YOLO…Book 4 of the Internet Girls

Yolo

Myracle, Lauren. Yolo (Internet Girls Book 4). New York: Amulet, 2014. ISBN 978-1419708718. 208 p.$16.95. Gr. 9 and up.

Maddie, Angela and Zoe, the girls of TTYL by Lauren Myracle, are back and beginning their freshman year of college in Lauren Myracle’s YOLO.  The three bffs are spread across the United States but keep connected through electronic messaging.  The girls quickly decide they need to get out and make friends¸ or they will be in their dorm rooms to wallow in self-pity.  Once they make the yolo pact, “You Only Live Once”, they make it a point to try new things.  Maddie, the boldest and furthest away, is boarding with a clique of local girls who were friends before going off to college. Trying to fit in with her suitemates, Maddie misses her boyfriend and two best friends—Zoe, devoted to her high school boyfriend, and Angela, the group’s soul virgin, who are tangled up in new friendships and relationships of their own.  Packed with personal conflict, the friends are always texting to keep up with each other’s drama.  There is so much going on with the girls, it’s hard to believe YOLO happens within a span of three months. An accurate representation of freshman year at different universities, readers will be able to relate to the story without having to read the first three in the series.

Realistic Fiction                                           Brooke Gerlach, Manheim Central Middle School

This book reads almost as if a movie script.  An introduction to theater or film class could easily use this novel as an example of character and character development.  The girls use parenthetical inserts to show emotion and body language throughout the texts.  Even though the three friends are the primary characters, readers are still able to “meet” their friends and boyfriends through the text conversations.  Using this type of characterization, Myracle shows how to effectively build characters using what primary characters say about secondary characters.  Because of all the app and electronic references (Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.), it would pair nicely with an introduction to communications class, discussing the evolution of modes of communication and social media.  Finally, mature content (oral sex, gambling, date rape, and hazing), may turn some educators away from the novel.

One thought on “YOLO…Book 4 of the Internet Girls

  1. Maddie, Angela, and Zoe are back again charting new territory their freshman year of college. Madmaddie (Maddie) has flown across the country to attend college in California while SnowAngle (Angela) and zoegirl (Zoe) are a little closer to home. For the first time in Maddie’s life, she’s not the craziest girl on the scene and has trouble fitting in with her roommates who are BFFs from the same high school. In the meantime, Angela dives right into sorority life and loves every minute of it until the rumors about the frat boys prove to be true. Zoe, on the other hand, is extremely homesick and missing her boyfriend, but by the time Doug realizes what he has, Zoe may be too far out of reach. College may present some tough challenges as the girls persevere and become sophisticated young adults, but their pact to keep their friendship in tact and take advantage of every single opportunity that comes their way will make it a memorable year. Remember, YOLO, baby.

    Told via txt messages and tweets, the girls relate their own troubles and small victories during their dubious first few months of college life. Heartbreaks and torrid crushes, new friendships and long-time camaraderies, and ruthless betrayal and intimate confidences are only a few of the turmoils and elations the girls will face. Each character has a strong voice and proves to support her friends when needed most. Zoe wears her heart on her sleeve, but Maddie is hiding behind a sad facade telling a fictitious college-life anecdote through famous movie scenarios. Myracle doesn’t shy away from some of the more controversial college topics including underage drinking, experiencing with one’s sexuality and the danger of hazing and sexual assault. An honest, endearing story that proves true friends will be there for each other no matter the distance or difficulties that may get in the way.

    Realistic Fiction
    Christine Massey, JWP Middle School

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *