Trust Me, I'm Trouble

Trust Me, I'm Trouble by Mary Elizabeth Summer is the second book in her Trust Me series.

Staying out of trouble isn't possible for Julep Dupree.  She has managed not to get kicked out of her private school, even though everyone knows she's responsible for taking down a human-trafficking mob boss- and getting St. Agatha's golden-boy Tyler killed in the process.  Running cons holds her guilty conscience at bay, but unfortunately, someone wants Julep to pay for her mistakes... with her life.

Against her better judgement, Julep takes a shady case that requires her to infiltrate a secretive organization that her long-gone mother and the enigmatic blue fairy may be connected to.  Her best friend, Sam, isn't around to stop her, and Dani, her one true confidante, happens to be a nineteen-year- old mob enforcer whose moral compass is a as questionable as Julep's.  But there's not much tome to about right and wrong- or to save your falling heart- when there's a contract on your head.

Murders, heists, secrets, and lies, hit men and hidden identities... If Julep doesn't watch her back, it's her funeral. No lie.

The Breakdown:
1. For me, this book was a bit of a sophomore slump.  I did not find it as interesting as the first book, Trust Me, I'm Lying.  I think that Summer just had a bit too much going on with what is the deal with Julep's new job, the contact hit against her, the mystery of her mother, and even the bank robbery thrown in the mix. I wish that Summer had streamlined this a bit more.

2.  I am the first admit that there definitely needs to be more LGBT characters in YA fiction.  That being said, the feelings between Julep and Dani felt a bit forced.  They just did not feel like a couple I could get on board with.

3.  All that being said, the book was a decent read with plenty of mystery and action to keep me engaged with the story from beginning to end.  I loved the new information that Summer reveals about Julep's mother and her family.  Plus, I was a fan of the interactions between Julep and her foster parents, especially Angela.  Oh, and Summer does leave it with quite the ending.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read