The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
320 Pages
In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.
But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?
But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?
I hadn't heard much about The Boyfriend App when I decided to pick it up. From the summary, I had expected a fun, quirky story. While that could definitely describe some of this book, The Boyfriend App and its characters also have a lot of heart. Though it is filled with some , this is a book that will leave its readers with a satisfied smile.
Audrey McCarthy is ready to get out of her high school and into college, where she can start anew and not be the outcast she is now. Even though since her father died, she and her mother have barely been scraping by and her dream school is out of the question, she'd still rather go to community college than stay in the hell that is high school. When an opportunity arises that could provide her with enough money to go to the college of her choice, she puts her all into creating the hottest, greatest app. Will she be able to win with the threat of evil ex-best friends, the hottest boys vying for her attention and rejection to come out $200,000 richer?
I have dubbed myself tech-tarded because I can barely screw around on my blog, so coding is wayyyyy beyond me. Though I know very little about the technology, this novel, which has a large focus on it, did not make me feel stupid. There were terms I didn't understand, but Audrey's speech and explanations actually made the ideas understandable (most of the time). I'm actually jealous of her knowledge and wish she was real so that she could teach me!
The characters were very sweet, except the ones who were jerk (and who I want to throat punch). While I didn't feel that the minor characters were completely fleshed out, they were still able to tug at my heartstrings. I really liked Audrey's voice and her personality. She's a nerd, and proud. Her relationship with her parents is better than many of the protagonists we've been introduced to in young adult contemporaries and I really appreciated that. I also liked that Audrey's dad was a big part of her life, even posthumously. Of the group Audrey hangs out with, Mindy and Aidan were my favorites. Immediately, I sought Aidan out as Audrey's love interest because they really bring out the best in each other. (Plus, he just really gave me the swoons.) The antagonists in The Boyfriend App were a bit exaggerated, but added great conflict to the story. They, especially Blake, also helped give a fuller background to the story and insight into Audrey's past.
The plot, for the most part, moved pretty steadily. It's not a short novel, but it reads at a good pace. There were a few scenes that dragged, but not annoyingly so--just noticeable. The story of this was much different than what I had been expecting and I really liked that! Ms. Sise came up with a truly original story with a heroine to match. I was impressed (if a little shocked) at the direction the story took. There are several things that happened that were so unbelievable, I was left gaping. That was a minor issue for me.
My only other complaint is that there were some loose ends at the end of the novel. Several questions went unanswered and it was a bit frustrating. I think the ending could've been tied up a lot better, though I am very fond of the last scene. (Swoon)
The Boyfriend App is a delightful novel that will definitely have me on the lookout for future books by this author. My expectations were exceeded by Katie Sise and this debut. I would love to read more books like this--ones with a unique story line and a spunky, nerdy protagonist that doesn't fall at the feet of others and picks the guy many others would ignore. I think YA fans of all kinds will enjoy reading this; it's fun and extremely cute!
I received an e-copy of this novel for my honest opinion and review from the publisher via Edelweiss.
No comments :
Post a Comment