Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Aubrey knows better than to believe high school love lasts. She knows better than to be one of those girls who believe that their boyfriend is going to be hers longer than just a minute. No-- Aubrey and her friend (Shelby, Danica, and Melissa) are evolved. They know that they can't expect a boy to settle, so they settle for having as much fun as they can for the time they do get. No hurt feelings when someone changes their mind, no regrets. But then Nathan Diggs moves to town and shakes up Aubrey's life and makes her question the theories that she used to swear by after Shelby came up them.
I was really excited to read this book. It's so rare to read a book from the perspective of the popular kids, the cool kids, the kids who suck face instead of reading about blood suckers. And I really hoped this wasn't going to be one of those books, those books the author writes that indulges them instead of really saying something. But it really was.
Don't get me wrong, this book was definitely enjoyable, but Aubrey's character is forgettable and instead what I remember are the raunchy details and how I complained to my friend about how mean these girls were. The way they treated their ex-friend whose past transgressions led to the theories is an abomination. It's so much girl-on-girl-hating that I can't believe no one said anything. I can't believe anyone stood by and watched them destroyed this girl when her only mistake was giving a guy she liked her phone number.
Sure, Nathan Diggs was a good character, but in the end he was the only one who I liked. I know characters, just like real people, can't be perfect, but all the other characters, while flawed, were so unrealistically ignorant of their shortcomings and of their mistakes. Shelby, a character I wasn't sure if I was supposed to love or hate, was the only real character in the book, and even then her "indescribable beauty" and other flawless aspects, while possibly intended to draw a comparison between what's outside and what's within or between being flawless or being flawed, with Bass's unskilled writing were just combating each other and made Shelby unrelatable, making her as untouchable as the idea of a manic pixie dream girl.I enjoyed the book all the same, but as a light read, something fun. I considered not finishing it, but I was interested to see how the only good part of this book-- the evolution of Nathan and Aubrey's relationship-- ended.
If there's one reason I would have put the book down, and I really did consider it, was that Aubrey kept referring to her and her friends as "evolved" and shaming other girls who she didn't think were. Other girls who were losing points for team girl, while she and her friends made out with whoever wanted them, scared of their feelings and instead just letting themselves be used and left and recycled. I wanted her to see sooner, I wanted her to realize her false sense of superiority that came from ideas stemming from insecurity and fear made her more vulnerable, more naive, and made her sound shallow and, to be quite honest, incredibly immature.
This would, however, be a really good guilty-pleasure read. If you just need something easy and raunchy, I'd say go for it-- through your local library.
Rating: 2/5
Would I Recommend: Yes, for a light read if you need a scandalous book to read, but no if you want something that's actually well written.
To... High schoolers exclusively. Maybe.
If You Liked...
"Pretty Little Liars" by Sara Shepard
My Playlist for this Book:
"Break Up With Him" by Old Dominion
"Sex" by The 1975
"Bang Bang" by Jessie J
Links:
Buy this book on Amazon here, Barnes and Noble here, Powell's here, or be a boss and Buy Independent!!!
Find it on Goodreads here and Shelfari here.
Read a negative review from Nosegraze here, or a more positive one from Midnight Book Girl here.
Peace out girl scouts :)
R
