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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, December 22, 2009
This review is from: How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation (Paperback)
Camo is back in fashion for the summer, and Amy Nelson-Barak is ready to show off her style. Not in the states, however, but all the way in Israel.
After learning that her boyfriend, Avi, has to stay back for more training, Amy, along with her friends Miranda, Jessica, and the infamous Nathan, have all signed up for military boot camp that just so happens to be at the same base where Avi is currently training. SURPRISE!
Amy's plan is simple: go to boot camp, have the fun which the brochure advertises, and spend time with her Avi. But Amy should know that summers never turn out the way she expects.
Once there, Amy notices the lack of indoor plumbing, gourmet food, or ideal mattresses. It gets worse. They actually want her to train like how the real soldiers would! Even though the whole ordeal may not be Amy's cup of tea, she not only wants to make Avi proud, but she wants to prove her dad wrong. She vows to show him that she can survive without all of her necessities from back home - well, with the exception of make-up, hair straighteners, and designer sunglasses.
Already hating the environment, Amy is glad to finally see Avi, who just so happens to be the leader of her group. Little does she know that Avi has to keep their relationship professional, meaning they still won't have time to be alone together.
When things get bad, it has to get better... right? So what if Amy has to deal with bad meals and cold showers. The pretty girls there do not bother her either; she's the one that has Avi. Seems like the only thing that can bother Amy is a little secret that Avi has been keeping from her, that could just possibly tear them apart. Whoever said karma wasn't a big meanie?
Simone Elkeles makes each installment of this series better than the previous one. HOW TO RUIN YOUR BOYFRIEND'S REPUTATION is laugh-out-loud hilarious, all while Amy Nelson-Barak stays true to her character and true to her culture.
What I like best about this installment is that Simone Elkeles lets us into the minds and thoughts of soldiers and how they are proud to fight for their country and freedom. She delves into the misconceptions and beauty of Israel and lets us all see what a wonderful country it is. Amy Nelson-Barak is back, and this time she's a "warrior woman!"
Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Super Fabulous End to this Series!, September 19, 2011
This review is from: How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation (Paperback)
What a great end to a great series! Amy's summer vacation is going to turn out a little different than she expected. She signs up for a program that lands her in a ten day army-training program in Israel. Others signed up for the program to become closer to their Jewish roots. However, Amy had ulterior motives; Avi is stationed there! Leave it to Amy to cause trouble within the first five minutes she lands on the army base. When Amy first sees Avi she expects him to be jumping for joy; of course, he doesn't. He even admits to Amy that he doesn't want her there. After a few arguments and sum unraveled truths, Amy and Avi end their struggling relationship. Regardless of how heartbroken she is, Amy decides to tough it out the rest of the army experience. Can Amy learn to put the past behind her and learn to fight for her relationship with Avi? The whole ten days is filled with funny, awkward, and sometimes sad moments; mix that with break-ups, hook-ups, and make-ups, then you know you have an excellent book!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite of the Three "How to Ruin....." books!, April 20, 2011
This review is from: How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation (Paperback)
This is my favorite of the three "How to Ruin..." books by Simone Elkeles. All the characters have been fleshed out in the previous books and are up to their hilarious antics in this book. Amy is impatient to see Avi and decides it would be great to surprise him at his military camp. She enrolls in summer boot camp with her friends from home and Avi is one of the instructors. He is surprised to see her and has some secrets of his own that are quickly discovered by Amy. Let's just say that the summer does not go as she planned, but it all works out.
First page:
Hi, my name is Amy Nelson-Barak. If you don't know me, I'm a seventeen-year-old American teenager with red, white, and blue blood running through my veins. You're probably wondering why right now I'm on a bus in Israel on my way to an Israeli boot camp.
Yes, I did say I'm in Israel. No need to rub your eyes and reread that.
And yes, I did say boot camp.
And before you think it's a boot camp for teens with behavioral disorders, I volunteered for this summer program all on my own. My friends signed up, too. Normally I wouldn't go anywhere near a program with the word military in it, especially during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, but when I realized what "military" base the boot camp is held at, I jumped to sign up - as a volunteer trainee.
You see, my boyfriend Avi is Israeli. He's in the IDF. I haven't seen him since he visited me over five months ago. He's a commando, he's nineteen years old, and is just about the hottest, most gorgeous gift God has ever put on this planet. And he's all mine. Well, to be technical, the Israeli military owns his body until he turns twenty-one, but I own his heart. And he owns mine.
I enjoyed reading this series and recommend it for summer reading or a long plane flight.
Would I/Did I buy it? Yes
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes
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