Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Book Review #2 - Diary of an Online Junkie

 
Title: Diary of an Online Dating Junkie by Dawn Marie
Released: November 11, 2011.
Copy Owned: I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program

Just in case you're wondering, Goodreads only requires me to mention that I got the book for free from them on their own site. I mention it on my blogs here because maybe you, the viewer, have never heard of it before and would be interested in the program as well.

What bookworm wouldn't be interested in free books? Exactly! None!

Back to the review.

This is actually based on a true story, mainly, the author's very own. It's about Dawn, a thirty-something, mother of one, divorcee that's trying to find her "Mr. Right."

Now, let me say, I know absolute ZERO about this online dating business. I always thought it was the last resort for the lonely desperados of the world that had some physical issue or personality malfunction that didn't allow them to connect with people. Although, the book proves that's the case with some online daters, it's not the case for all of them.

Here's a little more of Dawn's background. She married a successful "party guy" type that wanted a "trophy wife." She had other ideas in mind and he eventually grew verbally and emotionally abusive before they parted ways.
Her childhood best-friend, Alec, had been in love with her during their younger years...and even though he was perfect...well, you know what happens once a guy's been a friend too long.

Anyway, it's her divorce and her present day bestie that pushes her to try online dating. Her first day, she becomes an addict. Is it really that addictive?

Needless to say, she chronicles all of her experiences with every man she dates, the good, the bad, and the disgusting and during this, she starts setting up little rules that she thinks will help narrow the choices and weed out the grodies. It doesn't work. There is something wrong with every man she meets.

"This one's fat and old."

"This one has kids and didn't mention it on his profile."

"This one isn't over 6'."

"This one isn't fashionable."

"This one sounds like Kermit the frog."

"This one would be perfect, but he's starting to bald."


Those aren't direct quotes from the book, but there's lots of that going on in the book. It makes her come across shallow, picky, and insensitive.

To be honest, it irritated the hell out of me.

Who the hell is she to be that much of a stickler when as perfect as she thinks she is, she's on a dating site because she can't find a man, herself!?!?

If this was a case of a man writing women off for being too old, too fat, too skinny, too flat-chested, etc, women all over would be outraged! Don't get me wrong, many men DO do that, but does that mean it's okay for us to do it to the good ones just in case?

We as women always want The Prince Charming and when one hops online in search of one then starts nitpicking, it's annoying to watch/read as it unfolds. Not only that, in my opinion, it makes jerks out of the already-small pool of good guys that still exist in the world.

Now, during her dates with the real weirdos, I can completely sympathize.

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT

For instance, a guy that fits every criteria of Mr. Perfect on the surface, yet starts farting away when they start making out? Yeah, that one you can let go. If they were already seriously dating, farting wouldn't be a big deal, but we're talking about a few little nothing type dates. I nearly cried laughing about the entire situation, but when I thought back, it was gross...and soooo not sexy.

Then there was the potential date rape guy that made her fill out a questionaire before turning on the perverted charm. Yes, he slipped her a rufie, but lucky for her she left before any major damage could be done.

Finally, there was the male gold digger that she ended up marrying after just 9 days of knowing. He ended up being a verbally abusive drunkard that thought she'd be turned on by him prancing around in her lingerie. When she finally left him, he had ran through all of her money.

Those were the "attractive winners" she had chemistry with.

SPOILERS OVER

There were more bad experiences, but those stuck out to me...more so because I thought she was getting what she was advertising for. (Minus the date rape guy, NO woman deserves that!)

Aside from bad dates, nitpicking the wrong guys, and falling for losers, you find a lot of self-victimizing going on.

This woman really thought her sh*t didn't stink. Everything was "why me?" And "Why do I get all the losers?"

Uh...DUH...because that's what you want!!

If I didn't feel obligated to finish reading it so that I can write a review, I'd have tossed it. Not because I didn't like the book, but because I didn't like Dawn. I almost wish it was fiction because she's too whiny, clingy, and self-absorbed to wish upon the world.

Do I recommend this book to anyone? Maybe the people that have gone through similar experiences and want to laugh about the same things happening to someone else.

It's fast paced and there are parts in it that were funny enough to earn the book 3.5 stars out of 5 from me...but minus the comical parts, this book is irritating.

I didn't feel anything for Dawn at all. Well, nothing kind. I'm glad she finally found her Mr. Right, but the fact that she could've had him early in life if she wasn't such a dramatic pain-in-the-ass, just leaves me rolling my eyes.

The best thing about this book?

The eye-catching cover.

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