Scan barcode
els_ka's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tillynancy's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
ficklefever's review against another edition
5.0
There is no better word for The Boyfriend List than ADDICTING. No matter how many times I read and reread and rereread this book, I find myself falling in love over and over again. Ruby is such a fun, lovable MC who I'm sure many teenage girls can connect with. E. Lockhart has a way with words (and footnotes) as she explores the complex and confusing relationship between boys and girls. Friendship? Romance? Backstabbing? Yup, yup, yup... and then some.
I'm not gonna lie, I honestly hate when books cause conflicting emotions. Half the time I wanted to giggle like a silly schoolgirl; the other half, I wanted to wail and whine like a silly schoolgirl. Not to mention the fact that this book contains lots and lots of BOYS. Cute boys, hot boys, nice boys, dorky boys, odd boys, taken boys, imaginary boys, out-of-league boys -- Lockhart has included them all. And trust me when I say I'm a sucker for fictional males. (Key word: fictional. Augh, if only real guys could be half as hunky.)
Crap. Why is it so hard to review books I love? And TBL is definitely a book I love. A recommended read to anyone who loves fun, hilarious, heartbreaking, fluffy YA rom-com.
I'm not gonna lie, I honestly hate when books cause conflicting emotions. Half the time I wanted to giggle like a silly schoolgirl; the other half, I wanted to wail and whine like a silly schoolgirl. Not to mention the fact that this book contains lots and lots of BOYS. Cute boys, hot boys, nice boys, dorky boys, odd boys, taken boys, imaginary boys, out-of-league boys -- Lockhart has included them all. And trust me when I say I'm a sucker for fictional males. (Key word: fictional. Augh, if only real guys could be half as hunky.)
Crap. Why is it so hard to review books I love? And TBL is definitely a book I love. A recommended read to anyone who loves fun, hilarious, heartbreaking, fluffy YA rom-com.
readcover2cover's review against another edition
4.0
I know this is really silly, but I enjoyed this book! It was surprisingly feminist and a great easy beach read after reading many more serious books.
seanpatricklittle's review against another edition
1.0
A needless, plodding book. Only worth reading if you actually enjoy being caught up in petty he-said/she-said things...
nancykz's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this. I really, really, really did. But I didn't like it. Not one bit. While I appreciated and understood the narrator's situation - teen years are AWFUL when it comes to kissing and boys and besties - I still don't understand the point. Ruby's life kind of fell apart, Ruby had panic attacks, Ruby went to a shrink, Ruby's life still sucked but started to look better, Ruby stopped having panic attacks. But WHY? And how on earth is there another? While the story had potential I feel like the arc was more middle grades than YA. I may read the second one and see if that changes my perspective but not for a while - I'm having a bad run at YA at the moment and may need a break from it.
caszriel's review against another edition
3.0
Ruby Oliver has become a social outcast. She's seeing a therapist, lost all her friends at school and has graffiti in her name written on bathroom walls. The Boyfriend List recounts her adventures through fifteen chapters describing each entry on the boyfriend list as well as her daily adventures.
The Boyfriend List is clearly structured, a past to present recount of a small portion of Ruby's life. From juicy gossip to teenage problems, this quirky tale takes us on a journey through high school from haunting the loser hallways to insecurities and teenage disputes. I enjoyed reading this book, but there wasn't really anything special about it. It's interesting, but rather bland on the whole.
Ruby's experiences with guys made me laugh, feel sad and be curious. Jackson in particular reminds me of your average high school jock, an attractive guy with a hidden personality. Ruby's side of this story really showcases how much you can have your emotions used against you, even by those you trust. To me it seems like Kim got fed up with Ruby and wished to get her out of the way and staged a plan.
Each of the fifteen guys is different however there's a little repetition and a few elements of similarity which is important to the book. The guys' relationships with Ruby are all very different in nature but show many different forms of relations a girl and a guy can have, some only imaginary but so real to the girl all the same.
I don't think this book could get much better as it is a Young Adult Contemporary and there's only so much you can add to the plot in an attempt to keep it interesting without going overboard. The Boyfriend List is definitely a good book, well written but the lower rating is simply because other books are better in comparison. The Boyfriend List made me think of Kody Keplinger's books a lot as there are many things that are alike.
The Boyfriend List is clearly structured, a past to present recount of a small portion of Ruby's life. From juicy gossip to teenage problems, this quirky tale takes us on a journey through high school from haunting the loser hallways to insecurities and teenage disputes. I enjoyed reading this book, but there wasn't really anything special about it. It's interesting, but rather bland on the whole.
Ruby's experiences with guys made me laugh, feel sad and be curious. Jackson in particular reminds me of your average high school jock, an attractive guy with a hidden personality. Ruby's side of this story really showcases how much you can have your emotions used against you, even by those you trust. To me it seems like Kim got fed up with Ruby and wished to get her out of the way and staged a plan.
Each of the fifteen guys is different however there's a little repetition and a few elements of similarity which is important to the book. The guys' relationships with Ruby are all very different in nature but show many different forms of relations a girl and a guy can have, some only imaginary but so real to the girl all the same.
I don't think this book could get much better as it is a Young Adult Contemporary and there's only so much you can add to the plot in an attempt to keep it interesting without going overboard. The Boyfriend List is definitely a good book, well written but the lower rating is simply because other books are better in comparison. The Boyfriend List made me think of Kody Keplinger's books a lot as there are many things that are alike.
ashleystranded's review against another edition
5.0
The first time I came to “The Boyfriend List,” I was a teenager that had panic attacks and was practically a leper, so when I say that Ruby’s life felt incredibly relatable, it was comically so*.
So I fell in love. I fell hard. This was the book that sparked my love of footnotes. It got me to watch When Harry Met Sally**. It introduced me to Gloria Steinem and the fish without a bicycle quote. It helped me see the ways a person can work to reframe their thoughts. These are little things, maybe. But also very big things, maybe.
Rereading this book as an adult, the relatability has faded, but there’s no loss of heart. Ruby’s emotions still feel just as real and electric. Her wit feels even cleverer now that I actually understand all her references, her observations funnier since I’ve encountered the same caricatures.
Anyway. Add it to your list.
*I didn’t have a name for panic attacks until I read this book.
**It appeared in multiple footnotes, so it seemed extra special.
So I fell in love. I fell hard. This was the book that sparked my love of footnotes. It got me to watch When Harry Met Sally**. It introduced me to Gloria Steinem and the fish without a bicycle quote. It helped me see the ways a person can work to reframe their thoughts. These are little things, maybe. But also very big things, maybe.
Rereading this book as an adult, the relatability has faded, but there’s no loss of heart. Ruby’s emotions still feel just as real and electric. Her wit feels even cleverer now that I actually understand all her references, her observations funnier since I’ve encountered the same caricatures.
Anyway. Add it to your list.
*I didn’t have a name for panic attacks until I read this book.
**It appeared in multiple footnotes, so it seemed extra special.