Series Review~ The Boyfriend List (Ruby Oliver Bk 1) and The Boy Book (Ruby Oliver Bk 2)- E. Lockhart

The Boyfriend List (Ruby Oliver Bk 1)- E. Lockhart

Goodreads-

Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it's unusual, but give her a break - she's had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she:

*lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list)
*lost her best friend (Kim)
*lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket)
*did something suspicious with a boy (#10)
*did something advanced with a boy (#15)
*had an argument with a boy (#14)
*drank her first beer (someone handed it to her)
*got caught by her mom (ag!)
*had a panic attack (scary)
*lost a lacrosse game (she's the goalie)
*failed a math test (she'll make it up)
*hurt Meghan's feelings (even though they aren't really friends)
*became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)
*and had graffiti written about her in the girls' bathroom (who knows what was in the boys'!?!).

But don't worry - Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.


Through Ruby's therapy sessions we hear Ruby tell her story. Ruby goes through her list of 15 guys, some just a dot on her boy path, but still in her mind significant.

I loved this book! It was fun, cute, and realistic. While reading it I was giggling like a 12 yr old, and though slightly embarrassing it felt good. Ruby is a great character. She's spunky, insecure, and full of drama. Her observations of whats going on around her spot on, and hilarious. My teenage self wanted to be her friend.

Throughout the book there are footnotes, all funny, and not all at distracting to the story.

Here's a footnote, that was spot on.

"It is so mean to tell someone you "need to talk" but then refuse to say what about. If you ever want to dump someone, or even just tell the person something important, don't go saying you "need to talk." Just talk and be done with it."

The Boyfriend List is a must read. If you haven't read it, then you really should pick it up. It will put a smile on your face.

Rating: 5/5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Boy Book- E. Lockhart

Goodreads

Here is how things stand at the beginning of newly-licensed driver Ruby Oliver's junior year at Tate Prep:

Kim: Not speaking. But far away in Tokyo.
Cricket: Not speaking.
Nora: Speaking--sort of. Chatted a couple times this summer when they bumped into each other outside of school--once shopping in the U District, and once in the Elliot Bay Bookstore. But she hadn't called Ruby, or anything.
Noel: Didn't care what anyone thinks.
Meghan: Didn't have any other friends.
Dr. Z: Speaking.
And Jackson. The big one. Not speaking.

But, by Winter Break, a new job, an unlikely but satisfying friend combo, additional entries to The Boy Book and many difficult decisions help Ruby to see that there is, indeed, life outside the Tate Universe.


In the second book of the series, we learn more about Ruby, and find out what's going on in her life, in the new school year.

I don't want to give anything away, if you haven't read the first one, but I'll just say that this was up there with the first book. I'm really loving this series, and can't wait to get my hands on the third book The Treasure Map of Boys.

Rating: 4.5/5