Mundie Moms

Friday, May 17, 2013

Flashback Friday - The Boyfriend List by e. lockhart

Written by: e. lockhart
Series: Ruby Oliver Quartet Series, #1
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Mandy Siegfried
Release Date: September 9, 2006
Publisher: Random House
Source: Borrowed from the library

Buy: amazon | IndieBound | Barnes and Noble

The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - I really liked it

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Ruby has had a rough ten days. During that time 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)
* had a panic attack
* 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)
* 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.


Perusing my library's online offerings, I came across The Boyfriend List and I have to admit, right away, that I simply loved the main character, Ruby Oliver (Roo to her friends). I think that Mandy Siegfried's perfect delivery of the narration helped, too. I'm a big fan of insecure, flawed characters and listening to Ruby's neuroses unfold left me smiling. Oh boy, did I remember those awkward moments of high school drama and crushes on boys who may/may not be actual boyfriends (when is a boyfriend a boyfriend officially, anyway?).

What I love about Emily's writing is how deeply layered her characters are and how she presents the plot. The whole time I was listening to the audiobook, I felt like Ruby was talking to me about her life. Maybe because I now have a teen in my own house and I realize they never, ever present a discussion linearly when they can navigate around a topic backwards and forwards and all around. And that's how the plot is presented until the very end when you realize how all the pieces (and boys) fit together.

If you're looking for a fun, summer read (that's deeper than you may first expect) and a trip down high school memory lane, pick up The Boyfriend List. The adorability factor of this one is high, and yes, that's a good thing in my book.

TMI Movie Poster and Pre-order the Mini-Kit from Running Press


Cassie posted the movie poster on her tumblr today and can you just see this display at some of our favorite stores? Do you think Wal-mart will put this close to the mangoes? Okay, okay, a little light humor on a Friday. But, doesn't it look amazing?

And don't forget you can pre-order Running Press' The Mortal Instruments mini-kit from amazon. It's scheduled to go on sale on July 30th.

Here's the description of the kit:

Follow Clary Fray’s journey to the darkest corners of the Downworld with this collectible kit featuring an Angelic Power rune pendant, 10 temporary rune tattoos, 2 full-color magnets, and a 32-page mini book that captures some of the best moments from the film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
It's going to be a fun summer, MMs!

Labels