For What It's Worth


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Review: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani


18624367Okay, I admit it…I didn’t do it.

Yet.

This is normal, right?  I mean, just because everyone I know has talked like they’ve already done it doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth…right?

It’s not like I’m asking for that much. I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.

The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?

Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?

I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.
Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious.

Goodreads | Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Review:

Virgin is written in the style of a self deprecating Cosmopolitan article/Sex in the City episode/Bridget Jones Diary movie.

Ellie is a 21 year old virgin. Everyone around her lost their v-card at 15 and she feels awkward and left out. She’s very relatable and her struggles and awkward forays into losing her virginity were funny but she wore thin on me after a while.

While Ellie is hilarious and honest – she’s also self absorbed, whiny, judgmental and selfish. Her tendency to make mountains out of mole hills just annoyed me after a certain point. While her friends loved her “quirkiness”, I just didn’t see it.

I did like a few things – including the vlog she started with her friend Emma where the two discussed the ugly side of sex, dating and feminine hygiene. I enjoyed the frank, open conversations about sex and sexuality. But even that got old after a while. There’s only so much I want to read about someone’s foray into pubic hair removal and aftermath - in detail – ya know? Refreshingly honest and funny at first - TMI after several chapters.

It would be one thing if there was some character growth but this is all surface and lighthearted – there isn’t much depth to Ellie other than “OMG I can’t lose my virginity!” and every guy is so mean to me. And really her first BIG traumatic experience was a guy being nice to her IMO.

If you enjoy British Chick-Lit, Sex in the City type humor then this is definitely a book you might want to read. Even though I usually love this type of humor, it didn't work for me this time. I think this was a case of – it’s not you it’s me. Just not my style…but I bet a lot of readers would enjoy it.

20 comments:

  1. I could read it, I think I would just get so annoyed at her I HAVE TO LOSE IT thing

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  2. Same here - I was more weirded out that everyone lost theirs at 15 in the book lol

    I didn't even have a problem with her feeling excluded because of it. It's just how self absorbed she got about it. To the point of totally misinterpreting what people were saying or ignoring her friends issues. I guess it's the point for the character to evolve but I'm not sure she really did.

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  3. sounds meh ...but interesting topic :) I was one of those late one too. I didn't be moan not losing it late.

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    1. It's different for everyone but it was weird how every single friend of hers lost it at 15 and was having hot amazing sex (so I can see how she felt left out).

      It made for a funny story but it was also too far fetched and got annoying.

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  4. Ehh I'm thinking her personality would wear on me too, though I do absolutely appreciate the premise and open discussion on sex.

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    1. That part was great and I wish there was more of it.

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  5. With things like personal hygiene and hair removal, a little goes a long way. I have this one on my shelf and keep bypassing it for some reason. Everyone she knew lost it at 15? Seems a little...planned. My friends were all over the place (well, between 15-20)

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    1. There's literally a detailed description of a brazilian - and detailed description of how it grows back. On one hand - yay for being refreshingly honest but not he other - I don't care. lol

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  6. Sounds like this one wanted to go someplace but didn't quite find the door. I can also see there being too much TMI for me as well. Yea, not a book for me. Brilly review!

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    1. A lot of people I know could just go with the humor (it was funny!) but it grated on me after a while.

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  7. This sounds like a fun book overall, but I could see it getting really tired and old to me too. It's nice that it's a bit honest and frank at times though.

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    1. It was funny. Just a little bit of overload for me. It crossed that line between funny and TMI/self absorbed.

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  8. I got this one for review consideration ages before it came out and just couldn't seem to get myself to read it (that cover did nothing for me). Stinks it didn't do much more for ya.

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  9. I loved this one! It's so crass, I couldn't stop laughing when I was reading it.

    I'm Asian and we do live with our parents longer than necessary so I can so relate to the scenes when her mom was in her space & getting all nosey. She said there's a sequel, I can't wait for it!

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    1. I LOVE that kind of humor so I'm surprised I didn't like it more.

      For me it was her whiny personality and how everything is the end of the world to her. In smaller does I could have handled it but by the end I was done.

      I guess if there's a second book that might be better.

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  10. I thought this was a great read overall, sometimes Ellie did lack depth for wanting to lose her virginity - like it's not bad to still be a virgin. It was a hilarious novel though, sad that it wasn't your type.

    Benish | Feminist Reflections

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    1. I was ok with that - I felt like it was over the top on purpose - to make it funnier but her constant put upon attitude got to me after a while. Not everyone was hurtful o her. If she had a bigger epiphany I guess I would have liked it more.

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  11. I've seen a lot of blah reviews for this one. I thought the premise was interesting, but I don't know how I feel about how it reads. I don't like Sex and the City and I've never read Bridget Jones, so we're at an impasse.

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  12. Sounds like parts of it would have been really funny but would definitely get old fast!

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