Title: Firsts
Author: Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
Publication: January 5, 2016
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Teen & YA Fiction
Pages: 336
Source: Netgalley
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.
Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.
When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I want to start out by saying the description perfectly describes the book. Laurie Elizabeth Flynn took a subject matter that most would not want to write about and did it justice. I will say I was a bit shocked by what the lead character, Mercedes, did in her free time. I think it’s more shocking to believe kids probably actually do things like that. When I got over the initial shock and horror… I actually really liked this story.
Author, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, has a fantastic writing style. “Firsts” flowed smoothly and had a great plot line. It wasn’t JUST about a girl who takes teenage boys first times to help ease their next times with their significant others. It was a story of growing up, figuring out who you are, and learning to trust in a world where a lot of people are not trustworthy. Mercedes is definitely a self-conscious teenage girl hidden by a hardened, confident exterior. This story is definitely in line with the saying “Not everything is as it seems”. While it terrifies me, being a mother and all, that girls feel like things like this are appropriate or the answer to their problems, I loved how raw and real it was. I don’t condone such behavior, but at the same time the reality of this story has to hit home for many. People, especially kids and teenagers, do crazy things to make themselves feel whole when they have a piece of life missing. In this case, Mercedes had a semi-absent mother and a runaway father. Daddy issues at it’s finest.
Flynn is a great writer. The writing in “Firsts” was smooth, no gaps in the plot line, and had just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I like a good book, but I love a book with really well written character developement and that is what Flynn has delivered. You could close your eyes and see this story play out. If you are interested in an every day read that is just like every other story you’ve read… don’t read “Firsts”. “Firsts” is hard to read because of the topic, but even harder to put down. You’ll want to know how it ends! Well done Flynn… five stars.
Pick up “Firsts” on January 5th in digital or hard format on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also add it to your TO READS list for 2016 on Goodreads! Also check out author Lauri Elizabeth Flynn’s website HERE!