Firsts

Gr 10 Up—Mercedes Ayres is a busy 17-year-old: she's already had sex with 15 people and counting. After losing her virginity at age 13, Mercedes thinks she can bury that bad experience by sleeping with virgins at her school to "help" them prepare for their first time with their girlfriends. When a video of her exploits is posted on the Internet, the predictable reaction follows: brandished a slut and a whore, Mercedes is ostracized at school. It takes willpower and help from a new friend for the teen to realize that, in her desire to assist her classmates, she has lost control and become out of touch with reality. This novel does not succeed on several levels: there are too many archetypal characters (the sassy best friend, the checked-out mother, the friend with benefits) and plot flaws. How is it that Mercedes is shocked when her secret gets out? Also, once the video is released, there is no intervention by any parents, teachers, or school officials, which does not seem realistic. In the end, Mercedes has some revelations about the importance of being true to herself, but it's hard to get past the novel's clichéd trappings. Frank sexual depictions make this title appropriate for mature teens.