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The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
Unavailable
The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
Unavailable
The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
Audiobook5 hours

The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver

Written by E. Lockhart

Narrated by Mandy Siegfried

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

From E. Lockhart, author of the highly acclaimed, New York Times bestseller We Were Liars, which John Green called "utterly unforgettable," comes The Boyfriend List, the first book in the uproarious and heartwarming Ruby Oliver novels.

Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it's unusual, but give her a break-she's had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she:

  • lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list),
  • lost her best friend (Kim),
  • lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket),
  • did something suspicious with a boy (#10),
  • did something advanced with a boy (#15),
  • had an argument with a boy (#14),
  • drank her first beer (someone handed it to her),
  • got caught by her mom (ag!),
  • had a panic attack (scary),
  • lost a lacrosse game (she's the goalie),
  • failed a math test (she'll make it up),
  • hurt Meghan's feelings (even though they aren't really friends),
  • became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)
  • and had graffiti written about her in the girls' bathroom (who knows what was in the boys'!?!).

But don't worry-Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 22, 2005
ISBN9781400098897
Unavailable
The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver
Author

E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart is the author of many YA novels, including We Were Liars and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. She was voted worst driver in her senior class in high school.

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Reviews for The Boyfriend List

Rating: 3.6350093318435754 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

537 ratings50 reviews

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I chose this book because I really enjoyed We Were Liars and I wanted a quick read from a good author. However, this book bored me. I felt like I was constantly waiting for "Mean Girls" plot line to take over but it never did. I suppose there are teenage girls who can relate to Ruby and would probably love this story. I personally found it to be stereotypical high school which you'll get over long before you graduate, and I think the main character knew that by the end too.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I chose this book because I really enjoyed We Were Liars and I wanted a quick read from a good author. However, this book bored me. I felt like I was constantly waiting for "Mean Girls" plot line to take over but it never did. I suppose there are teenage girls who can relate to Ruby and would probably love this story. I personally found it to be stereotypical high school which you'll get over long before you graduate, and I think the main character knew that by the end too.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A fun YA chick-lit bit of angst.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    While I was stressed out about packing for a move, I wanted an easy-breezy, humorous read. The Boyfriend List is a great beginning to the Ruby Oliver series. Ruby is an engaging narrator who slowly opens herself up the prospect of analyzing herself and her relationships (family, friends, and every boy she has ever remotely been in contact with over the course of her life.) The form of the book helped me empathize with Ruby and her situation. The footnotes were also a glorious joy, though a bit cumbersome to navigate for the Kindle version. I will definitely be checking out other books in this series to see how the characters continue to develop and evolve.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    15-year-old Ruby Oliver understandably starts having panic attacks when her first real boyfriend dumps her for her best friend and her other three best friends stop talking to her (in spectacular, public, and dramatic fashion, of course), all within a relatively short period of time. Her parents start taking her to a therapist, Dr. Z., who tells Ruby to make a "boyfriend list", a list of every guy who Ruby has ever had any sort (real, imagined, less-than-24-hour, or slightly longer) of relationship with at all. Told from Ruby's point of view, readers hear the blow-by-blow account of each and every boy, from the one she used to play in the splashy pool with when she was four (Adam, the mermaid) to the one who dumped her out of the blue and mere days later was discovered at a party, stark naked with her former best friend (Jackson, the actual boyfriend...not that Ruby was at the party, mind you, but an oh-so-helpful acqaintence gave her a detailed description of the event after). An entertaining look at one girl's journey to self-discovery that leaves readers wanting more--which is good, since it's the start to a series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Re-read.

    I adored this book. I really enjoy Lockhart's breezy writing style, and I completely identified with Ruby, the protagonist. The characters are believable, the plotting leisurely but engrossing, and the writing matches Ruby's style exactly.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    gah, this book stressed me OUT. however, it did make me reevaluate some past relationships. yay?
    oH WAIT! extra star for footnotes!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When I started reading this, I added it on Goodreads and sort of scrolled through reviews, not reading them but eyeing the ratings. For most books, my friends reach a sort of general consensus; with The Boyfriend List, the ratings varied from one star to five. Thankfully, I fell on the higher end of the spectrum, a relief since I just bought the complete series in a fit of no will power.

    The variety in opinions on this book makes perfect sense, though. How you feel about The Boyfriend List will likely have a direct correlation to how you feel about the MC, Ruby Oliver. Ruby has a very distinct way of expressing herself and somewhat controversial opinions. If she annoys you, the book will be utter hell. However, if you think she's hilarious and makes good points and maybe reminds you of your high school self, you'll think she and this book are the best ever.

    Though I did not personally identify with Ruby, I did think that she was funny most of the time, with occasional forays into whininess or melodrama, though these fit her personality and her situation perfectly. The Boyfriend List revolves around a series of panic attacks Ruby had, leading her parents to send her to a therapist. Her therapist asked her to draw up a list of boys for them to discuss. Thus the list was born, ultimately with some Harriet the Spy kind of consequences.

    What Lockhart got just right is the teenage drama. Ruby feels so much like a teenage girl, with her own misconceptions, weird slang and inability to deal with being a social outcast. Having a boyfriend matters so much. Her own world matters so much, and she has a lot of trouble seeing past her own issues. Her parents fight all the time, but she can't really see that until therapy, and the same goes for her friends' issues too. Ruby has blinders on, and it's wonderful to watch her gain new perspective on the world in her conversations with her shrink.

    The romantic drama herein depicted may seem a bit like the absurdity of Gossip Girl or Glee, where the same twelve characters keep swapping boyfriends in an endless spiral of jealousy, betrayal and infidelity. However, Tate, Ruby's school, is this tiny prep school full of rich kids (except for Ruby, who's on scholarship); there just aren't that many fish in the dating pool. I went to a very small college, and one guy dated three girls out of the twelve on my freshman hall, so that kind of stuff does happen, though there was no drama with our instance. They're stuck in a small school with lots of hormones and not many people with whom to exercise them.

    The other awesome thing about Ruby Oliver is that it's not romanticizing teens or trying to depict them as innocent or sex as awful. Ruby discusses sex openly and with overt fascination. She and her friends discuss boys and all of their exploits and that's just so much how life goes down; we all share the details with our best friends.

    Now, this really does not affect my opinion of the novel or mean anything to those who have not read this book, but I still need to get this off my chest: Kim and Jackson are major d-bags. Jackson especially. He's a serial boyfriend, dumping one girl and immediately lining up the next (or already having her waiting). Kim may be a big proponent of "The Rules," and, yes, Ruby broke them too, but Kim stepped out of line first. She can talk about fate or how it only just happened all she wanted, but she is lying. Ruby needs to get those two awful people out of her heart entirely and out of her life as much as is possible at Tate.

    The Boyfriend List is a humorous, sassy contemporary, sure to delight those who delight in misadventure, pop culture references, and romantic drama.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ruby is a teenager with boy troubles. It was a cute enough book, nothing spectacular
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    After having five panic attacks in a week, 15 year old Ruby Oliver's parents start sending her to a shrink, Dr. Z. Dr. Z tells Ruby to make a list of all of the boys that she has ever had feelings about in her entire life. The list of fifteen boys (impressive for a girl with only one ex-boyfriend), however, ends up just adding to the trouble that caused the panic attacks in the first place.Ruby Oliver is an absolute delight of a character. Yes she has angst and she's a little bit obsessive in thinking about boys a lot of the time, but in my experience, that's pretty typical for a 15 year old girl. What is so enjoyable about Ruby is her hysterical internal monologues and the footnotes that she uses throughout the novel to add small sidenotes to her own narrative. Ruby's story and her growth over the novel are just plain fun to read and I'm really glad there are three more books in this series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Roo is having panic attacks after her boyfriend and all her friends dump her. She starts seeing a therapist and her first task is to write a boyfriend list. Through her list she traces her complicated history with boys and her friends in her attempt to heal her broken heart. There are footnotes throughout the book which are then listed at the end of each chapter (at least in the eBook format), I would have preferred them on the bottom of the page they appeared.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Cute story with your typical high school dating neurosis...a good read for those who like humor in diary/journal format.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Charming and hilarious account of Ruby Oliver, recently-deemed slut who has random panic attacks.Teens and adults will fly through this novel and enjoy every word. Fast-paced dialogue, witty and hilarious, Ruby is an honest, true teen. Her family and its quirks ring true as does Ruby's relationships with her friends and her sort-of boyfriends.Addictive and entertaining. Can't wait to read the next one!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I personally loved this book, even though I see many people thought it was just good or okay. Each chapter tells about one or two boyfriends that Ruby had. I like to think of this book as one of those that probably started like this in the authors mind," If everything could go wrong to a girl, this would happen." My eyes were glued to this book the day I checked it out from the library and I could not unglue them once I really dug deep in to it. I finished the day I checked it out. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes chick flicks, yet does not like chick flick books that predictable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Summary: Ruby Oliver's had a rough few weeks. Her boyfriend, Jackson, dumped her out of the blue; she got into a huge fight with her best friend Kim, which has resulted in all of their other friends not speaking to her; everyone in their tiny Seattle high school thinks that Ruby's a slut - which is completely untrue; and she's started having panic attacks. Her parents send her right off to a shrink, which Ruby is so not psyched about - what kind of fifteen-year-old needs a shrink, anyways? Dr. Z's first assignment for Ruby is to make a list of all of the important boys in her life, so that they can start at the beginning and figure out how things got to be the way they are. Review: It seems like most of the YA novels I read, contemporary or otherwise, have a love story front and center, even if they're nominally not romances. So it was refreshing to read a book that didn't really have a love story - or, rather, had a lot of love stories, was made up of mostly love stories, but that focused on their aftermaths rather than their beginnings. Reading about someone else's therapy sessions doesn't sound like it should be particularly entertaining, and certainly not funny, but in Lockhart's hands, Ruby's telling of her own life (and love) story becomes the fodder for some cringe-worthy yet comic moments. Lockhart treats the subject of panic attacks, and therapy, and the people involved with a good deal of respect, and despite Ruby's early antagonism towards her shrink, without judging.I always love when YA novels get the feeling of high school right, and The Boyfriend List definitely does. I went to a school that was about as insular as Ruby's, and I recognized a lot of the friendship and boy drama and cliquishness and general highschoolish behavior. Where Ruby's friends have The Boy Book, and Ruby's got her Boyfriend List, we had the Kissing Web and the Dot List of Crushable Boys (one of our guy friends found out that he only had five dots out of a possible six, and spent months actively campaigning for that last dot.) We thankfully managed to keep the inter-friend squabbling over boys to a minimum, but I still recognized a lot of the dynamics in Ruby's social circle.I was pleasantly surprised by Ruby herself. For most of the book, she's the kind of character that normally pisses me off: completely passive, not doing anything to make things better, and then complain-y about how terrible things are in her life. But strangely enough, I didn't really mind it in Ruby's case, and eventually I couldn't help but cheer for her... perhaps because she's at least working to change her behavior. I also really liked her narrative voice, and the fact that there were footnotes was an excellent bonus. The ending was satisfying without being overly neat and wrapped up, and I appreciated that Lockhart doesn't allow her characters an easy-out; everything felt well-earned. Overall, while I didn't always find this book completely emotionally absorbing, it was definitely consistently entertaining, and well worth the read. 4 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: I'd recommend The Boyfriend List for fans of contemporary YA who are looking for a fun read that's a little more than a standard girl-meets-boy love story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Doctor Z asks Roo to create "The Boyfriend List," as she suspects it might be a good place to start in figuring out where Roo's panic attacks are coming from. A reasonable assumption considering the fact that Roo had her first attack right after her boyfriend, Jackson, broke up with her. Thus the "list" is born and contains over 15 names, from serious relationship-worthy boy interactions to inconsequential ones. Each chapter is about a boy on the list, as Roo takes the reader through the progression of why and how the boy made the list. You would think this would create a random and disconnected story, but it's actually quite the reverse. It doesn't seem, at first, that these random boys and their encounters with Roo will ever end up relating to anything, but when it's all said and done, each one contributes to the story's "big picture" in a significant way. Kudos to Lockhart for being able to take something that is seemingly so random and to make such excellent connections that move her story forward and bring Roo to self-discovery.Although the story is, as stated previously, largely focused on Roo's journey of self-discovery, Lockhart is able to take us through that journey in such a way as to have me, literally, in tears... from constant laughter. There are very few books out there that actually make me laugh aloud, but this was definitely one of them. Roo's first person narrative is so hysterical. Just the way she phrases things, the irreverent bluntness of her internal thoughts...it's refreshing, honest, and extremely entertaining.This is the first of a four book series of Roo's adventures through her boyfriend list and her panic attacks, leading the reader to the final conclusion yet to come. I will be picking up the other books. This one was definitely worth the read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The novel, The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart encompasses never leave anything you don't want found in the open. In the beginning, Ruby Oliver, struggles with the whole shcool finding out about a list of boys she called The Boyfriend List. Throughout the middle she perseveres through going to therapy and talking to her ex-friends to keep herself sane. By the end she has learned that her bestfriend stole her boyfriend and how she gets through school with everyone findign out about her boyfriend list.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    the novel, the boyfriend list, encompasses a popular girl that becomes unpopular in less than a week. In the beginning, as he has acouple best friends and is having an exciting life, the protagonist struggles with not being able to find the right boy for her. Throughout the middle she preserves through the conflict of choosing her best friend or the boyfriend she loves. By the end she has learned that she couldnt trust all of her friends.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A reminder of how cruel teens, especially girls, can be to each other. Ruby is beginning to work through her relationship problems by the end of the book. Looking forward to reading the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    OK. Admittedly, I read the first part last, but still, I am even more convinced of Lockhart's adeptness at remembering and conveying the angst of teenage girls. One of the attributes of her writing is that she goes beyond the nuts and bolts of the story to interject philosophies on life - some I agree with, some I don't, but her ideas are timely and steeped withing a bit of historical context. While the electronic gadgets will eventually (and quickly)date the novel, YA's will continue to find much to relate to within the anxeties of 15 year-old Ruby Oliver. Some sexual references and attitudes. Some indication of pro-pill attitude, Junior Library Guild selection.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Hovering at a 3.5, but I'm gonna save room for the sequels. It's awesome the way E. Lockhart takes her stories so seriously, and that's where the real core of it is here -- true it's a book about boyfriends, but specifically, boyfriends that give you panic attacks. Not every girl has boyfriends and panic attacks, but the feelings are not unique to the context.I like reading books about younger teenagers lately, because I think stories and conclusions about friendship are particularly influential at that period. There are lots of ways to slice it, and Ruby Oliver's recent life in this book is a pretty powerful everygirl disaster. I am so excited she is learning and talking.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Fairly good teen book. Ruby is a good narrator and I did find myself laughing out loud at certain parts. Ruby's 'angst' is fairly realistic in the teenage-girl-all-I-think-about-is-boys-and-friends scenario. Light, funny read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Kearsten says: Ruby goes back through her fifteenth year, complete with LOTS of boys, betrayal, broken friendships and shrink appointments.I found this a bit frustrating. Ruby is a bit hard to like - yes, she did get the rough end of the stick in a few instances, and the last month or so of school I wouldn't wish on an enemy, but she brought a lot of stuff on herself and doesn't have much respect for herself. I'd want to shake her if she were real. As it was, I just wanted the book to end well. It doesn't, not really. She doesn't end badly, but I always like some come-uppance for the jerks, but that didn't happen - not even remotely. Boo.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ruby goes back through her fifteenth year, complete with LOTS of boys, betrayal, broken friendships and shrink appointments.I found this a bit frustrating. Ruby is a bit hard to like - yes, she did get the rough end of the stick in a few instances, and the last month or so of school I wouldn't wish on an enemy, but she brought a lot of stuff on herself and doesn't have much respect for herself. I'd want to shake her if she were real. As it was, I just wanted the book to end well. It doesn't, not really. She doesn't end badly, but I always like some come-uppance for the jerks, but that didn't happen - not even remotely. Boo.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    At age 15, Ruby Oliver starts seeing a shrink when she starts experiencing panic attacks. The trouble seems to be related to her break-up with a boyfriend, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Her therapist tells her to write "The Boyfriend List," a list of all the boys Ruby has liked, kissed, dated, etc. Each chapter is headed by a boy on the list, as Ruby explains all that has led up to her panic attacks.I think I reached about my limit of teenage angst in this book, but it was still a good read. Humor kept me going the most, just certain descriptions (particularly of old movies or a teenage girl's understanding of classic rock) or turns of phrase. Also, Ruby learns a lot about herself and while I sometimes felt frustrated with her as a character, I also related to her.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ruby Oliver's life has official fallen apart. She used to have a great boyfriend, a close group of friends and a pretty good reputation... Not anymore. Now everyone, including her supposed best-friend, thinks Ruby is a slut. Just for kissing her ex-boyfriend at the Spring Fling. And he kissed back...she thinks. Now Ruby is a social leper and is so messed up she has to go to therapy, thanks mom! Things seem bad, but don't worry they can always get worse. Ruby's voice is fantastic in this book. You never want to stop reading and most of the time I just wanted to crawl in there and help her to stop making some serious mistakes. I think this would be a pretty good book for anyone starting therapy because it is a helpful but humorous look at what therapy can do for teens.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ruby Oliver tells us about her social melt-down - and leads us step by step through the history of her friendships and sometimes romantic relationships to lead us to a conclusion that seems almost inevitable. And as everything falls apart around her, a few unexpected allies pop up. Oh, and as painful as reliving high school drama is, this book is really, really funny. Even as I was frantically looking around for a hole for Ruby to fall into, I was laughing at the absurdity of the situations we can get ourselves into.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I fell in love with Lockhart with Frankie, but knew I'd keep reading her books after The Boyfriend List. I loved this book way more than I thought. I'd passed over it numerous times in the past, but when I finally picked it up, I scolded myself for not reading it before. Basically it's a high school story where everything goes wrong, but in a way that the reader can identify with. There's no drama car crash or alien abduction or whatever (not that I don't like those, I do), it's just normal teenage stuff. And I love Lockhart for both the frank way she deals with therapy and how really, absolutely hard it is for some of us in high school, even when we're just trying to do the right thing.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    After Ruby Oliver starts having panic attacks, her parents send her to a therapist who makes her write down a list of every boy she's ever kissed (or almost kissed). As Ruby tells the stories of how the boys made her list, the reader finds out why she is having panic attacks and watches as she learns to stick up for herself.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ruby has to go see a therapist after her boyfriend dumps her and her therapist makes her create a list of all the boys who have ever meant anything to her. No matter how great or small. Each chapter heading starts with the name of the boy she discusses in that week's session, but we hear much more about Ruby. We get the story on her boyfriend and why he dumped her and also learn much about her school and her friends.