The Dating Diaries

by Kristen Kemp

Twelve dates. Twelve weeks. A buoyant and observant comedy about having a long-term relationship end -- and discovering what life is like outside of it.

Katie James has been dating Paul for the past five years, since seventh grade. Then, as the prom approaches, he dumps her. The last time she was on her own, she was wearing a training bra. Now she's about to see what life is like without Paul -- and what it's like to date. She makes a resolution -- she will date twelve guys in twelve weeks, making up for all the time she wasted with Paul. But nothing quite goes the way she plans. Dating is difficult -- and difficult can be both fraught and fun. Katie's about to find out what she's been missing . . . and how to be herself without a guy

Genres: Young Adult

266 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2004

About the author

I write. I edit. I blog. I create community projects for my creative, awesome town of Montclair, NJ.

I've written seven teen novels for Scholastic including Breakfast at Bloomingdale's. I've recently written for glossies such as Modern Bride. I currently post 17 articles per week for CafeMom.com, and I do everything for my website, MontclairKids.com, and for my suburban writing retreat center, WritersLoft.org. I teach professional, intensive fiction and non-fiction classes in New York City and NJ as well.

-Kristen Kemp

Reviews

[Ellie Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded to 3 stars

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Increíblemente bueno.
No tenía grandes expectativas pero terminé contenta 😁

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was 90% fluff, it wasn't completely pointless. Katie, the teenage protagonist, gets dumped by her boyfriend of several years and has no idea how to live a life without him. Her mom, sort of an overgrown teen herself, is of limited help. Katie's primary goal is to date a bunch of guys in order to fall in love with one of them so she'll have a date for prom, coming up in a few months--but gradually she learns the importance of friends--how to truly develop friendships so that you give as well as receive. She also learns that guys can be lousy dates but still make good pals. Basically, she does lots of growing up in a short period of time, and helps bail out a few other foundering relationships as well. This is a decent YA chick-lit option when you're in the mood for a "series of bad dates leading to the perfect guy" story. And they live in a town called Shitville.

[Belkis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie James is an absolute doll, I swear. She did not know anything beyond that stupid Paul and then he up goes and leaves her for that social climber. Or boy climber, whatever. What's a girl to do now ? Well date a bunch of guys of course ! With the help of her mom she gets all prettied up and ventures out into boy world. She meets a lesbo on the way who totally falls for her but soon after becomes a bestie. Anyways, Katie really reminds me of myself. I never realized what was out there for me until I actually tried looking for it. Her mom was a lot like my mother too. Ha, they both hit the last nerves more than neccessary.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books from the time i was in middle school up until high school...I really loved it!
It shows the pressure that comes along with not having a boyfriend in high school and the stress that also comes along with finding one. As far as lighthearted love stories go, this definitely makes the top cut! Another thing that this book can show a girl is that, love comes from the most unexpected people and places, and a relationship isn't always what it seems to be!
Overall this book is really a really good love story and i thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

[Courtney Chappell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book although the author didnt really describe the main character, Katie, enough. I could not picture her in my head. I had to keep referring back to the main cover to even get a glimpse of what she would look like in my head. I also pictured her a lot younger than a high school senior with the way the author wrote. Other than that, it was a pretty believable book with funny outcomings.

[Stephanie Frugis Foti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in high school and I loved it. The character is starting over a new after her boyfriend broke up with her and I loved how I started reading it at the start of a new school year. I felt like she and I were on the same boat.. Turning over a new leaf together

[Sportschicrx]

BAD BOOK!!!

[Cassidy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the STUPIDEST book I've ever read. I hated the ending!

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best book of the bunch, but it was funny and tells a good story. After all isn't that what its all about?

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I've owned it since I was 14 and I've read it so many times, I could probably recite the pages without even looking. Definitely a keeper. Amazing!