Crimes of the Sarahs by Kristen Tracy

Meet Sarahs Aberdeen, Babbitt, Cody, and Trestle. They are the only members of the hottest clique in Kalamazoo: the Sarahs. Well, there used to be another, but she was kicked out because she just wasn’t good enough. The Sarahs are all best friends; they do everything with each other, from volunteering to gossip. All they need is each other; at least, that’s the way it should be. But the Sarahs have a unique hobby: petty thievery. With one shoplifting attempt gone wrong, the relationship among the Sarahs starts to deteriorate and spin out of control. Each of the Sarahs, especially Sarah T, is willing to do anything to stay a part of this club, but how far will they go?

Crimes of the Sarahs was not what I expected it to be, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. I expected this novel to be solely about the crimes of these four friends, but it turned out to be mostly about the individual journey of Sarah T as she comes to terms with how she and her friends have changed. It seemed to me that halfway through the book, the story changed entirely except for the setting. I didn’t really like this, and when I finished reading, I felt confused as to what the point of the story was. For soon-to-be-seniors in high school, the Sarahs acted quite immature at some times, and I felt that some of the family problems each Sarah had were just included at the last minute. Overall, I was disappointed with the story.

If you are looking for a fun book to read to entertainment, I would not recommend Crimes of the Sarahs. It did not live up to my expectations and was not as enjoyable and effective as it could’ve been in conveying its message.

Rating: 2.75

Review copy from personal collection