While my love for teen romance novels is hardly a secret to those who have read my reviews for any length of time, political intrigue for the YA set is something I've wanted to see more of, and, time and time again, the stories seem to let me down. Gallagher Girls is the ideal in many ways, but it's less House of Cards and more James Bond. Embassy Row's first book was disappointing, and most of the rest try to be humorous spoofs. I figured I'd enjoy The Fixer, being a book more in line with some of my other interests. What I didn't expect was to love it.
Tess lives with her grandfather, who is falling more and more seriously ill. Her parents, dead in an accident, left her with him, and her older sister, Ivy, left them to go to Washington. With grandpa sick, though, Tess is off to DC to live with her sister. Quickly, she learns that her sister is a bit of an important big shot, someone who "fixes" the problems of high-profile people and politicians. At Tess's new school, that reputation is shifted onto Tess, who really doesn't want it. Quickly, though, it looks like she's going to have to anyway, and she learns how dangerous her sister's life really is.
I have very little to complain about when it comes to this book. It balances political intrigue and conspiracy with a great family story, at nearly 400 pages it doesn't feel as if it's dragging at all, and the story ends on a solid note while leaving a good opening for sequels as well. Nearly pitch perfect, and really does the whole concept well as a result. Truly, it might be closest to a House of Cards for kids we'll ever see, and that's definitely high praise from me, at least. I'm hoping the rest of the series can stand up to how good this one is, and I can't wait to see what comes next. Highly recommended.