Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Psych Major Syndrome

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 865 ratings · 143 reviews

Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year.

Presenting Concerns:

The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot card

...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published August 11th 2009 by Disney-Hyperion

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

College Romance

123rd out of 499 books — 4,145 voters

New Adult Literature

91st out of 603 books — 1,263 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 11, 2012 Lisa O. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-neurons-involved, chick-lit, ya-lit

3 stars means I liked it but darn, I am so disappointed. This book could have been awesome. It had potential. A great idea. A nice plot. Snark, witticism, fun, clever remarks. Swoon-worthy guys.
Then why did it start off so great, deceived me for three quarters of it and then suddenly went down the drain?

Leigh Nolan is attending her first year at Stiles College, a some, alternative and barely known school in California, where her high-school sweetheart and boyfriend, the overachieving, self-cen...more 3 stars means I liked it but darn, I am so disappointed. This book could have been awesome. It had potential. A great idea. A nice plot. Snark, witticism, fun, clever remarks. Swoon-worthy guys.
Then why did it start off so great, deceived me for three quarters of it and then suddenly went down the drain?

Leigh Nolan is attending her first year at Stiles College, a some, alternative and barely known school in California, where her high-school sweetheart and boyfriend, the overachieving, self-centered and ambitious Andrew is also attending. Leigh is considering majoring in psychology and is certainly very good at over-analyzing herself and everything around her, so much so that she misses the obvious: what a jerk Andrew is and how intriguing is his roommate Nathan instead. A colorful cast of characters surround Lee; from her Latino artist roommate Ami, to the teenage-at-risk Rebekah, to the eternal boy scout advisor with the Spongebob Squarepants watch.

Mark page 286. That's when I started rolling my eyes. Ok, that's actually not true, there was one scene that really, really irked me even before (I'll get to that later), but page 286 was when I lost all hope.
Before that, I thought I had a winner in my hands. Or almost, at least. Jerkface (Andrew) aside - together with the mandatory presence of some "mean girls" - I liked Leigh a lot. A good sense of humor is sometimes all I need in a character in order to like him/her. She's got plenty, and a tad self-deprecating too. Her obliviousness to the situation slightly annoyed me, but nothing majorly unbearable.
Then Thompson had to go and pull the "dumb" chinese stereotype. Man, I got pissed. There's this scene in which Leigh and this Li Chang guy go to San Francisco for an award ceremony. The Chinese guy won third place with a poem - a very idiotic one, at that. The whole debacle is supposed to be funny, but in my opinion, it really isn't. Trying to make fun of the super-trite cliché of asian people not being able to speak English well and coming out just as plain dumb is lame and so last decade, miss Thompson. So one star goes for that.

The second star goes on the infamous page 286, when the real romance kicks in. Unfortunately, what I had thought a sassy, fun and spunky story up to that moment, suddenly turns into a mush of cheesy moments and of extremely stupid choices, so predictable and trite I turned the cover of the book around to check if I hadn't, by mistake, picked up another book. So disappointing!

So, begrudgingly, 3 stars, but just because I really liked the first part. I'm sure other people will enjoy the romance too but this book really left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

For this review and more visit The Nocturnal Library.
(less)

23 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2011 Nic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nic by: Nomes

Shelves: from-recs, realistic-fiction, read-in-2011, romance-awww, sweet-as-candy, young-adult, swoon-worthy-read

Rating 4.5 stars

Favourite Quote: "You . . . smell like rain." Whatever I expected, that hadn't been it. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" "Good," he said. "Definitely good."

This book is a hidden gem. I hadn't heard anything really about Psych Major Syndrome until my friend and book guide Nomes read and wrote a rave review for it. I then couldn't get my hands on it fast enough and she was right this book is AMAZING! Psych Major Syndrome is funny, warm, irresistible read that is slightly qu...more

25 likes · like · see review

Nov 21, 2011 Maggie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-novels, 2011, reviewed, shame-shelf

Look at the Asian guy with Miley Cyrus in this picture:

As one of only a handful of Asian-Americans in my private high school, I've been the Asian guy in this picture. It was okay because Don't worry, Mags. You are cool. We're not making fun of you. No, you're just mocking everyone who looks like me, but being "cool" means going with the flow and taking the harmless teasing. Only it's not so harmless. And it's not so cool. It's fucked up.

I got Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson based on a fe...more

39 likes · like · see review

Nov 17, 2011 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, young-adult, hello-lover, contemp-or-realistic, swap

3.5 stars

Self-Assessment:

The Reviewer (that’s me) finished Psych Major Syndrome two days ago and presents with a mild yet persistent state of indecision over how to review and rate said book.

The Reviewer states that she highly enjoyed the experience of reading Psych Major Syndrome, identifying with the main character and the sensation of “flailing” through the late teen years. (view spoiler)Reviewer has a tendency to over-analyse (case i...more

18 likes · like · see review

Sep 21, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to oliviasbooks by: Nomes

Shelves: love-story-romance, young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, read-2011, swapped-or-given-away, high-expectations, laugh-a-little, new-adult-fiction

Although "Psych Major Syndome" serves the reader a cute romance as the main course and some rather heart-melting bonding moments between the heroine, a first year student of psychology, and her hard-shelled and streetwise middle school project partner as the dessert, in my personal opinion both story and character developement turned out to be of the highly predictable and pretty much forgettable kind. After two chapters I could have outlined the rest of the plot by myself withought steering off...more Although "Psych Major Syndome" serves the reader a cute romance as the main course and some rather heart-melting bonding moments between the heroine, a first year student of psychology, and her hard-shelled and streetwise middle school project partner as the dessert, in my personal opinion both story and character developement turned out to be of the highly predictable and pretty much forgettable kind. After two chapters I could have outlined the rest of the plot by myself withought steering off too far from the author's chosen path: A typical, but enjoyable three star young adult chicklit novel. What made me go for four stars instead is the accute and funny style the first-person-narrator uses to describe the people around her, herself and her own behavior, her family, her college, her society and the world. For example ...

"Andrew just shrugged, and I fiddled with the napkin in my lap while glancing idly around the restaurant. The obligatory mirrors hung on the walls, and there was one of those fountains with fake lily pads in the entryway. The restaurant was also lit like a mine shaft. I've never understood why dim lighting is supposed to be so romantic. Night vision belongs into a Paris Hilton sex tape - not in a restaurant that could potentially poison me with peanut sauce."

I simply loved the sharp perceptiveness, the sarcastic, but cheeky side-remarks, the defeated but unbitter musings of the heroine, who I would have liked to scold polka-dotted most of the time for patiently playing doormat for her arrogant loser boyfriend and creating endlessly pseudo-psychological excuses for keeping him in good moods.
I haven't checked her CV, but I do imagine that the author's "real life occupation" could easily be something like being the successful writer of a super hilarious women's mag's social column. I hope she runs a blog that I can visit for a healthy dose of witty truth about everyday life.

Rating edited on 09/22/2011: When I compare this to other books I've read this year and think about how much I can remember, I have to go down to three stars in spite of the enjoyable style.(less)

12 likes · like · see review

May 01, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of good chick lit

Recommended to Jessica by: Nic & Nomes

Shelves: 0-faves, 05-literary-crush-worthy, 07-freakin-hilarious, 27-contemporary-ya, 34-contemporary-new-adult, 33-college-romance

Rating clarification: 4.5 stars

Alright, this was so not the plan. Actually, I am reading Redeeming Love right now, or well, at least I’m supposed to be reading it right now, which I’m obviously not, but when my dear friend Mr. Postman delivered my copy of Psych Major Syndrome yesterday, I just couldn’t help myself.
See, my friends Nic and Nomes had made me so curious about this that after a few hours of constantly sneaking glances at the book, I finally caved in and abandoned Redeeming Love (whic...more Rating clarification: 4.5 stars

Alright, this was so not the plan. Actually, I am reading Redeeming Love right now, or well, at least I’m supposed to be reading it right now, which I’m obviously not, but when my dear friend Mr. Postman delivered my copy of Psych Major Syndrome yesterday, I just couldn’t help myself.
See, my friends Nic and Nomes had made me so curious about this that after a few hours of constantly sneaking glances at the book, I finally caved in and abandoned Redeeming Love (which I am really enjoying btw) for Psych Major Syndrome. After the first few pages I could already tell that this was something I was going to love, because there were so many things about our protagonist Leigh which I could totally relate to. While reading I kept thinking "Hey, I’m exactly like that, too!" which tells those of you who have already read the book that I am a little neurotic. I, too, get overly emotional over songs and movies, I have a thing about getting my head under water, I don’t like going to the beach much because I hate how the sand sticks to my feet when they’re wet, I often get hung up on small and unimportant details while completely ignoring the bigger picture, I tend to overthink everything and while I love making lists and am kind of a neat freak I’m always late whenever I have to turn in some kind of assignment because I’m working best under extreme pressure. Like, oh shit I have to turn in this paper tomorrow morning and I haven’t even started kind of pressure. Anyways, back to the topic at hand. This was so much fun! The writing was brilliant and witty and I just couldn’t help but getting sucked into the story. Leigh is weird, insecure, neurotic, sarcastic, witty and even while I wanted to strangle her several times because she was being so incredibly stupid; overall, she was utterly loveable.

I also thought the secondary characters were very well done. While I loved Ami and Rebekah; Jerkface really made my blood boil. I cannot begin to tell you what terrible things I had in mind for him. Let’s just say they involved scissors. Sharp and shiny scissors...Gah, what an a-hole.

Alright, enough with the cussing! Let’s swooooooon! Oh, Nathan *dreamy sigh* Now this is what I call a really great guy - and I’m talking Wes from The Truth About Forever great. I can tell you the exact page number when I fell in love with him. 213. Yes, it takes that long before the actual romance between those two is starting to happen and that’s also my only complaint. Things could have started to happen a little earlier for my taste because before that, Nathan only made some brief appearances and I was getting a little frustrated by that. And ok, there’s also the predictability of the story that bothered me a little. I had the whole thing figured out after the first 100 pages or so (view spoiler) and the story pretty much played out as I expected. Still, it was fun. Definitely recommended!

Alright, back to Redeeming Love. *sheepish grin*
(less)

17 likes · like · see review

Jul 02, 2011 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Arlene by: Nic, Nomes, Crystal

Shelves: read-2011, ya-contemporary, reviews-with-music, young-adult

Rating Clarification: 4.5 Stars (closer to 5)

Cognitive Fictional Character Association: A common affliction wherein an avid reader becomes highly sympathetic of a main character due to the numerous similarities in characteristics, experiences and habits.

Just in case you’re wondering, yes I made that condition up, but it best describes why I enjoyed Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson so much. This book caused some serious tear-inducing laughter with its hilarious and snarky narrative and awe...more

15 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Janina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romance, on-my-shelf, chicklit, cats, titles-i-love, mean-girls, read-in-2011, comfort-reads, annoyed-me, available-for-swapping, pure-entertainment, older-ya-vibe, young-adult-fiction

What’s there to say about Psych Major Syndrome. Well, it was another book I was psyched to read (pardon the pun), but that didn’t fully deliver. It was fun as long as it lasted and I finished it in one night, but it didn’t really make a lasting impression. I knew up front that it would be very predictable, but I actually didn’t care. With books like these, the journey is the destination.

Yet, I was often annoyed by Leigh’s douche bag boyfriend and they way she let him treat her – and still belie...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2010 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cara by: Haley

Shelves: 2010, realistic-fiction, recommended-to-me

Ok can I just say that I had NO idea that Disney actually published young adult books! I can't believe how blown away I was about this.

I have to give the author major kudo points for setting this book in a college campus. It's a scarce area explored in the young adult genre. I'm guessing it's harder to reach the younger audience if you set them away from home for the first time. I actually thought it was always weird that more authors didn't write about this time in a young person's life.

Leigh...more Ok can I just say that I had NO idea that Disney actually published young adult books! I can't believe how blown away I was about this.

I have to give the author major kudo points for setting this book in a college campus. It's a scarce area explored in the young adult genre. I'm guessing it's harder to reach the younger audience if you set them away from home for the first time. I actually thought it was always weird that more authors didn't write about this time in a young person's life.

Leigh is a Psych major in the small liberl arts college of Stiles, located in California. Just like people would expect she tends to over analyze things, but maybe some of her musings have some merit to them? After all she is studying Psychology for a reason. She has committed the much looked down upon decesion to follow her high school sweetheart Andrew, so they can stay together. They haven't entered into the "next level" into their relationship and it's something that is pretty relevant in both Leigh and Adam's mind, but both have very different takes on it. There is of course her lovable roommate Ami and the *raised eyebrow* swoon worthy Nathan. Seriously this guy is just a little too great for his own good.

I can't say the book portrayed college life accurately, but not everybody's experience is the same. It is probably different here because she does go to small college that does not give out GPAs! Man, why haven't I heard of these colleges? The book was definitely funny and as the reader I could get a good sense of who Leigh was because of her many quirks. As we all know quirks are one of the prevelant things that make up a person's personality. The writing could have been a little tighter and more original, but as a whole I just throughly enjoyed it. Leigh learns just that because things are expected doesn't mean they are always right.

When I finished a gave sigh and cringed a little that I could fall for something so cheesy. Oh but who cares! Read and let your stomach flutter from the sweetness:D(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Choco rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-enjoyed

Readalong with Reynje!!

This is a story of a psych-major Leigh with her boyfriend Andrew, his roommate Nathan and some fun, crazy (sometimes unrealistic) side characters. I rarely put a book with 3 stars on my enjoyed shelf unless there was something special about the book. In this case, special-something came in a package of Nathan, who plays the guitar, majors in math and has a nice voice and a very nice chest.

At the start, the book was promising with a part like this:
I'll spend countless hour...more

7 likes · like · see review

Dec 11, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

A couple of chapters in and I knew what I was getting. That said I have no problem recommending this to anyone with a penchant for cutesy happy-happy rom/coms. Because basically that’s what PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME is. The best thing about the book is Leigh, whom I adore!

Leigh has most everything going for her… or maybe not. A girl with the tendency to over-analyze, drag her feet and take her time in everything she did, has compensate elsewhere, right? And she does, she’s funny and made observation...more

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Valerie by: Cara, Ash

Shelves: realistic-fiction

I think this is my first book set in college life. Nearly all young adults books are set in high school which makes sense, but I still liked the change.

Now this book is no great piece of literature. It's chick-lit and mostly fluff. Leigh is a bit annoying in the beginning. Looks like she's making drama where there is none. And Nathan likes cats, not that I have anything against cats; just that it's strange. I feel like guys who like cats should be dealt with caution.

Though if you can pass this...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Flannery by: Nic & Nomes' Recommendation Service

Shelves: young-adult-teen, favorites, lolz, read-in-2011, romance, reviewed-2011

In the movie So I Married An Axe Murderer, which is mega-quotable, Mike Myers’ dad (also played by Mike Myers, but with a Scottish accent) says that he believes there is a pentaverate of rich people that run everything in the world. My favorite member of the pentaverate is Colonel Sanders. (“because he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes you crave it fortnightly, smartass!”) Anyway, I’ve started my own collection of people—the hilarious YA authors. Remember that old show called...more

39 likes · like · see review

Sep 28, 2009 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, to-reread

I really couldn't put PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME down. This book WILL make you laugh, promise. My favorite part was being stuck inside of Leigh's analytical and slightly strange head for a while!

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 06, 2012 Zemira Warner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: humor, romance, aussie, i-own, college, contemporary, favorite, hot-guys, new-adult

*BEFORE READING*

It's here.

Too bad I have classes today. Why is life so cruel?

*AFTER READING*

does this book have such a low rating? Did we not read the same thing?

It was so sweet,like on Stephanie Perkins' level of cuteness. OK,maybe not that cute but still cute to land on my favorite shelf. Everybody knows I don't give those pretty lightly. So,our girl,Leigh(pst, that's her middle name. Wait till you find out her real name) is one of those Rory Gilmore type of girls which you should love(and...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 30, 2009 Haley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, hilarious, read-in-2009, romance, young-adult

I LOVED this book!

"Psych Major Syndrome: A common affliction wherein a psychology major, overwhelmed by conditions, effects, and disorders, begins to overanalyze her own life.

ROTTER INCOMPLETE SENTENCES BLANK

1. I like...to read incredibly unrealistic and badly written romance novels.

2. The happiest time was...I can't remember.

3. Back home...the house smells like incense all the time

4. I regret...buying Avril's first album on the basis of one song

5.At bedtime...I make up stories in my head.

6. I a...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2010 Steph Su rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debs09, own, comfort-read, best-of-09

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME is an absolutely winsome novel, easily one of the sweetest reads this year. It’s the literary equivalent of pictures of cute kittens and puppies, and will leave you sighing happily and “aww-ing” at the end.

The book crackles with humor, mostly the result of the stellar protagonist. Leigh has just the right balance of “intelligent college student” and “blind, drama-attracting girl” to win over both lovers of intelligent AND just-for-fun fiction. Leigh’s snarky and self-depreca...more PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME is an absolutely winsome novel, easily one of the sweetest reads this year. It’s the literary equivalent of pictures of cute kittens and puppies, and will leave you sighing happily and “aww-ing” at the end.

The book crackles with humor, mostly the result of the stellar protagonist. Leigh has just the right balance of “intelligent college student” and “blind, drama-attracting girl” to win over both lovers of intelligent AND just-for-fun fiction. Leigh’s snarky and self-deprecating narration is charmingly funny, and there are enough hints of cultural references that will make even the most well-read reader smile indulgently. PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME takes the classic narrative formula—well-put-together main character realizes her non-debilitating blindness and overcomes that critical flaw to become a better and happier person—and rebuilds it again as something that will ring true for us. It’s tried-and-true, without making us sick of the “tried.”

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME has more to do with a love story than psychology, and far from being disappointed that the title and synopsis were a bit misleading, I was absolutely delighted. Without giving anything away, I just want to say that if the love interest doesn’t make your list of Top 10 Swoon-Worthy YA Boys, then you either have a hard-to-win heart, or else you recognize the few flaws in this novel that make it not nearly as enjoyable as it could be: a rushed ending, not enough character development in the one character we’d like to see developed more, and a happy ending that’s so perfect as to be a little cringe-inducing.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME may depend on how much the conventions bother you. However, I absolutely loved this novel and would pick it up again at a moment’s notice to have more than my fair share of funny, sweet, and sigh-worthy romance. Readers who adored but have for the most part outgrown Meg Cabot’s books will find a fantastic alternative in Alicia Thompson’s debut novel.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Apr 10, 2013 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Okay, look. This is not the type of book that would usually get 5 stars from me (4.5, but whatever). However, sometimes I read a book at just the exact perfect moment in my life - perhaps after 3 long weeks of being sick and stressed and desperate for something to cheer me up - and it makes me love it so much more than if I had read it at an earlier or later time. I think this book is one of those books. I can't even tell you why I loved it, I just did!

If I had read this a...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Ari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: college-aged-aka-young-adult, read-in-2012

IQ "Nathan fell silent as well, and I realized that maybe I wasn't the nay one who felt that way. I wondered how many people in the world have daydreams spinning around in their heads that they would never put into words. Probably more than you would think." Leigh, pg. 255

Alright let's get something out of the way right now: the minor character of Li. The scene was meant to be funny I'm sure but it wasn't. Li placed third in a state-wide poetry contest but his poem sucked, his character sucked....more IQ "Nathan fell silent as well, and I realized that maybe I wasn't the nay one who felt that way. I wondered how many people in the world have daydreams spinning around in their heads that they would never put into words. Probably more than you would think." Leigh, pg. 255

Alright let's get something out of the way right now: the minor character of Li. The scene was meant to be funny I'm sure but it wasn't. Li placed third in a state-wide poetry contest but his poem sucked, his character sucked. Not because he was a well-developed character but rather because the author fell back on Chinese stereotypes. It was like that one character played by Ken Watanabe (I always remember his name but not his charter's name, Long Dong....something?) in Sixteen Candles. UGH. Seriously that's why I can't give this book 3 stars because that bothered me so much.

I also thought Andrew was underdeveloped. I guess I just didn't understand why he and Leigh were together. Also the ending was cheesy. For a second it looked like I hadn't called it correctly-but calm down now everyone-if you guess right away within the first few chapters of the book, your conclusion is correct. I'll never understand why girls think guys just hate them on sight.....that's a girl thing!

I did love Leigh's (and the author's) sense of humor (except for making fun of Li). I definitely laughed-out-loud at some points. Such as: "For a second my heart stopped, as I imagined a box filled with actual human babies. Oh my God, I thought, she went to some unsuspecting, underdeveloped country and pretended to be a celebrity so she could bring home a box of their children" (pgs.156-157), ok that reads pretty terrible. But placed in context it was really funny. Its one of those awfully funny things you want to express but don't know how to say in such an amusing manner. Or this: "This was coming from Ami, who has had many such moments herself in just the short time I've known her. Once she asked if Portuguese was just a dialect of Spanish. This was particularly disconcerting, considering Ami's last name is Gutierrez, she speaks fluent Spanish, and she visits extended family in Nicaragua every year. So you'd think she know" (pg.110), Ami on the other hand was a fantastic character. An artist who happened to be Latina who was witty but not "spicy", driven but not by academic pursuits. As I write this review I realize much of this book's humor comes at other people's expense....*winces* which reflects badly on me and perhaps the author.

And while I'm not in college yet I found it a reassuring book about college life, its not hunky-dory but its not a living, sleepless hell either. Leigh pulls all nighters but she also makes friends and reflects on Orientation and while her one extracurricular is forced, she does do SOMETHING besides mess around (not that I would mind a book about someone in college with zero academic focus as long as they were interesting). The Intro to Psych vocab words were a nice added touch even if I forgot them and failed to connect them to the chapter they headlined. I also found it quite refreshing that the resident Mean Girl was selfish and rude but also SMART.(less)

like · see review

Jul 12, 2011 K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

A fun book, albeit a little nutty.

Leigh’s in her first year at small Stiles College. She’s busy studying psychology—not the ins and out of psychic b&b ownership like her parents would prefer—and defending her boyfriend and their stilted relationship to pretty much everyone. A lot. She finds herself suckered into a project by her adviser that she can’t bs her way out of. (There’s a lot of bs, too.) Somehow the middle schooler that she ends up mentoring seems to see her relationship more clea...more

like · see review

Oct 28, 2009 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult

I generally pick a genre and read the crap out of it for a couple years. I never really entertained the idea of reading young adult until recently, with my 7 old daughter becoming an avid reader I wanted to be ahead of the curve and find relevant books that I could recommend. I've really lucked out, I've discovered some great authors that I'm enjoying personally, not just for the sake of my daughter.

This book was totally up my alley. Tuesday "Leigh" is a product of some new age parents. Her bac...more

like · see review

Oct 13, 2009 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Reviewed from purchased copy.

Leigh Nolan might come from a family of psychics, but she’s firmly rooted in the real world. She’s escaped to college with her boyfriend, Andrew, to study psychology. But not everything is going according to Leigh’s plan. Andrew is becoming distant, Andrew’s roommate Nathan hates her, and she stuck working this mentor program at a local high school with the snobbiest student in the psychology department. Leigh may be learning how to solve people’s problems, but she’s...more Reviewed from purchased copy.

Leigh Nolan might come from a family of psychics, but she’s firmly rooted in the real world. She’s escaped to college with her boyfriend, Andrew, to study psychology. But not everything is going according to Leigh’s plan. Andrew is becoming distant, Andrew’s roommate Nathan hates her, and she stuck working this mentor program at a local high school with the snobbiest student in the psychology department. Leigh may be learning how to solve people’s problems, but she’s not very good at solving her own.

Let me be the first to say just how pleased I am that YA authors are writing books about college students. I feel like this is an age that just isn’t served by adult books or YA books, an age just caught in the middle of the bookosphere.

This book is spot-on about college life, it took me straight back to university and to being a psych minor. I related completely to Leigh’s confusion, to her plans falling apart and to her struggle to make new plans and new relationships.

I was worried that the book might be too old for my younger teens or that they might not be able to relate to Leigh because of the college setting. And then I met Nathan who is a totally awesome guy and I think, the best part about the book. He’s definitely going to suck in the younger teens.

The details in Leigh’s world also serve to anchor the story. I loved her car. I too drive a clunker! Her parents and roommate may be a bit stereotypical, but I liked them enough. (Leigh’s visit home for Thanksgiving was really funny, with a few surprises in store.)

My main issue with the book was that I didn’t feel like college life was fully formed. Leigh has only one paper for her class? Really? I had one paper for a class once. It had to be fifty pages. And even then, we had to have our outline, annotated bibliography, a rough draft, etc. all turned in along the semester.

Bottom line? A sweet, fluffy romance novel that I really enjoyed.

http://readwhatyouknow.wordpress.com/...(less)

like · see review

Sep 17, 2009 Apzmarshl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Apzmarshl by: bloggin bout books

Eeh......I teetering on giving this a 3.5

For you Meg Cabot lovers, her recommendation is on the back of the book.

Leigh is in her first year at a bitty little liberal arts college in California. She comes from a nutty, psychic B&B in Arizona where her dad wears and eye patch and her mother takes aura pictures. Leigh is majoring in Psychology. As she wades her way through Psych 101 Leigh begins to self examine. She is pressing herself to keep the relationship going with Andrew, her high school...more

like · see review

Aug 07, 2009 Prodhi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’m in love.
I stayed up until 4 in the morning finishing Psych Major Syndrome.
It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Not because of endless depth of the story, not because of Shakespearean lingo—but because of the perfectly balanced constitution of all the elements that is behind the making of a great book. I laughed out so many times that i've lost count. Leigh was charming, funny, loyal, intelligent in her own way, afraid of change, over-analytic to a fault and absolutely adorable. Readi...more I’m in love.
I stayed up until 4 in the morning finishing Psych Major Syndrome.
It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Not because of endless depth of the story, not because of Shakespearean lingo—but because of the perfectly balanced constitution of all the elements that is behind the making of a great book. I laughed out so many times that i've lost count. Leigh was charming, funny, loyal, intelligent in her own way, afraid of change, over-analytic to a fault and absolutely adorable. Reading the summary you would think that you’ll be blasted away with over-the-top over-analyses from the main character, but lo and behold. It’s completely believable how she fusses over small details a little too much—in fact, she’s someone you know could exist right at this moment but yet be unique. Like Cassie from Wintergirls, I found myself rooting for her and cheering her on as she realized the hollowness of her relationship with Andrew. The path to her self-discovery as well as realizations and decision-making involves the reader. Basically, there is sizzling chemistry between the reader and the story. And by sizzling, I mean acid-to-water sizzling. Downright explosive. There are things that are explained without any confusion, and then there are things that the readers realize themselves so as to create a certain level of intimacy with the plot and characters. I mean seriously, do you have your best friend give you play-by-play of his/her emotions and motives? I bet you figure a lot out yourself and that's what cements the relationship further.
The relationships in the book are tied together in an adroit manner. The friendship between Leigh and Ami is something you’d keep craving for all your life (and Ami rocked! So witty, funny and unique!), and the relationship between Leigh and Andrew reminds us how much respect matters in a partnership. I was absolutely impressed by how Ms Thompson brings up issues like sex and teen pregnancy and advices readers without even letting them know she’s doing so. Therefore you need not be afraid of even a hint of preachy tone. Imagery was a perfect quantity—I could visualize everything yet not be bored by droning of details, since they weren’t long-drawn. Another mind-blowing aspect of the book was the depth and individuality each and every character bore. Even Leigh’s parents were characters by themselves and not stupid shadows that have to be in the story just for the sake of it. Leigh's decisions give us a prime example of how change is not always for the worse but sometimes for the better. The story teaches us how sometimes you should root for your own happiness, and also seize the day without worrying about tomorrow. Carpe diem, bay-bee, carpe diem.
The part I’m getting to definitely deserves a separate paragraph of its own—the chemistry between Leigh and Nathan. Oh my. Nathan is absolutely remarkable, with his smarts but charming reclusiveness, his depth of emotions, maturity and also, hotness. Leigh is consumed by the supportiveness, respect, attention and friendship Nathan offers, while Nathan is mesmerized by the uniqueness and good heart that Leigh is beholder of. However, he is irritated by how Leigh sticks out her relationship with Andrew just for commitment’s sake and doesn’t stand up to him for all the less-than-deserving treatment she has received from him.
I was just a little irked by the absence of much insight into Nathan’s character because sometimes he may fool the reader as a Gary Stu, but then you realize that it’s just because we don’t know all that much about him. I would also have liked a little bit more time taken on the development of Nathan and Leigh’s relationship—not because what’s there is vacantly inadequate, but because it’s so intricately woven and so beautifully portrayed that you can’t help but ask for more. The book is pretty clean of cliché and has surprises jumping at you every page or the other. Even Leigh’s name has a surprise behind it. I kid you not.
Overall, it’s an amazing read and you must, must, MUST, read it. It’s one of those books that goes far beyond the summary at the book and one that you’ll read a gazillion times yourself and then pass it on to your great-great-great descendants until one of them finally decides to eat up the pages (being a toddler, of course. I wasn’t suggesting your descendants were herbivores/pagevores or insulting them, I swear). Reading this book feels like watching the waterfalls or a sunset by the beach for the first time while sipping Starbucks. Now that’s gotta be good.
Now, back to business. I want my Nathan. NOW. Is he available for pre-order on Amazon?(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2009 Steph (Reviewer X) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-be-reviewed, blog-already-read

Why doesn't goodreads allow us to do half stars? Seriously, asking this has become a cliché and yet nothing is done to solve it.

Anyway, I'd give this 3.5 stars (a B-/C+), and I absolutely mean that in a good way because I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I'd give it four stars because up until the ending, I thought it was a very good light romance read with a character who's very aware of herself and THERE, as opposed to being an Everygirl and a developed hero and antihero who we...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 14, 2011 Nomes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, you-make-me-smile, read-it-in-a-page-flipping-frenzy, crushing-on-the-writing, my-most-most-fave-boys, my-kind-of-awesome, faves-of-2011, absolute-favourite-favourites, hidden-gem-i-love-you-so, my-most-most-fave-girls, older-ya-protag, rainy-day-comfort-reads, road-trip, swoon-worthy-crushes

I wanted to read it for AGES. Set in college. With an older protag. It sounded fun and maybe a little bit mad crazy. Which is how I love my books to be...

When I finally got it, I started reading and couldn't put it down. Sneakily, (despite my, erm, new years resolution Reformed Sleeping Habits Commitment) I stayed up until 3:30am to finish it.

It's probably an odd book to find un-put-downable. It's not because I was sucked in to the plot, or waiting for some major twist/secret to be revealed. It'...more

25 likes · like · see review

Sep 17, 2010 marg rated it 2 of 5 stars

What should have been an entertaining and insightful YA but can pass for "A" book, instead deeply disappointed. Our heroine, Leigh, comes complete with stereotypical tarot reading cards (her real name is Tuesday) parents who read minds and auras in Sedona while their daughter pursues a psych degree in a small liberal college. Thompson cuts her characters out of cardboard - flaky artist, narcissistic snot nose, etc - and takes all of her plot development tricks from your very worst, cheesiest and...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 26, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson is pretty much a riot of laughter and confusing college emotions. I had heard about this book about the time it was released in 2009 but then got caught up in other books. I was reminded of the book from Persnickety Snark's really great review. I'm so glad I requested it through ILL because it was definitely worth a read.

Leigh Nolan is a freshman in a small college and she's well, a psych major obviously. And if you consider the combination of college fres...more

like · see review

Nov 29, 2009 Amalia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comedy, romance

Leigh Nolan has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards than Rorschach blots), despite reporting that she thinks, "Psychology is a load of crap."
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.
Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, h...more Leigh Nolan has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards than Rorschach blots), despite reporting that she thinks, "Psychology is a load of crap."
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.
Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?
Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, nave.
Preliminary treatment will include Introduction to Psychology, but may require more if she's going to answer these questions and make it through her freshman year.
Tuesday aka Leigh (she prefers to be addressed by her middle name) is a psychology major that needs more help than she can provide. She’s in a half-ass relationship that leaves more to be desired (if you get my drift) but something just isn’t right (and we’re not talking about your left hand). So Leigh tries to find her center and assess her relationship with high school sweetheart in what else? A road trip! Er…okay a family visit back home.
Everyone goes through this phase where you don’t know what you want. You think you know what you want but it turns out you’re wrong. Expect the unexpected. You might like your current boyfriend, but maybe you have a slight okay, large, crush on his best friend. That is not to say I suggest cutting all ties to your beau of now to go salivate to his bestest buddy. What I mean is that Leigh is a relatable person. She has her issues, her props, and her travesties.
Leigh joins a mentoring program to help kids that are on the verge of trouble. The topic strays from psychology and moves to that of teenage pregnancy—decisions, decisions, decisions. Rebekah is just 15 when she had a miscarriage. In the program they talk about the effects of having a child when you’re so young. Responsibilities you have to uphold, sacrifices you have to make. It was interesting how the author managed to incorporate such a heavy topic within the book.(less)

like · see review

Sep 26, 2010 Clementine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, 2010, ya

Leigh Nolan is a freshman at tiny Stiles College in California. She's already decided on pursuing a psych major and is trying to juggle an academic life with a personal one, made more complicated by the fact that she's brought along her high school sweetheart, Andrew. Leigh has a tendency to over-analyze things and apply psychological theories to pretty much everything, and yet seems to be a little blind when it comes to her own life.

Alicia Thompson's debut YA novel is at times very funny and en...more Leigh Nolan is a freshman at tiny Stiles College in California. She's already decided on pursuing a psych major and is trying to juggle an academic life with a personal one, made more complicated by the fact that she's brought along her high school sweetheart, Andrew. Leigh has a tendency to over-analyze things and apply psychological theories to pretty much everything, and yet seems to be a little blind when it comes to her own life.

Alicia Thompson's debut YA novel is at times very funny and entertaining. Thompson writes well, with clear language and a sharp commentary on much of pop culture. The story is compelling enough for readers to be sucked in and want to finish it quickly. Although it's quite predictable, it's still a fun read.

However, there were issues with the book. Although the novel has the unique position of being set in college (a rarity for contemporary YA), it could just as easily have been set in high school. Apart from the fact that the teens in Thompson's novel have a bit of freedom and virtually no parental contact, there's not a lot to suggest a college environment. The tameness of the novel might have something to do with the book being published by Disney, but it might also be a case of trying to appeal to a younger audience as well.

Additionally, Leigh is at times so blind to her own life that it's difficult to find it believable. Readers might at times find themselves frustrated by her actions and thoughts. The issue with Leigh's inability to see her own life clearly feels like a plot contrivance and not a natural characteristic.

Finally, the secondary characters feel a little too convenient. They seem to largely fulfill stereotypes that serve the novel's plot, and nothing else. There is nothing complicated about the relationships in Leigh's life. Her high school boyfriend is conveniently a type-A jerk, her roommate is conveniently quirky and yet not a threat in any way, and the other girls in her psychology study group are complete stereotypes.

While the novel is fun and certainly recommended for reluctant readers, any reader who takes a few moments to reflect upon what happens and who the characters are will find themselves feeling unsatisfied. That being said, this reviewer will read Thompson's next effort and hopes to see her strengthen her craft as time goes on.(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (1)

Genres

Young Adult

60 users

Romance

31 users

Contemporary

18 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

18 users

New Adult

15 users

Realistic Fiction

11 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Contemporary

8 users

Young Adult > Teen

8 users

Academic > College

7 users

Humor

4 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Alicia Thompson

Alicia Thompson graduated from the New College of Florida in 2006 with a degree in psychology, and wrote her debut novel in between pulling all-nighters on her senior thesis. Her short stories, “Abby Greene for President” and “Stealing Mark Twain,” have appeared in Girls’ Life magazine. She is currently working on an MFA in fiction writing at the University of South Florida, where she still pulls...more

More about Alicia Thompson...

Books by Alicia Thompson

The Secret Language of Birthdays: Teen Edition

The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts Unexpected Twist

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Psych Major Syndrome

10 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Psych Major Syndrome

“I've never told another soul about the stories I make up while I'm trying to fall asleep, and I would never even consider writing them down. They're just too personal. Nathan fell silent as well, and I realized that maybe I wasn't the only one who felt that way. I wondered how many people in the world have daydreams spinning around in their heads that they would never put into words. Probably more than you would think.” — 13 people liked it

“Because he never said it first---he would only ever say 'I love you, too.' And I would hate to think that he was talking about the band U2 the whole time, you know?” — 11 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Psych Major Syndrome
avg rating	preview: Psych Major Syndrome Goodreads rating: 3.63 (865 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941380-psych-major-syndrome?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360573137l/5941380.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941380-psych-major-syndrome?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson[/url]

Psych Major Syndrome

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website