Chocolate S.O.S by Sue Limb

Series: Jess Jordan, Book Six

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: Paperback

Published: 5^th January 2012

Number of Pages: 304

Book: For Review*

Genre: Realistic-Fiction, Humour, Chick-Lit, Contemporary, Romance, Pre-Teen, YA, YA-Child Crossover

Recommended Age: 9+

Contains: Mild Swearing and Dangerously Short Chapters

No Alcohol, Drug References

Author's Site: Sue Limb

Jess has broken up with Fred, though really she is waiting for him to come to her door and beg to get back together again.  But is that the sort of thing Fred would do?  He has said himself that he hads no backbone…  Meanwhile, a gorgeous boy has moved in next door and, to Jess’s mingled horror and delight, is making it very, very obvious that he would like to be a lot closer than next door…  Surely, now, Fred will be driven, in a fit of jealousy, to sweep Jess back off her feet?  Won’t he?

Fans of Jess Jordan will be thrilled to have a new Fred and Jess story, full of Sue Limb’s very funny take on early teenage life and problems.

Review:

A clumsy heroine, a cowardly ex, a bubbly girl chasing said ex and a hot guy next door.  A recipe for disaster?  Definitely where Jess Jordan is concerned!

Jess has just dumped Fred.  Why?  Because he dumped her in the deep end, leaving her to organist a charity dinner all by herself before turning up and stealing the show!  But really, all Jess is waiting for is for Fred to perform a chivalrous act to win her back.  Only, soon, over-enthusiastic Jodie has her eyes set on Fred, and Jess is furious.  But then… hottie Luke moves in next door.  Can getting Fred back really be as easy as making him jealous?  Well, Jess will find out soon, that’s for sure!

I’m not sure how I thought I would find this one.  I guess I was thinking that, being oh-so-mature myself, I wouldn’t find Chocolate S.O.S quite as funny as I did.  But the wonderful and wacky range of characters were ever amusing – even the gloomy, scary Mr Barclay.  Yes: what I got was a book that really did make me laugh myself silly.  With a loveable lead gal, a hot boy-next-door and a “spineless” ex-boyfriend, with a love square like no other, Chocolate S.O.S was really funny!  In other words: an awesome book!

Jess Jordan was funny – and kind of a drama queen!  She was really, hilariously snarky and rather absent-minded.  But I loved that she was also a really quick thinker, because it made her really imaginative and witty.  In social situations, Jess really did have to be the unluckiest person ever, and sometimes her own worst enemy.  I mean, sometimes she believed her own lies!  Clutzy, eccentric, bonkers and melodramatic, Jess Jordan was hilarious!  She absolutely killed me!  But I could also tell that Fred had really hurt her and she still really loved him…  Though, her not-thinking-about-Fred routines were absolutely bananas and really funny!

Flora Barclay was the best friend: sweet, supportive.  I loved Flo: she was such a good friend!  Poor Flo’s family was having a little bit of a crisis, and even though she did have a few minor saying-things-wrong crises, I knew she really loved Jess and that she was, as I said before, really sweet.

I got an outsiders view of Fred Parsons: having not read the books before (except for one before my blogging-days), I was purely judging Fred based of Chocolate S.O.S.  I must admit, he baffled me for a while.  He had the weirdest way of delivering compliments, and he seemed rather spiteful and odd.  I couldn’t figure him out, couldn’t tell what he was thinking.  Did he still love Jess?  Did he just not care?  What I did know what that he was absolutely hilarious – sarcastically and ironically funny.  He was in his own words a coward, but I think, really, he’s just shy and maybe insecure.

Luke Appleton, Jess’ new next-door neighbour, was cute, great at cooking and surfing, plus he had a cute smile…  He was really polite, but also really confident: rather (in Jess’ own words): “daring and unexpected” in his actions.  In my opinion, Luke was wonderfully bonkers and really funny, rather pushy and unpredictable – in a good way.  But I found myself wondering more and more what his past was, ‘cause I’m still not sure about the story he gave us…

Luke and Jess were so cute together.  They really made me laugh!  Dressing up as vamps, chasing each other: they were like little kids!  And they wanted zombie babies on leads…  And now I do too!

Jodie was a bit of a drama queen, as well as being really loud mouthed and energetic.   Almost annoyingly so.  She was occasionally sweet – ok, normally, always sweet, but as she’s after Fred and Jess doesn’t like her for that, I don’t like her either. 

I love the family dynamics in this, the range.  You have Jess’ close-knit, cosy family.  The relaxed librarian mother, the sweet, funny, totally loveable gay father and the homicidal-obsessed grandmother (on TV, not in real life!  She was hilarious, slightly inappropriate and really sweet!).  The ideal family, all of whom felt so, so real to me: I just loved them!  You also have Flora’s more privileged family, with her stern father and graceful mother.  Luke’s family was also really lovely: just him and his dad, both of them really close.  Still not sure about his Mum… something makes me think the story he gave isn’t the truth…

I really do not read enough funny books.  Chocolate S.O.S made me realise that I can’t remember the last book I read that can be classed under comedy.  Shocking, seeing as I do love a good laugh!

And I found Chocolate S.O.S hilarious!  Jess was brilliant, Fred was snarky-funny, and all the other characters were funny in one way or another. But the scene that killed me most was one between Luke and Jess, when they were discussing how a fictional guy would kill his fictional girlfriend.  I was almost crying by the time that scene had finished!  Somehow Sue managed to portray various dramas in a way that cracked me up – even when I probably shouldn’t be laughing!  I found myself laughing at the silliest little every-day chore: Jess was just so bonkers and funny!

The writing was stunning!  Normally, I’m not keen on the 3^rd person, but I loved the way this was written!  I totally got to know Jess and quickly fell in love with her wacky personality.  I felt what she did, although my sympathy and cringing were usually accompanied by rather a lot of giggling.  I love Sue’s writing: simple, teen and completely hilarious!  As for Jess’ tips on getting over your ex… they were absolutely hilarious!  And so original!  (Lots of choccie involved, of course!)

Now, the chapters are dangerously short: be warned!  The kind of short where you go: ‘oh, five pages…  It’s only midnight!’  And you end up reading the whole book!  I read the book in one day, one day only, with many breaks to do your everyday stuff.  It was addictive, hilarious and pure awesome!  I loved every moment: even the cringey bits!  The bonkers-ness is just irresistible!  I can’t wait for Jess’ next book!

And if you want to learn how to write laugh-out-loud literature, pop over tomorrow - Sue's giving us a guest post as part of her blog tour!  I can't wait!

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Jess Jordan Series by Sue Limb
Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison

Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter

Or Anything by Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot or Jacqueline Wilson

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

Happy Reading

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

YA Contemporary Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Reading Angel & Katie's Book Blog)

British Books Challenge 2012 (Hosted by The Overflowing Library)

Megan

* This book was received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review