The Whore and The Virgin
“Life can change in an instant” and for 15 yr. old Melanie, nothing is truer than this statement. Melanie has been living the sheltered life in sunny L.A. Living with her parents, Mel has been in the best schools and exposed to the best that life has to offer. Suddenly, her world is flipped upside down. Her parents are divorcing and she is being sent to Philly to stay with an aunt and cousins she barely knows.
Fresh off the plane, it is clear that she is not in L.A. anymore! Mel is introduced to Philly life. Her cousin Yolanda, aka Yo-Yo is her same age but not her same mentality. Yo is hood in every sense of the word. Her friends are exactly the same. It is clear that they like to party. Suddenly Mel is introduced to fast cars and even faster boys. She finds herself in situations that her sheltered life have not prepared her for. Mel is clearly not ready for life she finds in Philly. Living in the city will age you quick.
The Whore and The Virgin is a coming of age story. However, it is not the “dirty dancing” or “inkwell” version. It is the gritty, true life version that sadly too many young girls find themselves in. For me, reading this book was interesting as I grew up in Philly. I knew many of the places the author chose to incorporate in his story. The story pulls you in quickly as you follow Mel and Yo-Yo’s adventures through life. I am looking forward to the continuation of this story.
4.5 stars
Mia
Disclaimer: Book Referees was given a Free Copy of this book from the Author. Our thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. We were not compensated for the review. Thank you for giving Book Referees the opportunity to review your book.
I will be adding this to my list to read.