Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

44 reviews

ksuazo94's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexism, and Racism

Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Abandonment and Addiction

shoohoob's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Found this book randomly through my storygraph recommendations and I was absolutely floored! I’d happily read a full length story for each of the stories in this book. 

Some of the stories did feel a little unfinished when they ended. I feel like all of them could have used a little more closure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Dementia, and Infidelity

sashawins's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

📚Book Review📚

Rate: 4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

🎵songs for book

"I hate you so much right now" Kelis

" I want you " Ciara

"Giving you the best that I got" Anita Baker

" Rich spirit" Kendrick Lamar

📚 Quotes

" Mother's raise their daughters and love their sons."

" You can't save me, I am not in peril."

" Friendship is not the same as history, just as bone is not the same as marrow"

📚 Review

Packed full of short stories that left me in reflection mood. Dessha Philyaw as a way to pull you in viscerally to each story. I laughed out loud, I cringed, shook my head, and my heart ache for majority of the characters.

Discuss themes of childhood trauma, love, friendship, death & grief, fear, daughter & mother dynamics, male predators, sexuality, self love,  colorismand how the Black church can cause harm. 

📚Favorite Stories:

●" When Eddie Levart Comes"

●" Instructions for married Christian Husbands"

●" Eula"

●"Peach clobber"

●"Jael"

📚 When Eddie Levart Comes--

I want to focus on the quote, " Mother's raise daughters and love their sons" as seen in the story When Eddie Levart Comes, in this story --Daughter cares for her mom who has dementia.  She cares for her mom 24/7 even though there is unresolved issues. Daughter still seeks the love of her mother she never received as a child. She does her best caring for her mother's needs even though her mother doesn't recognize her. Her babt bother, Rico, though hardly there, is the apple of his mommas eye--she recognized him with no issues.

I truly felt sad for Daughter-- not only did she need a true vacatio from caregiver role, she needed therapy for this childhood traumas.

What I learned from this story is to speak and pure love into your children. Childhood trauma is real and have lasting effects in adulthood❤️.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse

gabichatslit's review against another edition

5.0

A really amazing collection of short stories that find black women of various ages grappling with the desires of their heart and the ways they come up against their faith practice/beliefs, and the teachings of the church. I was blown away by the poetics of Philyaw’s prose. How melodic some of these stories read. Also the way I was mindblown by the connection between ‘Peach Cobbler’ and ‘Instructions for Married Christian Husbands.’ The characters in these tales felt so real. My favorites include the two aforementioned stories, as well as Not-Daniel, Dear Sister, and How to Make Love to a Physicist. I’m really excited to read what Philyaw releases next, she is a wordsmith. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Cursing, Sexual content, and Homophobia

clairew97's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Murder, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship

nila's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content

jessalex610's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Such a beautiful collection of Black women and girls being honest and real! I enjoyed my time in this book. My favorite stories were: How to Make Love to a Physicist, Peach Cobbler, and Snowfall. When Eddie Levert Comes just made my so emotional

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Abortion and Death

lilybearillini3's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Beautifully written and every story is immersive and compelling.  It's hard to pick a favorite.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Abortion

shector1's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Dementia

Minor: Death, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship

cinderrunner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book captures such a depth of emotional complexity and humanity. Its a wonderful read. The examination of living at the cross roads of personal freedom/truth and doing what is expected of you from your culture/the people around you is beautifully done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Infidelity