Reviews of Pure

Which is more important, remaining loyal to ideals or loyal to friends? This is one of the questions high school sophomore Tabitha faces in this first novel featuring five Christian girls, who have vowed to remain virgins until marriage. When the girls received their purity rings at age 12, right and wrong seemed clear-cut to Tabitha, but now that she is in high school and dating a boy she really likes, the lines are blurring. The girls’ friendships are thrown into flux when one member of the group breaks her promise of chastity, with two hard-liners basically abandoning their former friend, while Tabitha remains compassionate. The story hits at several issues relevant to teens, including freedom of speech, and while some peripheral characters come off a little plastic, Tabitha’s relationships, particularly with her new boyfriend and her parents, are well-executed… Readers will likely admire Tabitha’s openheartedness and unwillingness to see things in black and white. Ages 14-up.

Publishers Weekly, April 2009

Pure is a fresh, funny, and wise new novel that addresses everything from family differences and friendships to boys and religion. Terra Elan McVoy’s writing is, plainly speaking, wonderful. She effortlessly captures the emotions associated with the apprehension and joy of first love, the anxiety and anguish of friendship troubles, and the uncertainty of beliefs in a large and diverse world. Tabitha is an extremely grounded and likable character who readers will easily be able to relate to and empathize with as she tries to find a balance between being loyal to herself and her beliefs, being loyal to her friends, and most importantly, being loyal to God. McVoy’s personal, down-to-earth writing style and sense of how teens operate—in speech, attitude, and thoughts—is very obvious, making it seem as though Tabitha’s world is your own. Pure is a wonderfully positive, realistically complicated, and sweetly romantic read that will challenge and strengthen your beliefs in friendship and God.

The Compulsive Reader, March 24th, 2009

While McVoy doesn’t write, “Teen sex is great, and everyone should do it,” she does take a stand against judging others. She also sheds light on some of the ways in which Christian girls can be particularly mean to one another, like starting mini holy wars at their schools. Her message is powerful, and deep, and moving.

What I like best about it is that it’s a good read whether you were raised Christian or Hindu, Muslim or Jewish, atheist or agnostic. In fact, it reminds those of us out there who identify as liberal Jewish Buddhist agnostics that we’re doing ourselves a disservice when we mock the wacky evangelicals.

YA New York, May 26, 2009

Ok, so I have to admit I felt a little strange reading this book in public. I’m all for pink, but the cover does scream, “young adult girl.” In actual fact, though, I’d recommend this novel to any person interested in the challenges of being a young high school American girl, especially if you’re concerned with the moral questions related to purity rings. … I get the impression that many young adult books tell the stories of girls and their high school antics without having much at all to do with real life these days. McVoy’s characters, though, have after school jobs and homework and cell phone restrictions. These real students deal with the real challenge brought on by a certain type of Christian movement, the black and white, false ease and clarity of purity rings.

So, if you work with high school youth, read this book. If you have high school children, read this book. If you’re in high school yourself, I totally recommend it even more.

Adam Copeland, A Wee Blether, April 7th, 2009

So, I really like that the subject of purity rings (and faith in general) is dealt with earnestly and in a balanced way that I can see resonating with many teens. It’s something that has the potential to generate a healthy discussion about values, being true to yourself, and respecting your body…

Presenting Lenore, April 6th, 2009

First-time novelist McVoy takes on the hot topic of purity rings (hello, Jonas brothers!) and examines it from many angles. Tabitha’s fast, funny, and very contemporary voice should be a hit with teens… McVoy is very successful at drawing characters kids will care about—even the parents are interesting. Anyone who has wondered about the ramifications of wearing a purity ring, both socially and religiously (and there’s much thoughtful writing about Christianity here), will be left with plenty to think about.

Booklist, April 2009

"The idea of purity rings and the deep commitment behind it is deftly explored…"

Kirkus, March 2009

Yeah, yeah, I thought, Girl wrestles with the conflict of “Is sex bad if I love someone? Will God strike me down?” Blah, blah, I’ve seen this before.

Boy was I wrong and I’m glad I was. The book is infinitely more complex than that and is in fact, not about Tabitha’s relationship with a boy, but about her relationship with her best friends, her intellectual/atheist parents, and her personal ideas about God. … Tab is well-rounded and likeable and I admire that she is the only member of her family that is religious. … Overall this is an extremely intelligent novel. … Heartily recommended.

Uncreated Conscience, May 17th, 2009

A magnetic read that you can’t help but get sucked in to, Terra McVoy has taken a very serious and popular current topic and turned it in to an applicable and relatable story for today’s teens. The writing is witty, amusing and accessible to all who enjoy a true-to-life story.

Tattooed Books, August 6, 2009