LOVE & SEX. Two words that most adults think most teenagers don't understand. Well, wake up folks, we do; in fact, we think and write and talk about them all the time. LOVE & SEX: Ten Stories of Truth attempts to explain the mystery and mysticism behind teen relationships through 10 stories. Teens may already know some of what is described, but what's the harm in reading more about it?

These stories all cover different aspects of love, from crushes on up, as well as different levels of sex and sexual relationships. Every story is written by a different, cool Young Adult author. After each story there is a short blurb on the author and background on the story. I have to say, I got into some of the stories more than others. When I read "Lightning Bringer" by Garth Nix, for example, I had to force myself to just let go. See, the story is about a teen who sees auras, these colored "spirit" or "energy" outlines around people. On a deeper level, though, the story is about power in relationships. Through auras, Nix gets his point across; when one partner dominates the other in a relationship, bad things are bound to happen.

My favorite story was "Snake" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Not only does it show the relationship between two teens, but, guess what? (Tell this to your English teacher...) It alludes to the Bible. And besides some quality prose, editor Cart also manages to add some poetry to the mix. In "Secret Shelf," author Sonya Sones tells of love and sex through 14 poems. If that's not enough for you, then I don't know what is.

If you've ever had a question about love or sex, chances are it will be dealt with in some way by this book. And if it isn't, you can just enjoy the short stories anyway. I must admit, though, that when my parents saw the book they wondered what in the world I was reading. But, hey, you're going to have to start reading books like this sometime, and I can definitely think of other things that your parents would disapprove of even more...

   --- Reviewed by Lisa Marx

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