Sophie Reads YA: Stephanie Tromly

ARC Review: Trouble Makes a Comeback (Trouble #2) by Stephanie Tromly

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Trouble Makes a Comeback
Series: Trouble #2
Author: Stephanie Tromly
Published December 1st 2016 by Hot Key Books

Goodreads Synopsis
A whip-smart, screwball noir mystery—with snappy prose, wry humor, and breakneck dialogue—this sequel to Trouble Is a Friend of Mine is perfect for fans of Veronica Mars, Sherlock, John Hughes, and Carl Hiassen.

After a fall semester of fiascos: getting arrested, then kidnapped, then blown up in an explosion (all thanks to the weird but brilliant Philip Digby), Zoe Webster is looking forward to a quiet spring. Now that Digby has left town, she's finally built a regular high school life for herself. She's dating Miles, the alternate QB; she knows girls she considers friends; she's learning to enjoy being normal and semi-popular. Which of course is when Digby comes back: He's got a new lead on his missing sister and he needs Zoe's help.

Suddenly Zoe is tussling with a billionaire arch-villain, locking horns with armed goons, and digging into what makes the Digby family tick, even as she tries to navigate the confusing and emotionally fraught world of high school politics and locker-room drama. After all, it's hard to explain Digby to a boy like Miles, especially when Zoe isn't sure how she feels about Digby herself—or how he feels about her.

Now that Digby's back, get ready for another hilarious whodunit filled with razor-sharp dialogue, ridiculously funny action, and the most charismatic, dynamic duo you've ever met. And just try to stay out of trouble.

We dare you.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Like I said in my review of book 1, I wasn't that impressed with the execution of the story, nor the characters, but as I had been approved for an ARC of the sequel, I decided I had to read Trouble Makes a Comeback, and I think I'm glad I did, as I preferred this one to book 1.

I'm not going to write a long review this time, especially seeing as it's been 3 years since I read it, but the dynamic between Zoe and Digby had definitely improved, and I found myself believing in their relationship and their characterisations. Zoe's dating a new guy, which does lead to a love triangle, but he was really more of a stand in for Digby, and there to add some tension to the story as a plot device. Yes, there was more humour in this book, but it was also a bit darker than previous books, with the story taking the turn of looking into Digby's sister's disappearance more. Yeah, I won't be reading book 3, but I am glad that I did read this, if not only to get a bit of closure.

Dates Read:
November 17-19, 2016

Rating
3 Stars

3 Stars

Review: Trouble is a Friend of Mine (Trouble #1) by Stephanie Tromly

10:00

Trouble is a Friend of Mine
Series: Trouble #1
Author: Stephanie Tromly
Published August 6th 2015 by Hot Key Books

Goodreads Synopsis
Sherlock meets The Breakfast Club in this story of a wisecracking girl who meets a weird but brilliant boy and their roller-coaster of a semester that's one part awkward, three parts thrilling, and five parts awesome

After her parents get divorced, high school junior Zoe Webster moves with her mother from Brooklyn to upstate New York, determined to get back to the city and transfer to the elite private school her father insists on. But then she meets Philip Digby--the odd and brilliant and somehow attractive?--Digby, and soon finds herself in a series of hilarious and dangerous situations all centered on his search for the kidnapper of a local teenage girl who may know something about the tragic disappearance of his kid sister eight years ago. Before she knows it, Zoe has vandalized an office complex with fake snow, pretended to buy drugs alongside a handsome football star dressed like the Hulk, had a serious throw down with a possible religious cult, challenged her controlling father, and, oh yeah, saved her new hometown.

For fans of John Green and David Levithan, this is a crime novel where catching the crook isn't the only hook, a romance where the leading man is decidedly unromantic, a friendship story where they aren't even sure they like each other, and a debut you won't soon forget.
Goodreads

Review
I hadn't heard of this book series until I saw book two on NetGalley and decided to get a hold of book 1 and give it a try. The comparisons with Sherlock Holmes drew me in, especially, back in 2016 when the BBC Sherlock was so popular, and I was hoping this would be everything I wanted from a Sherlockesque YA, but, unfortunately, I found it lacking.

Zoe, our main character, moves to a new school, where she meets the strange and mysterious Digby, who is in the middle of solving the disappearance of a local girl, in a situation very reminiscent to his own sister's disappearance. Zoe finds herself entangled in the case, and somehow falling for Digby?

Honestly, I can't remember all that much about this book. It was 3 years ago, and wasn't that memorable to start off with. All I do remember is that Digby creeped me out, and he was rude and ignorant. Yeah, the synopsis says he's not a romantic leading man, but he really isn't. Zoe, on the other hand, I can't remember anything about her, so I just think while this book had a good premise, it wasn't well executed. Yes, I did read book 2, as I had an ARC of it, but if that hadn't been the case, I probably wouldn't have bothered.

Dates Read:
November 14-17, 2016

Rating
3 Stars