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. (“Dad’s neuroto-perfections and their early intelli-romance aren’t really what I want to be discussing right now,” Tabitha thinks during a heart-to-heart with her mother following a fight.) Readers will likely admire Tabitha’s openheartedness and unwillingness to see things in black and white. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)