You Better Apply Yourself Quickly

Expected Publication:  April 30th, 2013

The Boyfriend App

By: Katie Sise

Balzar + Bray

ISBN-13: 9780062195265

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?

Review

     Audrey just wants for her high school days to be a thing of the past.  Perfectly content with her geek status, Audrey is only envious of one thing - how easy it is for the popular girls to get a guy's attention.  So when a contest is announced by the biggest technology corporation Public, for a scholarship awarded to whoever creates the most popular/innovative app, Audrey gets an idea - the Boyfriend App.  It's like a cross between Match.com and instant love radar.  With the help of her cousin Lindsey, some really awesome friends and Aiden, the guy who might be something more, can she win the scholarship money?  Or will it even matter when Audrey finds out a very sinister thing happening under the surface of Public's company?  Will they be exposed or will they get away with corrupting the youth of the world through subliminal messages?  Audrey was an interesting heroine for me, because she was not AT ALL predictable for the first half of the book.  She had personality, her own sense of self and definite strength against all the bad stuff aimed at her by her former best friend.  The boy confusion was understandable at first, but got old when her confusion turned into super-unrealistic naivete.   The battle between Public and their rival, along with Public's sinister use of subliminal frequencies to extract certain behaviors from people reminded me surprisingly enough of the Josie and the Pussycats movie from 2001 with Rachel Leigh Cook.  It made me laugh inside my head for most of the book.  A lot of the plot was horribly contrived and nowhere near the realm of believability. but I absolutely adored the humor of this book and the fact that the heroine is using her smarts toward a goal other than a boy (but capitalizing on her classmates hormones at the same time).  It was hilarious to read about Lindsey (her fashion diva cousin) and nerdy friend Nigit's unexpected relationship, in which he begins dressing like Michael Jackson...WTF?  My main complaint would be the completely unbelievable, weird science type plot events, the resolution and the overall devolving of the characters.  It was a cute fluff read, but not much else and it tried too hard to be taken seriously.  The constant, obvious satire of Apple became too much even for me.

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It will be available for purchase on April 30th, 2013.*

Thanks, But I'd Rather NOT Catch Jordan

Published: December 1st, 2011
Catching Jordan
By: Miranda Kenneally
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN-13: 9781402262272


What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Review

   Jordan Woods is the star quarterback of her high school football team and in the South that's an accomlishment.  The girl's got major skills and is banking on a scholarship to her dream school in Alabama, even though her famous NFL star Dad doesn't approve AT ALL.  So of course she feels like it's all slipping away when Ty (who was a quarterback in his hometown) moves to town and joins the team.  Jordan's caught between wanting to get his attention off the field romantically and wanting to show him up out on the football field.  She has major support from her best friends J.J., Carter and Henry who have always treated her like one of the guys.  But things start to get weird with Henry (who's first name is Sam) and Jordan doesn't get why.  Plus it looks more and more like Alabama is only interested in Jordan because of her Dad and has no intention to actually use her on the field if she goes there.  When she finally gets a relationship with Ty will it be enough or is something missing?  What's the deal with Henry and will they be able to fix their problems?  Can Jordan finally get her Dad to accept that she loves football and is going to play with or without his approval?  I was into the main plot of the book.  I thought all of the side characters, while not exactly 3-dimensional, were still engaging and well written.  I loved J.J. and Carter, plus the cheerleaders that teach Jordan girls can be good people too.  Henry was too good to be believed, but her wasn't perfect.  His imperfections are what made me truly adore him.  I, however, was not so impressed with Jordan.  It felt like she was trying too hard to convince herself that she could be the quarterback and still like being a girl too.  Plus, she was so FREAKING BLIND when it came to Henry's feelings for her!!!  I was annoyed by how long that situation was dragged out.  A major complaint is all of the casual sex going on in this book.  It was off-putting and made me seriously want to scream.  The family relationships were interesting but not quite so realistic as the friendships were.  Jordan's brother was awesome, but her parents were background figures masquerading as side characters.  Her "romance" with Ty was so unbearably shallow I wouldn't even use that word to describe the relationship.  My favorite part was the class project with the mechanical baby - so funny.  On the upside, this book did a good job of making me understand football better without boring me to tears!  This book was okay, but not highly recommended by me. 

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*