Review: Bumped

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Published by Balzer and Bray

Genre: YA

$16.99 (US hardback)

320 pages

What it's about:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic acid infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never emt until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls' lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

My thoughts:
Let me start by saying this book just threw you into it. No background explaining at all for what all the lingo meant, what year it was, what in the world was going on, why can no one seem to have children after 18? Nothing. Just started at what should have been about page 50 or so. It wasn't until I hit around page 70 that the book finally started to explain things. Though it sadly never fully explained everything. I still have some confusion as to what exactly the virus is, why some people don't get it till later in life, and so on. I really wish that was explained more. Same with all the weird technology that McCafferty has made up. Like the MiNet. What exactly is it???? I don't get it! It played a huge part of the whole story as well.

Describing seemed to be a big problem in the whole book. I never thought I'd have to say that in a review. Most authors love to give tons and tons of descriptions, especially when it comes to their main characters and the steamy hott guy. I still do not fully understand what look McCafferty was going for with Jondoe. Harmoney describes him as the way she pictures Jesus. I know he has blonde hair and a beard and that's it. I would have liked more descriptions of him instead of just being told a million times how he is mega uber sexy. Same with Zen and the twins. All of which are also supposed to be incredibly beautiful as well.

Then there is the whole having babies at such young ages. I was having a hard time jumping on board with everything in this book. What kind of parents would make their kids "bump" with random strangers starting at the age 14 so that they can have lots of money? I don't really see any parent willingly doing that and yet all the parents in this book has their kids doing this.

My whole review so far has been negatives, and while I spent most of the time reading the book completely confused, I still enjoyed what I read. I found myself intrigued by the characters and this seriously messed up world. Will I run out and buy the next book? Probably not. If the second book in the series was out right now I would continue reading but I don't see myself to continue reading in the future.

My rating: 7/10