Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass

Love & Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Source: Library
Pages: 376
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: December 30th 2014
Series: Standalone
Verdict: Pass

Summary: If you want more, you have to give less.

That’s the secret to dating in high school. By giving as little as they expect to get in return, seventeen-year-old Aubrey Housing and her three best friends have made it to the second semester of their senior year heartbreak-free. And it’s all thanks to a few simple rules: don’t commit, don’t be needy, and don’t give away your heart.

So when smoking-hot Nathan Diggs transfers to Lincoln High, it shouldn’t be a big deal. At least that’s what Aubrey tells herself. But Nathan’s new-boy charm, his kindness, and his disarming honesty throw Aubrey off her game and put her in danger of breaking the most important rule of all: Don’t fall in love. 

Review: I had been looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately, was left feeling very disappointed. The summary seemed to be quite unique and interesting, leaving me compelled to read it. But once I opened it, I felt the desire to close it again. Because it wasn't what I was expecting at all. And it wasn't a good kind of unexpectedness.

I was shocked by how mean, cruel, reckless, and, quite frankly, idiotic (but still, the list goes on) the girls were in this book. The whole idea of keeping your heart intact is definitely okay, but the way the characters in this book went about it was just the opposite. It was not okay on any level. 

There was so much going on that I didn't know what to think. I couldn't process because everything was a big, jumbled mess. I really didn't see any clear and stable plot line being followed and one terrible thing turned into another, and another. For me, the bad moments kept multiplying, and it just wouldn't stop.

I could see why I wanted to read this, because if done right, I think it could've gone really well. But it went in the wrong direction for my taste. It wasn't organized, and I really disliked how the characters were made to act and speak and think. I couldn't relate at all. In fact, all I could really do was judge and dislike and mentally knock my head against a wall. No offense.

To be honest, I almost didn't finish this. There were so many times I just wanted to stop and quit, but I didn't because I honestly hate not finishing what I start. Plus, I kept thinking that it would get better. To my dismay, it didn't get better. In fact, I thought it got a bit worse. I was glad when I hit the ending though, because that meant I was done and would no longer be succumbed to what I could only describe as vanity and unpleasantness rolled into one way-too-long book. If I were to go back in time, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up for a good book, and I wouldn't have even picked up, much less finished, Love & Other Theories. 

Highly dislike 

★☆☆☆☆