Customer Reviews

Pop!

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
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In the new novel *Pop!* the main character, Marit, is a young girl (17) who is obsessed with losing her virginity. Through skillful writing, Marit comes off as smart for her age, and yet she makes poor and consequential choices by ultimately sleeping with her best friend, a boy named Jamie. She believes this will ready her for the boy she really likes, a new kid named Noah. Noah is a lacrosse player and a joiner, a trait Marit normally despises but is willing to overlook because of his good looks.

The reader might like Marit for her occasional wit, but will inevitably deride her for her selfish and immature behavior. Anyone clued into American society knows today's teenagers popping with hormones and sexual activity is rampant. That's not my problem with this book. My problem is that there's simply not enough reason to root for the heroine. Considering the subject matter, I'd stick with something like *Forever,* by Judy Blume.

This book, tempting for `young adults,' is presented in large type with lots of white space and is readable in an hour or two. While well written, with snappy and believable dialog, I wouldn't let my own `young adult' near it. It may have cleaner, more PG-language than the television show that the author carries a writing credit for one episode, but the subject matter--sex--and the main character's obsession with it, is the story.

Pop! is the tale of a self-absorbed high school senior, Marit. The first thing we learn about her is that she's "dying to have sex." She's characterized as pretty and funny. Although witty, she's a sub-par, apathetic student, with a disdain for anyone at school who is involved with sports or activities. Her best friends, Caroline, a quirky sidekick type who spends more time at Marit's house than her own due to her parents' rocky marriage, and Jamie, a geeky film freak with seemingly no fellow male friends. Marit's father is an artist and her mother--well, her mother is practically non-existent in the tale. And it shows. Marit ends up "solving" her sexual dilemma by taking advice from her equally self-absorbed older sister, Hilly, and decides to lose her virginity to Jamie. "Friends with benefits," suggests Hilly. From this point forward, the plot is completely predictable and the stereotypical characters lineup one by one to "torture" Marit, all the while making her appear more and more insipid and unlikable--even during what's supposed to be her finest moment, when she tells off the school bully.

I realize kids are not only obsessing over sex, but also having sex a lot earlier these days, and if anything, Pop! illustrates what's wrong with this. I therefore recommend it to a mature audience to perhaps educate parents on today's youth, and unlike the parents and characters in this story, pay attention and counsel wisely.

From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.

Marit is convinced that she is the only 17-year-old virgin left in Connecticut. The problem is, whenever things get physical with a guy, she freaks out. Until the obvious solution presents itself --- what if she loses "it" with her best guy friend Jamie? Or would this be too much for their long-term friendship to handle?

When a cute new boy, Noah, ends up as Marit's conversation partner in German class, she can't believe her luck. And when he asks her on a date to the bonfire, she is ecstatic. "I won't ruin this relationship," she thinks. She prays that she won't do something embarrassing or get scared or freak out. At the bonfire, however, that's exactly what happens when she starts making out with Noah. Humiliation. She runs away, disgusted with herself.

If only she could get "it" over with, so she wouldn't have to worry about "it" anymore. That's when the idea of a mutual friendly agreement with her best guy friend Jamie is suggested. Maybe with a little experience, she wouldn't be so scared and freak out around other guys. Maybe with a little experience, she'd finally get a boyfriend who would last.

Author Aury Wallington brings her experience of writing for the sassy and smart television shows "Veronica Mars" and "Sex and the City" to her first novel. Wallington's dialogue is snappy, quirky and funny, like great television writing should be. Marit is an endearing teen character, though at times she lacks depth and almost makes her quest a bit too flippant. Also, the story wraps up so quickly that it left this reader with a few unanswered questions. Parents should be aware that there are sex scenes included in POP! that may be considered overly descriptive.

--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson.

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.

I really enjoyed Pop!, even though I'm a little old and a little male for the target audience. The author has a natural storytelling style, and her characters are instantly believable; I was surprised at how complex and deep the main characters are, considering the book's slimness. Just when they seemed like archetypes of standard high school characters -- the jock, the geek, the skank -- the author gives them a twist. You can definitely feel the author's Sex and the City background in the dialogue, which is snappy and witty.

And I'm really surprised that the book was controversial regarding the sex, even being compared to Judy Blume's Forever. The sex scenes were not at all graphic and even kind of sweet, though the mere mention of a teens having sex would turn some people away from the book.

Looking forward to Wallington's next book!

Pop! is an interesting read, although not a good book. Marit tells the story, the self-absorbed story, of herself and her obsession with losing her virginity. She's a high school senior with two best friends from childhood: Caroline and Jamie (a boy). The three are as close as can be in their own selective click, all the while mocking and disdaining students who are not like them. Marit feels that she can get on with boy relationships if she gets the virginity thing out of the way. She is prompted by her sister and Caroline to convince Jamie to have sex--what better way to feel comfortable while losing it than with your best friend? Jamie falls in love with Marit, who once the deed is done wants to pursue a different and more attractive boy. The love scenes are well-chiseled, giving teens a glimpse of sexy fireworks. the spoiler is that Marit is an unlikeable, self-serving, superficial person who runs slipshod over Jamie once she has gotten what she wanted. Jamie is the real hero of the story: a young man with a lot of character, maturity and composure. Perhaps Marit wouldn't be perceived as such a snake if the story were told in the thrid person. Not quite sure what the author's intent is -- to prove that "Friends with Benefits" doesn't work? That friends are friends and lovers are lovers, and never the twain shall meet? This story does not offer a good role model for teens, but it is not badly written, and the story and situations are good old high school stuff. For a better read, read 'All the Way' by Andy Behrens.

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.

Marit can't hold onto a boyfriend. Every time the relationship gets physical she freaks out and either scares the boy away or breaks up with him herself. She is afraid of having sex for the first time and obsesses about it. Besides the "no boyfriend" problem on the first day of school, she also has to deal with the fact that her schedule is terrible. I mean, who should have second period lunch? Eating lunch at 9:00 a.m. should definitely be against the law! So far the only bright spots in her day are her constant friends Jamie and Caroline. Basically inseparable, these three spend their day mocking the "followers" and "joiners" of the school.

Marit has accepted a senior year without a boyfriend until a new boy walks into her German class and steals her heart. She just knows that Noah will be her boyfriend for the year. She makes a bold move and invites him to a school bonfire. Noah accepts and Marit is hopeful it will be a successful date. Once at the bonfire, the couple realizes they can't talk with all the noise and find a quiet spot to be alone. Eventually, they begin to kiss, and Marit's nerves cause her to do something to embarrass herself and she ends up running away from the situation instead of talking to Noah about it.

Determined to fix her problem, she goes to her older sister for advice. Hilly tells Marit she needs to find someone she already knows and feels comfortable with to have sex with for the first time. Once she has done "it," she won't be so nervous about it. The perfect candidate is Jamie, her loyal friend of eight years. At first Jamie doesn't think it is a very good idea, but soon changes his mind.

Aury Wallington writes a realistic story that involves typical high school drama while at the same time creating characters that are likable. Even though sex is the main focus of Marit's life, she remains a character that the readers will root for in the end. The author also buries a lesson in the pages of the story; one that we can never hear enough--friendship is more important than anything else. POP! is an enjoyable read, even though the ending is a little too convenient and quickly resolved.

Reviewed by: Karin Perry

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.