Camo is back in fashion for the summer, and Amy Nelson-Barak is ready to show off her style. Not in the states, but, but all the way in Israel.

After learning that her boyfriend, Avi, has to stay back for more training, Amy, along with her friends Miranda, Jessica, and the infamous Nathan, have all signed up for military boot camp that just so happens to be at the same base where Avi is currently training. SURPRISE!

Amy’s plot is simple: go to boot camp, have the fun which the brochure advertises, and spend time with her Avi. But Amy should know that summers never turn out the way she expects.

Once there, Amy notices the lack of indoor plumbing, gourmet food, or ideal mattresses. It gets worse. They really want her to teach like how the real soldiers would! Even though the whole suffering may not be Amy’s cup of tea, she not only wants to make Avi proud, but she wants to prove her dad ill-treat. She vows to show him that she can survive lacking all of her necessities from back home – well, with the exception of make-up, hair straighteners, and designer sunglasses.

Already hating the environment, Amy is glad to finally see Avi, who just so happens to be the leader of her group. Small does she know that Avi has to keep their relationship qualified, meaning they still won’t have time to be alone together.

When things get terrible, it has to get better… right? So what if Amy has to deal with terrible meals and cold showers. The pretty girls there do not bother her either; she’s the one that has Avi. Seems like the only thing that can bother Amy is a small secret that Avi has been keeping from her, that could just possibly tear them apart. Whoever said karma wasn’t a huge meanie?

Simone Elkeles makes each installment of this series better than the previous one. HOW TO RUIN YOUR BOYFRIEND’S REPUTATION is laugh-out-loud hilarious, all while Amy Nelson-Barak stays right to her character and right to her culture.

What I like best about this installment is that Simone Elkeles lets us into the minds and thoughts of soldiers and how they are proud to struggle for their country and freedom. She delves into the misconceptions and beauty of Israel and lets us all see what a wonderful country it is. Amy Nelson-Barak is back, and this time she’s a “warrior woman!”

Reviewed by: Randstostipher “tallnlankyrn” Nguyen

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What a fantastic end to a fantastic series! Amy’s summer vacation is going to turn out a small different than she expected. She signs up for a program that domain her in a ten day army-training program in Israel. Others signed up for the program to be converted into closer to their Jewish roots. But, Amy had ulterior motives; Avi is stationed there! Leave it to Amy to cause distress surrounded by the first five minutes she domain on the army base. When Amy first sees Avi she expects him to be jumping for joy; of course, he doesn’t. He even admits to Amy that he doesn’t want her there. After a few arguments and sum unraveled truths, Amy and Avi end their struggling relationship. Regardless of how heartbroken she is, Amy decides to tough it out the rest of the army experience. Can Amy learn to place the past in the rear her and learn to struggle for her relationship with Avi? The whole ten days is filled with amusing, awkward, and now and again sad moments; mix that with break-ups, hook-ups, and make-ups, then you know you have an brilliant book!

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This is my favorite of the three “How to Ruin…” books by Simone Elkeles. All the characters have been fleshed out in the previous books and are up to their hilarious antics in this book. Amy is impatient to see Avi and decides it would be fantastic to surprise him at his military camp. She enrolls in summer boot camp with her friends from home and Avi is one of the instructors. He is bowled over to see her and has some secrets of his own that are quickly learned by Amy. Let’s just say that the summer does not go as she plotted, but it all works out.

First page:

Hi, my name is Amy Nelson-Barak. If you don’t know me, I’m a seventeen-year-ancient American teenager with red, white, and blue blood running through my veins. You’re probably wondering why right now I’m on a bus in Israel on my way to an Israeli boot camp.
Yes, I did say I’m in Israel. No need to rub your eyes and reread that.
And yes, I did say boot camp.
And before you reflect it’s a boot camp for teens with behavioral disorders, I volunteered for this summer program all on my own. My friends signed up, too. Normally I wouldn’t go anywhere near a program with the word military in it, especially during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, but when I realized what “military” base the boot camp is held at, I jumped to sign up – as a volunteer trainee.
You see, my boyfriend Avi is Israeli. He’s in the IDF. I haven’t seen him since he visited me over five months ago. He’s a commando, he’s nineteen years ancient, and is just about the hottest, most gorgeous gift God has ever place on this planet. And he’s all mine. Well, to be technical, the Israeli military owns his body until he turns twenty-one, but I own his heart. And he owns mine.

I loved conception this series and recommend it for summer conception or a long plane flight.

Would I/Did I buy it? Yes
Would I read it over again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes

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