Book Review: Jax & Marbles

Title: Jax & Marbles

Author: Jacqueline Lorraine Conwell

Genre: YA Fiction (with a slight paranormal twist and romance)

Review:

Okay, so I know I categorized Jax & Marbles as YA Fiction, but it also contains a paranormal element to it and is a love story...yet this novel doesn't really fit with the stereotypical paranormal romance books. Three chapters into Jax & Marbles, I realized that this book reminded my of The Five People You Meet in Heaven. So, Mitch Albom fans, be sure to check this book out!

One of my favorite aspects of fiction is that it gives writers the power to unleash their imagination and pen down their most impossible thoughts. Conwell utilizes this power in her description of afterlife, which I loved. Basically, one of the main character dies and is sent to his version of paradise. In his afterlife, he lives a comfortable life...yet he feels lonely. With no one to interact with, Jules (name of main character) spends his day watching over his (living)  parents through a special television and occasionally chatting with a being (described as a white orb) named G.

One day, G approaches Jules and offers him a second life: there's a girl on Earth who is in need of a good friend, and Jules just might be the perfect person to fulfill the role of the girl's friend. The only catch? No one can find out that Jules is supposed to be dead. That means Jules can't contact his parents or let slip that he knows what happens after death. Desperate for companionship (it get's lonely living in paradise by yourself!), Jules agrees and bam, he's back on Earth, alive and kicking.

Alexia is the other main character of the book and is the girl Jules agrees to befriend. She feels tired of life, and college isn't as fun as she expected it to be.  All of her friends had more or less ditched her and she can't help but wonder what is the point of life....and then she meets Jules.

Okay, so here's the problem with having two completely lovable main characters (in this case, Jules and Alexia) fall in love and get along perfectly: there is no plot!! Both Jules and Alexia's characters were completely lovable and they fit each other like chocolate to strawberry :-) But then I kind of felt like I was reading the daily life of Jules and Alexia, not a story with plot/climax.

I think the author could've really spiced things up if she played up the whole Jules-is-dead-but-not-really factor. It could've made some interesting twists in the plot. Also, although the writing was easy to follow, there was a lot of telling and only a little bit of showing. For example, about 75% into the book, Alexia mentions that she realizes that Jules often flinched at guns and matters concerning death (she doesn't know Jules died from a shooting.) However, as a reader, I didn't even know Jules had such reactions until Alexia mentioned it; I think it would've been a lot more vivid if the author had described Jules flinching or breaking out in cold sweat will watching an action movie with Alexia instead of having it plainly stated.

Also, some of the dialogue among the characters seemed a bit forced. Well, maybe forced isn't exactly the right word--perhaps formal suits the description better. Both Alexia and Jules are so polite to each other that it sometimes sounds implausible. 

Despite this, the novel kept my attention and made me wonder what happens after death. Yes, the plot was pretty slow, but it was also sweet to read about an innocent romance between two soul mates :-) Perfect read for anyone who wants a happy story or to destress after a long day!

Rating: