THE FIXER by Jennifer Lynn Barnes // So, So Clever

Review by Natalie 

THE FIXER
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Fixer #1
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (July 7, 2015)
Language: English
Goodreads | Amazon

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 "fixer," known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay. 

This book was. So. Clever.

Political intrigue.  Fitted with a Sherlockesque main character and a mystery that will get your brain chugging away.  Topped with witty dialogue.  Mix it all together and you've got a brilliantly plotted novel with a genius set of characters otherwise known as The Fixer.

I had no idea what to expect going in to this.  I was thinking some kind of contemporary with a Gossip Girl vibe??  Ah, no, no no.  

Tess Kendrick, our 16 year old protagonist, was GREAT.  She was sarcastic, strong, and very very smart.  Her sister Ivy pulls her out of her ranch life in Montana where she lived with her her grandpa, and moves her to Washington D.C.  Tess doesn't know much about her sister except that she abandoned her years ago, so there are hurt feelings and thus words are said that create tense situations.  Anyway, Tess learns about Ivy's job as D.C.'s fixer.  You have a problem?  You go to Ivy and she'll clear it up for you, the catch is she'll have dirt on you she can use to get whatever she wants.  As Ivy Kendrick's little sister, Tess is expected to be a fixer herself, something she realizes as soon as she walks through her new school's doors where all of D.C's elite send their kids.

The plot in this book was brilliantly done.  When I was reading, I just kept wondering how on earth Jennifer Lynn Barnes thought of every.  Little.  Detail.

 There were so many components to the mystery I felt like I had to take out a notepad and write things down. It was like playing a Nancy Drew game without the checklist (props if you know what I'm talking about). Tess had been asked to help fix one thing, but then Jennifer Lynn Barnes infused all these other components that made you scramble (the good kind of scramble) to keep up with the fast paced plot. And you know how this book is compared to the show Scandal?

I really really REALLY liked this book. I'm so glad it's part of a series, because I desperately need more Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Tess. Definitely recommend.

Happy Reading!!!

Natalie

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