Super cute and fun coming of age novel set in a 1991 mall. This was very reminiscent of my own coming of age as I was a 90s baby. Very fun to read.

A YA coming of age story set in the early 90s, “The Mall” by Megan McCafferty offer some great nostalgia mixed in with a story of friendship a d romance. Main character Cassie Worthy is a likeable protagonist however several supporting characters lack adequate backstory allowing for readers to connect and relate. This causes some of the story to come off as shallow, including some cringeworthy dialogue that relies too heavily on 90s cliches and jargon. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable to step back into the 90s and remember mall culture at its peak.

This book wasn’t for me. I think it was the wrong time for me to read it, and I just didn’t connect well with it and didn’t find myself interested in the story. I do think others readers could like it!

"Then Dad kissed Mom on the cheek, and I was ready to leggo my Eggos all over the Volvo’s leather interior."

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Reading this book was the equivalent of listening to someone scrape their fingernails down a chalkboard. My mind recoiled at the unwitty dialogue and over-the-top attempts at humor (see previous quote). Cassie is an obnoxious, offensive character, and there's no way I would have been able to finish this book with her as the only POV.

Let's look at some of the horrible things she says, shall we?

1) "...until I saw Troy’s tongue in Helen’s snaggletoothed yuck mouth."
2) "This Helen was not beautiful. She was tiny and terrifying like a feral Chihuahua with a horrendous home perm."
3) "Helen stopped groping Troy and casually twirled a crusty curl around her finger."
4) "But I couldn’t avoid passing him in the halls, this denim-on-denim dirtbag who reeked of weed and Designer Imposters Drakkar Noir even at a distance."

I get that Cassie was upset her boyfriend had been cheating on her, but she just goes on and on with her hateful thoughts and commentary. I don't care that she didn't actually verbalize most of what she was thinking, she's still the sort of person that belittles others to make herself feel better. Additionally, what she says about Sonny Sexton (the dirtbag comment) was totally unrelated and said for the sake of being mean. She admits to not knowing him - - to never even having a conversation with him - - yet she's quick to judge him based on appearances and perceptions. All of this happened within the first 10% of the book, so I can only imagine how it would've progressed from there.

Cassie's inner dialogue was also way too wordy, and it's clear the author was trying too hard to be funny and make her character seem more relatable than she actually was.

"Slade was just so predictable with his handsomeness, the quintessence of every uncreative football-playing, homecoming queen– dating, keg-tapping high school stud stereotype. It’s as if he’d enrolled in a master class at the Cobra Kai Academy of Asshole Arts and Sciences but took it pass- fail because he couldn’t be bothered to put in the extra effort required for a unique spin on teenage cockiness."

Cassie is a shallow, self-centered character that isn't even remotely relatable. Her 90210 references were peppered in to make the 90's connection, but it wasn't explained at all. If someone picks up this book and is unfamiliar with the show, most of the commentary will go over their heads. It's going to alienate a lot of readers and significantly reduce this book's potential audience. The Mall might make some people feel nostalgic, but it just made me cringe. DNF at 10% (★★☆☆☆)

This was a fun and super fresh 90’s throwback of a book! I loved the nostalgia I felt as I breezed through The Mall! Overall a feel good experience for anyone that spent some time in the 90s, appreciates a good mall, and loves the garden state like no other. I’m currently living in NY (not far yet OH SO FAR) and this cruise down memory lane warmed my heart. Would definitely recommend this to friends. Thank you to Megan McCafferty, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was wild, but in a good way? Usually? From the beginning, it just feels like complete and utter chaos, and once it quickly gets you on board with how overdramatic and wild it's going to be, it's honestly a quite enjoyable ride.

I really liked the concept of a whole book being based out of a single location, and that's it. This story really stuck to it's title, and there wasn't a single scene that wasn't at the mall (with some exceptions of driving to the mall, but that's it). We don't get any scenes of the MC at home, pondering the daily happenings of mall life, and I honestly really liked how that was done. It really limited the story to the single location, and it worked a lot better for it.

Overall I was into most of the characters, or at least how they were used to further the story (quite a few unlikable people in here), though I had some issues with Cassie in the final parts of this book. While I did like the final resolution and the amends that were made, there wasn't enough time spent on Cassie learning why what she said/thought was wrong, and we never really see her come back from some of her harsher thoughts, especially regarding her friend Drea. This book would've been a 4 star if this had been either handled better, or toned down overall. The relationship was cute too, though you could tell the focus was the friendship.

There are quite a few side plots that could've been developed more had the book been longer, or if there had just simply been fewer of them. However, with everything thrown together, it really gave the impression of Cassie's entire life falling apart, and matched the overall chaotic vibes of this book.

In the end, I did overall like this, but I was enjoying it a lot more before Cassie got a little too mean near the end there. And considering I got about 0% of the 90s references, the fact that I enjoyed it as much as I did is already impressive!

This was the first book I have ever read by this author. I enjoyed reading it. I felt immersed in the story. Will be looking out to other books by this author in the future. Definitely recommend.

First off, when did 1991 become historical fiction??? Man I’m old. This book was kind of just meh. There wasn’t a whole lot going on at all.

I was really excited for this book but once I started reading I couldn’t get into it. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it but it just wasn’t for me.

Ah, the early 90’s! Scrunchies, Nirvana, suburban malls… it made this Gen Xer pretty nostalgic! Fun coming of age story with all the teenage angst, and no social media to commemorate all the summer’s happenings!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

Cassie Worthy won't let a little thing like Mono hold her back from completing the Plan. It's the summer of 1991 and she plans to work with her long-time boyfriend, Troy at the American Best Cookie at the local Mall's food court before they go off to college. Then her boyfriend breaks up with her and she feels her life come apart. Just when she feels she's losing it all, hope shows up in a most unlikely way.

What worked: Memory lane visit to 1991, filled with humor, warmth, and friendship. Malls were huge at this time. It was the social place to be. Woven throughout this novel are time piece snapshots of that time-music hits, department stores, and yes, even how popular food courts were. I really enjoyed how the novel reminded me of those times. There are still some popular Malls out there, but the heyday times are now a fond memory. B. Dalton's bookstore, anyone?

What works in this novel has to be the catchy dialogue that is Megan McCafferty's trademark. It moves the story along and reveals characters without telling too much. The banter between Cassie and Drea is punchy, including Drea's infectious laugh!

I like how Cassie evolves from being an overachiever whose future is intertwined with a boyfriend. In that way this is like a coming of age story, where Cassie learns to not only reach out to others outside of her inner circle, but realize that maybe she shouldn't just settle for something that 'feels' comfortable. Cassie arcs at the end by learning she can rely on herself and not a boyfriend to make decisions she wants.

Another plus has to be the interaction with her former BFF Drea. When she asks Cassie to help her on a Mall scavenger hunt to find a rumored treasure, she's hesitant at first. Later, she finds out not only secrets hidden in the Mall, but how not everything, including, people are what they seem at first glance.

Add to all of this a painful breakup of not only Cassie, but her parents, a new romance, and reigniting lost friendships. All of this set behind the Mall, which is a character in itself.

I love the 90s, but unfortunately this book and I did not mix. I think this was a me problem versus a book problem, because I can see how others would enjoy it. I enjoy YA, but it felt a little too immature for my liking. I'd still say it's worth the read, it just didn't grab me like I had hoped when I requested it.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. McCafferty's novel is being billed under the genre of Teen/YA but that is a mistake. It should be listed under "Anyone who actually lived in the 90's and worked in a mall Nostalgia".

The Mall is laugh out loud funny and heartbreaking and everything in between. A fun, enjoyable read that is perfect for the Summer!

4 out of 5 stars.

It's fast paced and fun and while i was a 90's baby, i only know of mall hangouts in the 90s due to film. i don't need to click with s book to like it but i did feel like something was missing. I will say getting trapped in 1991 would probably be a nightmare irl.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for The Mall by Megan McCafferty. What I loved - the concept, some of the 90's references, and the memory of hanging at the mall in the 90's. Parts of me loved the nostalgia the book invoked, but I struggled to get into the book at times. I think it was more me than writing, which was fantastic. Overall, it is fun and allows generations who weren't here for it, to understand aspects of 90's mall and pop culture.

This was an enjoyable book. I liked the characters although I thought it was strange that we didn't know the love interests name until close to the end of the book. I did like that the two friends bonded over the scavenger hunt/mystery throughout the mall. I remember reading her Jessica Darling series when I was a teenager and I would definitely be interested in reading more by this author.

Cassie is about to spend the summer working at the mall with her boyfriend. She has the perfect job before she leaves for college. All that is about to change when things start unraveling. It was alright but I was disappointed by the ending.

When I heard THE MALL was set in a New Jersey mall, I was immediately interested. And hearing that it was set in the 9os was an even bigger plus. The nostalgia factor for me was huge! I loved this coming-of-age set in the poignant summer before college. Dreamy, humorous, and tinged with nostalgia -- THE MALL was a great summer read.

I LOVED the Jessica Darling series, and I wanted to love this, too. I still might, but I just couldn't get into it and I was disappointed because of my love of the "Sloppy Firsts" series. I think part of the problem was the rooting in 90s; I understand the possible reasons and the appeal, it just didn't work for me this time around.

This books is a really fun read. Set in the 1990s, with all the fun throwbacks that come along with that time period, it is the story of Cassie who thinks she has her future all settled. After spending the summer working with her boyfriend at a mall food stand, they will head together to college before spending the rest of their lives together. But then Cassie learns that her boyfriend had cheated on her, and she sets out on a new path, including a different job, new friends, and an adventure within the mall itself. This was an enjoyable story with an engaging main character and a set of supporting characters. Highly recommended!