Book Review: "The Lolita Effect"

The Lolita Effect is basically a psychology/sociology book outlining the social fallacies surrounding the sexualization of girls today at younger and younger ages, fueled by the media perception, and yet all its implications seem to be lost on most people. This book outlines just how damaging this mindset is, as well as suggestions on how to help counter it. While by no means is it the end all cure for this problem, it's a good start. That said, most of the information in this book would have better fit as a website than a full book on the topic, where open discussions about the subject could be held. Nevertheless, it's sort of an interesting read if it's a hot-button topic with you. Rating this one 3 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: "Kissing Kate"

Kissing Kate is a book about self-discovery during a critical period in a young girl's life. Essentially, the gist is that two best friends go to a party; one of them gets drunk, and things go a little too far with a kiss. And then neither of them know how to deal with it, or interpret their own feelings about what had just happened. Much as in real life, there's a lot of turmoil surrounding the situation, and none of it is cliche. It's heart-wrenchingly real.

Sexuality is a hard thing to figure out, especially when you're still a teenager. Everybody feels mixed up and confused at some point or another, whether they want to admit it or not - gay, straight, or bi. A lot of soul searching has to go on to figure one's self out. And oftentimes, guilt sneaks into the equation. Books like this most definitely help teens feel much more normal and self-assured in that whatever they are, it's okay to be that. The world will keep on turning, one way or another. As for myself, it particularly hit home, because it was when I was about 15 that I started questioning what I myself might be.

I give a big hats off to Lauren Myracle to not only writing this, but that it was her first novel. I'm going to give it a big 5 star review.