The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

I think this one will haunt me for a long time. It's a set of loosely entwined stories of family and our place in same, love and how to give and receive it well (and poorly). Coming from a Scandinavian upbringing, all the 'family-up-in-your-business' was an eye opener for me, yet not entirely negative. The writing includes a lot of sexuality, which is tastefully handled from my perspective, but some might find is disquieting. The really endurin...read more

I listened to the audiobook today while I cleaned up my apartment, and the narration was astounding. I am a big fan of essays, and I felt that this book addressed so many aspects of black womanhood in a multitude of ways. As a white reader, I know this book wasn’t crafted with me in mind, but the writing is almost poetic. Really enjoyed.

It's rare that something I read is both literary and so enjoyable.

Phew. This booooook! I’ve re-read it at least five times. I think this will be my favorite book this year, and usually I prefer novels to short story collections. Each of these stories was so immersive and powerful, the women just jumping off the pages with their desires and fears and passions and anger and beauty and fire. Each story clung onto me for a day or two. My favorite was How to Make Love to a Physicist. Most romantic short story ever!!...read more

The stories were quite entertaining and as a melanated woman very relatable in terms of the family, friends and acquaintances Ive come across, especially in my adolescent years. The stories felt familiar. I would’ve given it a 9 or 10 if the stories ended a bit more clever or gave me some type of emotional feeling at the end. I love a good twist.