Judy Blume

Do you remember the first time? Forever is still the bravest, freshest, fruitiest and most honest account of first love, first sex and first heartbreak ever written for teens. It was a book ahead of its time – and remains, after forty years in print, a teenage bestseller from the award-winning Judy Blume. With a gorgeous cover, Forever is a teen classic ripe for a new generation of readers.

Forever

The story of Katherine's and Michael's love is a joyous one, filled with all the wonder of "the first time."

They meet on New Year's Eve and become completely involved with each other.

It's an idyllic affair--until they're separated that summer...
--back cover

Forever...

Laura Mauler

Well I think this is another book that I'll have to give to my niece and nephews when they become teenagers.

Forever . . .

Gabriela Magana

Read this for the first time when I was 15. Still relevant to my life now. 
The language is simple and at times flat, so it makes for a very quick read but It's honest and absolutely relatable.

Ivy X

I did not enjoy this book despite the fact that it advocates safe sex and also provides insight on what Planned Parenthood does for teenagers who are exploring sex. Though I liked the message it was trying to relay to the audience about safe sex, I felt like the whole process of Katherine going to the clinic was very instructive and step-by-step. Not fascinating at all.

Now I'm going to dive into more things I did not enjoy about this book.
I despised the relationship Katherine had with Michael. She claims she's in love and that she's having sex with him out of love...but after all the advances Michael made on her and constantly saying stuff like "I love you. I never said that to anyone else before" made it seem like he was pressuring her. He was pressuring her and it annoyed me. He was ridiculously horny and lustful. I think it was trying to convey a hormonal male teenager but that doesn't mean he can't keep his hands to himself, respect her privacy, or respect that she's uncomfortable. I understand it's trying to talk about first loves, sex, and also being a hormonal teenage but I find it impossible to relate to. I am a 17 year old girl who is turning 18 in 2 months. I have a boyfriend and he's basically my first love. We are both hormonal teenagers. But we respect each other's boundaries and bodies. Michael, on the other hand, pressured Katherine and Katherine seemed more focused on satisfying his need rather than actually doing doing it based on what she wants. Michael and Katherine's relationship and sex life felt forced, unnatural, and there was no chemistry between them.

Also when describing the sex life, it felt like it was just listing stuff rather than blending it into a cohesive scene in which emotions play a part. There was no emotional aspect of it...just physical. And how is that possible in a relationship where both claim to love one another?
Also, not only that, I struggled through the sex scenes in the book because Michael...named...his...freaking...penis....RALPH.
What the f*ckkk
It's so uncomfortable to read and it is also kind of creepy with the whole "meet Ralph." 
I'm surprised Katherine wasn't grossed out. If my boyfriend ever did something as creepy as this, I would be running away. It makes me so uncomfortable. 

At the end, things obviously change when Katherine gets to see others around her and she realizes she isn't ready for forever and all that. The only part I truly liked was the paragraph on pg 192 that said
"I wanted to tell him I would never be sorry for loving him. That in a way I still do--that maybe I always will. I'll never regret one single thing that we did together because what we had was very special. Maybe if we were ten years older it would have worked out differently. Maybe. I think it's just that I'm not ready for forever."

Awkward, sweet, passionate, innocent, secretive . . .
Do you remember your first time?

Katherine and Michael won't ever forget theirs. They were seniors in high school. Totally crazy for each other, they thought they had found the one. It was first love, and it was perfect: long talks on the phone, ski trips, and double dates when they simply couldn't wait to be alone.

But was Katherine and Michael's relationship the love of a lifetime, or merely the beginning of a lifetime of love?

Relive the memories in this new edition of Judy Blume's classic and beloved novel. Fall in love all over again with Forever . . . .
--back cover

*read for class*

a very simple book that helps someone understand the start of young adult literature. personally not very entertaining, but good as a starting point for learning about historical concepts regarding adolescent books and publishing.

Mahasin S Ameen

This book is the reason I and many other girls hate the name Ralph

There's a first for everything.

When you build up something in your mind—really imagine it, wish for it—sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn't live up to your expectations.

True love is nothing like that.

Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can't get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven't been together all that long, they know it's serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.

But it's senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big "first": a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?
--back cover

Milana Marie Waller

so i got this book for $1.50 at a thrift store 
i figured should read bc HELLO, Judy Blume but it ended up scarring me.
it seemed to be a classic ya romance novel but there was little elements of romance and just scenes with lots of dialogue and talk with “Ralph”
RALPH
WHO TFFF
HAD ME GEEKED SO I MEAN THIS BOOK WAS WORTH THE INSIDE JOKE ME AND MY FRIEND HAVE NOW BUT LIKKE🥱🤡❌

Bella’s review : Coming from a teen personally this book was as far from teen love as you could possibly get. To be honestly every agonizing sentence that I forced myself to push through hoping for some big grand ending or plot twist wasn’t worth my pain whatsoever. First of all not only is it extremely odd but it’s plain disgusting that Michael has the audacity to think he’s worthy enough to name his male sexual reproductive organ. I mean honestly he’s not all that and I just felt like this was some trashy quick “love” story that had no actual depth or heart to it. A good romance should have me rooting for the couple, when I was concerned if Michael was even straight. Honestly this piece of hot garbage should be banned so no other children or person, should be forced to read something so horrendous. I don’t even think that someone on death row is deserving of having to read something so terrible. The characters are some of the most flat, static characters I’ve ever read about and it seems Blume put zero effort into the exposition or depth of the characters. Not to mention this is probably one of the most basic “romances” I’ve ever read. This book made me feel nothing towards the characters or their relationship, and this is coming from someone that romanticizes practically every waking moment of their life. I just didn’t feel the connection between the two Michael and Kath and I don’t see how anyone could, really. 



P. S. Ralph misses you

Forever

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