Sunday, July 18, 2010

Boys Lie: Review and Giveaway

Lie #13: Don't worry, I won't show anyone these pictures.

Things have gotten worse. When I was a teenager, young girls worried about their reputations, getting pregnant, or catching venereal disease. Today there are many more dangers, including HIV, other STIs, and date rape drugs, and technology has created some risky new activities for teens, such as sexting. I'm glad I'm not a teenager in 2010! But I do have two teenage daughters, and I realize that raising them requires me to be aware of these dangers.

Belisa Vranich and Holly Eagleson are the authors of a new book for girls, published in 2010, Boys Lie: How Not to Get Played. The title of this book led me to ask this question: do boys lie more than girls? To be honest, I can't really answer that question. I think I was pretty lucky as a teenager. For the most part, the boys I met back then were decent, respectful guys, and didn't seem to lie any more than the average girl. In fact, I think in some ways they were more honest than girls, or at least a bit more open about their feelings. That being said, though, these are different times, and as I mentioned already, there are new risks and dangers for today's teens, and so as I read this book I changed the question in my mind from "who lies more?" to "how can this book help girls?".

Belisa Vranic is a clinical psychologist with over twenty years of work experience, and Holly Eagleson is a former features editor for Seventeen and Cosmopolitan magazines, and the author of a book for teen girls; together they do a thorough job of presenting lies, truths, and information in this book. Much of it pertains to sex and sexuality, and is quite candid. Each chapter starts with a lie told by boys. The authors provide a lot of explanation about the lie, and other ways that the lie might be told. Next they give ideas about what to say in response to the lie. Each chapter concludes with suggestions about what to do if you've already bought the lie. In this format, many common lies are presented in seventeen short, easy-to-read chapters that give girls the chance to think and prepare themselves to respond in strong ways to these lies and situations.

I shared Boys Lie with my daughters. Here are their very brief reviews:

Angela (age 13): Alright, I'm ready to revert back to kindergarten thinking... BOYS HAVE COOTIES.


Jasmine (age 17) : Boys Lie gives common sense advice and ways to deal with relationship problems in a very straightforward manner. I enjoyed reading it.

My thirteen-year-old is definitely too young for this book, and I think that my seventeen-year-old is as well--thankfully! Boys Lie is startling explicit at times, but as a source book it provides valuable information for teens about the very things that are so difficult to discuss with others. Information and knowledge are powerful, and lead to preparedness. This book is designed to make girls think about the consequences of their actions, and to develop a healthy sense of caution and responsibility about their sexuality, and in a more general sense. This is especially important for girls because they're the ones who seem to suffer the most and the longest as a result of impulsive actions; unplanned pregnancies can limit educational and financial success for years to come, and sexually transmitted diseases may be devastating. With such grave consequences it pays to think ahead, to plan, and to protect yourself or loved ones from these dangers.

Are you interested in reading this book, or do you know a teenager who'd benefit from reading it? Health Communications, Inc. is generously offering a copy of this book as a giveaway (U.S./Canada).
  • To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
  • For an extra chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower, or that you subscribe in Google Reader.
  • For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.
Enter by 5 PM PDT on Monday, August 2. One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, August 3. Good luck!


Special thanks to Lisa from TLC for including me on this tour. For more reviews of this book, please visit the other stops on TLC's Boys Lie blog tour.

26 comments:

  1. Blog follower!

    allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. sounds like an interesting and informative read!!

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  3. Boys do lie, but I agree with you that girls do too. When my son was a teen, it seemed the girls were just as aggressive as the boys. Don't enter me - thankfully I have no need for this book.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a daughter who will be 13 in August. This would be useful.

    freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  5. Already a GFC follower

    freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  6. tweet; http://twitter.com/fredalicious/status/18927471574

    freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very perceptive review, Suko! Having both a giral and a boy, I would have to say that most of the time, they lie equally. I think this would be a great book to give to my daughter, who is 14, and would love a chance to win a copy. Please do enter me in your giveaway!!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

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  8. Hi Suko. Wow, excellent review. I'm with your 13 year old.. boys have cooties! At least, teenage boys who want to hang out with my daughters do!!

    I wish the title was a bit less anti-boy and more pro-girl (empowering without being critical) but I think the message is really important.

    Thanks so much for being on the tour! We really appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Interesting review. I personally have no need for the book, so no need to enter the contest. However, it sounds like a book for parents to share with their young ones.

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  10. A book I will need for when my kids get older. I dread the thought of them being teenagers. I am so not ready.

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  11. Teens Lie, would probably be more accurate..LOL

    The cover is too funny.

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  12. No need to enter me, my friend. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for all the comments, tweets, and postings.

    More comments are welcomed as always. :)

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  14. When it comes to relationships or sex (or trying to get it) I think boys lie more, but as far as general teen issues then I think it might be more evened out. I'm not even a teen and I'd love to read this and be able to share the info with teen girls that I mentor and my niece could really benefit from reading this, she's at that age where she believes almost anything a guy tells her just because she wants guys to like her, and we are really trying hard to teach her to have more self respect and that what she is doing is not right, and that if a guy is going to like you he will not pressure you to do stuff.
    Thanks for the chance into this giveaway.

    unforgetable_dreamer_always(at)hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for another giveaway!
    moonlightbookreviews@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. This book sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the opportunity.

    steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. wow, youve got some great giveaways Suko :) This one sounds really good, and like it gives some great information and advice. I like the idea of this one.

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  18. I would love to win this for my niece. She's not a teenager yet, but she well be soon enough.

    Thanks! :0)
    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I subscribe with google reader.

    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for the chance.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  21. Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  22. Subscribe via Reader

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  23. Tweet! Tweet!
    @NancyeDavis

    http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/20039684455

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  24. This looks interesting. please count me in

    dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I already follow with GFC

    dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Please enter me. I am currently a follower.

    yo teach at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete

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