Chelsea has been in charge of making sure bills get paid on time and that she and her dad always have a roof over their head. This is a lot for a 17-year-old girl to be worried about while also trying to fit in with all her friends who have money. Her dad doesn't really seem to understand how expensive everything is and is just kind of over everything when it comes to working, which leaves Chelsea with very few options. One thing she knows she can do to earn money is play poker so that's exactly what she ends up doing.

Overall I found myself getting annoyed with Chelsea and some of the decisions she was making. She would say she was going and gambling in order to pay the bills but then she would go and buy just clothes and other fun stuff for herself. It just didn't make sense to me considering how worried she always was with making sure all the bills were covered. I know some of it's just her age and things like that, but it just seemed like at times the book was disjointed with what she was doing and what she was worried about with her winnings if that makes sense. I also could have done without the romance in this book considering she was underaged and the guy was 5+ years older than her, and it was her decision to pursue said person and keep secrets from him.

So for me, while the premise of this book was interesting, the book itself ended up being frustrating and disappointing.

This one definitely could have been much shorter. The whole addiction concept and the idea of a 17-year-old being permitted to gamble without being really challenged was not realistic. The plot could have had more depth and there should have been more conflicts included.

I had mediocre expectations for this book, but I didn’t expect to hate it so much. Honestly, the premise was intriguing, and I liked the way that it was going, but a lot of things needed to be challenged in order for the story to work. I would not recommend this for anyone because there is no growth within the character and it promotes stupid and unhealthy life choices (of many kinds) without any repercussions or challenges. I’m so glad it’s over.

Bluff is one of those books that I picked up just because the premise seemed interesting, and I am so glad I did. I was expecting a bit of an Ocean's Eleven vibe with a teenage girl, but it deals with so much more than that. There was a couple moment when I had to suspend my belief for a bit because situations were not really believable - mainly a 17 year old in a high stakes casino - but for the most part, I loved the story.

I got sucked into this one and couldn't put it down. I felt for Chelsea through all her troubles and excitement. While I'm not sure how likely a teen would be able to pull off going into a real casino for so long this was an exciting read that I think a lot of people would enjoy. You can definitely see Chelsea's addiction, even though its not labeled, and how it begins to affect her life. That ending though...I was totally not expecting that!

Overall, I liked this book. It’s a very relatable read if you know someone who has dealt with addiction before, and even if you haven’t, I feel like Chelsea was very relatable and sympathetic and likable. And it’s a fun read. It’s kind of short, but very fast-paced. The romance is sort of lackluster and the story does have some plot holes, but it’s still a good read! I had a lot of fun while reading and if there’s a sequel, I’d definitely pick it up!

After reading the blurb for Bluff I wanted to read it instantly. This is a hard review to write even after sleeping on it for a couple of days. To say my feelings are mixed is an understatement. On one hand I enjoyed the fast pace of it and the author’s writing style. But on the other I found it lacking certain elements that I need in a story. I have read books within the YA genre before and loved them. I think if a younger person picks up Bluff that they will probably enjoy it, I unfortunately was overall disappointed. I quickly made my way to 70% of the book and found myself wondering “where is this going?” Her relationship with her “love interest” goes nowhere. I would’ve liked to see more of them together. Chelsea is very good at reading people and the table. I thought that was a unique trait and appreciated seeing something told other than card counting. Yet, she cannot see her own addiction. Maybe it’s her age? IDK but she seems very bright so that threw me. Bluff comes with a hefty price tag that I don’t think is worth it Y.E.T. after the abrupt ending IF there is a sequel I would give it a chance to see where Chelsea ends up.

This is a fairly quick read, and in both length and vocabulary. I wasn't sure I would like this book going into it, and I came out of it not quite enjoying what I read.

However, you are not supposed to like the main character. There are a few points where it seems like she is working towards bettering herself, and then it goes sideways somehow. This book is supposed to show you the effects of an addiction, and possible factors that push them forward. I may not have enjoyed this book, or the character, but I came out of it appreciating that I read it in the first place. This is one of those stories that you'll remember out of the blue down the line.

There's something about a casino that you can't quite find anywhere else. It's all about the glamour, the possibilities of getting rich, and the incessant sounds and lights. Then, when you take a step back, you also see how dangerous it can become, and how quickly it can ruin a life. In this novel, Julie Dill meshes the unpredictable live of a gambler with the simplicity of being a high school student. Cheerleading practices, movie dates with a best friend, and shopping excursions are thrown into contrast with the thrill of walking in a casino, of leaving with ten times the amount of money one entered with, of the glitz of being rich -- even if it's just for a moment... and then the book hits you with the dark despair that accompanies a heavy loss.

The protagonist of this story, Chelsea, is unfortunately faced with the hardship of trying to manage a household at a young age. She chose to gamble in order to pay off some outstanding bills, but the gains are never enough to also help her maintain the lifestyle she wanted to have for herself. Every time she entered that casino, I would hold my breath and pray this would be the last one. I think that the author portrayed the addiction quite realistically and explores the unfortunate truth that an addiction can ruin many things.

This is a very fast read - I finished it within just a few sporadic hours. It's not very complex, and I found that some depth could have been added to most of the characters... To be fair, it's targeted perfectly for a high school student, or even middle school crowd, so take this with a grain of salt.

I loved the final page, though. It's a final page that will stay with me for a long time. For those readers who read the last few lines before starting the book, do yourself a favour and make this one an exception!

I'd like to thank Amberjack Publishing, as well as Netgalley, for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Keep an eye out for this book as it will hit the shelves on February 7th, 2017!

I enjoyed the book and I loved Chelsea. Great storyline too