New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty returns to her roots with this YA coming of age story set in a New Jersey mall.

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

“Mooooooiiiiiiiiiiiisssssst!
Sam shivered. I threw back my head and cackled.
Moist panties would make a great band name. I loved their debut single. I consulted the worst words list and put two of the grossest together. Fetal smear.”

Ahhh! The nineties where scrunchies, Urkel, sexy sax solos, and MC Hammer was too legit to quit reigned supreme. It was simpler times and I want to go back in time to experience it all over again. This book is seriously the next best thing.

In 1991, I was five years old and living in Philly. This book hits close to home because it takes place in Jersey (which is our next-door neighbor) and during the best decade (fight me). It was the blast from the past that was so desperately needed.

Cassie has her life all planned out. She just graduated high school and got a summer job working at the mall with her boyfriend, Troy. Once fall hits, Cassie and her boyfriend will be attending college in New York.

It was the perfect plan for her perfect life until she got mononucleosis. It incapacitated her for an entire six weeks. Who knew six weeks could change her life forever?

In just a short period of time, she lost her boyfriend, her job, and her mind. She thought finding a job at the peak of summer was hopeless until an old friends Mom makes her an offer that she couldn’t refuse.

Working at Bellarosa Boutique isn’t what she had planned but she needed the money. What made her apprehensive was working side by side with her old best friend, Drea. They were the best of friends as soon as Drea moved to town but stopped when Drea thought Cassie wasn’t up to her level.

Things are tense at first but as the summer progresses, Cassie and Drea gravitate towards one another. Drea helps Cassie overcome her sadness of all she’s lost and Cassie helps Drea on a Cabbage Patch scavenger hunt.

Can Cassie find true happiness before she heads to New York? Or will she let the disastrous start to summer predict her future?

This was a rad read. It was fun to read once but it’s not something I would revisit. It was so much more than just a breakup book but I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. The only character that stood out was “Sam”. He had a decent part but it wasn’t enough.

The Mall was a laugh-out-loud blast from the past that perked my mood right up. Even the music choices were boss. Just remember that anything is possible if you use enough hairspray.