"The Bare Naked Truth" by Bekah Hamrick Martin

The Truth About Sex and Waiting . . . Uncovered Purity.

Sex. Boys. Waiting. There's something about those words that makes everything complex in a heartbeat, and raises more questions than answers. Is there something wrong with me if I don't kiss a boy after a date? Or am I doomed if I DID? What if waiting is just a one-way trip to life as a crazy cat woman? And what if I tend to, um, think about a certain boy in a certain way? It seems that the lady at church and your friends have two very different opinions on the subject. And 'Your Budding Womanhood: Staying a Beautiful Flower for Jesus' just isn't cutting it. Bekah Hamrick Martin knows the waiting game isn't easy or straight-forward. In The Bare Naked Truth, she lays everything on the table---including some embarrassing moments---as she explores the honest, naked truth behind what God means by purity. With additional entries from popular authors, you'll see the bare naked approach to waiting isn't always easy, but it's worth the risk.

I like this book.  Martin writes in a style that's fun and easy to read, but more importantly, she's providing valuable information in a way that young women will relate to.  The narrative doesn't sound like your crazy school nurse or your with-an-agenda mother coming at you, but instead like a trusted friend or mentor, someone who has been there and done that and is ready to help you get a handle on this subject.

Martin shares many testimonies from other authors and friends throughout the book.  Some share their story about why staying pure has worked for them - and others share why they wish they had.  Either way, these stories help the reader understand the physical, emotional, and mental consequences of going too far before marriage.  I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of teens may know the what-goes-where, but they don't know or understand the other ramifications - and Martin does a great job of explaining them in funny and real ways here.

One of my favorite elements of this book is the funny four-question quiz that's found at the end of each chapter.  Totally un-scientific, it's meant to help girls understand their own way of reacting to situations so that they can relate this to staying pure.  The quizzes read like something out of a crazy check-out line teen quiz but get the point across with Martin's usual blunt humor.

As much as I liked this book, there was one chapter which caused a bit of concern.  Not because the 'stay pure' message was garbled, but because Martin claims that there's no Biblical basis for staying pure in this one particular area (but that it's a good idea, anyway).  I imagine that this particular chapter is one in which you'll tread carefully, anyway - but be sure to read the book so that you can be prepared for questions when you get there.  In case that's not as clear as mud and you want to know exactly WHICH chapter I'm talking about, feel free to email me at amybradsher@gmail.com for more information.  This is a family-friendly site.  :-)

I read lots of books.  Some go immediately onto a shelf - or a stack or under the couch - while others, though I enjoy, find new homes.  (There's only so much room under the couch, you know?)  The Bare Naked Truth has been relocated to a high-up shelf for the next few years, until my Big Helper is just a little bit bigger, at which time I'll pull it down for us to read together.  The information in this book is too important to miss, and I'm happy to have such a fun resource to read with her.

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Bekah Hamrick Martin was born in Savannah, Georgia, in an event which her brother keeps reminding her was completely unnecessary. She spent the better part of her high school years vacationing on the north end of her mattress due to an illness, where she developed a deep taste for chocolate and sarcasm. Today Bekah shares with teens about tough times, healing, and surviving their high school years---no matter where they spend them.

Learn more about Bekah on her website: http://misswritebrained.wordpress.com/ 

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.