Book Review: Galgorithm

Galgorithm

By: Aaron Karo

Published By: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Page Count: 320

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via Edelweiss

Audience: Young Adult - Contemporary

Galgorithm was a fun book to read. I chose this book because the synopsis sounded like it would enjoyable. Little did I know it would also be similar to my favorite movie, Hitch! 

 Shane has had a bad breakup and decides to devote his time to helping other boys in high school avoid his same fate. He developed what he likes to call the Galgorithm, a formula designed to help the average guy get the girl of his dreams. 

Unfortunately, Shane's plans do not always go smoothly. Mr. Kimbrough, one of Shane's former math teachers, hears rumors of Shane's dating advice and comes to him for help with another teacher. Shane doesn't really want to help an adult, but doesn't see a way out of the situation. 

 Shane also has a best friend, Jak. They have known each other since they were babies. She and Shane call Shane's former girlfriend Voldemort. "Not because she's evil, but because after our breakup speaking her name was too painful for me." One of my favorite parts of the book! But once Shane became a dating guru, his relationship with Jak seemed to stagnate a bit. 

 There are also former and current "clients" clamoring for Shane's time. He's close to graduation, trying to gear up for finals, AP tests, and dealing with the fact that he'll be moving away from Jak for the first time ever, so the stress is starting to build. 

 A former client sets him up with Tristen, the "It girl of the junior class." Somehow, things seem to click between them, bringing another wedge between he and Jak. But Shane's secret dating life can't stay a secret forever. When it all comes out, surprising things happen. Some bad, but some turn out to be good. 

 The best way to describe Galgorithm is YA chick lit. It was a quick, light read. Nothing too deep, but it did have it's moments. I was a bit worried it was going to be the high school version of Hitch, but it ended up taking a few different turns so I was happy. So if you're interested in some fun YW chick lit written from the male POV, you should check out Galgorithm.

Summary:

A romantic comedy about high school, heartbreak, and having all the answers.

What if the secrets of dating and love were revealed in one simple formula? That's the tantalizing proposition high school senior Shane Chambliss offers the hopeless and hapless guys who come to him for relationship advice.

After the girl of his dreams breaks his heart, Shane devises a mysterious formula called the Galgorithm and establishes himself as the resident dating guru at Kingsview High School. But his attempts to master the art of romance go outrageously awry.

As Shane tries to navigate the ensuing drama, he must follow his heart, abandon all the rules, and ignore his own advice in a quest for true love. What he discovers, no formula could ever predict...