Let's step back to 1991! Which is now, cringe, considered historical fiction. If the 1990s are now in the historical fiction genre, does that mean I am a historical artifact? (I legitimately asked my friend this. Hello, Sammy.)


The Mall
by Megan McCafferty 

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.

As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

Electrically charged and neon bright nostalgia is always a good idea. The Mall appealed to me for this very reason. (Well, and because I really am fond of the cover art. That's neither here nor there.) While I certainly can't recollect 1991, for obvious reason, this particular glimpse into the life and times of a teenager back then was super intriguing. The Mall feeds on two types of nostalgia: genuine nostalgia for memories of the 1990s and nostalgia for an era in which you didn't grow up during.

Which makes The Mall oh-so-charming and, like, totally rad. (If I ever say that again, I give you all full permission to knock me out. Go for it. It's what we all deserve.)

Megan McCafferty, of course, has a real knack for books like The Mall. They're quick, heartfelt, a bit humorous, and easy to lose yourself to. The Mall feels authentic in its portrayal of the 90s and young cast of characters. As always, she lends wit and warmth to the story. It manages to coax a smile from readers and you can easily see the storyline, and its characters, come to life in front of you.

(And, duh, this needs to be made into a movie or something.)

But, The Mall suffers, at times, from this feeling that there was something missing. Between the teen angst, the romance, the mall, and the past, I couldn't help but find myself wishing there was a little something more to the story. This is something that doesn't necessarily define the story, or take away from the smiles it brings, but it definitely lingers from time to time.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this book. Quite a lot. But, I didn't love it.