Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Source: Publisher provided
Rating: 3 stars - It's a good read.
Purchase: IndieBound | amazon | Barnes and Noble
Synopsis: In The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise, super-smart, somewhat geeky Audrey McCarthy can’t wait to get out of high school. Her father’s death and the transformation of her one-time BFF, Blake Dawkins, into her worst nightmare have her longing for the new start college will bring.
But college takes money. So Audrey decides she has to win the competition for the best app designed by a high schooler—and the $200,000 that comes with it. She develops something she calls the Boyfriend App, and suddenly she’s the talk of the school and getting kissed by the hottest boys around. But can the Boyfriend App bring Audrey true love?
I'll admit that I'm a total geek girl and if there's an app for whatever I need at the time, well, I've probably already downloaded it. So I was happy to find a story that explored the concept of apps-for-everything and placed it in a YA setting.
The Boyfriend App starts off with a believable contest -- Audrey needs college money and conveniently, there's a competition that will use all of her programming skills. I loved how Audrey discovered and then exploited a weakness in the smartphone's programming to create the Boyfriend App. But, what I loved the most about the plot is how what you think will happen really does happen -- mismatches occur and they are awesome to read. These awkward, desperate, coyly accurate moments are so well written . Then, as in real life, things don't go Audrey's way. Past relationships haunt her and they threaten her app's success.
My one critique has to do with how the tension is resolved. And without any spoilers, let me just say that perhaps it's my age and business experience that make it a less credible leap into resolution. But, the story is fun and has the right touch of geeky intrigue to keep the plot rolling along. It did make me wonder if Audrey could create a Clean Up Your Room app for Mundie Moms? I know that we could all use that one.
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A clean up your room app would be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Geeky intrigue in this one too :) Wasn't too sure if I was going to like b/c the mean girls in the beginning were too much for me and I didn't find it believable at all, but I ended up enjoying it.
Tiffany - So glad you enjoyed it, too! And yes, that app would make millions!!! :)))
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