Welcome to Litsy!

I heard about this book through Kaytee on Currently Reading and was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed it. #12booksof2022

I was interested in seeing an interrogation of the evangelical and purity culture, but this just didn't dig deep enough and lacked character development. Extremely unsatisfying ending.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was fantastic.

This is the story of two sisters whose father is the pastor of a mega church.

Things go sideways after an extramarital affair and the youngest daughter begins to question everything she's ever known - including her faith.

4⭐️ Wow what a book. I know these sort of books are hit and miss for me, but this one for some reason just really grabbed me; I think it was because I understand North American “church culture”, having been a part of for the better part of 40+ years. And I think it was also because the relationship between Caroline and Abbie seems pretty true to form. I can see this being a contender for the favourites list for 2022

I can attest to this being true. I have been to one church service since the start of Covid (that was over 6 months ago) and the ritual in my church was exactly the same as it was before Covid.

1. God Spare the Girls, Hot Six, A Promised Land, Sense & Sensibility, Wuthering Heights

2. 75 books

3. Haven‘t finished one yet

#weekendreads

In a word: outstanding. This novel ruminates on what it means to be a woman in a community built for men; on sisterhood; on self discovery; and on grief. I was deeply moved by this story and these characters. I‘ll carry this with me for awhile.

After hearing about this book and the story behind it, I was curious but approached with caution. The world Kelsey McKinney deftly describes is all too real, and I could have done without reading it, but I may be too close to it to give an objective review. Leaving evangelical Christianity is stark; a world of clear rules disappears and you're left adrift often with a divided life - trying to be part of a new culture while the old one clings.

I thought this was totally fine. Way more religious than I was expecting going in, which wasn't a bad thing, just surprising. The audio was pretty good and went by quickly. I'm looking forward to reading what comes next from Kelsey McKinney.

This one came highly recommended and while for a debut I was very, very impressed with the flow and depiction of such strong (and varied) emotions. I could relate to both Abigail & Caroline's perspectives of their father, the pastor of a mega church who is discovered having an affair and lying about, well a lot of stuff. Very well written but definitely not a favorite. May have been my intense desire to hit Jack Nolan and go viral with my aim.

4 stars 💫💫💫💫 This novel is about a religious family, the father is a pastor with secret sins, and the 2 daughters have their own challenges. I enjoyed this easy to read novel with fascinating family dynamics. #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #fiction

I know dinner and flowers are a great date. But, has he, like, ever taken you out to Dunkin and the book store? 😏🤭😆 #dateday #booknerdsdoitbetter #sexyandyouknowit

There really isn‘t anything shocking in this story. It felt very true to life, showcasing people as they are, both as facades and as the reality underneath that shiny surface. It hurt my heart so many times because of this. I think the author did a fantastic job illustrating a powerful message while never telling the reader how they should think or feel.

My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3799849410

I‘m 100pp in and I cannot recommend this book enough. Especially if you grew up in The Church in the 90s/early aughts.