The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Fixer
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Fixer #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Source: ALA MW

Summary from Goodreads:

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series.

Review

Shortly after Tess begins at her new school, the Chief Justice of the United States dies and Tess's new friend Vivvie shares with her that she thinks her father had something to do with it. Following in her sister's footsteps as a fixer or problems, Tess starts to investigate the incident but quickly realizes that she's in over her head and seeks the help of her sister. But then Tess ignores her sister's warnings to stay out of it and paints a target on her and her friend's backs. After that, things quickly spiraled out of control for all parties involved. As the plot thickened, I couldn't read fast enough. I honestly suspected everyone at some point and that's a sure sign of a good mystery. And as if that wasn't enough, Barnes throws in plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep readers on the edge of their seats. It was just SO MUCH FUN.

All of the characters in this book were incredibly likable, at least, the ones who were meant to be. They all had good intentions, developed backstories and weren't without their flaws to make them relatable. The ones who were meant to be threatening or mysterious were successfully so as well. But character of the year award goes to Asher, who stole my heart the minute I met him. This kid was HILARIOUS but also an incredibly good friend. I need more of him and I am not above begging.

There was not a single moment that I did not enjoy reading this book. It was non-stop action with a solid mystery, political intrigue and endearing characters. I can definitely see the connection to both Veronica Mars and Scandal and I think fans of those will enjoy this one. Maybe it erred on the unlikely-to-actually-happen side but that didn't bother me. I want more!