is a flashback into the past but the references date it in a way that feels like a mom rehashing her glory years. 

I loved the fact I could go, "oh my gosh, yes! Sam Goody!? I remember that!" It was fun to reminisce. 

I just feel today's YA crowd might not feel as immersed into the world. Just my opinion!