Amazon.com: The Art of Lainey eBook : Stokes, Paula: Kindle Store

Buying Options

Print List Price:	$9.99
Kindle Price:	$6.27 Save $3.72 (37%)
	includes VAT*
	Price set by seller.

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Enter a promotion code or Gift Card

Share <Embed>

Look inside this book.

The Art of Lainey by [Paula Stokes]

Follow the Author

The Art of Lainey Kindle Edition

by Paula Stokes (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

102 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$6.27

—

—

"Please retry"

$7.76

$1.36

Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, and Susane Colasanti, The Art of Lainey tells the story of how, with the help of The Art of War, Lainey plots the perfect plan to get her boyfriend back. But is getting him back really what she wants?

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warnings, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that's when Lainey and Bianca stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, the girls are sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey's arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous.

After a few "dates," it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game. Can fighting for what she wants help Lainey figure out what she really needs?

Print length

389 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HarperTeen
Publication date

May 20, 2014
Reading age

14 - 17 years
Grade level

9 - 12
File size

815 KB
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Not Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
See all details

Paula Stokes
13
Kindle Edition
$0.99
Kasie West
355
Kindle Edition
$8.99
Lauren Barnholdt
26
Kindle Edition
$4.99
Cameron Lund
372
Kindle Edition
$8.99
Kelly Anne Blount
441
Kindle Edition
$2.99
Emily Wibberley
238
Kindle Edition
$9.99

Create your FREE Amazon Business account to save up to 10% with Business-only prices and free shipping. Register today

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—In a plot that serves as a modern mashup of classic teen movies, soccer prodigy Lainey is dumped by her "perfect" boyfriend at her family's coffee shop. Lainey and her friend use their summer reading, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, to hatch a plan to win Lainey's boyfriend back. When the plan calls for misdirection, Lainey needs a fake boyfriend. She and Micah, a prickly bad boy co-worker at the coffee shop, make a pact to pretend to date in order to make their exes jealous, and every reader can guess what happens by the end of the summer. The characters are straight from central casting (the shallow jock, the supermodel mean girl, the hippie mother who reads tea leaves), which is unfortunate, given the book's message to look beyond the exterior. The protagonist also lacks depth, which makes it difficult for readers to root for her. Despite the dearth of complexity in the characters, Stokes does a good job with the sports subplots as well as the familial relationships. Lainey is a driven athlete who focuses on her passion, which is a refreshing change of pace from many other heroines in the romantic realistic fiction genre. Lainey's family is supportive and candid, and Micah's sister is a good reality check for both main characters.—Susannah Goldstein, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City --This text refers to the paperback edition.

From Booklist

Lainey is crushed when her longtime boyfriend, Jason, abruptly dumps her. However, her best friend, Bianca, steps in with a copy of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and tells her to “level the playing field.” Preppy, sunny, soccer-playing, reality-TV-watching Lainey conspires with her coworker Micah, who is also pining for an ex-girlfriend, and they pose as a new couple. Micah, however, loves punk rock, wears a mohawk, carries a switchblade, and is into everything Lainey is not. The mismatched pair conspire to appear blissfully happy in public in order to win back their respective exes, using tips from Sun Tzu. Along the way, though, they struggle with new feelings that develop during their campaigns on the battlefield of love. Stokes’ writing is as breezy as Lainey herself, and although readers will predict the ending relatively quickly, it won’t stop them from enjoying Lainey and Micah’s misadventures. Recommend this to fans of other lighthearted teen romances set against coffee shop backgrounds, such as The Espressologist, by Kristina Springer (2009), and Getting Over Garrett Delaney, by Abby McDonald (2012). Grades 9-12. --Erin Downey Howerton --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Review

Refreshingly honest, sweet and romantic...Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, but with an edge." -RT Book Reviews
"A satisfying and sweet story." -Publishers Weekly
"Love. Drama. Subterfuge. This one has it all." -Teen Vogue
"I love, love loved The Art of Lainey! A must-read for anyone who's ever been dumped--and wanted him back." -Mandy Hubbard, author of You Wish and Fool Me Twice
"This book has it all:romance, friendship, humor, and a highly relatable story. I couldn't stopreliving my own breakups while reading this book, and I think every reader willsee a piece of themselves in what Lainey experiences." -Victoria Scott, author of The Collector and Fire & Flood
"Romantic, witty, and surprisingly deep...a mesmerizing journey of self discovery, of navigating that slippery line between what one wants and what one really needs." -Rachel Harris, author of The Fine Art of Pretending

From the Back Cover

To win back the one she loves, she'll have to go to "war."

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warnings, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that's when Lainey and Bianca stumble across a copy of The Art of War. The girls are sure they can use the military handbook to lure Jason back into Lainey's arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous.

After a few "dates," it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game. Can fighting for what she wants help Lainey find what she really needs?

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Paula Stokes is the author of Hidden Pieces; This Is How It Happened; Girl Against the Universe; Liars, Inc.; and The Art of Lainey. Paula livesin Portland, Oregon. You can find her onlineat www.authorpaulastokes.com or on Twitterand Instagram @pstokesbooks.

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00FJ34YSC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperTeen (May 20, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 20, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 815 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 389 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,623,134 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,873 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Dating & Sex (Kindle Store)
- #2,340 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Girls' & Women's Issues (Kindle Store)
- #3,867 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Dating & Sex (Books)

Customer Reviews:
102 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Paula Stokes

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Paula Stokes is the author of several novels, most recently This is How it Happened and Vicarious. Her writing has been translated into eleven foreign languages. Paula loves kayaking, hiking, reading, and seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She also loves interacting with readers. Find her online at authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks.

Customer reviews

5 star		36%
4 star		47%
3 star		11%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		5%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the reviews I was getting the feeling that the book was generally liked, which is what tipped the scales in my ...

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2015

Verified Purchase

The Art of Lainey was one of those books that I was a back and forth on for awhile. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be my kind of book. From the reviews I was getting the feeling that the book was generally liked, which is what tipped the scales in my decision to read it. Although, I ended up being not nearly as enthusiastic as others.

Don’t get my wrong, the story was cute, but I had a few hangups that really kept me from living this book. The biggest thing that really kept me from loving this book is the fact that in the beginning I didn’t really like Lainey. She was rude and self absorbed. As the book went on my dislike changed to tolerance. She changed and became a better person, but I couldn’t get the sour taste of her initial personality out of my mouth.

Something else that really got to me was that the book was fairly predictable. For me predictability doesn’t mean instant dislike. If the story is still cute I can live with it being predictable. I spent a long time in the middle of the book trying to figure out if I’ve read or seen this general story before in a book or a movie. Honestly the only thing that made the story not totally predictable is Micah.

Speaking of Micah, he’s what I loved most about this book. Micah was sweet, funny, and completely his own person. What I also like about this book is that Mica never changed who he was. In books like this the person who isn’t as socially accepted usually changes somehow to be accepted. Micah just does his thing no matter what people think about him.

In the end I found the book cute, but I was left with some hangups that I stopped me from completely loving the book. It was a fast read that really was saved by Micah. Ultimately I found the book to be just ok.

One person found this helpful

4.5 Stars--A Win Read If I Ever Saw One

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2014

Verified Purchase

Oh, THE ART OF LAINEY. I just stood outside in front of my mailbox hugging this book for a long time after I got it. The cover is incredibly familiar to me but just to be able to really see it and hold it was awesome. But getting to the actual words part of it, there is no other way to describe this book that an amazingly pleasantly surprising read.

Right from the start, you can list of Lainey's traits. She's dramatic and acts like a total girl even though there is a lot of toughness underneath her makeup and pretty dresses. One thing I didn't like about her at times was her sensitivity or lack of sensitivity about certain things. However, one thing that I loved about Stokes's characters is how real they are. They're blunt and kind and annoying and make me smile. They're just people, in the best way possible. Oh yes, and they're hilarious.

In a way, Lainey almost reminds me of Cricket in Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell, which I also loved. Bethany is nothing short of the best and I was talking to her recently about what makes blunt characters appealing. I was wondering because I noticed how one MC I read about I hated, while I loved Cricket--even though they could both be profiled as extremely rude, crass and downright mean at times, especially in the beginning of SHORT BUS. Bethany said something about no matter who your characters are, you have to know them as a writer and portray them--the good and the bad. I think Stokes does an amazing job of this.

I smile a goodbye to Micah's mom over my shoulder as he practically drags me out of the apartment. I stare at his mohawk as we head down the steps and out of his building. Individual tufts of his hair lean to the left in the warm breeze. I can't help wondering what his hair feels like. Is it soft? Is it prickly? I could touch it if I wanted to. I mean, he was going to touch my hair before I pulled away. I think about it for a moment, but then decide against it. I wouldn't want to give him the wrong idea.
The characters really drove this story, which impressed me, but that isn't all there is to the plot. Stokes drives a great story that was unpredictable and well paced. The romance is also extremely well done, each step of the plot thought out and not rushed at all.

It's really the little things that really impressed me with this book, and a combination of the big things, but there were so many things I was impressed by. One of those things was the themes. I loved the nature snippets, the soccer and baseball bits, the friendship dynamics between Leo and Lainey and Bianca and Lainey, the Art of War excerpts, all of that was great. It really enforced what Stokes said and made her word believable in the story. There were also some great quotes that I loved. I've learned everything I know about soccer from my best girl-friend and soccer animes, so it was nice to see that knowledge come in handy. Even before Micah and Lainey started to see each other in a different way, their friendship was both heartwarming as they turned to each other and their banter was a lot of fun. I would love to be friends with Lainey, Micah and Bee. Plus, I would love to go Mizz Creant's House of Torture (and Pancakes) sometime.

Overall, I loved this story. There's a lot of room if Stokes ever wanted to expand on this story, but for right now I'm pretty happy with the ending. My only regret is that I didn't get to see more of Bianca and a few other characters. I'm definitely looking forward to Stokes's next book, Liars, Inc., now that I've gotten a taste of what her writing can be like. And I'm even more psyched to be a part of #TeamLainey. LAINEY is a win read if I ever saw one, and a book that could make me change my mind about contemporary romance. There were so many things I loved here, and I would recommend it for any contemporary fan--or even for those of you who don't usually love it. 4.5 stars.

One of the best written best friends in YA lit

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2014

Verified Purchase

The first thing you should know about this book is that the main character, Lainey, is kind of annoying. Sometimes infuriatingly annoying. It is obvious from the very first chapter of this book that Jason is a total jerk ... a complete tool. After dating for two and a half years he waltzes into Lainey's family's business and dumps her. He's decided to play the field, and he has no desire to let Lainey down easily. He is cold and unfeeling and ... a jerk. That makes the entire premise of this story hard to stomach. Lainey wants him back. Never mind that he is horrible, that he treated her horribly, that he doesn't seem to have a kind bone in his body. Never mind that Lainey seems to have no personality of her own when she is with him. She wants him back, and she has decided that the way to do this is to use strategies from The Art of War to do it. Listening to her wax on (and on and on and on) about how perfect her life was with Jason, how wonderful Jason is, how amazing life would be when they get back together (even though these things are CLEARLY not true at all) was grating. I think the only person on the planet who thought Lainey should be with Jason was Lainey. With this reality I know that many readers might have a hard time with this story. It is hard to read a first person narration from a character so clearly clueless. But this story ended up getting four stars from me.

Why?

Two reasons ... Bianca and Micah. They were wonderful. I'll start with Micah. Micah gets drawn into this melodrama of a life Lainey has created for herself when she decides that she needs to have a fake boyfriend to create jealousy in Jason. Micah has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, and he would like to get back with her. They can kill two birds with one stone by pretending to date each other. Micah is edgy and totally the opposite of Jason. He has a mohawk, brow piercings, tattoos. He has some bad habits, listens to edgy music ... and he's nice. Really, really nice. Like I say ... totally opposite from Jason. He does a wonderful job playing the fake boyfriend, until things get complicated when Lainey and Micah begin to find their fake feelings turning a lot less fake. Paula Stokes does an excellent job showing how Lainey slowly begins to unwind from the created person she was when dating Jason and becoming a more authentic Lainey when she is around Micah. Although I couldn't stand the Lainey obsessed with Jason, I LOVED the Lainey who showed up around Micah. Micah wasn't perfect, but he was real, and he loved Lainey for who she really was. Great character.

Bianca may be one of the best written best friends in YA literature. She was loyal and good and she stood with Lainey when it counted. Always. You could see that she sometimes didn't agree with Lainey's choices, but she gave her the chance to figure things out on her own. She wasn't mean or selfish or judgmental. She is the perfect example of how a best friend should be. Although she began the book supporting Lainey in her quest to get Jason back, it became obvious that she had turned to Team Micah. She tried to gently guide Lainey to seeing the obvious without using strategy or anger to get her thoughts out. I really loved her.

This is a story of a high school girl who has devoted her entire life, her entire personality, to a relationship with a boy. She is Jason's girlfriend. That's it. She has no life outside of that label. So when he leaves she has nothing. She is nothing ... or at least she thinks she is. Walk into any high school in the country and you will see countless young women who do the exact same thing. Totally not healthy. Seeing this on paper can be a bit difficult to read. But through this story with the help of supportive friends Lainey realizes that she is more. She is her own self with her own thoughts and feelings and dreams. She doesn't need to be with Micah to be something, but because of him she is able to see that she is amazing on her own. I loved that message of this story, and I really loved the Lainey who ended this story. Four stars!

One person found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Hannah Harvey

Amazing, definitely a must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2014

Verified Purchase

Where do I even begin? This book was all kinds of awesome. As I was reading, not only did I not want to put the book down, and only really did when things like sleeping and eating came up, but I also didn't want it to end.
Lainey and Micah were amazing characters, and probably one of my favourite book pairings I've read in a really long time. Micah especially was such an interesting and sweet character.
I thought the whole storyline was incredibly quirky, really cute and a great read for summer.
The writing was fantastic, the story flowed really well, and the pacing was spot on. Simply put I fell in love with this book.
One of the things I liked a lot about it, was that it wasn't just the main characters who were really good. Every character in the novel played a role, and they played that role really well. They all felt fleshed out and interesting, and it made me buy into the world of the book.
I think that my favourite thing about this book has to be the interactions between Lainey and Micah. The way they played off of each other, batted back and forwards, was brilliant. The teasing, and building of the relationship, had me smiling.
There were multiple points while reading this book that I burst out laughing.
A truly fantastic book which I would highly recommend.

See all reviews

Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?

Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?

Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?

Get to Know Us

Make Money with Us

Amazon Payment Products

Let Us Help You

English $USD - U.S. Dollar United States

© 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates