The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them

Ruby Oliver #2

by E. Lockhart

Here is how things stand at the beginning of newly-licensed driver Ruby Oliver's junior year at Tate Prep:

Kim: Not speaking. Far away in Tokyo.
Cricket: Not speaking.
Nora: Speaking--sort of. Chatted a couple times this summer when they bumped into each other outside of school--once shopping in the U District, and once in the Elliot Bay Bookstore. But she hadn't called Ruby, or anything.
Noel: Didn't care what anyone thinks.
Meghan: Didn't have any other friends.
Dr. Z: Speaking.
And Jackson. The big one. Not speaking.

But, by Winter Break, a new job, an unlikely but satisfying friend combo, additional entries to The Boy Book and many difficult decisions help Ruby to see that there is, indeed, life outside the Tate Universe.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Teen, Humor

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2006

About the author

E. Lockhart is the author of Again Again, Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars and Family of Liars, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and several other books. Whistle: A New Gotham CIty Hero is a graphic novel. We Were Liars is also a TV show on Prime Video, June 2025. We Fell Apart, book 3 in the We Were Liars universe, publishes November 2025.

website: www.emilylockhart.com
Instagram, Threads & TikTok: elockhartbooks

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Boy Book" is the second book about Ruby Oliver. While I thought the first book was great by itself and didn't actually require a sequel, I enjoyed this installment just as much as the first one. In this book Ruby continues learning about relationships with boys and her friends and figuring out how to balance both, although very often she remains her own worst enemy. Once again, plenty of lessons about love, friendships, female empowerment, written in a very clever and engaging way. Needless to say, loved it.

I won't linger on raving about this novel and will finish this review with this Public Service type bit of seemingly common dating knowledge that sometimes gets forgotten, quoted directly from Ruby's Boy Book and applicable to men of all ages:

Boy-Speak: Introduction to a Foreign Language

What he says: I never felt this way before.
What is understood: He loves me!
What he means: Can we get to the nether regions now?

What he says: I'll call you.
What is understood: He'll call me.
What he means: I don't want to see you again.

What he says: It's not you, it's me.
What is understood: He's got some meaningful problem going on in his life that's blocking him from being anyone's boyfriend, even mine, though he likes me so much.
What he means: I like someone else.

What he says: We're just really good friends.
What is understood: Nothing is going on between him and that other girl.
What he means: We have a flirtation, but I don't want you to bug me.

What he says: I am so messed up.
What is understood: He needs my support and help.
What he means: I want you to leave me alone.

[Nataliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a slight daze of fascinatingly-horrified recollection of what it was like to be a sixteen-year-old girl and in a sudden unexpected surge of previously dormant maternal instinct I just want to reach into this book and reassuringly pat Ruby Oliver on her shoulder. Nice job growing up, Roo. I'm actually really proud of you.

It's pretty rare for me to like the sequel more than its predecessor. But how can I not in this case? I am so proud of Ruby's honest attempts to straighten out that whole mess of adolescence that we have all lived suffered through and, most importantly, to actually figure herself out and DEAL with her problems in a more or less mature way. She did come a looooong way from the seemingly shallow, passive, and really obsessed with boys and arbitrary private school social conventions girl to a still very flawed and insecure young woman who is nevertheless finding her own voice and is growing up to appreciate all the other important stuff in life. And boy, is it complicated for Ruby or what?

"Think about what you want from a situation," Doctor Z is always saying, "and then try to get it." She says that to get me to stop being so passive. Because I talk too much and think too much and don't take action to get what I want. Because I blurt stuff out that might be how I feel, but that isn't remotely conducive to decent human relations."

Despite the title The Boy Book, this story is not as much about boys. The titular book (with all the hilarious excerpts from it involving 'practical' advice on phone conversations with boys, making out, dating rules and other vitally important information) is really a reminder left for Ruby from simpler days before the mess with her now ex-boyfriend Jackson, before her best friend became her mortal enemy, before she achieved a dreaded 'leper' status at her high school. It is her link to happier times with her former friends Kim, Nora and Crickets, all of whom she misses terribly now, and simple solutions for every possible boy-related situations that seem to not work as well in real life anymore.

"I can't tell if we're friends or not," I said finally. "You and me." "I can't tell, either," she almost whispered."

No, this is a story about finding yourself and learning to stand up for yourself a bit, about making right choices even when you don't want to, about learning to appreciate true friendship and kindness, about consequences that come with all your choices, and about the need to bounce back and recover no matter how badly you think you've been brought down.

Ruby's voice is decidedly more mature, more grown-up - but still every bit as recognizably funny, quirky, and snarky as the one that won us over in the previous book. E.Lockhart is excellent at making Ruby sound like a real teenage girl, likeable and adorable and often clueless and slightly annoying at the same time. Reading her smartass comments (*) makes me giggle and nod in recognition of the emotions that I had when I was that age. And her footnotes and lists - I absolutely adore them!

* "Jackson was there in my mind, all the time. Like a tumor."

I love that this book continues to tackle the question of friendship between girls. We are often led to believe that, unlike for boys, there is little chance for true friendship between girls because they are jealous and competitive and often backstabbing and will inevitably squabble over a boy and view each others as little else but potential rivals. So many YA books have evil female characters that seem to have been introduced for little else but showcasing how the protagonist is (a) better that the clearly true female stereotype, and (b) to be a bitch to the awesome protagonist. Well, this is not the message of The Boy Book. Yes, there is Kim and the destruction of her friendship with Ruby. But there are also Meghan and Nora who are there for Ruby when her world seems to collapse. (And none of them is the 'designated ugly friend', the type that many non-evil friends in YA fiction seem to belong to, reinforcing the stereotype that girls can only be friends with other girls if they are non-threatening from a boyfriend-stealing approach. Ughhh.) In fact, the thing that got Ruby in trouble to begin with is not as much 'boy issues' as the perceived breaking of trust between friends.

"I left it in her mail cubby, though I had to squash it in order to get it in. It was easier than giving it to her in person. And I felt relieved. Like that whole era of my life was over. Like The Boy Book and everything it stood for--me, Nora and Cricket and Kim--was done with. And the thoughts inside it too. Some of them were worth remembering. The front-close bra and not sunbathing topless and the clever comebacks to catcalls. But most of it was in the past. It was a document of how I used to think. When I was, sort of, someone else."

I love that this book does not portray any kind of idealized love that many YA books are prone to do nowadays. I'm glad that it shows friendship between girls that does not hinge on boys or is threatened by boys (in addition to the friendship that does). I love that girls in this book feel free and secure to explore their sexuality without strict moralistic lessons coming out of it. I love that slut-shaming itself gets shamed, since I think that it is a despicable concept that continues to be perpetuated in our culture as an ugly relic of 'simpler times' of not so long ago. I love that there are no Mary Sue characters that as of lately seem to fill the majority of YA books. I love the adorable email exchanges between Ruby and Noel that made me happily giggle. Basically, I adore this book!

I loved this book and could not put it down. 4.5 stars and I'm rounding up without much hesitation. It was such a fun read, and it made me feel so relieved that I will never ever be a teenager again!

"Hooter Rescue Squad, Official Memo

Dear SHAR,
It has come to our attention that despite your supposed abandonment of Mission Van Deusen, and also despite your neglect of your role as Mission Director, you have nevertheless acted heroically on behalf of the hooters. In recognition of your efforts, we hereby grant you the official Rescue Squad medal of honor, which comes in the form of a large slice of pizza with the topping of your choice, to be consumed after swim practice today--or on the day of your choosing. It's true, once you eat the pizza, you will have nothing to display on your mantelpiece, but hey--we are a low-rent organization. It's the best we can do. Vehicular transport will await you outside the pool at 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time), unless you inform us otherwise.
Sincerely, and with my utmost congratulations, SHAN."

——————
Recommended by: Catie

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Ruby Oliver novel. So far, I've found the Ruby books to be quick, fun reads. Social issues very typical in middle and high schools everywhere are addressed in humorous, yet helpful ways.

Ruby is genuine and shares her honest, unfiltered thoughts. I think this is important, because these are really the things we tend to talk about and that can make us feel isolated....all alone with our wacky thoughts. The Ruby books serve as perfect reminders that there are plenty of like-minded souls---we may just have to look a bit harder.

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hilarious installment in the life of Ruby Oliver, this time documenting everything you could possibly need to know about boys. This includes: The Care and Ownership of Boobs, Levels of Boyfriends, Clever Comebacks to Catcalls and Why Girls are Better than Boys as well as a number of other need-to-know pieces of boy wisdom.

In case you weren't aware by now, girls are better than boys because we smell better, always carry tampons and are more likely to survive if we fall off an ocean liner. Basically, this book is non-stop fun with a few actually important life lessons and issues thrown in there as well. There's a great deal of tackling sexism in it's many forms - subtle and otherwise - and also expressing feminist values without overdoing it. Most of it I agree with and I love how the author uses humour to prove her point rather than the traditional block-my-ears-now rant about seeing girls as sexual objects. I have one issue that I can't resist to point out, it's nothing original and it's been talked about and dissected a million times over... catcalling. Or wolf-whistling. Or car horn-honking. I honestly don't think this is sexist, if I saw a hot guy walking down the road I might attempt (pitifully) to wolf-whistle (and then possibly duck behind something like a 12 year old). My point is - and feel free to disagree - people go perving on each other all the time regardless of gender. I've never saw this as an issue, just something I wanted to comment on even though I know very few people will actually care :)

On the subject of boys, as that's kinda what this book is about, I really like that E. Lockhart doesn't give us a romanticised set of unrealistic and angelic male characters. Like I found with Melina Marchetta, we get the honest version of teenage boys (and it ain't so pretty) rather than some sparkling, "love you forever and always" Edward Cullen. This is obviously what I've been missing while I was wasting my time trying to find something worthwhile in the fantasy and paranormal romance side of young adult literature. Long live realistic fiction, it seems like that's where it's at lately.

[Cory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't bad. Sure, it's full of cliches, and Ruby doesn't get with the guy I wanted her to get with, but honestly, I didn't expect this to be amazing. It's teen chick-lit, and it delivers as teen chick-lit.

I haven't read the first book in the series, and I don't want to read the first book. But if I ever come across the sequels, I might read them if I'm bored.

Ruby reminds me of Junie B. Jones. Weird, but true. And Noel reminds me of the Colonel from Looking for Alaska. You think such a combination would make a four star book. Sadly, no.

The exact nature of this genre is what brings the The Boy Book down. If E Lockhart had deviated from those ever so comfortable, well warn cliches, this would have been truly awesome. It might have been Printz material.

The Bad

1. Kim has no personality outside of the catty, petty, boyfriend stealing, best friend. Now, I haven't read The Boyfriend List, but this seems to stand pretty well on it's own. I didn't realize this was the second book until I looked it up on Goodreads.

If Kim had been fleshed out, she had the potential to be a wonderful character. The same goes for Megan and Nora, who were both barely functional as characters. They make the Dessen/Scott friends look like brilliant 3d creations.

2. The cliches. The outright abundance of cliches.

3. The pacing. At times, I started to skim because Ruby was rambling.

4. The dependence these girls have on boys. They bring new meaning to boy crazy.

5. The ending.

6. The Meg Cabotism.

7. The fact that Ruby had to play the martyr.

The Good

1. Ruby was a good narrator. I actually enjoyed being in her head. She didn't annoy me and I actually rooted for her. At times, she was pretty funny.

2. Noel. Hands down, Noel is my favorite character. He's funny and he's a faux bad boy. Meaning, he isn't a brooding jerk with a tragic past.

3. The fact that Ruby gets rid of her Boy Book. I think that's a real sign of maturity. And we're defeating misandry.

4. Ruby learned from her mistakes and moved on. Finally, a protagonist actually grows up and learns from the past.

2.5 stars because I think this showed great potential. Unfortunately, those looking for something other than teen chick-lit won't find it here.

[Jasprit · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Boy Book was another surprising read for me, like I mentioned before, I've struggled with YA lately, but with the Ruby Oliver series, I'm just able to connect on so many levels with Ruby and what she's going through, that it's making this series such a fun read for me. In The Boy Book, Ruby is trying to make it through junior year, with everything that went on last year, I was hoping that things would have settled down a bit more for her. It was fun following Ruby on this journey through high school, of finding her place and making sense of herself. There were some characters once again who proper annoyed me, it was like they hadn't learnt from things since last time and I couldn't stand how others could just brush things aside and act like things were okay. This aside, I liked how Ruby was able to make friends in the most unexpected of places such as with Meghan and Noel, Meghan just because the way she acted, everyone had made assumptions of her, but once Ruby got to know her, you realised she wasn't the airhead everyone thought her to be. Despite me only giving this book three stars, that's not to say I didn't enjoy it, a three star rating for me is a decent read and of course Lockhart was once again able to bring so much laugh out loud moments to this story, Ruby herself is such a funny person, I never had so much fun reading someone's internal monologue. It's just that I feel as if I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first book, but that hasn't put me off reading the rest of the series and being back with Ruby's life once more!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initial reaction: This. Was. Awesome. I loved it, and I adore Ruby. I'm glad to see some of the resolutions to relationships in this book, as well as openings for potential new threads in the upcoming series. I decided not to factor the audiobook in my rating because I ended up ditching it and checking out an e-copy they had available at the library because I loved the story so much (I completely and utterly HATED the audiobook, and I don't say that lightly). More on this to come in my full review.

Full review:

Oh Ruby Oliver, how I adore you - and it seems like there aren't enough strong young ladies like you taking the reins of YA literature and riding off into the sunset. You might not be in your happy place yet, but certainly it's a pleasure to watch you grow and work your way towards it.

I think this is one of the best series I've come across in a while, because not only is the heroine genuinely humorous and easy to follow, she faces quite a bit of challenges. Relationships with boys being a significant part of that.

When we last left off with Ruby in "The Boyfriend List," she'd managed to find a way to come to terms with some hard times in her social circles - losing friends, losing two close relationships on different levels, dealing with panic attacks, among other things. "The Boy Book" picks up the pace as Ruby still has to deal with the fallout of events. Her best friend is no longer her best friend, but yet Ruby faces building bonds with others again, and actually coming to terms with some fragmented relationships that didn't have the meaning that Ruby thought they had in retrospect. It's very much a story of where Ruby's trying to get back to sorts, yet she has a fresh voice and humor to things that make it well worth following her through those hills.

Ultimately, this book centers itself around the existence of "The Boy Book" - sort of a guide to how to approach relationships with guys based on experiences and rules. Ruby's matter of point delivery makes it both humorous and illustrates some of the conflict that can come with those relationships. It was touched upon in the last, but more of a focus in this one. I enjoyed it, and couldn't help but think I wish I had this book to read in my teen years. It's a story with a lot of heart and ultimately has Ruby growing in so many ways by the end of the work, with some threads left open to lead into the series more.

I thought Ruby's budding relationships with Noel and Angelo were cute here. And I did appreciate an eye to Ruby trying to not only mend her relationships with her former friends, though the results of that certainly varied on the scales, and left Ruby biting off a bit more than she could handle in some turns. Luckily Dr. Z isn't too far along to help Ruby through those turns, and Ruby's parents remain in the scene, sometimes supporting Ruby and other times maybe proving a little too much help. I laughed at some of their interactions and attempts though.

I did have one bone to pick with the story, but that was not a fault of the series at all, so it didn't factor into my rating, but I actually read two formats of this book in my reading experience. I started with the audiobook because for "The Boyfriend List", I really enjoyed Mandy Siegfried's narration of it. To me, her voice captured Ruby perfectly. I didn't realize that they changed narrators for the series starting with this book. Normally I would be fine with that as long as the narrator can carry the story.

I have to be blunt about it, though - the audiobook for this was TERRIBLE. I don't understand why the narrator was changed to someone who couldn't capture Ruby's voice and humor, being so out of place that it often missed on opportunities and did more to throw me out of the book than anything else. The delivery felt so dry, unemotional, and quite awkward. I was very disappointed in it and had to stop a good way in because I couldn't stand it. I didn't want to put the book down, though, so I checked out an e-copy at my library and finished out the work from there. It's not that I think Kirsten Potter is a lacking narrator - she was just a wrong fit for this series in my opinion. I have heard her narrate other works, and granted she was fine on those, but it seriously made me wonder how the narration could've been so awkward for such a fun series.

Nonetheless, having read "The Boy Book" - I'm eagerly reading on. I can't wait to see more of Ruby and how her relationships unfold from here on out. This is shaping up to be one of my favorite chick-lit/humor/romantic reads in YA.

Overall score: 4.5/5

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

E. Lockhart makes me want to go back to high school so that I can do it again and do it right this time. I am convinced that with the tools I learned in this book, that I will be a master. Oh and I really want to meet a boy like Angelo. Somehow I missed knowing anyone like him in high school ....

The Boy Book is the second book in a four book series that focuses on Ruby Oliver. Ruby is a student at a private high school in Seattle, she has two off beat parents who mean oh so well (but are pretty funny in their attempts), and at the start of The Boy Book, Ruby believes that she doesn't have any friends. The Ruby Oliver series is a message series. It is about the true meaning of friendship and what it takes to be a true friend. It is about the conflict between the positive feeling having a boyfriend gives to a girl v. the struggle with what if he is actually a jerk. It is about the meaning and effect of labeling other people. And it is about the crazies and confusions that dating and liking love interests in high school brings to a high school teenagers life. But even though the Ruby Oliver series is a message series and The Boy Book teaches so many great things it never comes off as a after school special. These messages are delivered through experiences and character growth. But really super important, these books are hilarious, they are fun and the main character (Ruby) feels like my best friend or maybe even me. E. Lockhart is brilliant.

So Ruby is like many high school girls. There are some good things about her, she is okay at some things, bad at others, she isn't drop dead gorgeous but some of her friends are and she has some positive physical attributes. This is a quote from the first book in this series and it gives you an idea how Ruby is not described,

“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.”

Ruby is still discovering who she is, learning to appreciate her great legs and learning to appreciate that guys like her legs

So, it is really hard to tap into why this book is so fun, I will just summarize some of the plot lines: Hooter Rescue Squad, Penguins, Llamas, the stockpiling of fruit rollups, a discussion on reclaiming the label of "slut" (along with learning why that label gets thrown around), the realization that the kid with acne may not actually like having acne, an appreciation for guys who know how to properly grope boobs (this is carried over from the first book -- very important), public embarrassment from parents, confrontations with a former best friend turned arch enemy, and lots of fun and yummy boy crushes.

Ruby is fun, makes mistakes and never ends up with the guy she thinks she wants. Kinda like real life but better (maybe because she lives on a houseboat with a greenhouse). I highly recommend this book for anyone in high school or who has ever gone to high school.

[Isamlq · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd promised to hold off on reading this for one of my meh-reading days, but I just couldn't help myself and picked it up and...

... I loved it...

I'm done pretending to possess any self-control whatsoever when it comes to this series because I am most definitely starting the third one now. Why, you ask? Ruby Oliver is a little more aware of goings on in Tate. She's a little tougher, not so naive but still funny as heck. I think the first one was sufficient on it's own, but if this sequel proves anything, it's that one can never have too much of a good thing. Because a good thing, is what this is. Only sometimes I really wanted to shake her. Mostly, though, I was laughing alongside her.

Here's what I'm thinking right now:

a. I should probably get some sleep except... these characters are still running around in my head. Some, I want to hug (Noel,) while others (Kim, Jackson, Nora, Cricket, heck, even Ruby sometimes,) I want to clunk on the head with a very, very thick book.

b. And... Noel, aaawh. (But if I've gotten anything from Ruby, Dr. Z, it's not supposed to about the boy, but about knowing what you want and figuring out how to get it.)

c. I do wish she'd heed Meghan's advice about keeping her nose out of things (things involving Kim and Jackson, and even things to do with Nora.) Said feeling coming from a purely spiteful "they deserve whatever was coming their way" stance. Except Ruby, after months of therapy, time with newfound friends, and even time with her parents, had turned into more evolved type of girl and thus grown up.

The best thing about this is how real she comes across: defintely insecure and slightly neurotic. Fortunately, like I said, there are new friends, a therapist, and unconventional parents who helped along the way.

:)

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I made the right decision. But that doesn't mean I don't have any regrets.”

For some reason, this line from the last chapter of The Boy Book left a sad, empty feeling inside. It made me want to wish that Ruby “Roo” Oliver were right in front of me so I could, right at that moment, just give her a biiiig hug. You know. Like girlfriends do. :P

Since The Boyfriend List , I have grown quite fond of Roo and her various teenage debacles, panic attacks, and constant angsting about, well, stuff and people. There are her former friends, especially Kim, her bestest friend; the only love of her sophomore life (or so it seems) and official boyfriend for 6 months, Jackson; Noel and Angelo, her almost-more-than-friends-boyfriends-but-not-quite; her performing artist mother Elaine (of the infamous Elaine Oliver: Twist and Shout!) and backyard/dock horticulturist father Kevin, and; her shrink, poncho-wearing African-American Dr. Z.

The Boy Book follows through where The Boyfriend List left off. After the debacles of sophomore year, this sequel opens another (school) year in Roo's life – her junior year at Tate Prep during which time she explores the possibilities of welcoming new friends (maybe even boyfriends), reconciliations, understanding and loyalty, making the right decisions notwithstanding the possibility of regret later on, and unselfishness. I'm afraid that if I delve too much into the plot of The Boy Book , I may inadvertently drop a spoiler or two, so I will exercise restraint and prudence and stop right here.

(Unlike my thoughts on The Boyfriend List which I enumerated as 5 Reasons Why I Liked It, 3 Reasons I Didn't, and A Recommendation, I decided I really wasn't any good at lists and making them. Heck, I even hate listing stuff down for grocery-shopping, but I have to, so there.)

I liked and appreciated The Boy Book for the same reasons that I did its prequel: it tackled relevant teenage issues, it showed how kids actually deal with these angst-ridden problems, and it demonstrated how, shallow as these so-called problems may seem to the grown-ups, kids view them, from their inexperienced and limited perspectives, as mind-boggling and universe-shifting. I liked how, in the end (and through her helpful sessions with Dr. Z), Roo finally came around and acknowledged that, much as she would like to, there are things that she can never change, there are people with whom relationships are not meant to last, and the only action left to take is to accept them as they are. This may sound silly, I know, but as I was reading about Roo's journey to self-discovery, I had grown to love and sympathize with her. I felt like I wanted to be her friend, and I rooted for her every step of the way.

The Boy Book may no longer be exactly age-appropriate for me, I know, but that doesn't diminish its appeal because of the many lessons it imparted, regardless of age. Just imagining my baby daughter at Roo's age sometime in the distant future and her going through the same teenage issues is enough to make me realize how important a support system is, which Roo had in her parents and Dr. Z.

Thankfully, too, the footnotes were significantly lessened in this book, unlike its predecessor. Small footnotes I can handle, but not chunky ones where it takes up most of the page or continues on to the next. They tend to distract from the narrative. The comedic aspect, as well, is as prevalent in The Boy Book as it was in The Boyfriend List . The entries made by Roo and her old friends in the actual Boy Book were funny, I would chuckle out loud at some. My personal favorites? The clever comebacks to inappropriate catcalls: “I can't be angry at you today. It's Be Kind To Animals Week.”; “Didn't I dissect you in Biology class today?”; and “Have you had your brain checked? I think the warranty has ran out.” I wish I were that witty. ;)

In sum, I loved this book just as much as I did the first one. And it must be said: It's because of books like these that I appreciate YA, and find them worth the time spent reading. ;)

Original post here.

[Delores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a funny and fun book. I enjoyed it. Boys should come with a user manual. It might be easier to understand them. Ruby is struggling with that. . .but who am I to complain. So do I. BOYS HELP!!

[Kayla Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked:
-break down of the girl hate trope
-teenage angst
-great character growth
-feminist discourse

What I didn't like:
-the romance plot line (it just wasn't for me)

This sequel was excellent and did a great job following up with Ruby Oliver's life after the events of the first book. I appreciated the character development in this book and how it show's Ruby really growing and learning from the first book. I really enjoyed that this book explored girl hate and played around with that trope in a way that didn't show women as catty and dramatic. I hate when female characters are boiled down to only those two things and this book does not do that. I'm really looking forward to the third installment to this series.

[Keertana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just continues to amaze me. Ruby Oliver is back at Tate for another year: a year where she is wiser from her continual appointments with Doctor Z, more independent (although she would tell you this is a result of her being a "leper" the previous year), and armed with The Boy Book. In The Boy Book, Ruby has to deal with the consequences of her sophomore year debacle. Yes, this means dealing with her no-good ex-boyfriend whose radar frequency she's still on. Yes, this also means dealing with Nora, who may or may not be her friend; Cricket, who most certainly does not seem to be her friend; and Kim, who is definitely not her friend but thankfully in Tokyo. The only two true friends Ruby seems to have as of now are Meghan and Noel (and she isn't quite sure if he's a Friend-Boy or a potential crush or what), but Ruby's life has hit rock bottom and it can only get better from here...right?

The Boy Book, despite its name, is not really about boys all that much. Scratch that. It's totally about boys: their inability to speak on the phone, the confusing mixed signals they give out, and whether or not they're just your friend or a crush. I guess what I was trying to say is that The Boy Book is also about other things. It's about friendship, loyalty, growing-up, and more importantly, it's about Ruby and her journey to self-discovery.

Ruby Oliver is like my fictional best friend. She's funny, witty, sarcastic, moody, and constantly makes mistakes. Yet, she manages to pick herself up every time and charge forward - even when panic attacks, her crazy parents, and her nonexistent social life get in the way. The Boy Book is about what Ruby wants, what she has to do to get it and finding the right balance between being a good friend and a good person. Yet, by no means does Ruby completely change over-night. Yes, she has her small victories and triumphant moments, but personal growth can't be rushed and Ruby's character development is well-paced and realistic.

The Boy Book picks up right where The Boyfriend List left off and is a thoroughly enjoyable sequel. I found myself cheering for Ruby the whole way through (except maybe when she over-analyzed Jackson's notes...what a jerk) and learning with her and from her during her journey. I can't wait to see where Ruby's adventures (or should I say mishaps? debacles?) take her next!

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby Oliver is back and more beloved than ever! At the start of junior year, Roo’s ex-best friend Kim is in Japan, and she’s still not speaking with her ex-boyfriend Jackson, whom Kim “stole” because she believed they were meant for each other. The only two people she’s sort of friends with are Noel, a guy who can be in any social group or none at all anytime he wants, and Nora, the only one out of her original group of four friends who will still speak with her. Roo continues her therapy sessions with Dr. Z and starts an internship at the zoo.

Here are the boys in her life: Angelo, a hot family friend whom she’s scamming with, meaning that they make out but aren’t technically “together”; Jackson, the dreaded ex who’s been sending her notes although he’s Kim’s boyfriend; and Noel. Roo can’t figure out her feelings for Noel. Sure, there have been moments when she thought he was going to kiss her. But Roo’s not in therapy for no reason; she has to work out her feelings. With her reputation and social life only beginning to recover from her leper-like end of sophomore year, she has to do the right thing so that she won’t end up alone again. And sometimes the right thing isn’t always the thing she wants.

I enjoyed THE BOY BOOK so much more than its prequel. In this book, Roo and her friends come up as more rounded and human characters. Anyone can relate to someone in the book, and I can understand each character’s actions, though they may not be the best ones. E. Lockhart is a master of teen dialogue, and there is something in this book for every reader.

[Jules.Bookverse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boy Book is here for any girl in need of answers to her boy drama.

Loved the unique structure of this book again. (Just like the boyfriend list) Footnote really rock and don't even bother me by reminding me of my uni assignments. :D

I felt this book was a great way to continue Ruby's boy drama and a way of finally closing a chapter. It is hard to get over someone and especially when you're young everything seems to be the end of the world and very dramatic! :D I loved how the author can show these aspects in the story and also makes awesome lists that really have good advice for boy drama in it.

You could really see the characters evolving and slightly growing up together, which included finding your right friends, saying goodbye to old friends and leaving the past in the past.

Of course, it wouldn't be Ruby without some boy drama, and so this book had also it's fun dramatic parts again. But I like how she rethinks her decisions now and looks out for people around her, which sometimes is hard and not so much fun, but hey that's life.

The ending of this book was really good too. Nora is back and Meghan a really good friend. With the boys, the drama is settled so far and Ruby finally has a little break to breathe. Now she's ready to open up a new chapter in her life that I have a feeling won't be any less dramatic than this one.

I'm glad I haven't seen the last of Ruby Oliver and her boys. The future promises to be as entertaining as the past. ;)

[PB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Source: https://bookdragonlair.wordpress.com/...

My synopsis: Ruby Oliver survived the sophomore social debacle, now all she needs is to take a step back into the Tate Universe for her junior year... hopefully, she can walk out with her mental health intact. And maybe some tips from The Boy Book will help. 

We can't know or say what other people will do. You have to think what you want to do. What you can do to get the situation where you want it to be.

As usual a lot of things happen. Ruby develops new relationships, reconciles with some friends, discovers some true friends, and also attempts to define her relationships - Ruby is finally taking control and isn't as passive-aggressive or as thoughtless as she used to be. There were some developments I didn't see coming, and it was really exciting to witness. Also, one of my favorite sections from Ruby Oliver's The Boy Book is the list of clever responses to catcalls - here's a couple that got the most laughs/giggles out of me: 

I can't get angry at you today. It's Be Kind to Animals Week. 
Didn't I dissect you in Biology class?

[Pris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku ini gampang dibaca, kocak, konyol, tapi somehow cerdas dan apa adanya. Suka dengan perkembangan karakter Ruby di sini. Kepingin baca lanjutannya sampai tamat.

Soal cover terjemahannya—yha. Mungkin desainernya berasumsi kalau pembaca Indonesia akan lebih tertarik baca ini kalau bisa relate (secara fisik) dengan model cover-nya. Doesn't work for me karena pertama lihat cover-nya malah kukira ini buku tentang modelling/fotografi. Tapi yasudahlah.

[Michelle’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original post at One More Page

Spoiler warning: Possible spoilers from the first book in this review.

In the second book of the Ruby Oliver series, The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them by E. Lockhart, we meet Roo again fresh from the throes of her (mis)adventures in the first book. This time, though, the rumors about her had settled down but it doesn't make her less of a social leper. On the up side, her ex-best friend, Kim, who stole her ex-boyfriend from her is not in school for an exchange program. On the downside, Jackson the ex-boyfriend is still there, and he is sending her notes all of sudden, despite the current attachment to Ruby's ex-best friend. And then there's Noel, who's been hanging around her but only because he doesn't care what anyone else thinks. Or does he? With even more friendship issues and entries from a notebook called The Boy Book, will Roo find out that there is life other than what she knows?

A little story first, before I talk about the book. When I was in Grade 5, my best friend then and I had a notebook dedicated for our current crushes. Okay, the notebook idea wasn't entirely original since another group of girls had their own (fancier) notebook, and we just wanted one of our own, too, since we can't join their group anymore. ((They even have a fancy, name-combined group name. Or wait, it was a group name after the combined names of all their crushes)) So I got one of the many spare notebooks at home, made some (not-so) fancy artwork on the cover, fashioned a "lock" and made it our crush notebook. There we wrote letters, stories and all sorts of mushy stuff directed to our crushes, the things we can't bear to say to them in person. ((Or, can't. Because one of my major crushes back then was Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys, wohoo)) The notebook pretty much died soon after my current best friend told me to share the notebook with one of her close friends and I wasn't comfortable with it, also with the fact that I couldn't keep the notebook at home because people liked to snoop in my room an read my diaries and that crush notebook was sacred and cannot be seen by anyone else, ever!

I have long burned that notebook (my pages of it, anyway) because I've learned that owning a notebook like that with observations and letters about other people (boys in particular) is kind of dangerous, and not really a wise thing to do especially if someone who knows those boys reads it. Think Harriet the Spy. So the existence of The Boy Book in the book with the same name was kind of impressive, especially with the wealth of information Roo and her friends have written there. At her age, I have never even thought of trying anything that was accounted for there.

That's the thing about The Boy Book : it's so high school. Not even my kind of high school experiences, too. But not that it's a bad thing -- as usual, E. Lockhart excels in making the characters' voices authentic and funny. There's not so much external issues in this book as in the first one. The Boy Book had more of Roo trying to get her feet back under her again after the chaos that is The Boyfriend List , and also finding out just who her real friends are and that there is a world outside of her high school life. I wasn't a fan of Roo's choices in the first half of the book, but she grows is a more obvious way later on. Granted, they still revolve around high school, but she showed the first signs of maturity in the book even if she herself said that it wasn't what she really wanted. But it was the right thing to do. While I liked The Boyfriend List just a little bit more than this, The Boy Book ended in such a way that I immediately wanted to get the next book on my hands and read what happens to Roo and her friends.

The high school tone of this book makes me think that this may be too high school for some older readers, though. Roo's choices and predicaments a bit shallow compared to the "real life" problems like work and taxes and all that. But then again...that's high school, you know? Admit it -- at one point or another, we all thought that the world revolves around the things we worry about when we were at that age, and if things don't go our way or if things go out of our control, it feels like the world is ending. Ruby's story reminds me of my own experiences at that age, and it also makes me sigh with relief that I am already done with that stage of my life.

Now if only I could say the same about taxes.

[Den · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this if you like: coming-of-age, light reads, high school, music, films, boy-related lists, friendships, mental health

This is a cute, light book.

[Sophie U · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look I have nothing to say for myself, I found this in a little free library and needed something LIGHT and FUN.

Honestly this was pretty good for YA. Not as cliché as I thought it was going to be, and did a surprisingly good job of dealing with mental health.

[Tintin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where oh where was this book when I was fifteen!?!?!?

If I had this book it would've been so much easier to survive adolescence. Easier to cope as a social retard. I would have had a guide to help me navigate the confusing sea of boy-girl relationships. I wouldn't have had to grope my way through like a headless chicken, clueless and alone.

If you're suffering from depression due to problematic relationships, no need to pop pills or see a shrink. Reading this book is therapy in itself.

Ruby Oliver novels have nothing extraordinary in them. The plot isn't what you'd call high-concept. The story is about a teenage girl coping with heartbreak and alienation from friends, trying to fit in, trying to figure out who she is and what she wants, and trying to find hope in new love and new friendships. Any girl who had a more-or-less normal childhood would have been in Ruby Oliver's shoes at one point in her life. That makes Ruby Oliver extremely relate-able. She has an authentic teenage voice. They way she overanalyzes things is very close to how my own mind works. I would have had the same thoughts running through my head in a similar situation. It's why I love this series. Ruby Oliver is the most relate-able fictional character I've ever read.

Just because this is YA doesn't mean only teens can relate. Most of the social friction and relationship issues experienced by the teens in this book mirror the issues experienced by any woman in her 20s, 30s, 40, and maybe even beyond (I have a friend here in Goodreads who's 40 and loves this series). Here's a sample of the guides Ruby and her friends compiled to address their dilemmas:

The Care and Ownership of Boobs
What to Wear When You Might Be Fooling Around
Levels of Boyfriends
Neanderthals on the Telephone: Or, How to Converse
Boy-Speak: Introduction to a Foreign Language
Why Girls Are Better than Boys

...you get the drift. What girl hasn't experienced the awkward telephone conversations and the confusing and contrary alien language of boy-speak? (None, unless you've been locked up all your life in a convent).

One of the complaints I saw from the previous book was that "nothing happened." Something did happen, but since the changes are internal (Ruby's emotional journey), people who can only recognize plots triggered by external events would totally miss the point. As for me, Ruby Oliver's story is exactly the kind of slice-of-life teenage story that I dig, so give it 5 stars.

[♥ Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Very Own Soundtrack Part Deux:
Agnes Obel - Words Are Dead
Broods - Bridges
Florence + the Machine - Addicted to Love
Amsterdam - Daughter
The Neighborhood - Let It Go

I thought about making a new shelf for this series. Something witty and quirky and funny and meaningful - something uniquely Roo. Alas, my creativity is limited to meager words in this simple, single review.

The thing about this book is that I thought it completely unnecessary (since I loved the first book so much), until I read it.

Then I realized Ruby needed this. I needed this.

"I see Kim, and there is still an ache for the kind of friends we used to be. Because I don't have that with anyone, the way I did with her. And maybe I never will. Maybe friendships aren't like that when we get older. But the Kim ache is dull. Not a surge of immediate panicky pain and anger like it used to be. It's an ache for what happened in the past, not what's happening now. I can live with it. And I do."

I think those words will stay with me for a long, long time. Not because they was super-poetic, or fancy, or some kind of brilliant literary work of art - but because there was so much truth packed in that single paragraph.

Because I think we've all had friends like that at one point in our lives that we don't have now. I think it reflects a special kind of loss that we can all relate to. Growing pains that no one is immune to.

In this book, Roo gets into a deeper, more complicated, tangled mess and her social life is still somewhat "roly-poly." She did frustrate me, but I couldn't help but get sucked right back into her beautiful messes. She takes small steps, but they make all the difference.

Oh, and if there was ever a doubt, I'm completely Team Noel. Now & forever.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving these books. Like the first, The Boy Book was funny, I liked the characters, and again I liked the writing style. (This time, instead of a list of boyfriends and time-jumping, the story has excerpts from a book about boys that Ruby wrote with her friends, and the story is told in a linear fashion.)

I also really liked Ruby's growth in this book. I like her friends, I like her evolving relationships. Truthfully, there's nothing about this book that I didn't already say about the first, so I'll just leave it at enjoying Ruby's growth as I hurry off to read The Treasure Map of Boys.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read...Ruby is back for another torturous year at Tate. Armed with tidbits from Doctor Z and the go to boy guide, The Boy Book, Ruby is attempting to wade through the remaining muck left behind from her disastrous sophomore year in which she lost not only her boyfriend, but all of her friends and was left branded with the blue spots of social lepersy.

The Boy Book is a perfect continuation of Ruby’s story and naturally, there are boy issues. First there's Noel, who she can't quite decide if she likes or likes likes. Then there's Angelo, a family friend and newly acquired scamming mate (make out buddy) and of course, there’s the nefarious Jackson, her former boyfriend, who's mysteriously sending her notes again while her former best-friend Kim, and his current girl friend, is away in Tokyo.

This book was all I hoped it would be. Filled with Hooter Rescue Squads, penguins, llamas, philosophical retreats and neurotic developments, Ruby had me laughing out loud, shaking my head, and shouting in solidarity. This was an excellent follow up to The Boyfriend List and I can’t wait to see what mess Ruby finds herself in next.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story even more than the first. I donlt know if this is because this one is sligtly less soul shatteringly empethetically depressing or because our heroien, Ruby, isn't so irriating when it comes to descion making. She also doesn't whine as much; althougt there is some whining involved but give her a break it's teen angst. Mostly I think I liked reading this book more because it follows more of a strict pattern and time line. With Roo #1 she seemed to jump around from past to "present" to future wthin her narrative. In the Boy Book she follows more of a strict retative pattern with her story. It starts with an entry from the real boy book that has relavance to the chapter then goes on telling her story n order with a few back stories and te occasional nutshelling of key events from the last book. And to my great appreciation Ruby never got ahead of herself in her story like she used to.
over all I truly enjoyed reading this book. Found the style, writing, and plot of this book to altogether superior to the previous Ruby Oliver book. I look forward to reading the next few aswell.

[Ebehi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I must admit that I was already sold after The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver but this book literally has me gushing. The series is only getting better. And even though it seems like it's just a book about high school girls liking boys, it ha really useful and deep messages like:
1) Life can get really complicated and you have to do the best you can
2) Doing the right thing isn't always easy, especially when you're not even sure what the right thing is
3) Movies do make us have unrealistic expectations of love

See? She even has me making lists now. All I'm saying is that this book is awesome and I'm about to gobble up the next one. And the footnotes are awesome too.
The beauty of all this is that no matter what Ruby does, I can't help but fall in love with her and keep rooting for her all through the book. And that's how a main character should be. Yay!

[Deyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted here.

This book was the beginning of my love story for this series, while I did liked the first book I wasn't completely head over heels for it, but on this one Ruby won me over. In this book she is starting over, with her old friends and Jackson still totally ignoring her she has to start a new group of friend and a new life - I totally loved Noel, Meghan and Nora (Nora hangs out with them in this book right?), each of them bringed something to their little group and here was when my love for Noel started to happen too.

The trip at the end (?) of this one was great too, I loved the talk Kim and Ruby had and it shows how much Ruby grew so far. If I had to change one thing on this one: I would kill Jackson on the most slow and painful way. Oh also, at the beginning of each chapter there is an excerpt from The Boy Book - a book Ruby and Kim (and occasionally Cricket and Nora) would write about the things they learned about boys.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment of the fantastic Ruby Oliver series. I tend to be weary of sequels to books I love because often times they don't live up to the high expectations set by the first book. Fortunately, E. Lockhart didn't let me down. In this installment, Ruby navigates relationship with friends, ex-friends, and boys. The relationships with each of them grow and regress in believable ways. This book definitely had less suspense than the first, where the mystery of how Ruby ended up with panic attacks, no friends, and no boyfriend was slowly unfolded over the course of the novel. I also felt that Ruby's character didn't develop as much as it did in the other three books, although she definitely does continue to grow. While this was probably my least favorite of the quartet, it was still a five star read.

[Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is me. Judging Past Ellis so hardcore that it might as well just be called shunning. This second instalment in The Life and Times of Ruby Oliver, Flawless Teen Queen of the Perpetually Romantically Confused was nothing short of genius. It picks up a few months after Ruby started to tentatively put her life back together after the mess that preceded The Boyfriend List. She's figuring out how she's going to survive her junior year, which actually becomes about 80% easier when former best friend and boyfriend snatcher Kim moves to Japan for e few months because exchange programme stuff. Still, she's basically friendless and more or less vows to stay away from boys because they are trouble. Guess how well that works out.

Read the rest on The Random Transliterator.