Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

58 reviews

readingwithtrey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring 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? N/A

5.0

I’m going to start this review by saying this book will not be for everyone and that’s okay. If you’re not an open-minded reader, you may find yourself offended by some of the things in this book. 

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.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

mnerd63's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexual content, Dementia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death

Minor: Domestic abuse

ashleycmms's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Infidelity

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Violence

Minor: Murder

shieldbearer's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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

Every story was so well crafted with nuanced characters.  Highly recommended. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Dementia, Grief, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Cancer, Child death, and Car accident

anspringel's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

When I read the title I didn’t expect to love the book as I do now. Words can’t describe the enjoyment I felt while reading this and still feel. I don’t usually re-read books but I know for a fact I’ll be coming back to this one. The way each story is written in a different style and pov screams the brilliance of the author. In each story you’re introduced to a cast of characters with different backgrounds and issues in different generations, and as I mentioned earlier a different story telling style which means there is one for everyone to love. I just can’t suggest this book enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Minor: Murder

ab_and_flow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Body shaming

Minor: Pedophilia

Colorism and grooming

jourdanicus's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

I find it difficult to rate/review short story collections, personally. I don't typically read many of them because I usually find myself preferring a longer cohesive narrative. But I really enjoyed this book. It was good on audio; the narrator gave each story/character a distinct voice. I'll be looking out for more by this author.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Infidelity

Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Toxic friendship

mikaelaandherbooks's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Dementia

Minor: Abortion

kayschwe's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion

libraryghost's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Abortion