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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
great read. would really recommend to anybody and everybody.
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this story (it’d probably get 3.5 stars if that was an option). It falls into the Young Adult category, which I didn’t necessarily know going in. That probably makes my review somewhat biased, as at times, I felt I wasn’t the targeted demographic. The book is well written and fast moving, with important themes. It’s relatable, even if at times not-adult-enough for my current tastes (not necessarily unexpected for YA). That said, I found it too predictable for my tastes. I found the conclusion almost hopelessly optimistic but the overall themes and messages of the book remain solid.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4 Stars
I started reading this book mostly because of the cover and it was available at the library lol! To my surprise I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and thankfully so for my first finished book of the month. I love reading YA books and I love that this provided a new storyline than what is typically discussed in the YA universe. The content he wrote was realistic and I felt like I was living it based on my time in church at that age.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Free Book from TBR (library)
Book Riot 2021 Challenge: Own Voices YA Book with a Black Main Character not about Black Pain
Black Card Challenge: Published in 2020
Book Democracy FB Group Connect Four: Audiobook
I started reading this book mostly because of the cover and it was available at the library lol! To my surprise I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and thankfully so for my first finished book of the month. I love reading YA books and I love that this provided a new storyline than what is typically discussed in the YA universe. The content he wrote was realistic and I felt like I was living it based on my time in church at that age.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Free Book from TBR (library)
Book Riot 2021 Challenge: Own Voices YA Book with a Black Main Character not about Black Pain
Black Card Challenge: Published in 2020
Book Democracy FB Group Connect Four: Audiobook
CW / TW: teen pregnancy; sexual assault; sexual harassment;
A great read for any guy, especially for high school students looking to read more contemporary literature. Although Giles listed some names the popular English teacher was using in class, Giles' name should be included in the list! I read someone's review include a spinoff story of Del's sister Cressida, who starts a feminist YouTube channel for her sociology class, and I second/third/fourth that vote.
While it's unfortunate that most men show no sympathy for a woman's plight unless that woman is in close relation to them (sister/mother/friend, etc), I find that this YA book touched on it well, giving Del's story the chance to breathe. I hope this can be a book geared towards misogyny and how to take steps to unlearn it.
A great read for any guy, especially for high school students looking to read more contemporary literature. Although Giles listed some names the popular English teacher was using in class, Giles' name should be included in the list! I read someone's review include a spinoff story of Del's sister Cressida, who starts a feminist YouTube channel for her sociology class, and I second/third/fourth that vote.
While it's unfortunate that most men show no sympathy for a woman's plight unless that woman is in close relation to them (sister/mother/friend, etc), I find that this YA book touched on it well, giving Del's story the chance to breathe. I hope this can be a book geared towards misogyny and how to take steps to unlearn it.
This story is an incredible look at the double standards girls face in regards to having sex, as well as an insightful look into the different types of toxic masculinity that exist in our world.
Del has had a crush on schoolmate Kiera ever since Kindergarten but has never had the nerve to ask her out. When she and her boyfriend finally break up, he determines that this is the perfect time to finally ask her out. His plan to date her is by (unknowingly at first) agreeing to the same purity pledge as her in their church - cause why wouldn’t that be a great plan?!
Not only is Del’s church holding purity pledge classes (which were started because nine high school girls got pregnant at the same time), but they have changed the sex-ed course in Del’s high school to an abstinence-only elective.
As the book progresses, we as readers get to see the disconnect between how Del perceives himself and what he’s really like. He never once considers Kiera’s feelings and is constantly trying to make everything all about him. However, this is very true-to-life for many teenage boys, which is why this book is so necessary.
Not So Pure and Simple is a funny and realistic book that I highly recommend!
(Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a digital ARC of this book.)
Del has had a crush on schoolmate Kiera ever since Kindergarten but has never had the nerve to ask her out. When she and her boyfriend finally break up, he determines that this is the perfect time to finally ask her out. His plan to date her is by (unknowingly at first) agreeing to the same purity pledge as her in their church - cause why wouldn’t that be a great plan?!
Not only is Del’s church holding purity pledge classes (which were started because nine high school girls got pregnant at the same time), but they have changed the sex-ed course in Del’s high school to an abstinence-only elective.
As the book progresses, we as readers get to see the disconnect between how Del perceives himself and what he’s really like. He never once considers Kiera’s feelings and is constantly trying to make everything all about him. However, this is very true-to-life for many teenage boys, which is why this book is so necessary.
Not So Pure and Simple is a funny and realistic book that I highly recommend!
(Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for a digital ARC of this book.)
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is SO GOOD. The writing is fire, and the story is so captivating. I loved following Del’s journey. Tackling the “nice guys” subject is so important, and I’m really glad this book exists.
Oh wow. I had heard really great things about this book and it definitely lived up to the hype. Del is a kid that I've met, that I've talked to, that exists in every nook and cranny of the world. This is a book that should be read by students, parents, and just people. It truly outlines so many things that people look past when it comes to relationships and the way that men and women interact in the world. It covers things like sex, pregnancy, feminism, and toxic masculinity in such a poignant and meaningful way. The fact that just about all of the characters grow in some way and that they're all diverse just adds to the story in a great way. This will definitely be a book I recommend to others.