A review by valeribanana
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

Deesha Philyaw's The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a beautifully complex exploration of womanhood, desire, and faith, all brought to life by the fantastic narration of Janina Edwards. Her voice is captivating, but listening to this book in audio format had its challenges. With all nine stories narrated by the same person, it was sometimes hard to tell where one ended and another began, which made the transitions confusing. I found myself wishing there were different narrators for each story to help distinguish them. Despite that, the stories themselves were wonderfully written, full of emotional depth and nuance. The layers of complexity—of women, faith, and desire—are what really stayed with me. While I'll give the audio version a lower rating due to the confusion, I’m eager to read the digital version to fully appreciate and revisit some of the most memorable parts.