Brought to us by author Cindy Hogan of the Watched series, this is an illuminating short story. It addresses first dates, first loves, first kisses, and expectations of a teenaged girl.
Brooklyn has a policy of not dating until she's 16, and has promised herself that she'll remain a VL, or virgin lips, until she finds someone who is truly special to her. Even though many will say this is unrealistic in terms of modern teenage girls, I found Brooklyn to be refreshing. She's smart, she knows what she wants, and she's not afraid of waiting until she finds it. Yes, she's a Mormon living in Utah, and yes, she's got dreams of her ideal first kiss. But she's not unrealistic.
Brooklyn is a change of pace for current YA fiction. She refuses to give in to peer pressure when it matters most. She doesn't want to find the loopholes in her own rules in order to make herself feel better about the decisions she makes. And she presents teens girls today with the idea that not only do you not have to have sex just because everyone else seems to be, but you don't have to do anything that with which you find yourself uncomfortable.
The writing is also good. Cindy Hogan gives us a female protagonist who isn't afraid to speak her mind or maintain her own conscience without sacrificing a genuine voice. I look forward to the next installment of the virgin lips chronicles.
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