The Book of Luke

Finding what makes guys work is a hot topic in a lot of YA novels. This one was a bit different, but not all that much. I loved Emily's character. She was genuine.
My favorite part was Emily's group of friends back in Boston.

Reader reviewed by Sara

From back cover: Emily Abbott has always been considered the Girl Most Likely to Be Nice but lately being ice hasnt done her any good. Her parents have decided to move the family from Chicago back to their hometown of Boston in the middle of Emilys senior year. Only Emilys first real boyfriend, Sean, is in Chicago, and so is her shot at class valedictorian and early admission to the Ivy League. Whats a nice girl to do?
Then Sean dumps Emily on moving day and her father announces that hes staying behind in Chicago to tie up loose ends, and Emily decides that what a nice girl needs to do is stop being nice.
She reconnects with her best friends in Boston, Josie and Lucy, only to discover that they too have been on the receiving end of some glaring Guy Donts. So when the girls have to come up with something to put in the senior class time capsule, they know exactly what to do. Theyll create a not-so-nice reference guide for future generations of guys an instruction book that teaches them the right way to treat girls.
But when her friends draft Emily to test out their tips on Luke Preston the hottest, most popular guy in school, who just broke up with Josie by email Emily soon finds that Luke is the trickiest of test subjects& and that even a nice girl like Emily has a few things to learn about love.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Emily: I understood her motivations for her action, no matter how flawed they were; Luke: he was one of the most realistic guy characters Ive read about& and I totally loved him!

When I finished this book I felt: I have to admit, I was really, really impressed with this book. Not only that, I totally loved it. The Book of Luke had a premise similar to the movie John Tucker Must Die, but it was totally better than the movie. When I started the book, I wasnt really sure if I was going to like it& or if I was going to like Emilys love interest, Luke. The book started a bit slow& and Luke seemed like too big of jerk to salvage as a good guy to fall for. OConnell totally proved me wrong though!

Other books to read by this author: Plan B

I would recommend this book to: fans of teen chick lit&

Reader reviewed by megannx3

The main character in this book is Emily. Emily is an all around nice girl... That is until her father decides to move them back to their childhood home. Emily's boyfriend breaks up with her the morning she is leaving. This is a basically a guide on what a guy should not do. This  book made me laugh out loud. It reminded me a lot of the movie John Tucker Must Die. Depite that i did enjoy this book!

Reader reviewed by c-alexis

When I first read about this book online, I knew that I had to get to it. I love books that have a plot around some he-said-she-said, boy vs girl storyline. I wasn't disappointed to say the least.

I think this book is great for any teen who knows the ordeals that goes into choosing a friends and someone we can potentially love. It's also great for girls who think that guys are genetically stupid and just don't know how to treat girls right. Jenny O'Connell makes it clear in this novel that boys aren't the only ones who make stupid decisions and ultimately hurt those around them. Sometimes the problems that seem to be most troublesome between the two sexes is just a mess of misunderstandings.

I love the idea of Emily, a girl who's a nice girl, and is done with that persona. I personally think that it's insulting whenever anyone who knows me describes me as "nice." It's a thing you say about your neighbour or someone you don't really know how to describe. And though I do applaud Emily for finally speaking out for herself and taking life in her own hands, I also see how her efforts to be not nice end up in a really big mess.

One problem I did have with the characters is Josie's part in it. The guide was to just reform guys and let them know exactly what they're doing wrong. However, halfway into the novel, she expresses wanting to take Luke back for herself. It makes the relationship between Emily and Luke seem wrong no matter how it may end. And then Josie lets Emily off and even sets her back up with Luke. Both these abrupt changes seem too forced as if her actions are what helps O'Connell get the outcomes she wants from the story. Besides that, I liked the book. And I'll recommend it to teens anywhere.

Reprinted here with author's permission.

Reader reviewed by Nurin

The Girl Most Likely to be Nice, Emily, has finally decided to shake things up as her niceness isn't getting her anywhere.

When her parents decide to move from Chicago back to Boston, and her boyfriend dumps her on her moving day, Emily decided that it's time to stop being so nice.

Reunited with her old friends in Boston, they decide to make a guidebook for the guys of the future for their senior year time capsule.

And Emily's practicing their tips on one of her friends' ex boyfriends.

Sadly he's not the monster he's made out to be.

Could it be possible she..*gaspeth* likes the guy who broke up with Josie, her friend, through email?

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

High school senior Emily Abbott has always been nice. Thats what happens when your mother is a nationally known etiquette guru.

Well, look where nice has gotten her. Several weeks before Christmas, her dad makes the decision to move the family back to Massachusetts, where they grew up, and then several days later announces that he is going to stay in Chicago for a little while. Then her boyfriend Sean breaks up with her the morning she is leaving on her front step, in front of her whole family.

So Emily is done with being nice. Her old best friends Josie and Lucy welcome her back, and together they begin boy-bashing. Why are all guys so rude, oblivious, obnoxious, and just plain clueless? The three decide to put together a not-so-nice guide to set the guys straight.

But before they can reveal this information to everyone, they must test it first. And there is no better guy to test it on than Josies ex-boyfriend, Luke Preston, the hottest and most popular guy in school, who broke up with her through email. Emily is going to make Luke fall for her, give him a few lessons in guy etiquette, and then dump him to get back at him for what he did to Josie and other girls.

Except somewhere in the middle of her game, her actions stop feeling manipulative and start feeling&genuine. Emily is torn between her love for her sort-of boyfriend Luke and her dedication to her friends and their project. Her attempt to keep both by lying to everyone could just end up losing her everyone she cares for&unless shes brave enough to come clean to everyone.

Jenny OConnell has a real ear for teen dialogue a great story going, and the result is a fun and charming book thats worth reading.