{ARC Review} After Hours by Claire Kennedy @simonteen #pulseit

Scandals and hook-ups abound in a summertime restaurant drama where four teens are all willing to do whatever it takes to make it through the workday and hopefully to win the money in the after-hours dare-based game of Tips.

Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties, and, most of all, it's about Tips.

Tips, the high-stakes game based on dares. Whoever completes the most dares wins the collected money. A sum that could change a wasted summer into a Summer to Remember.

Isa is the new girl with an embarrassing secret, and as long as she stays on top of her game, she sees no reason why anyone could ever find out.

Xavi will do anything for the money, absolutely anything.

Peter, Xavi's stepbrother, has been in love with her for years, and he thinks the game is the perfect time to confess his feelings.

Finn is in the game just for the thrill. He has enough tips coming in to keep him happy, even if those tips come with some conditions.

From seduction to stealing to threats, the dares are a complete free-for-all, and only the best can win.

After Hours is a salacious book that is as fun as it is crazy. And trust me, it is very crazy. It kind of reminded me of Gossip Girl mixed with The Bling Ring- that movie based on a true story of the teenage girls that broke into celebrity houses in California. And I don’t mean in the sense that After Hours was about rich kids on the upper east side or that they broke into celebrity houses, I just mean that the teens had the same totally insane jaded, I am going to do things that normal teenagers wouldn’t even dream of at my age. Or maybe more kids do these things than I thought. What do I know? (I just know, that I didn’t know anyone doing some of this stuff when I was Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn’s age.)

After Hours takes place at a nice restuarant during summer. But afterhours in the restaurant is when things really heat up. The waiters, and boss, play this game called TIPS. The book describes tips as “…a game that’s been running for about thirty years. Every two weeks, the staff contributes about 20 percent of their tips into a pot for a chance to take an unknown dare.” Winner takes all. The idea of tips made for a very interesting premise for the book. I enjoyed this book, but I couldn’t take it too seriously, otherwise I just wanted to get help for every one of these teens. But taking it as a fun summer read, I really enjoyed it. There are hints of romance, but not between the couple I wanted right from the start of the book. Darn you Claire! You know I wanted to see View Spoiler »Isa and Finn get together! « Hide Spoiler

You should pick up After Hours when you are looking for a wild crazy ride. If you like scandal and reality tv, even better. This is a book that you should read with some popcorn at hand. I think they would make a great CW tv show. I thought the tips game was the extent of the crazy that Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn would get into, but boy oh boy was I wrong. This book just kept building right until the very end! It is told in alternating points of view between the four main characters. I liked Finn the best followed closely by Peter and Isa. I don’t know what was wrong with me when it came to Xavi, but there was always a slight disconnect when it came to her. I also felt like Isa’s story was kind of incomplete. I wish we got to see more of her. Maybe in another book? hint hint.

Bottom Line: After Hours is a fun and crazy ride. Teens gone wild. I acknowledge that this will probably not be a book that is loved by everyone. It deals with some insane issues and is not always PC.  It should not be read by people that dislike scandal or teens engaging in adult and maybe slightly illegal behavior. But it should be read by people that don’t mind  that and like a little crazy in their books. I had a lot of fun with After Hours. Just let go and go with it.

Check out @BookBriefs #review of After Hours by Claire Kennedy @simonteen #pulseit & bring on the crazy Click To Tweet

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• Booking Through Summer

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