Kiss, Date, Love, Hate - Luisa Plaja

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate – Luisa Plaja

Pages: 278

Publisher: Corgi (RHCB)

Release Date: 2^nd February 2012

Other Titles by this Author: Split by a Kiss, Extreme Kissing, Swapped by a Kiss

Lex Murphy and her friends have complicated relationships. If only there was a way to avoid all the dating/hating drama...

When Lex fills a cool new computer game with characters based on herself and her classmates, she makes some ‘wishful thinking’ adjustments to the profiles. Finally, everyone can be perfectly matched and happy, at least on screen. Love, Life, Looks – it’s all under Lex’s control in a harmless game.

After all, these changes can’t come true...can they?

Luisa’s fourth novel Kiss, Date, Love, Hate is definitely my favourite of hers. It’s brilliant!

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate’s brand of freaky contemp (coined by Luisa!) is one of my favourites. I love the way that Luisa writes realistic, relatable characters with a sprinkle of magic that really could happen if you wish hard enough. Well, I like to think so, anyway! Especially when there are the possibilities the ones Lex and George come up against here...

Being able to change yourself and your friends to suit your own wants and needs is essentially a dream come true. You may not want to admit it, but we’d all jump at the chance to have perfect hair, perfect curves and the power to get that guy that’s always been a little too far away. It also worked out in a way that taught them all exactly what they want which would be extremely useful to a lot of people. Basically, someone needs to invent this game, giving Luisa full credit, of course, so we can sort ourselves out!

A plot such as this one wouldn’t work without a fantastic cast of characters. I personally fell a little in love with Drew – a mysterious, quiet bad boy with a sexy Scottish accent. I’m sold. Then as we got to know him, he got even better! I didn’t quite get the appeal of Matt at all really, he didn’t really seem to fit with Lex. Now Lex, I loved. She loud, fun and completely hides behind it.

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate is fresh, funny and smart and throws in a brilliant twist near the end. I love it!

For my 2012 Contemporary YA Challenge

Thank you to RHCB for providing me with a review copy.

Sophie