Book Review: When Lighting Strikes by Meg Cabot

In the spirit of the Meg-A-Readers Blog Hop, I'm going to be reviewing one book by Meg Cabot every sunday for the duration of the event! Here is the first one. 

At First Sight: On the day everything started, Jess Mastriani hit a football player, landed in detention and Rob Wilkins asked her if she needed a ride home. Oh, and her life changed. 

But that had nothing to do with the ride she didn't take, and everything to do with her best friend Ruth, showing up and suggesting they walk home... only to be caught in a huge Indiana thunderstorm. 

Re-issue mass market paperback

That's when Jess was struck by lighting. At first, other than feeling tingly, Jess thinks that everything is as it ever was... until the next morning she wakes up knowing where two kids she has never seen before, are. Jess soon realizes she has actually seen the kids: they are the missing kids at the back the milk cartoon at her house. 

After some consideration - and that ride on the back of Rob's bike, which takes her to a near by town and gives her confirmation that one of those missing kids is actually where she thinks he is - Jess calls the 1-800-Where-R-You hot line, gives the address and puts the whole thing off her mind. 

But those two kids were just the beginning, now the government is wondering how she knows what she knows, and how they can use it to their own advantage. And Jess's life, will never be the same.

Second Glance: I love the 1-800-Where-R-You series and I love When Lighting Strikes, I think it's one of my favorite books by Meg Cabot because I just simply love how strong and awesome Jess is. Sure, she's a little loose with her firsts, but she fiercely loves her family - particularly her dad and her brother Doug - even though her mother makes her wear dresses straight out of Litthe House in the Praire and her other brother Mike can be a little annoying. 

She is brave and confident that she'll fix things when they go wrong, yet she always asks for help when she needs it. Jess is an awesome heroine. 

And Rob Wilkins? I LOVE ROB WILKINS! He has a rep for being a bad boy - even a Juvie record -and he's from the 'wrong side of town', but he's responsible, loves his mom and has an awesome bike he rebuild himself. 

My only hang up with this book is that some of the characters - like Ruth, Jess' brother Mike and Jess' mom - are very snobby and judgmental abou the kids from the outskirts of town -  called Grits - and, since Rob is one of these kids, I kind of take it personal.

Bottom Line: There are some books that you think are awesome, but when you re-read them after a long period of time, they kind of miss their spark, that is so NOT the case with When Lighting Strikes - it holds the test of time pretty damn well. It has action, romance and it's just so much fun to read. 

Favorite Quote: Ruth looked heavenward. "Not Rob Wilkins again."

"Yes, Rob Wilkins again. I can't help it, Ruth. He's got that really big--" 

"I don't wajt to hear it," Ruth said, holding up her hand.

"-- Indian," I finished. "What did you think I was going to say?" 

"I don't know. Some of those Grits wear pretty tight jeans."

1/2

For some reason, this  book is not currently available in any of it's editions, but you can find it in the "Vanished Vol. 1" bind up of When Lighting Strikes and Code Name Cassandra (book 2).