Review: yolo (Internet Girls #4) by Lauren Myracle

You can read my review of books 1-3 in this series here.

yolo

(Internet Girls #4)

by Lauren Myracle

8/26/14

Amulet Books

Through texts and messages, the mega-bestselling, beloved Internet Girls series followed the ups and downs of school for three very different, very close friends. Now it’s freshman year of college for the winsome threesome, and *everything* is different. For one, the best friends are facing their first semester apart. Way, way apart. Maddie’s in California, Zoe’s in Ohio, and Angela’s back in Georgia. And it’s not just the girls who are separated. Zoe’s worried that Doug wants to break up now that they’re at different schools, and Maddie’s boyfriend, Ian, is on the other side of the country.In the face of change and diverging paths, Maddie’s got a plan to keep the friends close, and it involves embracing the present, making memories, and . . . roller derby! Using of-the-moment technology, Lauren Myracle brings her groundbreaking series into the brave new virtual world of texting and tweets.

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I was so uber excited when I learned Lauren Myracle was returning to her Internet Girl series with the fourth book, yolo. I gobbled up the updated, reissued first three books in this series, then I devoured yolo in one sitting...and y’all, when it comes to the series, Lauren Myracle has still got it!

In yolo we find the winsome threesome beginning their exciting, yet totally scary college journey. College is awesome, but being separated is not so awesome. In Georgia, Angela traverses the treacherous and very blonde world of sorority life. In Ohio, Zoe is loving her classes, but hating the emotional distance between her and Doug. And fearless, wild-child Maddie is in California Living. It. Up...at least that’s what she’s telling people. Romantic woes, identity crises, weird roommates, homeless buds, and holes in the feet...all this and so much more await our three fave BFFs in yolo.

Returning to this series was like returning to the beach house you used to vacation at as a child, but haven’t been to in forever...it felt like coming back to a comfortable, yet exciting friend! Like all of Myracle’s books, yolo is bursting with humor, heart, compelling characters, and sparkling writing.

There’s something so fresh, hip, yet effortless, and innovative about the texts and messages format this series is written in. This format, along with Myracle’s ability to craft one helluva pitch-perfect voice, creates such a fun, expressive story. Myracle does a fabby fab job of mixing the funny with the serious and the poignant. And the funnies in this book are the crazy-laugh-out-loud kind! From Maddie’s snarktastic wit to Angela’s silliness and Zoe’s laughable seriousness, this book had me cracking up from beginning to end. This story isn’t all laughs though. Myracle touches on some very relevant topics (rape, hazing, depression, etc) and does so with refreshing honesty, intelligent analysis, and palpable emotions.

The winsome threesome all face unexpected challenges, startling revelations, and immense personal growth throughout yolo, but they still remain the same quirky, lovable, smart, engaging girls I fell in love with many years ago. I loved getting to see a whole new side of each girl (Maddie’s vulnerability, Zoe’s confidence, Angela’s maturity). And I love how genuine and real the friendship between these girls feels! Through all the heartache, crushing blows, self-doubt, confusing life moments, triumphs, and epic fails, these three girls never stop being there for each other and they never stop mattering to each other. And that, is a very bee-oo-tiful thang!

My Final Thoughts: I am so unbelievably happy that Lauren Myracle decided to follow the winsome threesom to college and give readers another giggle-snort inducing, heart-squeezing, utterly magical reading experience. If you loved books 1-3 in this series, then you’ll adore yolo. And if you haven’t started this series, then ya best get on that dudes and dudettes!

MY RATING

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Lauren Myracle is the author of many books for teens and young people, including theNew York Times bestselling Internet Girls series, Shine, Rhymes with Witches, Bliss, The Infinite Moment of Us, and the Flower Power series. She lives with her family in Fort Collins, Colorado. Visit her online at laurenmyracle.com.