Culture Shock by Jeanette Pekala

CULTURE SHOCK is a witty tale of mystery and romance with a large helping of southern hospitality.

Macy Holmes is a seventeen-year-old socially-isolated introvert since her best friend's death a year ago. When her family decides to move from Manhattan to the quaint country town of Bougainvillea, Florida, Macy finds she's in a completely different world. Macy is no longer the outsider hiding behind designer clothes when she is sought out by three strange students, one of whom she is particularly interested in. The more time she spends with Chad the more things don't add up. When his true identity is finally revealed, Macy is pulled into a supernatural society with its saturation of inhabitants residing in Bougainvillea. 

You would think she has enough on her plate, but no, then her dreams become infiltrated by an external magical force, Macy and her band of supernatural misfits must find the culprit behind the magic-induced nightmares. They must dodge zombie assassins, shifty shape-shifters and high school bullies in order to stop this perpetrator before Macy, her friends or her parents pay the ultimate price. Especially when Macy has the sneaking suspicion that these dreams are reality...


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                        Rating:  3.75 of 5 stars

                        Series book: Yes

                        Will I read the Next: Yes

Well then. Never in all my history of reading has that ending happened. Like ever. Culture Shock was, for the most part, a pretty good book. There were a few things that annoyed me quite a bit, but also a few redeeming qualities that kept me reading. 

The writing style was my biggest problem with this book. Yes, I know. The writing is the whole book. But I feel like if there were a few adjustments it would be way better and easier to read. One thing that really isn't the authors fault, but was still super annoying anyway, was the editing. There are a few words i could use to describe it, but because this book put me in my good old country mood, im gonna use some we use often where im from. It was just plain old awful. Other than that there's something that is completely the authors fault. The change in style. At first it was kind of like a diary and that took a little getting used to. But halfway through the book, just when i did get used to it, it changed. It became like a personal narrative and it kind of sounded like Macy was telling someone else a story. Like reading a kid to sleep. Why? Why change the style just as i get used to it. That annoyed the hell out of me. Then, my final problem with the writing, there was how some statements that should have ended with periods ended with question marks? So i ended up reading everything with an upward infliction? Which was kind of annoying? Because we don't usually talk like that? Sigh.
Up until the last plot twist, Culture shock was nothing if not predictable. I mean, come on. Chad with his sun allergy and no appetite. Max with his huge body and large appetite. No spoilers but hey. Do the math. The only one I was truly surprised about was Emma because there were no obvious hints. I would just like to ask the author to please not insult my intelligence. The plot was equally slow as it was predictable. It pick up only at the end.

Well Macy was...different. She had this whole "old me," "new me" thing going on which was basically just a mild case of multiple personality disorder. Her thoughts between her old self and her new self were so radically different. One minute she thinks that both boys must be pining for her attention. The next she's thinking how she's nothing without her deceased BFF. Also? She acted really innocent but had some seriously dirty thoughts. The other characters, namely Chad and Max, seemed to be taken straight out of some other stories. In short they were unoriginal. And the perfect family? Totally unrealistic.  

Ah, the romance. She went from having three boys to two to one to two and finally one. Im surprised Macy didn't get mono from all the kissing she was doing. I was a little annoyed throughout the whole thing because while it wasn't official with anyone, it still seemed like cheating.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW(In case you don't actually feel like reading the review):

Writing:  3.5 out of 5

Plot: 3.5 out of 5

characters: 4 out of 5  

Romance: 3.5 out of 5

Overall: 3.75 out of 5

PG-13 Macy and her dirty, dirty thoughts, some suggestive comments, violence