20 Feb 2012 No Comments

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
Paperback : 390 pages
Publisher: Walker & Company (January 3, 2012)

Four Best Friends…
Piper, Cassidy, Mei and Izzy are the misfits of Paris, Texas. Too artsy, too determined, too smart and too hip to fit in with the rest of their classmates, they’ve spent most of their sixteen years determined to escape the stifling fishbowl of life in their small Texas town.

One Mean Girl…
Enter Germaine Stewart, mean girl extraordinaire and undisputed queen of Paris High School. Head cheerleader and girlfriend of the coolest guy in school, she’s made it her life’s mission to torture Piper and her friends…a mission that leads, among other things, to Piper kissing a pig in front of the entire school—in her underwear.

Ten Million YouTube Hits…
When the Kiss the Pig video hits YouTube and Facebook there’s nowhere in the entire state of Texas—or America—that Piper can hide. Desperate to escape the pig noises that follow her every waking moment, she becomes an exchange student to the real Paris. Only her friends can’t let her go alone and soon Piper, Mei and Cassidy are heading to different countries for the adventures of their lives, while Izzy is stuck at home.

The International Kissing Club Facebook Page…
To make their time abroad more interesting—the girls form the International Kissing Club, a Facebook fan page where they record each boy they kiss while abroad—or at home, in Izzy’s case (one point for a regular kiss, three for a “transcendent” one).

Too Many Kisses to Count…
But while each girl meets a guy who curls her toes, their twelve weeks on their own teach them a lot more about themselves and their friendship than they ever expected.

After devouring 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, I knew The International Kissing Club would be a book I couldn’t put down. I was so right, and I loved every minute of it. From the very first page, I was immediately immersed in the small-town life of this group of girls and their normal way of living. The realistic feel is definitely strong and is carried throughout the novel with each experience the girls have. I found myself laughing hysterically, having OMG moments along with them, and secretly wishing I had went abroad myself. LOL

The characters are fantastic, fun and down to earth, leaving you feeling like you know them personally. Knowing that the authors (Emily McKay, Shellee Roberts, and Tracy Deebs writing together as Ivy Adams) wrote three of the girls individually and the fourth girl as a team is mind-boggling. I’m not sure how they managed it but it worked like a charm and I hope to see more of these amazing characters really soon.

Initially, I wasn’t sure how well the novel would flow using screen captures of the IKC Fan Page throughout the novel. I feared it would negatively affect the natural flow of the plot, but that fear was quickly squashed. Each IKC update added a little more of the characters personalities and a more personal view into their romantic (or lack of romantic) encounters. Seeing the girls interact with each other was a fun and unique twist that definitely spiced up this exciting read.

Would I recommend The IKC? Heck yes! It’s super fun and filled with realistic, laughable experiences. I applaud the authors for creating a brilliantly executed, fresh view of life, friendship, and fun in one fast-reading novel. If there isn’t a second book, there darn sure should be.

by Jennifer in Reviews, Young Adult Tags: Emily McKay, Ivy Adams, Shellee Roberts, The International Kissing Club, Tracy Deebs