Review: Never Been Kissed

Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson

Publication Date: January 2011
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group/Revell
Genre: Christian YA
ISBN-13: 9780800732592
ISBN: 0800732596

(Received for review from Revell)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Christianbook.com, IndieBound

If you live in Morehead, KY or the surrounding area:
Purchase from our local independent bookseller: CoffeeTree Books
Borrow from our local library: The Rowan County Public Library

Melody Carlson on the Web: Website, Facebook

Excerpt from Never Been Kissed, courtesy of Teenreads.com

Synopsis (Book Blurb):

New school = new chance for that first kiss

Summer is ending, and for once that doesn't seem like such a bad thing to Elise. She's hoping that starting fresh at a new high school will turn her first-kiss prospects around. New guys, new friends, and a new lease on life.

What she wasn't counting on was all the new pressure - to hang with the right crowd, wear the right clothes, and date the right guy. Just when it seems she's on top of the world, everything comes crashing down. Could one bad choice derail her future?

Thoughts:

Award-winning author, Melody Carlson brings readers yet another outstanding young adult novel. Carlson's ability to speak to young people is unprecedented. She has a way with words and stories that just seems to resonate with teens and tweens and Never Been Kissed is one of her best. Tackling issues like cyber-bullying, the dangers of the internet and peer pressure, this book is a great read.

When Elise Storton's mom takes a new job, Elise finds herself in a new school, trying to make new friends and just fit in. She's sixteen and never been kissed and now she has a great opportunity. When she meets a guy named Asher Gordon right before school starts she thinks he might be the answer to her prayers, but he makes it clear he has a girlfriend. When Elise starts school she finds herself in with the "A-list" crowd, trying to make sure she wears the right clothes, says the right things and has the perfect boyfriend. Things don't turn out quite the way she plans, when she's framed for something she didn't do and starts a e-mail relationship with Asher despite her worries.

Carlson brings us a book that will inspire young girls to do what they believe is right in spite of peer pressure and bullying. Carlson takes current issues like these and brings them to life in this book. Her characters are expressive and easy to relate to. They are facing issues that most teens and tweens are going through today. It's a whole different world from when we were teenagers. Bullying has become a really serious issue in schools today and I think this book really shows the extent it has progressed, into texting and e-mails which can be just as harmful.

Elise finds herself in a situation she is totally unprepared for. She thinks that a new school and new friends will be an adventure. But when things turn for the worst she goes to the right place, her faith in God. Even though Elise isn't perfect she knows right from wrong and what she needs to do to get through this. I loved her strength and her faith. She is a great example for young girls who think they are at the end of their ropes. She got her head back on straight and moved forward. She didn't let all the bad stuff get to her. I really felt like she learned a lot about herself throughout the book. She showed teens and parents how easy it is to get caught up in something. It happens very quickly and I hope that by reading these kinds of books with my daughters, they will be able to make the right choices.

Bullying, peer pressure, sexting are all issue our kids are facing and I think Carlson really hit the nail on the head with this book. Her writing is simple and brings great clarity to the situations she is trying to address. This book is very inspirational and i would recommend it to any young girl. Parents will also love this book.

Never Been Kissed is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!





Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the "Diary of a Teenage Girl" series, the "TrueColors" series, and the "Carter House Girls" series.