Confessions of a Boyfriend Stealer

September 1, 2005
Gr 7 Up -In this story written as a blog, fictitious readers comment on the trials and tribulations of the book's protagonist, Genesis Bell. She and her two best friends are known as the Terribles. Her friends are shallow, promiscuous, and nasty. Gen's narcissistic mother and sister are over-the-top -as shallow and promiscuous as the Terribles, and perhaps more unbelievable, as they both fall for the same man, who is -a Bible thumper. As the story unfolds, Gen's friends' boyfriends come on to her. She is at first happy for the male attention, and then guilty about betraying her friends -even though they are busy betraying their boyfriends. When Gen confesses that she accidentally kissed one of the boys, the girls can't or won't believe her, and she is hurt. Gen wants to be a documentary filmmaker, and so she uses a wild teen party as her debut vehicle. At the party, one of the boyfriends drunkenly comes on to her again, which she accidentally records. In the end, she finally realizes that friendship with the Terribles isn't worth it. Gen has moved on, and is stronger for the insights she has gained. The book is filled with teen lingo and teen concerns handled in a sarcastic and shallow manner, and the characters are as flat as the author's attempts at humor." -Catherine Ensley, Latah County Free Library District, Moscow, ID"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2005
Gr. 8-11. The cross-fertilization of media forms reaches a weird new height in this airy novel straight from the blogosphere. In entries formatted like a real blog (complete with message-board posts and slightly irrelevant "links"), 16-year-old Gen tells of the sense of belonging she initially gained from her friendship with CJ and Tasha and how events have forced her to see how snotty and self-centered the two really are. Nudging her toward this revelation are advances from both her friends' boyfriends and a film project that earns the admiration of worthier peers. Some depictions, particularly of Gen's frivolous mother and sister, are unabashed caricatures, and the mentions of sex and alcohol seem out of place given the narrative's giddy, naive tone and cover art more typical of middle-grade fiction. Still, the book's unusual format will appeal to many readers, reluctant and otherwise, and the frothy plot will satisfy chick-lit fans. Try this on teens who enjoyed Lauren Myracle's " ttyl "(2004).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2006
The blog of sixteen-year-old Genesis tells how, over spring break, she "stole" her two best friends' boyfriends and dealt with her mother and sister's fight over the same guy. Three blog readers provide unnecessary commentary on Genesis's story. Though the writing is entertaining, both plot and characters are stereotypical and the blog format is gimmicky.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)