This was a lovely and surprising book. Very spare, very clear. ( )

This book was very surprising.... in a good way. At first I didn't think I was going to like it because the writing style and subject matter was taking me a while to get used to. But then I got to this magical point in the book where I just got it. The main character, Anna was so raw and real that I totally and completely fell for her. The things she went through and the way she felt, I totally get it. Although I would not categorize this book for anyone under 18, I was happy that it went to the places it went. I loved the realness of it, holding nothing back. I am totally impressed by this author and can't wait to read more by her :)

Full Review to come on my blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com ( )

It could have been so much better. It was a story that went on and on without a payoff. I wish Anna and the other characters were more developed. A good book about a girl who uses sex to ease her pain but has a solid character transformation, please read The D.U.F.F. by Kody Kepling. ( )

Cross posted from rabidgummibear.wordpress.com
At first glance Uses For Boys appears to be a young adult novel not one for a mature audience. The book is written from Anna's point of view in a format reminiscent of a diary. More or less a coming of age tale for a girl who has spent most her life on the back burner to her mom's whims.

We start with the "tell me again times" when Anna is a little kid living with her mom before the train of step-dads enter her life. Anna learns that boys will make you feel and give you what you want, but the costs of these 'fixes' for her become too much.

I'll start with what I liked about this book, which wasn't a lot. It felt real and just like something that a friend you know may tell you about. I enjoyed seeing the growth in the character. I loved how it was written and that is what kept me reading the book. The uniqueness to the writing style is great and refreshing.

The things I didn't like. This book appears to be a young adult novel from the outside and I worry someone picking it up thinking that and just being shocked. I was shocked by some of the things in this book. Left wondering a lot where the adults where in this story. Finally my last complaint is the end. I was left feeling like we got no resolution to Anna's story.

Overall I can't really rate this book that high for me as a person to reads to escape and go to new places this book is trash. It left me feeling sad. I give it 2/5 stars.

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Uses for Boys is the story of a young lady just trying to achieve that storybook life her mom has always chased. After step family after step family and a mother who seemed to forget she existed Anna finds that she can look for her story in boys. Going from one boy to another convincing herself that each boy is her story, she finds nothing but more and more loneliness. She never seems to fit in with anyone around her. All she wants to do is find herself and figure out her story.

This book is uniquely written in pose. It is a quick and uplifting read. Anna's character can embody so many teenage girls. She is always telling her story to herself in her head. She is always comparing herself and relationships to her best friend's romantic life with her boyfriends. She wants that happily ever after, but just cannot ever seem to get it right.

This is a story of a young girl making mistakes while trying to find her own place in life after a childhood of loneliness. It is heartwarming and devastating all at the same time. ( )