The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

author’s website: Kristina Springer
release date: October 27, 2009
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Contemporary Fiction
length: 192 pages
overall rating: 4 Stars

*the inside flap*
What’s your drink of choice?
Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium Americano? You must prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.
Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their drink orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

*my review*
This was a cute, fun, and quick read. I loved the descriptions of personalities that matched the drinks in this story, and the concept of match-making based on drink preference was very cute! The characters in the story weren’t especially developed, but did have their own quirks which helped to make them more real. I especially liked some of the minor characters that came in to be matched by the Espressologist! I would like to have seen more in terms of Jane/Cam interaction. I felt like there could have been a lot more developed in that area. But, overall, the story was a great choice for a stress-free afternoon.

*short and snappy*
writing: easy-going --- I especially enjoyed the personality that came out in the narration and the dialogue in the story
plot: quick and fun
characters: quirky enough to seem realistic, but a little underdeveloped
judging by the cover: I love the cover – I think it was very cleverly designed!
miscellaneous: Her second book, My Fake Boyfriend is Better than Yours, is due out September 1, 2010.