a quick and easy read, targeted at the female YA market.

Very formulaic. I don't know how else to put it without involving a spoiler, but you'll pretty much know where the book is headed VERY early on, and if you have any experience reading similar books, you know exactly how it's going to end. With all of the cliche events along the way.

It wasn't a bad book, but I'm not sure of its audience. It's a Disney Teen book, and if about 20 lines were removed from it, I would think it would be an excellent book for a tween. But because of those 20 lines, it keeps it as a true teen book - but they may find it very mild.

I previewed this book for my tween, and from the first quarter of the book, I was fairly confident she could read it. There are references to sex and virginity, but you can hear that on Bravo. But then some of the context became a little too much - and (in my opinion) completely unnecessary. I felt like the book was written, the author decided the book was skewing too young, so some extra lines were added to get it to an older crowd. ( )

The book revolves around Leigh and her first semester at college as a psych major. Due to the study of this major, she becomes rather neurotic and over-analytical over her life, especially the relationship with her boyfriend, and even more especially of her relationship with her boyfriend's roommate.

I thought this book was incredibly witty. I loved Leigh and all her quirks, and she made for some really great laugh out loud moments. I think one of my favorite lines of the book was: "Do you accept creepy robotic babies as trade? I could get you one that's worth five hundred dollars." You'll find sentences like that throughout the book that take you slightly off guard but make you laugh.

The romance was also well done. There was tension created by the scenario of Leigh starting to have feelings for her boyfriend's roommate, Nathan. as you read the development of Leigh's and Nathan's relationship, the chemistry becomes palpable. The ending, while predictable, is cute and wraps things up like a pretty bow. It's a great light, romantic read. ( )

College freshman Leigh Nolan has happily escaped her psychic-loving parents for a psychology degree at a small liberal arts school. However, college life is not going the way she wants it to. Her boyfriend Andrew, whom Leigh’s been with since high school, does not seem to want to fit Leigh into his hectic academic schedule. Andrew and Leigh’s roommate, the artistic Ami, dislike one another. And Nathan, Andrew’s roommate, acts like he can’t stand even the sight of Leigh.

What’s a girl to do when her life’s a mess? As Leigh slowly navigates her various relationships, she begins to figure out who is worth it and who isn’t…and her realizations may surprise even her.

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME is an absolutely winsome novel, easily one of the sweetest reads this year. It’s the literary equivalent of pictures of cute kittens and puppies, and will leave you sighing happily and “aww-ing” at the end.

The book crackles with humor, mostly the result of the stellar protagonist. Leigh has just the right balance of “intelligent college student” and “blind, drama-attracting girl” to win over both lovers of intelligent AND just-for-fun fiction. Leigh’s snarky and self-deprecating narration is charmingly funny, and there are enough hints of cultural references that will make even the most well-read reader smile indulgently. PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME takes the classic narrative formula—well-put-together main character realizes her non-debilitating blindness and overcomes that critical flaw to become a better and happier person—and rebuilds it again as something that will ring true for us. It’s tried-and-true, without making us sick of the “tried.”

PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME has more to do with a love story than psychology, and far from being disappointed that the title and synopsis were a bit misleading, I was absolutely delighted. Without giving anything away, I just want to say that if the love interest doesn’t make your list of Top 10 Swoon-Worthy YA Boys, then you either have a hard-to-win heart, or else you recognize the few flaws in this novel that make it not nearly as enjoyable as it could be: a rushed ending, not enough character development in the one character we’d like to see developed more, and a happy ending that’s so perfect as to be a little cringe-inducing.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME may depend on how much the conventions bother you. However, I absolutely loved this novel and would pick it up again at a moment’s notice to have more than my fair share of funny, sweet, and sigh-worthy romance. Readers who adored but have for the most part outgrown Meg Cabot’s books will find a fantastic alternative in Alicia Thompson’s debut novel. ( )

Leigh's got a lot to deal with during her first semester at a tiny California college. There's Andrew, her high school boyfriend whose roommate hates her and who doesn't seem to want to try to get into her pants (not that Leigh necessarily wants him to, but they've been going out for over a year, shouldn't he at least be TRYING?). Then there's the Psych 101 term paper that she hasn't even picked a topic for yet (ehh, she'll whip something up at the last minute, she's sure). And then there's the mentoring program that she's volunteered for. But every time she opens her mouth, she seems to be saying all the wrong things.

I liked this book okay, but it felt like it took a long time to get where we all knew it was going from the beginning. Not perfect but a solid debut that deals realistically with the tumultuous journey that often starts a college career. ( )