So Over my Head by Jenny B. Jones

In the third book of The Charmed Life series, Bella finds herself involved in another crime as she finds the body of a carnival worker. Although the police quickly make an arrest, Bella isn't sure that they have the right guy. Bella and her sidekick Ruthie go undercover to find out some answers. On top of the crime solving, Bella must deal with her own insecurities about her relationship with Luke, whose old girlfriend is back in town and after Luke, and her father's upcoming wedding to a much younger woman who is up to no good.

I enjoyed this book. It was a great end to the series with Bella finally moving past her lack of trust in people, especially the men in her life. Ruthie is one of my favorite minor characters in a long time, and I wish there was a book about what happens with her next. She adds comic relief to a book about heavy topics like trust and death.

Overall, this is a great series for teens. Jenny B. Jones is a great YA author who writes about Christian teens without being preachy or overbearing.

I'm so Sure by Jenny B. Jones

Summary: In the second book of the A Charmed Life series, Bella has found herself tolerating (okay, sometimes enjoying) life in small-town Truman, Oklahoma. When life settles Bella into a routine, her stepfather Jake is cast on a reality television show for wrestlers. As if seeing your stepfather in tight shorts throwing other men around isn’t embarrassing enough, Bella’s love life (or lack thereof) is now a part of the show. Her growing attraction to Luke, the school editor, and her feelings for her ex-boyfriend Hunter are now displayed for the world to see. In addition, prom is in jeopardy as money goes missing and the girls running for Prom Queen begin to be targeted. Will Bella figure out who is behind the prom debacle and more importantly, what boy has her heart?


My thoughts: I enjoyed this book even more than the first one in the series. The author does a great job of balancing the funny things in life (Bella’s attempt at a job scooping poop or squeezing beans onto a burrito) with hard situations in life (Dolly’s sacrifice—I don’t want to give too much away). I like the growing friendship between Bella and Luke, and the development of the family is extended in this book through the reality TV show storyline, which is a nice glimpse into how a blended family should work. As with the first book, Jones does a great job of having spiritual elements without preaching or lecturing the reader.

I look forward to the third book to find out more about Bella’s relationship with her dad. I would also like to see more development in the relationship between Bella and her mother, who is trying to be a good parent after years of being a distant, hands-off parent when the two lived in NYC.

So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

Summary: Bella Kirkwood has to leave Manhattan and move to cow town Truman, Oklahoma after her mother, who was dumped by Bella’s father for a younger woman, falls in love with a factory worker. Bella, a true city girl, struggles to fit into life in a small town. When she lands a job for the school newspaper, she isn’t content with writing stories about the recycling at the school. Her nose for news leads uncovers some suspicious information about the football team that could ruin relationships, friendships, and even families. Someone is out to stop her investigation, and Bella must accept the help of the cute editor of the school paper to find the answers.


My thoughts: In this book, Jenny B. Jones takes the typical city girl moving to a small town and adds a suspense spice to make the book even better. I enjoyed the characters and thought they were well-developed and unique. (I love the stepbrothers that Bella acquires with her move, especially Robbie, who is convinced he is a superhero.) You can tell Jones works with teens because the dialogue reminds me of my former students. (I miss working with middle schoolers!) I also appreciated how the spiritual elements were present but not preachy. That is a must for a good YA Christian book.

This was a great first book for a series. I can’t wait to see what mess (think cow patties) Bella finds herself in next.