Initial thoughts: Cute, quick read. It's very much a story about the building of relationships and I thought the way it came across in spurts was very sweet. It did get off to something of a rocky start, and the humor was characteristic of chick-lit, but as the book went on, I enjoyed what it had to offer.Full Review:Stephanie Rowe's "Putting Boys on the Ledge" is unapologetic, fluffy teen chick-lit. Yet, I would say its appeal goes either for younger teen readers because the way it comes across is less developed than I would've expected. The story revolves around 14-year-old Blueberry (Blue) Waller, who crushes on a high school senior she sees acting in the school play (Heath). Yet she worries that she's not experienced enough in the art of love. With her circle of friends edging her on to put "boys on the Ledge" (i.e. make them squirm/play hard to get), she finds it even more complicated to try to communicate her true feelings. Colin, another senior, also vies for her attention, in what could be established as a love triangle that plays out to the end of the book in an interesting way. It's cute in spurts, but I found it to be somewhat predictable in the direction it took, and the characters weren't as fleshed out as I'd hoped they'd be. I liked Colin so much more than Heath, probably because his personality was showcased in a more interesting way than the insta-love Blue had for Heath. I won't spoil who she ends up with at the end, but the way Rowe plays between the love interests is realistic and showcases Blue's growth as she learns to express her affections. Blue uses a lot of teen speak terms in the form of "Oh my Gosh" and "Oh my God" - and that wore on me for frequency, not so much use. I think quite a bit of the humor at the beginning of the book was expository and forced, but as the book went on, it relaxed and became more engaging. I do intend to check out more of the series and what it has to offer because I did end up liking it in the end, but I did wish that the humor and development of the characters were a little fuller than what they turned out to be.Overall: 2.5/5Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher TKA Distribution.
