Book Review of The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

Synopsis:

A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love. The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.

Review:

The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic coming of age/teen drama story! I loved it!

Firstly, I would like to say that I LOVE the cover! I remember seeing it when it was revealed back in 2012. I had wanted to read the book then, but forgot about it over time. However, that all changed when I saw a blog page I follow do a review of the book recently. It reminded me about wanting to read it, so I downloaded a copy and started to read!

Poppy Johnson is a wonderful character. I liked her very much, but if she had been in my class at school, I would have been green with envy at her determination and drive to excel at every subject, and secretly hated her guts to boot! However, being a straight A student can be extremely stressful, so I admire her for her conviction.

The story took me back to my school days, and all the teen angst and confusion about what I wanted to do with my life. *Shiver!*

This story swept me up and carried me away! Even though I was not a straight A student by any means. I found myself empathizing with Poppy. I think every teen is confused about who they are, and where they fit in the world. Heck, I'm still trying to figure that out for myself now, and I'm an adult!
Poppy is a teen with a set goal for her future. She has a theory that life is like a bowl of jelly beans, and uses this theory to dictate her choices. In a way, I wish I had been as certain at her age! Nevertheless, an event during class turns her world up on it's head, and she is suddenly lost and confused about what she wants, and who she is. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

There are some really interesting moments in this book, and I found myself cheering Poppy on as she tried (and failed in some cases), to decide on her chosen path. Her two best friends, Bex and Ella, are also very likable, and are a nice foil for Poppy's frenetic confusion, but who are also trying to find their own feet and place in the world. I also liked her family members, who loved her no matter what her decisions. Poppy's father is quite strict, in his own way, but after find out a surprising secret about him, I think I understood his reaction to Poppy's decision a little more. I reached the end of the story and found myself smiling. I am not a jelly bean lover, more a jelly baby one, but this is one sweet story that will stay with me for some time to come.

Jolene Stockman has written a fantastic young adult coming of age story that touched me deeply, and reminded me that even if you haven't found your dream job, or reached the goal you set years previously, don't be afraid to keep trying. I loved her writing style, which was fast paced and witty, and the story flowed wonderfully. I will definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future.

I highly recommend this book to all teens, and adults who love to read YA novels. - Lynn Worton

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