Title: Top Ten Clues You're Clueless
by Liz CzukasPublishing Info: December 9, 2014 by HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: October 14, 2014
Related Posts: Ask Again Later, When Joss Met Matt, Call Me, Maybe, Just a Girl, Throwing My Life Away
Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day:
5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market
4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi
3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm
2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)
1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees—of stealing upwards of $10,000
Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments.
TOP TEN CLUES YOU’RE CLUELESS, in true Liz Czukas-fashion (which I will say having only read two of her books. But still) was so adorable and tons of fun. The book revolves around list-making Chloe and her day as it proceeds on this specific Christmas Eve — which she just so happens to be working at the local GoodFoods. The book continues in a Breakfast Club-style fashion when someone at the store is suspected of stealing a large sum of money and all of the juvenile workers are held in the store until the managers and employees can figure out who the culprit is.
One of the best parts about the book is how much I loved the Breakfast Club feel. Have today’s teens see The Breakfast Club? Because if not, they should both watch that movie and read this book (they can pick which order they do that in. And I may know what teens are reading but I don’t know what they watch haha). Movies like The Breakfast Club and books like TOP TEN CLUES YOU’RE CLUELESS incorporate two things that are some of my favorites: story lines that take place within 24 hours and take place all in one location (for the most part). There’s just something really special about being able string a story together that just fits within a day. I’m not sure why, but it really adds something extra to a book for me.
TOP TEN CLUES was just adorable. I really enjoyed Chloe’s character (I love list-makers) and all of her co-workers were just really enjoyable to read about as well. They were all very different and there was quite a diverse cast and yet they all really came together in the end despite their differences, especially to rally against “the man” (ahhh, more Breakfast Club feels). Sometimes have a prominent and sizeable cast of characters causes me to get a little lost on who is who, but Liz Czukas did a great job of giving each one very different personalities as well as physical descriptions so the combination of each character’s traits really brought them to life for me and I never once felt like it was an overwhelming number. Each character enriched the story and made it that much better for me and getting to know each one along the way was so much fun!
The romance in the book was cute, but it didn’t quite have the swoon-factor that Liz’s previous book, ASK AGAIN LATER, did for me. (What can I say? I’m a sucker for the best friends.) I think it was just more of a personal history thing for me because picturing myself in the situation that Chloe was with Tyson, well… that situation just never worked out for me. The crush on a co-worker/classmate just never panned out for me personally in my own past so I think I just felt like the flirting was too good to be true. (Sorry, Chloe! Totally nothing personal.) I just didn’t quite get the heart palpitations I was hoping for with the romance, but it was still pretty cute.
TOP TEN CLUES YOU’RE CLUELESS was such a fun book and such a breezy read for me. I finished in one afternoon! It was also a great book to get me in the Christmas spirit (even this early!) since it takes place during the holidays and I LOVED how much it made me feel Christmas-y even if I was reading it a bit early for the season yet. I connected more on a personal level with ASK AGAIN LATER but TOP TEN CLUES really solidified the fact that I’m a Liz Czukas fan and I’m totally ready to read anything she’s putting out! (Even *gasp* her new adult book that’s coming out soon!)
“The View from Goodreads” is a featured section in my reviews that I decided to incorporate! I tend to update my Goodreads status a LOT when I read — reactions, feelings, notes — so I thought it would be fun to share the sort of “reading process”! All status updates are spoiler-free (no specific plot points will be revealed) but will contain reactions to certain pages and/or characters!
Chloe // Character Obsessions: Making lists, blood sugar, Tyson, solving the mystery.
Chloe was a really fun character! I automatically identify with any characters who make lists so that was perfect right off the bat! She felt like a very real character and probably someone I would have hung out with in high school! I think I saw a lot of myself in her, especially how she handled certain situations.
Sammi // Character Obsessions: Bravado, cigarettes, loyalty.
I really liked Sammi a lot. Out of all the characters, she’s the one that really felt the most dynamic the more I got to know about her. She had a tough exterior but there was so much more to get to know about her and I’m really glad we got to see more!
Kept Me Hooked On: Liz Czukas. This is the second book I’ve read from Liz and I just love them both. Her writing is so much fun, relatable, and dabbled with a few great pop culture references that both add to the story and will stand the test of time.
Left Me Wanting More: Swoons. The only thing I could have asked for more of was swoons! I hate comparing books by the same author to one another, but with all of the swoons I had for Schroeder in AAL, I was ready for tons in TOP TEN CLUES! The romance was really cute and it was very fun, but I had just connected more to the one in AAL!
Addiction Rating
Buy it!
If you love light & fluffy reads, this book is perfect for you! Buy it for your friends for the holiday season and give them the gift of Christmas feels too!
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11 thoughts on “Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless – Liz Czukas”
THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!
Sometimes a light and fluffy read is just what I crave and this book sounds like just the kind of book to read for those times. Ashamed to say I’ve never watched The Breakfast Club and now I feel like I must watch this movie, since it was also totally referenced in a movie I watched last week.
I totally thought Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless was really fun! I love the way that Czukas told this story, from the plot and pacing, to the characters and conflicts. It was such an enjoyable read, and I couldn’t help loving Chloe! Especially since she’s a compulsive list-maker, like me!
Whoa this books takes place in one day? I didn’t expect that but i’ll take it! I will definitely read this since I enjoyed Ask Again Later. Definitely when I am next in the mood for light and fluffy.
I’m picky about my contemporary but this one sounds really good. I like that it also incorporates a little mystery with the humor and romance. That has me much more interested than if it was just a straight romance. Great review. Maybe I’ll this one over Christmas. I was looking for something lighthearted and holidy-esque!
Haha. My review for this one is up today, too. I absolutely loved this book. Although I loved Ask Again Later, I liked this one more. I also really liked Sammi. She’s rough around the edges, but she’s a Doctor Who fan!!!
OH GOD I got Feliz Navidad stuck in my head just from reading your Goodreads updates. Better turn on some other Christmas music to wash it out
Yay, I really liked this one too! Like you said, I wasn’t as keen on the romance(it was still great, but since it wasn’t a focus I didn’t get all shippy over it or anything) but it was just such a fun book. I liked all the pop culture references too. I read it mostly at the gym and I remember getting a few stares when I’d start laughing on the treadmill or the bike. Worth it for a good read.
And. . . I’m not a teen, but I have to admit I’ve never seen The Breakfast Club. But then I haven’t seen most movies that everyone else has!
This book is on my TBR list. I agree with you, I love stories that take place within 24 hours. It’s cool to see how a story happen in that short time.
I’ve seen TV show episode, etc with the feel of The Breakfast Club. I guess I should actually watch the actual movie.
Thanks for sharing!
This sounds so cute – perfect for when you want something light and fun. I’ve yet to read to read the authors debut, so I think I’ll start there and if I like it, which I probably will, will give this a go, too! Great review 🙂