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

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

3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 · rating details · 10,634 ratings · 1,008 reviews

E. Lockhart’s spot-on dialogue and descriptions of painfully but hilariously relatable situations make this young adult novel an addictive read.

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 som...more

Paperback, Readers Circle, 229 pages

Published September 26th 2006 by Ember (first published March 22nd 2005)

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Jun 15, 2012 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, ya, favorites, chick-lit, 2010, 2012

As seen on The Readventurer

I can't help it, I simply adore E. Lockhart's YA books. As far as girly, chick-lit books about relationships go, hers are the best. And this is coming from a person who isn't into chick-lit.

Just like in The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, E. Lockhart explores the challenges of being a teenage girl. In “The Boyfriend List” we learn about Ruby Oliver through her relationships with boys (not necessarily her boyfriends), how these relationship affect her life...more

60 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2012 Nataliya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who like books with REAL teenage characters

Recommended to Nataliya by: Catie

Shelves: 2012-reads, for-my-future-hypothetical-daughter, catie-knows-best, first-in-a-series

Few things are worse than being 15 (examples: nuclear war and dental work without anesthesia).
As Stephen King said, "If you liked being a teenager, there’s something wrong with you." But Ruby puts on her Big Girl panties and DEALS WITH IT.

No catatonia or glorified semi-suicidality. Instead, she sees a therapist, like a responsible young adult.

Why is being a fifteen-year-old girl so traumatic, you ask? Some things that instantly come to mind: crippling insecurity and faltering self-esteem, arb

...more
Few things are worse than being 15 (examples: nuclear war and dental work without anesthesia).
As Stephen King said, "If you liked being a teenager, there’s something wrong with you." But Ruby puts on her Big Girl panties and DEALS WITH IT.

No catatonia or glorified semi-suicidality. Instead, she sees a therapist, like a responsible young adult.

Why is being a fifteen-year-old girl so traumatic, you ask? Some things that instantly come to mind: crippling insecurity and faltering self-esteem, arbitrary but vitally important social rules, the need to fit in and be validated, bottled-up feelings always on the verge of exploding, carelessness bordering on cruelty, and finally, those alluring, mysterious, and incredibly frustrating boys.

Ruby Oliver is fifteen and, as the title suggests, is going through a tough time (those statements are practically synonyms). Within a few days she goes from a reasonably popular and happy girl to a social pariah whose boyfriend has dumped her for her best friend, whose friends have turned away from her (and she alienated those who did not), and the whole school thinks she is a "slut". And she is getting all the blame (not the boy. Never the boy). So now she has panic attacks and a poncho-wearing shrink. And she just wants things to go back to normal.

"I just wanted the panic attacks to stop. And the hollow, sore feeling in my chest to go away. And to feel like I could make it through lunch period without choking back tears."

I expected a light-hearted fun teen high-school drama with plenty of boy crushes, silly shallowness, teen girl gossip, and all sorts of hilarious misunderstandings. And, of course, some ceramic frogs.

But the author of (also fifteen-year-old) Frankie Landau-Banks delivers quite a bit more. Her book has an unexpected depth that is not in any way suggested by a ridiculously-adorable-ceramic-frog book cover. She writes a story that also encompasses the dangers of emotional lying to yourself, masking your feelings, and emotional passivity. It's a story of friendship and betrayal and unfairness. But it's not a love story. It's not a coming-of-age story about finding yourself, either. It's a story about heartbreak because of losing things you love. It is about learning to DEAL WITH plenty of nasty things life sends your way and keep yourself together, especially during the 'frogless' days.

Ruby's story is far from the way too common "reader-please-insert-yourself-here" wish-fulfillment fantasy. For one, Ruby has plenty of faults that are real and not cutesy or charmingly imaginary (she can quite often be clueless, shallow, self-absorbed, and mean).

"My problem is I can think whatever I think—girl power, solidarity, Gloria Steinem rah rah rah — but I still feel the way I feel.
Which is jealous. And pissy about little things."

There is no fairy-tale ending:
- no cute previously misunderstood boy swoops in to rescue her from her troubles and make everything better;
- she does not do anything special to make everyone adore her;
- she does not discover the true meaning of life or have a life-changing epiphany;
- she does not become a markedly better and very-grown-up-for-her-age person;
- her friends don't magically understand her point of view and welcome her back with open arms.

What Ruby does learn is that some honesty and self-assertiveness goes a long way. She sees how many people around her keep their true feelings bottled up - including her friend Nora and her own seemingly outspoken mother. Ruby is able to analyze her dating patterns and learn from them a bit. She learns that at least for a time being it is possible to step outside the boundaries of the shallow self-contained rich private school world. She learns that sometimes fair is just not going to happen and you just need to move on. She learns that even though your friends can be unfair and cruel, you still miss them and love them. She misses the things she lost, and knows that the new things she came to appreciate cannot replace the losses. She learns that the happy ending is not always in the works for you, and that's okay.

In short, she gets some (not very fun) lessons in adulthood. Things do not get magically great for her in the end, but they do get better.

This book is written for teens, but it's not juvenile. It does not gloss over the 'uncomfortable' subjects - we get frank and positive expressions of teenage sexuality (including a footnote about oral sex and some quite long boob-squeeze), we get a couple of f-bombs and a scene of underage drinking without serious consequences.

The writing is very good. Overlying all the serious messages is the clear, snarky, and hilarious voice of Ruby, quirky and generously endowed with a sense of humor. There are smart references, a healthy dose of self-deprecation, funny anecdotes in the footnotes, adorable love notes from Jackson, and caring, well-meaning but absolutely clueless parents arguing whether Ruby has an eating disorder during her panic attack.
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It's a refreshingly honest and funny book with a believable and relatable imperfect protagonist, with the writing that keeps you engaged in the story until the end. A light read with surprising depth. 4 stars. And I already got my hands on the next story in the series!

"I was hoping there’d be a set of guidelines handed out in Sex Ed class, but Sex Ed—when I finally got to take it — was all about biology and birth control and nothing about anything that actually goes on between people. Like how to tell what it means when someone forgets to call you when he said he would, or what to do when someone gropes your boob in a movie theater."

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May 09, 2012 Regina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Regina by: Catie

Shelves: ya, only-listeneed-to, listened-to-audio-only, favorites, favorite-authors, funny-stuff

I am not sure why, but this book took me completely by surprise. The reviews for this book rated it highly and I knew the narration was reported to be fantastic. But I still got my socks knocked off. This book hooked me from the beginning. What this book is about at its core is a young girl (sophomore in high school) navigating the social mine field of high school and trying to make sense of her female friendships and her relationships with boys.

The setting is perfect – a private school, a scho...more I am not sure why, but this book took me completely by surprise. The reviews for this book rated it highly and I knew the narration was reported to be fantastic. But I still got my socks knocked off. This book hooked me from the beginning. What this book is about at its core is a young girl (sophomore in high school) navigating the social mine field of high school and trying to make sense of her female friendships and her relationships with boys.

The setting is perfect – a private school, a scholarship student, a boat house for the main character’s home, some very involved, loving but extremely quirky parents, and lots of mistakes, missteps and misunderstandings. All together, it makes a book that is incredibly funny and enlightening. E. Lockhart really really really hits on what it is like to be a 15 year old girl. Relationships with other girls are so intense at that age, love affairs in a way – but they can be treacherous. And relationships with the opposite sex is a complete mystery, every step brings a new learning moment. This book could just be light and funny and it is definitely that. But it also has serious character growth that brings readers along for the ride. Through Ruby Oliver’s examination of her boyfriend list, she examines what it means to be a true friend, what is the meaning of popularity, how girls get labeled slut, the true actions of betrayal, and that it feels good to have one’s boobs fondled. Yup, all important topics. E. Lockhart has a serious talent of leading Ruby and the reader down the path of enlightenment but doing it in a very fun way (for the reader, for Ruby it is actually quite painful and embarrassing) so that it doesn’t feel like I was learning. Side note, there is even a beautiful feminist discussion on the effect of labeling a female, how men do not get labeled in a similar way, and why this is -- E. Lockhart does this brilliantly by having a teacher discuss this topic in a class presentation, so that it does not come off preachy at all. I have a soft spot for this particular issue and I thought it was really well handled.

What was surprising for me was that I ended up identifying with both Ruby Oliver (the lead in this story) and her parents. I hope that I am not quite as boundary ignoring, invasive and quirky as Ruby’s parents were but through them I saw two people who truly loved their daughter and wanted to stay involved in her life. I saw myself talking to my teenager, trying to appear (hopelessly I am sure) cool, try to convey love and yet respect those important boundaries. Raising a teenager is such hard work. This book is a tad bit mature for my 12.5 year old but in a few years I cannot wait for her to read it and then I will ask her, “How did this make you feel?” And she will roll her eyes and walk away. But I will smile, because in a way we will have shared a moment.

I recommend this book for anyone who has been a teenager, who has a teenager, and who likes to laugh.
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Mar 01, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, ya, faves, 2011

(Re-Read)Attention, you don’t need a therapist when you’ve got E.Lockhart! Seriously, where was she when I was 15? More importantly, is it sad that it is just as beneficial of a read now that I am nearing 25? This book is a self help book in disguise and I absolutely adored it!

Ruby Oliver, aka Roo, is a noteworthy heroine and I have no doubt that most of the female species can and will find her relatable. She makes mistakes, she’s passive, insecure, intelligent, a bit eccentric, average looking,...more

21 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2012 Mandee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite-authors, favourites, female-pov, received-via-book-swap, review-on-the-blog, ya-lit, contemporary-fiction, i-have-a-copy, realistic-fiction, gave-me-a-toothache

The Boyfriend List by E.Lockhart is set in Seattle. Ruby Oliver is fifteen years old and lives on a houseboat with her parents, Elaine and Kevin. She attends Tate Prep on a scholarship and up until ten days ago, had a best friend, Kim, and two other close friends, Nora and Cricket. Now she's had a panic attack and is feeling anxious so she starts seeing a psychologist, Dr Z. Dr Z suggests Ruby (or Roo to her friends and family) make a list of all her boyfriends, real or almost, and any other boy...more

The Boyfriend List by E.Lockhart is set in Seattle. Ruby Oliver is fifteen years old and lives on a houseboat with her parents, Elaine and Kevin. She attends Tate Prep on a scholarship and up until ten days ago, had a best friend, Kim, and two other close friends, Nora and Cricket. Now she's had a panic attack and is feeling anxious so she starts seeing a psychologist, Dr Z. Dr Z suggests Ruby (or Roo to her friends and family) make a list of all her boyfriends, real or almost, and any other boys she feels she has had a connection or issue with and we're provided with this list at the beginning of the book.

I've known about this series for a while, but not knowing if I'd like it, I put off ordering it and I could only find a copy of it at the library that's furthest from me, so I never got around to reading it. Then the wonderful Maggie sent me the first three books and it was love at first sentence. I'm a list-maker so I appreciated Ruby's list and I also enjoyed the funny footnotes that peppered the story, they were all so amusing and added more of Ruby's personality to the story.

Speaking of personality, Ruby's is fantastic. I found her voice so realistic and I could listen to her talk all day. Yes, she's a little self involved, but what fifteen year old isn't? She's also caring, loving, intelligent and a teensy bit naive because she didn't see her break up coming or the backstabbing that came along with it. The events that occur, while not life-threatening or world-ending, are important enough to Ruby and they bring on anxiety and panic attacks. I was really happy that she had Dr Z to help her out because I don't think her parents were doing a good job of being there for her.

Ruby's mum, Elaine, is a performance artist and an at-home copy editor in between tours. Ruby had to put a stop to her mum using Ruby's life in her performances, eg. a tour based on Ruby getting her first period. Elaine is melodramatic, loud and pushy. She's always harping on about eating disorders and is convinced Ruby has one, even though she doesn't. Instead of listening, she talks over the top of Ruby and her husband, Kevin, who runs a gardening newsletter and seed catalogue.

There were so many thoughts that Ruby had that I really latched on to, so many opinions that I shared with her or made me think "that's so true!" I particularly loved the footnote about people calling to say "we need to talk" and then refusing to tell you what it is and then making you wait only to give you bad news, people do this all the time and it can be horrible. The other time I really connected with Roo was when she's with Dr Z, listing all the things she thinks about and she says "I probably think too much" - me too, Roo, me too! Another bonus point, for anyone playing along with me, is that Roo is a vegetarian, win!

I really disliked Ruby's ex-boyfriend, Jackson, and she is better off without him, but I understand that it's not always easy to let go. And don't get me started on her so-called friends! Kim, Cricket and Nora turned out to be such stereotypical high school mean girls, ganging up on Ruby without knowing all the facts when they should have been on her side. I was happy with Meghan who it turns out had been there all along and for the spark between Roo and Noel, it gave me butterflies.

I want everyone I know to read The Boyfriend List and get to know and love Ruby like I do. I would definitely recommend it to fans of realistic fiction and book set in high school but even if you're not a realistic fic fan, you will probably get a kick out of Ruby.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

May 06, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Isamlq

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary-romance, cute

Therapy - how people used to work through problems before Facebook existed. Nowadays people tend to talk about how much their life sucks on a social network until enough people pop in to console them. Ruby has a therapist, half the world has a Facebook, and I just have Goodreads.

Reviewing as therapy : Everything you absolutely didn't want to know about my life made available for you to read about in print.

This book made me feel a little bit disturbed about my own high school existence. The end...more

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Noelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: yay-for-ya, fairy-godmother, reviewed, forever-and-ever-amen, re-reading

I'm not sure why it is so hard for me to articulate my E. Lockhart appreciation. It may be because every time I think of the Ruby Oliver books I pretty much do this:

Weeks later these books are still bringing a smile to my face. I loved the underlying themes of self-discovery and self-respect. E. Lockhart has this fantastic way of making universal experiences so poignantly personal. I adored Ruby. Her adventures will always have a special place in my book-lovin' heart.

13 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, read-in-2012, favorites

(Note this is a review for the first 3 books. Yes I know that's a lazy cop-out but I've read too many books to properly review lately. Also I'm not really sure why I took away a star and I'm considering giving it back)

When I first met Ruby Oliver at the local library, I thought the books looked pretty darned girly. Also it sounded a little bit too boy-crazy. Sometimes I get frustrated with all those true-love YA stories. I want to scream THERES MORE TO LIFE THAN BOYS! Besides, who finds true lov...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Wondering teenagers and pondering women

Shelves: titles-i-love, humorous, writing-to-which-i-aspire, best-characters, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, 2011-reads, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, exceeded-my-expectations, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, realistic-teenage-voices, realistic-fiction, reviewed

I was hoping that The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, a book I read and loved last summer, wasn't a fluke and that E. Lockhart could dazzle me yet again with wit, sarcasm, and hijinks aplenty. The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (it's a mouthful, isn't it?) did not disappoint at all. Yes, the tone of this novel (Lockhart's debut YA novel) is a little bit different, but the heart is much the same: a girl trying to find her niche e...more I was hoping that The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, a book I read and loved last summer, wasn't a fluke and that E. Lockhart could dazzle me yet again with wit, sarcasm, and hijinks aplenty. The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (it's a mouthful, isn't it?) did not disappoint at all. Yes, the tone of this novel (Lockhart's debut YA novel) is a little bit different, but the heart is much the same: a girl trying to find her niche even if it costs her a few things along the way. I have to say, though, that Ruby -- affectionately known as Roo -- is a bit more likable and relatable than Frankie is. What teenage girl hasn't ever wondered about the mysteries of boys and wasted endless hours wondering about them. . .only to then get into loads of trouble somehow because of said boys? Poor Roo finds herself with much more drama than she can handle after her boyfriend suddenly breaks up with her and the debacles that follow after the fact. . . .

I could go into something deep and meaningful here, but I'll put a tribute here to Ruby by outlining a list of the top five reasons why you should read The Boyfriend List:

(5) It will remind you of the bittersweetness that came with teenhood, hormones, dating, love troubles, and the epic melodrama all ingredients mentioned made. Sure, it's painful and messy at times, but it also promises growth. . .sort of. Eventually. It takes time and endurance, but it still somehow ends up worth it in the end.

(4) You think love triangles are bad? Hahahaha. There are fifteen, count 'em, FIFTEEN boys we meet in this book. (One doesn't really count since he's imaginary, though. . .and at least ten of the rest of them shouldn't count since they're such jerks. The only guys who I think are worth Ruby's time? Noel, Angelo, Gideon, Finn, Shiv -- though she has a different 'chemistry'/'presence' with each of them.) Fifteen boys may sound insane, but trust me when I say it makes sense in the story and its progression.

(3) You will laugh and/or smile at certain times. You won't be able to help it since it will suddenly just bubble out of you from nowhere. When it happens, just go with it. You don't want to be a spoil-sport, do you? You might hurt the book's feelings.

(2) You will love Roo as a heroine. She has this sincere/innocent/naive quality to her that makes you want to cheer her on -- even when her hormones get the better of her. Yes, she has her flaws and her mistakes. . .but, really, who wants a Mary Sue who can do no wrong? That's no fun, and it's not true to life whatsoever. Teen girls make mistakes, hopefully learn from them, and then move on. That's the way the heroines should be in books too, and I have every hope that Ruby will be that kind of girl.

(1) You will want to dive into the sequel, The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them, as soon as you can -- but, remember, patience is a virtue. There are only four books in this series, so savor them well. (Mind you, I'm speaking to myself too as I write this. I want the second book now, dang it! Note: Yes, I was the fool who did not think I would be needing the sequel quite so soon.) Just don't do what I did -- devouring the book in practically one sitting -- and you should be fine. Enjoy your (mis)adventures in Rubyland.

(And, yes, I'm aware that this entire review came out silly and slap-happy. Just be glad I didn't put any footnotes in: I was very much inclined to do so even though I normally dislike footnotes. Such is the power of Ruby Oliver and E. Lockhart to make me feel otherwise.) (less)

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 22, 2008 Joanna added it · review of another edition

Shelves: reread, youngadult, fiction

I was afraid I wouldn't love this book as much the 2nd time--but it's possible I loved it more. I think this book makes my all-time top 20. If I weren't so sleepy, I could wax eloquently about all the qualities that make The Boyfriend List close to perfect; instead, I give you this excerpt, when Ruby Oliver goes on a movie date with a boy she barely knows:

"About a quarter into it, Cabbie put his arm around me and, seconds later, he dangled his right hand down over my shoulder and squeezed my boo...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 27, 2012 Sophia. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-parent, best-friends, excellent-character-development, go-girl-you-rock, good-settings, great-hero, hilarious, interesting-idea-or-concept, never-seen-before, original-special-presentation, popular-girl-gone-freaky, pleasant-read, super-hottie, i-want-a-hot-tub

I know, right? How improbable, but it was really, really good. And Ruby is hilarious. (Seriously, I kept laughing out loud like a mad ~~Mr. Burns~~ woman.)

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 23, 2012 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, chick-lit, chick-lit-challenge-2012, coming-of-age, contemporary, ya-realistic-fiction-challenge-2012, tbr-challenge, romance, realistic-fiction

Initial reaction: I really liked this, and found many moments where I just wanted to give Ruby Oliver a big hug. She goes through a lot of ups and downs in her relationships in the course of the work, and I definitely felt the bumps in the road along with her. That's not to say that I thought this work was perfect. There were aspects of it that I couldn't completely throw myself into, and I think I may need a little while to think about how to best explain those. Still, I'm all for continuing th...more Initial reaction: I really liked this, and found many moments where I just wanted to give Ruby Oliver a big hug. She goes through a lot of ups and downs in her relationships in the course of the work, and I definitely felt the bumps in the road along with her. That's not to say that I thought this work was perfect. There were aspects of it that I couldn't completely throw myself into, and I think I may need a little while to think about how to best explain those. Still, I'm all for continuing this series. I'm too invested in Ruby's story to stop.

Full review:

"The Boyfriend List" is a young adult chick-lit novel with a lot of heart, showing the journey of one young woman who endures a rough week of navigating her relationships, family life, and ultimately trying to find ways to be honest with herself as well as the people around her. I did not expect to enjoy this novel as much as I did, but it was well worth the journey. It's a tough read in spurts, and I'll admit it takes the reader out of the comfort zone of one of your typical cutesy reads and showcases some of the flaws that the heroine has while running her through some rough patches.

Ruby Oliver is a sweetheart, and its easy to get to know her through the course of the novel. Though when we meet her in the beginning of the novel, she's had one of the worst weeks of her life and suffers from panic attacks, thus needing to see a shrink to deal with her respective problems. One of the requirements in her therapy sessions is to craft a "boyfriend" list. So she crafts a list of every boy she's had a relationship with (even those whom she's never exactly talked to, but still had an impression of some sort with). We learn a lot about Ruby's respective relationships, and in the moments they go wrong, they go VERY wrong.

But Ruby is a resilient young lady. While things in her life seem to hit the wall many a time, and she's both betrayed and inadvertently hurts quite a few people along the way, she finds a way to push through, both in her therapy sessions and in her life. This book presents many lessons on the art of acceptance and letting go. That's a lesson that even adults have a hard time swallowing, so with some of the things Ruby faces in this book - I wanna hug her, not just in light of the tough times, but how she ultimately learns to rise above it.

I did have a few qualms about "The Boyfriend List" in retrospect, though. I kinda wish the ending of this book had a little more closure. I kept thinking there would be a little more resolution, but alas that point didn't really tie off as well as I was hoping. I'll admit I was also frustrated at how transparent the other characters were at times), but ultimately, I think for what the novel was showing in its real approach to issues in dating, relationships, friendships, and self-acceptance, it worked.

I think teens will certainly enjoy this eye-opening read, and I definitely enjoyed what it brought to the table. I found it cute, funny, eye-opening, and with a strong backbone to the themes it tackles. Certainly recommended, and I can't wait to read more in E. Lockhart's respective series.

Overall score: 4/5(less)

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Jul 10, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WOOHOO!

The Boyfriend List = WIN!

I enjoyed Frankie in The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, but after reading The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver, I find that Ruby beats Frankie, hands down.

Both of them read innocent, quirky, funny and imperfect. In other words, they are both screw ups. But wait! Ruby Oliver's story has so much more going for it because as she is not perfect, her life, her story certainly weren't. The Boy Friend Li...more

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Aug 08, 2007 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: me?

Shelves: alreadyread-childrensbooks

Before I write a detailed review, I think I should make it clear that I fell HARD for this book right from the first page. I am blindly and irregretably in love with it, and I think it's probably an irrational love, so everything I say about it should be taken with a grain of salt.

I have never fallen in love with a book before like I fell in love with this one, right from the beginning and never letting up, only growing more and more intense as time and pages went on. The book is like someone yo...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Derek rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an honest look at what it is like to be a teenage girl in high school. When your universe contains your parents and the kids at your school things may seem to surround you and start to suffocate you. Ruby Oliver has started to have panic attacks after her boyfriend breaks up with her. After this breakup she then loses her best friends through a series of misunderstandings. One of the funniest scenes of the book is when we see Ruby having a panic attack at her dinner table. While she has...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Sandra rated it 2 of 5 stars

At the very beginning of this novel, I found it really hard to get into a reading flow. I am not a fan of the huge amounts of footnotes found at the bottom. I like footnotes in journals and other non-fictional readings, however, in this novel E. Lockhart overused footnotes. I felt like it disrupted my reading flow because the footnotes were important to the novel but I was too busy trying to figure out when I was suppose to read the footnotes. So I guess I am not a fan of footnotes for novels.

I...more At the very beginning of this novel, I found it really hard to get into a reading flow. I am not a fan of the huge amounts of footnotes found at the bottom. I like footnotes in journals and other non-fictional readings, however, in this novel E. Lockhart overused footnotes. I felt like it disrupted my reading flow because the footnotes were important to the novel but I was too busy trying to figure out when I was suppose to read the footnotes. So I guess I am not a fan of footnotes for novels.

I though the actual story line is very realistic. I know plenty of teenage girls who have kept some sort of "boy" list, me included. I also know about panic attacks due to some sort of boy induced drama. I know about friends you can't trust. I know about flaky boys who can't make up their mind. So I think most of the elements and themes in this book are real. However, there was something about the novel that made it seem "fictional." I can't put my finger on why the "fictional" aspect is still there.

I think this book is a great book to dicuss the idea of needing a therapist to get through the "bad" days of high school. Panic attacks are not something to mess around with or to play down. Having had a panic attack in my own youth, I know that they can scary, upsetting expereinces. However, I also knew that I might need to talk to someone to talk about why the panic attacks were happening. I think this book introduces the idea of a therapist in a lighter way than say the novel I Don't Want to be Crazy.

I liked that the book did not have a neat happy ending because high school does not have neat happy endings. Drama comes goes, increases, decreases, fades and reemerges. So I like that Kim and Ruby didn't make up and that Ruby didn't end up with a boy in the end. I think it gives the message that life can go on even after high school drama.

I would recommend this book mainly to girl because I don't know that many boy readers would be able to understand and appreciate the female protagonists views. I can see high school girls and maybe even 7th or 8th grade girls enjoying this book. It is easy to read and deals with normally girly teenage issues.
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Apr 13, 2012 Charles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK, books about teenage girls are not my prime target area for reading. But the title was so catching, I thought I would give it a try. Well, it doesn't cost anything at the library (I love the library).

I enjoyed it. I'm glad I took that chance and maybe, just maybe, expanded my tastes a bit. The title does not disappoint. The book is written in first person with someone who could have easily come up with that title. While going through mild heck (mostly of her own making) and coming to grips wi...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Chandler rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-school

I read this book for an assignment in grade 10 English. We were supposed to pick a random book, read it, and then discuss it with our teacher. I didn't care to spend time picking a book or even waste time really reading it so I went to the library, grabbed this book off the shelf and read it in a couple days so that I could finish the assignment.

I was surprised this book was even in our school library considering it felt like a book more for someone in middle school. It was cute and a quick read...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Dominika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-a-copy

Such a nice book! Perfect light and intelligent read for the summer... Or for whenever, when you feel like this fuzzy nice and teenager soul-searching stuff. Can't wait for the postman to bring me the next installments, I should have bought them all at once :)

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Dec 11, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I started reading this, I added it on Goodreads and sort of scrolled through reviews, not reading them but eyeing the ratings. For most books, my friends reach a sort of general consensus; with The Boyfriend List, the ratings varied from one star to five. Thankfully, I fell on the higher end of the spectrum, a relief since I just bought the complete series in a fit of no will power.

The variety in opinions on this book makes perfect sense, though. How you feel about The Boyfriend List will l...more When I started reading this, I added it on Goodreads and sort of scrolled through reviews, not reading them but eyeing the ratings. For most books, my friends reach a sort of general consensus; with The Boyfriend List, the ratings varied from one star to five. Thankfully, I fell on the higher end of the spectrum, a relief since I just bought the complete series in a fit of no will power.

The variety in opinions on this book makes perfect sense, though. How you feel about The Boyfriend List will likely have a direct correlation to how you feel about the MC, Ruby Oliver. Ruby has a very distinct way of expressing herself and somewhat controversial opinions. If she annoys you, the book will be utter hell. However, if you think she's hilarious and makes good points and maybe reminds you of your high school self, you'll think she and this book are the best ever.

Though I did not personally identify with Ruby, I did think that she was funny most of the time, with occasional forays into whininess or melodrama, though these fit her personality and her situation perfectly. The Boyfriend List revolves around a series of panic attacks Ruby had, leading her parents to send her to a therapist. Her therapist asked her to draw up a list of boys for them to discuss. Thus the list was born, ultimately with some Harriet the Spy kind of consequences.

What Lockhart got just right is the teenage drama. Ruby feels so much like a teenage girl, with her own misconceptions, weird slang and inability to deal with being a social outcast. Having a boyfriend matters so much. Her own world matters so much, and she has a lot of trouble seeing past her own issues. Her parents fight all the time, but she can't really see that until therapy, and the same goes for her friends' issues too. Ruby has blinders on, and it's wonderful to watch her gain new perspective on the world in her conversations with her shrink.

The romantic drama herein depicted may seem a bit like the absurdity of Gossip Girl or Glee, where the same twelve characters keep swapping boyfriends in an endless spiral of jealousy, betrayal and infidelity. However, Tate, Ruby's school, is this tiny prep school full of rich kids (except for Ruby, who's on scholarship); there just aren't that many fish in the dating pool. I went to a very small college, and one guy dated three girls out of the twelve on my freshman hall, so that kind of stuff does happen, though there was no drama with our instance. They're stuck in a small school with lots of hormones and not many people with whom to exercise them.

The other awesome thing about Ruby Oliver is that it's not romanticizing teens or trying to depict them as innocent or sex as awful. Ruby discusses sex openly and with overt fascination. She and her friends discuss boys and all of their exploits and that's just so much how life goes down; we all share the details with our best friends.

Now, this really does not affect my opinion of the novel or mean anything to those who have not read this book, but I still need to get this off my chest: Kim and Jackson are major d-bags. Jackson especially. He's a serial boyfriend, dumping one girl and immediately lining up the next (or already having her waiting). Kim may be a big proponent of "The Rules," and, yes, Ruby broke them too, but Kim stepped out of line first. She can talk about fate or how it only just happened all she wanted, but she is lying. Ruby needs to get those two awful people out of her heart entirely and out of her life as much as is possible at Tate.

The Boyfriend List is a humorous, sassy contemporary, sure to delight those who delight in misadventure, pop culture references, and romantic drama.(less)

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Mar 20, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, chicklit, fiction, romance, young-adult

Since The Boyfriend List is a book about lists (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs, and Me, Ruby Oliver), I think I'm going to go out of the box and write my thoughts on the book in enumeration form, too. My personal sub-title: 5 Reasons I Liked It, 3 Reasons I Didn't, And A Recommendation.

5 Reasons I Liked It:

1. It dealt with high school reality and teen angst/problems, much in the same manner that Stargirl (by Jerry Spinelli) did. Personally, I never experienced anything sim...more

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Nov 05, 2008 Aja rated it 5 of 5 stars

One book that I recently read is The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart. This book is a realistic fiction novel that’s theme teaches you to be careful who you consider and call your friends; people are not always what and who they say they are.

My favorite character in the story is the main character Ruby Oliver. Ruby has had a life from hell these last ten days and it’s taking a major affect on her life. She lost all possible friends and suffers from “insanity” [she diagnosed herself:] she becomes...more

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Jun 05, 2009 Rach rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-09-summer, ebook, 2009, nerdfighters, seattle

More true than most teen stories. The girl doesn't always get the guy. And just because she does, doesn't mean he's the right guy, or even a good guy. But just like in life, nothing is black and white, and there are 2 sides to every story. This book is more about the bad times in life than the good times, because even when Ruby is remembering the good times, the shadow of what is to come hangs over her head. She can't forget it, so we as her readers can't forget it either.

What makes me the most...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Susann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read

Still haven't gotten around to reading the final one in the series, so am re-reading these in preparation. The first time around, I got them from the library. But I love the series so much that I decided I needed to own them all - with the original cover art.

1-11-09
I don't know why I keep approaching Lockhart's books with skepticism, because so far they have surpassed my expectations. Ruby's story sucked me in and, although I'm 20 years older than her character, I can still relate to many of he...more

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Dec 26, 2007 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novelist-reviews

Who needs an annotation with a subtitle like this: 15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs, and me, Ruby Oliver? This is a breakthrough book in terms of form, bringing the David Foster Wallace footnote motif into YA lit. But what works isn't what's new, but what is classic: voice. Ruby's voice in the book is the star as she retells, reveals, rants, raves, and regrets much in her short life. Like many of the books here, while the most recent boyfriend (Jackson is the current man of the h...more

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Oct 06, 2007 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, contemporaryfiction, 2007, own

I've come up with a chart, to help clarify the Young Adult Diary/Letter Writer With Issues format:

on a scale ranging from hee hee to tears oh god tears, left to right:

Princess Diaries > Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants > Ruby Oliver (The Boyfriend List) > Jessica Darling (Sloppy Firsts) > Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is in no way a scientific chart. :)

Tangent over, I liked this book, I liked Ruby, I am sick to death of Jackson, and I LOVED the footnotes. A cute, quick read with...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: highly-recommended, own, signed, ya

Awesome, thy name is Ruby Oliver. Y’all had I not followed Crooked Carla, had I not gone to E. Lockhart’s awesome signing, I may not have ever had the pleasure of meeting Ruby Oliver. The Boyfriend List kicks off E. Lockhart’s Ruby series. GUYZ you have GOT to read this book. IT HAS FOOTNOTES. And it is genuinely funny and heartfelt and full of win.

Read the rest of my review here

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Jun 13, 2013 Catalin Enamorado rated it 3 of 5 stars

The authors purpose in writing this book was to point out the "crisis" that teenage girls go through. She writes in first person from a teenage girls point of view to try to relate to the readers. Which brings me to impact this may have on the audience. Most readers are probably in their teens as well just by looking at the title of the book "The Boyfriend List". The girls reading this could probably relate to most of the things in this book. This book is well written because there are a lot of...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Nicole Dreibelbeis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book- the MC, Ruby Oliver, gets herself into a huge mess with her friends and boyfriend(s) and has to figure out why and what she can do to not make the same mistakes. I think it was a really realistic portrayal of the experiences of a high school girl- how quickly friendships and people's opinions of you can change, how misunderstandings get out of hand, and how the people you meet (and fall in love with or become best friends with) usually aren't all good or all bad...they...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Aryanna added it

The book The Boyfriend List is by E. Lockhart is about a girl that has a panic attack & her parents send her to a physcotrist named Dr. Z. While in therapy Dr. Z asks Ruby why she thinks she had the panick attack Ruby just says she's had a bad week. This week goes all the way back to when her and Jason started dating. Ruby starts to talk about a lot of boys & uses the word "just" a lot. As in "it was just one kiss." or "it was just one date." So, Dr. Z tells her to make a boyfriend list...more

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About E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart is the author of a number of teen novels. She has had nine official boyfriends, if you count the boy who asked her to go with him at a 7th grade dance and then basically never talked to her again. She has never been on a sports team of any kind and got excused from gym class by going to ballet lessons. She has a tattoo, cuts her own hair, and has worn the same perfume since high school...more

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Books by E. Lockhart

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them (Ruby Oliver, #2)

The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon—and me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #3)

Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything

Real Live Boyfriends: Yes. Boyfriends, Plural. If My Life Weren't Complicated, I Wouldn't Be Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #4)

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“It shattered something inside me that hadn't been broken before.” — 172 people liked it

“I hate those endless descriptions of a heroine's physical attributes . . . it really bothers me how in books it seems like the only two choices are perfection or self-hatred. As if readers will only like a character who's ideal--or completely shattered.” — 124 people liked it

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

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