Purity

I'm a big fan of Jackson Pearce. I loved her first three books, As You Wish, Sisters Red, and Sweetly, and I eagerly await the third in her Fairy Tale Retellings series, Fathomless. She does modern-day retellings so well (As You Wish is not a fairy tale retelling, but is is a modern take on an old story), so I was surprised last year when I heard about the soon-to-be-released Purity. Purity falls within the Contemporary genre and is as far from the world of magic and fairy tales as you can get. To be honest, I wasn't sure I would like it; I thought I would have pre-conceived expectations, based on Jackson's prior books, and that this would not be able to measure up (disclaimer: I'm usually not a big fan of Contemporary YA). I should have given Jackson more credit... Not only did she write a really great Contemporary that I enjoyed immensely, but I think it may be my favorite of her books so far. Purity was funny, touching, and not at all what I expected. Why?If you've read anything by Jackson Pearce, you know that she does characters really well. I always develop strong attachments to them right away, and the characters in this book were no different. The protagonist, Shelby, was as real as a fictional teenager could be. I read so many books about teens and they are most often portrayed as stereotypical angsty, rebellious, hormonal, know-it-all, brats. Yes, they are stereotyped that way for a reason, and yes, Shelby definitely showed some of these traits from time to time, but she was SO much more than that, and not just because of her circumstances. She was a good kid who was learning the ropes as she went, all while having this promise to her dead mother that she had to live up to. I liked Shelby a lot. I also liked her two best friends, Jonas and Ruby. Jonas had the kind of wit that I love in a boy, and the whole time I was reading the book, I was thinking, "Why aren't you looking to him to be 'the ONE'?". Then there's Ruby; without Ruby I think Shelby would have had a very difficult time having any fun. Ruby was the crazy-maker, and her role in Shelby's life was absolutely vital. As for the supporting characters, they were great as well. Shelby's dad was spot on I felt bad for him in so many ways. I was raised by my dad after my parents divorced, and let me tell you, I feel for ANY dad raising a teenage girl alone; there is no way to relate to her on any level. I also loved (and hated) Shelby's aunt. What a character! Saying she was merely colorful would be like saying Pucci print is colorful. I could go on and on about the characters, but I think you get the idea...Now for the story... When I first read the synopsis, I was thinking, "What? Is cancer the new vampire?". Not to sound insensitive, but there are a lot of YA books recently that involve people dying of cancer (like maybe there needs to be a new genre called "Cancer"). This book isn't a "Cancer" book though. It's a book about a girl trying to honor her dying mother's last request under impossible circumstances. Cancer plays a small role, but this is a coming-of-age book on every level, and it is wonderfully done. It's also a coming-to-terms-with-God-and-religion book, and that is something I didn't expect, but I felt like Shelby asked the right questions, even if she didn't always get answers. Jackson's trademark humor (she is one of the funniest YA authors out there) is everywhere in this book, but there is also a tender sensitivity there, providing a beautiful balance. I laughed, cried, yelled at the characters, and before I knew it, the book was over, and I felt like I had just finished a great meal. When a book makes he run the emotional gamut, ending in a deep sense of satisfaction, I know it was a great book.Overall, I would say that if you are a YA Contemporary fan, this is an absolute MUST READ. Run out and buy this book! That said, even if you aren't generally into the genre, read it anyway. Quality-wise, it is up there with the likes of John Green and Stephanie Perkins. It does not disappoint!One more thing I have to mention for personal reasons... Jackson is from Atlanta, and I always love her Southern shout-outs, but there was one in this book that was especially close to my heart. Ruby worked at The Flying Biscuit!!! The Flying Biscuit is very real and there is one across from the hospital where I delivered my first baby *many* years ago. I spent a lot of time on bedrest there, and I ate their food, instead of hospital food, almost every day. Yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Memories!My Rating: 5 starsGrade Level Recommendation: So, obviously this book involves sex. It's pretty much centered around a girl deciding to lose her virginity for none of the traditional reasons like love or lust or marriage. That being true, I am going to place this firmly in the "High School and up" category. Grades 9 and up. Ages 14+.

PURITY, Jackson Pearce's first contemporary novel, is about young Shelby whose ailing mother asks her to keep three promises as she goes throughout her life. But, when one of those promises is suddenly too bizarre to keep, when her Father decides to volunteer her for a Purity ball, Shelby is on a race to quickly discover a loophole that will still have her keep true to her promise before the time comes to vow her purity.I was thoroughly entertained while reading Purity. When there wasn't a serious moment happening things were usually sweet and, frequently, humorous. (I don't suppose buying condoms is the most glamorous things to do.) Shelby was a different character. Having lost her mother so early on in life, she is faced with struggling to get to know her father more, and re-discovering the faith, in many things, that she strayed away from or lost over the years. This novel is about more than a girl wanting to lose her virginity. It is about love and learning to grow as a person and get over things and ideas that are keeping you back to moving forward in your life.To some, it may not be their cup of tea, but I couldn't stop myself from chugging this one back. Being a fan of Jackson Pearce, I was interested to see how she would succeed in the contemporary genre, since her past novels had supernatural/urban fantasy elements, and am glad to say that Purity did not disappoint. This novel was fun, sweet, sad when it had to be, and serious. I would definitely recommend it!I would like to extend my greatest thanks to Faye of Little, Brown/Hachette for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I rarely do reviews, but I had to write one for this book. I am a fan of Jackson Pearce and have read all her work. Purity has become my favorite out of all four of her books - I am a huge contemporary novel fan more than supernatural, which could the reason why it's my favorite. It's witty. It's charming. But most importantly it's real. I found myself relating to the main character, Shelby, in so many ways and the pressure she placed on her self to lose her virginity. It's very tasteful, and there is nothing in there that anyone under the age of 15 shouldn't be allowed to read.The book isn't that big, and I was able to finish the book within a day. I love the relationship between Shelby and her friends, but I especially love the relationship, or lack of, between her and her father. Throughout the novel it's painful to see how they lack a relationship and what the purity ball ends up meaning for the both of them at the end. It's a story of growth, love, understanding, and most importantly to me, it's a story of searching who you really are.I highly recommend the book. And I know some people may be turned off because of the mention of God or Shelby's view of religion, but she is a character in a book and characters have different views just like real people do. And that is why I love this book. Pearce has the ability to create strong characters with flaws that resemble real people. They're not perfect, their not flat, but intricate with several elements contributing to their existence... even if they are fictional.And if anything else, you should just get the book for how beautiful the cover is!