kayla_llbr's review against another edition
4.0
"This was my last opportunity to lose my virginity and I had to grab it now. I had to ditch my V-plates by the time I graduated in the summer--which meant I had four months to finally understand what an orgasm was and to learn how to give blow jobs."
Ellie is a 21 year old virgin and not for a lack of trying. Having been through a horrible and hilarious experience at 17, which includes a guy laughing at au-natural pubic situation, Ellie is willing to do whatever it takes to not repeat the same mistakes. Between a horrific waxing experience that leaves her with a Hitler-esq Brazilian pubic hair, trying to learn how to give a blow job via Redtube, and navigating a less than romantic dating scene, Ellie is left to salvage her pubic hair and her pride, in the quest to lose her hymen.
"The rumor about boys finding virgins sexy was a LIE. It was just some medieval bullshit that old people said to try and make their daughters keep their legs crossed and not get pregnant"
Virgin is a new adult chick-lit at its' finest. With less focus on romance, and more emphasis on what it means to be a woman, this is story about what it means to be beautiful, desirable and accepted in a society that puts a heavy price on looks and labels. It took me until about 10% to really get into the story but once I did I found myself laughing, cringing and sympathetic to Ellie's plight. Sure, she had moments where her age really showed and her sometimes "whoa is me" outlook was a little grating, but I found her to be a very relatable and charming character.
"And I don't really want to be the kind of girl who gazes at a guy in pure joy while she has a dick in her mouth and he grabs her head. I mean, I'd be way too preoccupied with concentrating on the mouth part to be able to smile at him too."
What Virgin lacks in romance, it makes up for in girl power!
Ellie is a 21 year old virgin and not for a lack of trying. Having been through a horrible and hilarious experience at 17, which includes a guy laughing at au-natural pubic situation, Ellie is willing to do whatever it takes to not repeat the same mistakes. Between a horrific waxing experience that leaves her with a Hitler-esq Brazilian pubic hair, trying to learn how to give a blow job via Redtube, and navigating a less than romantic dating scene, Ellie is left to salvage her pubic hair and her pride, in the quest to lose her hymen.
"The rumor about boys finding virgins sexy was a LIE. It was just some medieval bullshit that old people said to try and make their daughters keep their legs crossed and not get pregnant"
Virgin is a new adult chick-lit at its' finest. With less focus on romance, and more emphasis on what it means to be a woman, this is story about what it means to be beautiful, desirable and accepted in a society that puts a heavy price on looks and labels. It took me until about 10% to really get into the story but once I did I found myself laughing, cringing and sympathetic to Ellie's plight. Sure, she had moments where her age really showed and her sometimes "whoa is me" outlook was a little grating, but I found her to be a very relatable and charming character.
"And I don't really want to be the kind of girl who gazes at a guy in pure joy while she has a dick in her mouth and he grabs her head. I mean, I'd be way too preoccupied with concentrating on the mouth part to be able to smile at him too."
What Virgin lacks in romance, it makes up for in girl power!
sailor_moon239's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
roousc's review against another edition
5.0
Este libro es tan gracioso y real que no podía dejar de leer, tiene situaciones con las que cualquier mujer se podría identificar.
Ellie, siendo una chica con sus atributos femeninos y de 21 años de edad, no entiende cómo es que todavía es virgen, ya que al parecer todas las chicas que conoce hace años que dejaron de serlo, así que decide perder la virginidad porque ya está en su último año en la Universidad, lo que la lleva a situaciones incómodas con el sexo opuesto y a más descubrimientos como mujer. Es un libro que habla sobre lo que tiene que pasar una chica desde la adolescencia hasta el momento de dar su V-card (como dice Ellie), y es tan gracioso que a pesar de hablar de temas y situaciones muy incómodas y de muchos tabúes, te hace sentir bien y cómoda ya que como mujer lo entiendes, y lo mejor es, que se siente como si hablaras con una amiga muy graciosa y sincera.
Virgin te enseña la vida moderna de una chica del siglo XXI y por supuesto las relaciones modernas, mostrando que ese príncipe encantado del que siempre te han hablado no lo encontrarás tan rápido, mostrando a los hombres no tan perfectos, a los hombres reales.
Ellie, siendo una chica con sus atributos femeninos y de 21 años de edad, no entiende cómo es que todavía es virgen, ya que al parecer todas las chicas que conoce hace años que dejaron de serlo, así que decide perder la virginidad porque ya está en su último año en la Universidad, lo que la lleva a situaciones incómodas con el sexo opuesto y a más descubrimientos como mujer. Es un libro que habla sobre lo que tiene que pasar una chica desde la adolescencia hasta el momento de dar su V-card (como dice Ellie), y es tan gracioso que a pesar de hablar de temas y situaciones muy incómodas y de muchos tabúes, te hace sentir bien y cómoda ya que como mujer lo entiendes, y lo mejor es, que se siente como si hablaras con una amiga muy graciosa y sincera.
Virgin te enseña la vida moderna de una chica del siglo XXI y por supuesto las relaciones modernas, mostrando que ese príncipe encantado del que siempre te han hablado no lo encontrarás tan rápido, mostrando a los hombres no tan perfectos, a los hombres reales.
chelsea_jack's review against another edition
2.0
This book was definitely not for me.
The story, as you'd expect from the blurb, follows Ellie, a young woman who is keen to lose her virginity before her opportunities dry up (she's in her last year of school, and apparently it'll be impossible after that!).
Now, I thought this would make for hilarious, naive, endearingly fumbling experiences - but it did not. What followed from an awkward experience in a doctor's office (in which the doctor implausibly labels her a virgin on their computer rather than not sexually active -> and frankly, the doctor doesn't seem to believe that anyways - though maybe Ellie's obsession with the issue manifested in her seeing something that wasn't really there) - REGARDLESS, the book goes downhill from here.
Ellie's obsession results in more discussions about personal grooming than I could stand - one scene, sure, but Ellie's works her way through every possible option.... Surely a woman so obsessed with the penetrative-status of her vagina would have done some online research about options for making herself 'presentable' (though I have a hard time envisioning what kind of boy/man would laugh at the sight of a woman's pubic hair, no matter how under or over groomed).
The end of the book is so cringeworthy - I won't spoil it though I've seen it noted in other reviews.
The vlog - vagina blog, not video blog, which is what I kept reading it as and wondering how the heck Ellie got the courage to go on camera to discuss her lady bits - might have worked for me if it was named something different. If I could have bought into their being no information available online, and that these women were perfectly happy putting explicit details up on the web, then it might have been a clever way to have them reflecting on their escapades.
Yeah.
In the end, this book was just not for me. The quality of the writing itself is good, but the story, with Ellie's complete focus on her vagina just didn't keep me entertained.
Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See this and other reviews at ToEachTheirOwnReviews.com
The story, as you'd expect from the blurb, follows Ellie, a young woman who is keen to lose her virginity before her opportunities dry up (she's in her last year of school, and apparently it'll be impossible after that!).
Now, I thought this would make for hilarious, naive, endearingly fumbling experiences - but it did not. What followed from an awkward experience in a doctor's office (in which the doctor implausibly labels her a virgin on their computer rather than not sexually active -> and frankly, the doctor doesn't seem to believe that anyways - though maybe Ellie's obsession with the issue manifested in her seeing something that wasn't really there) - REGARDLESS, the book goes downhill from here.
Ellie's obsession results in more discussions about personal grooming than I could stand - one scene, sure, but Ellie's works her way through every possible option.... Surely a woman so obsessed with the penetrative-status of her vagina would have done some online research about options for making herself 'presentable' (though I have a hard time envisioning what kind of boy/man would laugh at the sight of a woman's pubic hair, no matter how under or over groomed).
The end of the book is so cringeworthy - I won't spoil it though I've seen it noted in other reviews.
The vlog - vagina blog, not video blog, which is what I kept reading it as and wondering how the heck Ellie got the courage to go on camera to discuss her lady bits - might have worked for me if it was named something different. If I could have bought into their being no information available online, and that these women were perfectly happy putting explicit details up on the web, then it might have been a clever way to have them reflecting on their escapades.
Yeah.
In the end, this book was just not for me. The quality of the writing itself is good, but the story, with Ellie's complete focus on her vagina just didn't keep me entertained.
Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See this and other reviews at ToEachTheirOwnReviews.com
kaylakaotik's review against another edition
5.0
This book was awesome. Radhika touches on subjects that every girl wonders about (from masturbation to pubic hair to technique), but no one else seems willing to go anywhere near. Not only does she talk about everything that's on a virgin girl's mind (and let's be honest, even those of us that aren't virgins anymore certainly still deal with these things), but she does it with an honesty and humor that I absolutely adored.
I loved that Radhika took a positive outlook on sex. It's great to see a book about sex where there's no slut shaming or guilt about wanting to have sex. Ellie is a strong, independent woman and she wants to have sex. Good for her!
To top it all off, I loved the story. I think the characters were brilliantly done. While a woman may not relate to everything in Ellie's life, it's safe to say that you'll be able to find *something* to relate to. As for the actual story, it was perfect. I loved that it stayed true to real life and wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. Yes, I certainly enjoy those stories, but I find more realistic stories to be especially enjoyable.
I think it's safe to say that I recommend Virgin. It's a wonderfully funny and relatable story.
* This book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
I loved that Radhika took a positive outlook on sex. It's great to see a book about sex where there's no slut shaming or guilt about wanting to have sex. Ellie is a strong, independent woman and she wants to have sex. Good for her!
To top it all off, I loved the story. I think the characters were brilliantly done. While a woman may not relate to everything in Ellie's life, it's safe to say that you'll be able to find *something* to relate to. As for the actual story, it was perfect. I loved that it stayed true to real life and wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. Yes, I certainly enjoy those stories, but I find more realistic stories to be especially enjoyable.
I think it's safe to say that I recommend Virgin. It's a wonderfully funny and relatable story.
* This book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
juicelina's review against another edition
5.0
I think this might be one of my favorites if not my favorite book ever. It's so laugh out loud funny and it still makes you feel emotional when it needs to. I connected with Ellie so much. She seems like someone I wanna hang out with and most of the thoughts that run through her head are the same thoughts I probably would've had in that situation.This is such an empowering book about female sexuality. It's all about accepting yourself as you are and embracing your own choices of having and not having sex and doing what you want with your own body.
Ellie starts off as a self-deprecating virgin and ends up loving herself as she is. That's what I really love about this book is that she didn't have to change anything about herself except her self confidence. Also she had such amazing friends who supported her even though things did get rocky for a while. Honestly this is such a quick and easy read because Radhika's writing just flows so nicely. It doesn't even feel like you're reading a book.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a book about sex and body image, but with a comedic twist. I love this book so much and I'll probably end up reading it again very soon.
Ellie starts off as a self-deprecating virgin and ends up loving herself as she is. That's what I really love about this book is that she didn't have to change anything about herself except her self confidence. Also she had such amazing friends who supported her even though things did get rocky for a while. Honestly this is such a quick and easy read because Radhika's writing just flows so nicely. It doesn't even feel like you're reading a book.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a book about sex and body image, but with a comedic twist. I love this book so much and I'll probably end up reading it again very soon.
mandy_pandy's review against another edition
1.0
I really struggled with this book. I was surprised at how immature the characters were for a book about a 21 year old losing her virginity. I am so thankful that I don't have friends like this. I thought this was supposed to be a humorous book but I didn't really find it funny and I really didn't like the main character Ellie.
*ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
*ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
livreads7's review against another edition
4.0
I got a chance to read this thanks to Penguin's "First to Read" program. I'm kind of glad I used some points to obtain a copy of this book.
Though this book was definitely more for older teens and young adults, I felt like the topics weren't crude but actually tastefully written. There were even a few scenes that had me laughing.
This story is quite realistic, and the main character didn't seem overly dramatic. Sure, there were a few scenes that seemed a bit forced or dialogue that seemed "staged" per se but overall, it was quite good. The character development was nice and the ending was reassuring.
The addition of the vlog aspect of this story plot was unique and in my opinion it really added to the plot. The female relationships in the story were really funny, and the protagonist's endless search for her "de-flowerer" was quite hilarious as well.
I felt like the end was a bit abrupt. I would have liked the last scene to have been sort of an afterthought, like perhaps as an epilogue instead of being the end.
I would definitely recommend it to older teens and young adults who want a quick read that's light-hearted and quirky.
Though this book was definitely more for older teens and young adults, I felt like the topics weren't crude but actually tastefully written. There were even a few scenes that had me laughing.
This story is quite realistic, and the main character didn't seem overly dramatic. Sure, there were a few scenes that seemed a bit forced or dialogue that seemed "staged" per se but overall, it was quite good. The character development was nice and the ending was reassuring.
The addition of the vlog aspect of this story plot was unique and in my opinion it really added to the plot. The female relationships in the story were really funny, and the protagonist's endless search for her "de-flowerer" was quite hilarious as well.
I felt like the end was a bit abrupt. I would have liked the last scene to have been sort of an afterthought, like perhaps as an epilogue instead of being the end.
I would definitely recommend it to older teens and young adults who want a quick read that's light-hearted and quirky.
annashimp1's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
merlin_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Meet Ellie – a 21-year old virgin, not by choice. Her only goal is to lose the giant V that’s hanging over her. It’s not like she hasn’t tried. Oh no, she’s tried – multiple times and has failed each attempt. One tragic incident in high school dubbed the ‘Bite Job’ has scarred Ellie and now she’s that awkward girl in the corner at parties that doesn’t know how talk to boys. With the help of her new friend, Emma and her new gay BFF, Ellie makes a vow that she’s going to lose her virginity before she graduates from Uni.
This book was a surprise. I’ve seen a few reviews comparing it to Bridget Jones but in my opinion this far surpasses it. Virgin takes the unknown, all the questions most of us have had at some time, and answers them with humor and wit. Everything from what type of wax should a girl get to how to give a proper BJ – this book covers it all.
Ellie was slightly neurotic but I believe that people will connect with her whether it’s because she’s a 21 year old virgin or just her self-doubt that constantly plagues her. Sanghani calls out how in media most girls just know what to do and everything is perfect. Most girls on TV and in film and books that I’ve come across just automatically know how to give perfect head and are sexual goddesses when in reality most girls are struggling to find out how to even begin. Virgins are labeled as dorky and nerds or most often losers. Virgin shows us the other side of that – someone who’s far from perfect and who has a lot of questions. It also touches on how we girls have the ‘Prince Charming’ complex (thanks Disney) and that sometimes skews our view of what’s right in front of us.
This book made me laugh, it made me cringe. There were times I wanted to hi-five Ellie and times I wanted to shake her and tell her to move on. This wasn’t a girl who was waiting for ‘the one’, she wasn’t even just waiting for ‘right now’. She was human and flawed and made wrong choices. It was nice to read that and also to have fun with it. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.
I received an copy of this novel from the publisher in return for an honest review.