Pure by Terra Elan McVoy

Pure is by Little Shoppe of Stories manager Terra Elan McVoy. I've known Terra since 8th grade when I started frequenting the store. She has always suggested good books for me and my friends. Plus she's always let me just kinda bum around in the shop just looking and not buying anything...

I got Pure on Friday night at the release party. And I read it this weekend. I was skeptical at first because it's really weird to read something written by someone you know. But once I got into the book and past all of the initial "Oh my gahhhs" I began to see it nicely.

It's a lovely story about a normal girl, named Tabitha who's a goody-two-shoes like myself. She doesn't drink or smoke. She attempts to get all of her assignments done on time while dealing with her friends conflicts. She has trouble with math and talks during science. She has parents with strict phone rules and she has one computer at home (that's way different from my house, but I've been there before).

Tabitha and her friends: Morgan, Cara, Naeomi, and Priah also attend church (Tabitha without her parents) and go to youth group on Sunday nights. It's interesting to read a book with people that regularly attend church. Something I wish I did myself. Something some of my friends do, something some don't and something some would probably never be caught doing.

Pure is essentially about a group of friends who all wear purity rings. They made pledges when they were younger not to have sex until they were married. Something like this seems archaic these days, so it's different approach. Anyways, one of the girls, Cara ends up having sex and Naeomi get's mad at her because she sees it as Cara throwing her life away for some boy. Morgan finds out and sees it as Cara breaking her promise to God and disowns Cara and is glad that Naeomi is mad at Cara. Tabitha however doesn't know what to do... Yes, Cara did break her pledge, but Cara is her friend and Cara needs friends.

In high school we figure out who we are. And while I can't really relate to the book on the specific example of purity rings, I can relate to the changes that take place and the way the girls grow apart. I wouldn't dump my friends because something that they did, unless it hurt me. I would say that this book, (which did I mention takes place in Decatur?) is definitely worth reading. And I'm proud to know the person that wrote it.