Pure Sin

Privilege #5

by Kate Brian

A Simon & Schuster eBook

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Boarding School, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Suspense

191 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2010

About the author

Kate Brian is the author of the SHADOWLANDS TRILOGY (SHADOWLANDS, HEREAFTER & ENDLESS), as well as the New York Times bestselling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, and the wildly popular MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS. She also writes teen fiction under the name Kieran Scott.

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

***TL;DR SPOILERY PLOT OVERVIEW***

Lexa Greene is having a hard time holding it together after playing her part in the murder and subsequent cover-up of Kaitlynn/Lillian Oswald. She's obsessed with getting the blood off her hands and is becoming increasingly unhinged. Ariana realises her life as Briana Leigh Covington may be coming to an end, and uses the inheritance she received upon her grandmother's death to secure another identity. Ariana begins to see the flaws in Palmer's personality as she falls for Southern bad boy, Jasper Montgomery. Soomie and co. discover Maria'a secret relationship with Landon, and it's not half as scandalous as Maria had anticipated.

Jasper jokingly confronts Ariana and Lexa at a Stone & Grave ball about knowing a secret of theirs, and Lexa completely loses it. Ariana threatens Jasper in the garden shed, only to find out it's a fairly benign secret from Briana Leigh's past. The ball ends abruptly as Lexa throws herself off the roof, plummeting through the greenhouse and into the centre of the party. Ariana and Palmer break it off after a heated confrontation in the ER, and Ariana almost bumps into her sworn enemy: Reed Brennan.

***END SPOILERY PLOT OVERVIEW***

One of the main reasons I enjoy the Privilege series is that I get to explore some seriously twisted psyches, a trait which is severely lacking in the Private books. I get to sit in the back of Ariana and Kaitlynn's minds as they ponder some of the darkest things imaginable, somehow making them seem so benign and rational. In the Private books I have to sit in the back of Reed's simple brain while she wails about life at her cushy private school being so hard. The Privilege series provides some seriously complex characters that are a joy to explore.

With Kaitlynn now six feet under, I had wondered how the author was going to introduce conflict in the series. The author not only continued to threaten Ariana's existence with Lexa's constant near-confessions, but she gave us the opportunity to explore the mind of another demented individual. It was fascinating watching Lexa rapidly deteriorate, beginning with OCD handwashing; descending into full-blown madness in running down the halls wailing and pounding on windows and doors; and culminating in a dramatic and very public suicide attempt. I enjoyed putting myself in Lexa's shoes and wondering how I would react in that situation.

Provided Lexa survives the suicide attempt, I'm interested to see if she confesses and implicates Ariana. I doubt anyone would take her seriously given her mental state, but I would like to see Ariana on the run again. I'd like to see the Privilege series move to a whole 'nother continent, with Ariana trying to extract her massive inheritance as Briana Leigh Covington while masquerading as Emma Walsh. I'm also interested to see how Lexa's parents and APH handle the suicide attempt. I can practically hear them saying "How dare she try to kill herself? Doesn't she know what this means for our image?!"

I did notice one inconsistency with Lexa though that I have to point out. Lexa faints after Soomie accidentally cuts herself, and when she wakes up she says "Kaitlynn?" How did she know that was Lillian Oswald's real name? It's not plausible that Ariana could have told her without revealing how she knew, or who Ariana really is. But hey, maybe I missed something at the end of the last book that explains it...

I'm also not terribly happy about the whole Ariana x Jasper thing. She spent 3 books trying to get Palmer Liriano and go public with the relationship, and now she up and dumps him for someone else?! Granted Jasper is 100x more interesting and reminds me of Tate from American Horror Story, but WTF! Palmer suddenly went from the perfect guy to being riddled with flaws and it doesn't make sense.

I am so stoked that the Private and Privilege series have converged and Ariana is out to kill Reed Brennan again. Though I'm not sure how this is going to work given the chronology of the two sagas, because Reed is a freshman in college during this series while she hadn't even graduated when I read Ominous. I'm also hoping the magic bullshit isn't incorporated because the Privilege series is firmly rooted in reality. It's a fucked up reality, but it's a concrete reality nonetheless. All I know is I can't wait to see Ariana pursue Reed and I hope to God she wins.

Overall: If you didn't think the series could survive without Kaitlynn, you'll be pleasantly surprised where little Lexa Greene can take the story. I absolutely adored getting a peak into someone else's madness and I'm sure other Privilege fans will love it too. I'm intrigued to see where the story goes from this point on, and I'm keen for a change of scenery. ;]

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Ariana’s relationship with Jasper, who is much more interesting to me than Palmer. This book is basically about Lexa’s breakdown following the events of the previous book. She feels guilty, and likely has some form of PTSD. As the book progresses, she gets worse and worse and Ariana has to watch her constantly to make sure she doesn’t reveal the truth about what happened.

I think Jasper might be my favorite character of this spinoff series. He’s charming, clever, and has just a hint of bad boy. He definitely made the book.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so that was weird. I just marked it as the book I'm currently reading, and then a minute later marked it as read. Haha, I haven't been on goodreads all day and I happened to start this book this morning, and finished it a couple of minutes ago, so I didn't have a chance to ever mark it as read. ANYWAYS...
I didn't enjoy this book as much. I mean, it wasn't bad, but I just really didn't get into it! I felt as if I had to read it, seeing as I had started the series and couldn't just stop it with that last book, so it was sort of a necessity. It wasn't too bad, I just found it a bit...annoying, I suppose.
So, it's a continued on adventure of Ariana at APH. She's finally with Palmer securely, she's finally killed Kaitlynn, and you'd think she has everything she wanted, and would finally be happy. But no.
It's just a bit of a shock, seeing as I LOVED the last one and this one was just...ok. First off, let me start with the smaller things. I found a few grammar errors, but seriously, who cares about that, there wasn't a ton. But there was one big error that sort of irked me, to be honest. At one point where Lexa is fainting, she says "Kaitlynn?" And SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT KAITLYNN IS, SHE KNOWS WHO LILIAN OSWALD IS. So at first I thought, oh no, she found out about Kaitlynn's secret identity and Ariana is going to freak out. But nope, Ariana acted as if she said "Lilian" which I suppose Brian meant to make her say. This could prove to confuse a lot of readers, if they don't think about it a bit more as I did.
Also, I just really don't like how these books are pretty expensive, I got this one on Kindle for about $10, and they are so short! I just wish she would COMBINE all the books into one huge one and just put it for a bit of a higher price, because this is just annoying. I go through them so quickly, and then I have to pay another $10 for the next one, and they are usually pretty long series, like her last series (Private) had over 10 books! It irks me a lot, but I suppose that's how she makes money, haha.
OK, now getting into the actual book! I don't like Jasper. Haha, very straight up, I know, but it gave me a headache reading about him and Ariana. It's just like, just yesterday you're all drooling all over Palmer and spent a whole friggin book trying to be with him, and then the next book comes and it's like, oh I lied. I like Jasper, Palmer's boring now. Like SERIOUSLY, make up your damn mind! And then there's this one part where Jasper says "I love you" and then after says "...I know there's nothing you could ever do, nothing you could ever say, that would make me not love you." UGH. How many times has this been used in movies and books? Like please, be original dude! I think Brian was going for a romantic feel, but I just felt even more and more annoyed and...disgusted? Haha, I'm sorry, just saying my opinion.
They also got rid of Grandma Convington so easily! I thought that could be like a big issue in this book, the grandma comes to visit and notices it's "Emma Walsh" and that could have gotten the plotline going a bit! This one seemed as if it had no big plot...just that she was trying to cover up the whole murder thing with Lexa and wants to kill Reed. Haha.
I just found this book very annoying. I don't think I've ever rated one of Brian's books so low before, but the description of it fits it perfectly. "It was ok." Her surprise ending in this one really didn't leave me with an open mouth, more like a headache. I guess I'm just a little more than tired of this series, but I still feel as if it is a necessity to finish it. I sort of just want to get it out of the way, find out what happens to Reed, Noelle, and Ariana, and that's it. But of course I still have to go through...I believe only one more book? Oh god, I hope so. I like Kate Brian but she should have just added the last book to this one to make one big book, and just put it for a bit of a higher price. I think $10 for this book was a bit too expensive anyways, to be honest, but maybe it was only because it was on Kindle. They didn't have it at the bookstore so I sort of had to.
So anyways, yeah. 2 stars for this book! I'm hoping the last one will be amazing, because I just didn't feel it with this book. :) Just my opinion, though.

[Rhiannon Rabby | 31 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time Ariana brings up how Reed ruined her life, I kind of want to stab her. In the face. Repeatedly. You ruined your own life, you psychotic bitch. Not that it even matters, when you now have a life even better than your previous.
Even though I actually like Ariana and am usually rooting for her: TEAM REED BABY.
Also, loved the novel. Absolutely loved it. Hahahaha.

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this installment Ariana is her worst enemy n now she has to worry bout someone else to keep her secret n safe. At the end Kate brings an enemy from Private in n hopefully she's really here n not in Arianas head. Just got interesting.

[Amitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I started the original series years ago when I was still in middle school and it was passed time that I complete this series once and for all. It was so good to go down memory lane. I can't wait to see how Kate Brian ends the series in the last book.

[Pin · Rating 4 out of 5]

She did everything to save herself, didn't she, Ariana? All the time, she claimed that no one can hurt her friends but...
She believes that she's a good person and was loyal to her lot. Pure delusional she is!

[zoë o'brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was pretty good, but it seems like kate brian got tired of writing these towards the end because it was SO short! it disappoints me that ariana has continued her boy hopping ways.. as soon as a new one comes around, she's bored with the old one.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series.

[✨Jinglemarco✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is totally gripping! Way better the last two installments in the series. Maybe it was Kaytlinn I totally disliked or something... Am anxious for the sequel! 3,8 stars!

[Samantha Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t really remember who Reed is, but this series is such a ride and I cannot wait to start the next one!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ariana is a psychotic narcissist. Seriously.

[agnes ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.9) BRO THIS IS CRAZY

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

""

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Sin by Kate Brian is the fifth book in the Privilege series. Life is finally going Ariana’s way. With Kaitlynn out of the picture, her membership in tact in Stone and Grave and friendships with the most popular girls at Atherton Pryce and an amazing boyfriend, Ariana seems to have it all. Briana Leigh’s grandmother kicks the bucket and Ariana learns that with her new assumed identity, she is now the proud owner of houses spanning the globe, a garage full of cars and a bank account with more zeroes than she can count.All of the murders, all of the lies and all of the scheming have led up to this moment. The moment where Ariana finally feels like she has control of her life.

But she does have one teensy little problem: Lexa.

Lexa Greene, the most popular girl at Atherton-Pryce is going crazy. And Ariana is the reason. In Sweet Deceit, Ariana set Kaitlynn up to attack Lexa. Then, of course, Ariana came to the rescue and killed Kaitlynn. In Ariana’s perfect scheme, Lexa and Ariana buried Kaitlynn’s body and Ariana thought her troubles were over. But Lexa isn’t as strong as Ariana originally thought…she may not be able to keep their little secret private for much longer.

Wow….Kate Brian has done it again! With each book she writes, I am more and more in awe of her writing style and her ability to make a reader turn the pages until they are finished. I read both of these books in the matter of a few hours because I was so completely sucked into this world.

The other thing that I am absolutely in awe of is Kate Brian’s ability to make me FEEL for Ariana. Let’s make one thing clear: Ariana is a murderer. She won’t let anything- or anyone, for that matter, stand in the way of what she wants. In a perfect world, a reader wouldn’t empathize with Ariana. BUT, because of Kate Brian’s brilliance, she has somehow twisted the story so that readers actually WANT Ariana to get her way, no matter what she has to do to get it. As I’m reading, I feel conflicted as to if I should be supporting Ariana or I should want her to get caught by the police and have the series end and justice be served. I think this is truly the sign of a strong writer to make a reader feel all these conflicting emotions.

I didn’t like the crossover in both of these book with characters from the Private series Kiran and Reed both making appearances. I like the direction Privilege has been taking and I thought re-introducing these characters took away from the already strong plot. It seems like Reed will play a more prominent role in the next book, but Kiran’s appearance seemed pointless and changed my opinion of Ariana to be even more negative than before. I do look forward to seeing how Reed will play a role in upcoming Privilege novels.

There was one small plot hole in Pure Sin that had me confused for a couple of chapters…in one scene, Lexa calls out the name “Kaitlynn” during one of her breakdowns. However, there was no way that Lexa would know Kaitlynn’s name, as Kaitlynn assumed the identity of “Lily” during her time at the private school. I thought this missing detail was pretty sloppy and I was surprised no one caught it in editing.

I did enjoy getting to know a new male love interest, Jasper, in both of these books. He is definitely a more suitable, mysterious match for Ariana than her cookie cutter, preppy boyfriend Palmer. Jasper adds a new element of intrigue and drama, as Ariana struggled to juggle two men, along with all of the other secrets she’s keeping.

I am definitely ready for the next book to come out. I’ve read around the blogosphere that the next Privilege book is the last, but I haven’t heard any details about its release or title. If you know, I’d love to hear about it!

[Shonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU’VE READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

My review: Things are finally looking up for Ariana. She’s the newest member in Stone and Grave, Atherton-Pryce Hall’s secret society, and she no longer has to put up with Kaitlynn’s threats. Briana Leigh’s grandmother’s unexpected death suddenly makes Ariana a very, very wealthy young woman. Finally all that she had to sacrifice, the people she was forced to kill and the painful time she spent at the correctional facility has all led to this: a very good life.

But still there’s just one problem she has to deal with in order to prevent her carefully, structured world from collapsing: Lexa Greene.

Ariana quickly learns that Lexa isn’t good at keeping secrets. Especially one so tragic as Ariana killing Kaitlynn in “self-defense”. Lexa is in deep with this secret as the killing occurred in her house and Kaitlynn’s body is buried in Lexa’s yard. Lexa is overtly falling apart. Friends worry she’s on the verge of a breakdown. Both Lexa and Ariana dismiss it as Lexa being overly tired and stressed, but it’s quite obvious there’s more to her story.

Ariana is determined to keep Lexa sane as long as she can. She uses her “BFF” card to stay by her side while she’s secretly giving her Valium under the pretenses to help her sleep. Ariana doesn’t want to resort to harming Lexa (she does like her), but she knows she may need to come up with Plan B in case Lexa snaps.

As if she does not have enough on her plate to deal with, on top of keeping up the charade of being Briana Leigh Covington, Jasper, another fellow pledge, expresses an interest in her. She quickly dismisses his flirting, but soon finds herself jealous when her friend wants him to be her date to a Stone and Grave function. Unable to deny her attraction, she begins to have doubts about her relationship with Palmer, the IT guy at school. He’s now “too vanilla” for her tastes and considers moving on.

I’ve mentioned this in a previous review, but it’s worth repeating. Ariana is really a character I should dislike, but Brian writes her in such a way that I can’t help but feel for her. She’s so desperate to create a life that she honestly feels was stolen from her, that she will do anything (and I do mean anything) to get it back. Yes, she comes across as entitled, snobby and privileged, but knowing all of that, there’s still a small soft spot I have for her.

Like the previous books, Pure Sin ended in a cliff-hanger that made me immediately want to reach for the sixth book. I am pleased with the direction Brian is leading this series as she’s bringing it together with the Private series. I have been waiting for this to happen, as I want Ariana to come full circle with the Billings Girls.

One detail that threw me off a bit was the time difference between both series. I forgot about that when I read about Reed in Pure Sin (she’s freshmen in college). One other editing detail that should be noted is Lexa referred to Lillian as Kaitlynn. No one knows Kaitlynn’s true identity except for Ariana.

Coming in under 200 pages, Pure Sin is a quick read, that will have the reader rapidly flipping the pages to see what Ariana has to do to keep her secret safe. The ending will have you wanting book six in front of you NOW.

[Paola A Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO LEXA... YEAH, SHE'S FUCKED AND ARIANA IS ABOUT TO LOOSE IT.

At least, Briana Leigh had some fun before dying with her teacher. I seriously almost lost it just like Ariana did when he said that of the "bad girls" and I went all nuts saying "of shit he knows! How the fuck does he know?!!". But above all this conflicted feelings Ana had about her tumultuous affair with Jasper, there was little "post traumatic stress disorder" known to others as Lexa, dude that girl's totally loosing her shit seeing blood all around her in the wine and going all gaga to the point of needing Valium to recover. And that last instant where Ana saw Reed in the hospital! Oh my fucking God! Wtf is she even doing there?!!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pure Sin, Ariana Osgood believes she's finally secured the life she's always desired. Having assumed the identity of Briana Leigh Covington, she's now a member of the elite Atherton-Pryce Hall and the exclusive secret society, Stone and Grave. With her rival Kaitlynn Nottingham eliminated, Ariana anticipates a future filled with privilege and security.
However, her meticulously crafted world begins to crumble. Lexa Greene, who assisted Ariana in covering up Kaitlynn's murder, is overwhelmed by guilt. Her erratic behavior and hallucinations threaten to expose their dark secret. Ariana's attempts to manage Lexa's instability become increasingly desperate as she strives to keep her past buried.
Complicating matters further, Ariana's relationship with her boyfriend, Palmer Liriano, becomes strained. She finds herself drawn to Jasper Turner, a charismatic and enigmatic newcomer. Their growing connection adds another layer of tension to Ariana's already precarious situation.
The narrative reaches a climax when Ariana encounters Reed Brennan, a figure from her past at Easton Academy. Reed's unexpected appearance at a nearby hospital sends Ariana into a panic, fearing that her true identity may be uncovered.
Key Themes
• Guilt and Consequences: Lexa's deteriorating mental state serves as a manifestation of the psychological toll of their crimes, highlighting the inescapable nature of guilt.
• Identity and Deception: Ariana's continuous efforts to maintain her false identity underscore the complexities and dangers of living a lie.
• Power and Control: The novel explores the lengths to which individuals will go to preserve their status and control over their lives, even at the expense of others.
Character Developments
• Ariana Osgood: Her manipulative tendencies intensify as she struggles to keep her secrets hidden, revealing a deeper descent into moral ambiguity.
• Lexa Greene: Once a confidante, Lexa becomes a liability due to her overwhelming guilt, showcasing the psychological consequences of their actions.
• Jasper Turner: Introduced as a new romantic interest, Jasper's presence challenges Ariana's relationship with Palmer and adds complexity to her emotional landscape.
Reed Brennan: Her reappearance signifies a potential unraveling of Ariana's carefully constructed life, bridging the Privilege series with the original Private series

[PurplyCookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariana thinks that her troubles are over since Kaitlynn is finally dead and buried; she’s officially initiated in Stone and Grave, and Briana Leigh’s grandmother has died, making her inherit the wealth that she was once so used to. However, she didn't count on Lexie--who helped her cover up her latest murder--to act so guilty about it. Lexie starts to act like Lady Macbeth throughout the book, making her friends wonder question her sanity and position of leadership within APH. Also, Ariana has a bit of a breakdown herself upon learning that Reed is at Georgetown University which is not far from where she's in school.

Ariana also starts to like Jasper, who’s proving to be more interesting than her “predictable as white bread” boyfriend Palmer. This seems reminiscent of the plot of the Private prequel ”Last Christmas”. The series is still really good and I'm kind of wondering where it will go from here. It's kind of utterly convenient how Ariana inherited all the money and properties even though she's 16—and even if she was the sole heiress—since by law she would still have to wait until her 18th birthday.

There are some plot holes in the book though. Like when Lexie calls out the name Kaitlynn even though she didn't know Kaitlynn by that name, and when it was mentioned that Ariana's father visited her several times in prison but in the first book it was stated that her dad didn't visit her once. I wonder if Brian remembers what she wrote, but it's understandable that she will forget some small details since she is writing three different book series right now. Still, these are some details that she must be careful about given how her fans devour each installment.

Anyway like I said, this book is a good addition to the series and judging by the ending where it seems like Ariana has finally went nuts, it seems like it's going to be the beginning of the end of her but of course she's going to find some way out of it. I honestly think this book is going to start colliding with the "Private" series.


More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie


Book Details:

Title Pure Sin (Privilege, Book 5)
Author Kate Brian
Reviewed By Purplycookie

[Tiny Pants · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know, I've been off Goodreads forever -- busy with other stuff, but also I've really been feeling the dearth of trashy YA lit. For real, I went to a bookstore the other day, and their entire YA section was books with black and white covers with one object (or bit of print) in color. Thanks to Twilight, this is, apparently, the look of YA. Why? Because it's all vampires.

In any event, I got the most recent Privilege book as a belated birthday gift, and so I actually read it a while ago (October? November?) but didn't bother reviewing it 'til now. Don't get too excited guys, it wasn't that good. I know, I gave it two stars, but I feel like at least one of those stars was because nothing supernatural happened. It definitely deserves a star just for that!

Now you may remember I loved the last book in this series, so it's not too surprising that this one didn't measure up -- the bar was pretty high. I think my main issue here was I just wish more were happening. I have the books in this series all sitting together on my shelf, and let me tell you -- it's like the incredible vanishing books. Honestly, this one was so tiny, I won't be surprised if the sixth Privilege book turns out to be a tri-fold pamphlet. I feel like Alloy's kind of treading water here -- what should happen next? Who's left to kill? How long until anyone finally gets suspicious?

It's sort of okay though because I have to say I really am liking Ariana -- especially with Kaitlynn gone, she's really enjoyable to follow through these books. Do I feel weird being all "aww, the sociopath is so great!" Umm yeah, obviously I do. That said, am I happy for Ariana every time she pulls off the improbable? Yup, I am.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Click here to read more YA reviews at READING, EATING & DREAMING

Below is my review for the entire Privilege series. This review doesn't contain any spoilers!!

Kate Brian’s Privilege series is a nail-biting spin-off of the Private series. This series is built around Ariana Osgood, who in the Private series murdered her ex-boyfriend (Thomas Pearson) for falling for another girl (Reed Brennan). Subsequently, Ariana attempts, but fails, to kill Reed Brennan, landing her in the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for Women-where the Privilege series begins.

To get the full effect I would recommend reading the Private series before beginning the Privilege series, but Privilege, Beautiful Disaster, Perfect Mistake, Sweet Deceit, Pure Sin and Cruel Love would also make a great series on their own. Brian does a magnificent job developing Ariana; in some sick & twisted way you find yourself rooting for her-not for her to kill anyone, of course, but for her to overcome her greatest obstacle- herself.

I gave the Privilege series 3 STARS for those who plan to read it as a stand-alone series and 4 STARS for those who plan to read it as a companion to the Private series. Either way, I recommend reading this series at some point because it is a wicked series, from start to finish, that will have you hanging on the edge of you seat!

-XOXO
Reading, Eating & Dreaming

[Daniela (Lost in a Book Blog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, the Privilege series started ok, not great, but ok with all the things Ariana had to do to get out of Brenda T. and everything. But, the more i read the following books the more i started to get bored. The fact that i found so many mistakes annoyed me like hell. Sometimes, in some conversations the name Kaitlynn came out of nowhere from one of the characters, when they were referring to "Lillian", but no one besides Ariana knew who Lillian really was, so, why is her name appearing in the conversation? ODD. And like that, a few other stupid mistakes that leaves you wondering if anyone ever read the book before it was published -.-

I gotta say, i don't remember having this problem with Private, in fact, i liked Private very, very much. So this is kind of disappointing because i was expecting a little more from this books.

The only thing i can't wait to read is when Ariana meets Reed again. I want to know what she's planning and how Reed is going to react. I'd love to read that Noelle comes back or something, i kinda miss her.

Some will say that Ariana is just the perfect character you love to hate or hate to love or whatever. I just hate her. She's very annoying. I hated when she killed Kiran, i mean -.- she could have just said "i dont know you, you're confusing me with someone else", but no, immediately she had to think the only way she could come out of that one was killing her supposed friend. But, then again, she's a psycho. I'm currently reading Cruel Love, so let's see how this one is going to end.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Sin is the fifth book in the series that ventures off the Private book series. It is about Arianna Osgood, a troubled young teen, who has escaped from the mental hospital after killing an old boyfriend at her old school, and attempting to kill the girl he had been dating. It has been a year since she escaped and now she is Brianna Covington. She has actually killed the real Brianna Lee, and it attending Atherton-Pryce Boarding School as the real Brianna. Kaitlin, the only person that knew about her double life is now dead and Lexa, the only person who knows the real reason why Kaitlin is gone is now going psycho with the guilt. Arianna is trying to keep her double life a secret, keep Lexa under control, and be a member of the most prestigious secret society on campus, all while pretending she is someone else.

I really enjoy this book because Kate Brian always makes her books filled with drama, and she knows how to make you hooked, without giving anything away. I also really liked this book because it was written how Arianna was thinking, and how she always needs control, and how she has to keep herself calm or else she will do something she regrets. This book wouldn’t make sense if you haven’t read the Private series, so that is one bad thing about it. Also it is really far-fetched, because there is just so much drama. If you like drama and suspense, along with some teenage drama, this would be a very good book for you.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment, although the story is less exciting than before. I mainly find the problem with Lexa annoying, and I couldn't help wishing she'll die in the next book. At least Ariana didn't kill her (or anyone) in this book, which I suppose is an improvement? Part of me really wants Ariana to get her happy ending already, but unfortunately that also means no more books. It just gets tiresome sometimes watching trouble cropping up for her all the time, one right after another. It must be very exhausting to live her life.

The bit with Jasper is interesting, although I don't know if entirely necessary. It seemed to come a bit out of left field, but I don't mind much, I guess. What really excites me though, is the tie-in with the Private series, and the reappearance of Reed. While she's never been my favorite character from the start, she will definitely make for a very interesting development in Ariana's life, and if these two nemesis really face each other again, I just know it'll be epic. It's so great to know that this will likely happen in the last book. It just seems appropriate for things to come full circle. While I like the new characters and the different world in Privilege, my first love was Private and colliding the best of both worlds would serve as an appropriate finale.

[Alyssa Raley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 5th book of the "Privilege" series, Ariana Osgood is finally off the hook; no one knows who she really is. It all began when she was put into a mental hospital for killing her boyfriend. Now, after escaping many years later, she fakes her death with multiple lies, secrets, and murders. After all her hard work, she finally has everything she wants: the perfect boyfriend, a top private school, and all the money in the world. But now some people from her past are popping up again, and she'll do anything to make her problems go away. Ariana comes from a very rich and privileged family, and she wants nothing more than to get that back."She must die, she must die, she must die", is the first thing that comes into her mind when she see's anyone who could sabotage her chances at a new life. As a teen who has read multiple teen drama's, I can say that this book (and the entire series) really hooks you. Personally I loved this book, I have never read a book that makes you root for the bad guy; it makes you see multiple points of views of sane and not so sane people. Full of drama and suspense that will get your heart thumping, you won't want to stop reading until you know what happens next.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was crazy. Lexa snaps while trying to keep Arian's secret. She killed Kaitylyn when she was trying to kill Lexa. They buried her body in the backyard of the school and now Lexa is going insane. She can't sleep and she's been having panic attacks. She's been continuously washing her hands saying, "Get it off. It won't come off," as if she has blood on her hands. It reminds her of what happened that night when she had to bury Ariana. Ariana can't stop her feelings for Jasper. She risked everything to be with Palmer, but now her feelings are getting stronger for Jasper.
I really don't like Ariana. She's crazy, man. Every time somebody gets in the way of things, she just kills them. She has already killed four people. She wants to Reed also, which is completely insane. She really needs to go to therapy. Like seriously. I would feel absolutely terrified if I knew that she killed anyone who was in her way.
I love this series, and yet again, Kate Brian has left us with a cliffhanger. Cannot wait for the next book!

[Ayra · Rating 4 out of 5]

July 2019 reread
Oh this is the part where I remember Lexa the most - the effects of Kaitlynn on her. Poor, Lexa. She has so much on her plate and everyone thinks of her as perfect. On the other hand, Ariana is almost getting everything she wants. Except I hate it when she starts thinking about Reed again. I am just getting annoyed remembering how annoying Reed is (if you read Private series, her POV is annoying! I definitely like Ariana's tone more as a main character). Funny how I still think of Palmer and Jasper as the same way I viewed them 3 years prior lol. I hated how things ended but it felt like such a huge step in what we want to achieve in the final book. Like I said 3 years prior, things are getting interesting and intense!
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Original review:
This is getting so much better. More plot twists and revelations. Getting excited! Lexa is getting crazier every minute. And Palmer is such a douche. Jasper though, I don't know what to feel about him. I do not like him but I also don't hate him. Haha.

[Sherly Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book to the privilege series. In the previous book Ariana kills her ex bff Kaithlin and her new bff Lexa witnesses it. Ariana claims that she did it to defend Lexa because Kaithlin was going to kill her. in this book Ariana trys to support and help Lexa out because Lexa starts going crazy after the muerder, she starts to constantly rub her hands thinking she still has blood on them and screaming "i cant take it off". everything also remind her of the murder so if she sees blood or glass she freaks out because thats how Kaithlin was killed. Ariana trys to keep her under control so no one notices anything strange and so she won't tell tell the police. Eventually Lexa trys to commit suicide by jumping of a house but the book ends with her in the hospital. The book also revolves around Ariana's atrraction to a "bad boy", Jasper even though she has the "perfect boyfriend", Palmer.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque ponga nueva serie es un spin off de la saga Private, puesto que la protagonista es nada más y nada menos que Ariana, una ex chica Billings, lo tenía todo hasta que la zorra de Reed se interpuso en su camino, le quitó a su novio Thomas y a sus amigas, sobretodo la abeja reina de Noelle, eran intimas y ni siquiera la ha llamado, nada... se siente muy sola, pero ha decido que eso cambiará, se escapará y vivirá en dónde ella merece, no en un centro correccional! Tiene un plan... y es escapar...

Hice esta reseña junto los otros libros, para leerla completa, visita mi blog.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Pure Sin just as exciting as the other books in the series. This series has made me grown to love Ariana. Everything seems to fall in place for here but there is always one issue.

The ending of this book makes me crave for the next one. Bringing Reed back in Ariana's life makes it even more exciting. Although it did annoy me a bit that they mention where Reed ends up going to college because the Private Series is still happening and she is still at Easton. It made me also a bit confused because I thought these series were happening at the same time.

I just bought Ominous from the Private Series and need to read it, so I can figure out what happened in that time period in between. I'm glad that the two series are tieing back together.