I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

Carter, A. (2006). I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you. Brilliance Audio.

YA / Middle Grade / Romance / Adventure

I gave this audiobook 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads

The cover reminds me so much of Cher from the movie Clueless that I had a hard time overcoming that personna in ITYILYBTIHTKY (lazy me, I know) which is a fluffy, fun book.  Apparently, the Gallagher Girl Series, of which this book is the first, is being optioned for a movie.   

Unfortunately, the narrator's voice on this audiobook drove me crazy both as the main character, Cammie, but also as Cammie's boyfriend, Josh. Every time Josh spoke, I was reminded of Rudolph once he becomes an adolescent reindeer. Ugh. And the drawl used to voice Cammie's "southern friend," Bex, was ridiculous. I'm from the south, and no, that just doesn't happen.

The characters had very interesting back stories, but unfortunately, the story didn't really go there too much. And I was a bit disappointed that despite Cammie's supposed exceptional status as a genius, she made some dumb-girl-in-love mistakes. Love trumps reason?

As for the story, it definitely had some humorous parts and great one liners, plus a bit of mystery to unravel - much of which doesn't get done in this book. As I mentioned, this is the first of the Gallagher Girls series, and I might give the second a try, but only in print. I am still haunted by that narrator's voice. **shivers**

There is no profanity, and no more intimacy than hold handing, and mild violence (but there is one scene that's a little intense where Cammie thinks her friends have been tortured). Positive role models and positive messages abound. Even though the characters are sophomores in high school, I'd recommend it for tweens and middle graders.

I read Ally Carter's Heist Society a few years back, and I wasn't super sold on it, either. I think I just don't enjoy the way she writes teenaged girls, though I give her snaps for making them smart and independent. Always a fan of that.

Thank you to SYNC Audio for the free download. There were no strings attached! 

You can read more about the Gallagher Girls series, movie option, and author Ally Carter on her website.