February 6, 2012

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson {Review}


Publisher: Hyperion Books CH
Publish Date: August 11, 2009
Source: Library
Using the skills you've learned so far in Introduction to Psychology, please write a brief self-assessment describing how things are going in your freshman year.Presenting Concerns:The Patient, Leigh Nolan (that would be me), has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards, not Rorshach blots).
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.
Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship. And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?
Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who things Patient is, in a word, naive.
Diagnosis:Psych Major Syndrome



I found this one a while back while sifting through Amazon’s bargain books and though it sounded pretty cute. Sadly, in reality it just ended up falling flat for me.

Normally I’m not all or nothing when it comes to characters. I like to give them the benefit of the doubt since human beings have flaws and make mistakes, but sometimes there are flaws that I just can’t get past and end up completely ruining the character for me. Sadly, that was Leigh for me. She couldn’t see ANYthing that was right in front of her. Not the dude that was throwing himself at her, not the boyfriend who was an ass, and not the mopey way she acted about everything. I just felt like grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking some sense into her.
Another minor Leigh annoyance, who says “I love you” as easily as that?! I don’t want to give it away or anything, but really? I’m of the firm belief that you should actually have a relationship before you decide to jump on the I Love You boat and sail away into the sunset.

There were little definitions of Psychology terms at the beginning of every chapter and though they should have been cute, they just kind of confused me. They were a little too clinical for my taste and I found myself slightly confused after reading most of them.

The Nutshell: Overall, Psych Major Syndrome was an okay read. Leigh was much too blind to everything around her for me really connect. It might have been one thing had she been 14 rather than 18 and in college, but alas, this was not the case. The overall story wasn’t too bad, but Leigh was impossible for me to get past.

Pages: 336
Series: No
Rating: 2 stars

4 comments:

  1. Too bad you didn't enjoy it. It sounds like an awesome premise.

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  2. Thanks for the review! I've been curious about this one. I've seen the cover, but it was always so small online that I never really could see the title, and didn't bother checking it out. I love new adult literature, and am glad that there's more out there all the time for this age and not just high school/young adult, but I can see how clinical psych terms might be confusing or a turn off for anyone who's not a psych major.

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  3. I loved it! And speaking on behalf of psych majors everywhere, the author totally nailed it! In the future, this author is going to be an auto buy!

    Mica
    Customer recommendations for Alaska Bear Viewing Tours Day Trips website

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  4. I read this book in 2010 and and such a very useful book and its tell us good ideas and tell us many stories thanks for sharing personal statement edit .

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