It's Not Me, It's You

A young woman revisits her many ex-boyfriends through interviews with her friends and acquaintances in this comedic romance. After she's dumped by her current boyfriend just days before prom, 17-year-old blonde, white Avery subverts an assignment at San Anselmo Prep on oral histories in order to retrace the map of her love life from middle school on. Told entirely in the form of interviews with others and including editorial interjections by Avery, this novel details each of her previous romantic relationships, some of which were more complicated than others. The playful, often teasing tone employed by many of the interviewees can be quite funny. Perspectives on Avery vary. Her supportive best friend, Coco, who is Korean-American, and Hutch, her cute and nerdy lab partner, who is black (and likes to think he resembles "a young Neil deGrasse Tyson") like her more than others--such as Bizzy Stanhope, Avery's rival, who is described throughout as "officially the worst." Readers looking for a light-as-air romance and who don't mind the predictability of the outcome will enjoy the humor and the sprawling cultural references, from Chris Evans to Sweet Valley High to Audrey Hepburn and the Kennedys. Formulaic in plot if not in format, this should fit the bill for readers looking for total escape on a weekend afternoon. (Romance. 12-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Avery is blonde, popular, athletic, and smart. So is her boyfriend, who dumps her before their senior prom. Since Avery has always been the one to end relationships, she wants to interview her ex-boyfriends and figure out how such a horrible thing could have happened to her. She decides that this will also double as her oral history project, despite the teacher's protests that Avery's dating history doesn't meet the assignment requirements. The concept of soul-searching by looking at past partners has worked more successfully and humorously in other titles, such as John Green's An Abundance of Katherines. This story is formatted as an interview in which no one is asking actual questions. Avery flips between making editor's notes and joining in the conversation, resulting in a disjointed read and adding to the implausibility. The characters are largely stereotypes who don't receive much help from dated pop culture references. Readers might find it difficult to root for such a person. VERDICT Frothy and fun books deserve space on library shelves, but it might be tough to make room for this navel-gazing tale. Only for fans of Strohm or as an additional purchase.-Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard, IL

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Avery Dennis has a rich and varied dating history, including a Vespa-riding Italian, a dude-ranch cowboy, and even a TV celebrity. Suddenly single just days before senior prom, she's beginning to wonder why her relationships don't last. Inspired by an assignment, she decides to compose an oral history (which makes up the book) of her dating life, interviewing every ex-boyfriend and some bystanders in order to plumb the depths of her relationship failures. Under close scrutiny, the structure doesn't quite hold up, but it's easy to ignore that quibble and get swept up in Avery's sprightly, determined journey of self-discovery, packed to the brim with rom-com tropes. Side characters, like her best friend, Coco, and archnemesis, Bizzy, emerge fully formed from their brief first-person interludes, but none so much as Hutch, Avery's lab partner, whom she's recruited to objectively analyze her findings. Of course, savvy readers will catch on thatnaturallyHutch's interest is not solely scientific. This effervescent romp bounces between playful fluff, witty humor, and happily-ever-after sincerity, and romance fans will be gleefully hooked.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2016
A young woman revisits her many ex-boyfriends through interviews with her friends and acquaintances in this comedic romance. After shes dumped by her current boyfriend just days before prom, 17-year-old blonde, white Avery subverts an assignment at San Anselmo Prep on oral histories in order to retrace the map of her love life from middle school on. Told entirely in the form of interviews with others and including editorial interjections by Avery, this novel details each of her previous romantic relationships, some of which were more complicated than others. The playful, often teasing tone employed by many of the interviewees can be quite funny. Perspectives on Avery vary. Her supportive best friend, Coco, who is Korean-American, and Hutch, her cute and nerdy lab partner, who is black (and likes to think he resembles "a young Neil deGrasse Tyson") like her more than otherssuch as Bizzy Stanhope, Avery's rival, who is described throughout as "officially the worst." Readers looking for a light-as-air romance and who don't mind the predictability of the outcome will enjoy the humor and the sprawling cultural references, from Chris Evans to Sweet Valley High to Audrey Hepburn and the Kennedys. Formulaic in plot if not in format, this should fit the bill for readers looking for total escape on a weekend afternoon. (Romance. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.