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kirajoy's review against another edition
5.0
This is probably too close to home for me to rate it anything BUT 5-stars. I didn’t end up marrying someone I regret marrying, but I had a smiler upbringing and it was very emotionally interesting to read this writing that reflects some of my feelings looking back.
tawnymlara's review against another edition
5.0
Jeanna’s story shines a light on the darkness of escaping the cult of evangelism and embracing your queer identity. The chapter on tarot is my favorite! She does a great job replacing the “woo woo” aspect of tarot with a grounded approach of using the deck for introspection and connection.
hunterandrew's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.75
A truly resonant memoir that has a lot to say and is not afraid to say it. Nuanced, well-considered and -researched, it was a delightful tale of devastation and isolation and the way we find ourselves among ruin.
hb_bookworm's review against another edition
5.0
I think memoirs can be valuable and enriching for the windows they provide for us to other experiences. especially lately, I've found power in the resonances I feel with queer memoirs specifically - they give me words for emotions I didn't know how to name. this book resonated with me like a GONG and I am so so grateful to the author for sharing her story and for how she crafted this beautiful memoir. this, indeed, helped me name emotions I didn't realize I hadn't processed or knew I was putting off for years. it also opened my eyes to new outlets and avenues for spirituality and spiritual processing - can you believe I bought my first tarot deck just a few weeks before picking this up on a whim? I feel intrigued and excited to continue growing as a queer person, as a former christian, to see new ways of building community and discovering spirituality. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone but especially queer ex-christians, no matter how long ago your experiences were - I think this will hit you upside the head in the best way.
steobr508's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
The research on the Midwest, queerness, and religion was so good and I loved it mixed into the memoir’s personal stories.
mandamarrie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
binevolentbookworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
i am grateful for people like jeanna kadlec who have found the words for their experiences and put them to pen and paper. heretic maybe isn't required, but certainly highly recommended, reading for anyone who has a complicated relationship with having grown up in organized religion and coming to terms with a late in life discovered queer identity. for me, much of kadlec's experience wasn't a direct reflection of my own baptist upbringing, but there were still mirrored moments that were powerful to read and know exist in another's story.
if you haven't yet read hijab butch blues, this memoir is great companion material, and vice versa and the audiobooks for each are read reverently.
if you haven't yet read hijab butch blues, this memoir is great companion material, and vice versa and the audiobooks for each are read reverently.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming and Alcohol