I read this a number of years ago and have always remembered how impacting this book was. The cover says "Frank and endlessly touching." Pure is definitely both of those but not touching in the way you think. This novel is graphic, moving, disturbing and honest. It makes you realize just how easily innocence can be lost!

The back cover reads

"An accomplished novel that made its young author a sensation, Pure is about fourteen- the age when you know everything, except when you don't know anything. It's about first love and the end of innocence, and realizing your family perhaps isn't as happy or your parents aren't as together as you thought. It's about the cool friend for whom everything seems effortless, and the impossibly embarrassing friend you're nice to when your cool friend can't see. It's about the twenty-seven-year-old man who flirts with you when he sells your dad your overpriced birthday stereo-except he actually caall. And it's about what happens after."

Rebecca Ray wrote this book at sixteen. But, don't be lulled into thinking this is a book for teens. Parents should read it first, there is a lot of language and graphic sexual content. You will be shocked by what you read! That having been said I think the book is an important statement on youth and written with a lot of direction and truth!

Sending this one to narfinmagic as part of a bookrelay!

Yahoo! Came in the mail today and looks good! Thank you MandMsMom for sharing this through the bookrelay.

I finally pulled this book off Mount TBR and I'm sorry it had been there so long. Once I started reading it, I only read to about page 75 and just gave up on it. It was very disturbing to think of the scenes written in this book depicting a 14 year old character. It was very graphic and I did not find the main character likeable. I think that this book does sadly depict reality for many teens who are desperately trying to fit in. I just couldn't stand reading about it. Perhaps someone else will appreciate this book more than I did.

Thank you MandMsMOm for sharing this book. I will try to pass it along to someone else.

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Trading with a fellow bookcrosser in Colorado Springs.

Hooray! Received in the mail today. After I requested it for the trade, I saw it in the bookstore and wanted to read it then! I like dirty books, heh heh... it is next on my TBR list.

Holy cow! I couldn't get through the book. I feel as if I have already had my experience with this story, having read it in a few other books as a young adult. This book is definitely a reality check, and I have mixed feelings about whether teens should read it or not. Yes, it is graphic, but also very close to the truth. At least the book does not glorify the events that occur, so I suppose I would lean more towards encouraging young adults to read it. I ended up skimming through the last half, and found the book in its entirety very depresssing! I hope the next reader can gain something from it as well.

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Sending off as a trade to San Jose, CA...enjoy!

Oh boy! Can't wait to read it! Thanks!

I have had this book for ages and finally got the chance to read it. I was really disappointed. The main character made really lame choices, nonsensical really, and I couldn't make head or tail of where the story was headed, so I kept reading hoping it would get better.

It didn't. :(

In a couple of days (once the hubbub at the post office dies down from Tax Day) I'm sending this book on to hunnyb, who has this book on her wish list. I hope she likes it better than I did.

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Sending this book off as a RABCK. Enjoy, hunnyb!!!

Received this today - thanks for fulfilling my wish! I put this on there after hearing that it was similar to Lolita, which I found very intriguing.

Interesting. I don't know if Ray deliberately set out to shock, or whether she thought this was a realistic portrayal of adolescence. The conflict of emotions definitely rings true but the whole thing was a bit melodramatic. There are better teen angst novels out there but this one wasn't too bad. Thanks for sharing it and fulfilling my wish!! :)

Bringing along to August meetup.

Picked up at meetup for release in my building library. Thanks hunnyb!

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