A Charmed Life

The Charmed Life #1-3

by Jenny B. Jones

New York's social darling just woke up in a nightmare: Oklahoma. Problem is, it's right where God wants her.

Bella Kirkwood had it all--A-list friends, Broadway in her backyard, Daddy's credit card. Then her father decided to trade in her mother for a newer model. After that, her mom fell in love with a man she met on the Internet and moved the family to Truman, Oklahoma. To a farm no less!

But that's just the beginning of Bella's problems. Her semi-pro-wrestler stepdad signs up the family for a reality TV show. As if having a camera crew follow her around isn't bad enough, Bella discovers a conspiracy against the Truman High prom queen candidates.

And that's before the arrival of the Fritz Family Carnival with its creepy clown.Bella is one skinny-mocha frappe away from a total meltdown. How can a girl go on when her charmed life is gone and God appears to be giving her the total smack down?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Christian, Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery

972 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Four-time Carol Award winner Jenny B. Jones writes contemporary romance with wit, sass, and Southern charm. Since writing for both women and teens leaves her with very little free time, she believes in spending her spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits, such as watching E!, going to the movies and inhaling large buckets of popcorn, and writing her name in the dust on her furniture. www.jennybjones.com

Reviews

[leanna -when am I not bored- · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am like in love with this book!!!!!!! I know I have said this before but this one takes the cake!!!!!! I like just wish it were real, cuz if so I would like be in love with Luke Sullivan!!!!!!! I AM NOT KIDDING!!!! He's AMAZING!!!! This is literally the best book I have read EVER!!! If you guys wanna know what my favorite book is, IT'S THIS!!! When I grow up, if I have a daughter or my son has a girlfriend, I shall give it to them!!!!!

[Melannie :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny's writting is FANTASTIC.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Looved it! I had low expectations for this book, but I was very wrong. 3 books or mysteries in 1, Bella was ridiculous and funny. Her humor was engaging, she was Christian, but she wasn't too preachy. Although everyone she knew being super religious as a teenager seemed a little unreal, but whatever, it sends a good message to the younger folk. Each mystery was enjoyable and I loved figuring things out as Bella figured them out. Thumbs up to this author!

[kyendwarrior · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series! It was so much fun, especially with Bella's sassy voice narrating everything-and not to mention Luke. ;) (*swoon*)

I'm once again going to shoot for that brevity! I've decided to do this review in bullet form to see if that’ll help. ;)

Here goes!

1. Characters: Entertaining, lively, and full of joy and spunk ;) (most of 'em anyways). I think the best way to describe Bella is that she's the teenager version of Junie B (if Junie B's parents were famous celebrities, that is). She was an absolute delight to get to know, and her witty sass kept me laughing aloud throughout the series. Of course, Bella wasn’t all fun and games; she had issues that she had to deal with, like issues with her father and feelings of abandonment. I felt Bella represented the series as a whole: the funny (for the most part) balanced with the more serious (sometimes the humor overwhelmingly so- I’ll address that later). Besides Bella dealing with her dad, we also had other side characters dealing with issues like being yourself, doubt, bullying, etc.

Ruthie was personally my favorite sidekick. (I'm def. doing a Sidekick Showcase on her this week!) She doesn't seem like the brightest bulb (oh, but she IS), and her bumbling loyalty to Bella was so sweet! I also loved how she wasn't the stereotypical "PK." She dressed rebelliously (don't let that fool you! She was adorable!), and it seemed like she was, but her character was holy (not holier than thou, but she walked the talk, so to speak). Budge as the bumbling/”partner in bickering” older brother (who happened to be a PERFECT match for another bumbling character) and Robbie, who was a precocious and precious little child, were great side characters also. I wish I could just gush and go and on about these characters and the amazing character development that happened to every one of them as the series progressed, but alas, that would take up this entire review. So conclusion: NO cardboards here- everyone had development, character, and growth.

2. Plot: Despite a few of the books having darker tones (one’s a murder mystery, and another has to do with a cult), the author balanced it pretty well with humor. The books moved along relatively quick, and it was FUN. That sounds weird, especially since one of them was a murder mystery, but the plot was fun and entertaining. I usually don’t like mysteries (they’re just boring to me; if I don’t really care for the characters- as we often get a cursory feel of them for the sake of plot-, it’s hard for me to care for the plot/book itself), but this one was refreshing, and like I said, all the side characters were completely fleshed out, so there was no issue of not being able to care and connect with characters.

3. Romance: Of course, I can not not (lol double negatives) write a review without mentioning the romance! 2 words for ya: Luke Sullivan. SAH-WOON. I LOVED their relationship because:

A) No instalove!!!!!!!!! A sure way to win my heart! ;) It took a while for the relationship to actually get going, and even then, there were a few rough spots. (“Relationship development”=anguish for reader-in a good way.)

B) LUKE HAD A PERSONALITY. I KID YOU NOT. OMG. FINALLY A GUY WITH A PERSONALITY. AND NOT JUST ANY KIND OF PERSONALITY EITHER. He wasn’t exactly sweet, but he was a great steady rock for crazy (I say it with affection ;)!) Bella. I loved all their interactions, especially their bickering. ;) He was very respectable (and used common sense!), but by no means stuffy or boring. He may come across as a little snooty in the beginning, but don’t let Bella fool ya. ;) And that kiss? (You’ll know which one!) *swoon!!!*

C) Luke wasn’t just the romantic interest. He was also one of her closest friends (even if he didn’t start off that way), and I really appreciated that that was how he was portrayed too. Luke, with his steadiness and cute nerdiness, was first her friend and boyfriend second. So many YA books these days just show the romantic interest as someone for “making-out” or just there as an "accessory" so that there would be a romance. A relationship, esp. romantic ones, is so much more than that.

Final thoughts? This series was great and fun, but it did over do the humor sometimes. Take There You’ll Find Me (same author), for example. The humor and seriousness was nicely balanced, and when it came time to be serious, it was serious. In this series, I felt a few of the scenes, esp. some scenes with her dad, were not as impactful as they could have been because of the somewhat excessive humor, like Bella was downplaying the whole thing. I understood that was part of her coping/defensive mechanism, and I did love her sass and one-liners, but for those scenes (and a few others), I felt it would be better to be more serious. (That doesn't mean the entire book was like this- just a few places. For the most part, I actually liked the humor balancing out the darker aspects, which made this book a lot more interesting and fun, imho, than traditional mysteries.)

Thanks for reading!
(P.S. Brevity has escaped me once more, but I shall push onwards! Someday I shall win! Huzzah!;)

Rating: 4 out of 5

[Nuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITTLE BIT OF SPOILERS BUT NOTHING HUGE!!! Like always, if you haven't read the books, don't read this review, but if you have, then go ahead!!


Okay, I just need to ahh. This book was so good!!! This volume!! I started it yesterday and spent the whole day reading today. Okay, I stopped for lunch, supper, and a couple other things. But other than that, I was completely hooked. This author is amazing! So this book starts out with this posh girl moving to a small town that's nothing like New York, plus she gets an older brother and a younger brother! So she's really not into this. She gets into like, trouble, could we say? At her school, and everyone kinda realizes, wow, this girl is not cool to be associating with. So anyways, she gets mixed into a mystery, she meets her newspaper editor and thinks, wow he's infuriating but cute. And anyways, she solves the mystery and in the next book she gets another mystery! She has stuff going on with her stepdad, but by the end of the series she's really warmed up to her brothers and stepdad, even though her father was mixed into something as well, and it's all a whole big deal of fun, comedy, suspense, and AMAZINGNESS!!! Several times during the series, when something happened, I would just stop, drop my Kindle on my bed (where I spent my day), take off my glasses, pick up my pillow, and smash my face into my pillow and yell, "NOOO!!! How could you do that??? What is this!??!?!" And especially with Luke and Bella's relationship, especially in the last book, that is just infuriating. When he's all having that talk because apparently (in his opinion) she doesn't want him, and he's proved himself, and all that, I was just yelling "WILL YOU LET HER TALK???" and then he did and happily ever after. Aaahhh. *sigh of relief* So yes, I liked this volume. Actually, I didn't. I LOVED IT IT WAS SO GOOD I'M GOING TO READ IT AGAIN. Goodbye homework, family, and social life. Also it was hilarious bc my brother was in a different room reading a different book, but like one time we just started yelling at our books at the same time, and then we stopped cos we heard the other one, and yeah. It was a very good series. Highly recommend all Jenny B. Jones' other books!! Especially the Sugar Creek ones, hehehe. Well, I think that's it, but thanks goodreads for letting me "rant" about how GOOD and AMAZING this book is.
A Charmed Life Jenny B. Jones So Not Happening I'm So Sure So Over My Head

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main idea of this book is not to make assumptions about something before one has experienced it. This book is told by Bella Kirkwood who has just moved away from her home in New York City, Manhattan. After her parents' divorce, she left everything behind and went to Truman, Oklahoma where she lives on a small farm with her mom, stepdad, and stepbrothers. Bella immediately assumes that Truman will be awful and that nobody will be the least bit civilized. She writes in her old advice column from New York a bunch of bad things about Truman and the people living there. Once the whole school sees her advice column and the bad things she's written about them in it. Bella immediately regrets writing those things because by then, she has warmed up to some of the people, but ruined her relationship with them due to untrue assumptions. For saying these things, Bella is forced to work for the school newspaper. When a story for the paper arises, she must work with her stuck-up editor, Luke Sullivan, to stop an evil football organization which threatens the lives of the players.
I really enjoyed this book because it was my two favorite genres, realistic fiction and mystery. It was also clever, well-written and long which I also like to see in books. I can relate to this book because when I was about six years old, I would find "mysteries" in my backyard and, for example, crack the case of the dead fly on the patio (my sister stepped on it). In this book, Bella is always desperate to find something good to write about because Luke always gives her crummy topics like the health hazards of dumpsters at their school. I would rate this book a 10/10 and recommend it to a 7th-9th grade girl who likes a longer realistic fiction/mystery book.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought A Charmed Life was a delightful book. And it was funny. In my mind, it's a lot more difficult to be humorous on the page than it is face-to-face. I smiled many times while reading this book and even chuckled out loud on occasion. I noticed Jenny thanked Carol Burnett for being a role model--I guess she paid close attention and learned what's truly funny.

The whole scenario was outrageous, but in a good way. I have lived in the NYC Metropolitan area, and I have lived in Oklahoma. They are galaxies apart, so no wonder Bella felt like she was an alien who had been transported by the Mother Ship and dropped in the middle of nowhere. Of course she believed Truman, OK and its residents were hicks to the n-th degree. One of the big lessons Bella learned, though, is that 'hick' is a relative term, and many of the Trumanites (including her peers) were far more authentic than the New Yorkers (including herself) she knew.

So many elements kept getting added to the plot--new step family, wrestling, fitting in with the popular kids, journalism, cheating boyfriend, mystery and murder. Oh, and maxi pads. It was just one thing after another--and there was humor throughout.

Then there was the whole 'by the way, Bella is a Christian' thing. Perhaps the author didn't want to hit readers over the head with a big evangelical stick, so Bella's faith seemed kind of casual. I guess since the emphasis wasn't solely on the Christian life, the book could be aimed at a mainstream audience.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bella Kirkwood has it all. Her dad is a top plastic surgeon in NYC and Bella has two credit cards, a limo whenever she and her private school friends want to go clubbing, a hot boyfriend and all the designer outfits a girl could want. What she doesn't have, are parents who pay attention. When Dad dumps Mom for a younger, hotter model, Mom starts realizing how lousy a parent she's been. Unfortunately, she also finds a new boyfriend at an online dating website and the next thing Bella knows. Mom is marrying him and they're moving to some backwater town in Oklahoma. Goodbye credit cards and limos. Hello cow pies and church. Bella inherits two stepbrothers, a new dad who's secretly training as a professional wrestler, while working as a line supervisor in a mini-pad plant. Not only are the three books in this one volume extremely funny, they have interesting characters and a nice, prickly romance between Bella and the super straight editor of the school newspaper. As an added bonus, there is a different mystery for Bella and sorta-boyfriend to solve in each one. When you've finished, treat yourself the Jenny's other trilogy about foster girl Katie Parker. They're equally funny with another great teen as the main character.

[Tressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It reminded me a lot of a modern day Nancy Drew. It was a fun, quick read.

[Lily Slifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Charmed Life" by Jenny B. Jones
5 out of 5 stars
Read from March 2014 to April 2014

"A Charmed Life" by Jenny B. Jones is an awesome trilogy under one cover filled with adventure, mystery, romance, and a lot of action. I recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a laugh and a book that they will most likely love. Jones's use of funny phrases, teenage point of view, frequent mystery, and plot twists in "A Charmed Life" left me on edge and glued my face to the novel.
I believe that Jones's purpose and theme while writing this narration was to teach a lesson that money is not everything. Being the reader, it is enjoyable watching Bella transform from a stuck up New Yorker to a Truman High mystery solver who settles for Target brand shoes, and does not cry over Jimmy Choos. Jones was smart; Bella did not lose her old self throughout the novel, but changed herself for the better, becoming more thoughtful and adapting to the new environment. Bella realized that she enjoyed watching Robbie, her little step brother, run around their small farm house in his red cape ten times better than going downtown to Club Via with her wealthy New York friends.
Also, I believe another purpose for writing "A Charmed Life" was for pure entertainment. Not only were the characters unique, but throughout the novel, there was always something going on. For example, Bella could be attempting to make her best friend, Lindy, more feminine to impress their friend Matt, or that the Truman High Tribune's editor-and-chief and Bella's off-and-on boyfriend, Luke Sullivan, was saving Bella from a burning haunted house. While reading all three of the books combined in this novel, Jones managed to keep me engaged at all times. Another example of what kept me reading was Luke and Bella's relationship, which I loved. I loved their relationship because it was not only interesting with their contrasting personalities but their relationship was so back and forth that it kept the reader wondering what was going to happen next between the two love birds. A great example of when Bella and Luke's relationship kept me on edge was in "So Over My Head", the third book, when Ashley Timmons, Luke's ex girlfriend and preppy blonde, moved back to Truman, interfering with the couple's love life.
I have never read such a novel as "A Charmed Life" with three books in one. In addition to that, I have never read a novel where I have loved almost every single thing about it. My love for Luke and Bella, and the action is already clear, but I also loved Bella's quirky and smart personality. Bella never gave up on anything; she was brave and once she started solving something, she could not let down on it, unsafe or not. For instance, Bella's mother and stepdad, Jake, forbid Bella to even be around the circus property anymore since it had become dangerous, though, that did not stop her, giving her the will to lie and sneak around to solve Betty the Bearded Lady's murder case as well as the creepiness lingering around the Fritz Family Carnival grounds. Two minor things I did not like while reading was that Jake became a pro-wrestler and I do not like wrestling, and I also did not like Ruthie at times, who was Bella's close friend and sidekick. Ruthie was very charming throughout the novel, but there were times where she was just plain annoying. I got annoyed with Ruthie when she would whine, try to be funny.
I could definitely connect to Bella's curiosity and nosiness, because I am the same way. Also, I noticed that Bella and I share the same thought process, thinking of smart side comments in our heads and being sarcastic seventy-five percent of the time. "A Charmed Life" really spoke to me because I could not only connect to the characters but also to the theme and purpose of the novel since I believe in what Jones was trying to portray. I give "A Charmed Life" by Jenny B. Jones five out of five stars and I will most definitely read it again.

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA, clean mystery, romance.
Loved this quirky YA read. Clean read, and loved the dilemmas, mysteries, and the mysteries that Bella faces and gets involved with. Luke, of course is an interesting H. Loved all the side stories and characters, the crazy family. Bella goes from being a NYC shopping queen, to living in Truman, in the 'sticks'. She is trying to adjust to a new family (her mother remarries), her absentee father, figuring out her long distance boyfriend, to being in the middle of 3 different mysteries/crimes. The resolution in each of the stories is kind of quick. In the last one, would have loved more of Luke. Their relationship was definitely a wonderful tease to the story. The attraction building throughout the 3 novels, until the final one, where we get a glimpse of their 'like'. Definitely some family issues that build throughout the 3 novels. Bella is learning what really matters, who her real friends are, what is 'real' and important, and figuring out her relationships with her family, her friends, and her love interests. All with doses of humor, suspense and fun. Her 'intuition' leads her right, except where her boyfriends are concerned. Fun, quick reads, that will leave you wanting more!

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite book (series) that I've ever read. And that's a lot. I totally applaud Jenny B. Jones, because this is a magnificently written book. I first read it a year ago (over Labor Day weekend), and I read it once again since then. I'm reading The Book Thief at the moment, and as good of a book it is, I'm considering stopping to read A Charmed Life for the third time because I'm missing it. I recommend this book to anyone who's anyone (and that's everyone). It combined the PERFECT amount of wit, humor, and real life to make the best book ever. And to top it off, I'm pretty much in love with Luke... so ya. Bella is one of the best book characters ever. Because I can't say it enough, this is one of the best books ever.
And all the kudos goes to Jenny B. Jones.

[Tori Rossin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loved Bella's voice and the romance between her and Luke was amazing. I wish they hadn't danced around each other so much, but I still loved them. I am an editor for my school newspaper, and it is cool to read about other fellow editors and reporters. I also loved the God aspect of the book. I know it wasn't there to an extreme, but I think I liked that. I don't want to sound like it's okay to not have God as a huge part in ones life, but simply that it reflected the life of the normal Christian American teenager more than most Christian Fictions doo. Overall, my favorite book in a long time.

[Kandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and entertaining, this three-in-one romp helped me get through a nasty cold and several days spent on the couch. I enjoyed the main character's spiritual growth and especially the hilarious escapades she embarks upon. Jenny B. Jones is always good for a laugh!

[Phyllis]

This would be cool for my teenage daughter. She loves books and especially series.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 books in 1. Very quick and funny read! I really like the style of this authors writing!

[Elysabeth Scheel · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK SERIES!! MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!!

One of the things I loved was that the main character actually got hurt. This author is realistic and none of that happy-go-lucky stuff happens. Wait- no, there is a little of that. But still, at least she got a bullet wound. Some books be like, "She miraculously dodged the bullet, outran the K-9s, jumped 40 feet to get over the fences, and didn't get hurt landing." Yeah, not this book.
The romance was pretty cute. I liked how this book had plenty of twists and turns. I hate a book that's predictable.
Then there was the religious part of it.
I liked how the main character learned about God and how he works. And since the book was a bit religious, there weren't swear words and no bad-vibes stuff. These types of books are super hard to find now. Don't miss this book. I stopped reading The Darkest Minds for this. And I have not regretted it in the least.

[doug sminkle ✃ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I was immediately hooked from the first book, causing me to read the whole trilogy. This series is the perfect amount of romance, comedy, and mystery. Bella seems to be attracted to different crime cases, and her sense of humor through it all is immaculate. Bella's character development throughout the books is perfectly measured and calculated. She starts out as a snobby, spoiled girl whose "life is ruined " after moving to Truman, Oklahoma, to a girl with trust issues and a respect for Oklahoma, and ending with a more trusting girl with many friends and a boyfriend. My description isn't perfect, so I would recommend reading it to find out!
Most definitely would recommend!

[Ashley Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously.... I have never been so surprised at a book series in my life. These are hilarious. They had me reading when I was stopped red lights on my way to work. Give the initial plot some time, and you won't regret it.

[Jacqueline Dechand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent plot line and engaging characters! The Christian morals were refreshing and insightful. As a future author myself the character growth was amazing throughout the novel. Highly recommended read.

[Makhaila Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book! It had everything, a teenage crime-solver, the big city, the new girl in a small town, cats, cute boys and God. Definitely worth a re-read.

[Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little over-the-top and cheesy at times, but still good. An excellent reminder to this girl's heart to hold out for a praying boyfriend.

[Caroline David · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first two books in this were alright but the third was downright outrageous and extremely boring.

[Soren · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING, i reread it all the time

[Tayler Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Genna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loooved this book!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me set the scene here: It is 2017, summer after 6th grade, family trip to Yellowstone (10/10 recommend, take me back immediately). Anyway for some reason I brought the most massive paperback ^^^ which makes sense because it was all three books combined, let me know why I was allowed this in my carry on. I think I read the whole thing over the course of our trip, which did include so much driving and back then I was a professional car reader. Anyway, going back and rereading was so nostalgic so I am giving it an extra star just for that. I recommend to any 7/8th grader, it was actually pretty well done, definitely written in the voice of a tween, and there are elements of faith woven in. My gateway to romance probably (Bella + Luke forever) (I am shocked that I didn't pursue writing for the newspaper in high school after this). Anyway, go read your favorite childhood book and look back on it with new eyes (my TBR is way to long for me to spend the next 6th months re reading my past favorites but this was worth the time spent!)

[Jillian Hergenrother · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Charmed Life" by Jenny B. Jones was a great novel to read. The author's purpose of writing this work was to entertain. The book involves a lot of suspense when the main character, Bella, tries to solve mysteries and succeeds. The way the author writes leaves you on the edge of your seat. Jones also involves some romance in her book. Bella, throughout the novel, sorts out her feelings for two boys, Hunter and Luke. The author has Bella go through heartbreaker, jealousy, and figuring out how she feels. Because the point of view is in first person, the protagonists thoughts add to the entertainment; Bella is exceptionally funny and it's fun to know how she reacts to things in her mind. She is very relatable, and that adds to the entertainment.

The theme of this novel is to not assume, and nosiness can be okay if it is to help others. All throughout the book, Bella makes assumptions but most of the time she was wrong. She assumed that where she moved to, Truman, Oklahoma, was a run down place without civil people and that her life would end because of these things. She later realized that it may be a little too "country" for her but the town did grow on her and she ended up almost loving it and accepting it as home. It may not be what she wanted, but it was what she needed. Bella assumed that Luke had an ego that was bigger than the earth and it would never go away and was always going to be a jerk, but she found out how amazing of a person he was once she got to know him and she eventually fell for him. She assumed someone was innocent, someone was guilty, her stepbrothers were awful, and who people were on the inside based on how they looked on the outside. Bella was wrong about these things because she didn't take time to get to know the truth. The only time she was right in assuming was when she thought there was a big mystery to solve and someone was in trouble. That's when Bella got nosy.

Nosiness isn't okay, but as she realized, it can be okay if someone or people are in danger and/or they need to be helped. She was worried about the safety of her friend Matt, the boy Zach, who was already on life support, and other friends which leads her to investigate the football team at Truman High. Later, when bad things keep happening to the prom candidates and then to Luke and herself, she steps in to find out who is doing these bad things and why to help her friends and keep them safe. Lastly, when someone's life is taken and other lives are at stake, Bella (with the help of Luke) find out again who is doing this to them and why so she can keep others safe. Bella shows us that nosiness can be good when it is to keep the people you love safe, and that you shouldn't assume.

The style of this book is narrative that is effective. The novel tells the story of Bella and how she solves mysteries and crimes while dealing with personal problems. The author wrote the book so it sets up how each mystery starts and how it plays into Bella's life. Jenny B. Jones then puts influences in her life, ranging from giving away a cat to having their house set fire and she adds these at the right times to enhance the story. With the mystery of the football team, she starts with Bella's life changing, then becoming friends with some football players, and hearing some things that didn't add up. While she gets more involved with investigating, she starts to have feelings for Luke and experiences heartbreak from her boyfriend (now ex) Hunter and has to deal with plenty of family matters. As the story develops, the author keeps adding important variables that stack well on top of one another so as Bella solves the mystery, the reader isn't confused but is still wondering what will happen and is on the edge of their seat. The author's events in the novel settle into it's solution well.

I loved "A Charmed Life". It is very entertaining and suspenseful. The novel did have some aspects that related to Christianity, which personally I likes because it was inspirational to me. It definitely added to this being a good coming of age novel. Even if someone is not Christian, they would still like this novel because it isn't so involved in the story where it would be too much to skip. I liked how witty some of the characters were, especially Bella. I liked how the author involved romance in the story, but I didn't like how it was mostly Luke and Bella dancing around each other and their feelings. It was never really them together, but it was still great. I would change how the reader never really learned much about Luke and I would add an epilogue of some sort of their senior year. I would also want to know what ever happened to Ashley, who was the reason Luke and Bella split and then was aggressively pursuing Luke. Overall I feel the story built well upon itself and was so fun to read. This novel is of its own kind and I love that about it.

[LibraryGirl2008 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Charmed Life is an omnibus edition of Jenny B. Jones’s Christian fiction trilogy of the same name. This lovely series documents the hilarious, heartfelt misadventures of privileged New Yorker Bella Kirkwood, a child of divorce who finds herself living on a farm after her mother remarries and moves them to Truman, Oklahoma. To Bella, moving away from New York is a fate worse than death. Where are the fashion boutiques? What about a Starbucks? Not to mention she now has to hitch a ride to school with her obnoxious stepbrother, Budge, who drives an out-dated hearse. But when she ends up on the Truman High School newspaper, she surprises the heck out of everyone with her tenacity, her drive, and above all, her awesome investigative journalism skills. Over the course of the series, she becomes quite the sleuth. Not only does she investigate a malevolent brotherhood of football players and save a prom queen from an exploding tiara, she also joins the circus as a part-time clown so she can solve the murder of a sweet-tempered bearded lady.

I really can’t say enough about this series, for both teens and parents. First off, it’s a clean read, meaning there’s no swearing or other mature content (though Bella does have a boyfriend, so there is a lot of kissing). Second, it boasts a well-developed supporting cast. And third, but importantly, it has a heroine who experiences tremendous personal growth throughout the series. Not only must she face issues left over from her parents’ divorce (in addition to adjusting to a new stepfamily), she must also come to terms with God’s plan for her—a plan that she definitely did not agree to, thank you very much! For those of you who aren’t usually fans of Christian fiction? You should definitely still add this to your reading list. While religion is an important part of the characters’ lives, it’s certainly not the main point of the story. What the story is about, though? It’s about an awesome, spunky teenager fighting her way through life’s sticky situations, and being the best person she can possibly be. This series is recommended for older teens, ages 16-18, though if you’ve got younger teens who don’t mind kissing and romance, it’s a good choice for them as well. Also, definitely check out the excellent audiobook version, read by Brooke Heldman.

[Brianna Yang · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This review is just for the first book in A Charmed Life!
In So Not Happening, a fashion diva named Bella Kirkwood is uprooted from her hometown, Manhattan, New York, to frumpy Oklahoma after her mom remarries. Now, Bella has to deal with two annoying stepbrothers (one of which has to drive Bella to school in a hearse, no less!), a huge bear of a stepdad, and a mom who finally seems to care about parenting. When school starts, Luke Sullivan, a strict editor in journalism class, is waiting. He starts Bella off with an assignment on garbage; this includes having to dumpster-dive for two hours. During said assignment, after overhearing a suspicious conversation about an upcoming game, Bella is launched into a complex mystery involving the death of a past football player. Meanwhile, Bella finally is starting to make new friends, including a sporty girl named Lindy. Let’s not forget about Bella’s romantic life—though she technically has a boyfriend back in New York, she’s starting to realize that her Manhattan life and friends are shallow. In Truman, Oklahoma, though, she can’t rely on her daddy’s checkbook like her old friends, and Bella’s boyfriend Hunter is noticing changes in her. Towards the end of the book, though, Luke, her editor, finally seems to accept Bella, and as the football mystery progresses, they grow closer together as good friends. Bella Kirkwood constantly goes through ups and downs in So Not Happening, and this romantic mystery chronicles her new life in Oklahoma through a hilarious Christian perspective.
I found this novel to be captivating and extremely funny; the author draws you closer to the characters and the storyline like never before. The plot was strong, the main characters had real depth, and the insight provided is very thought-provoking and entertaining. I completely agreed with Jones’ thoughts about letting God take control of your life; though it is challenging, choosing to give God the wheel displays your trust and obedience to Him. In addition, I loved how the author uses Bella’s previously snobby, rich girl nature to demonstrate how lives centered on wealth can greatly harm relationships. Honestly, there weren’t any opinions I didn’t agree with; if anything, my only complaint was how many designer brands the author mentioned! (I had to look up many of them, as I had no idea what they were!) Going off of earlier opinions, this book raises the issue of self-absorption and the need for someone to help you get life back under control. Jenny B. Jones shows how God’s constant presence and advice help teens go through the ups and downs of life (and I personally agree). Also, a life without God sometimes leads to judging people based on how much money they have instead of that person’s true character. However, So Not Happening leaves out the issue of extreme poverty; while this can be related to obsessions with wealth and shallowness, poverty wouldn’t really fit with the plot of this novel. Author Melody Carlson shares the same views on having a strong relationship with God, and C.S. Lewis expresses similar thoughts in his famous allegorical series, the Chronicles of Narnia. Finally, this book helped me realize that the amount of money a person has shouldn’t define them; people should be known for their personality and character traits. In addition, So Not Happening emphasized the need for a strong connection with Jesus, and I know that I could definitely improve upon this in my own life with prayer and reading the Bible.
In conclusion, So Not Happening is a fun, comical, yet thought-provoking book that you won’t want to put down; the author writes from a solid Christian view that adds a level of depth to the novel. With no huge issues that I could find, I could easily say that this is my favorite Christian novel!