Review: Firsts by Laurie Flynn

Author: Laurie Elzibeth Flynn

Published On: 1/5/16

Publisher: St. Martin`s Griffin

Page Count: 320

I received this ARC for free in return for my honest opinion

Synopsis: (Found on 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.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Overall I enjoy this novel. I might not have liked the names of characters or some of the justifications but this seems to be the start of controversial or taboo topics so I love it. Plus it would be wrong to not admit that I understood Mercedes book keeping. It helps to write things down to get feelings out.

Cover: 3/5

I really love the simplicity of the cover. Head over to my IG and you can see my attempt at recreating it with a twist. 

Characters: 4/5

Mercedes aka Mercy: She never asks for anything but for the guy to treat his girlfriend right. How she explains it is in science terms. She works using formulas and thought it was all easier if love was a formula versus complicated and messy.
Her dad named her after his car. That was the part I hated most.

Zach: I don't like the name Zach. I literally changed in when I read cause it bugged me so much. Personal reasons. However the fact he wanted to date Mercedes and didn't just want to be "The Wednesday Guy" is important. All the attributes of the perfect guy were there for her yet she didn't want to admit Zach fit her mold.

Plot: 5/5

This is so hard because the topic of teenage sex is such a taboo thing in the US. Mercedes had a bad experience and her way of coping with that is to sleep with young men. Her reasoning is scientific hypothesis but it's her also justifying why it's alright that she sleeps with all these boys.

Goodies:

1) Did you base some characters on people you know?

I didn’t base any characters in FIRSTS on people I know. The characters all just kind of materialized in my head and I got to know them better the more I wrote. Since I’m a pantser, I didn’t even have any characters besides Mercedes planned before I started writing. They popped up as I went along and let me know who they wanted to be.

2) What books did you love to read as a kid/teen?

I was a voracious reader growing up… I was obsessed with the Anne of Green Gables books as a kid and I remember reading them out loud to my mom and dad. I was also a huge Sweet Valley High fan (I wanted to be Elizabeth Wakefield when I got to high school)! But a reading experience that changed my life was Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell. There aren’t enough words to describe how much I loved Scarlett O’Hara right away. She’s unapologetically bold, owns her sexuality, and isn’t afraid to go after what she wants—even if that’s not what she thought she wanted in the first place.

3) Outside your book who would you “Ship” your MC with?

This is such a great question! I really had to think about who I could see Mercedes with, since she’s not the type to go falling in love. I think she would need someone with a sense of humor and a sharp wit. I’d love to see her stand her own with Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl… she’d probably put him in his place!

4) Describe your book using emoticons.

5) What book would you suggest to be on the lookout for besides yours?

There are so many amazing YA debuts in 2016… I feel honored to be in such great company! One that I recently read and adored was ARROWS by Melissa Gorzelanczyk. Elements of Greek mythology spun with the drama of MTV’s Teen Mom? Yes, please. It’s such a unique look into a toxic relationship. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for Marisa Reichardt’s debut, UNDERWATER, because it’s all kinds of gorgeous. I can’t wait to get my hands on ALL the debuts!

TTFN,

Ashley