Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Synopsis: Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover Highschool chastity club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool. But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm , she know he's innocent, and she's the only one that can help him. Along with her best friend Sam, and the school's resident bad boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim. -Goodreads

Thoughts: Deadly Cool is about a girl who tries to solve a murder and prove her ex's innocence. At first, I didn't think I would really like it. Luckily I stuck around, and it turned out to be a pretty fun read. Not something thought provoking or a story that leaves you breathless, but something I enjoyed reading. 

 The main character, Hartley, is kick butt and snarky. She would be a great person to have as a friend. The only thing that peeved me was that she trusted her ex so easily.  Chase, another protagonist, is a great example of the "don't judge a book by its cover" kind of guy. He likes to wear dark clothes, is a reckless driver, and works for the school's paper. He joins Hartley's little Nancy Drew fest for an exclusive for the school paper, but in turn becomes vitally important to solving the mystery. 

 Who committed the murder was a shock. The author didn't leave any hints and didn't give a lot of foreshadowing. The intention was absolutely ridiculous. It would be nice if they had a better motive! But, she did very well in not being suspected... Seriously, the killer is to die for (<--see what I did there?!) Unfortunately they gave a monologue at the end, so cliche! 

 Another thing I absolutely adored was that this is one of the very few YA novels that weren't overcome by a love story. The romance she has with Chase is hardly anything, and I don't think we can't count her ex! It was an overall fun read, but not something I would pick up twice. -Palak

Plot: 4 stars!

Cover: 4 stars! (The incorporation of the headphones was perfect, and actually have something to do with the story! Oh gosh, I want her eyes!)