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stephxsu's review against another edition
4.0
V Valentine, the insuppressible anti-hero from VEGAN VIRGIN VALENTINE, is back in a story about her own growing up and falling into love. All her life, V has flitted from one boy to the next at breakneck speed, never stopping to allow any possible emotions to cling to her. Then one fateful hockey game she crosses paths with Sam. Somehow things with him are different.
Could it be that Sam is V’s first real boyfriend? V isn’t so sure. And given her own mother’s history with numerous men, she’s pretty certain that love, the kind of emotion that causes you to remain faithful to only one person, doesn’t exist. So she constantly pushes Sam away, denying her feelings and, finally, permanently wrecking any relationship they had.
Ashamed, V decides to take a cross-country car trip by herself to visit her mother, whom she has not seen for a while now. Her adventure is nothing spectacular, but it’s the thinking that V does on the trip that causes her to realize how she’s different from her mother, and how she’s grown and is, just maybe, ready to open up to love.
While not one of my favorite books of hers, Carolyn Mackler’s novel GUYAHOLIC is nevertheless entertaining, a heartwarming overture for a girl who, despite her faults, we love. It’s impossible not to cheer for V as she survives her car trip and learns about herself in the process.
Could it be that Sam is V’s first real boyfriend? V isn’t so sure. And given her own mother’s history with numerous men, she’s pretty certain that love, the kind of emotion that causes you to remain faithful to only one person, doesn’t exist. So she constantly pushes Sam away, denying her feelings and, finally, permanently wrecking any relationship they had.
Ashamed, V decides to take a cross-country car trip by herself to visit her mother, whom she has not seen for a while now. Her adventure is nothing spectacular, but it’s the thinking that V does on the trip that causes her to realize how she’s different from her mother, and how she’s grown and is, just maybe, ready to open up to love.
While not one of my favorite books of hers, Carolyn Mackler’s novel GUYAHOLIC is nevertheless entertaining, a heartwarming overture for a girl who, despite her faults, we love. It’s impossible not to cheer for V as she survives her car trip and learns about herself in the process.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a very good book. The main character has issues with maintaining relationships which is completely understandable because of the way her mother is. She screws up her one good relationship and goes on a journey to ultimately correct it.
ennitsud's review against another edition
3.0
i really wanted to get to know sam. but the book was paced well. v's character arch was pretty swell. and sam. i wanted more of him.
snarkywench's review against another edition
3.0
V is the more vibrant and dominating character in Mackler's previous work, Vegan Virgin Valentine and it's great to see her have a story of her own. What I loved about revisiting this character is exploring why she behaved in certain ways throughout the previous book. Why she had the obscenity written over her fingers when she got off the plane. Why she resisted auditioning for musical theatre. What her life had been like with the nomadic, flighty Aimee.
Mackler has a talent for creating stories that mine the humour of a situation while exploring matters of the heart. While Sam is an important figure in Guyaholic (he loves V for her flaws), he isn't the heart of this tale. This story is ultimately about how many chances you can give a parent, how many times can you be cruelly deserted, before you write that person off?
That being said, V's journey and continual act of self-destruction grate after awhile. Yes, it is very realistic that a person lashes out, when another hurts them, but V's primarily driven by her libido. She will be missing Sam and then suddenly kissing another guy (and more) and I cannot help but wonder if she deserves Sam. Yes, she's been hurt, yes she's a product of non-parenting but does that justify her actions?
A great read, it is a Mackler after all, but I wouldn't say it's on par with the butt book that I love so dearly. Regardless, you need to give this a whirl.
Mackler has a talent for creating stories that mine the humour of a situation while exploring matters of the heart. While Sam is an important figure in Guyaholic (he loves V for her flaws), he isn't the heart of this tale. This story is ultimately about how many chances you can give a parent, how many times can you be cruelly deserted, before you write that person off?
That being said, V's journey and continual act of self-destruction grate after awhile. Yes, it is very realistic that a person lashes out, when another hurts them, but V's primarily driven by her libido. She will be missing Sam and then suddenly kissing another guy (and more) and I cannot help but wonder if she deserves Sam. Yes, she's been hurt, yes she's a product of non-parenting but does that justify her actions?
A great read, it is a Mackler after all, but I wouldn't say it's on par with the butt book that I love so dearly. Regardless, you need to give this a whirl.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
A great 2nd book. To be honest, I didn't like V in the first book but this second book shows a new side to V and some explanation as to what she's been through.
I like her much more now. And I like that this series ends with hope - and not all the answers.
I like her much more now. And I like that this series ends with hope - and not all the answers.
kricketa's review against another edition
2.0
since her flighty mom sent her to live with her grandparents, v has finally lived in the same place for a year. her boyfriend is fantastic, but v needs to be on the move and can't be tied down.
blah. i probably would have liked this better if it hadn't reminded me so much of "very lefreak" by rachel cohn. to be fair, this book was published first. i'm just a bit weary of characters who ruin good relationships because of abandonment issues. like other reviewers, i didn't find v that likable. i still love carolyn mackler though, and would recommend this to teens who'd like a quick girly read.
blah. i probably would have liked this better if it hadn't reminded me so much of "very lefreak" by rachel cohn. to be fair, this book was published first. i'm just a bit weary of characters who ruin good relationships because of abandonment issues. like other reviewers, i didn't find v that likable. i still love carolyn mackler though, and would recommend this to teens who'd like a quick girly read.
carlylwbug's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the beginning to this story and I loved the end but it really lost me in the middle. For being such a tame book, some parts were way overdone and too graphic. When I learned this book was the sequel to one I had read earlier I was interested in reading it but the title kind of threw me for a loop. Do I really want to read a book titled Guyaholic? It's sounds like a little too much but what swayed me was the promise of a cross-country journey to find oneself and I was hoping that didn't include graphic hook-ups, but of course it did! I'm disappointed because this book had potential and kind of achieved it. But only a little bit and it wasn't very convincing along the way. I just still can't believe I actually brought myself to read it.
suzannedix's review against another edition
4.0
Fast and easy read - you root for the main character even though you often want to scream at her. Issues of an absent mother.
This was the sequel to Vegan Virgin Valentine. I thought it was a bit predictable but an excellent look into one girl's dysfunctional family.
This was the sequel to Vegan Virgin Valentine. I thought it was a bit predictable but an excellent look into one girl's dysfunctional family.
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
V's conquests have an expiration date of about 2 weeks. She's always chasing a new guy. She loves 'em and leaves 'em. So why is it that Sam has stuck around for three whole months? All V has ever known has been boucing around different places while her mom goes from guy to guy. Now that V's living with her grandparents, getting into college, and dating Sam, things can finally change... Until V does something to mess everything up. It'll take more than she knows to fix everything... but maybe everything can really change.
In this book, Mackler explores the character of Vivienne Vail Valentine who first appeared in Vegan Virgin Valentine. She's a much different main characters than some of Mackler's others and it certainly shows Mackler's strength as a writer that she's able to get inside her head and actually make readers feel sympathetic. (I have to admit that it took me probably half the book to really start feeling sympathetic, but I did!)
Seeing a different kind of character was off-putting at first, but ultimately I think it made me like Carolyn Mackler even more. I still think I liked her others more, but this one was definitely worth the read.
Readalike suggestions: For another character with similar problems, try This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Books in the Gossip Girl vein might appeal as well...
In this book, Mackler explores the character of Vivienne Vail Valentine who first appeared in Vegan Virgin Valentine. She's a much different main characters than some of Mackler's others and it certainly shows Mackler's strength as a writer that she's able to get inside her head and actually make readers feel sympathetic. (I have to admit that it took me probably half the book to really start feeling sympathetic, but I did!)
Seeing a different kind of character was off-putting at first, but ultimately I think it made me like Carolyn Mackler even more. I still think I liked her others more, but this one was definitely worth the read.
Readalike suggestions: For another character with similar problems, try This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Books in the Gossip Girl vein might appeal as well...