Review: Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Title: Tangled
Author: Carolyn Mackler
Series: None
Genre: YA
Release Date: December 29, 2009
Publisher: Harper Teen
Edition: Hardback
Blurb:
Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise. . . .

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.


Tangled is the tale of 4 teens and is written from the point of view of all of them. The first narrator is Jena. Through her we meet all the teens. She has some issues with her looks and she deals with them in her story. I liked how well the author managed to write about them and how Jena doesn't change instantly, it takes her time to accept herself.
Her part of the story is my second favourite and I wished the author could have given us another glimpse into Jena's mind.

Next comes Dakota. He's a messed up teen that is trying to deal with some heavy stuff. He doesn't value himself much and the people around him aren't helping. I started reading his part thinking he was a selfish jerk, but we find out why he acts that way and that absolves him a little. I wished we could have seen him apologize for the things he did and although he does feel sorry, I don't think it was enough.

Then we have Skye. My first impression of her wasn't a good one. She seemed a selfish brat who was looking for attention. I didn't change my mind after reading from her point of view. She's dealing with issues, too, but I have no idea where they came from or why she didn't ask for help. In short, the only thing I liked about her story was that we get to se Jena again.

Finally we have Owen. He's Dakota's younger brother and he prefers dealing with online life as opposed to real life. He has been sheltered all his life but thanks to the help of a friend, he finally begins to live real life. This was my favourite point of view; I think it was because I could relate to him the most. I loved how even though he overcame his fears he still was scared. I also liked how Jena plays an important role in his story.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read about fears and complexes and how to overcome them. The way it was told was fresh although I would have prefered to read more from the point of view of Jena and Owen.


Memorable Lines:

This was not how it was supposed to happen. I was supposed to bump into him when I was clothed, my hair blown out, makeup on. I know some girls, like Skye, can pull off the au naturel thing. But I need all the intervention the cosmetic world has to offer.

As he climbed into the tub, I had a sudden panic that I was going to fart and even though the light was faint he’d detect telltale bubbles. I quickly reassured myself that the jets were on (good move, Jena), so I was covered on one front. But that still left me in a hot tub, barely clothed, with the hottest guy on the planet.

It doesn’t get more awful than this.

Rating: