Review on The Odd Job Squad

I'm sure all of you understand the concept of revenge. Someone did something mean or cruel to either you or a friend and you decide that since karma isn't happening fast enough, you'll create your own karma. Yeah, well, as TV shows and books have explained numerous times, it doesn't happen that way. Ever. Revenge will just bite you in the butt even if you're just trying to give someone the pain they deserve. You become the bully and karma will bite you in the butt. In The Odd Job Squad by Karl Fields is about the consequences of seeking out revenge against bullies.



Format: Paperback/e-book
Pub. Date: June 14th, 2011
Summary:
What reviewers are saying about The Odd Job Squad: "I haven't read a book for tweens in a long time that I enjoyed as much as The Odd Job Squad." - The Review Broads "The Odd Job Squad is one of the most fun and engaging reads that I have read this year... "- Ink Scratchers Review Blog "This is another case where the book really had me from the opening line." - Tiger Holland's All Consuming Book Reviews It was the perfect setup: an anonymous revenge club that gets even with the school's bullies, menaces and other troublemakers. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing, until someone discovers their secret. And then, everything.
My rating: 5 out of 5 protein shakes!
My recommendation: Anyone who wants to read a fun MG novel.
My review:
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Ander and his three friends were sick of how bullies treated people and how the bullies never got their just desserts. Well, they created a kind of unofficial club where if someone is being bullied, they just have to call the Odd Job Squad and the four friends will come to the rescue. While this may seem like a good idea, revenge can bite you in the butt.
Mysterious texts and messages appear for Ander, telling him to do certain things or the person will tell all the bullies Ander and his friends gave comeuppance to who exactly set up their humiliating moments. As well as dealing with this blackmailer, Ander must find tickets to a boy band, possibly find love, and has to sing in Chinese.
This book was so funny and original. It was a light, fun read that also delved into issues some middle schoolers might be facing in their age. Revenge might seem like a good idea, but this book doesn't glorify revenge. It shows the consequences of searching for just desserts and what happens if you yourself ends up becoming the bully. Instead of showing that revenge is always sweet, the author shows the dark side of revenge and how everything always comes back to haunt you, no matter how good your intentions are.
I really like the characters. The humor they had was amusing and their comments were witty. I felt as if Ander would be an amazing detective one day. He has this ability to read people and he can tell their intentions and can tell what they're going to do even if these things may seem highly unlikely. I liked reading how Ander used his "power" and how good he was at reading people. If he starts up a detective agency, he would be really good at it.
I also liked Scooter. She's a girl who isn't afraid to get in a fight with the mean girl at school. She won't hesitate to throw a punch when someone insults her. While violence is never the answer, Scooter's attitude was original and awesome.
The romance between Ander and Scooter was cute and slow. It wasn't like they suddenly fell in love. They just started to notice each other as being the opposite sex and started to become closer with the feelings between them slowly warming up. It was sweet and cute, definitely what I expected from a MG novel.
The plot was humorous and I liked how much trouble Ander and his friends got into and how they creatively came up with solutions to get out of the messes they made.
This book was very well-rounded as it had a bit of everything like mystery, romance, action, and humor. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a fast-paced MG book that will make you laugh out loud.
My copy was provided by Netgalley.