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The Breakup Bible
Jen Lewis is having a great junior year. She is the features editor of the school paper, and she’s dating Max Brown, the paper’s editor-in-chief.
Everything is perfect—that is, until Max says, “Maybe it would be better if we were just friends.” In shock and total denial, Jen wonders how she is going to deal with the pain of seeing Max in school every day. Her misery only intensifies when her grandmother gives her a book that she heard about on the radio. Dr. Emerson’s The Breakup Bible claims that “there’s no reason a woman can’t get over a breakup very quickly if she’ll just follow a few basic commandments.” Jen is doubtful. What does Dr. Emerson know about her and Max?
In a send-up to the scores of dating books on the market, Melissa Kantor’s The Breakup Bible tackles the aftermath of a high school romance with her trademark honesty, humor, and wit.
Everything is perfect—that is, until Max says, “Maybe it would be better if we were just friends.” In shock and total denial, Jen wonders how she is going to deal with the pain of seeing Max in school every day. Her misery only intensifies when her grandmother gives her a book that she heard about on the radio. Dr. Emerson’s The Breakup Bible claims that “there’s no reason a woman can’t get over a breakup very quickly if she’ll just follow a few basic commandments.” Jen is doubtful. What does Dr. Emerson know about her and Max?
In a send-up to the scores of dating books on the market, Melissa Kantor’s The Breakup Bible tackles the aftermath of a high school romance with her trademark honesty, humor, and wit.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2007
103 people are currently reading
2501 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
December 28, 2016
I stumbled upon The Breakup Bible after googling "books to read when you're heartbroken"... I believe the reason for this particular search is pretty obvious and doesn't need to be explained.
Thing is, I honestly didn't expect much from this book but I'm glad to be proven wrong (especially in times like this). This book will not mend your heart and get you back out there after a bad experience but it will definitely help you take some first steps towards that goal.
Thing is, I honestly didn't expect much from this book but I'm glad to be proven wrong (especially in times like this). This book will not mend your heart and get you back out there after a bad experience but it will definitely help you take some first steps towards that goal.
January 26, 2009
It wasn't my favorite young adult book, but it definitely wasn't the worst. The main character sometimes annoyed me because she was so frustrating. Midway through the book, I was so annoyed by how hung up she was still on her ex boyfriend who was, obviously, a complete jerk to her. It also annoyed the inner-feminist in me that her "breakup Bible" suggested getting a new boyfriend to get over the hurt of the last boyfriend-- meaning a woman needs a man to be happy. However, towards the end of the book, I started to realize something. The fact is, how she reacted was how any high school girl would most likely react. I've been in her shoes and I've complained a LOT more than she has. And then, I realized that the book (I don't know how intentional this was) hits on a very important issue for women of all ages concerning relationships. Jennifer (the main character) spent much of the first half of the book trying to find faults in Max (the ex boyfriend)... the Breakup Bible suggested things like leaving out socks, or not remembering your birthday, or so on. The thing is, those things might annoy you, but even if he's perfect at washing his laundry once a week, or calling you everyday after he gets off work, that doesn't mean he's Mr. Perfect. He could still call you everyday and still not really care about you. But since he does call everyday, a girl would have a hard time pinning down how he was such a loser without sounding petty. A guy who remembers your birthday, waits for you after work, and walks you to class is good-- but having a guy do that because he sincerely cares about you is better. Otherwise, he's just trying show himself how good of a boyfriend he can be.
An okay story with a better message. I don't think I'll read it again and again, but I might recommend it to a few high school girls.
An okay story with a better message. I don't think I'll read it again and again, but I might recommend it to a few high school girls.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2009
Awesome book. Kinda reminded me of How to Be Popular with it's self-help book style. I loved the characters, they felt real and the plot wasn't some lame we broke up but then I found an even better guy kinda thing. I mean, she didn't even have a real new boyfriend by the end of the book. But I do like Gene. I wish I could salsa dance. I loved when Jennifer told Max to get over himself. I think he totally deserved it and that she should have been more pissed at him through out the whole book. And the race relations story was great. I always think about how stupid white guys who act black are such losers. Short and sweet. Great book!
~Tori
~Tori
November 14, 2012
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
Jennifer had the perfect boyfriend, the All-American Boy, Max Brown, who she has had a crush on since kindergarten. Everything was fine and peachy for them, or at least that is what Jennifer believed. Out of nowhere Max tells her that he has been thinking about this a lot and just ends their relationships. Heartbroken, Jennifer has no idea what went wrong and is having trouble seeking out the answers, most likely because all she can do is cry in her room.
Jennifer's grandmother believes that the only way she can get over the relationship is by reading The Breakup Bible, the pink book with a golden heart torn in the middle, written by Dr. Emory Emerson. At first Jennifer is still too shaken up about the relationship that she can't even think of her ex's five faults (step one of The Breakup Bible). Jennifer is too busy thinking that Max has figured out that he has made the hugest mistake by breaking up with her. She constantly wonders about this when Max seems to be sending mixed signals to her in their journalism class.
But as Jennifer begins to see that thinking about Max may not be the healthiest thing for her, she takes Dr. Emerson's book and starts using the ten commandments, from trying to not talk bad about your ex to getting a new hobby. But little does Jennifer know that the changes that occur aren't only because of the book--and that the perfect boyfriend she once had isn't so perfect after all.
THE BREAKUP BIBLE is funny, sad, and very sassy all rolled up into one. Melissa Kantor tells the story of Jennifer, who everyone will soon grow to love and cheer for, hoping that she gets together with just the right guy. Not only Jennifer, but also her Nana and mother, makes the story even better. Teen angst never looked so good until THE BREAKUP BIBLE. I say that it is in need of a sequel.
Jennifer had the perfect boyfriend, the All-American Boy, Max Brown, who she has had a crush on since kindergarten. Everything was fine and peachy for them, or at least that is what Jennifer believed. Out of nowhere Max tells her that he has been thinking about this a lot and just ends their relationships. Heartbroken, Jennifer has no idea what went wrong and is having trouble seeking out the answers, most likely because all she can do is cry in her room.
Jennifer's grandmother believes that the only way she can get over the relationship is by reading The Breakup Bible, the pink book with a golden heart torn in the middle, written by Dr. Emory Emerson. At first Jennifer is still too shaken up about the relationship that she can't even think of her ex's five faults (step one of The Breakup Bible). Jennifer is too busy thinking that Max has figured out that he has made the hugest mistake by breaking up with her. She constantly wonders about this when Max seems to be sending mixed signals to her in their journalism class.
But as Jennifer begins to see that thinking about Max may not be the healthiest thing for her, she takes Dr. Emerson's book and starts using the ten commandments, from trying to not talk bad about your ex to getting a new hobby. But little does Jennifer know that the changes that occur aren't only because of the book--and that the perfect boyfriend she once had isn't so perfect after all.
THE BREAKUP BIBLE is funny, sad, and very sassy all rolled up into one. Melissa Kantor tells the story of Jennifer, who everyone will soon grow to love and cheer for, hoping that she gets together with just the right guy. Not only Jennifer, but also her Nana and mother, makes the story even better. Teen angst never looked so good until THE BREAKUP BIBLE. I say that it is in need of a sequel.
August 28, 2018
Getting over high school sweethearts
Well I guess most people experience this
I dived into this because it was recommended on a random website. Well, I guess the most important takeaway is try not to badmouth your ex. It is actually hard to do this because humans try to justify themselves and hope for sympathy. I may probably do it in the initial stages of breakup because of all the angst and sorrow. But... fast forward few months later, I do feel much better albeit moments of sadness. Always give yourself time to calm down before spewing any information in the moment of anger.
Thinking about relationships calmly, when you are angry, you only think about the bad events. However, was it really all that bad and no good? So instead of droning about how you were abandoned, why not let others know how much you have grown and allocate more time to more useful matters.
Well I guess most people experience this
I dived into this because it was recommended on a random website. Well, I guess the most important takeaway is try not to badmouth your ex. It is actually hard to do this because humans try to justify themselves and hope for sympathy. I may probably do it in the initial stages of breakup because of all the angst and sorrow. But... fast forward few months later, I do feel much better albeit moments of sadness. Always give yourself time to calm down before spewing any information in the moment of anger.
Thinking about relationships calmly, when you are angry, you only think about the bad events. However, was it really all that bad and no good? So instead of droning about how you were abandoned, why not let others know how much you have grown and allocate more time to more useful matters.
April 28, 2012
The cover was pink. shocking pink. It was so pink it seemed to throb with pinkness. Smack in the middle was a raised, gold heart, split in two by a pink lightning bolt. Above the heart, in white capital letters, was the books title. The Breakup bible
----
Jennifer Lewis has it all: amazing friends, editorial position on the school newspaper and the perfect relationship with her boyfriend Max Brown, her editor in chief and the boy of her dreams. Then, out of nowhere, Max casually tells Jennifer that maybe "it would be better if we were just friends," and the world comes to a screeching halt.
Shocked, Jen can't imagine how she's supposed to get out of bed every morning, much less face Max across a conference table meetings for their school paper. And when her grandmother gives her The Breakup Bible, a self-help book that claims its "commandments" can make her "the happiest dumpee on the block", Jen is convinced that the humiliation of heartbreak might actually be fatal. In fact, she's sure there's been a mistake-she and Max aren't really over.
As the semester rolls on, Jen finds herself on the trail of a controversial feature story and she starts to see herself and Max on a whole new light. and she discovers that there just might be life after heartbreak.
It was one realistic book! God! Everything about this is very real. At firsthand, I think it was pretty bizarre to read about break-up stuffs because I love happy endings as I endlessly say, but jeez I really enjoyed reading this book that I finished it in one seating.
The book is dived in three parts wherein I find it very weird since the first chapter is titled The End and the last one was The Beginning. It really is weird but as I go along with it, I find out the reason behind it and find it pretty cool!
Jeniffer is a good lead character and everything that she is is very real and very modern teeange-y. She acts and thinks that everything is fine and its just another ordinary day and the BOOM! her boyfriend dumps her. Seriously, even though I haven't experienced that kind of scenarioand I really don't want that to happen, because I for one would surely not know how to handle it. HAH! its just very typical and would surely caught your attention at first hand. I really liked reading how Jennifer get through the heartache. I feel her every ache and sadness.
The supporting characters like Jen's best friends are very fun to read in! They are all pretty hilarious. Her supportive mother, gangsta brother, gay dad and gay step-dad (which is in relationship with her dad since he and her mother were already divorced) was one heck set of characters. They are all very fun to read in! I really enjoyed every encounter with them.
In all, it was really a good YA novel. EEP! I really liked it. The story shows us that there is life after breakups. Very High school yet everybody can relate. This is one smile inducing novel.
---
PS. I know some of you may be interested on the Breakup commandments so im'ma share it with you
Dr. Emory Emersons Ten Breakup Commandments
1. Move out
2. You cannot be friends
3. Do not process this breakup together'
4. Do not bad-mouth your ex to other people
5. Get rid of anything that remind you of him
6. Start an exercise regime
7. Pursue an interest you could not have pursued while you and your ex
were together
8. Take a vacation
9. Embrace change
10. Go on a date-there are plenty of other fish in the sea
----
Jennifer Lewis has it all: amazing friends, editorial position on the school newspaper and the perfect relationship with her boyfriend Max Brown, her editor in chief and the boy of her dreams. Then, out of nowhere, Max casually tells Jennifer that maybe "it would be better if we were just friends," and the world comes to a screeching halt.
Shocked, Jen can't imagine how she's supposed to get out of bed every morning, much less face Max across a conference table meetings for their school paper. And when her grandmother gives her The Breakup Bible, a self-help book that claims its "commandments" can make her "the happiest dumpee on the block", Jen is convinced that the humiliation of heartbreak might actually be fatal. In fact, she's sure there's been a mistake-she and Max aren't really over.
As the semester rolls on, Jen finds herself on the trail of a controversial feature story and she starts to see herself and Max on a whole new light. and she discovers that there just might be life after heartbreak.
It was one realistic book! God! Everything about this is very real. At firsthand, I think it was pretty bizarre to read about break-up stuffs because I love happy endings as I endlessly say, but jeez I really enjoyed reading this book that I finished it in one seating.
The book is dived in three parts wherein I find it very weird since the first chapter is titled The End and the last one was The Beginning. It really is weird but as I go along with it, I find out the reason behind it and find it pretty cool!
Jeniffer is a good lead character and everything that she is is very real and very modern teeange-y. She acts and thinks that everything is fine and its just another ordinary day and the BOOM! her boyfriend dumps her. Seriously, even though I haven't experienced that kind of scenario
The supporting characters like Jen's best friends are very fun to read in! They are all pretty hilarious. Her supportive mother, gangsta brother, gay dad and gay step-dad (which is in relationship with her dad since he and her mother were already divorced) was one heck set of characters. They are all very fun to read in! I really enjoyed every encounter with them.
In all, it was really a good YA novel. EEP! I really liked it. The story shows us that there is life after breakups. Very High school yet everybody can relate. This is one smile inducing novel.
---
PS. I know some of you may be interested on the Breakup commandments so im'ma share it with you
Dr. Emory Emersons Ten Breakup Commandments
1. Move out
2. You cannot be friends
3. Do not process this breakup together'
4. Do not bad-mouth your ex to other people
5. Get rid of anything that remind you of him
6. Start an exercise regime
7. Pursue an interest you could not have pursued while you and your ex
were together
8. Take a vacation
9. Embrace change
10. Go on a date-there are plenty of other fish in the sea
October 19, 2012
I recommend The Breakup Bible to someone who likes funny, realistic, young adult novels. This book would be perfect for someone looking for a light read. The Breakup Bible begins with a heartbroken Jennifer Lewis explaining how her boyfriend of five months, Max, dumps her. The story continues, and a day after the breakup, Jennifer's grandmother gives her a book. The book, titled The Breakup Bible, is all about how to get over heartbreak. With the help of The Breakup Bible's rules, friends, family, and a handsome new boy named Gene, Jennifer is able to go from heartbreak to happy.
I found it interesting how the author, Melissa Kantor, used witty humor to help Jennifer overcome her heartbreak. For example, when Jennifer's grandma gives her the The Break Up Bible, Jennifer thinks "I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or to bang my head against the table until men in white coats arrived to carry me away." Her sarcasm here is used to deflect the feeling of shock from the gift her grandmother gives. Another example of the author using humor to help Jennifer overcome her heartbreak is all of the chapter titles, which are slogans that are meant to help Jennifer recover, such as "Nobody Does It Better-Than You!" Not only does this humor make the story more enjoyable, but it also allows the reader to better understand the characters. Another aspect of the book I found interesting is how the author begins. "In nineteenth-century novels, characters die of heartbreak. Literally." I feel that not only does this interest the reader, but it gives the reader the idea that the book will be about heartbreak. The beginning also sets the tone for the rest of the book. In those two sentences, Kantor was able to show humor, and wit, giving the reader the idea that the rest of the book will be comical as well.
The Breakup Bible, by Melissa Kantor, is an enjoyable, light read, suitable for anyone with an appreciation for humor and a love for a little romance.
I found it interesting how the author, Melissa Kantor, used witty humor to help Jennifer overcome her heartbreak. For example, when Jennifer's grandma gives her the The Break Up Bible, Jennifer thinks "I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or to bang my head against the table until men in white coats arrived to carry me away." Her sarcasm here is used to deflect the feeling of shock from the gift her grandmother gives. Another example of the author using humor to help Jennifer overcome her heartbreak is all of the chapter titles, which are slogans that are meant to help Jennifer recover, such as "Nobody Does It Better-Than You!" Not only does this humor make the story more enjoyable, but it also allows the reader to better understand the characters. Another aspect of the book I found interesting is how the author begins. "In nineteenth-century novels, characters die of heartbreak. Literally." I feel that not only does this interest the reader, but it gives the reader the idea that the book will be about heartbreak. The beginning also sets the tone for the rest of the book. In those two sentences, Kantor was able to show humor, and wit, giving the reader the idea that the rest of the book will be comical as well.
The Breakup Bible, by Melissa Kantor, is an enjoyable, light read, suitable for anyone with an appreciation for humor and a love for a little romance.
March 12, 2012
The Breakup Bible s a really good book mostly for Teens. Its about a girl named Jen Lewis who goes to highschool and is dating a boy named Max Brown. They had a perfect relationship until he tells her he just wants to be friends. Jen feels like her life is over until her Nana gets her a book called the Breakup Bible. Her Nana is hopeing this book helps Jen move on from Max.
Warning: Plot Spoilers and Discussion Follow Below.
Setting: The book takes place in 2007 at Hillsdal High School.
The protagonist in The Breakup Bible would have to be Jen. She is a young, sweet, smart girl who is heart broken. I like her because shes just like common teen. She has good friends and works hard at school. She is the editor for the school newspaper. Jen does change through out the story she starts out happy with Max then is very upset when Max dumps her but gets much better through out the story as she reads the book The Breakup Bible and it helps her.
The antagonist in The Breakup Bible would have the be Max Brown. Max is kind of a jock in the school, very good looking and charming to girls. Max also helps out on the school newspaper. Max is the boy that made Jens heart complete until he dumps her. He creats the whole conflict in the story.
Conflict: The main problem in the story is the breakup with Jen and Max. The main problems that Jen must deal with is moving on from Max and being able to face him at school.
Warning: Plot Spoilers and Discussion Follow Below.
Setting: The book takes place in 2007 at Hillsdal High School.
The protagonist in The Breakup Bible would have to be Jen. She is a young, sweet, smart girl who is heart broken. I like her because shes just like common teen. She has good friends and works hard at school. She is the editor for the school newspaper. Jen does change through out the story she starts out happy with Max then is very upset when Max dumps her but gets much better through out the story as she reads the book The Breakup Bible and it helps her.
The antagonist in The Breakup Bible would have the be Max Brown. Max is kind of a jock in the school, very good looking and charming to girls. Max also helps out on the school newspaper. Max is the boy that made Jens heart complete until he dumps her. He creats the whole conflict in the story.
Conflict: The main problem in the story is the breakup with Jen and Max. The main problems that Jen must deal with is moving on from Max and being able to face him at school.
March 29, 2011
Such a great story, and well constructed and written. And even though the main story line addresses the sad reality of heartbreak, I caught myself smiling at several different points in the novel (I mean, who *hasn't* blasted ABBA and danced wildly around the bedroom?).
I've always appreciated Melissa Kantor's writing style - it's engaging and endearingly sarcastic (not the kind of sarcasm that seems to be written just for sarcasm's sake; it could even be called an ironic sarcasm, the kind that points out the obviously funny/incongruent things in life). Perhaps the greatest compliment I could give her style is that it reminds me so much of the style of my all-time favorite YA author, Elizabeth Chandler.
In a genre inundated with paranormal romance and urban fantasy, it's refreshing to see a normal story about a normal girl wrestling with normal teen issues, but told in an abnormal - and I mean that as a compliment - way. No offense to the vampire and werewolf lovers (I certainly read my fair share of those books), but YA literature could use a shot in the arm where contemporary stories like this are concerned.
I've always appreciated Melissa Kantor's writing style - it's engaging and endearingly sarcastic (not the kind of sarcasm that seems to be written just for sarcasm's sake; it could even be called an ironic sarcasm, the kind that points out the obviously funny/incongruent things in life). Perhaps the greatest compliment I could give her style is that it reminds me so much of the style of my all-time favorite YA author, Elizabeth Chandler.
In a genre inundated with paranormal romance and urban fantasy, it's refreshing to see a normal story about a normal girl wrestling with normal teen issues, but told in an abnormal - and I mean that as a compliment - way. No offense to the vampire and werewolf lovers (I certainly read my fair share of those books), but YA literature could use a shot in the arm where contemporary stories like this are concerned.
August 14, 2015
I feel like if this was something I'd read while in a relationship, I wouldn't have liked it as much as I did.
I got this book. I came out of a relationship three months ago, so this was very relatable to me.
Reading how devastated Jen was at the start of her breakup reminded me how I felt, and it was just interesting to see her progression toward happiness and getting over Max.
I got this book. I came out of a relationship three months ago, so this was very relatable to me.
Reading how devastated Jen was at the start of her breakup reminded me how I felt, and it was just interesting to see her progression toward happiness and getting over Max.
March 23, 2011
Only okay. Typical teen angst YA novel about being dumped by the guy of her dreams, who turns out to not have been such a great prize anyway. They dated for 5 months, and he then breaks up with her a few days after she wouldn't spend the night with him. And he's been fooling around behind her back for an unknown period of time. Despite the fact he's a sleeze she is devastated, which is certainly understandable.
However, the martyrdom routine gets old quickly. Even after he has been openly dating the new girl for several months, it's still a combination of "oh, woe is me, I can't live without Max" and "what can I do to make him see that I'm the one he should be with?" Agony 1, Self-Awareness 0. Even when she's theoretically trying to follow the book that's central to the plot, the end goal is still to get Max back rather than get over him. But, once she has the glimmer of an opportunity to do so she is finally able to just say "no."
The relationship with Gene was a little contrived. They go on a blind date, have a good time, he kisses her, she has a total meltdown (tears and snot) because she's still in love with Max, dives into a cab to get away, never responds to any of his attempts at further communication, yet when they conveniently wind up at the same summer internship program they're planning a coffee date within the first 5 minutes. Apparently he's a good sport who can tolerate a girl with psychotic breaks. Meanwhile she almost turns him down because she's freaked out that he might someday break up with her, so why bother getting involved in the first place?
Just couldn't find her a very sympathetic character. High school was a time for relationship drama and it was occassionally painful but we survived without this much angst.
However, the martyrdom routine gets old quickly. Even after he has been openly dating the new girl for several months, it's still a combination of "oh, woe is me, I can't live without Max" and "what can I do to make him see that I'm the one he should be with?" Agony 1, Self-Awareness 0. Even when she's theoretically trying to follow the book that's central to the plot, the end goal is still to get Max back rather than get over him. But, once she has the glimmer of an opportunity to do so she is finally able to just say "no."
The relationship with Gene was a little contrived. They go on a blind date, have a good time, he kisses her, she has a total meltdown (tears and snot) because she's still in love with Max, dives into a cab to get away, never responds to any of his attempts at further communication, yet when they conveniently wind up at the same summer internship program they're planning a coffee date within the first 5 minutes. Apparently he's a good sport who can tolerate a girl with psychotic breaks. Meanwhile she almost turns him down because she's freaked out that he might someday break up with her, so why bother getting involved in the first place?
Just couldn't find her a very sympathetic character. High school was a time for relationship drama and it was occassionally painful but we survived without this much angst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2016
I think Kantor was able to really elevate what could have been standard YA fare and create something more standout, fun and interesting. The storyline is relatively simple, and something we have read multiple times in YA lit: a teen boy breaks up with his unsuspecting girlfriend, and she is left reeling and completely traumatized by the break up. Now, I have to admit that I often get impatient with these female characters who lose their marbles, don't go to school, have a minor breakdown, etc. after a high school romance fizzles out. And while there were moments that Jennifer's misery and inactivity started to bother me, Kantor kept the story moving with strong and sympathetic characters, and an engaging plot line.
At the root of the story is Jennifer trying to deal with Max breaking off their relationship. But what is more- and more interesting- Jennifer is a strong writer on her school newspaper striving to become a journalist, and make editor-in-chief once Max graduates. The fact that Max happens to be current editor-in-chief of their school paper makes things really awkward post-breakup- even more so when Max starts dating someone else. But when Jennifer teams up with another staff writer to investigate and question racial issues within their school district, she discovers a lot about herself, Max, and her journalistic future in the process.
If you're a fan of writers like Susane Colasanti, E. Lockhart, Meg Cabot, and Kristin Walker, than I would recommend this read. If you have read works by Kantor before, than do add this to your reading list if you're looking for a genuinely fun novel. The Breakup Bible is pretty perfect for summer reading and it is now my favourite novel of Kantor's.
October 29, 2012
I am just finishing this book and I absolutely loved it. I have already recommended it to my friend who just went through a break up, but not because I think it has good advice because for one I don't think you need a man to be happy. I recommended it to her because it would help her understand how silly she was being having such hurt feelings because of ONE GUY. She could read the life of Jen and start thinking to herself "Jeez, she just needs to get over this jerk. She needs to realize that she is beautiful and doesn't need him in her life." I really think it's helping her. And I was also frustrated with Jen because it seemed like she was drowning in water the whole time after Max broke up with her. It just shows how dependent a woman can get on a man. I think she could have been stronger with the whole thing and have been able to pull herself up from the ground. But all in all, this is a greatly written book and it's like it speaks directly from the heart of a teenage girl.
July 16, 2011
The author did a good job pulling you in and making you feel the pain that comes with being dumped. Especially when it comes out of left field like it did for Jen when Max said he thought they were better off as friends. All the emotions and actions Jen went through trying to move on were spot on. I just wish there was more about Jen's life after she realized Max wasn't as great as she thought he was. I would have liked to have read more about her at her internship and about seeing Gene for coffee. After all the pain the book drew you into a couple of pages of her moving on just wasn't enough for me.
August 20, 2014
What can I say I'm a sucker for romance and chick lit. I happened to devour this book in two hours give or take before eating breakfast or getting out of bed.
I was wondering how Jennifer was going to get over Max. As anyone whose every been in love knows breakups hurt and take some time to get over. I liked how there was another storyline and another guy Gene who sounds too sweet.
I got another lucky pick here. Plus I do like happy endings :)
I was wondering how Jennifer was going to get over Max. As anyone whose every been in love knows breakups hurt and take some time to get over. I liked how there was another storyline and another guy Gene who sounds too sweet.
I got another lucky pick here. Plus I do like happy endings :)
March 14, 2020
This book started with a surprising solid narration style and relatable character and just got worse as it went on. I ended up finding the main character annoying and got annoyed with all the friends and family members that kept enabling her annoyingness. Also the 'profound' article idea she has could have been handled way better or made to fit into the story in a better fashion. It just didn't work.
July 5, 2016
Cute story. Since I'm 24 and married, I can't help but judge teenage girls in books who are "in love" and heartbroken when a guy breaks up with them.
But even though I'm 24 and married, I still enjoy teenage romances! So I enjoyed it!
But even though I'm 24 and married, I still enjoy teenage romances! So I enjoyed it!
Read
December 12, 2020This story is about a young girl in her junior year of high school. Jen Lewis is dating Max Brown, the paper’s editor in chief. Jen is head over heels for Max. She has had a crush on him since freshman year. Their relationship has been perfect, until Max decides that they would be better off as friends. Jen does not handle the breakup very well, and becomes very depressed. This all comes to an end when Jen receives a book called The Breakup Bible. Jen doubts the book at first, but after a glance, she is intrigued. Dr. Emerson claims that Jen can get over the breakup following a few basic steps.After seeing Max move on rather quickly, Jen uses the book over invective language to make herself feel better. Jen soon finds out that she can be better off without Max, and soon finds someone else to fill his spot.
I believe that this book is very interesting and it could be very relatable to a variety of people. Jen Lewis, like many girls, believes that she is nothing without Max. This book shows young women that they do not need to depend on men for happiness, and they can be independent. It shows independence and strength. The irony is that Jen Lewis believes she will die without Max, but in reality, she does even better without him. She works on herself and builds her confidence. Though she goes through rough times to get where she is, she works hard and gains so much throughout the book. The book also includes a variety of different figures of speech. There is repetition of how miserable and sad Jen is, until she finally overcomes her depression. Similes and metaphors also fill the book, giving more depth and examples of how Jen really feels about her first love. In the end, Jen turns out to be okay, and she couldn’t have done it without the people that loved her the most. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys drama and real life scenarios.
I believe that this book is very interesting and it could be very relatable to a variety of people. Jen Lewis, like many girls, believes that she is nothing without Max. This book shows young women that they do not need to depend on men for happiness, and they can be independent. It shows independence and strength. The irony is that Jen Lewis believes she will die without Max, but in reality, she does even better without him. She works on herself and builds her confidence. Though she goes through rough times to get where she is, she works hard and gains so much throughout the book. The book also includes a variety of different figures of speech. There is repetition of how miserable and sad Jen is, until she finally overcomes her depression. Similes and metaphors also fill the book, giving more depth and examples of how Jen really feels about her first love. In the end, Jen turns out to be okay, and she couldn’t have done it without the people that loved her the most. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys drama and real life scenarios.
August 22, 2019
4/5: Me gustó bastante a pesar de que la protagonista fuese dramática algunas veces. Pero de eso se tratan las rupturas
September 23, 2025
wait periodt ?
November 9, 2023
This book was just like Girlfriend Material. Well, except, she got dumped and then realized she can be an independent young woman who doesn’t need a guy to make her happy. I loved the characters and the whole idea that a girl doesn’t need a guy just to feel fulfilled in her life. The premise of the story was great, and the whole novel by itself was just amazing.
Loved it! ❤️😍🥰
Loved it! ❤️😍🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
Umm so I thought I would hate it and read it as a joke but somehow I couldn’t put it down and read 2/3 of it in one day. It might actually be bad but I had low expectations so I really enjoyed it!!
December 27, 2013
I enjoyed The Breakup Bible by Melissa Kantor much more than I thought I would. I saw the bright pink cover in the YA section of the library by chance. It stuck out and having just gone through a breakup of sorts myself, I thought something with a title like The Breakup Bible might help me move on, or at least give me something to relate to.
Jennifer Lewis, the protagonist and dumpee starts the book off heartbroken after her then-boyfriend Max pulls a Let's Just Be Friends. She picks up a self-help book titled The Breakup Bible by the fictional Dr. Emerson to get her through the pain.
I originally decided to read this book because I thought each major plot point would focus on a specific breakup commandment or exercise recommended by the eponymous book, and I’m a sucker for self-help, even in the form of YA fiction, but the book is about more than a series of exercises where you write down 5 faults of your ex or tape motivational statements like I COMPLETE ME to your mirror.
While I did end up writing a list of my ex's faults, what I enjoyed more was reading about Jen's decision to apply to an internship with the NYT and pursue the touchy topic of race relations for her high school newspaper .
People complain that they couldn't relate to the amount of time Jen spent replaying good moments with her ex, moping, and generally in denial about her ex's bad behavior, but I found I completely related to Jen's angst and delusions. Granted I just came from a similar breakup, and granted breakups tend to be more intense when you're in your 20s, but who would have thought this dose of young adult chick lit was just what I needed?
In any case, I learned several important lessons: after a breakup, realize you cannot be friends, pursue an interest of your own, and don't try to process the breakup together. I also loved the moment Jen had at the end with Max,
You can constantly wonder if you did something wrong, and you seek an explanation from your ex, but in the end, you'll realize there were many points when things could have ended, and talking this through with your ex might just end up making you feel worse. In most cases, your ex doesn't need to know what you put down as his five flaws and you don't need to know how he really thought of you--if he was always ready to let you go the minute he met that other girl.
It's nice to play the highlight reel once in a while, And this book made me realize that, while natural to want to keep a highlight reel, eventually those shiny moments will dull—thank goodness.
All in all, the book was pretty insightful for something I skim read this afternoon.
Jennifer Lewis, the protagonist and dumpee starts the book off heartbroken after her then-boyfriend Max pulls a Let's Just Be Friends. She picks up a self-help book titled The Breakup Bible by the fictional Dr. Emerson to get her through the pain.
I originally decided to read this book because I thought each major plot point would focus on a specific breakup commandment or exercise recommended by the eponymous book, and I’m a sucker for self-help, even in the form of YA fiction, but the book is about more than a series of exercises where you write down 5 faults of your ex or tape motivational statements like I COMPLETE ME to your mirror.
While I did end up writing a list of my ex's faults, what I enjoyed more was reading about Jen's decision to apply to an internship with the NYT and pursue the touchy topic of race relations for her high school newspaper .
People complain that they couldn't relate to the amount of time Jen spent replaying good moments with her ex, moping, and generally in denial about her ex's bad behavior, but I found I completely related to Jen's angst and delusions. Granted I just came from a similar breakup, and granted breakups tend to be more intense when you're in your 20s, but who would have thought this dose of young adult chick lit was just what I needed?
In any case, I learned several important lessons: after a breakup, realize you cannot be friends, pursue an interest of your own, and don't try to process the breakup together. I also loved the moment Jen had at the end with Max,
You can constantly wonder if you did something wrong, and you seek an explanation from your ex, but in the end, you'll realize there were many points when things could have ended, and talking this through with your ex might just end up making you feel worse. In most cases, your ex doesn't need to know what you put down as his five flaws and you don't need to know how he really thought of you--if he was always ready to let you go the minute he met that other girl.
It's nice to play the highlight reel once in a while, And this book made me realize that, while natural to want to keep a highlight reel, eventually those shiny moments will dull—thank goodness.
All in all, the book was pretty insightful for something I skim read this afternoon.
May 29, 2013
The Breakup Bible
Reviewed by Danielle Kobriger
“It’s not you, it’s me”, “I don’t have time for a relationship”, “I think we are better off as friends”, all of these are common break up lines. . The Breakup Bible, written by Melissa Kantor, tells the story of a teenage girl, Jen, whose heart is broken by her adored boyfriend Max, when he says the famous line “I think we should just be friends”.
I feel like Kantor, the author, is trying to make the point that time can heal all wounds if you let it. The conflict Jen faced in The Breakup Bible was Jen had to accept the fact that Max had moved on with someone new and she was going to have to do the same. But no matter how hard Jen tried she didn’t think it was possible. Just when Jen had lost all hope her father sets her up with an incredibly handsome boy named Gene. But, will it be enough to allow Jen to get over Max?
Kantor is great at making the reader feel as if they are really there throughout the entire journey. One of the moments in which I found myself caught up in the story was when Jen says “Because the thing was, I missed him. Even though I was really, really, really, trying to go from heartache to happiness, all I hoped every morning when I arrived at school was that Max would be waiting at my locker, ready to fall to his knees and beg me to take him back.” In this quote you could see that Jen was truly trying to get over Max because she mentions happiness and no matter how hard she tries, she wants him back, and more importantly she wants him to want her back. Jen hopes Max will realize the huge mistake he has made, but in reality, Jen knows this will never happen. Another reason the book kept my attention so well was because Jen and her friends would over-analyze every little move Max made. For example, Jen says “Specifically I wanted to know what she thought about his A) saying his weekend sucked and B) hip-checking me”. Soon after, Jen says, “After I demonstrated the hip check for the third time so she could see exactly what I meant by “soft, but not to soft.” From these two quotes it is easy to see how much these girls over-analyze every little move, but since I, myself, am a teenage girl I could completely understand because myself and all the other girls I know do the exact same thing, and we don’t even realize it are doing it. . Honestly there wasn’t anything in particular that I disliked about the writing. The author portrays all of the characters and setting in a very believable manner.
The content of the book is great. It is so realistic which is something many readers thrive on. The theme of this book is important because everyone will experience some type of heartbreak just like Jen did. Something that helps to make this book so realistic is that, everything in the book is not perfect. In life, there aren’t always happy endings, even if everyone likes to believe there should be. From reading this you can tell that Kantor doesn’t write every story with “a happily ever after” ending. She writes them to show the harsh truth that everything may not go your way. The Breakup Bible may have not ended the way the readers were hoping it would, but it’s real, and in my opinion, real is hard to find these days.
Kantor has the girls talking like teenagers, not 30 year olds. Also, the girls use slang and shorten their words and their sentences. I strongly recommend this book. Not only can teenage girls easily relate to the message being sent, anyone who has lost a loved one will too. This book does a great job at showing the reality of relationships.
Reviewed by Danielle Kobriger
“It’s not you, it’s me”, “I don’t have time for a relationship”, “I think we are better off as friends”, all of these are common break up lines. . The Breakup Bible, written by Melissa Kantor, tells the story of a teenage girl, Jen, whose heart is broken by her adored boyfriend Max, when he says the famous line “I think we should just be friends”.
I feel like Kantor, the author, is trying to make the point that time can heal all wounds if you let it. The conflict Jen faced in The Breakup Bible was Jen had to accept the fact that Max had moved on with someone new and she was going to have to do the same. But no matter how hard Jen tried she didn’t think it was possible. Just when Jen had lost all hope her father sets her up with an incredibly handsome boy named Gene. But, will it be enough to allow Jen to get over Max?
Kantor is great at making the reader feel as if they are really there throughout the entire journey. One of the moments in which I found myself caught up in the story was when Jen says “Because the thing was, I missed him. Even though I was really, really, really, trying to go from heartache to happiness, all I hoped every morning when I arrived at school was that Max would be waiting at my locker, ready to fall to his knees and beg me to take him back.” In this quote you could see that Jen was truly trying to get over Max because she mentions happiness and no matter how hard she tries, she wants him back, and more importantly she wants him to want her back. Jen hopes Max will realize the huge mistake he has made, but in reality, Jen knows this will never happen. Another reason the book kept my attention so well was because Jen and her friends would over-analyze every little move Max made. For example, Jen says “Specifically I wanted to know what she thought about his A) saying his weekend sucked and B) hip-checking me”. Soon after, Jen says, “After I demonstrated the hip check for the third time so she could see exactly what I meant by “soft, but not to soft.” From these two quotes it is easy to see how much these girls over-analyze every little move, but since I, myself, am a teenage girl I could completely understand because myself and all the other girls I know do the exact same thing, and we don’t even realize it are doing it. . Honestly there wasn’t anything in particular that I disliked about the writing. The author portrays all of the characters and setting in a very believable manner.
The content of the book is great. It is so realistic which is something many readers thrive on. The theme of this book is important because everyone will experience some type of heartbreak just like Jen did. Something that helps to make this book so realistic is that, everything in the book is not perfect. In life, there aren’t always happy endings, even if everyone likes to believe there should be. From reading this you can tell that Kantor doesn’t write every story with “a happily ever after” ending. She writes them to show the harsh truth that everything may not go your way. The Breakup Bible may have not ended the way the readers were hoping it would, but it’s real, and in my opinion, real is hard to find these days.
Kantor has the girls talking like teenagers, not 30 year olds. Also, the girls use slang and shorten their words and their sentences. I strongly recommend this book. Not only can teenage girls easily relate to the message being sent, anyone who has lost a loved one will too. This book does a great job at showing the reality of relationships.
January 7, 2019
Typical YA lit. Totally predictable but kinda sweet, nothing earth-shattering though!
November 16, 2017
Salomé Reina Bedoya
The Breakup Bible
Melissa Kantor
Pg#90
People in the nineteenth-century novels actually died of heartbreak, so basically a girl gets dumped by her boyfriend or lover and the next thing you know her family is sitting next to her bed waiting for the moment to happen, friends give their grieves to the parents and go away until the tradegy passes. Jen lewis is a junior student, she is one of the most non-popular girls at school but she is having a great time, on the other hand, she is not only the features editor of the school paper, but she´s dating Max Brown, the paper´s editor in chief, everything is perfect, her relationship, her family, her grades and her reputation at school but that is until Max drops a bomb at her face and tells her that "Maybe it would be better if we were just friends", when Jen heard those words she unbuckled her seat belt, slid out of his car, and shut the door. The only things that crossed her mind were " That is the last time I am going to get out of Max`s car", "I`m never going to kiss Max again" , the worst thought she had was "Max isn`t my boyfriend anymore". The days passed and even Nana (Jen´s farther friend) has noticed that she is depressed, which is why Nana bought Jen the Dr. Emerson`s breakup bible, a book that helps any girl get over any boy, but... What will Dr. Emerson know about Jen`s life that will help her get over Max?.
From this book we can learn many things, the main one is that many times we think that everything will last forever and that's why we do not enjoy it, but the truth is that everything is going to end and we do not know when. I think that this book is especially dedicated to girls who are about to develop their love life and want to know what they are facing when the relationship is over, also for those who are going through a bad time and need support.
I personally recommend the book because it allows us to understand that no matter how rough or how a bad time we are going through we are going to have many people who will be there to help us overcome the situation.
Vocabulary Words
1. Grief
Noun: To feel sorry for a loss
After the fire the whole town was gripped by grief and sorrow.
2. Stricken
Adjective: Fell afected by something.
Half of the village was stricken with the illness.
3. Moor
Noun: An open area of hills covered with rough grass, especially in Britain.
The Yorkshire moors are amazing.
4. Hover
Infinitive Verb: To plan over something.
The helicopter hovered above the city.
5. Gallops
Noun: A gait of a horse, faster than a canter, in which all four feet are off the ground at the same time during each stride.
The horse galloped in the valley.
The Breakup Bible
Melissa Kantor
Pg#90
People in the nineteenth-century novels actually died of heartbreak, so basically a girl gets dumped by her boyfriend or lover and the next thing you know her family is sitting next to her bed waiting for the moment to happen, friends give their grieves to the parents and go away until the tradegy passes. Jen lewis is a junior student, she is one of the most non-popular girls at school but she is having a great time, on the other hand, she is not only the features editor of the school paper, but she´s dating Max Brown, the paper´s editor in chief, everything is perfect, her relationship, her family, her grades and her reputation at school but that is until Max drops a bomb at her face and tells her that "Maybe it would be better if we were just friends", when Jen heard those words she unbuckled her seat belt, slid out of his car, and shut the door. The only things that crossed her mind were " That is the last time I am going to get out of Max`s car", "I`m never going to kiss Max again" , the worst thought she had was "Max isn`t my boyfriend anymore". The days passed and even Nana (Jen´s farther friend) has noticed that she is depressed, which is why Nana bought Jen the Dr. Emerson`s breakup bible, a book that helps any girl get over any boy, but... What will Dr. Emerson know about Jen`s life that will help her get over Max?.
From this book we can learn many things, the main one is that many times we think that everything will last forever and that's why we do not enjoy it, but the truth is that everything is going to end and we do not know when. I think that this book is especially dedicated to girls who are about to develop their love life and want to know what they are facing when the relationship is over, also for those who are going through a bad time and need support.
I personally recommend the book because it allows us to understand that no matter how rough or how a bad time we are going through we are going to have many people who will be there to help us overcome the situation.
Vocabulary Words
1. Grief
Noun: To feel sorry for a loss
After the fire the whole town was gripped by grief and sorrow.
2. Stricken
Adjective: Fell afected by something.
Half of the village was stricken with the illness.
3. Moor
Noun: An open area of hills covered with rough grass, especially in Britain.
The Yorkshire moors are amazing.
4. Hover
Infinitive Verb: To plan over something.
The helicopter hovered above the city.
5. Gallops
Noun: A gait of a horse, faster than a canter, in which all four feet are off the ground at the same time during each stride.
The horse galloped in the valley.
May 8, 2018
Jennifer and Max are the perfect couple... until they aren't. With the breakup out of the way up front, The Breakup Bible walks us through the demise of their relationship and Jennifer's struggle with heartache and "being just friends." Taking the character and the reader through the stages of grief, showing Jen commiserating with friends and family, and introducing a self-help book that may or may not help her survive the school year, the novel peppers its pages with excerpts of the self-help text. As Jennifer tries to take the advice to heart while not completely torpedoing her school newspaper spot, desperate for some sort of relief from heartbreak, she manages to put one foot in front of the other until moving forward of her own free will seems possible. It sounds dramatic, and it's meant to be - The Breakup Bible is the story of the ending of teen romances everywhere.
Written from the perspective of a teenage girl, the Breakup Bible is the kind of fiction that has been played out in real life a million times over. The author perfectly captures the essence of teen love and teen heartache. Reading from an adult POV, I can nonetheless remember just what that felt like - if I were reading this as a teen I'd be an emotional wreck. As it is, I can fully sympathize with Jennifer and her friends as they traverse the obstacle course that is high school. Both poignant and witty, The Breakup Bible feels authentic but also inserts the needed silver lining into its story.
Written from the perspective of a teenage girl, the Breakup Bible is the kind of fiction that has been played out in real life a million times over. The author perfectly captures the essence of teen love and teen heartache. Reading from an adult POV, I can nonetheless remember just what that felt like - if I were reading this as a teen I'd be an emotional wreck. As it is, I can fully sympathize with Jennifer and her friends as they traverse the obstacle course that is high school. Both poignant and witty, The Breakup Bible feels authentic but also inserts the needed silver lining into its story.
October 23, 2018
The Breakup Bible... Where would I even start to review this amazing book!? There are great characters, story lines, and very strong emotions included in this book. You may think it's just some other sad breakup book, however; it is SO MUCH MORE than that! It brings light to things that most people would be afraid to bring light to. For example, it makes you aware of racial troubles in modern high schools, bogus school systems, it even includes a gay couple, bringing light to the lgbtq+ community!
The main character is a teenage girl named Jennifer Luis (Jen for short). She is a reporter for her school newspaper, and practically has the PERFECT life! Or does she? She has the perfect boyfriend, a good relationship with her parents, great grades, amazing BFFs and a great teacher, What could go wrong right? Try, her 'perfect' boyfriend Max, suddenly deciding he wants to break up...
The main character is a teenage girl named Jennifer Luis (Jen for short). She is a reporter for her school newspaper, and practically has the PERFECT life! Or does she? She has the perfect boyfriend, a good relationship with her parents, great grades, amazing BFFs and a great teacher, What could go wrong right? Try, her 'perfect' boyfriend Max, suddenly deciding he wants to break up...
September 4, 2017
2.75 stars
I think the 'B' storyline was more interesting than the 'A' storyline. And the book could have been great if it were the focus. It truly surprised me and took parts of the story places I hadn't expected especially for a contemporary story about getting over a breakup. It wasn't perfect but it did really elevate the story and make it more unique.
Jen was a mixed bag for me. I didn't hate her but I didn't enjoy her either. She she was just there. She came across annoying at times and I feel like she was propped up a bit too much. Her complete nonchelant use of retard in casual conversation was very offputting though.
Overall, this book offered more than I expected but I don't think it fully delivered what it was capable of.
I think the 'B' storyline was more interesting than the 'A' storyline. And the book could have been great if it were the focus. It truly surprised me and took parts of the story places I hadn't expected especially for a contemporary story about getting over a breakup. It wasn't perfect but it did really elevate the story and make it more unique.
Jen was a mixed bag for me. I didn't hate her but I didn't enjoy her either. She she was just there. She came across annoying at times and I feel like she was propped up a bit too much. Her complete nonchelant use of retard in casual conversation was very offputting though.
Overall, this book offered more than I expected but I don't think it fully delivered what it was capable of.
May 17, 2018
This book is literally one of my favorite books from any books. I would say this is a nonfiction book because many teenagers face breakups and heartbrokens in high school or growing up. According to this book , it's mainly about a girl named Jennifer Lewis who is a junior in High school, she had it all and she was in loved with her boyfriend named "Max Brown". Until Max Brown told her , " it would be better if we were just friends." , which it created a changed up to Jennifer lifestyles and understand that there must be a life after a heartbreak. This book creates a connection with the readers who have went through breakups , and it would make them realize that life has to keep going on.
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