I’m Christian and I’ve found that religion is often brushed over or just not spoken about at all in a lot of novels, especially YA. I absolutely loved the nuanced conversation surrounding religion. This one had so much depth and it worked so well. Going in, I was intrigued by the idea but I didn’t know how much would actually come from this story. The plot was so clever and really well paced.
Del’s transition as a character is beautifully shown and it’s just an overall remarkable story. Love the character development! Like I mentioned in my Field Guide review, character development can make or break a book for me.
They can open this world to people who may not feel comfortable with it in any other format. I think that’s one of the great things about having more prevalent Black male authors. This would be especially great for men and young boys to read. The discussion of toxic masculinity was so needed! We really get to see Del’s evolution on this and how it has affected his own self image. It’s a pretty fine line but this story walks it like a tightrope. I like how it mentions the issues found in abstinence only education without making abstinence itself seem like a bad thing. The discussion of sex and sex education is so well done. Every time we had a hurricane, we also had new pregnancies so… I feel like not enough books focus on the reality of high school drama because this literally reminded me of my own high school. There was so much drama and I was here for it. Representation: Black main character, teen pregnancy The Good Trigger Warnings: conversations around sex, underage drinking, slut shaming, toxic masculinity, male entitlement, sexual assault But as he plots and plans, he neglects to ask the most important question: What does Kiera want? He can’t think about that too much, though, because once he gets the girl, it’ll all sort itself out. With other boys circling Kiera like sharks, Del needs to make his move fast. In exchange, Del just has to get answers to the Pledgers’ questions…about sex ed.
But Del’s not about to lose his dream girl, and that’s where fellow pledger Jameer comes in. His dad thinks his wires are crossed, and his best friend, Qwan, doesn’t believe any girl is worth the long game. Though he quickly realizes he’s inadvertently signed up for a Purity Pledge. So when Kiera volunteers for an opportunity at their church, Del’s right behind her. And now, during their junior year, she’s finally available. In his first contemporary teen novel, critically acclaimed author and two-time Edgar Award finalist Lamar Giles spotlights the consequences of societal pressure, confronts toxic masculinity, and explores the complexity of what it means to be a “real man.”ĭel has had a crush on Kiera Westing since kindergarten.
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