Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

89 reviews

isabelvegga's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Infidelity

clarabooksit's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment

Minor: Bullying, Death, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

jdamae11's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

Wow I loved all of these stories! I’ll be reading anything Deesha Philyaw puts out after finishing this collection. She covers the complexities of mother-daughter bonds, sexism, religion, spirituality, sexuality, and Black life and Black womanhood with so much care, authenticity, and nuance. There were a few times I would go back to reread lines or just pause on a page to appreciate what was conveyed. Adding this to my favorites shelf for sure. The collection opens with an absolute banger with “Eula” and although I really enjoyed all the stories, “How to Make Love to a Physicist” had me screaming crying throwing up it was so amazing. Gunna have to go back and reread that one a few more times. So thankful to the author for putting out this lovely collection!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia, Dementia, and Religious bigotry

josie2k's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

imogenlj's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Dementia, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Abortion

kendal_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Dementia

Minor: Abortion

frankieclc's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia

felishacb's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Miscarriage, Dementia, Abortion, and Alcohol

lexi_bear's review against another edition

dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

Lovely mix of short stories. I especially love how the author explores different relationships between women like mother daughter, friend to friend, and sister to sister. My fave was the story about peach cobbler. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

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