Title: Anatomy of a Single Girl (Anatomy #2)
Author: Daria Snadowsky
Release Date: January 8, 2013 (hardcover)
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240
Source: ARC provided by publisher

Overall: 4 Stars

Summary:

With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through. 

My Thoughts:   
Originally, I'd intended to only peek at the summary for Anatomy of a Single Girl because I hadn't heard too much about the novel, but a couple hours later, I found myself already halfway through the book! Written in an unflinchingly candid style, Daria Snadowsky's Anatomy of a Single Girl is an addictive contemporary read which held my interest from the very first page.

I'll admit, I haven't actually read the first book, Anatomy of a Boyfriend, but I really don't think it affected my reading experience too much. The important details I may have missed before about the characters and events were reiterated, so I never felt lost as I read along, to my relief. Dominique is such a likeable and relatable character that I couldn't help wanting to know more about all the drama in her life. I think I may have even saved myself some emotional pain by not reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend because this is a novel about moving forward after experiencing first love and heartbreak, and being not afraid to experiment different notions of romance.

Dominique has just finished her first year as a premed student at university, and after months away, she's returning home for the summer to complete a volunteer internship at the local hospital. She's not sure if she's ready to fall in love again with someone, but as soon as she meets Guy, Dominique can't help feeling an instant connection to him. Guy is much more than just a pretty face; he's intelligent, experienced, and very self-assured of himself, but not in a cocky way. The more they see each other over the summer, the more Guy changes Dominique's preconceptions about casual sex and committed relationships. It seems really fitting that a girl studying human physiology was also becoming more aware of her own body...  

As readers dissect what exactly makes up the anatomy of a single girl, Daria Snadowsky explores themes of love, sex, and relationships when you're still trying to discover yourself. I'd recommend Anatomy of a Single Girl for mature YA readers and would consider the book to be within the rising New Adult genre. It's a coming-of-age tale for that transitioning stage of your life when you're not quite an adult but not really a teenage anymore either.

Thanks so much to Random House Canada for providing this review copy!