A collection of six stories told about how First Ladies deal with real life situations. A somewhat easy read that lacked development for some stories, but not all.

There’s a reason this was nominated for a national book award — this short story collection pulls at the heart strings of the reader but also makes them think.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church’s double standards and their own needs and passions.

Review:
This book is not for the faint of heart. These women are complex and their stories riveting. It is not often that we are shown the vulnerability and sensuality of black women. The many layers and double standards are shown in a stunning display, not crude but sometimes uncomfortable.

This one was quite interesting. I went into it with no expectations so it was easier to be wowed. I loved the story and many of the characters made me laugh. There were so many themes explored of course, like queerness, race, sexuality, fidelity/infidelity, community itself, sexual identities, etc. I would definitely recommend it

Wow.. All I can say is wow. I had no clue what to expect but I DEFINITELY was not expecting the stories I got. For me it showed how complex women are and how what is evident on the surface is not always what we see after closer review and inspection.

I really enjoyed this one. The s6ories are deep and emotional. The writing is beautiful and even though I don't normally enjoy short stories or essays this was a great collection that I enjoyed. Would read more from this author in the future.

A collection of short stories that involves black women, the stories weave around the church and of course, their secret lives. Sex and scandals are major themes too in these stories. We meet various relationships in their honest forms including absent relationships and memories of, the reader will be left with at least one story and more from this collection they’ll enjoy or really like so definitely worth a read. Just be ready for the sex scandals and real-life judgmental folks.

Speaking of tales... have you had the distinct pleasure of reading THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES by the phenomenal Deesha Philyaw ( @deeshaphillyaw )? It is a delight! Oh and did I mention that it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction?!?

This debut compilation of short stories is nothing short of brilliant! And I am not typically a fan of short stories. But these are not your stereotypical “church ladies.” Or heck, maybe they are and I have just been living in the dark all these years.

These “church ladies” are Black women full of passion, exploring their needs, making demands in the bedroom and beyond, seeking comfort where needed, and are as free as they have earned the right to be damnit!

I love them all, but I think my favorite story is How To Make Love To A Physicist.

This is my first time reading this author. I enjoyed the short stories throughout the book and at first I was a little confused on how they were going. But overall it was a good read.

I was actually gifted this book and I'm so glad I have a hard copy! These short stories were so good. I was initially intrigued by the title, and the promise of church-life juiciness, but really this is a collection of stories about an integral part of the Black community. A part that has provided both negative and positive experiences for many in the community. The author did a great job of providing unique voices throughout the book. I'd love to read more from this author. I recommend reading this book!

4.5/5 stars

I absolutely loved this collection! Every story was riveting in its own right -- no skips!

Some of my favorites:
-Not-Daniel
-Peach Cobbler
-Snowfall
-How to Make Love to a Physicist

But as I said before, they were all wonderful.

The stories were at times tender, sorrowful, callous, humorous, and hopeful, all with standout narrators and supporting casts. I was in a reading rut before, but this collection pulled me out and reminded me of everything I love about stories.

I'm so excited to see what Philyaw does next. Looking forward to a long and glorious literary career.

A collections of short stories that all tie back to church experiences. A quick read, The personal lives of women who have roots in the church varies - some with a devotion to the church and others who rebel against the it. It is a compilation of well crafted stories with writing that held serious emotional impact. There are a lot of strong Black female characters. These stories will drive lots of conversations about the state of the black church, church hurts and the church's response of welcoming all.

This must be one of the best Short Story collections I've ever read. Granted, I'm not a fan of Short Stories. So much so, that I barely ever finish one.

That I finished this one in a few sittings should therefore tell you, that I loved this.

It's intricate, but not flowery or whimsy.
It's about Christian belief, but not preachy.
It's about the Black female experience, but not about feminism or race.
Every story stands on its own, but does feel connected.

Great themes, great writing.
Something to reread and analyze.
Highly recommend.

This book was a joy. As a short story collection, it feel cohesive and tight, 175 slim pages but it packs so much into it. It explores Black queerness, desire, Black womanhood, freedom, religion, culture…but defies easy categorization.

Through the lens of the relationship of women and church in the Black community, these stories take you behind the curtain to see the complicated lives behind “church ladies.” Each story stands on its own, but weaves together the whole collection works together and speaks to itself. Even though it was nine stories, I found myself compelled to go back, to find out what the next story held. The writing is economical but revealing. It tackles themes that are big and messy and does it in a way that goes down smoothly. Even though I found this a quick and accessible read, this collection made me think, continuing to turn each story over in my mind.

4 strong, vulnerable, sensual stars
From the publisher, “With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be and as free as they deserve to be.” These are not the old German church ladies that I saw as a kid. These are not the conservative, yet feminist mothers I know. I am delighted to have met some new strong, vulnerable, crazy ladies.

Philyaw’s writing is sensual and honest but never crosses over into the crude. However, this is not a book I would give to my mother, sister, or some friends. The stories are short. In many cases, I was left wanting more – and that’s OK. Funny mixes with sad on the same page. The next story will be powerful. So much life and character, descriptive setting and emotion can be packed into a few pages. The Secret Life of Church Ladies was an eye-opening change of pace in my reading. It touched my heart.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've moved away from short story collections and I'm glad I made an exception for this one. I loved the women in these stories. They move through the world trying to be true to themselves and Philyaw is so very tender with them.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a short story collection about Black women balancing the church’s expectations and their own interests.

Short stories aren’t always my jam but I really enjoyed this collection touching on family, sexuality, motherhood, and relationships. There are 9 stories and they all felt like the right length. Unlike many collections (which is often a factor in my hesitant interest in wanting to read them), there were no “bust” stories here — They were all at least good, many great! “How to Make Love to a Physicist” was my favorite.

I really liked this collection of short stories from the perspective of Black women in the church. Some are scandalous! The writing didn't always connect to me and some stories were better than others, but overall a unique and enjoyable read.

A very solid collection overall. There were three stories that especially stood out to me. I think my favorite in the collection was "How to Make Love to a Physicist." That story was poetic in it's writing and the use of repetition was amazing. The writing of all the stories is BEAUTIFUL and the subject matter hit home. The themes of Southern church ruling and determining what happens in your life hit close to home. All of the stories were so realistic and for the most part were complete in a way that I don't often get in short stories. I definitely will read anything this author writes.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions. - Goodreads

I think I was expecting something different with this book. This is not to say that this isn't a good read because it is. The stories are tender as the summary mentions. They made me think; not in the way of me debating decisions that I made but more of the privilege in certain parts of my life. These women are hiding a part of themselves or their families in order to function day to day and I am not sure people actually realize that not having to do that is a privilege.

I liked the fact that each story had a ending. There wasn't any story that made me feel as if it wasn't complete and I appreciated that 10 fold. The writing was good. It was inviting and it made me want to read more of the author.

I would recommend this read, especially if you want that to read what I believe to be true adult content with adult emotions.