Olivia Hinebaugh

A teen who's never even been kissed becomes her school's unofficial sex expert in Olivia Hinebaugh's fun, voice-y contemporary YA romance debut. Seventeen-year-old Lacey Burke feels like the last person on the planet who should be doling out sex advice. For starters, she’s never even kissed anyone, and she hates breaking the rules. Up until now, she's been a straight-A music geek that no one even notices. All she cares about is jamming out with her best friends, Theo and Evita. But then everything changes. When Lacey sees first-hand how much damage the abstinence-only sex-ed curriculum of her school can do, she decides to take a stand and starts doling out wisdom and contraception to anyone who seeks her out in the girls' restroom. Meanwhile, things with Theo have become complicated, and soon Lacey is not just keeping everyone else’s secrets, but her own as well.

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me

Nessa Luna

The whole time I was reading this, I had this song from a butter (?) commercial stuck in my head. Where there's a bee singing about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees and the moon up above and then he came across a dish of butter that had all kinds of weird stuff added and honestly I am beginning to think that commercial was one big fever dream but yeah.

Anyway, to go back to this book - it was an alright book. Somehow I had thought that the main character, Lacey, was the asexual character in this because of the ace flag being so prominent on the cover, but I was quickly disappointed. Especially when I realised that I did not like the ace character in this book at all. [spoiler]I totally get still having a crush on your ex, but shitting on his current girlfriend, the girl *you* introduced to him in the first place is just NOT THE WAY TO GO SIS.[/spoiler]

Yeah idk this book just didn't really resonate with me, it felt more like a typical contemporary book which is not something I usually like (but yeah I make exceptions for books that feature prominent asexual/aromantic characters).

Candyce Kirk

This book surprised me in such a positive way. I don't think I've ever read such a sex positive book. The Birds, The Bees and You and Me is very diverse and tells us it's okay to love who you love and be who you are.

Lacey grew up with her single mother who's always been very open and honest with anything that has to do with sex. She's made Lacey realize it's okay to want what you want, but that consent is very important and to only to do what she's comfortable with. I think Lacey knows more ways to protect herself than most adults! Her relationship with her mother was one of my favorite things about this book!

At school, they start sex-ed, but when it's abstinence only, Lacey has a hard time with this. Why shouldn't students learn how to protect themselves? Not only from diseases, but teenage pregnancy. Let's just say the school isn't happy when Lacey speaks her mind. I was proud of Lacey and her friends sticking up for what they believe in.

Students start to learn about Lacey's knowledge and she starts giving advice (even if she hasn't even had her first kiss). Besides her fight to help get her classmates educated, this book is filled with many other things: friendship, learning what you really want and first loves.

Lacey, Theo and Evita are a really close group and have a band together. It's fun reading about their friendship and that they'd do anything for each other. Everybody needs friends like that. Things get harder for her when she realizes her dreams may be different than what her best friends want and that Theo is starting to feel like more than a friend.

I love how Lacey grows in this book. She starts off really shy, even about giving advice about sex, but starts becoming really confident. Lacey fights for what she wants and gives herself a chance to explore her feelings. I loved how much Lacey and Theo talked about their relationship and didn't just assume things. It's important to teach teenagers about mutual respect.

The Birds, The Bees and You and Me does get a bit descriptive when it comes to sex in this story, but this is done in a very respectful way. Besides the important messages it brings, the story of young love and an amazing friendship make this book complete!

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me

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