Customer Reviews

When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You)

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It was all Ruth's fault. If Ruth hadn't started crying when Jeff Day told her that they would have to bury her in a piano case, then Jessica "Jess" Mastriani would never have punched Jeff in the mouth. Then she wouldn't have been sent to Mr. Goodhart's office, where she had to endure another lecture on temper management, and she wouldn't have been assigned another week of detention. Still, detention wasn't that bad that day because she got to sit next to Rob Wilkins, a hottie who always ended up in the back row (alphabetical order) and she never would have known that he had a totally cherried out Indian motorcycle that she was just dying to ride. It was a sign of her affection for Ruth that she turned down a ride on Rob's motorcycle to walk home with her so that she wouldn't be alone. All Ruth could talk about was how he was a grit and that townies just didn't go out with grits. As if Jess even cared when Rob was so hot! Jess couldn't believe that Ruth was harping about Jess liking Rob when she left her perfectly functional car at home to try and lose weight by walking to school to pick up Jess - with a big storm on the way! The thunderstorm was on them before they knew it and so Jess & Ruth took refuge under the metal bleachers on the football field - where Jess was struck by lightning.

The next morning, Jess woke up knowing the location of two kids whose pictures were on the back of the milk carton. Not just the location, but the exact address. Jess called the number on the back of the carton, gave them the info and quickly hung up. Before Jess knew it, there were reporters camped out around her house, a military base who wanted to study her, FBI agents were following her every step and one of the kids that she found had good reason to want to be lost. So when Jess had to escape from the military compound, get Sean back to his mother (who was in jail), convince Rob to date her even though she was only 16 (he was 18) and then somehow convince everyone that she didn't have this magical power she knew that it was all definitely Ruth's fault...

This was an absolutely hilarious book. Jess is such an great character, very tough and never afraid to say exactly what she is thinking. I was laughing out loud through the whole book. The other characters are great, too, and you wonder if there are any normal people in Southern Indiana. Jess has a pretty cool power, but it doesn't help protect her from anything or anyone so she has to stick up for herself. The storyline was great and kept you guessing as to what Jess was going to do. If you have enjoyed any of Meg Cabot/Jenny Carroll's other books, you will love this one - a must read!

Jenny Carroll, author of the thrilling Mediator series, has begun yet another intriguing new series that begins with a blast. Jess Mastriani never wanted to walk home from school that day, but she did it because of her best friend Ruth. Along the walk, she got struck by lightning -- and almost died. Even though her family was worried about her, she thought she felt fine. But every morning when she wakes up, she suddenly knows the location of missing children. Children that were never thought to be seen again -- until now. When she calls the number to give in the locations of the missing kids, 1-800-Where-R-You, her whole life begins to turn. The government is finding that Jess would be a big help to the community -- the world -- if she could use her abilities for them more regularly. But Jess isn't so sure. Her intentions were good, but the outcomes are beginning to seem dark. Jenny Carroll's intense new series was a blast to read, but I like her Mediator series a bit better. I can't wait to read the second book in this series, Code Name Cassandra.

Jessica isn't the most even tempered girl in the world. In fact she's conmstantly getting in trouble for beating up guys much bigger than she is. So one day when walkign home from detention with her friend Ruth she get's hit by lightning. But since she isn't affected by it right away she thinks little of it. But then she starts having dreams about the little kids on the back of the milk cartons. For some strange reason she knows where they are. So she calls the number and tells the person on the line, whose name happens to be Rosemary, where they are. And the dreams don't stop. Suddenly everyone wants to know about this strange girl named Jess who can find the children on the milk cartons. And a group of men from the military wants to put her in a special research facility. And Jess isn't too keen on that.

Just like Jenny Carroll's Mediator Series, her new series 1-800-WHERE-R-U is filled with strong charecters and suspenseful plot lines. IF your a fan of her past work you'll love this series.

While Jessica Mastriani is walking home from school she gets hit by lightning. At first, she doesn't even notice it, but then the next morning she wakes up and she all of a sudden knows where two kids from the milk carton are. After checking it out to see if it's true she calls 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU. The next day she knows where two more kids are just from looking at their pictures. After a few days these two federal agents come looking for her and ask her to go with them to an army base for testing. She goes there and when she finds out that they want to use her powers to find fugitives she isn't too sure she wants to. The reason she's not sure is because of Sean Patrick O'Hanahan. He was the first kid she found, and he begged her not to tell. When she finds out what happened to Sean she immediately blames herself, so when he goes missing again she decides to help him out. But the government isn't going to let her out of there that easy. This was a great book and it was really interesting how the narrator wasn't really telling us her story, but the people at the army base. This series, like The Mediator, is going to be very good.

A hail storm forces Jessica under some bleachers when a friend forces her to walk home. Then lightning strikes and Jessica gets a jolt. The next morning she knows where two people are. She doesn't know who they are or why she knows until she sees them on the milk carton. Yes, Jessica now has the ability to know where people are.

Jessica quickly learns the whereabouts of a number of kids on milk cartons and calls the number so that they can be located. But this is the real world and authorities immediately notice the pattern and want to know who Jess is and how she knows where all of these missing kids are. The FBI and the military both get involved. When public scrutiny causes trouble in her household she agrees to have some tests.

But that is only the beginning and Jessica has to deal with her new talent and those who want to use her. She also has to deal with issues about whether the kids are better off not being found. It all becomes a mess.

This was a very well-written thriller. Unlike so many teens-with-powers stories, this one really does a good job of trying to show how the real world would react. As much fun as Cabot's Mediator books but more real and dark. Check it out.

Jess Mastriani is your average 16 year old girl except for the fact that her afternoons are spent in detention for getting into fist fights with the football team. Luckily she's sitting next to Rob Wilkens, the sexiest senior around. One day Jess and her friend are walking home when Jess gets struck by lightning. Pretty soon Jess is having dreams about missing kids. Jess decides to see if her dreams are real so she travels to Paoli to find one kid named Sean Patrick O'Shannahan. It turns out her dreams are true so she calls 1-800-Where-R-You to report the missing kids to a kind black lady named Rosemary. Thenn one day the FBI tracks Jess down. They want her to come to Crane Military Base, a research facility to test her gifts and find people. Jess really isn't all that crazy about going. While she's there though she gets word that Sean has once again escaped from his father who is rumored to be about as kind as Darth Vader. Jess decides to find him on her own and she goes searching. She escapes Crane and finds Sean, but hte FBI is hot on her trail and they want her back.

OMG!This is a great series. If you liked the Mediator series you'll love this!

Jess Mastriani is a normal 16 year old girl until that day. The day that she gets hit by lightning changes her life forever. She now has psychic powers and is locating all of these kids that she sees on milk cartons. You know, the missing kids? Not only that, the FBI is after her because they want her as a test subject to find missing criminals. What more will happen to Jess?

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys The Mediator series.

Jessica Mastiani is a girl known for being a little fast with her fists. One day after her several weeks worth of detentions that she has tallied up, she and her best friend Ruth decide to walk home. Well Jess didn't really decide, Jess knew it was going to storm, but her friend Ruth was her usual ride and she wanted to get the exercise. While walking home, it starts to storm, and hail chases them to seek the cover of the metal bleechers of the stadium. Jess was struck by lightning, yet she wasn't hurt and didn't take it very seriously. Until the next morning when she knows where two kids are even though she didn't know who they were. Then she realizes that they are the kids on the back of the milk carton and she knows exactly where they are. Jess takes her detention buddy, and crush, Rob Wilkins out to see if she really knows where Sean Patrick O'Hanahan is. When she gets there she finds out that she has a gift, she can find missing children. Dubbed Lightning Girl, by the press Jess just wants to go back to normal life and is willing to do what it takes, such as blowing up a helicopter?

Jessica Mastriani is just your ordinary girl. Well, as ordinary as anybody can be when their house has been named a historical landmark, their family owns three restaurants, they beat up football linemen regularly...and knows where missing children are when she sleeps.

When Jess's friend Ruth decides to take a "short" jog home after school, instead of driving, they run straight into a storm. Taking refuge under a metal bleacher, Jess gets hit with lightning, but thinks that she is fine...until the next morning, when she wakes up and discovers that she knows the exact location of two missing children. From that day on, Jess can find missing children in her sleep. Unfortunately, when she "saves" a missing child, Sean, she puts Sean in serious trouble. Trying to save him, she goes on a huge adventure, while dodging FBI agents who are getting very annoyed and impatient. It's up to Jess to try to fix everything... all while trying to catch the attention of Rob Wilkins, a motor- cycle riding senior.

I give this book, When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot, four stars, because I thought that the book was very good. It has strong, well- rounded characters that seem to jump off of the page, and a well thought- out plot. The descriptions are clear, and the main character's views and opinions make you laugh, while her actions make you gasp. I loved reading the book, and couldn't put it down until the very last word.

Jess Mastriani is one of kind. She's as strong- minded and brave, as she is short and petite. Though the football players are usually three times as big as her, Jess doesn't hesitate in punching their lights out when they insult her brother or her friends. This is usually the cause of her never- ending detention sentences. Jess is a person that you just want to know. When you're friends with her, you know she'll look out for you.

The strongest scene in the book is the scene when Jess and Sean are trying to avoid the FBI, who is looking for them both, though for different reasons. In order to give Sean a chance to get out, she sacrifices her own temporary freedom and jumps into a plastic volcano to distract the FBI. I like this scene because it shows Jess's boldness and the way that she always puts other people's needs before her own.

I would recommend this book to anybody who's looking for a fun book to read. People who enjoy reading about strong, funny characters would definitely like this book, and are really missing out if they don't read it. Any girl who's ever felt like punching anybody would like reading about this funny, bold girl, like I did.

While the story of a teenager with superpowers is getting a little over done, Jenny Caroll makes this story a winner becuase of her fantastic protagonist, Jessica Mastriani a proud tomboy who loved playing the flute and riding on motercycles with equal passion. Other characters like Doug, Ruth and Roy are pleasant departures from the typical cliches in teen books. Also caroll's writing is above par. I'm looking foward to reading the sequal.