Pop!

I thought this book was great for a number of reasons. Not only was it short and sweet, but it was also quick and witty -- it really kept the pages turning and, while we all know boys are sex crazy it was fun to hear that girls can be like that, too!

Ms. Wallington has written a smart and funny (laugh out-loud) book on teenage love and lust. What she does best is capture the voices of her teens and their point of view, allowing them to come alive off the page. Marit, the protagonist, is a wonderful character and the examination of her first time having sex and finding out what love means is both realistic and poignant. This is a book about mature themes that young people will find compelling and adults will be fascinated by. I read the book in a couple of days and couldn't put it down. I also liked the fact that at least one of the parents in the story (Marit's father) was a fully realized character and a great help to Marit in her search for herself.

Extremely witty, compelling and real. The subject matter could easily have forced a writer to moralize or tip-toe, but Ms. Wallington's talent lets you enter Marit's world--you're free to think, hope, fear or obsess like any teeenager (or adult?) does. Truly insightful and truly a great time.

As a huge Sex and the City fan, I was curious how this author would handle teen sex, having so much experience covering the adult variety. I was delighted to discover that she maintains a savvy, sophisticated voice that would keep anyone turning the page. The heroine is smart, likeable and laugh-out-loud funny. The male characters are well developed and even crush-worthy. If you're a teen, buy this book or ask your parents to buy it for you. If you're a parent, buy this book and read it yourself first. You'll find an honest treatment of a delicate subject that is more about the decision-making process and aftermath than it is a pulse-racing teen romance.

Pop! is the story of the awkward, hilarious, sad, and realistic trouble a 17 year old girl finds herself in when she decides she's ready for her "first time." Like Judy Blume's classic, "Forever," Pop! gives an honest picture of the emotional consequences of sex, but with a completely contemporary sensibility. It's never preachy or talks down to the reader, but it also isn't glib or senstionalistic in the way it handles sex. The characters are outwardly sophisticated and hip, but inwardly confused and overwhelmed, just like real teenagers. And the sex is as cringeworthy as I remember my first time being. I picked up Pop! because I'm a huge Veronica Mars fan, and saw that this book was written by a Veronica Mars writer, and it didn't disappoint. Pop!'s different in tone from VM, but it has the same witty, edgy banter that I love. I wholeheartedly recommend Pop! to anyone who is a teenager or wants a real picture of how today's teens think and act. It also would be a great way for parents to open a discussion with their kids about safe sex and deciding whether or not to have sex. It's fast-paced and fun, and all in all, a thoroughly enjoyable book.