The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
jodierose14's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
kaimetcalfe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Infidelity, Sexism, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
readingwithtrey's review against another edition
- 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? N/A
5.0
Now to my review, in my humble opinion, this book is a work 👏🏽 of 👏🏽art👏🏽. While I didn’t have any personal shared experiences with each woman, I could appreciate the nods to the culture that I could completely relate to. They include: being in church every Sunday with our moms & grannies and often times aunts, uncles, and cousins. (I was related to almost everyone in the small, country church I attended growing up.) Our grannies always telling us that they’re praying for us (and knowing for certain they actually were) and usually having a feast ready for us whenever we visited. Spending summers outside all day almost every day with our cousins without a care in the world. Getting a new beautiful frilly dress from my grandma each Easter. This book made me nostalgic for that time and made that ache that I still have to see both of my grandmas one more time feel as new as the days that they left us.
There is so much to this book than what’s on the surface level. & I highly recommend it for readers with open hearts and minds. Know that there are a lot of touchy/sensitive subjects. It was funny, incredibly sad, and totally different from anything I’ve read.
My only complaint is that I need updates on all of these women, especially Jael. Her chapter had me weak.
Favorite quotes:
“We miss their bare brown arms reaching to hang clothes on the line with wooden pins. We miss their Sun tea brewed all day in big jars on the picnic table in the backyard.”
“We miss how they made our Easter dresses and pound cakes and a way out of no way.”
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Dementia
Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
shieldbearer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Infidelity, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Racism, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Dementia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Car accident, Child death, and Cancer
kayschwe's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion
rockyroadbutch's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Dementia, Fatphobia, Grief, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
witchycowboy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
plumdrop6's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs
lilacteaandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Physical abuse
caseythereader's review against another edition
- 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
📚 So many voices with so many conflicting feelings and dreams and obligations and small freedoms. There's not a dud in the group.
📚 This book prodded at all the ways the Christian church in America can push someone down, trying to force them into molds they don't fit. Some stories were all about that, and in some the church was just a shadow in the background, which I loved.
📚 Each story was in some way about boundaries - how much church to let in, who you have relationships with, when you allow someone in to see the messiness.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Dementia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content