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

It's kind of hard not to love Ruby Oliver. Sure, she has her quirks and sometimes I just want to sit her down and give her a talking to, but most of the time she realizes she doesn't have to blame herself for everything and maybe all the people she thought were awesome might not be so great.

After I started to figure out what happened with Kim and Jackson I just wanted to give Ruby a hug and be all "girl, those guys seriously suck. You do NOT need them." Because really, they do suck.

Another really cool thing (for me, at least) was the Seattle setting. I live here, so it was cool to read about all the stuff I live around. Except, the B&O Espresso is no longer where it used to be, so that's a little amusing to me.

So here's what you need to know:
Ruby is sweet, cute, a little naive, and hilarious.
There are some really sweet guys on the Boyfriend List.
There are some really sucky guys on the Boyfriend List.
Everything isn't always black and white.
Ruby's parents are a pretty big part of her life (and they're a little crazy.)
Dr. Z is kind of awesome.
You should read this book because it's good and you should.

One little aside: I was a little tired of everyone being "shattered." What are they, windows?

Hit

Reader reviewed by 'Book'ie Monster

This book astonished me and and it made me think about who is actually in the hallways.

I love how in this book the author explains every boyfriend and not just saying "i liked him but, he didnt like me" it didnt do that, it actually told you the whole story of them.

My favourite guy from th boyfriend list was Gideon (you'll learn about hm in the book).

The main character in this book is Ruby Oliver and she gets a very bad reputation when her boyfriend list (for her 'shrink' or another name is therapist) gets photocopied and given to all the students at Tate (name for her school) and her boyfriend (Jackson) dumps her because of Kim (her bestfriend), and so on.

Eventually she gets everyone to hate her.

I like all the character in the book because they are all very commonly found people in a school, but sometimes not everyone knows it.

Reader reviewed by Amanda Marasco

It's about a girl named Ruby who begins to go to a shrink and talks about all the boys who had any impact in her life. Her bestfriend Kanga starts to go out with her newly ex-boyfriend. After that all hell breaks loose and Ruby is left on her own. This is a book that can show you how drastically your friends can change.

I loved this book. It got a little confusing at times but it was cleared up right away. The book never got boring and things were always changing. I did hate some of the characters but i think that was what we were supposed to do.

Read this book soon!

Reader reviewed by Sandy

The Boyfriend List is a story about Ruby Oliver and her past relationships with thirteen guys as well as her not-so-perfect current life. The ten worst days of her life go by and end up landing Ruby in a shrinks office. She lost all of her friends, her boyfriend, got caught drinking a beer by her mom, became a social misfit, and is being talked about by most of the school be hind her back.

This book shows all of the different types of teenage guys and every different relationship possible. Ruby is a seemingly average girl which makes it easy to relate to her and some of her problems. As she makes lists of her past thirteen boyfriends with her new psychologist, Dr. Z., Ruby learns more about herself and reflects on some of her emotions that she left bottled up.

Of course, Ruby has some special quirks such as the fact that she lives on a houseboat or that her mom is a health freak that pushes health foods down her familys throats. Or that Rubys past terrible week and a half give her routine panic attacks. Not all of us can say that we have had panic attacks or that our house can float but these make Ruby an even more interesting character. She never lets the readers down by becoming boring.

Rubys life has all of the experiences that many teenage girls go through in life. Their first relationship, first kiss, first beak-up, losing friends, failing tests, sports, and the rise and fall on the social ladder. This book perfectly summarizes a girls life from middle school to high school and E. Lockhart makes it easier to deal with everyday problems that we all come across.

Reader reviewed by linda

Ruby is a social pariah, she used to be semi-popular and now even the uncool people don't want to be seen with her. It's all because of the guys on the boyfriend list, they're not really guys she has dated but they're the ones who have caught her eye and their exploits fill the novel with hilarious entertainment. She's at the point of desparation where she now has to see a shrink, it's basically all her mom's fault anyways. Ruby's life is so complicated, so filled with drama that it's hard to even try to explain it, you just have to read it. This was a good book and I loved the informative footnotes.

Reader reviewed by ladeedah

As an assignment for the therapist that Ruby is forced to see, she composes a list of all the boyfriends, sort of boyfriends and almost boyfriends she's ever had. The only thing is, the boyfriend list has fallen into the wrong hands...

This book is hilarious! I couldn't put it down. The best part about it is that the reader really feels as if Ruby is speaking to them or that they are reading her journal. Chick lit at its best. Go read it!

Reader reviewed by Therdry

The boy friend list is a great read, I laughted myself silly at all the misshaps which occur.

Think a list of every single boy you ever considered to be something, add a shrink, a boyfriend stealing best friend, and a photocopier and you've got trouble.

I found this book to be; a tail of choices, well written but a bit confusing at times. The story tends to jump from one event to the next and skip the explanation until after. All the same I recomend it heighly.

Reader reviewed by noxzeema

Ruby Oliver has had things happen to her in the past ten days, than most people have in ten years. Ruby used to be semi-popular, with friends, and a boyfriend(Jackson). But then, the Spring Fling dance changes all of that, and turns Ruby into a leper. This is what lands Rudy in therapy(well, actually its her panic attacks, but they are brought upon by the dance.) In therapy, Doctor Z has Ruby make the Boyfriend List. Ruby dishes about all the boys on the list, while sumultaneously learning more, and more about herself.