Meg Cabot has the formula to writing a teen book down pat. She knows how to plan out her plots well: Hapless Girl meets Boy who she a) doesn't like or b) is best friends with and doesn't like romantically. Then, Hapless Girl finds out she has something extraordinary in her life (either supernatural powers, unknown royalty, or internal strength), followed by denial, denial, denial, a lot of complaining, and eventual acceptance. To finish, she realizes she loves the Boy she either hates or is best friends with. Happy ever after.
This formula, however, does not work when used over 40 times by the same author. I admit, I sucked the first "Princess Diaries" books up when I was 13. I adored "1-800-Where-R-U." I couldn't stop reading the "Mediator." They were fresh and funny. They were somewhat original, set apart from the rest of the YA genre. Cabot's latest works-- Jinx, How to be Popular, Mediators #5 and #6, and definitely 1-800 #5-- are attempts to recreate the magic of the past. To be frank, they are boring because we have already read these stories before. Jean (or "Jinx") is a character who questions herself a lot and, much like Sam from "All American Girl", does not realize that the BOY OF HER DREAMS actually likes HER. This was true with Michael Moscovitz and Scott from "Teen Idol."
Another reason Cabot's latest book "Jinx" is not up to par with her past work is because of its contrived characters. Jean's ex-boyfriend stalks her and her roommate is like one of the cheerleaders from "Princess Diaries" but with all black on. The basic Cabot bad-guy character is either a hypocritical jealous girl or a mental patient.
Now, for the most part, these books are still sweet and charming (that is, if you're a soccer mom screening your daughter's books). I'm no longer 13, or even a teen, so maybe these books just don't suit my fancy. But when you read a teen book that is remarkable, you don't need to be a teenager to like it. It is a good book on its own without that YA label. Cabot garners to that label because it helps her hit the New York Times bestseller list, and I guess that's all that matters at this point.
If you're tempted to read "Jinx" try one of Cabot's older works instead. In my opinion, "Teen Idol" is her last work before her decline, so start there and work your way backwards. To put it simply, "Jinx" is just another version of her previous books.
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