review: guyaholic by carolyn mackler

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Wow. That was my first reaction to this book. I didn’t realize that today’s YA involves such powerful storylines that are this masterfully done. (Guess I’ve been reading too much Gossip Girl, Private, and the like—while enjoyable, they’re nothing like this!) Throughout Guyaholic, I felt I was right there with V to experience all her ups and downs.

V was born to a teenager who moved them from place to place and, of course, boyfriend to boyfriend before leaving V with her parents so she could pursue yet another man. Even though V’s had stability for a while with her grandparents, she still experiences many letdowns at the hands of her mother. Promises are made and quickly broken, which causes V’s grandparents to become concerned enough to suggest therapy. V’s unhappy relationship with her mother is likely why she sets about sabotaging her relationship with Sam, the one guy who made it past her two week limit, before he “abandons” her when it comes time for both of them to leave for college.

I quite enjoyed the ending. It actually came as a surprise to me. Somehow I just expected a different outcome to her road trip; although part of the ending is sad, V does get the chance for a happy ending.
5/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Candlewick.