Having sex for the first time is a big decision for anyone, but for sixteen-year old Katherine Brinkman, the decision is even more complicated. Under the close watch of her parents, Katherine has never had a boyfriend. But that changes when she moves to a Chicago suburb for her mom’s teaching sabbatical and meets a group of free-spirited friends, including the charming and incredibly hot Aidan Koutsoukos. When Aidan isn’t serenading Katherine with love songs or making her laugh with his charismatic wit, he’s tempting her with his wavy, black locks, riveting brown eyes and perfectly sculpted body. While Katherine is falling for Aidan, her hometown of Black Earth, Iowa, is planning its first purity ball; a ceremony where girls publicly pledge to remain virgins until marriage. Once she returns home, will she honor her family and friends and pledge her virginity with her father as a witness? Or, will she give in to her desires under the influence of her new friends? As Katherine wrestles with this life-altering decision, she must decide if she is…PURE ENOUGH… Okay, despite a very shaky start I ended this book LOVING it. I knew that there was going to be a lot of religion in here, but at the beginning I thought i was going to have to stop reading because it started out a bit preachy, continuing into the book though I found that it was completely different message that was being put across and I believed in it and supported it. This book is, more than anything, a story of coming of age and finding independence as it focuses on Katherine (Kat) who has come from the rural, religious country to a city suburb and begins to see that some of the things she was told are wrong aren't that wrong at all.
I loved slowly watching Kat develop from this religious girl living under the thumb of her strict family into an independent and strong person, but still somebody who kept her beliefs and that is what I loved. It wasn't a girl changing herself for a boy, it was a girl who realised that what she was being forced to think wasn't actually what she belueved in. Her feelings towards the purity ball idea were were well written and I agree with them, I think she was such a relatable character, one of the most believable characters I have read in a long time. The background characters were fatastic, Aidan was lovely, i love how he himself wanted to have sex but like Kat he treated it like a life changing decision and respected what she wanted to do, he was caring an supportive and I loved him, Char was also a great supportive friend and I did enjoy her as a character.
Finally, I absolutley loved the writing in this book, it was so realistic and the author definitely got into Kat's head. DeLisle definitely made me believe the Kat was real and relate to her and I had no problems at all with pacing or plot points.
Overall, I absolutely adored this book, though the start was a bit shaky the rest of it was amazing. a fantastic coming of age story with a well written moral.
Overall Rating: A-
Received as an eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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