This book is a lot like the movie The Breakfast Club. A group of very diverse teenagers get stuck in the grocery store they work at due to being accused of stealing charity money. In my opinion it was relatively easy to guess who really took the money but I know that was not the main point of the book. It cover stereotypes, body image and self confidence quite nicely. While I enjoyed these aspects I liked it but I can't say it was amazing. ( )

I found this book at the library and thought "eh why not" - not like I would be FORCED to keep reading if I didn't like it. I really didn't think I would. But surprisingly, I really really liked it.

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless was a cute and quick read. Though don't get me wrong, it had a few issues. Though I think they are more personal reasons than not. Because I'm sure others could read the same thing and it not bother them at all.

I didn't get the name of the book. It really doesn't seem to fit. But whatever. I mean Green Day had a CD called Dookie. So I guess it's whatever you feel that day, huh? Hahha! Anyway.

I liked the characters. When it first started, I wasn't so sure about Chloe. But the more I read, the more I really did see her as the typical teenager. She ended up being a really good hearted (is that even a word? If not, sorry.) person.

As we read, we find out that Chloe is a diabetic and I was actually getting kinda mad because she always seemed to just brush it off like it was nothing. So at the end when it showed how dangerous it can be I was really happy about that. Not happy it happened but happy it showed that is can be dangerous and you should take good care of yourself. No matter what anyone else may or may not think.

Another issue I had was around page 95 when she was talking about customers. While it talks about men and woman, when it gets to the mom, it points out that she was white. And I don't understand why. As if any other race would have done anything different. I don't understand why it was important for just her race to be pointed out and everyone else be plain "men" and "women" . She couldn't be just a "mom" she had to be a *white/black/brown/purple/blue/some unimportant detail* mom.

Other than that, I really did like this book. I loved the divers characters and I love the bond and trials that grew between them. At the end, I really loved how something so bad can cause such a strong friendship bond. It's amazing how you can be around some people -whether it's working or at school and you never really talk to each other or you even have but don't like each other and something happens that draws you together. It's something you can't help but to love. Lol

As for who did it... I didn't see that coming. I thought from the second it happened I knew who did it and my thought NEVER changed till the second that all found out. That was mind blowing. ( )

Chloe is constantly making lists, lists of the weirdest things she's ever seen, lists of things you've never want to hear your mother say, lists of things someone could do with 10,000 dollars.

The last thing Chloe expected when she went into work on Christmas Eve was to be accused of stealing and held against her will in the break room along with the other under aged employees. But that's exactly what happens.

Having read mysteries her whole life Chloe starts her own investigations into the disappearance of the money and recruits her fellow associates to help.

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless is a fun, fast paced, read that will have you flipping the pages faster than you can read them.

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Top 5 reasons I adored this book:

1. Chloe. She was hilarious, I loved her inner dialog and of course her lists.

2. The lists. I don't know about you but I am constantly making up lists, to-do lists, not to-do lists, lists of books I want to read, movies I want to watch, places I want to visit. I'm all about the lists!

3. The mystery element. I had NO idea this was a mystery. I vaugly remember putting it on my wish list because I liked the cover and the story sounded interesting but the synopsis didn't mention anything about the missing money so that was an added bonus.

4. The other characters. I'm not going to lie. The second all of them were locked up in the break room I started picturing them as characters from The Breakfast Club, it had that John Hughes touch to it. If they hadn't been forced to stay then they never would have learned so much about each other.

5. The setting. I worked retail for 2 years and while I hated some aspects of it I still miss it sometimes. Hanging out with my friends in the break room, meeting new people everyday. So I instantly loved the setting, even though nearly the entire book was set inside one store it was ever changing and surprising.

Top 5 words to describe this book:

1. Adorable.
2. Quirky.
3. Lovable.
4. Refreshing.
5. Fun.

I cannot wait to read more from Liz (who also writes under a pen name, Ellie Cahill).

Until next time,
Ginger ( )

I’m completely clueless about 95% of the time with certain subjects. The title, Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless, really spoke to me. I knew it wasn’t a self-help book or anything like that (pass), so I picked it up when I saw it at the library.

The premise of Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless was hilarious (hopefully that’s doesn’t oversell it for you guys). It wasn’t the most original plot, but I liked it. Getting locked in a grocery store and accused of stealing? That’s definitely never happened to me, but it was fun to read about it happening to other people.

The characters were unique. It sort of reminded me of college brochures, where you have at least one person from every possible race/stereotype. Fortunately the characters didn’t necessarily fall into the normal stereotypes once you got to know them. Chloe was amazing and her lists had me chuckling. I admit that I sometimes make lists in my head too (not to the same extent though). All of the other characters were great too and I enjoyed reading about them. I would’ve been okay with the book being a tad longer though. It didn’t end abruptly or anything, I’m just curious about what happened to everyone after Christmas.

Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless was a really fun read. Quick too (it only took me a few hours to read). I actually already bought another book by Liz Czukas because I enjoyed it so much. I would recommend Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless.

For more reviews, check out http://reviewsinapinch.com/ today! ( )

For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.

Ask Again Later was one of my favorite books this year. The ship was total gold and the writing was the sort that just popped right to life in my head, if that makes any sense to anyone else. Obviously expectations were high for Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless. Though I didn’t like Czukas’ sophomore novel quite as much as her first, it was still a lot of fun and cemented the fact that Liz Czukas’ books are delightful reads and I don’t want to miss a single one.

The big difference here is that where Ask Again Later was primarily a romance, I’d say that Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless is more of a personal journey/friendship-focused book. There is a romance and it’s quite sweet, but there’s not really all that much time spent on it. What the novels share are Czukas’ vibrant writing and the fluffy fun. Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless reminded me a lot of Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo. Both center on girls who work in grocery stores and nurture what they believe to be hopeless crushes. The thing is that Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless is what I was hoping for when I read Buzo’s novel. They share a lot of aspects, but this one’s fun and the characters aren’t upsetting.

Chloe appealed to me right away. She’s a list-maker, which is something I identify with, though I’m not as list-focused as Chloe is. Her lists vary from the practical to the downright silly, which I love. Normally, I would be irritated to have a list interrupt the narrative and perhaps even skip it, but that was never the case here. Chloe’s a shy girl, but she’s really funny in the lists and her narration. She just doesn’t really show that side of herself much.

On Christmas Eve, one of Chloe’s goals is to learn more about her coworkers. There are six of them 18 and under, and she’s aiming to, if not make friends, at least have acquaintance. Well, actually, she wants to make one VERY good friend in Tyson, who’s nerd cute all the way. Very much approve of Tyson. Anyway, there’s this mystery plot line because charity Christmas money donated in the store has been stolen. Le gasp! And the younglings have been accused of the theft.

Until the police arrive, the six teens are shut up in the grocery store with a supervisor checking on them occasionally. The Breakfast Club is a really great comparison. The archetypes aren’t the same, but the way they grow close to each other despite their differences throughout the afternoon very much is. For various reasons, they all basically kept their distance. By being shut up together, they confront incorrect assumptions and give people a chance to surprise them.

The characters are a fun group. Obviously I like Chloe and her determination to solve the mystery only made her cuter. Tyson’s a great guy, but also sort of the one we learn the least about, unfortunately. Actually, come to think of it, the character building isn’t the strongest in this one. They’re not cardboard, but they’re not quite three dimensional either. I suspect that’s because there are six characters to establish and the books under 300 pages. The character I’m most torn on is Sammi: on the one hand, I love that she’s confident in her skin and sticks to her own style and doesn’t mind if that means people call her a lesbian, but also I wish that there had been an LGBT+ character. I’d have been all over Zaina and Sammi crushing on each other instead of what happens. I do really like Micah though, who shows homeschooling in a really good light. Also, the kissing scenes are great.

Though I think Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless could have benefited from a bit more length, I’m happy with what I got. It was light and funny and everything I needed after a dark, sob-making read. ( )