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_laurabb_'s review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
So funny, no big stakes, but the small issues are made to be as dramatic as teenage me would have made them. The characters aren’t role models and don’t claim to be, it takes them flawed and naive and runs with it. I remember this was so fun to read as a not so popular youth and taught me and my friends so much about boys and boobs that parents and older sisters did not want to talk about.
This book will always hold a special place in my heart, but honestly hasn’t aged too well. Very hetero-centric i think. And i probs would recommend young women aim to focus on themselves more than potential partners unlike the girls in this book. But to be honest i learnt that lesson from this book so pre-teens it may still be worth a read.
It also has some really important lessons on not staying friends just for the sake of being friends, which a lot of pre-teen books don’t tend to touch.
This book will always hold a special place in my heart, but honestly hasn’t aged too well. Very hetero-centric i think. And i probs would recommend young women aim to focus on themselves more than potential partners unlike the girls in this book. But to be honest i learnt that lesson from this book so pre-teens it may still be worth a read.
It also has some really important lessons on not staying friends just for the sake of being friends, which a lot of pre-teen books don’t tend to touch.
mhall's review against another edition
3.0
Set immediately after [b:The Boyfriend List|301022|The Boyfriend List 15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs, and me, Ruby Oliver (Readers Circle)|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173534943s/301022.jpg|292089], The Boy Book makes a seamless transition to the next school year and further developments in the life of the main character. Ruby and her estranged friends come to a further resolution of their lost friendships, and she gets an internship at a zoo. Etc.
funsizelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Every Ruby Oliver book I read convinces me even more - I AM RUBY OLIVER! Or, at least, I was. This is an excellent book for teen girls and anyone who has ever been a teen girl.
nematome's review against another edition
4.0
This series continues to impress me so, so much. While reading this one I just kept thinking that I’ve seen this girl so many times before: the quirky, talkative, somewhat eccentric girl(1)*. The girl who soldiers on even when everyone’s against her. This girl is a major fixture in young adult novels. Ruby Oliver has all of these attributes, yes, but they’re just a fraction of her whole self. She’s neurotic and jealous, thoughtful and earnest, petty and generous. She feels lust and remorse and pride and self-hatred. She’s a character that you want to get up and cheer for, shake your head at, give a consoling hug to, and hang out with after school. And she’s so fully dimensional that reading these books feels like doing all of those things. Here’s the thing about her that gets under my skin the most: she tries so damn hard. She’s not perfect but she keeps trying.
Things are even more complicated in this book, after the scandal that left Ruby a roly-poly(2) and a famous slut(3) in the first book is finally starting to die down. Her former best friend Kim – who was chiefly responsible for spreading those horrible rumors about her - is on exchange in Tokyo for the school year, and now her ex-boyfriend Jackson and her ex-friend Nora seem to want to be in her life again.
It would be easy for Ruby to let them back in without making a fuss, to passively accept whatever they have to offer and try to make herself forget everything that’s happened. It would also be easy for her to cut them ruthlessly out of her life and never look back. Well, relatively easy anyway. What’s hard is finding a balance, between being a good friend and a good person, and maintaining her self-respect. Ruby must find a way to establish boundaries, but accept the friendship that she wants.
I know that all of these titles will lead readers to believe that these books are all about THE BOYS. And yes, there are a number of sweet love interests in these books(4)…but to say that they’re all about boys would be selling them very short. These books are about Ruby’s personal growth, toward being a better friend and toward being a stronger person. There are triumphant moments (like when she gives Kim the boy book – I practically cheered(5)) but they are a quieter brand of triumph. There’s no exaggerated comeuppance for the villains and there’s no sudden and complete awakenings for Ruby. There are no villains for that matter, and Ruby is no reformed girl. And I love her all the more for it.
*I can't figure out out to do superscript in here. Boo.
(1) Young adult books featuring quirky, talkative, somewhat eccentric girls who soldier on: Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, Lola And The Boy Next Door, The Princess Diaries, Flat-Out Love, Crown Duel, Hex Hall, Saving Francesca, Anna And The French Kiss, The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. (Note that many of these are favorites of mine.)
(2) Roly-Poly: just one of the many fun words coined by Ruby and essentially meaning "social outcast." A replacement of the term "leper" due to the facts that a) leprosy is actually not all that contagious and b) doesn't actually result in blue/green discoloration of the skin. Read the books to actually make sense of that reasoning. Also, read the books for more fun terms like "chunder," "Ag," "mocha latte," and "Reginald."
(3) Famous slut: this is how Ruby feels labeled after the events of the first book. It's incredible how much subtext there is in these books about girls not being ashamed to be sexual and not being afraid to stand up for themselves.
(4) Okay, I know these books AREN'T really about the boys, but there are some wonderful, realistic, awkward love interests in these books! Which I will now shallowly rate in order of my preference: Hutch (yes, seriously...he snuck up on me), Noel, Gideon, Finn, Shiv, that one guy that asked for Ruby's number at a party but never called, and finally...I guess...Jackson (bastard).
(5) That scene got to me so much! It would have been satisfying to see Ruby lay the smack down on Kim...but it was even better to see her treat Kim with respect. Oh Ruby.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Cyndi Lauper – Insecurious
I love it when I can use the excuse of finding a PMP (aka, PiMPing my review with awesome music) to go through the whole catalogue of one of my favorite artists. If this isn't a Ruby Oliver song, then I don't know what is. Firstly, the title is a made up word. And secondly, there's this:
"How can I trust my intuition
I don't hear what you need to say
I got to know is this feeling fact or fiction
Take these doubts away
You say I'm insecure
I say I'm just curious."
I think this song perfectly captures what it's like to be in a relationship with that person who is so non-communicative and and falsely happy (hello, Jackson) that it just turns you into a paranoid, insecure mess. And now I have the perfect retort for that person: I'm not insecure; I'm insecurious. Take that Jackson!
Also seen on The Readventurer.
Things are even more complicated in this book, after the scandal that left Ruby a roly-poly(2) and a famous slut(3) in the first book is finally starting to die down. Her former best friend Kim – who was chiefly responsible for spreading those horrible rumors about her - is on exchange in Tokyo for the school year, and now her ex-boyfriend Jackson and her ex-friend Nora seem to want to be in her life again.
It would be easy for Ruby to let them back in without making a fuss, to passively accept whatever they have to offer and try to make herself forget everything that’s happened. It would also be easy for her to cut them ruthlessly out of her life and never look back. Well, relatively easy anyway. What’s hard is finding a balance, between being a good friend and a good person, and maintaining her self-respect. Ruby must find a way to establish boundaries, but accept the friendship that she wants.
I know that all of these titles will lead readers to believe that these books are all about THE BOYS. And yes, there are a number of sweet love interests in these books(4)…but to say that they’re all about boys would be selling them very short. These books are about Ruby’s personal growth, toward being a better friend and toward being a stronger person. There are triumphant moments (like when she gives Kim the boy book – I practically cheered(5)) but they are a quieter brand of triumph. There’s no exaggerated comeuppance for the villains and there’s no sudden and complete awakenings for Ruby. There are no villains for that matter, and Ruby is no reformed girl. And I love her all the more for it.
*I can't figure out out to do superscript in here. Boo.
(1) Young adult books featuring quirky, talkative, somewhat eccentric girls who soldier on: Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, Lola And The Boy Next Door, The Princess Diaries, Flat-Out Love, Crown Duel, Hex Hall, Saving Francesca, Anna And The French Kiss, The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. (Note that many of these are favorites of mine.)
(2) Roly-Poly: just one of the many fun words coined by Ruby and essentially meaning "social outcast." A replacement of the term "leper" due to the facts that a) leprosy is actually not all that contagious and b) doesn't actually result in blue/green discoloration of the skin. Read the books to actually make sense of that reasoning. Also, read the books for more fun terms like "chunder," "Ag," "mocha latte," and "Reginald."
(3) Famous slut: this is how Ruby feels labeled after the events of the first book. It's incredible how much subtext there is in these books about girls not being ashamed to be sexual and not being afraid to stand up for themselves.
(4) Okay, I know these books AREN'T really about the boys, but there are some wonderful, realistic, awkward love interests in these books! Which I will now shallowly rate in order of my preference: Hutch (yes, seriously...he snuck up on me), Noel, Gideon, Finn, Shiv, that one guy that asked for Ruby's number at a party but never called, and finally...I guess...Jackson (bastard).
(5) That scene got to me so much! It would have been satisfying to see Ruby lay the smack down on Kim...but it was even better to see her treat Kim with respect. Oh Ruby.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Cyndi Lauper – Insecurious
I love it when I can use the excuse of finding a PMP (aka, PiMPing my review with awesome music) to go through the whole catalogue of one of my favorite artists. If this isn't a Ruby Oliver song, then I don't know what is. Firstly, the title is a made up word. And secondly, there's this:
"How can I trust my intuition
I don't hear what you need to say
I got to know is this feeling fact or fiction
Take these doubts away
You say I'm insecure
I say I'm just curious."
I think this song perfectly captures what it's like to be in a relationship with that person who is so non-communicative and and falsely happy (hello, Jackson) that it just turns you into a paranoid, insecure mess. And now I have the perfect retort for that person: I'm not insecure; I'm insecurious. Take that Jackson!
Also seen on The Readventurer.
dann_e02's review against another edition
4.25
This book was a blast to read.
I can't say I ever want to experience high school again (which I won't), but it can be a really fun stage of life if you let it be. I didn't. I wish I had cared to make friends back then.
Anyway.
It's book #2 of the series and I fell in love with Noel (though I had a major crush on Gideon when I read the first book back in 2015). I love how real the characters seem to me like it's an autobiography and not a fiction book.
It's just very enjoyable. That's all.
I can't say I ever want to experience high school again (which I won't), but it can be a really fun stage of life if you let it be. I didn't. I wish I had cared to make friends back then.
Anyway.
It's book #2 of the series and I fell in love with Noel (though I had a major crush on Gideon when I read the first book back in 2015). I love how real the characters seem to me like it's an autobiography and not a fiction book.
It's just very enjoyable. That's all.
nataliya_x's review against another edition
5.0
In a slight daze of fascinatingly-horrified recollection of what it was like to be a sixteen-year-old girl and in a sudden unexpected surge of previously dormant maternal instinct I just want to reach into this book and reassuringly pat Ruby Oliver on her shoulder. Nice job growing up, Roo. I'm actually really proud of you.
It's pretty rare for me to like the sequel more than its predecessor. But how can I not in this case? I am so proud of Ruby's honest attempts to straighten out that whole mess of adolescence that we have alllived suffered through and, most importantly, to actually figure herself out and DEAL with her problems in a more or less mature way. She did come a looooong way from the seemingly shallow, passive, and really obsessed with boys and arbitrary private school social conventions girl to a still very flawed and insecure young woman who is nevertheless finding her own voice and is growing up to appreciate all the other important stuff in life. And boy, is it complicated for Ruby or what?
Ruby's voice is decidedly more mature, more grown-up - but still every bit as recognizably funny, quirky, and snarky as the one that won us over in the previous book. E.Lockhart is excellent at making Ruby sound like a real teenage girl, likeable and adorable and often clueless and slightly annoying at the same time. Reading her smartass comments (*) makes me giggle and nod in recognition of the emotions that I had when I was that age. And her footnotes and lists - I absolutely adore them!
I love that this book does not portray any kind of idealized love that many YA books are prone to do nowadays. I'm glad that it shows friendship between girls that does not hinge on boys or is threatened by boys (in addition to the friendship that does). I love that girls in this book feel free and secure to explore their sexuality without strict moralistic lessons coming out of it. I love that slut-shaming itself gets shamed, since I think that it is a despicable concept that continues to be perpetuated in our culture as an ugly relic of 'simpler times' of not so long ago. I love that there are no Mary Sue characters that as of lately seem to fill the majority of YA books. I love the adorable email exchanges between Ruby and Noel that made me happily giggle. Basically, I adore this book!
I loved this book and could not put it down. 4.5 stars and I'm rounding up without much hesitation. It was such a fun read, and it made me feel so relieved that I will never ever be a teenager again!
——————
Recommended by: Catie
It's pretty rare for me to like the sequel more than its predecessor. But how can I not in this case? I am so proud of Ruby's honest attempts to straighten out that whole mess of adolescence that we have all
"Think about what you want from a situation," Doctor Z is always saying, "and then try to get it." She says that to get me to stop being so passive. Because I talk too much and think too much and don't take action to get what I want. Because I blurt stuff out that might be how I feel, but that isn't remotely conducive to decent human relations."Despite the title The Boy Book, this story is not as much about boys. The titular book (with all the hilarious excerpts from it involving 'practical' advice on phone conversations with boys, making out, dating rules and other vitally important information) is really a reminder left for Ruby from simpler days before the mess with her now ex-boyfriend Jackson, before her best friend became her mortal enemy, before she achieved a dreaded 'leper' status at her high school. It is her link to happier times with her former friends Kim, Nora and Crickets, all of whom she misses terribly now, and simple solutions for every possible boy-related situations that seem to not work as well in real life anymore.
"I can't tell if we're friends or not," I said finally. "You and me." "I can't tell, either," she almost whispered."No, this is a story about finding yourself and learning to stand up for yourself a bit, about making right choices even when you don't want to, about learning to appreciate true friendship and kindness, about consequences that come with all your choices, and about the need to bounce back and recover no matter how badly you think you've been brought down.
Ruby's voice is decidedly more mature, more grown-up - but still every bit as recognizably funny, quirky, and snarky as the one that won us over in the previous book. E.Lockhart is excellent at making Ruby sound like a real teenage girl, likeable and adorable and often clueless and slightly annoying at the same time. Reading her smartass comments (*) makes me giggle and nod in recognition of the emotions that I had when I was that age. And her footnotes and lists - I absolutely adore them!
* "Jackson was there in my mind, all the time. Like a tumor."I love that this book continues to tackle the question of friendship between girls. We are often led to believe that, unlike for boys, there is little chance for true friendship between girls because they are jealous and competitive and often backstabbing and will inevitably squabble over a boy and view each others as little else but potential rivals. So many YA books have evil female characters that seem to have been introduced for little else but showcasing how the protagonist is (a) better that the clearly true female stereotype, and (b) to be a bitch to the awesome protagonist. Well, this is not the message of The Boy Book. Yes, there is Kim and the destruction of her friendship with Ruby. But there are also Meghan and Nora who are there for Ruby when her world seems to collapse. (And none of them is the 'designated ugly friend', the type that many non-evil friends in YA fiction seem to belong to, reinforcing the stereotype that girls can only be friends with other girls if they are non-threatening from a boyfriend-stealing approach. Ughhh.) In fact, the thing that got Ruby in trouble to begin with is not as much 'boy issues' as the perceived breaking of trust between friends.
"I left it in her mail cubby, though I had to squash it in order to get it in. It was easier than giving it to her in person. And I felt relieved. Like that whole era of my life was over. Like The Boy Book and everything it stood for--me, Nora and Cricket and Kim--was done with. And the thoughts inside it too. Some of them were worth remembering. The front-close bra and not sunbathing topless and the clever comebacks to catcalls. But most of it was in the past. It was a document of how I used to think. When I was, sort of, someone else."
I love that this book does not portray any kind of idealized love that many YA books are prone to do nowadays. I'm glad that it shows friendship between girls that does not hinge on boys or is threatened by boys (in addition to the friendship that does). I love that girls in this book feel free and secure to explore their sexuality without strict moralistic lessons coming out of it. I love that slut-shaming itself gets shamed, since I think that it is a despicable concept that continues to be perpetuated in our culture as an ugly relic of 'simpler times' of not so long ago. I love that there are no Mary Sue characters that as of lately seem to fill the majority of YA books. I love the adorable email exchanges between Ruby and Noel that made me happily giggle. Basically, I adore this book!
I loved this book and could not put it down. 4.5 stars and I'm rounding up without much hesitation. It was such a fun read, and it made me feel so relieved that I will never ever be a teenager again!
"Hooter Rescue Squad, Official Memo
Dear SHAR,
It has come to our attention that despite your supposed abandonment of Mission Van Deusen, and also despite your neglect of your role as Mission Director, you have nevertheless acted heroically on behalf of the hooters. In recognition of your efforts, we hereby grant you the official Rescue Squad medal of honor, which comes in the form of a large slice of pizza with the topping of your choice, to be consumed after swim practice today--or on the day of your choosing. It's true, once you eat the pizza, you will have nothing to display on your mantelpiece, but hey--we are a low-rent organization. It's the best we can do. Vehicular transport will await you outside the pool at 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time), unless you inform us otherwise.
Sincerely, and with my utmost congratulations, SHAN."
——————
Recommended by: Catie
tarryncurrentlyreading's review against another edition
4.0
I fell so in love with Noel in this book it isn't even funny. By the end I was just like, screw everything else! I just want more Noel anecdotes!
petersonline's review against another edition
4.0
Great follow-up to the Boyfriend List. Ruby Oliver is hilarious and so witty and I always found myself cracking up. I think E. Lockhart may be my new favorite writer and Ruby Oliver is my new favorite character...
kyleg99's review against another edition
5.0
Let me just say, I absolutely hate chic-lit. To me, it's too heavy on the romance, sometimes can be very petty, and does not interest me whatsoever. When [b:The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks|1629601|The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1313980820s/1629601.jpg|1623714] caught my interest and went on my TBR (however it is not anymore since I read it and gave it 4.5 stars) I saw the Ruby Oliver books next to it, and when I clicked on it just to see what it was about, I saw so many five star ratings from people I trust, I just had to read it.
I liked [b:The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver|301022|The Boyfriend List 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320516434s/301022.jpg|292089]. It did not change my life, nor my view of anything in our society. It was amusing, the characters were pretty well rounded, and like in TDHOFLB, it promoted good messages about feminism and girls respecting themselves and their independence. I also loved the writing style, and wanted to see where the series would go.
However, I think this installment adds more to what was already set up. The humor was funnier than the first book (the first is still funny), the characters were more developed, Ruby's voice really grew on me, I couldn't put this book down, the messages were even stronger yet it doesn't sound like preaching nor is there woman hating going on towards non-feminist girls, and my urge to read on what the last two books was intensified.
This is definitely my favorite [a:E. Lockhart|173491|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1267209040p2/173491.jpg] book, and I hope that the last two books live up to my now very high expectations.
I liked [b:The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver|301022|The Boyfriend List 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320516434s/301022.jpg|292089]. It did not change my life, nor my view of anything in our society. It was amusing, the characters were pretty well rounded, and like in TDHOFLB, it promoted good messages about feminism and girls respecting themselves and their independence. I also loved the writing style, and wanted to see where the series would go.
However, I think this installment adds more to what was already set up. The humor was funnier than the first book (the first is still funny), the characters were more developed, Ruby's voice really grew on me, I couldn't put this book down, the messages were even stronger yet it doesn't sound like preaching nor is there woman hating going on towards non-feminist girls, and my urge to read on what the last two books was intensified.
This is definitely my favorite [a:E. Lockhart|173491|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1267209040p2/173491.jpg] book, and I hope that the last two books live up to my now very high expectations.