Customer Reviews

Psych Major Syndrome

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Continuing a trend that seems to have been started by Megan McCafferty is another YA book set at college instead of the typical junior high/high school ones. This is really exciting for me as a new college student, watching my books grow up along side me and keeping the material relevant and interesting. It also really helped that the main character in the story goes to a tiny school that sounds very much like my own. Anyways, the plot was cute, if not annoyingly simple. Everything was pretty predictable, and it is no wonder that Meg Cabot blurbed it--it's such utterly Cabotian fluff, just as well-written in a casual conversational tone. I love it when authors do cute gimmicky things, so I was a fan of the little psych related definitions that came before chapters and symbolically related really nicely to whatever was happening. All these characters are really well developed, and you grow to love them as the book progresses. I was really satisfied with the way everything turned out at the end, after that emotional rollercoaster of suspense resolved itself. I was a little disappointed by the lack of very much to do with psychology, but it's still a cute book--just don't expect anything intellectual out of it.

Rating: 5/5

Also, cutest U2 references ever!

I've been out of the college life for a few years now, but this book took me back to my life as a college student. I related with the main character eerily well. Leigh (the main character) is a girl who just is. She doesn't feel the pressure to be more than what she is. But through her over-analysis of herself she starts to realize maybe gliding through life isn't as effective as she thought it was.

The college is based on the college my sister went to so I really understood the dynamics of the college. It's such a small school, everyone knows everyone else's business. This causes the rumor mill to spiral out of control. Poor Leigh can't keep any secrets about anything.

I highly recommend this book for 16-20 something ages. It's a romantic comedy that is definitely suitable to soon to be college students.

Not only is this a solid YA contemporary romance, but it is also hilarious! It had me laughing out loud and doubling over with laughter. I expected it to be a sweet, typical contemp and I would have thoroughly enjoyed it if that's all it was, but the added humor made it all the more fun!

Leigh is a freshman at the same college of her high school sweetheart, they have been together over a year and as far as she is concerned, they are very solid. I liked Leigh, she had a great sense of humor and she was basically just a nice person, but that girl was crazy naive. Her boyfriend, Andrew, was an ass. I didn't like him from the go. He was disrespectful and dismissive to her most of them time, and then as it suited him he was demanding and stubborn. Of course Leigh was pretty blind and could only see what she wanted to be there. Her best friend and roommate, Ami, hated Andrew and didn't hesitate to let him know it. Ami was a trip, so much of the comedy came from scenes when her and Leigh were together. She is artsy, free spirited and fun. The two of them balanced each other out so well. Nathan was a gem! Initially Leigh assumes he dislikes her, just like Ami can't stand Andrew, but we start to
realize that he is really just concerned for Leigh. He is the perfect boy for contemp romance and my new book crush. He was sweet, considerate, caring and protective, but he also wasn't one to sit around and take crap.

As far as stories go, this one was predictable, but that didn't matter because it was such a fun read all the way through. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a sweet romance with a heaping dose of comedy thrown in!

Review can also be found at[...]

I really, really enjoyed this book. Leigh is a really likable character that made me laugh all throughout the book.

Although the ending was a little bit predictable, I enjoyed Leigh's journey as she grows up a bit and faces her fears.

This book is now definitely one of my favourites.

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME is an absolutely winsome novel, easily one of the sweetest reads this year. It's the literary equivalent of pictures of cute kittens and puppies, and will leave you sighing happily and "aww-ing" at the end.

The book crackles with humor, mostly the result of the stellar protagonist. Leigh has just the right balance of "intelligent college student" and "blind, drama-attracting girl" to win over both lovers of intelligent AND just-for-fun fiction. Leigh's snarky and self-deprecating narration is charmingly funny, and there are enough hints of cultural references that will make even the most well-read reader smile indulgently. PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME takes the classic narrative formula--well-put-together main character realizes her non-debilitating blindness and overcomes that critical flaw to become a better and happier person--and rebuilds it again as something that will ring true for us. It's tried-and-true, without making us sick of the "tried."

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME has more to do with a love story than psychology, and far from being disappointed that the title and synopsis were a bit misleading, I was absolutely delighted. Without giving anything away, I just want to say that if the love interest doesn't make your list of Top 10 Swoon-Worthy YA Boys, then you either have a hard-to-win heart, or else you recognize the few flaws in this novel that make it not nearly as enjoyable as it could be: a rushed ending, not enough character development in the one character we'd like to see developed more, and a happy ending that's so perfect as to be a little cringe-inducing.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME may depend on how much the conventions bother you. However, I absolutely loved this novel and would pick it up again at a moment's notice to have more than my fair share of funny, sweet, and sigh-worthy romance. Readers who adored but have for the most part outgrown Meg Cabot's books will find a fantastic alternative in Alicia Thompson's debut novel.

I really enjoyed this book; it's not very often I get to read a book about a college-age protagonist. I love reading books from that perspective and there never seems to really be any around. Thompson's writing was really funny but also had its moments to let the characters' depth shine through. I loved reading about the mentoring program that Leigh gets involved in, and also the trials and tribulations of her romantic life. I went through this book pretty quickly because the writing just flowed so well and was really compelling. Definitely an author to keep an eye on in the future!

Leigh is in her first year as a freshman at a small California college and, so far, college is not what she thought it would be.

Despite majoring in Psychology, Leigh cannot diagnose and solve any of her own problems.

Like the fact that her boyfriend, Andrew, wants to take things to the next level, even though Leigh's feelings for their relationship are almost non-existent. She's much more interested in Andrew's roommate, who is really attractive, but more often than not moody and not easy to be around.

With her teachers putting a lot of pressure on her (much more than she expected) and a few catty girls making Leigh's life difficult, Leigh is starting to wonder if college was for her after all.

Written with humor and heart, this is a wonderful book that teenagers and young adults can relate to. The main character is believable and honest. And, even though the storyline sometimes falters, Leigh's character holds the book together nicely.

Reviewed by: Angela S.

The book revolves around Leigh and her first semester at college as a psych major. Due to the study of this major, she becomes rather neurotic and over-analytical over her life, especially the relationship with her boyfriend, and even more especially of her relationship with her boyfriend's roommate.

I thought this book was incredibly witty. I loved Leigh and all her quirks, and she made for some really great laugh out loud moments. I think one of my favorite lines of the book was: "Do you accept creepy robotic babies as trade? I could get you one that's worth five hundred dollars." You'll find sentences like that throughout the book that take you slightly off guard but make you laugh.

The romance was also well done. There was tension created by the scenario of Leigh starting to have feelings for her boyfriend's roommate, Nathan. as you read the development of Leigh's and Nathan's relationship, the chemistry becomes palpable. The ending, while predictable, is cute and wraps things up like a pretty bow. It's a great light, romantic read.

I first heard of this on Meg Cabot's blog, and it's been on my 'to be read' list for a few weeks. When I finally got around to reading it, I read it from start to finish in a couple of hours even though I'd just gotten off a plane and was dog tired. Aspects of college life are nicely mixed up with romantic tension and tough issues like abortion, by way of Leigh mentoring Rebekah, a fifteen year old with a truckload of problems. A thoroughly entertaining read, even though you'll agree with Rebekah that Leigh is, in a word, naive.

Visit [...] to discover more reviews of great reads!

Leigh Nolan can't stop over analyzing her life. She's halfway into her first semester of college as a psychology major, and what with her boyfriend of over a year not taking their relationship to the next step, her horrible habit of procrastinating, and the 15 year-old- she's mentoring thinks she's useless, Leigh can't help but wonder what it all means. Things only get worse when she begins to have feelings for Nathan, her boyfriend's insufferable roommate. Nothing is ever simple...

Leigh is the perfect character--witty and upbeat, determined not to let mean girls get her down, smart, but at times a bit dense and a little insecure. Some of her embarrassing moments are downright hilarious, but she's always picking herself up again, ready to face whatever comes next. The plot of Psych Major Syndrome is realistic and complex, a fun peak at college life that demonstrates the freedom and the new worries and responsibilities of no longer living at home. Thompson also deals with sex issues, both ones that Leigh has to face with her boyfriend, and ones that are brought up in her mentoring program that are relevant and dealt with objectively, which helps add depth to the book. The conclusion of the book is a bit predictable, but it is sweet and satisfying, and readers will be cheering Leigh on as she faces her fears and grows up a little more in the process.