Man oh man, Godshot is a book I'm going to be thinking about for a long time. It's the story of a teenage girl trapped in an extremist Christian cult in California, but it's also really about the fractured relationship between a mother and daughter, and how much the absence of.a parent can be as suffocating and unnerving as their presence. i found it unsettling, a little gross at times (the soda replacing all the water made my teeth feel mushy), and utterly absorbing. I can't wait for Bieker's next book!

I’m intrigued by cult stories and was drawn in by the description for this one. Unfortunately, it just isn’t drawing me in for the story and I ended up deciding to DNF. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

DNF - did not finish. I was excited to check this one out. I tried to read it but did not connect with the writing style. Thank you for the early copy!

Adequately engaging if not less interesting than what many critics asserted. I suppose it's one of those novels that are easy to forget about

Worth the hype it received on social media. This was the book everyone was talking about for great reason.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2021 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2021/02/2021-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

I try to save the phrase "un-put-downable" for certain few books, but this book absolutely deserves it. I read it in almost a single sitting and instantly regretted how quickly I devoured it. This book is required reading for women, but it's *necessary* reading for men. I can't remember the last time a book so viscerally transported me back to what it felt like to be a young woman trying to make her voice heard.

Dirty. Twisty. Uncomfortable. Thought provoking. Cultish. Disturbing. Strong. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 ⁣
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That's how I would describe Chelsea Bieker's haunting Godshot - a book I think everyone should read. 🤭⁣
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Lacey is a 14 year old girl living in Peaches, a fictional California town that is suffering from a horrific drought. Lacey (along with a majority of her town) follows the guidance of Vern, her local preacher. Pastor Vern has managed to convince his entire parish that his wisdom will lead to rain and the end of the crippling drought, and you don't need me to tell you that's only the beginning of his manipulative ways. ☀️⁣
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The first part of this book was so hard to read. It's not just because I was horrified by the adults in this novel (honestly, it's been a long time since I've read a book involving THIS many irresponsible grown ups), but also because Bieker wrote with such detail that I could picture every awkward, twisty moment in my mind as I was reading. Her writing is vivid and sparks imagination, and while I sometimes wished I couldn't picture the scenery as well as I could, the perfect ending made all of the twisty experiences worth it. 🌿⁣
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This is a welcome reminder about power, influence, and control - and the strength of women young and old. Best paired with a warm fizzy soda and a solitary, juicy grape - one so ripe it bursts in your mouth once you take a bite.🍇⁣

Well written, impressive characterization, and very unique story. Without a doubt I will read Bieker's next novels!

Unbelievably dark, incredibly world-building, and utterly depressing... but I really really liked it. The cult aspect was what originally drew me to the story, and Bieker is incredibly successful at creating a believable, totally off-kilter cult leader-- and yeah, you know where he's going, but the journey is still interesting! Lacey May is a fantastic narrator: you watch her grow up, watch her faith shake and weaken and change in a way that never feels forced or unclear. I was incredibly grateful to find some light at the end of the tunnel of this book, but I'd definitely recommend it to those who are into this kind of thing.

‘Godshot’ is a book that is hard to categorize. Despite the subject matter being completely awful, it was captivating. It’s very gritty and parts of it had me cringing. Though, I haven’t read their work, the style/dark subject matter is probably akin to JT LeRoy in its stark representation of the darkest parts of society. The narrator is Lacey May, a 14 year old girl, who lives in a desolate rural area outside of Fresno, California. She has a troubled, ever-changing family life, with no adults that truly care for or appreciate her. The small, insulated population is all part of Pastor Vern’s flock. It starts out a little slow, but I’m glad I stuck with it. After about a third of the book, the plot really started picking up steam and captured my full interest. I wanted to shake the adults in the town for subjecting their children to abject neglect while blindly following an enigmatic, but seriously warped self-proclaimed disciple of God, Pastor Vern. Lacey May starts to see those around her more clearly and come into her own and develops positive relationships with women outside of her immediate family. I really enjoyed her journey and how she finds her way in such troubled circumstances.

Thank you NetGalley and Catapult for providing this ARC.

I received the book I exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I keep going back and forth on whether to give this book 4 or 5 stars. The only detraction is that I thought it started off a little slow, but the end certainly made up for that.

This book is so powerful and realistic. I found myself wondering how the author could create this whole world, the town of Peaches, and all the disgusting and horrifying details of it. Most of the characters are awful people, yet so well-developed.

I highly recommend for those interested in cults, although this book is so much more than that.

I really wanted to love this book... debut author, stunning cover and the subject of cults are all things that are usually right up my alley. I have stopped and started this one several times and it is just not working for me. I think it's a timing issue and am hoping that if I pick it up again in a month or so, that things will finally click. I don't usually give star ratings on books that I dnf, but this system won't allow a review to be submitted without one.

A devastating story about women; specifically about mothers and daughters and the complicated relationships they often have. Set against a backdrop of environmental devastation and religious zealotry, is a tale of relationships (of all kinds).

"If you’re looking to disappear into a novel, this fiery debut will do the trick. Teenager Lacey May lives with her alcoholic mother in a dried-up California town where most of the locals have come under the spell of a cult leader named Pastor Vern. When her mother skips town, Lacey May is left alone to discover the pastor’s true nefarious character, and decides to try to make things right. RIYL: O’Connor’s Wise Blood, the wild Netflix documentary Tiger King, mother/daughter sagas. Tune into Bieker’s virtual live conversation hosted by Brooklyn bookstore Books Are Magic on April 15, and follow @chelseabieker on Twitter and Instagram."

There's always something about books with kids who get the crapshoot in life, and still love their terrible parents that always keeps me reading. Poor naive Lacey Mae, she's all caught up in a small dying town, and its awful, cult like religion. She loves her mom, and even looks the other way regarding her mom's sins, until one day her mom is runs off with the turquoise cowboy. Lacey is left with her awful grandma, an old yellow bikini her mom left behind and a box of romance novels.

No one prepares Lacey for what her new found womanhood truly means. She spends most of the story searching for her mom, or moreso for a mother.

The setting for this book is Peaches, California, and they are in the middle of a drought. You will feel that drought, you will not only long for water, but love, and a soft place to land. The author does a supreme job making you feel the longing and thirst. It's such a tragic story, with not a lot of redemption, so while it kept me reading, it didn't leave me happy or fulfilled. I'm off to drink some water, and enjoy a cool, refreshing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Chelsea Bieker's Godshot is a stunning debut novel. This haunting novel follows protagonist Lacey May as she navigates life in Peaches, CA and in search of her mother, who leaves the town after she is exiled from the community for her "sins." Peaches isn't an ordinary town. It has been taken over by charismatic Pastor Vern, who promises he can bring rain to this drought-stricken desert.

It's a book that brings together strong themes of climate change, motherhood, sexual violence, spirituality, and self-discovery. It's a book with an emotional punch, and I cannot wait to see what Bieker delivers next.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Godshot is a slow-burning coming of age novel that explores cults, motherhood, sexuality, faith, and more. The story follows a young girl, Lacey May, in a dying town as a cult leader comes in claiming to be able to save it pulling the townspeople into the cult. Her mother runs off leaving Lacey May with her grandma.

The story goes places readers won't expect as they're drawn into Lacey May's story. Bieker proves herself to be a phenomenal writer making it impossible to not want to read everything she writes.

I’m judging a 2020 fiction contest. It’d be generous to call what I’m doing upon my first cursory glance—reading. I also don’t take this task lightly. As a fellow writer and lover of words and books, I took this position—in hopes of being a good literary citizen. My heart aches for all the writers who have a debut at this time. What I can share now is the thing that held my attention and got this book from the perspective pile into the read further pile.

The writing here is so fresh and alert. I have to say I’m very impressed with all of Catapult’s publications this year. But from the beginning, I was laughing, and hanging on for this fun, an honest helluva ride. Gah!


Lines like: “You wouldn't know God if he bit your ass and called you Sally.”

She told me she never nursed me a day in her life and that's why her breasts were still buoyed up on their own instead of sinking down in flaps of sadness. She was very concerned that one day they would give up so she gave them little pep talks—come on, girls, don't fail me now. Ready steady.

This is the best book I’ve read this year and one of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time.

My heart was hurting throughout this entire book from the amount of unconditional love even through brutality.

I think Bieker perfectly captured the mentality of a 14-year-old young woman. Her faith in people, her naïveté, and her strength were so raw and realistic.

This is a beautiful exploration of motherhood, cults, faith, and feminism. I cheered, cried, and felt hopeful.

Please read this.