Boy Toy [NOOK Book]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

In BOY TOY, author Barry Lyga takes readers on an incredible journey into a world that, for some, like main character Josh Mendel, is all too real. Josh's life was changed at age twelve when his teacher took the role of educator far beyond the limits of acceptable behavior. Lyga's story does not cut corners or mince words. He is straightforward and direct in telling Josh's story. His graphic descriptions may have earned him criticism, but they have also made his story a powerful one.

Josh Mendel loves baseball. He is a wiz at math. His best friend, Zik, seems to be the one with the rocky home life and all the problems, but not for long.

Mrs. Evelyn Sherman is the new history teacher recently transferred from the local high school to the middle school. She is drop-dead gorgeous. All the boys probably find it a bit embarrassing to stand up and leave the classroom some days. Josh certainly does.

Josh's involvement with Mrs. Sherman begins when she praises his writing and asks him to help her with a project for her graduate class. Honored and excited, Josh is eager to help. Problems at home make staying after school, and later actually going home with Mrs. Sherman, a convenience for Josh and his parents. He begins spending more and more time with her even after her project is complete.

At first, being in Mrs. Sherman's apartment everyday after school is exciting, because Josh gets to play unlimited video games, drink Coke, and hang out with an attentive, beautiful woman. His time in the apartment becomes even more fascinating when Mrs. Sherman begins inviting him to help her cook dinner and sip wine with her. Then kisses begin - tentative and then passionate. The passion moves from petting to full-on sexual experimentation.

Josh is addicted. There are feelings of guilt, but those feelings are outweighed by the incredible physical pleasure Mrs. Sherman offers. Life is spiraling out of control.

The world comes crashing down when Josh finds himself playing spin the bottle with Rachel. He and Rachel have been friends on the baseball field for as long as he can remember, but when Josh's newfound experience turns the innocent teenage game too sexually explicit, Rachel runs screaming to her parents. The "game" is over, and Josh's secret is about to come out in the open.

BOY TOY is not a short romp between the sheets. In fact, it has raised many eyebrows in the world of YA literature. Readers will see exactly what went on with Mrs. Sherman, but they will also see deeply into the world of a young man trying to continue with life, make amends to his friends, and make plans for his future. It has a strong, powerful story to tell, and it tells that story well.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

The Things School Doesn't Teach You

I was going to start my review by saying how disgusting I thought the subject matter of BOY TOY was: a teacher has sex with her 12-year-old student! Gasp! And then I realized that I'm not an ultra-conservative, red state-voting, Rush Limbaugh-loving, Bible-thumping, narrow-minded redneck. (Even though this type of subject matter occurs on a daily basis for them. It's just not talked about, like the "special" relationship between priests and kids...or brothers and sisters. Ew.)

BOY TOY was a quick, exceptional read, even at close to 400 pages. Barry Lyga, the author, definitely has an ear for dialogue. The pages flowed from one to the next with ease. And I loved the characters that Lyga created. Josh Mendel, the young boy and main character, is a precocious teen. He's smart, quick-witted, and sarcastic. He reminds me of a male version of Diablo Cody's [[ASIN:B000YABYLA Juno]]. Eve Sherman is a young, vibrant teacher with a passion for teaching, who probably relates more to her students than her adult peers.

I appreciated the twist on the familiar student/teacher sexual relationship. This time, it's a boy student and a female teacher, instead of the other way around. Lyga eases into the story, too, by not revealing all of the facts at once. He starts in the present, works his way back, returns to the present, flashes back again, and then finishes in the present to wind up the story. It certainly intrigued this reader, and I embraced being teased with the details. This pacing and layout also provided a well-rounded story, giving us insight not only into the actual sexual relationship itself, but the events leading up to it and the events that transpired as a result. The novel is strongest when the scenes involve the interactions between Josh and his teacher, Eve; good when it involves Josh's interactions with is friends and parents; and weakest when Josh is playing baseball or spouting facts about the game. That's not to say that his playing baseball and being able to recite facts and figures weren't integral to his character or the story, but, for me, it was a bit excessive, similar to the amount of racing facts used in THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.

The story and subject matter were enhanced because Lyga didn't paint anyone as a true, malicious villain. I don't feel that Eve was a bad person. I don't feel Josh was a bad person. Both of them just got caught up in an unexpected situation and decided to run with it, something that we're probably all guilty of at one point or another in our lives. We know we shouldn't be doing it, but it's too enjoyable to quit.

I'm not quite sure that I'd categorize this book as a "young adult" novel because of the subject matter and visual descriptions, but maybe I'm just out of touch with today's teenage reader because we read books like A SEPARATE PEACE and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD when I was at that age. As an adult, though, I found BOY TOY an intriguing, enjoyable, and valuable read. It's about growing up...and letting go.

My only qualm? The title. Do you know how embarrassing it looks to carry around a book called BOY TOY into coffee shops to read? I'm sure many of my fellow coffee drinkers thought I was reading porn over my nonfat, no-whip, raspberry mocha. ;-)

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

left speechless

There is so much to say about this book but i dont know where to start and am left speechless. the story is real and unforgettable with it all coming together in the end leaving you with a haunting feeling for more but not. This isn't a story about the forbidden teacher/student love that many fantisize about, this story is the realism behind what actually goes down between an adult teacher and a young student that you might not have realized was there. Its a great read and i couldn't put it down once i started. it definitely was not what i expected but i would still recommened it to mature readers who love to hear a good story with all the details you wanted to know about a situation like this and all the ones you didn't.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

bookwormMA

I highly recommend this incredible book to avid, mature readers who can bhandle some very risky subjects. I fell in love with this book, and its realistic writing. It felt like I was in the room with Mrs.sherman, and Josh. I was amazed at the subject of this book. It really makes you stop and think about things. I praise the author for writing such a book, because I haven't found one like this before, and I think that it was an important story that needed to be told. It really touched me, and changed my life.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Boy Toy was such an intriguing read. The author is so real and raw, and has a honest concept of what teens actually think and act. When reading this book you almost couldn't believe it. I love how it flips from the past and the present, and in the beggining only gives you tid bits of information, as if daring you to keep reading to find out what REALLY happened. Barry Lyga is a wonderful author, and if you've read The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Gothgirl and enjoyed it, you will like Boy Toy 10X better.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Big story. . .cleverly disguised as fluff. . .

Boy was the dust jacket misleading on this one! Thinking to read a light and fluffy story about a young man who is used as arm candy for the socialite girls of a high school, I stepped waist deep into the waters of female teacher to male student molestation. Was it an excellent book? Unquestionably. The story of seduction and the life afterwards is told by Josh Mendel, the victim who takes full responsibility for what an adult did to him when he was twelve years old. This story is not for the faint of heart or the censors who would find the sexual history a little too graphic for comfort. At the end, though, the reader is left breathless by the brutal honesty, but hopeful that the main character is going to be okay. In a day and age of Mary Kaye Le Tourneau and other female predators, this controversial topic is worth reading. Boys are frequently overlooked as the victims of sexual abuse, and this gently probes all of the painful layers that this particular offense affects. I recommend it, though suggest that teachers who want to use it as part of the curriculum do so with caution and much dialogue.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great book

All i can say is wow i got hooked from the start ;)

...

At first the concept seems a little eh, but its a great book. I read it in a matter of hours, couldnt put it down

Loved it!

This book is very good. I couldn't put it down i literally finished in a day! I highly recommend this book, but onlu for older teens and adults. Enjoy!

Great

It was awesome!!!!!

The worst book

The worst book i have ever read DO NOT get it. It was pathetic.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I loved it! Couldn't put it down.

I recommend it! Goes into detail about Josh's past with his teacher, Eve. But the book has a great ending.

Courtesy of Readergirl Reviews a Teen Book

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga has to be one of the most disturbing but great books I've ever read. The subject matter is unsettling, to say the least, but the way the author handled it amazed me. The fact that this subject was handled so delicately and exertly by a male writer was phenomenal.

The story begins with 12 year old Josh carrying a private crush on his History teacher, Eve. Large for his age, Josh is sucked into a very adult and inappropriate relationship with Eve. The truth emerges when Josh attends a birthday party for one of his friends, Rachel, and a game of spin the bottle gets out of hand. Due to his actions in this scenario, Josh's secrets comes out to devastating results.

Now, years later, Josh is 17 and about to graduate high school without ever having a normal, healthy relationship, especially not one with a girl his own age. He is angry and hostile, and fights his own inner feelings about Eve, even while battling a growing attraction to the very girl, Rachel, who started the downfall of his affair long ago.

Being inside Josh's head as he battles his inner thoughts, desires, guilt, and new feelings is inspiring, unsettling, and at times, very uncomfortable. Although this book is labeled for teens, I would definitely not recommend it for younger teens, as the nature of the subject matter is very adult, and some of the scenes are extremely frank and gratuitous. This story, however, is definitely worth the read.

I had a very difficult time putting it down and ended up reading it in one sitting. At the end of the book, you find yourself feeling sad for Josh's discoveries, but also very satisfied for his future.

really good, but not recommended for 13 yrs or younger...

i loved this book. it just shows you what goes on behind closed doors.

GREAT GREAT BOOK !

this book is amazing and i recommend it to anyone i couldn't stop reading it after i got it.... everyone should read this book. also this book has some sexual things in it that if you can't handle or aren't mature enough for sexual things then you shouldn't read the book.... but besides that it is a really great book and i recommend it to everyone !

LOVE THIS BOOK!!

i had recently read the summary of this book and automatically put it into my shopping cart... i couldn't wait to read it. Once i received it i couldn't put it down. I was getting yelled at back and forth because i wouldn't DARE put the book down. I finished it in a day and a half. I've NEVER in my life read a book so fast. and i read A LOT! I could believe the realness of the book and i truly felt like i was in Josh's mind when reading. I'm so happy i got this book and i would ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND IT! yeah there some graphic parts in the book so if u can't take detailed sexual situations then i would advise u dont read it, but other then that READ IT!!

Boytoy is a sensitive stunning portrayal of a difficult subject matter.

The main character is likable, witty and creates a lot of sympathy for his plight as a sexually abused youth, yet it's not a tragic story. The story is interspersed with realistic conversations with his therapist and moves the character arc nicely showing his road to mental health and a happy life. The sex is written with finesse and sensitivity that evokes a great deal of emotion without leaving the reader feeling squicky.

Just....Wow.....

Ok, so I did not like this book. I LOVE THIS BOOK! It is simply a perfect read. Personally, it is and always will be my favorite book ever. When people ask me, this is the book i tell them about & recomend. I've read it 4 times and I'm buying it soon. Its dark, sexual, hilarious, and so damnn depressing. They need to make some type of adaption for a movie. It has all the components. Complex charetars and a mysterious plot....so yeah....over-all my alltime fav. book :) Anyone agree?

A Heavy Read

Boy Toy is a fantastic read. It is a very serious book for the age that it is recommended for and it really should not be read by anyone younger than that. The story is told through the eyes of the main character, who in turn tells the reader and the other characters about his relationship with his abuser. Barry Lyga does not skim on details, he relates all of Josh's fantasies about his teacher Eve, and also about the sexual relationship he has with her. This is a great novel, I recommend it to anyone who wants to read something less fantastical, more down to earth, and for anyone who wants to read something somewhat twisted.
Steve M.

Everything That It Should Be

Boy Toy tackles some serious subjects and themes, and certain sections are downright uncomfortable. But Lyga handles these difficult issues with dignity and heart, perfectly balancing the severity of the situations with the snarky sarcasm of the characters. It makes you laugh, cringe, and even want to cry...but most of all it makes you think. It's the kind of story that sticks with you long after the book is over, and makes you go back and reread it again.