Better than I anticipated, given that it's written by an actress- forgive me, Ms. Tilly, for thinking of Jewel when I picked up the book.

This book is clearly a one-issue book, written on spec. It is absorbing, immediate, and has the requisite amount of tension. The intentions of the evil man are telegraphed from the get-go. The ending is just unresolved enough to satisfy. But it's clunky. I think it would have been better had it been about twice as long.

ETA a star- this book has a mission (to bring more mature themes to teens who don't read as fluently as their age might suggest) and it succeeds quite well at this. ( )

http://www.monniblog.com/2008/09/first-time/ ( )

Reviewed by Margaret Waterman for TeensReadToo.com

FIRST TIME is a fast-paced, intense novel that is sure to keep you guessing and turning its pages.

In 112 pages, the protagonist retells a shocking story with vivid detail and shocking honesty. The story builds slowly at first, crescendoing, coming to an abrupt halt when Larry, Haley's mom's boyfriend, enters her room, when her mom isn't at home.

The plot quickly spirals, while Haley is left alone to fend for herself. She battles with the idea of telling her mother the truth about Larry, but has nobody she can turn to for advice in the meantime.

Her best friend has been swept off her feet by the popular, high school grad who works at the local Dairy Queen (who doesn't even remember her just a day after they meet, after they exchange numbers).

Filled with conflicting emotions, ice cream, and a particularly lonely Teen Night at the local ice skating rink, FIRST TIME is sure to get your pulse going and is definitely worth a read.

Meg Tilly is an up-and-coming author you'll be sure to want to check out. ( )

This short novel about the coming-of-age of sixteen-year-old Haley. Her best friend has discovered lust and wants to have sex for the first time. She keeps ditching Haley for her new boyfriend, Chad. In addition, Haley has to put up with the unwanted attentions of her mother's boyfriend.

The story was written by Canadian actress and author Meg Tilly. It captures the emotions and feelings of sixteen year old girls perfectly. It is a very good addition to the young adult genre. ( )