Book Review: V is for Virgin

When Val Jensen gets dumped for her decision to stay a virgin until marriage, the nasty breakup goes viral on YouTube, making her the latest internet sensation. 

After days of ridicule from her peers, Val starts a school-wide campaign to rally support for her cause. She meant to make a statement, but she never dreamed the entire nation would get caught up in the controversy. 

As if becoming nationally recognized as “Virgin Val” isn’t enough, Val’s already hectic life starts to spin wildly out of control when bad boy Kyle Hamilton, lead singer for the hit rock band Tralse, decides to take her abstinence as a personal challenge.

How can a girl stay true to herself when this year’s Sexiest Man Alive is doing everything in his power to win her over?

V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

V is for Virgin left me with completely conflicted feelings. I have no idea what to say in my review nor do I know what to rate the book.

V is for Virgin is very intriguing. I wasn’t all that into it when I read the blurb but it was actually very entertaining. It was unexpectedly humorous, light and quite relaxing even if it does talk about sex and contains mostly of teenage issues and drama.

I loved how the main character, Valerie, was portrayed as someone strong and stubborn with an unyielding resolve and principles she’d be willing to stand by no matter what. She has a feisty personality with a mature way of thinking.

I did enjoy reading V is for Virgin. It would definitely make you smile, scoff and laugh without veering away from the message it wants to convey.

However, I felt like some parts of the story were unbelievable and unrealistic. Everything just happened so fast, there was not much of a buildup. I wasn’t sold on the romance between Kyle and Val. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them and I wasn’t entirely sold. But heck, the ‘Top Ten Reasons Why Virgin Val Sucks’ swept me off my feet. It was extremely funny but no doubt sweet and sexy.

The minor characters although they are all very amusing to read – I felt like their actions were insincere half the time. For one, Cara, Val’s supposed to be bff, comes off as whiny and most of the time annoying. She wasn’t exactly the supportive, best girlfriend Val made her out to be. They’re supposed to be bestfriends and yet I never felt that from them. They were constantly arguing about so many miniscule things I can’t help but feel they’re quite shallow and didn’t really have the strong foundation of friendship they thought they had in the first place.

I’d settle for a three-star rating. I enjoyed reading the book and that it still tackles a serious issue about sex and yet it doesn’t feel heavy with drama and such.

There was an epilogue at the end of the book but I felt that it was too much of a happy ending cliché.

V is for Virgin would be a very good eye-opener especially to all the teen readers out there. It is very nice to think that a simple act however untimely and unexpected could make a lot of difference. (And who else besides me think that Like A Virgin is a very appropriate song for the book?)

Keep the books coming -