Lauren Myracle

Chronicles, in "instant message" format, the day-to-day experiences, feelings, and plans of three friends, Zoe, Maddie, and Angela, as they begin tenth grade.

ttyl (Talk to You Later)

Briar's Reviews

This is the kind of book I would have liked back in... Grade 3? Maybe... But now? Ohmigosh nooooo.

If you can't tell, this book is aimed towards middle school pre-teens who are gossip-y and love drama. It's a great book for that soap-opera loving pre-teen who would DIE for Pretty Little Liars and that kind of book/television show. 

The book feels like a journal of some kid who's just wailing about how much their life sucks and how they will literally DIE if they do not get that nail polish they asked for. Like, literally. Super literally. Not like, fake literally. These girls are whiny, superficial and feel like the popular girls who go "OHMIIIIIGOOOOOOSH." It felt whiny.

It is a book I wanted to read when it came out though, but I am now not the age group for it. I completely understand why and can appreciate that, but it's not for me. Before the haters jump in... I am allowed to go back and read a book I wanted to read but could not due to my financial situation being a teenager without money due to helping a sick parent financially. I don't have to like the book. I can read a book that wasn't aimed for me and see if I like it. Whoo, let the haters roll in.... 

One out of five stars.

ashley hopkins

ItÆs time for a new generation of readers to discover the phenomenally bestselling and beloved series, told entirely in messages and texts. With a fresh look and updated cultural references, the notorious list-topping series is ready for the iPhone generation. First published in 2004 (holy moly!), ttyl and its sequels follow the ups and downs of high school for the winsome threesome, three very different but very close friends: wild Maddie (mad maddie), bubbly Angela (SnowAngel), and reserved Zoe (zoegirl). Through teacher crushes, cross-country moves, bossy Queen Bees, incriminating party pics, and other bumps along the way, author Lauren Myracle explores the many potholes of teenagedom with the unflinching honesty and pitch-perfect humor that made this series a staple of young adult literature.

10th Anniversary update and reissue

ttyl

Leelynn Brady

Find this review and more on my blog Sometimes Leelynn Reads.

mad maddie: zoe, angela is her own worst enemy, you know. 

  zoegirl: i love her so much, but i do kind of understand what you’re saying. but i don’t know how to tell her that to her face. i don’t even know if i want to say it to her face.


I am so glad I was able to buy the entire series from Barnes & Noble, not to mention that I was able to get the 10th-anniversary edition! Trust me when I say that the story was different from what I remembered all those years ago. The 10th-anniversary edition updated the story to include current shows and trends, like Pinterest and Netflix, all while keeping true to what this journey was basically about.

I loved this book a lot because of its unique format. I remember when I first read this, thinking how it was so cool that the story was told entirely through IMs. I still love that aspect as I read it for the second time in my life. I especially liked that each girl - Zoe, Angela, and Maddie - had their own fonts customized so we could tell the difference between them visually. If you read this book and see the way they message each other, you'd be able to tell who is who easily.

This story takes place during the girls' sophomore year in high school. It's a big year for them, as they are getting to the age of being able to drive legally without any parental supervision. They are growing up, learning about love, friendships, betrayals, and everything else that comes with high school. It has been described as a coming of age story, and I can really agree with that statement. They still have some growing up to do, and they do need to learn that their friendship is more important than any arguments or fights they may get into, but I have a feeling these girls will be able to pull through whatever obstacles come their way.

I look forward to rereading the rest of the series, including the newest addition to the story, "yolo". See? Lauren Myracle really has kept up with the times.