The Jelly Bean Crisis

by Jolene Stockman

[Angie]

Poppy has her whole life planned out, and her plan is based on jelly beans. Yes, jelly beans. Her theory is that she should eat her least favorite beans first so she can better enjoy her favorites at the end. Now she's applying her theory to everything in life, including college and a career. Then one day she realizes that this might not be the right way for her to live her life. Thus, starting the jelly bean crisis.

The catalyst for this life change is Poppy winning the prestigious Denton Award. She has thirty days to accept the scholarship and in those thirty days she hopes to find her passion. While I love the idea of a "gap month," I find it extremely hard to believe that her parents would let her take a month off of school to try out new things. Her dad was adamant about her going straight to college, graduating, and working in finance, so it was strange that he suggested her taking a month out of high school.

Poppy's enthusiasm is infectious! She's so eager to grasp the opportunities that come her way, and I had a lot of fun reading about her trials. Overall, I really enjoyed The Jelly Bean Crisis. I loved how its focus was on Poppy trying to find what makes her happy rather than on a romance or a darker issue. This definitely makes it stand out from other YA Contemporaries. There is a romance, but it's a very minor part of the story, and it's very sweet. No undying love after a week!

If you're looking for a quick, feel good read about finding yourself, give this one a try. I'm sure you won't regret it!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.