Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer

 Hey Guys..

Welcome back (sheepish grin)

I know its been pretty long and I haven't posted anything... Not going to explain why and trust me when I tell you that I tried to (and obviously failed). I'll do my best to post more often, well i do have more than a few drafts sitting on my blogger. So we'll see

Today's focus INSTANT KARMA by Marissa Meyer. 

Publication Date :November 3rd 2020

Major Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance

It's her first contemporary novel and honestly am blessed to have read it. Brought the universe and me closer.😁 Her Lunar chronicles have been in my goodreads tbr ever since I saw the covers and went agdcsjfesjfesnkv.... (See it for yourself below) It's just a series that I had/have to read. Along with Heartless by Marissa of course. It's just too easy to put a million books on the to be read list isn't it? (laugh humourlessly)

From left to right 

Cinder- The first installment of The Lunar Chronicles

Winter- The 4th and last book of The Lunar Chronicles

Fairest-Prequel to The Lunar Chronicles

Ok get back on track missy, yes so where were we?

ahh yes 

Instant Karma, I clicked on it out of pure curiosity(and another reason as to why my app wouldn't work!). I mean somebody who wrote pretty unrealistic stuff writing something so real! Like look at it The Lunar Chronicles are clearly a fairy tale twist, no wait up I need to do my research on this...

Ha! Look what I found

"The Lunar Chronicles are futuristic retellings of classic fairy tales. In CINDER, a teenage cyborg (half human, half machine)..." https://lunarchronicles.universeofmarissameyer.com/books/

I should consider myself lucky to have read this rom-com before her series. I would have been more judgemental then expecting something great and along the lines of her previous works!

Would you be shocked to know I never read the synopsis of the novel before getting into it. In case you were, you shouldn't have expected such standards from me (shakes head and tsks).

In this young adult contemporary romance, a girl is suddenly gifted with the ability to cast instant karma on those around her—both good and bad.


Chronic overachiever Prudence Barnett is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when, after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her. Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to karaoke hecklers, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner and all-around mortal enemy. Soon, Pru begins to uncover truths about Quint, her peers, and even herself that reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed . . . love and hate.

The summary pretty much sums up almost entire book, well then if the summary did include everything nobody would have read the book duh! I really loved the book and it's always nice to read something that is not high on fantasy. 

Gotta admit the book doesn't seem like it was given much thought. The writing did not give me any sort of impression that it was written by someone like MM. I mean she's someone who wrote widely popular fangirling worth series, a fantasy/fictional writer writing an contemporary romance novel it's pretty hard to believe that it would be any good. So I could safely say that Instant Karma initially disappointed me. 

It's pretty obvious how it will end when a book starts with  "Quint Erickson is late.   Again." followed up by Prudence's simmering rage. Honestly I was mortified when I realised it was a high school set-up but then I already knew that I hadn't signed up for one of my usual reads. It was a cool book, fun to read but I really wish it had continued down the same plot instead of opening up various side plots which were left unattended to. 

Like in the story Prudence's family owns a record store and they are struggling to make ends meet, while Pru is unaware of this and busy scheming fundraisers for the Fortuna beach rescue center(Quint and Pru volunteer there). When Ari(her music loving friend) suggests she do the same for the record store prudence does think about it but then that topic is never really thought of anymore. It would have been oddly satisfying to know that Prudence helps her family too but we never really get to see that. There's also the fact that the book kind of revolves around the Beatles and certain 90's music which was not soo appealing to me. I tried listening to Instant Karma by John Lennon and it was impossible, I gave up before even completing half of the song.

Lets Talk about Prudence Barnett. First few chapters show us the fact that she's clearly an perfectionist and extremely judgy. People don't really like her and it's not quite a surprise. But eventually her motives and goals are set out clearly by MM and I understand her and might even relate to her on certain aspects. Her understanding of  karmic justice bestowed as a gift on her by the universe is hugely questionable. I get the fact that  one would wish for the same to happen to someone who wronged us, but actually giving out punishments like that. Nah, that just didn't work out in my favour.

Loosening up.

 He doesn’t know it—or maybe he does—but Quint has just dug his thumb into a very sore spot. Maybe it comes with being a perfectionist. Maybe it’s because I’m a rule follower, an overachiever, the sort of person who would rather host a study group than go to a kegger. Maybe it’s because my parents gave me the unfortunate name of Prudence.

I do not like being told to loosen up. I can relax. I can have fun. Quint Erickson doesn’t know me.

Quint Erickson, real charming, nice guy, easygoing but "extremely lazy and somebody who would prefer playing around rather than do his schoolwork on time" or so Prudence thinks. When they score an overall C on their biology project Prudence is hell bent on getting quint to redoing the project with her. On this little expedition of hers she finds out that the Fortuna Beach Rescue center wasn't just something quint made up he worked there and his mom, Rosa owned it.

Now Prudence is volunteering at the rescue center with Quint. It's quite a journey I must say, working together with all that mutual dislike between them. I like how MM breaks their differences down one by one, but it that doesn't mean am saying it's ok to make your readers wait for 39 chapters before you decide to get them together... It's super crazy when Prudence finds out that he hasn't been lazing around playing pac-man and whatever she expected him to do while he actually was saving those wonderfully wonderful sea animals...

This is soo bad (cringes). I have no idea what I have been typing for the past 48 hours, this isn't exactly a book review nor is it a proper analysis of the book. It's just me rambling on and on about anything relate to the book! 

I loved the idea of the universe and badly wish MM had devoted a few more pages to it. And hell yeah Quint changed Pru a lottt. So i totally ship them.

Overall, I found the book interesting and it would make for a good summer read. I usually don't rate books, but this time am gonna try and bring a few major changes to my blog and its contents.  

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

And for my favourite section of every post. My favourite lines from the book.

Maybe this is a sign that I’ve been put on a path toward my destiny.

Now I just have to follow along and see where it leads.

Abso-friggin-lutely. ( a new word my dictionary needs to have)

“Who are we to question the powers that be?”

“Weird, isn’t it?” I muse, as much to myself as to Quint. “That something like a pair of vintage boots can spark such completely different reactions in people? To Shauna, it’s recycling and supporting a small business. To Morgan, it’s animal cruelty.” 

Quint nods. “The world is complicated.”

That’s one thing I adore about Ari. She finds so much happiness in the joys of others.

No one can say you aren’t an optimist.” “I like to think I’m more of a realist who’s willing to work hard.” He grins. “Even better.”