First kiss (then tell): a collection of true lip-locked moments, edited by Cylin Busby

First kiss (then tell) is a collection of short stories (plus a few cartoons and a haiku) about the first kisses of various YA authors.

It includes Justine Larbalestier’s “Pashin’” which begins “This is a gross first kiss story”. And she is right. It is gross. But I’m not going to spoil it and give away the extent of the grossness. Read it for yourself. Scott Westerfeld takes the prize for shortest contribution with his haiku “Braces” and Shannon and Dean Hale describe the same first kiss from two perspectives in “Our first kiss (with each other)”.

As with most collections of short stories some grabbed me more than others, and presumably other readers will have the same experience, only with different stories grabbing them. The majority of stories had a a light, funny, excitable feel to them which of course reflects the feelings experienced with many first kisses.

If you like young adult literature and are looking for something light and easy, give it a go. Don’t be put off by the pink, romance-looking cover, it’s not a love story but a collection of generally fun stories about one of the great joys of life.