Firsts: A Novel by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn (Epub)

Description

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 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 own reputation―and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn’s Firsts is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.

User’s Reviews

Review “Mercedes manages to be both tough and sympathetic, and this look at human connection, female sexuality, and stigma is welcome.”―Booklist“Debut author Flynn raises worthwhile questions about teenage sexuality and perceived promiscuity.”―Publishers Weekly“A fearless debut that dares you to question what you really know about that girl. Edgy, smart, and heartbreaking, Firsts will stay with you long after the last page.” ―Amanda Maciel, author of Tease“Emotionally charged… Firsts is a powerful coming of age story that tied my heartstrings in knots. Relevant and riveting… Fans of “Easy A” will root for Mercy.” ―Caisey Quinn, bestselling author of Leaving Amarillo“A brave debut. Readers will be drawn in by Mercedes and this original story that is near impossible to put down. Gutsy storytelling with both humor and heart.” ―Lori Goldstein, author of Becoming Jinn

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ The premise of FIRSTS may seem shocking to some readers at first … until you dig down to why Mercedes, the main character, truly decides to take it upon herself to be the girl who “deflowers” male virgins for the sake of making the experience better for their girlfriends. Mercedes truly thinks she is performing an altruistic act with each guy, a compassionate act that gives them and, in turn, their girlfriends what she was denied at an age when most girls were only thinking of their first kiss. Laurie Elizabeth Flynn juxtaposes Mercedes nicely with best friend Angela, a highly religious girl who wants to save herself for marriage. Mercedes also has the loyal friendship and care of Zach, who she wants to keep at a distance but who continues to show up for her when she needs him. Whether or not you agree with Mercedes’ mission to de-virginize, she becomes a character many girls will relate to as she slowly loses what she realizes she values most and has to re-evaluate who she is and what she wants to be.

⭐ I really enjoyed this book!It is Ms. Flynn’s first novel, and it follows Mercedes (Mercy) as she navigates through a difficult senior year in high school.Mercy has not had an easy life. Her father walked out on her and her mom, and the mom is not a great role-model in the sexuality department.Mercy takes it on herself to help break boys in so that they are better first time partners than she had – hence the title of the book.Truth in lending, I have seen the other reviews. Yes, parents should show some discernment and discretion in deciding whether to give this book to their kids. While there are no “hard core,” explicit scenes, there is a lot of suggestion in the book.I’m not sure why the anger in some of the reviews. It might be that this is a difficult to relate to novel if you grew up in a nice home. It would be hard to understand the protagonist if you cannot relate to her feelings of low self-esteem and abandonment.It is really a novel for young adults (think late teen years).The characters are well developed. The motivations make sense. There is character growth, and there is a spiritual awakening at the end of the novel that is worth the build-up.

⭐ My first five-star of 2017!First off, this book reminded me so much of the movie Easy A. Not entirely of the same premise, but closely enough. With that said – I was slightly taken aback at the premise of this book. I get it, you know, I was in high school and went through my late teens and early 20’s as a wild-child. But . . . wow.To be honest, I don’t want to sound like a prude and say “oh, she slept with __ guys and that’s worrisome” and have people think I’m judging. But the fact remains – Mercy did sleep with a number of guys in a very short period of time. I don’t like to judge, not knowing the situation. It was definitely worrisome, but she was cautious and used all proper safe sex protection . . . so on one hand I’m thinking “that’s okay – nothing wrong with sex if you’re ‘safe’ with it.” It was just my needing to figure out exactly why she was doing it.I was waiting for things to hit the fan. Waiting for when Mercy’s secret would get out there. I was thinking maybe one of the boys or Faye – I didn’t like Faye at first, but she definitely grew on me; she showed herself to be a true-blue friend to Mercy – would find her notebook and backstab her with it. The notebook plays a minor role, but it would’ve been cliché.I actually liked how it happened. Felt fresh, unique, but not in an over the top and complicated kind of way. It was inevitable. I even knew who was responsible but I didn’t know until later exactly what was done. While reading, I think it was easy to predict that something was going to happen, but I won’t explain why because I think it’ll reveal too much.Ah, Zach. I love Zach! He was great from the very beginning. Despite their Wednesday friend status, and the way Mercy treated him . . . he continued to be there for her, no matter what. Then when everything started going down, he had his reservations but was still supportive through it all. The second he scratched out the derogatory word on her locker, I knew he was a keeper.The one thing I was really interested in was the story about Luke. I had an inkling of the backstory, and I was right. There was just more to it than I anticipated. It really puts into place the actions and behavior of Mercedes. The more you read, the more she revealed about Luke. The more Mercy admitted about Luke, the more she started feeling . . . guilty about her actions.I’ll be thinking of Firsts for some time. A very refreshing read about sexual empowerment (in a good and bad outlook), actions and consequences, and being a teen. High school was very accurately depicted in this book.

⭐ FIRSTS is a complicated, tricky, compulsive read, and I mean that in all the best possible ways. I could not put this book down. The issues that Flynn raises about girls and sexuality are provocative and important and should inspire plenty of discussion amongst teens and adults (yes, adults should definitely pick this book up). The plot is much darker than the cover might suggest and for that, I applaud Flynn: sexual double-standards, sexual pleasure, and control over your body and your emotions are at the forefront here, as well as issues of bullying and assault. The writing is crisp, often quite funny, and spot-on when detailing the daily lives of teenagers. I would highly recommend this for book clubs for teens and adults, as well as in high school classes, as the issues are perfect for discussion

⭐ I don’t judge people. I mean I do, but I don’t. I lightly judge people sometimes by what they wear or say, but it’s not a forever thing. I’ll laugh internally to myself, and then get over it. But when it comes to serious things, or personal things (like what a person does with his or her own body) then I’m judgement-free. As long as it doesn’t interfere with my life, then I say to everybody “You do you.” That’s the way my mom raised me. It may seem unconventional to some people, but whatever.I knew FIRSTS was going to be the kind of book someone either loves or hates. It deals with two extremely touchy topics: cheating and slut-shaming. This could have easily turned into a train wreck, but Flynn was poised and in control, steering the plot of this story along a course that is a sad reality for some girls. Sex is such a tight-lipped thing in this community, and I think that needs to change. Not only does FIRSTS shine a light on a girl who enjoys sex and is comfortable with her body, but it also flashes onto a girl who is waiting until marriage. I loved seeing this parallel play out and thought Flynn composed it beautifully, which just enough of harsh reality to make it relatable. It’s okay to enjoy sex! It’s also okay to want to wait! And it’s also okay to not want to have sex. It’s your body. Do with it as you please.Mercedes was an incredible character, and quite possibly my spirit animal. She was both the quiet girl at school and the confident queen at home. This was a huge deal to me because I always see these characters who are either portrayed as a sex goddess, whip smart and always flirting and being loud, or the shy girl, who likes school and doesn’t go out. A character isn’t just one personality. They’re a compilation of both sides, and I like how Mercedes was this brainiac who had a whole drawer full of sexy lingerie.The supporting characters were so incredibly important and precious, I could not get over it. Zach and Faye were the dynamic duo, helping Mercedes through the hardships without a second thought for themselves. Thats the kind of friend that I am, so I loved seeing the representation. Course, I don’t think I would have gone as far as they did, but still. Friendship was a huge factor in this story, and along with the dynamic due we had Angela, who was so the polar opposite of Mercedes, yet vital to her growth. I loved seeing how deeply our main character cared for Angela and her beliefs. It’s so, so important to respect boundaries, and FIRSTS portrayed this to the T.I cried way to many damn times while reading this book, mostly because my heart was shattering for Mercedes and the s*** she was getting, but also because I thought it was a good idea to have Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran as my song???? Like???? I DONT EVEN LIKE TO CRY, YET I MADE THAT DECISION. IT’S ALMOST COMICAL.Overall, if I could make it rain hearts and stars on Laurie Elizabeth Flynn for the rest of her life I would. She’s absolutely brilliant, and you need this book in your hands ASAP.

⭐ It’s no secret I’ve been stalking this book since I first saw its sale announced. The premise sounded so risky and overdue for YA and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. But anticipation is a tricky thing, since sometimes the product doesn’t live up to the hype. I’m happy to say that for me, FIRSTS met all of my expectations and delivered on so much more.First, Mercedes is pretty much a rock star. This character has developed a system for giving guys their first time so that their girlfriends will have an unforgettable first time. It’s a flawed system, for sure. But Mercedes owns it and is entirely unapologetic about her actions and her reasoning. This is the strong Mercedes. Then there is the Mercedes that lurks underneath, the one with a voice that has been silenced since a guy used sex as a weapon to break her heart. I wanted to pull the quiet Mercedes out of the pages, make her see the love that a non-first boy has for her. I wanted to soothe her, rescue her. I couldn’t, of course. But Flynn did. Even as Flynn throws conflict after nail-biting conflict at Strong Mercedes, she is careful to always respect and honor Broken-Hearted Mercedes. Flynn’s careful evolution of this character is tender even in the middle of a raw climate packed with sexuality, slut shaming and manipulation.FIRSTS takes a peek under the covers of high school sex. It forces the reader to look at double standards. To question the impossible whore/Madonna dichotomy. FIRSTS won’t be a book for everyone (though how boring would that book be?!). But it is an amazingly brave YA debut that doesn’t apologize for the issues it takes on. Brava, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn!

⭐ I was drawn to this book as soon as I read the basic concept. Who wouldn’t be? And from what I heard, I had an idea in my head of what it was going to be like: edgy, sex-positive, anti slut-shaming – I was excited for all of that.But as I started reading, I realized the book IS all of those things, but it’s actually even bolder and more complex. This is a really unflinching look at a girl who has had trauma in her life and is trying to regain a sense of control. And while the main character, Mercedes, is a unique person with her own story, I think what happens to her will broadly resonate with lots of readers. There are so many ways that women, when we’re young, try to shape our identities and find power in our lives, and sex is often tied up inextricably with those efforts. This book sheds important light on the big tangled mess of that, and walks a lot of fine lines with finesse. It leaves you with tons to think about – or discuss! This one is a great pick for book club.Mercedes is a truly memorable character, and supporting players Faye and Zach are wonderful – their love and strength will help you get through the tough parts of this book, just like they help Mercedes.

⭐ Flynn’s Firsts is gritty, blunt, and truthful. She takes the topics of sex and high school from conventional to out of the box direction.Mercedes uses sex as a control factor for her, otherwise, out of control life. Her mother is completely negligent, telling Mercedes, from an early age, she has to be skinny and pretty, and treating her like a best friend rather than a daughter. Her father basically abandoned her at the age of eight. Mercedes believes she is helping these guys, by taking their virginity, and giving them direction for their first time with their girlfriends. It isn’t until everything blows up that she has to re-evaluate her life, who her friends are, and what she really wants. This is a true coming-of-age story, one where Mercedes believes she is an adult, making adult decisions, but in reality she is lost, alone, and confused… and still a child in some ways.When I first read the synopsis for Firsts I was intrigued. The topic of sex, high school students, and virginity is something Americans have a difficult time talking about. Especially when it comes to the pressures put on both guys and girls. Most high school sex-ed programs focus on abstinence only in a society where, more often than not, students are having sex earlier and earlier. I think this book portrays high school sex in the most accurate way possible.Reading this book really took me back to high school, the pressure of sex from my boyfriend, my first time (and those subsequent times after), and what it all really meant. Everyone has a first time story and it really hit home. Guys are expected, by society, to know how to have sex, and how to make their girlfriend feel good. But in reality, it’s a learning curve, one that lasts for a very long time. And, as a society, we put too much stock into virginity and pureness, so girls believe that they have this precious thing that has to be protected; that they can only give away at the right moment, right time. It’s absurd.“They have the hard part, physically and emotionally. Virginity is supposed to be something a girl gives up only when she is ready and feels comfortable, something a girl discusses at length with her friends and flip-flops over a million times in her mind before actually doing it. A guy is expected to be born ready.”Above is the perfect description of society’s expectations. This topic is near and dear to my heart and Firsts really captures the truth of sex for teens today.

⭐ Debut author Laurie Elizabeth Flynn’s brilliant debut effort is both an astonishingly real and a beautifully handled view of the not-so-sunshiney side of high school life.Mercedes, Flynn’s main character has her own methods of dealing with first-time teen sex. Not wanting her friends experiences to mirror her own, Mercedes allows the boys (virgins only) to “gain experience” with her before they can mess up their girlfriends’ first times.But when her best friend’s boyfriend comes calling, it changes everything for Mercedes. And she can’t quite accept that the one boy who wants her for herself, isn’t just in it for her bod.I’ve never read any YA contemp that handled the subject of teen sex in such a lovely, fresh, gorgeously written manner. Anyone who ever made mistakes with the wrong boy will find themselves nodding, laughing, and crying all at the same time.Flynn is a brilliant new up and comer in the YA Contemp world, and I cannot WAIT to see what she tackles next!!

⭐ This book has such a fresh, intriguing, and unusual premise, I was very curious to see how it would be handled. The answer: splendidly, with honesty and nuance that made the characters and their story feel utterly real and compelling. Mercedes is a fascinating, complex heroine. She’s smart and confident and incredibly generous… and yet, sometimes her judgment is pretty questionable, and sometimes she’s really unsure of herself, and sometimes she gives herself reason to question her own motives. She’s very far from perfect, yet I absolutely felt for her at every step. Her story takes us to some troubling places, as well as some really touching and wonderful ones as she builds some important relationships in her life and leaves others behind. Make no mistake: This is a fast-paced story that’s hard to put down. But it’s also one that will make you think, and feel, and maybe even tear up a little.

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