REVIEW: How To Keep A Boy As A Pet by Diane Messidoro

This is the Official Truth about dating the Male Human Species! I am Circe Shaw...And I refuse to spend my entire life swooning pointlessly. I must become a fabulously sophisticated journalist and reveal the actual scientific truth about dating boys...Circe Shaw is on a mission! She needs to discover the secrets of male human pet control. Urgently. But life is beyond complicated. Circe has to deal with a poisonous rival, her mum's annoying 'just friends' men and her own Dark Past. Can dressing like a horse or acting like a disco really help? Will Circe finally catch a boyfriend? Or will she break her heart...


I just LOVED How To Keep A Boy As A Pet! The first 40 pages didn't really impress me, I found things confusing, and didn't enjoy it, but I kept going and am SO glad I did! With a crazy, loveable heroine, a hilarious dialogue and super-cute characters, How To Keep A Boy A Boy As A Pet is not a book to miss!


Circe is an awesome character! It's just impossible not to like her. I would love to have her as a friend! Circe is determined to get a boyfriend and will stop at nothing to get one, getting herself into some very embarrassing situations in the process! I was laughing constantly! I never really warmed to Rufus though. He was rude and moody, and yeah, he had a bad past, but so did Circe and she was still lovely! I didn't see what Circe saw in him at all. But whatever, at least she was happy :) I also loved Circe's friends Tash and Ben, they were so cute togther! Ben seemed like a character with a lot of potential though, and I was disappoint he wasn't in it more! I also loved the cool, mysterious American commenter, Savvy Rose - I won't spoil, but let's just say I was VERY surprised at the ending...


I loved the format of the blog posts. It was original and appealing. I think telling stories in blog format is like the new 'modern' diary format. It's really fun to read and I think it will be popular among the 'technology generation'! I know I loved reading it, and will definitely be giving this book to my friends!


Most of the book is light and fun, but near the end the tone changes quite suddenly, and it becomes very deep and sad. We find out a lot of serious stuff about Circe's past, and I felt really sorry for her and just wanted to give her a hug! I wish her mum had been more supportive of her and less self-absorbed, I was quite cross with her. We also found out a lot about Rufus's past, and I suppose I did feel sorry for him a little bit too... But, wait, I STILL don't understand what the big deal was about the 29th???? Could someone please tell me?!


How To Keep A Boy As A Pet was one of  my favourite books so far this year, and I can't recommend it enough! I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this fabulous series, What NOT To Do In The Dark. I'm not sure when it comes out, but when it does there will certainly be a copy of my shelf beside How To Keep A Boy As A Pet! And you better get a copy of this book too - you won't regret it!

Source: For Review - a massive thanks to the publisher for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

Format: Paperback
Pages: 336

Age group: 12+
Official Publication Date: 7th May 2012
Publisher: Electric Monkey

Challenges: ABC Reading Challenge, British Books Challenge