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Love and Other Theories
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Love and Other Theories is a fast-paced twist on the coming-of-age novel and the romantic comedy that Kirkus Reviews called "careful, subtle, and aching" in a starred review.
Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak—they don't realize that thes ...more
Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak—they don't realize that thes ...more
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Hardcover, 376 pages
Published
December 30th 2014
by HarperTeen
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In this book, Aubrey would be considered the main character. Nathan is the male protagonist.
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 30, 2014
Rating: 1 star
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Love and Other Theories is a fast-paced twist on the coming-of-age novel . . . and the romantic comedy.
Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak--they don't realize ...more
Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 30, 2014
Rating: 1 star
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
Love and Other Theories is a fast-paced twist on the coming-of-age novel . . . and the romantic comedy.
Aubrey and her best friends made a pact to play by the guys' rules when it comes to dating. They're hoping the rules will keep them from experiencing high school heartbreak--they don't realize ...more

I so love this quote:
"According to Shelby, the longer you know someone, the more time they have to let you down. But sometimes, the longer you know someone, the more time they have to surprise you." ...more
"According to Shelby, the longer you know someone, the more time they have to let you down. But sometimes, the longer you know someone, the more time they have to surprise you." ...more

Alas, no. The romance was plain bad and the MC and her friends were so mean. Too much girl on girl hate for me. DNF at 40% (but I did jump to the last 3 chapters to see how everything ended--I was suprised that it ended that way, and I can see why some people said they cried).

3.5 stars
A bold, a bit cruel but very honest and liberated take on a girl’s experience on young love and the brutal theories and rules these high school girls make to save face, to be in control and to avoid getting hurt when it comes to boys. Never fall in love, don’t allow thyself to be called a girlfriend because girlfriend leads to goodbye and never let a boy see through one’s emotions are just some of these theories these girls legislated among themselves.
The irony is how these girls be ...more
A bold, a bit cruel but very honest and liberated take on a girl’s experience on young love and the brutal theories and rules these high school girls make to save face, to be in control and to avoid getting hurt when it comes to boys. Never fall in love, don’t allow thyself to be called a girlfriend because girlfriend leads to goodbye and never let a boy see through one’s emotions are just some of these theories these girls legislated among themselves.
The irony is how these girls be ...more

Nov 11, 2014
Mlpmom (Book Reviewer)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle-books,
arc-book-read
Love and Other Theories was one of my most anticipated YA contemporary reads for December and because of that I feel I need to be completely honest with this review.
While I enjoyed this read, it left me feeling sad and a little bit angry. Sad for girls who feel they need to play games and have a misconstrued idea about what love means and sad for those boys that give them those ideas and thoughts.
To be honest, I am still not exactly sure if I loved Aubrey and her friends but I do know that I lov ...more
While I enjoyed this read, it left me feeling sad and a little bit angry. Sad for girls who feel they need to play games and have a misconstrued idea about what love means and sad for those boys that give them those ideas and thoughts.
To be honest, I am still not exactly sure if I loved Aubrey and her friends but I do know that I lov ...more

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
I’m crying, my kindle battery is dead, I’ve eaten a whole packet of jaffa cakes, and I’m slightly tipsy, and all because of this book!
I really liked the characters in this book. Aubrey was such a normal girl, with the normal sort of feelings that girls have, and Nathan was super sweet. How this pair went so wrong I don’t know, but it was seriously sad.
The storyline in this w ...more
I’m crying, my kindle battery is dead, I’ve eaten a whole packet of jaffa cakes, and I’m slightly tipsy, and all because of this book!
I really liked the characters in this book. Aubrey was such a normal girl, with the normal sort of feelings that girls have, and Nathan was super sweet. How this pair went so wrong I don’t know, but it was seriously sad.
The storyline in this w ...more

1 star
*sigh* I knew that I was taking a risk in picking up Love and Other Theories. See, it sounded like it could be AWFUL, but it could also be the exact kind of banterfluff I love. Because, I mean, what's more banterfluffy than a main character who stubbornly refuses to get into a real relationship? I mean, sex positivity and independence YES, but then to make it bantery and cute, an amazing guy could come in and convince her to take the plunge and it could be ALL OF THE ADORBS. Well. It was n ...more
*sigh* I knew that I was taking a risk in picking up Love and Other Theories. See, it sounded like it could be AWFUL, but it could also be the exact kind of banterfluff I love. Because, I mean, what's more banterfluffy than a main character who stubbornly refuses to get into a real relationship? I mean, sex positivity and independence YES, but then to make it bantery and cute, an amazing guy could come in and convince her to take the plunge and it could be ALL OF THE ADORBS. Well. It was n ...more

P.S.: Apologize for the allovertheplace review. It’s hard getting my thought together!
I’m going to be 100% honest–I wasn’t expecting to love this one. It sounded a bit corny with the theory of Don’t Fall in Love. The characters, even from the synopsis, struck me as the kinds of characters who grow from being bitches to being human, and I’m not always a fan of those stories. And Love and Other Theories honestly wasn’t my favorite at first…but oh man. It was amazing and stunning and gorgeous and s ...more
I’m going to be 100% honest–I wasn’t expecting to love this one. It sounded a bit corny with the theory of Don’t Fall in Love. The characters, even from the synopsis, struck me as the kinds of characters who grow from being bitches to being human, and I’m not always a fan of those stories. And Love and Other Theories honestly wasn’t my favorite at first…but oh man. It was amazing and stunning and gorgeous and s ...more

I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. I think I will have to let it sink it for a bit before I can decide whether its a really good book or a really bad one that has good moments.
...more

Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips
I'm not a party girl, I don't drink, and I love relationships (even in high school). Going into Love and Other Theories I knew it was going to be anti-relationship, and I was okay with that. I was mostly interested in Aubrey's transformation and finally falling in love. But what I didn't expect was anti-relationship attitude COMBINED with practically every other thing I hate in high school (partying, drinking, backstabbing, lying...). And, I didn't ex ...more
I'm not a party girl, I don't drink, and I love relationships (even in high school). Going into Love and Other Theories I knew it was going to be anti-relationship, and I was okay with that. I was mostly interested in Aubrey's transformation and finally falling in love. But what I didn't expect was anti-relationship attitude COMBINED with practically every other thing I hate in high school (partying, drinking, backstabbing, lying...). And, I didn't ex ...more

I received a free copy from the publishers via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
First Impressions:
I can't say, at all, that I'm a fan of Love and Other Theories. I disliked a lot of the characters and disagreed a lot with their malicious actions towards other people, particularly Chiffon. I can see how other people would really love it, but too much nastiness going on for me.
Review:
Aubrey and her three best friends -- Shelby, Danica and Melissa -- have all made it to their last year ...more
First Impressions:
I can't say, at all, that I'm a fan of Love and Other Theories. I disliked a lot of the characters and disagreed a lot with their malicious actions towards other people, particularly Chiffon. I can see how other people would really love it, but too much nastiness going on for me.
Review:
Aubrey and her three best friends -- Shelby, Danica and Melissa -- have all made it to their last year ...more

This is one of the best romances I've ever read!
And, that's because it was so much more than a romance. I don't want to spoil it or anything...but the end is super empowering and unique for YA contemporary.
Definitely read this book! It's both enjoyable and gut wrenching at the same time. ...more
And, that's because it was so much more than a romance. I don't want to spoil it or anything...but the end is super empowering and unique for YA contemporary.
Definitely read this book! It's both enjoyable and gut wrenching at the same time. ...more

I’m don’t know what to say about Love and Other Theories. I know that at 82% I almost didn’t finish it. I know that things happened that didn’t need to happen. I know that I was frustrated with a lot of it. I know that I wasn’t happy with the end. And I know that this could have been a different book if it went in a different direction. It could have been a fantastic book. Instead I was left feeling annoyed, let down, irrationally ragey (especially for a fictional character), and all around sad
...more

DNF 40%
Ok I just can't deal with the level of bitchiness
Like seriously?!
I went back and skimmed through the rest of the book. But I really couldn't find redeeming thing fro Aubrey.
Which is why I did DNF in the first place.
So much backstabbing, back bitting and general bitchiness.
I could not relate to Aubrey or any of her friends. I never could and probably never will. I loved to party and was fairly popular in high school. So to a degree, like the first few pages I thought I get Aubrey... t ...more
Ok I just can't deal with the level of bitchiness
Like seriously?!
I went back and skimmed through the rest of the book. But I really couldn't find redeeming thing fro Aubrey.
Which is why I did DNF in the first place.
So much backstabbing, back bitting and general bitchiness.
I could not relate to Aubrey or any of her friends. I never could and probably never will. I loved to party and was fairly popular in high school. So to a degree, like the first few pages I thought I get Aubrey... t ...more

I hated it. I hated the characters, none of them were likable except maybe Trip and those two girls at the end. I hated the lack of respect for themselves and others the characters had and I know this is a work of fiction but holy shit, pardon my french, DO NOT GIVE THIS BOOK TO YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER! They set a TERRIBLE example for girls and I'm not one to say that quickly. There were no redeeming factors and no resolution at the end. It was awful. Don't read it.
...more

Mar 17, 2014
Katy Upperman
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
favorites
This book reminds me a little bit of 17 First Kisses, a little bit of Before I Fall, and a little bit of the movie Mean Girls. And… I love it. I’ve read a few not-so-favorable reviews of this novel, reviews that knock MC Aubrey and her friends for being mean and shallow and (gasp) slutty. Just… ugh. (Have I mentioned that the “unlikeable teen girl” is one of my most loathed literary gripes?) Admittedly, Aubrey and her BFFs are not perfect. They make some choices that are dangerous and selfish an
...more

Loved it. Sort of like if Katie Cotugno and Rachael Allen teamed up to write a companion novel to 17 First Kisses.
RTC soon.
RTC soon.

Love doesn't have a definite set of rules. It's different for everyone, for every couple, for every culture.
I felt absolutely depressed the entire time I read this book. I know love and romance can't be perfect but this book took it to extremes. Aubrey, Shelby, Melissa, and Danica were girl versions of "Players". They didn't get attached, they hooked up with guys and tossed them away to protect themselves from heartache. But see, here's the thing, you can't really avoid heartache. Whether yo ...more
I felt absolutely depressed the entire time I read this book. I know love and romance can't be perfect but this book took it to extremes. Aubrey, Shelby, Melissa, and Danica were girl versions of "Players". They didn't get attached, they hooked up with guys and tossed them away to protect themselves from heartache. But see, here's the thing, you can't really avoid heartache. Whether yo ...more

***If you want more, you have to give less***
This Book left me in tears, it was probably One of the more realistic YA contemporary books I have read. I'm kind of disappointed this book has such low ratings, because even though these girls weren't always kind to each other, they were definitely real. Aubrey, Was such a good character, we really could understand where she was coming from. I think being a teenage girl is hard, you want to please everyone around you, and sometimes you do that at you ...more
This Book left me in tears, it was probably One of the more realistic YA contemporary books I have read. I'm kind of disappointed this book has such low ratings, because even though these girls weren't always kind to each other, they were definitely real. Aubrey, Was such a good character, we really could understand where she was coming from. I think being a teenage girl is hard, you want to please everyone around you, and sometimes you do that at you ...more


My thanks to HarperTeen
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I'm not sure where to start without sounding offensive. The truth is I thought the whole book was uncalled for. It was so boring. The characters weren't interesting, and neither was the storyline. ...more

Eeeeeek been waiting so long for this cover and for this book to enter the world! I was lucky enough to read this once upon a time while interning and it's so phenomenal. So excited for the finished version!
...more

Alexis Bass's Love And Other Theories is about this girl named Aubrey who decides along with her group of friends to date as if they were boys. Read my full review here Link goes live 3/27/2017
...more

What would happen if Taylor Swift and Tina Fey wrote a book? Well, this is certainly what they'll come up with.
My initial expectation was oh, this is going to be another mindless read for me. The synopsis came off as another typical YA contemporary romance to me where there's heartbreak and drama and a lot of stolen kisses. Colour me surprise when I finished this book at 1AM stifling sobs. This book literally handed me my expectations.
The whol ...more
My initial expectation was oh, this is going to be another mindless read for me. The synopsis came off as another typical YA contemporary romance to me where there's heartbreak and drama and a lot of stolen kisses. Colour me surprise when I finished this book at 1AM stifling sobs. This book literally handed me my expectations.
*I don't believe in stress; I believe in living.
The whol ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

"Love doesn't have a definite set of rules. It's different for everyone, for every couple, for every culture."
Love & Other Theories is a young adult contemporary romance that is very different from any other contemporary I have ever read.
Here is a quote from the book that I found rather interesting:
"TGS-The Girlfriend Stigma- a scientific term describing the disgrace girls face from guys when the girls appear to want to hold the title of "girlfriend."
The main character, Aubrey and her t ...more
Love & Other Theories is a young adult contemporary romance that is very different from any other contemporary I have ever read.
Here is a quote from the book that I found rather interesting:
"TGS-The Girlfriend Stigma- a scientific term describing the disgrace girls face from guys when the girls appear to want to hold the title of "girlfriend."
The main character, Aubrey and her t ...more

Received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book. It is my true opinion only.
This was a great contemporary story about friendship, love, moving on and moving forward for the future.
I really enjoyed this storyline and characters. At times I didn't like Nathan because of his actions. And Shelby I was a bit touch and go on.
It was fun, and packed with giggles as well as seriousness. It went from light and happy times to dark times so va ...more
This was a great contemporary story about friendship, love, moving on and moving forward for the future.
I really enjoyed this storyline and characters. At times I didn't like Nathan because of his actions. And Shelby I was a bit touch and go on.
It was fun, and packed with giggles as well as seriousness. It went from light and happy times to dark times so va ...more

I loved this book! As someone else above said, it does have deceit plot line, but unlike the other reviewer, I thought that's what makes the book real. I also have a history with and strong personal feelings against deceit and am often turned off by plot lines with betrayal. That being said, this book does not do that. It doesn't romanticize deception, it instead include it in the reality of what might happen in love, especially if you shield yourself from the realities of love by using theories
...more
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Alexis Bass grew up in Washington, went to college in Arizona, and spent her early twenties in Seattle. She currently lives in Northern California with Dylan McKay, her gorgeous and rambunctious golden retriever. She loves good fashion and good TV as much as a good book, and is a huge advocate of the three C’s: coffee, chocolate, and cheese. LOVE AND OTHER THEORIES is her first novel.
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“According to Shelby, the longer you know someone, the longer they have to let you down. But sometimes, the longer you know someone, the more time they have to surprise you.”
—
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“We’re supposed to be reckless and careless and wild. And none of it is supposed to hurt. If we’ve kissed too many people, smoked too many cigarettes, had too much to drink, laughed too hard, offended too many people—we've done it right. We haven’t wasted any time. And Nathan and I have a lot of catching up to do.”
—
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