The Fortunes of Indigo Skye

As far as Indigo Skye is concerned life is great. She has a family who loves and appreciates her. She has a job at Carrera's, the local diner, that she loves. It's full of good-natured, salt of the earth friends. She has a boyfriend who doesn't mind her wobbly ass, even if sometimes she does. Life is perfect, even though she's near penniless.Until a new customer, nicknamed "Vespa Guy," enters the diner and Indigo's life. Not only does he enter her life, but ultimately he changes it forever when he leaves a two point five million dollar tip. Vespa Guy doesn't want anything in return. All he wants is a promise. A promise that Indigo will live a bigger and better life.The money that was supposed to make her and her family's life all the better ends up making her life worse, much worse. People always say money changes everything. But will it change Indigo Skye?The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, written by author Deb Caletti, is based around a basic question that everyone, at one point or another, has asked them: what would you do if you had a million dollars? Caletti excels at not only answering this question, but also puts perspective on how money can effect, not only ones life, but ones self. The plot is genuinely realistic, thought-provoking, and honest. Like the plot, Caletti's writing is fresh and sharp.The Fortunes of Indigo Skye is largely character driven. Full of unforgettable characters, each one plays a pivotal role in not only Indigo's life and world, but the overall storyline. Readers will connect instantly with Indigo. Like her name she is an original character with a big personality, and an even bigger heart. Readers will be enchanted and endeared by her personality as well as her faults.Caletti has managed to write a serious book that is still fun-filled and fancy free.

I buy books for a teen library. I had heard of Deb Caletti as a YA author, and The Fortunes of Indigo Skye had a good premise: Indigo is a teen waitress who is left 2.5 million dollars from a restaurant customer, thereby causing dissension within all of her relationships. What kid doesn't dream of being a millionaire and being able to buy whatever he wants? The book falters, however, on many levels. Honestly, does someone leave 2.5 million dollars to a waitress who has only waited on him several times, simply because the waitress tells him he should quit smoking? And does a girl like Indigo, who Caletti promotes as caring about MANY social and moral issues, have shallow friends like Melanie and a boyfriend like Trevor? Characters like these seem to be in the book merely to highlight Indigo's supposed "humanity." My biggest complaint about the book, however, was the constant use of swear words. A good writer doesn't need to rely on the use of expletives to get a point across; taking the time to find a word or phrase to better describe a situation is a mark of experienced writing. Caletti has the "moral" Indigo use expletives in all situations, which also seems out of character for her. By the end of the book when her "enlightment" happens I was sick of her and other's use of the "f" word, or describing someone as an "a..hole," or saying that she had a "sh...y" day, and on and on. It's absolute profanity overkill. And unlike one of the other reviewers, I don't think that this kind of language is acceptable merely because it is "normal these days." Is it? I work with teenagers every day in academic and nonacedemic situations and I have never heard any one of them use profanities like what is found in this book. C'mon Caletti. The YA market is filled with excellent writers. You should be able to grab readers with intriguing plots, believable characters, and precise writing. This book fails in all of those areas and I will not be adding it to the teen library.

It wasn't for me.

Deb Caletti does a great job developing the characters of Indigo and those who frequent the diner where she works. Then Indigo receives a huge tip. I found it inconsistent with Indigo's personality to spend as she did. I also found it surprising that she felt she had to apologize to her boyfriend for not sharing freely. He should have apologized for being so presumptuous. In places,transitions were not smooth. The book could too easily be summed up in its plot divisions: restaurant relationships, spending spree, running away, and patching things up. The ending was predictable and disappointing, too nicely sewn up.

A good read because1) Quirky2) Has a good lesson, but isn't preachy3) Likable characters with flaws, and flawed relationships4) Unusual situation5) Fitting ending

I love Deb Caletti, but this was not one of her best novels...it was very good though, and a quick read. It won't go under my favorites, but I am still glad I read it! =]

Gift that was well received.

Let me say these three words: I like it. I actually like it. Something about it drew me in instantly, which makes me happy, because I wanted to like Caletti. So it was just the wrong book I read first is all. I'm glad I gave her another chance.So the main character is named Indigo. She has a twin brother named Severin and a little sister named Bex. Caletti really likes these odd names, doesn't she now? I've also noticed that Caletti likes to drag everything on. It took 103 pages for anything real to happen, which is pretty much when Indigo got the tip from Vespa Guy. Which, by the way, it took over twenty pages for Indigo to actually open the envelope. Ugh.That's what I don't like about Caletti's writing style: she draws everything out way too long. Granted it doesn't need to be right away, but if it takes over 100 pages for the plot to start, I find that ridiculous when the book is less than 300 pages itself.

Very good read for teenagers/young adults!