Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

BUMPED
By Megan McCafferty
2011
323 Pages
Summary taken from inside cover:
When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized embers of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.
Sixteen year old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep. Up to now the twins have followed completely different paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen who is way to short for the job.
Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls' lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more in than just DNA in common.
My thoughts:
I wanted to LOVE this book.
I'm a fan of Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series and I was really excited to read another dystopia novel(a genre I can't get enough of) by an author I think is great. Unfortunately Bumped did not meet the expectation I set up for it.
What I loved about the book:
The cover immediately caught my attention and I think it ties in perfectly to the story line. The eggs of teenagers are precious things in the future.
I loved the character Zen-Melody's best friend and possible love interest. But I would have loved to know more about him.
What I disliked about the book:
The undeveloped characters bothered me. I know that the author is probably waiting for the sequel to reveal more about the character's past but the lack of information in this book left me feeling no connection with them in this book.
The absence of Melody's parents. They were on vacation the entire book which seemed odd because of the huge life changes happening in their daughter's life. Plus I think their POV would have added to the story line and helped us understand the dystopia world that McCafferty created.
The slang was just annoying. I feel that it distracted from the story rather than enhancing it.
The ending drove me crazy. McCafferty literally leaves us hanging, making us wait for the sequel that she obviously plans to write.
Would I recommend this book to friends:
Yes I would. But I would suggest that they save their money and borrow it from the library or a friend.
Where I got it:
I bought it at Barnes and Noble. I paid full price-damn it! Heads up! I'll be giving this book away in an upcoming 4th of July Giveaway.