What do you think?
Rate this book
Circe Shaw #1
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet
The Official Truth about dating the male human species!
Can taming a gorgeous boy really be as easy as walking a dog?
Circe Shaw is on a mission. She must transform into a fabulously sophisticated journalist and discover the amazing scientific truth about boys. Urgently.
But life is beyond complicated. Circe has to deal with a poisonous rival, her mum’s annoying ‘just friends’ men and her own Dark Past.
Can Circe’s daring investigation really teach her the facts of love?
Will it help her finally get a boyfriend?
Or will it break her heart…?
Can taming a gorgeous boy really be as easy as walking a dog?
Circe Shaw is on a mission. She must transform into a fabulously sophisticated journalist and discover the amazing scientific truth about boys. Urgently.
But life is beyond complicated. Circe has to deal with a poisonous rival, her mum’s annoying ‘just friends’ men and her own Dark Past.
Can Circe’s daring investigation really teach her the facts of love?
Will it help her finally get a boyfriend?
Or will it break her heart…?
338 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2012
24 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
About the author
Diane Messidoro
2 books35 followersDiane Messidoro spent her teens shimmying in glittery disco boots, swooning over smouldering moody boys and falling off horses. Now she’s officially grown up, she spends her time far more wisely; shimmying in glittery disco boots, swooning over smouldering moody men and not getting on horses. Diane has been studying the strange behaviour of the male human species since chasing her first crush across a playground. She hopes ‘How to Keep a Boy as a Pet’ will inspire girls to take charge of their romantic destinies – or at least save their natural sparkling pizzazz from being trampled into tragic smithereens! She lives in a leafy corner of London with two disobedient pet cats and an occasionally obedient pet husband.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 16, 2017
Horrible Blatant Sexist Title; Okay story if your 12. Seriously if this was called "How to keep a Woman as a Pet" the author would be stoned by now. And not good stoned, like, dead stoned. With Rocks. The books okay but its really only marketed to 12 year old girls and no one else.
June 11, 2012
This review was originally posted at Fluttering Butterflies
It has been a long time since I loved a book as much as I loved How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Diane Messidoro! This book is adorable and funny but also incredibly heartfelt and emotional. Right from the first page I fell in love with this beautiful book and I really cannot recommend it enough!
I quite enjoy a story told through blog posts, especially as I have an interest in blogging myself! Circe Shaw, our main character, is fabulous. She starts this blog in order to document her plans for the summer. Unfortunately those plans have been somewhat derailed when her two best friends, Tash and Ben, start going out and do a considerable amount of snogging, leaving Circe to be third wheel.
What Circe really wants is to be a successful journalist ... and to have a boyfriend. She doesn't understand boys at all. And with a little help from her only blog reader, Circe is on her way to taming a boy. Even if it might be the Rudest, Most Despicable Boy Ever.
Honestly, this book. It had me in fits of giggles. I even took it with me on the school run, desperate to read more, and I ended up actually laughing out loud. This book is so fun and funny. Circe is the most adorable character ever without being annoying. She's relatable and believable I fell in love with her instantly. I loved how she took the advice of others and somehow managed to ponder the concept of what type of party she as an individual is and how dating boys is like being around wild animals.
But there's also more to this story that goofy attempts at dating (I loved these bits though! Rufus and Circe are so cute!). A lot of the story seems central to Circe gaining more self esteem and confidence in herself. Especially after some incident in the past that is only hinted about through Circe's blog posts. There seems to be more going on with Circe's nemesis, Portia, than Circe would lead us to believe and there's also a lot of baggage and questions that Circe carries around concerning her father. I love the ways in which Diane Messidoro handles each of these aspects and I cannot wait to read more of Circe Shaw and her adventures...
It has been a long time since I loved a book as much as I loved How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Diane Messidoro! This book is adorable and funny but also incredibly heartfelt and emotional. Right from the first page I fell in love with this beautiful book and I really cannot recommend it enough!
I quite enjoy a story told through blog posts, especially as I have an interest in blogging myself! Circe Shaw, our main character, is fabulous. She starts this blog in order to document her plans for the summer. Unfortunately those plans have been somewhat derailed when her two best friends, Tash and Ben, start going out and do a considerable amount of snogging, leaving Circe to be third wheel.
What Circe really wants is to be a successful journalist ... and to have a boyfriend. She doesn't understand boys at all. And with a little help from her only blog reader, Circe is on her way to taming a boy. Even if it might be the Rudest, Most Despicable Boy Ever.
Honestly, this book. It had me in fits of giggles. I even took it with me on the school run, desperate to read more, and I ended up actually laughing out loud. This book is so fun and funny. Circe is the most adorable character ever without being annoying. She's relatable and believable I fell in love with her instantly. I loved how she took the advice of others and somehow managed to ponder the concept of what type of party she as an individual is and how dating boys is like being around wild animals.
But there's also more to this story that goofy attempts at dating (I loved these bits though! Rufus and Circe are so cute!). A lot of the story seems central to Circe gaining more self esteem and confidence in herself. Especially after some incident in the past that is only hinted about through Circe's blog posts. There seems to be more going on with Circe's nemesis, Portia, than Circe would lead us to believe and there's also a lot of baggage and questions that Circe carries around concerning her father. I love the ways in which Diane Messidoro handles each of these aspects and I cannot wait to read more of Circe Shaw and her adventures...
September 22, 2016
2.5 ster. Klonk goed maar gaaap. Was saai.
January 30, 2020
not my cup of tea.
April 10, 2018
I looooooooved this book oh my god.
I'm kind of obsessed recently with books aimed at young teens (even though I'm 19 lol). I think it's the innocence of the protagonists and how their problems are so small but feel so huge to them and it reminds me how naive I used to be too. I see myself in them and it brings a lot of nostalgia.
I wish I did get around to reading this book when I was 15 though, I think it really could have helped me with my confidence issues.
So entertaining and just let me escape from my stressful college bubble for awhile.
I'm kind of obsessed recently with books aimed at young teens (even though I'm 19 lol). I think it's the innocence of the protagonists and how their problems are so small but feel so huge to them and it reminds me how naive I used to be too. I see myself in them and it brings a lot of nostalgia.
I wish I did get around to reading this book when I was 15 though, I think it really could have helped me with my confidence issues.
So entertaining and just let me escape from my stressful college bubble for awhile.
November 3, 2012
Review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction
When Circe Shaw's new best friend and her childhood guy best friend get together, she feels a little left out. She decides to start a blog to cover the hottest topics, only it turns out what she's best at writing about is her own life and her hopeless efforts at finding a boyfriend. With her new ambitions to be a top journalist, the book follows Circe as she keeps her readers up to date on life and love in "the middle of nowhere".
I LOVED this book. This is one of those reviews where I'm not quite sure where to start! I didn't know too much about the book but it grabbed my attention at the library with its super-cute cover. As soon as I started it I knew it was my kind of thing. The book is written through Circe's blog posts and any book written in a different style like that gets me excited! I think it's even more exciting reading a blog written through blog posts when you're a blogger yourself, too. The way its written means it isn't really broken up into chapters which I thought would bother me, but it didn't. It just made it harder to put down!
Circe as a character won me over instantly. Her voice throughout the book is just hilarious. She's so witty and funny and you get a great look at her personality through her blog posts, from her pets named after film stars, her love of R-Patz and her disastrous attempts at getting dolled up to impress a guy. Her character went a lot deeper when I expected as well. The book may revolve around her attempts to get some kind of love life but there is so, so much more to her as a character than that. Circe lives with her single mother and she's made the move from London to the middle of nowhere in the British countryside. (The overall British-ness was also something I adored, than that's coming from a Brit!) There's a lot of issues Circe keeps glossing over which are obviously quite important to her, and it's only a matter of time before they're explained a bit more, and I was blown over by the writing when things started to come to life.
When I picked this book up I was expecting a light, fun, girly read and whilst it certainly has those elements, it's SO much more than that. If you're put off by the title then I'd urge you to give it a try anyway because I think there's a lot more to this book than meets the eye!
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet gets the balance between fun, light-hearted boy drama and serious, real life problems bang on. I think there's something for everyone in this book, and if you're looking for a new contemporary read then I would urge you to go and look this one up!
Find more books like this on TotalTeenFiction
When Circe Shaw's new best friend and her childhood guy best friend get together, she feels a little left out. She decides to start a blog to cover the hottest topics, only it turns out what she's best at writing about is her own life and her hopeless efforts at finding a boyfriend. With her new ambitions to be a top journalist, the book follows Circe as she keeps her readers up to date on life and love in "the middle of nowhere".
I LOVED this book. This is one of those reviews where I'm not quite sure where to start! I didn't know too much about the book but it grabbed my attention at the library with its super-cute cover. As soon as I started it I knew it was my kind of thing. The book is written through Circe's blog posts and any book written in a different style like that gets me excited! I think it's even more exciting reading a blog written through blog posts when you're a blogger yourself, too. The way its written means it isn't really broken up into chapters which I thought would bother me, but it didn't. It just made it harder to put down!
Circe as a character won me over instantly. Her voice throughout the book is just hilarious. She's so witty and funny and you get a great look at her personality through her blog posts, from her pets named after film stars, her love of R-Patz and her disastrous attempts at getting dolled up to impress a guy. Her character went a lot deeper when I expected as well. The book may revolve around her attempts to get some kind of love life but there is so, so much more to her as a character than that. Circe lives with her single mother and she's made the move from London to the middle of nowhere in the British countryside. (The overall British-ness was also something I adored, than that's coming from a Brit!) There's a lot of issues Circe keeps glossing over which are obviously quite important to her, and it's only a matter of time before they're explained a bit more, and I was blown over by the writing when things started to come to life.
When I picked this book up I was expecting a light, fun, girly read and whilst it certainly has those elements, it's SO much more than that. If you're put off by the title then I'd urge you to give it a try anyway because I think there's a lot more to this book than meets the eye!
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet gets the balance between fun, light-hearted boy drama and serious, real life problems bang on. I think there's something for everyone in this book, and if you're looking for a new contemporary read then I would urge you to go and look this one up!
Find more books like this on TotalTeenFiction
April 29, 2012
I bought this as I liked the cover and title - it was supposed to be a present for my goddaughter - only it turned out to be more of a present for me. It was very wet yesterday, so thought I'd sneak a peak and soon find myself hooked on the story of Circe Shaw, a 15-year-old with giant hair living in the Nook, a teeny cottage in The Middle of Absolute Nowhere with her mum and their pets, Daniel Craig, Johnny Depp and Jude Law.
Like a lot of the best books, it's a simple story at heart - we follow Circe's mission over her school holidays to transform herself into a fabulously sophisticated journalist and find romance, all told via blog posts - and Circe is a very likeable heroine - quirky and insecure and bright - so I was keen to find out if she succeeded. But what sets the novel apart is the humour and insight. It just gets better and better the more you read, and this morning I was cockahoop to see it was pouring again so I could justify lying in bed and racing all the way to the end.
It sort of reminded me of Jilly Cooper meets Posy Simmonds (who wrote the comic strip 'Tamara Drewe') - both authors who'll probably mean little to you if you're who this book is really aimed at - and also a book I read when I was a teenager called `Fifteen' by Beverley Cleary (look it out, it's fantastic) but suffice it to say they're all funny like this author, and wise about human nature, and their books are also set the back of beyond. Although `How to Keep a Boy as a Pet' is aimed at the teen market (and will appeal especially, but not exclusively, to girls), I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever been in any of the quandaries Circe has been in, which I suspect is everybody.
Like a lot of the best books, it's a simple story at heart - we follow Circe's mission over her school holidays to transform herself into a fabulously sophisticated journalist and find romance, all told via blog posts - and Circe is a very likeable heroine - quirky and insecure and bright - so I was keen to find out if she succeeded. But what sets the novel apart is the humour and insight. It just gets better and better the more you read, and this morning I was cockahoop to see it was pouring again so I could justify lying in bed and racing all the way to the end.
It sort of reminded me of Jilly Cooper meets Posy Simmonds (who wrote the comic strip 'Tamara Drewe') - both authors who'll probably mean little to you if you're who this book is really aimed at - and also a book I read when I was a teenager called `Fifteen' by Beverley Cleary (look it out, it's fantastic) but suffice it to say they're all funny like this author, and wise about human nature, and their books are also set the back of beyond. Although `How to Keep a Boy as a Pet' is aimed at the teen market (and will appeal especially, but not exclusively, to girls), I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever been in any of the quandaries Circe has been in, which I suspect is everybody.
May 6, 2012
The title of this book is fun and quirky which is exactly what the story is like. Our heroine Circe Shaw's new mission is to find out about boys by treating them like a pet and possibly snag herself a boyfriend along the way. I found myself laughing out loud frequently at the hilarious Circe and some of the things that befall her!
The format of the book is a series of blog entries by Circe about her life, friends and quest to make a boy fall in love with her. Along the way she gains a blog reader who comments on her posts to give her much needed advice. She also has her two best friends Tash and Ben to rely on, although much of the time they're busy snogging each other, leaving Circe stuck in the middle.
The narrative voice of Circe is so adorable. She's funny and witty and her accounts of her experiments with 'The Rudest Stupidest Most Despicable Boy' kept me amused the whole way through. She's a character who I'm sure teens will love and easily identify with. Not only does she struggle with boy troubles but she has family issues to deal with too, as well as putting up with a dislikeable girl at her school knowing a secret about her.
If you want some tips on boys then you'll learn a thing or two by reading this book which was immensely funny and entertaining. Some bits had me in fits of giggles and I had to stop reading until I'd managed to compose myself again.
Circe will be back in 'What Not to Do in the Dark' and I'm looking forward to joining her.
The format of the book is a series of blog entries by Circe about her life, friends and quest to make a boy fall in love with her. Along the way she gains a blog reader who comments on her posts to give her much needed advice. She also has her two best friends Tash and Ben to rely on, although much of the time they're busy snogging each other, leaving Circe stuck in the middle.
The narrative voice of Circe is so adorable. She's funny and witty and her accounts of her experiments with 'The Rudest Stupidest Most Despicable Boy' kept me amused the whole way through. She's a character who I'm sure teens will love and easily identify with. Not only does she struggle with boy troubles but she has family issues to deal with too, as well as putting up with a dislikeable girl at her school knowing a secret about her.
If you want some tips on boys then you'll learn a thing or two by reading this book which was immensely funny and entertaining. Some bits had me in fits of giggles and I had to stop reading until I'd managed to compose myself again.
Circe will be back in 'What Not to Do in the Dark' and I'm looking forward to joining her.
June 1, 2012
I bought this book as soon as it came out and devoured it practically in one go! I may be slightly older than the intended target audience, but it kept me hooked from beginning to end, with a lot of laughs and a few sniffles along the way. It is a sweet tale of 15 year old Circe Shaw who has to deal with all the usual trials and tribulations of being a teenager, while also dealing with big hair and a mum who thinks it's funny to name their pets Johnny Depp, Daniel Craig and Jude Law.
While trying to become a fabulously sophisticated journalist, conduct 'Male Human Pet Control Experiments', deal with her mum's "just friends" men and hide from her loved up BFF and BBFF, Circe learns a thing or two about being "where-it's-at" and teaches us a thing or two too! A great read for everyone who remembers what it's like being a teenage girl, who actually is a teenage girl right now, or who still feels like one inside.
Definitely going to recommend it!!
While trying to become a fabulously sophisticated journalist, conduct 'Male Human Pet Control Experiments', deal with her mum's "just friends" men and hide from her loved up BFF and BBFF, Circe learns a thing or two about being "where-it's-at" and teaches us a thing or two too! A great read for everyone who remembers what it's like being a teenage girl, who actually is a teenage girl right now, or who still feels like one inside.
Definitely going to recommend it!!
July 29, 2012
Love love love this book! It is my new favourite book and definitely best "teenage girl with boy troubles and only one parent" book I have ever read xx on the mature technical side it is well written with a good plot, just enough happy ending but not too much, sufficient twists and climatic moments whilst having the extra bonus of being written blog style, which helps it to be clearer to understand everything including when things have happened and the changes in mood and thinking patterns of the character, like being inside the characters head without being weirdly confusing (also, blog style means no chapters but interesting chunks instead) x it has also made me a bit crazy - in a good way - and kind of more like myself (clichéd as that may sound) and has inspired me to possibly become a journalist, and maybe even make my own sassy blog (the latter being quite doubtful, but I'll definitely be writing more) xx so all in all a brilliant book and a must read for all teenage girls! Xx
August 29, 2012
Review posted at Amaterasu Reads
Put together some sweet romance, lots of over the top hilariousness, a dash of evil schoolmates, a pop of teenage angst, a streak of family issues and a whole lot of 'investigative writing' and you will have How to Keep a Boy as a Pet. Where one brave soul decided to embark on a journey of understanding boys and taming them. And as you would expect, the results of all the difficult, complicated experiments are all sorts of fun and interesting.
Can you tame these wild creatures called 'boys'? Let Circe show you how it is done. In a burst of spontaneous thinking brought about by absolute boredom over the fact that nothing interesting is happening to her life, Circe attempted to learn how to keep a boy as a boyfriend, by treating him as a pet. But all is not well in the path to the results as Circe learned a thing or two about how complicated relationships can get, and how it can affect her past and the life she's living.
I have never had this much fun reading a book after Dear Dylan, but now Diane Messidoro's novel has given me quite a few fits of laughter while trying to get a good look at how relationships are when we are in our teens and how thin the line is between love and hate. Is there really a sure fire way to turn boys to pets? Can you really like the unlikable? No matter how much Circe convinces herself that it was all for the sake of her experiment and investigative journalism, she was falling for Rufus. That denial stage was what added to the amusement and upped the cute factor of the story. Circe's initial impression and prejudice of Rufus prevented her of seeing through him a little more closely. Rufus is a temperamental, gloomy kid, but his closed off attitude is where his charm lies. He's the perfect example for the saying 'appearance is NOT everything', because he has so much more to offer the readers in terms of his depth as a character. Brooding, dark, annoying, unpredictable but sensitive and understanding deep inside. Their friendship and eventual romance was off to a rocky start, with not the best of first impressions hanging between them, but I found myself rooting for them both.
Circe had issues she had to cope with aside from being a wallflower, someone who isn't noticeable, someone passive who wouldn't even lift a finger even when she's being bullied. She's naive and she was not even aware that she's letting a bully get under her skin. Her insecurities and the questions she never got to ask her mother about her long missing father along with her low confidence in herself snowballed into something that nearly ruined all of her relationships and the connection she has with the people around her. What I liked about her is that she gave herself a chance to move past all of it while trying to understand what has happened to her life. Circe's blog entries were us when we were young: a little bit confused, a little bit excited and a little bit lost. Understanding love was never easy, and through her hilarious experiments on how to dress, how to behave and what to say to a boy, readers get to see a little bit of what it's like to be a novice in love and what's the best thing to do when we want to impress the opposite sex: being ourselves.
The family dynamics in this book was initially strained and awkward at best, but it's something worth taking a look at. Circe needed that one person who she can talk to, ask for advice, and through some twist of fate, it turned out to be the last person she wanted to ask help from. Savvy Rose was her biggest motivator, and I like reading about her. She's the one person most girls strive to be: fun, confident and living her life the way she wants to. Also, Circe's mom is the epitome of how complicated or simple love can be. It all depends on how you look at it. To be friends and not to be committed? Circe still needed to learn a lot about that four letter word. Her encounters with her mom is what made this book a little bit emotional, and there were bittersweet moments between a mother and a daughter that will tug on a reader's heart.
Believe it or not, I have learned quite a few lessons from this book. What Circe went through applies to most of us and that familiarity in the situations she was in was something each one of us can relate to. Diane Messidoro injected humor in the right moments and told Circe's story in a modern, up to date way which teens today can respond to easily. Imagine how big a part technology played in this story. Everything is online! With a quirky girl for an MC and comical situations transforming her life one blog entry at a time, How to Keep a Boy as a Pet is worth the read. See for yourself if it is indeed possible for a boy to be treated like pets. Maybe you don't need to have a successful journalist as your muse to come up with the perfect investigative story, maybe you just need to open yourself up to opportunities that can change your life and respond to the challenges you face the best way you know how: by being true to yourself.
This book is just fun, fun, fun! Filled with heart warming moments, a romance that is reminiscent of a young love with an engaging, upbeat rib-tickling voice. A fresh, amusing read if you're looking for a novel that is comical, sweet and good.
Put together some sweet romance, lots of over the top hilariousness, a dash of evil schoolmates, a pop of teenage angst, a streak of family issues and a whole lot of 'investigative writing' and you will have How to Keep a Boy as a Pet. Where one brave soul decided to embark on a journey of understanding boys and taming them. And as you would expect, the results of all the difficult, complicated experiments are all sorts of fun and interesting.
Can you tame these wild creatures called 'boys'? Let Circe show you how it is done. In a burst of spontaneous thinking brought about by absolute boredom over the fact that nothing interesting is happening to her life, Circe attempted to learn how to keep a boy as a boyfriend, by treating him as a pet. But all is not well in the path to the results as Circe learned a thing or two about how complicated relationships can get, and how it can affect her past and the life she's living.
I have never had this much fun reading a book after Dear Dylan, but now Diane Messidoro's novel has given me quite a few fits of laughter while trying to get a good look at how relationships are when we are in our teens and how thin the line is between love and hate. Is there really a sure fire way to turn boys to pets? Can you really like the unlikable? No matter how much Circe convinces herself that it was all for the sake of her experiment and investigative journalism, she was falling for Rufus. That denial stage was what added to the amusement and upped the cute factor of the story. Circe's initial impression and prejudice of Rufus prevented her of seeing through him a little more closely. Rufus is a temperamental, gloomy kid, but his closed off attitude is where his charm lies. He's the perfect example for the saying 'appearance is NOT everything', because he has so much more to offer the readers in terms of his depth as a character. Brooding, dark, annoying, unpredictable but sensitive and understanding deep inside. Their friendship and eventual romance was off to a rocky start, with not the best of first impressions hanging between them, but I found myself rooting for them both.
Circe had issues she had to cope with aside from being a wallflower, someone who isn't noticeable, someone passive who wouldn't even lift a finger even when she's being bullied. She's naive and she was not even aware that she's letting a bully get under her skin. Her insecurities and the questions she never got to ask her mother about her long missing father along with her low confidence in herself snowballed into something that nearly ruined all of her relationships and the connection she has with the people around her. What I liked about her is that she gave herself a chance to move past all of it while trying to understand what has happened to her life. Circe's blog entries were us when we were young: a little bit confused, a little bit excited and a little bit lost. Understanding love was never easy, and through her hilarious experiments on how to dress, how to behave and what to say to a boy, readers get to see a little bit of what it's like to be a novice in love and what's the best thing to do when we want to impress the opposite sex: being ourselves.
The family dynamics in this book was initially strained and awkward at best, but it's something worth taking a look at. Circe needed that one person who she can talk to, ask for advice, and through some twist of fate, it turned out to be the last person she wanted to ask help from. Savvy Rose was her biggest motivator, and I like reading about her. She's the one person most girls strive to be: fun, confident and living her life the way she wants to. Also, Circe's mom is the epitome of how complicated or simple love can be. It all depends on how you look at it. To be friends and not to be committed? Circe still needed to learn a lot about that four letter word. Her encounters with her mom is what made this book a little bit emotional, and there were bittersweet moments between a mother and a daughter that will tug on a reader's heart.
Believe it or not, I have learned quite a few lessons from this book. What Circe went through applies to most of us and that familiarity in the situations she was in was something each one of us can relate to. Diane Messidoro injected humor in the right moments and told Circe's story in a modern, up to date way which teens today can respond to easily. Imagine how big a part technology played in this story. Everything is online! With a quirky girl for an MC and comical situations transforming her life one blog entry at a time, How to Keep a Boy as a Pet is worth the read. See for yourself if it is indeed possible for a boy to be treated like pets. Maybe you don't need to have a successful journalist as your muse to come up with the perfect investigative story, maybe you just need to open yourself up to opportunities that can change your life and respond to the challenges you face the best way you know how: by being true to yourself.
This book is just fun, fun, fun! Filled with heart warming moments, a romance that is reminiscent of a young love with an engaging, upbeat rib-tickling voice. A fresh, amusing read if you're looking for a novel that is comical, sweet and good.
July 30, 2024
⭐️4.5 stars, 0.5 less than 5 because I feel attacked by how much I related to the main character
May 6, 2012
Circe Shaw wants to become a fabulously sophisticated journalist and uncover the mysterious truth about the male species.
But she has some major problems. It's hard being fabulously sophisticated living in "The Nook" (the smallest cottage ever) with her mum and her "just friends" guys "in The Middle Of Absolute Nowhere", while facing down an arch enemy and her romantic Dark Past...
In amongst blogging and "Male Human Pet Control Experiments", can Circe find out the real truth about guys - and maybe get herself a boyfriend of her own?
Or is this mystery meant to remain a mystery for all eternity - as it has a tendency to cause way to too many problems and broken hearts when seriously investigated...?
I love, love, love books that make me laugh. Always have. How To Keep A Boy As A Pet? Constant LOL-ING! Quirky and fun and bonkers, I just sped through this book: I felt myself being drawn in by Circe's madness from the word go and couldn't stop reading! But what I truly loved was that it was more than just funny, it was also really thoughtful, insightful and pure genius - and will definitely help in attracting a pet boy! For everyone looking for an amazingly written, hilarious and bonkers book: *thrusts How To Keep A Boy As A Pet at you*! This really is a must read for all teen girls! Seriously!
Circe Shaw was bonkers and funny and cute and oh-so fabulously sophisticated! Evidence of her wit, insanity and cuteness: "hamstericidal ratlets". I adored Circe - she was the most teenage teen, so relatable and loveable. An average, normal teen girl with abnormally large hair! As fabulous as she was, she was also dreadfully insecure - it just made you love her more, that vulnerability beneath the bravado, and I loved watching her grow and mature.
Rufus Strakes was kinda grumpy and snarky and smirk-y. He was really hard to figure out - a mystery! But that intense thing he had - yum! He was dark, broody, mysterious... Hey! Circe got her very own R-Patz! Learning more about him just made me adore him! And I loved the glimpses of the sweet, vulnerable Rufus we got, the Rufus lingering under the snark.
I also loved seeing how Circe's and Rufus' relationship grew. It started off as an experiment, but soon became much, much more. I felt it - it was so sweet and real and so not a science experiment!
I just adored all the characters - from the poshies to the besties to the "just friends" men. They were all brilliantly described and very varying and very funny! I also loved all the various relationships - how they evolved, how different they all were - how real. Tash and Ben, Circe’s best friends, were both awesome and so cute together! Savvy Rose, Circe's real-imaginary-reader of her blog, was clever, cheerful and a great advice giver – like a virtual big sister! I loved the conversations she and Circe had! But who was she really...? And I loved Circe’s pets' names - Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Daniel Craig. LOL! Blame her mother!
The writing was just hilarious and so, so Circe! I was constantly giggling and just loved the blog layout and how Circe liked to Put Things In Capital Letters A Lot! She was very thorough, very descriptive and very, very funny! She just felt so totally teen-ager-y! Loved it! I loved how she wrote as she felt, and how we could tell when she was excited, shocked, in pain. I really, truly felt like I got to know Circe!
And the plot was just utterly addictive! I adored Circe's "Male Human Pet Control" experiments - they had me absolutely cracking up! The plot was marvellously simple and sophisticated and straight forward, totally original and addictive. And gotta admit - did not see most of it coming!
I also loved that beneath the snarky, funny exterior lay a deeper, more serious theme - bullying, what it is and how to deal with it. Circe didn't think she was being bullied but she was - horribly so. Diane Messidoro dealt with it skilfully, tackling it and telling the reader how to stop/deal with it if it happens to you or a friend.
One girl's mission to be a fabulously sophisticated journalist while trying to discover the truth about the male species and hopefully land a boyfriend, How To Keep A Boy As A Pet was bonkers, hilarious and marvellously, barmily British! I found that I couldn't put it down, and when I did I had a lovely warm feeling inside. I loved this book to pieces and will be counting down the days til the next book in the series (What Not To Do In The Dark) comes out!!
But she has some major problems. It's hard being fabulously sophisticated living in "The Nook" (the smallest cottage ever) with her mum and her "just friends" guys "in The Middle Of Absolute Nowhere", while facing down an arch enemy and her romantic Dark Past...
In amongst blogging and "Male Human Pet Control Experiments", can Circe find out the real truth about guys - and maybe get herself a boyfriend of her own?
Or is this mystery meant to remain a mystery for all eternity - as it has a tendency to cause way to too many problems and broken hearts when seriously investigated...?
I love, love, love books that make me laugh. Always have. How To Keep A Boy As A Pet? Constant LOL-ING! Quirky and fun and bonkers, I just sped through this book: I felt myself being drawn in by Circe's madness from the word go and couldn't stop reading! But what I truly loved was that it was more than just funny, it was also really thoughtful, insightful and pure genius - and will definitely help in attracting a pet boy! For everyone looking for an amazingly written, hilarious and bonkers book: *thrusts How To Keep A Boy As A Pet at you*! This really is a must read for all teen girls! Seriously!
Circe Shaw was bonkers and funny and cute and oh-so fabulously sophisticated! Evidence of her wit, insanity and cuteness: "hamstericidal ratlets". I adored Circe - she was the most teenage teen, so relatable and loveable. An average, normal teen girl with abnormally large hair! As fabulous as she was, she was also dreadfully insecure - it just made you love her more, that vulnerability beneath the bravado, and I loved watching her grow and mature.
Rufus Strakes was kinda grumpy and snarky and smirk-y. He was really hard to figure out - a mystery! But that intense thing he had - yum! He was dark, broody, mysterious... Hey! Circe got her very own R-Patz! Learning more about him just made me adore him! And I loved the glimpses of the sweet, vulnerable Rufus we got, the Rufus lingering under the snark.
I also loved seeing how Circe's and Rufus' relationship grew. It started off as an experiment, but soon became much, much more. I felt it - it was so sweet and real and so not a science experiment!
I just adored all the characters - from the poshies to the besties to the "just friends" men. They were all brilliantly described and very varying and very funny! I also loved all the various relationships - how they evolved, how different they all were - how real. Tash and Ben, Circe’s best friends, were both awesome and so cute together! Savvy Rose, Circe's real-imaginary-reader of her blog, was clever, cheerful and a great advice giver – like a virtual big sister! I loved the conversations she and Circe had! But who was she really...? And I loved Circe’s pets' names - Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Daniel Craig. LOL! Blame her mother!
The writing was just hilarious and so, so Circe! I was constantly giggling and just loved the blog layout and how Circe liked to Put Things In Capital Letters A Lot! She was very thorough, very descriptive and very, very funny! She just felt so totally teen-ager-y! Loved it! I loved how she wrote as she felt, and how we could tell when she was excited, shocked, in pain. I really, truly felt like I got to know Circe!
And the plot was just utterly addictive! I adored Circe's "Male Human Pet Control" experiments - they had me absolutely cracking up! The plot was marvellously simple and sophisticated and straight forward, totally original and addictive. And gotta admit - did not see most of it coming!
I also loved that beneath the snarky, funny exterior lay a deeper, more serious theme - bullying, what it is and how to deal with it. Circe didn't think she was being bullied but she was - horribly so. Diane Messidoro dealt with it skilfully, tackling it and telling the reader how to stop/deal with it if it happens to you or a friend.
One girl's mission to be a fabulously sophisticated journalist while trying to discover the truth about the male species and hopefully land a boyfriend, How To Keep A Boy As A Pet was bonkers, hilarious and marvellously, barmily British! I found that I couldn't put it down, and when I did I had a lovely warm feeling inside. I loved this book to pieces and will be counting down the days til the next book in the series (What Not To Do In The Dark) comes out!!
July 17, 2012
Originally posted at Fragments of Life
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was the kind of book that lured you in from the beginning. Upon reading Circe’s first blog entry, I was glued to the pages. Fueled by curiosity and desire to find out why she never had a proper boyfriend, she embarked on a scientific research in proving that boys are more or less like pets. If you project the confidence and use the right kind of tone on boys, they will be at ease with you.
Circe was very funny, enthusiastic and inquisitive. It was easy for me to connect to her because she was down to earth, flawed and imperfect. She felt real to me. She was the kind of teenage girl who had family issues, confidence issues and even boy issues. Who wouldn’t get that?
Broad-backed and fit with piercing eyes, Rufus was attractive. He was deemed the perfect pet boy target by Savvy Rose, Circe’s one and only blog reader, and Tash, her best friend. But he was the Rudest, Meanest, Most Despicable Boy Circe has ever met so ‘taming’ him was bound to be difficult. It didn’t start well but with enough patience, practice and advice from Savvy Rose, Circe got result. Eventually, Rufus stopped barking and hissing at her. He became gentle with her and even started to like her. At first, I didn’t like Rufus at all. He was far too snappy, rude and sarcastic for my liking but after I saw his gentle side, I changed my mind about him. He was actually nice when he fought off his sarcastic side.
I liked how the plot developed. In the beginning, the mood was light. But as the story progressed, I got to know more about the characters and more about Rufus and Circe’s issues. Gradually, it started to get more emotional and heavier as both Rufus and Circe kick started their relationship while dealing with their own family problems. I liked how the author showed the fragility of Circe’s relationship with her mum, as well as the ghost of her long-lost dad. The only thing that was lacking for me was that Rufus didn’t get to explain his side of the story. It has been a mystery throughout the novel and even though I got to know the basics of what his problem was, I think it would have been better if he was given a chance to talk about it near the end. Ahem, the reader (me) would also love to hear from him.
Packed with humor, sweet and hot kisses, and disastrous situations, How to Keep a Boy as a Pet is the perfect balanced read for YA contemporary readers. I couldn’t stop smiling at Circe’s funny and quirky point of view. I couldn’t stop laughing, too. Romantic, entertaining and unputdownable. Highly recommended!
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was the kind of book that lured you in from the beginning. Upon reading Circe’s first blog entry, I was glued to the pages. Fueled by curiosity and desire to find out why she never had a proper boyfriend, she embarked on a scientific research in proving that boys are more or less like pets. If you project the confidence and use the right kind of tone on boys, they will be at ease with you.
Circe was very funny, enthusiastic and inquisitive. It was easy for me to connect to her because she was down to earth, flawed and imperfect. She felt real to me. She was the kind of teenage girl who had family issues, confidence issues and even boy issues. Who wouldn’t get that?
Broad-backed and fit with piercing eyes, Rufus was attractive. He was deemed the perfect pet boy target by Savvy Rose, Circe’s one and only blog reader, and Tash, her best friend. But he was the Rudest, Meanest, Most Despicable Boy Circe has ever met so ‘taming’ him was bound to be difficult. It didn’t start well but with enough patience, practice and advice from Savvy Rose, Circe got result. Eventually, Rufus stopped barking and hissing at her. He became gentle with her and even started to like her. At first, I didn’t like Rufus at all. He was far too snappy, rude and sarcastic for my liking but after I saw his gentle side, I changed my mind about him. He was actually nice when he fought off his sarcastic side.
I liked how the plot developed. In the beginning, the mood was light. But as the story progressed, I got to know more about the characters and more about Rufus and Circe’s issues. Gradually, it started to get more emotional and heavier as both Rufus and Circe kick started their relationship while dealing with their own family problems. I liked how the author showed the fragility of Circe’s relationship with her mum, as well as the ghost of her long-lost dad. The only thing that was lacking for me was that Rufus didn’t get to explain his side of the story. It has been a mystery throughout the novel and even though I got to know the basics of what his problem was, I think it would have been better if he was given a chance to talk about it near the end. Ahem, the reader (me) would also love to hear from him.
Packed with humor, sweet and hot kisses, and disastrous situations, How to Keep a Boy as a Pet is the perfect balanced read for YA contemporary readers. I couldn’t stop smiling at Circe’s funny and quirky point of view. I couldn’t stop laughing, too. Romantic, entertaining and unputdownable. Highly recommended!
May 16, 2012
Diane Messidoro’s debut is a sweet and funny story with an unexpected emotional depth that surprised me.
My first impression of How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was that it reminded me of some of the series that I adored when I was a younger teen. Circe is reminiscent of a slightly less insane Georgia Nicolson and a more troubled Jess Jordan from Sue Limb’s Girl series and I instantly warmed to her charming narration. I think that she’s the kind of character that every girl and woman will recognise themselves in. The similarities continued with the mind-bending confusion over boys, some rather cringe-worthy incidents and her complete and utter essence of being a teenage girl.
One of the things that I loved most about How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was Savvy’s comments on Circe’s blog posts. I would have loved to have a cool, clever and sophisticated mentor-figure when I was fifteen and I think that she’d be good for lots of other girls with their confidence. I also loved how effortlessly Diane Messidoro switched from English to American English – it was brilliantly done and felt very authentic. There was also a rather interesting turn of events that involved Savvy, which I did guess, but was still really effective.
Along with Circe’s boy drama with the confusing and eternally intriguing Rufus, there was also a healthy dose of mystery that was continually hinted at throughout her blog posts. There was the devastating incident with Portia that wasn’t revealed in its entirety until the very end that had an effect on a lots of what Circe felt and thought of herself and the mystery of what had happened to her dad. That also had a presence for most of the novel and it was a constant burden to Circe until she finally talked it out with somebody who she trusted.
I thoroughly enjoyed Circe’s exploits and I can’t wait to read more from Diane Messidoro.
My first impression of How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was that it reminded me of some of the series that I adored when I was a younger teen. Circe is reminiscent of a slightly less insane Georgia Nicolson and a more troubled Jess Jordan from Sue Limb’s Girl series and I instantly warmed to her charming narration. I think that she’s the kind of character that every girl and woman will recognise themselves in. The similarities continued with the mind-bending confusion over boys, some rather cringe-worthy incidents and her complete and utter essence of being a teenage girl.
One of the things that I loved most about How to Keep a Boy as a Pet was Savvy’s comments on Circe’s blog posts. I would have loved to have a cool, clever and sophisticated mentor-figure when I was fifteen and I think that she’d be good for lots of other girls with their confidence. I also loved how effortlessly Diane Messidoro switched from English to American English – it was brilliantly done and felt very authentic. There was also a rather interesting turn of events that involved Savvy, which I did guess, but was still really effective.
Along with Circe’s boy drama with the confusing and eternally intriguing Rufus, there was also a healthy dose of mystery that was continually hinted at throughout her blog posts. There was the devastating incident with Portia that wasn’t revealed in its entirety until the very end that had an effect on a lots of what Circe felt and thought of herself and the mystery of what had happened to her dad. That also had a presence for most of the novel and it was a constant burden to Circe until she finally talked it out with somebody who she trusted.
I thoroughly enjoyed Circe’s exploits and I can’t wait to read more from Diane Messidoro.
August 9, 2015
You can also read this review this here: http://tendtoramble.blogspot.co.uk/20...
I thought this story was really brilliant. I found it had an interesting format (being written in the form of an online blog, much like this one!) which made the story different to others. It was also hilarious, I literally laughed out loud at some parts. It was just full of funny moments. But it also had it's sad moments, as quite a few good stories do, but they were written well and were necessary to the story, not just added to make sure the story wasn't all sunshine and lollipops.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters of the story. Of course, there were the positively hateful characters, such as Patricia (ugh) but there were also the wonderful characters that I loved, like Rufus (*swoon*). This book had a lovely storyline with pieces that tied in together and, to be frank, a perfect ending.
I thought this story was really brilliant. I found it had an interesting format (being written in the form of an online blog, much like this one!) which made the story different to others. It was also hilarious, I literally laughed out loud at some parts. It was just full of funny moments. But it also had it's sad moments, as quite a few good stories do, but they were written well and were necessary to the story, not just added to make sure the story wasn't all sunshine and lollipops.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters of the story. Of course, there were the positively hateful characters, such as Patricia (ugh) but there were also the wonderful characters that I loved, like Rufus (*swoon*). This book had a lovely storyline with pieces that tied in together and, to be frank, a perfect ending.
July 24, 2012
This book would make a great teenage movie that I (not a teenager anymore) would definitely watch.
I loved the voice of Circe. She’s a typical teenager, who has to deal with her insecurities and boy problems. Savvys voice was great. She gave very good advice to Circe. It almost felt like the voice of Carrie from Sex and the City. Which I think is very cool and sophisticated. Rufus, the boy pet, was interesting. I liked his story too.
The story is written as a online blog and I thought that was original and fun. Because it was like reading a blog, with short entries, it was a quick and easy read. The mystery who Savvy really was and what Rufus was hiding was very addictive.
How to keep a boy as a pet is a fabulous, quick read and perfect for the long, hot, summer nights.
I highly recommend.
I loved the voice of Circe. She’s a typical teenager, who has to deal with her insecurities and boy problems. Savvys voice was great. She gave very good advice to Circe. It almost felt like the voice of Carrie from Sex and the City. Which I think is very cool and sophisticated. Rufus, the boy pet, was interesting. I liked his story too.
The story is written as a online blog and I thought that was original and fun. Because it was like reading a blog, with short entries, it was a quick and easy read. The mystery who Savvy really was and what Rufus was hiding was very addictive.
How to keep a boy as a pet is a fabulous, quick read and perfect for the long, hot, summer nights.
I highly recommend.
June 2, 2012
I really loved this book and I was so wrapped up in it one day that I completely missed my train station (slightly annoying until I realised it gave me more reading time while I waited for the train back)! It's a warm and funny story about Circe Shaw who has ambitions to find a male human pet and develop a career as a fabulously sophisticated journalist. You will find yourself loving the wonderful Circe while you learn how to conduct a male human pet experiment, how to wear a 'pouncelator' AND discover what type of party you are (who doesn't want to know that?!)
Such a brilliant read, I can't wait for the next Circe instalment - I hope there will be one soon.
Such a brilliant read, I can't wait for the next Circe instalment - I hope there will be one soon.
October 21, 2015
Hmm ik ben teleurgesteld. Bij jongens als huisdieren behandelen dacht ik meer aan hard to get spelen en een beetje dominant zijn. Maar daar ging het dus totaal niet over. Ook de manier van schrijven (als een blog), vond ik niet prettig. Daar kwam nog bij kijken dat er zulke intieme dingen op die blog stonden dat ik onmogelijk kan geloven dat er mensen zijn die echt zo stom zijn dat allemaal op internet te zetten. De romance tussen Circe en Rufus is oppervlakkig, juist door deze schrijfstijl denk ik. De plottwist aan het einde is wel echt bijzonder verrassend. Je ziet hem nooit aankomen. Het boek had veel leuker kunnen zijn.
December 23, 2012
I was in my local library one day looking for another book, which was out. I felt bad not taking a book out so i randomly picked up this one, and I'm very glad i did. I have to be honest i read a little into the book and thought it dragged and didn't think i'd go any further. After leaving it a few months and going back to it, i found that the story picked up and it was actually really enjoyable and funny. I love the protagonist, Circe and she is very true to teenage girls nowadays. A very interesting and humorous book, which i recommend to everyone, 4 stars.
February 5, 2013
I did enjoy this one, and liked the weird format of following the story through blog posts as well as live updates on the situation. Circe is a very immature character, I couldn't believe she was as clueless when it came to boys as she was. Surely no one is ever THAT clueless? Well, apparently she was, and it both adds charm and distracts from the believability of the story. Great for YA readers, but probably a lot younger than most books as not much happens except snogging (had an Angus, thongs and Snogging feel about it, actually) So four stars!
May 18, 2014
A brilliantly funny and unexpectedly touching read. From the title of this I was kind of expecting a typical girly rom-com type book, but HTKABAAP is so much more than that. It is full of great characters, Circe is hilarious, down to earth and instantly relatable as she lunges from on boy disaster to another and the first person narrative brings you even closer to her wacky way of thinking. I started reading this at 9pm one evening and ended up reading it straight through until 2am, by which time I had laughed myself silly and cried a bucket-load. A fantastic read!
July 4, 2013
I loved the way Diane Messidoro wrote this book as a blog post. It's books like this that encouraged me to start blogging in the first place. I was inspired to write to blog post called ''Where's it at and am i where it's at'' and ''What kind if party am I''.
What a shocker at the end though. I would not tell you due to spoilers, sorry. All I can say is that this book did give me some pointers on the male brain system and making sure I am ''where it's at''
What a shocker at the end though. I would not tell you due to spoilers, sorry. All I can say is that this book did give me some pointers on the male brain system and making sure I am ''where it's at''
May 10, 2012
I devoured this fabulous story almost as soon as it came out and now my mum is stuck into it too. It's fast paced and brilliantly written, empowering and endearing, with the perfect blend of humour and pathos, simplicity and sophistication. Ideal for teenage girls (and anyone who ever remembers being one ... I'm 34 and my mum's 62!)
October 18, 2016
I was hoping this book was going to be a funny dumb, but it was more annoying dumb. The main character was a bit annoying at times and I didn't connect with her. I skim read all the parts that didn't have to do with her and love interest #sorrynotsorry I wasn't a fan of the blog style; I think it could have been done a lot better.
March 29, 2012
A brilliant, brilliant book. Incredibly funny, lovely main character. I read it after my daughter said it was the best teenage book she'd ever read, and it is one of the best books I have ever read too.
June 7, 2015
LOVED it. Circe was really funny, and I liked how the story was told through blog entries. I also really liked Rufus, even if their romance was really sudden. Still, it was a REALLY nice read. Highly recommended!! <3
June 3, 2012
It was such an amazing book. I loved it so much. I enjoy the fact that i can kind of relate to all the issues that she comes upon. I can't wait for the next book to come out :)
July 4, 2012
This book was really funny, and I really enjoyed it even though teen-romance isn't what I would normally read. I thought the comparisons between Rufus and cats and dogs were pretty clever.
October 26, 2013
LOVED IT Review to come!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews