Review: Diva by Jillian Larkin

Diva by Jillian Larkin. The Conclusion to the Flappers Series.

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 2012
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780385740418

Review: Humor, romance, and mystery are hiding in the 1920's New York, and also in the latest book in the Flappers series, Diva by Jillian Larkin. This story has all the main components needed in a romance novel. You'll fall in love with flappers Clara Knowles, Lorraine Dyer, and Gloria Carmody. These 3 glamorous women try to pull off one of their biggest over the top schemes yet.

Clara Knowles recently broke up with her handsome, charming and rich boyfriend, the love of her life, Marcus Eastman. Now he is already engaged to another young woman! Since Clara can't have her happily ever after, the least she can do is stop Marcus from marrying someone who isn't what he thinks she is. Clara wonders and questions Marcus's faith in her. After all, she lied to him countless times. Even worse, she can't stand her boss who keeps flirting with her, and her disgusting job of writing about celebrity gossip. Clara Knowles is going to have work with what she has, and somehow save Marcus.

Gloria Carmody was in jail for loving an African American and for killing a man who was about to shoot the love of her life, Jerome Johnson. Gloria is looking for help to get out of jail and get justice from her cousin, Clara Knowles. Now, Gloria has to work for the FBI to get back together with Jerome. A simple task from the FBI is making her life more difficult. More importantly, she wonders if she will ever see Jerome again.

Lorraine Dyer is cleaning up her act, turning over a new leaf. She attends a university across from the university where blonde and perfect Marcus Eastman lives. Normally, Lorraine Dyer would be staring holes into Marcus Eastman, but she decides that she will get to the bottom of things with Marcus's shady but gorgeous fiancŽe, Anastasia. There is only one problem with her figuring out Marcus's case, and it involves two people, Clara Knowles and Gloria Carmody.

Diva by Jillian Larkin is an entertaining book, focusing on each young woman's main problem and winding the three women and their problems together beautifully. Though I am not fond of or avid reader of romance novels, Diva still met my expectations. Jillian Larkin balanced the elements and made the reader want to keep reading to quickly find out what was going to happen next. No book can be perfect, and the only downfall to this book is the clichŽs. They kept reappearing throughout the story. For example, the characters act without thought, and their actions are a little too exaggerated. Yet I couldn't stop reading this compelling novel, Diva.

In conclusion, if you decide to read Jillian Larkin's, Diva, which I highly recommend, you will be lost amongst the maze of pages that submerge you in 1920's New York, ÒWhere love is hiding in every corner, music is thriving in every club, and, of course, anything goesÓ.

Review written by Sachi (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Random House for providing a copy of Diva for this review.

Have you read Diva? How would you rate it?