Trick to Treat by Kimberlee Mendoza
The Wild Rose Press, Climbing Roses
Contemporary, Young Adult, Holiday
Short Story, Sweet
Review by Xeranthemum

Sarah Bradley has wanted to hang with the popular kids since her freshman year, and now she has the chance. All she has to do is survive a Halloween scavenger hunt with the "in" crowd. When the girls lock her in a haunted mansion, she feels the trick is on her. Then she meets Matt and begins to believe that maybe she got a treat after all. But what if "love" is part of the game?

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Trick to Treat is a very sweet story with a poignant look at life during high school.   I could easily identify with Sarah because I too was on the outside looking in. Unlike Sarah, I never had a “Carrie” moment when I realized that the ‘in’ crowd was using me for their own perverse enjoyment.  

Initially, I felt bad for Sarah—but not for long. Her character would not let me.  Sarah has spunk, a strong sense of self and comes from a loving family which believes in her.  She’s gotten a good foundation and it holds her in good stead.   Good thing too because her fortitude is tested severely.

Ms. Mendoza has the ‘in’ crowd pegged exactly.  The dynamics of what makes up the clique is believable and their dialogue supported that. 

Matt is interesting.  The role he plays vacillates from hero, to anti-hero and back.  Peer pressure makes normally nice people do some strange things and I guess a mark of character is when you are called on the carpet for those very things that made sense in the beginning but yet turn out to be moronic.  Will the real Matt show up?

If one of your favorite movies is Sixteen Candles, then Trick to Treat should appeal.  It has the same aspects of emotional growth, sweet discovery and paybacks.  The HEA gave me the impression that we’ll someday be hearing at their 50^th wedding anniversary party about how they came to be high school sweethearts.  And what a great story that will be.