agrutle's review
4.0
Sam is a total player but he owns it. He doesn't try to act like he's a nice guy. He's literally down for sex without any strings. He just wishes he could find the female version of him, that would be the perfect girl. Scratch the itch and no drama afterwards. When his best friend Ally is dumped on her birthday by the jerk she's been dating she decides she wants Sam to teach her his ways. He's game and hopes he can successfully teach her how to be a player.
Ally's boyfriend, Jeremy broke up with her on her birthday and left her a mess. She thought she loved him, thought that things were more than they obviously were. She begs her best friend, Sam to teach her how to not care. So she goes through a transformation; new clothes, new hair and a new attitude. She enjoys the new look she has going and the looks shes getting. She's doing everything he told her to do and she's enjoying the sexual freedom.
I loved the banter between all of the characters. Rachel and Ian, Etienne and all of the people at the diner. It was hard to read though about these teenagers that just did what they want. I have a teenager and the thought of him doing all of these things and me not even knowing about it was a scary thought. I know her mom was around and Sam's dad was around but they weren't parents, not at all. It seemed like they could do what ever they wanted and there were no consequences. The basis of the story was friends to more and I loved that aspect of the book. Ally and Sam knew each other so well that they were in essence made for each other.
Ally's boyfriend, Jeremy broke up with her on her birthday and left her a mess. She thought she loved him, thought that things were more than they obviously were. She begs her best friend, Sam to teach her how to not care. So she goes through a transformation; new clothes, new hair and a new attitude. She enjoys the new look she has going and the looks shes getting. She's doing everything he told her to do and she's enjoying the sexual freedom.
I loved the banter between all of the characters. Rachel and Ian, Etienne and all of the people at the diner. It was hard to read though about these teenagers that just did what they want. I have a teenager and the thought of him doing all of these things and me not even knowing about it was a scary thought. I know her mom was around and Sam's dad was around but they weren't parents, not at all. It seemed like they could do what ever they wanted and there were no consequences. The basis of the story was friends to more and I loved that aspect of the book. Ally and Sam knew each other so well that they were in essence made for each other.
erinarkin20's review
4.0
So a few people I know were tweeting/talking about this book so I was super happy when I received a copy.
Sam is a player and best friends with Ally who is a self-proclaimed geek. When Ally's boyfriend of 2 years breaks up with her, she asks Sam to teach her how to be more like him. I loved the switching point of views as it gave both sides of how the story progressed without creating a lot of repetition.
One of the great things about this story was the way the relationship changed between Sam and Ally. I liked the main characters and yes, even Sam. He was up front and honest about what he was willing to give and only as roles were reversed did he start to realize how lonely a life it was. The secondary characters (Rachel, Ian, Etienne, etc.) were great too.
The fact that there are Angel/Buffy/Spike references in this book along side Pinky and the Brain only made it that much better. I enjoyed the dialogue and thought it added to the interactions between all of the characters.
I liked this book and it was a fairly quick read. Also a good sign - I didn't really want to put it down.
Sam is a player and best friends with Ally who is a self-proclaimed geek. When Ally's boyfriend of 2 years breaks up with her, she asks Sam to teach her how to be more like him. I loved the switching point of views as it gave both sides of how the story progressed without creating a lot of repetition.
One of the great things about this story was the way the relationship changed between Sam and Ally. I liked the main characters and yes, even Sam. He was up front and honest about what he was willing to give and only as roles were reversed did he start to realize how lonely a life it was. The secondary characters (Rachel, Ian, Etienne, etc.) were great too.
The fact that there are Angel/Buffy/Spike references in this book along side Pinky and the Brain only made it that much better. I enjoyed the dialogue and thought it added to the interactions between all of the characters.
I liked this book and it was a fairly quick read. Also a good sign - I didn't really want to put it down.
thecozyreaderwbo's review against another edition
4.0
Now this book….was interesting and not really in a good way. This is YA but it is way mature for a budding teen. It’s focus is purely on sex. Two best friends, Sam and Ally, manage to cross the line to friends with benefits. It’s vulgar yet hilarious. The tone is true to teens, especially Sam’s. I couldn’t really relate to Ally’s character too much. A quick read.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
3.0
At times this book was crass and crude (the title character manages to have meaningless sex in a parking lot in the first chapter) but it did have its sweet moments to balance out the sex and swearing.
Seventeen year olds Ally and Sam have been friends forever – their mothers met at a mothers group back in the day. When Ally’s boyfriend of two years dumps her for someone else she approaches Sam to help her get some game. Sam, master seducer that he is, decides that is his chance to change the world. To create a girl who has sex like a guy and makes none of the messy relationship blunders that the fairer gender is so prone to making.
Needless to say it doesn’t exactly go the way either of them were expecting.
There were a lot of things I really liked about the book. It tapped into the teen flick vibe perfectly. Ally is a She’s All That girl especially with respect to the make over… just remove the glasses give her some clothes with shape, get rid of the ponytail and she goes from eco-warrior Hipster to dazzling man-eater. Sam is a player without a cause who leaves a trail of one night stands in his wake. But he does have a redeeming quality – his life long friendship with Ally. I loved the banter between the two. And if I’ve learned anything from TV and movies it’s that if a guy is nice to kittens then he must be a good guy (so I suppose that’s another point in his favour… ). The alternating point-of-view chapters were well done – there’s minimal overlapping of events which keeps the story pace going and it was great to see the thoughts of both the characters during the novel.
Other characters in the book were fun to read too – Ally’s cousin Rachel and her boyfriend Ian who were retro college students were my favourite of the supporting characters with their advice and drama.
This book was fun to read and I thought it managed to perfectly capture the sex-crazed teen movie vibe perfectly.
Seventeen year olds Ally and Sam have been friends forever – their mothers met at a mothers group back in the day. When Ally’s boyfriend of two years dumps her for someone else she approaches Sam to help her get some game. Sam, master seducer that he is, decides that is his chance to change the world. To create a girl who has sex like a guy and makes none of the messy relationship blunders that the fairer gender is so prone to making.
Needless to say it doesn’t exactly go the way either of them were expecting.
There were a lot of things I really liked about the book. It tapped into the teen flick vibe perfectly. Ally is a She’s All That girl especially with respect to the make over… just remove the glasses give her some clothes with shape, get rid of the ponytail and she goes from eco-warrior Hipster to dazzling man-eater. Sam is a player without a cause who leaves a trail of one night stands in his wake. But he does have a redeeming quality – his life long friendship with Ally. I loved the banter between the two. And if I’ve learned anything from TV and movies it’s that if a guy is nice to kittens then he must be a good guy (so I suppose that’s another point in his favour… ). The alternating point-of-view chapters were well done – there’s minimal overlapping of events which keeps the story pace going and it was great to see the thoughts of both the characters during the novel.
Other characters in the book were fun to read too – Ally’s cousin Rachel and her boyfriend Ian who were retro college students were my favourite of the supporting characters with their advice and drama.
This book was fun to read and I thought it managed to perfectly capture the sex-crazed teen movie vibe perfectly.
authorkmg's review against another edition
4.0
You guys this book is the real deal. A lot of the problem I have with contemporary YA is that they really don't touch on the subject of sex. Or at least how it really is. I haven't been in high school in a couple years, but let me tell you, Ms. Darling is more accurate than any of the other books I've recently read. While I would LOVE if the dudes in the majority of these novels were romantic and cared about making sure our first time was speeeecial, this is most likely not the case. Have y'all met high school boys? Anyways...
Continue reading my review @ http://pagetrotter.blogspot.com/
Continue reading my review @ http://pagetrotter.blogspot.com/
the_lady_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is Tellulah Darling's debut novel and a hilarious one at that! I read this after reading (and loving) her second novel, My Ex From Hell. I must admit that I did not enjoy this one as much. That's not to say it's a bad book. It's fantastic! It was just different than what I had expected.
If you looked up, "player" in the dictionary, you'd see Sam Cruz's face. He's a ladies man and not ashamed of it. When his best friend, Ally, asks him to teach her how to treat sex the way he so publicly does, he's sure that he finally found a girl that can handle "friends with benefits." Ally, on the other hand, has just been dumped for her long-term boyfriend. She's ready to screw around without letting her heart get in the way. As Ally's transformation rounds out, Sam discovers something he never expected: feelings for his best friend.
The best part of this novel was the banter between the characters. Ms. Darling writes with great humor that had me laughing out loud several times. Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is not a complex, moral-led story. It's a coming-of-age, fun-to-read, simplistic novel. And it works for her. It's a bit predictable, but the friends-to-lovers storyline never gets old! Tellulah's plot moved smoothly and at a really steady pace that had my almost constant attention--stupid school taking up so much of my time!
I liked the characters, but didn't love them. Each had realistic flaws, but often grated on my nerves. Sam's casual approach to sex is not something I generally enjoy, but rooting for him and Ally to make things work between them came naturally. They had a fantastic friendship that lead to a adorable, albeit sexy, relationship. All of these characters had their own flavor of wit and charm that tied together for a fantastic cast.
The themes in this novel are not for the immature. The focus is sex that means: there is a lot of sex, a lot of innuendo, and a whole lot of hilarious awkwardness. This is really a book about two teenagers growing up and discovering themselves. Though it's a pretty mature storyline, Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls takes a humorous approach to the subject. It will make its readers laugh. It will make them swoon. And it will provide a kind of entertainment that will have its readers looking for opportunities to read it again.
Tellulah has a ton of talent. She's a real comedian that I'm sure will excel in her writing career. Her stories are full of heart, humor and some extremely attractive, fictional boys--so basically, they've got everything. I definitely recommend her work! (Seriously, go read these books!)
I received an e-copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.
This review can be seen here on my blog as well.
If you looked up, "player" in the dictionary, you'd see Sam Cruz's face. He's a ladies man and not ashamed of it. When his best friend, Ally, asks him to teach her how to treat sex the way he so publicly does, he's sure that he finally found a girl that can handle "friends with benefits." Ally, on the other hand, has just been dumped for her long-term boyfriend. She's ready to screw around without letting her heart get in the way. As Ally's transformation rounds out, Sam discovers something he never expected: feelings for his best friend.
The best part of this novel was the banter between the characters. Ms. Darling writes with great humor that had me laughing out loud several times. Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is not a complex, moral-led story. It's a coming-of-age, fun-to-read, simplistic novel. And it works for her. It's a bit predictable, but the friends-to-lovers storyline never gets old! Tellulah's plot moved smoothly and at a really steady pace that had my almost constant attention--stupid school taking up so much of my time!
I liked the characters, but didn't love them. Each had realistic flaws, but often grated on my nerves. Sam's casual approach to sex is not something I generally enjoy, but rooting for him and Ally to make things work between them came naturally. They had a fantastic friendship that lead to a adorable, albeit sexy, relationship. All of these characters had their own flavor of wit and charm that tied together for a fantastic cast.
The themes in this novel are not for the immature. The focus is sex that means: there is a lot of sex, a lot of innuendo, and a whole lot of hilarious awkwardness. This is really a book about two teenagers growing up and discovering themselves. Though it's a pretty mature storyline, Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls takes a humorous approach to the subject. It will make its readers laugh. It will make them swoon. And it will provide a kind of entertainment that will have its readers looking for opportunities to read it again.
Tellulah has a ton of talent. She's a real comedian that I'm sure will excel in her writing career. Her stories are full of heart, humor and some extremely attractive, fictional boys--so basically, they've got everything. I definitely recommend her work! (Seriously, go read these books!)
I received an e-copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion and review via Netgalley.
This review can be seen here on my blog as well.
moonwisher's review against another edition
2.0
For the most part, this book wasn't that great. Because I didn't really like it, I won't have much to say about it. All I'll say is this: for me, the characters just feel flat. They felt one-dimensional, and I didn't really feel for them. Also, the pacing of the book was really inconsistent and off. I felt like the author just sprang some things on us (like the initial Ally-Sam hookup) and then glossed over other things (like the progression of Alli's character and relationship with Adam). I guess this book just wasn't my type.
willowisp79's review against another edition
4.0
The title of this sold me into reading it.
And i have to say, it was a really cute, nice, clean read!
Sam and Ally have been best friends since they were little.
Sam is a confident fella who can get pretty much any girl he wants. Ally however, is clueless as to how to grab her own man, so Sam offers to share his "rules" with her.
A cute read through the rules, Sam at first being happy that its working for Ally, and then when it gets to the point that Ally might be seeing a guy more than once, Sam realises, he doesnt want her with any other man, he doesnt want her to see them.
He causes an argument basically due to....well...hes jealous. So he does the only thing he can do and fight with her.....
Ally is confused. The Rules have worked brilliantly, Sam has been great....so why is he suddenly being so cold and aloof...
Can Sam admit what he really feels, or will he let her carry on meeting dates and lads?
Ally is over the moon that the rules are working, but she feels something is missing....
A really, really cute and sweet read, made a huge difference to the normal paranormal dark books i pick up!
Read on behalf of OOPS I DID IT AGAIN TOURS in return for an honest review
And i have to say, it was a really cute, nice, clean read!
Sam and Ally have been best friends since they were little.
Sam is a confident fella who can get pretty much any girl he wants. Ally however, is clueless as to how to grab her own man, so Sam offers to share his "rules" with her.
A cute read through the rules, Sam at first being happy that its working for Ally, and then when it gets to the point that Ally might be seeing a guy more than once, Sam realises, he doesnt want her with any other man, he doesnt want her to see them.
He causes an argument basically due to....well...hes jealous. So he does the only thing he can do and fight with her.....
Ally is confused. The Rules have worked brilliantly, Sam has been great....so why is he suddenly being so cold and aloof...
Can Sam admit what he really feels, or will he let her carry on meeting dates and lads?
Ally is over the moon that the rules are working, but she feels something is missing....
A really, really cute and sweet read, made a huge difference to the normal paranormal dark books i pick up!
Read on behalf of OOPS I DID IT AGAIN TOURS in return for an honest review