{Review} Anatomy of a Boyfriend by: Daria Snadowsky

Publication date: January 9, 2007

Publisher: Delacorte Books For Young Readers

How I got the copy: from the author in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

From Goodreads:

Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

Plot: 7/10

Characters: 7/10

Setting: 9/10

Pacing: 6/10

Style: 7/10

Cover: It's so unique and eye catching. I was instantly wondering what was up with the naked Ken doll, but now after reading the book I think it's the perfect cover for it.

36+50=86 (4.5 Stars)

Thank you Daria Snadowsky for not sugar coating or romanticizing first loves. I know that sounds ironic because first loves are supposed to be romantic, but more often than not they are awkward and end just as passionately as they begin and I'm tired of YA books glorifying first relationships. This book definitely portrays the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes for falling for someone for the first time and I found myself laughing out loud, shaking my head, and at times even blushing. I was not expecting the steaminess of this book at all! I mean I guess I should have because the cover has a naked doll on it, but it went from a girl who has no experience to full on steamy scenes in a few chapters.

The characters were a unique bunch. Dom is the stereotypical nerdy girl in the beginning, but I was so glad she grew as the story went on and by the end she was a completely different person. I think there was such character development because the time span of the novel was from the end of high school to the end of the first semester of college. It enabled a lot to happen in a short book which I surprisingly really liked. It was easy to fall for Wes along with the main character. And I was glad he wasn't perfect like most boys in YA (seriously...Peetas don't exist). Amy, Dom's best friend, was the main reason I laughed out loud throughout the book. She was that friend. You know, the one that says obnoxiously sexual things all the time. So I was glad I wasn't reading this book in public or I would have looked stupid snorting at some of the comments Amy makes. Also, can I just say I wanted to slap the Grandma silly? The format of the book reminded me of The Jessica Darling Series. There were emails and Instant Messaging conversations sprinkled throughout and it made for a more interesting read.

I will admit that it took me a good 80 pages before I was fully into the book. The beginning was little too stereotypical nerdy girl embarrasses herself in front of a hot boy and the boy is the knight in shining armor saving her. But once the plot progressed I found my guesses at where the plot was going were completely wrong and I loved that. I think this is a perfect beach read. It's really light and silly, yet touches on some pretty intense emotions that every girl goes through in her first relationship. The ending was pretty open-ended so I'm excited to start book two soon.

“How is it that mankind can engineer condoms to prevent pregnancy and STDs and not be able to invent some sort of emotional safeguard? Is it even possible to abstain from falling in love?”

― Daria Snadowsky, Anatomy of a Boyfriend