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Sinful #1
Sinful Purity
What do you do when the price of perfection is your freedom and everything you’ve ever believed in is a lie?
Mary Elizabeth has been a ward of Mary Immaculate Queen Orphanage since she was four. Not remembering anything of her life before her arrival, she dreams of her own identity. Being a willful child, she was punished more than she was praised. In an institution where perfection and conformity is the ultimate goal, Mary Elizabeth yearns to break free of her childhood prison and experience life outside the orphanage’s imposing iron gates. What she’s about to find out, however, is that life is never that simple and that even though we try to let go of our past, sometimes our past won’t let go of us.
Attending college for the first time, believing she is finally free Mary Elizabeth is at long last experiencing life and all it has to offer. Liz it seems was never meant to escape her stifling upbringing. Haunted by her past and hunted by shrouded figures bent on malevolence she fights to hold on to her new life and everything she now holds dear. Learning that freedom is nothing more than an elaborate illusion and everything comes with a price.
A taut coming-of-age mystery full of relentless tension. Sinful Purity becomes more foreboding with each passing page, attacking our deepest fears and frailties.
Mary Elizabeth has been a ward of Mary Immaculate Queen Orphanage since she was four. Not remembering anything of her life before her arrival, she dreams of her own identity. Being a willful child, she was punished more than she was praised. In an institution where perfection and conformity is the ultimate goal, Mary Elizabeth yearns to break free of her childhood prison and experience life outside the orphanage’s imposing iron gates. What she’s about to find out, however, is that life is never that simple and that even though we try to let go of our past, sometimes our past won’t let go of us.
Attending college for the first time, believing she is finally free Mary Elizabeth is at long last experiencing life and all it has to offer. Liz it seems was never meant to escape her stifling upbringing. Haunted by her past and hunted by shrouded figures bent on malevolence she fights to hold on to her new life and everything she now holds dear. Learning that freedom is nothing more than an elaborate illusion and everything comes with a price.
A taut coming-of-age mystery full of relentless tension. Sinful Purity becomes more foreboding with each passing page, attacking our deepest fears and frailties.
308 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2013
308 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Standen
3 books7 followersAs a native of Southern California K.A. Standen enjoys sunny days and palm trees year around. She has a Master’s in Business Administration and holds a number of certifications in human resources, project management, and negotiations. Growing up right around the corner from Route 66 and the music mecca of Los Angeles, K.A. Standen has an affinity for old American muscle, live music, and quirky characters. She loves books in general, B-rated horror and cheesy 80’s movies, learning new things, and the color green. With a house full of teenage boys and a menagerie of animals there’s rarely a quiet moment. In her downtime she can be found cuddled up on the couch with her 142lb bloodhound, Virgil.
It had been a long awaited dream of K.A. Standen’s to be a writer. To weave a story that would mentally captivate and emotionally ensnare readers is the greatest challenge. A challenge she readily takes up every time she puts pen to paper. To date K.A. Standen has three books published in the Sinful Series, Sinful Purity, Sinful Relations, and Sinful Choices.
It had been a long awaited dream of K.A. Standen’s to be a writer. To weave a story that would mentally captivate and emotionally ensnare readers is the greatest challenge. A challenge she readily takes up every time she puts pen to paper. To date K.A. Standen has three books published in the Sinful Series, Sinful Purity, Sinful Relations, and Sinful Choices.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 4, 2013
Sinful Purity is a must-read. The main character, Liz, was extremely likeable and relatable. Her diverse mix of friends brought the book to life, and made for an enjoyable reading experience. An engaging plot keeps the story vibrant and life like, making you feel as though you were one of the characters. Sinful Purity is an emotional rollercoaster ride that is sure to keep you on the edge of you seat.
August 5, 2013
I absolutely love this book!It has mystery, suspense, romance and conspiracy. I can't put it down! This is a must read!
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November 9, 2015A Riveting Realistic Mystery Novel the Keeps you Guessing
K.A. Standen’s “Sinful Purity” riveting novel is a must read that keeps you guessing until the very end. This story begins with willful Mary Elizabeth, an orphan at Mary Immaculate Queen Orphanage questioning the church’s nuns practice of naming all the orphaned girls, including her Mary. Early in the book you get a clear indication that something sinister is going on at Mary Immaculate.
However, the author does a great job balancing clues, innuendos and hints without giving up the conclusion or making it predictable. The reader will know early on who the antagonist is but the reader will not know in what way or to what degree.
I was not a big fan of Mary Elizabeth’s first love interest so I am interested to see how that plays out in the sequel. There are a couple of questions still unanswered which is a brilliant way of inviting the reader to check out the next novel.
Standen has a unique writing style that draws you immediately into the prisoned world of the orphanage and compelling you to connect with the main character.
One of my favorite lines, “There in the corner of the courtyard he bared his soul to me, with only the shade tree and the crucifixes as witness.” is an example of Standen’s ability to emotionally set the tone and themes of the book through visual representation.
This book is marvelous and explores religious zealousness and faith in a nonthreatening way.
K.A. Standen’s “Sinful Purity” riveting novel is a must read that keeps you guessing until the very end. This story begins with willful Mary Elizabeth, an orphan at Mary Immaculate Queen Orphanage questioning the church’s nuns practice of naming all the orphaned girls, including her Mary. Early in the book you get a clear indication that something sinister is going on at Mary Immaculate.
However, the author does a great job balancing clues, innuendos and hints without giving up the conclusion or making it predictable. The reader will know early on who the antagonist is but the reader will not know in what way or to what degree.
I was not a big fan of Mary Elizabeth’s first love interest so I am interested to see how that plays out in the sequel. There are a couple of questions still unanswered which is a brilliant way of inviting the reader to check out the next novel.
Standen has a unique writing style that draws you immediately into the prisoned world of the orphanage and compelling you to connect with the main character.
One of my favorite lines, “There in the corner of the courtyard he bared his soul to me, with only the shade tree and the crucifixes as witness.” is an example of Standen’s ability to emotionally set the tone and themes of the book through visual representation.
This book is marvelous and explores religious zealousness and faith in a nonthreatening way.
August 1, 2013
Great book. I'm not a big reader, but once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book to be released!
October 21, 2013
I was glued to the last half of this book! I will definitely be reading the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews