Review: The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise

Title: The Boyfriend App
Author: Katie Sise
Published: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Source: Received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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?

The Boyfriend App... don't we all wish such a thing existed.  Just think, you click a button and an app finds your one true love.  Easy, right?  Audrey thought it was a perfect idea.  The most perfect idea, that could help her win the competition for the best app.  When your family is poor, but you have dreams of going to college, you do what needs to be done to make your dreams become a reality.  And sometimes that turns out to be MUCH more than you expected.

There was quite a bit of technical mumbo jumbo concerning computer programming, app creation, etc., which went flying right over my head.  At first I didn't like it, and skimmed over it.  But eventually I grew to like it, realizing that it went to show how passionate some people can be about this topic.

I had great difficulty relating to Audrey at all.  She's nothing, and I mean nothing, like me.  But I did find her likable which helped me care about her character.  The other characters were great... my favorite being Aiden.  He was sweet AND lovable, which you don't find much in books lately. It seems like the love interests are always arrogant bad boys, so him being so down-to-earth and caring was rather refreshing.

I have to say the whole idea of this story is overly far-fetched and completely unrealistic.  So you must go into the story already knowing that, or you may be disappointed.  I found this book to be what it appeared it was meant to be... a cute, light, silly story.

There were also many twists and turns, which I wasn't expecting at all.  I really liked that.  I think the second half of the book was much better than the first half.  I'm happy it ended up going in the direction it did.  It was overall a quite enjoyable read.

If you're wondering: Yes, it is tempting to hack into Blake's computer and mess with her life.  Except I'd be breaking my dad's rule: Never use what you know to hurt people.

Hello, boys.  Here come Audrey McCarthy.  Trog.  Hacker.  Sex object.  Inventor of the Boyfriend App 2.0.