"Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence" by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts is a poignant and necessary exploration of the deep wounds inflicted by racial violence. With a blend of personal narrative and insightful analysis, Lewis-Giggetts bravely shares her own experiences while weaving in broader societal issues.

The author's writing is both raw and eloquent, inviting readers into the complex emotions surrounding racial trauma. She skillfully addresses the impact of historical events on individuals and communities, offering a path toward healing. Lewis-Giggetts doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths but delivers them with a compassionate touch, making the book accessible and relatable.

"Then They Came for Mine" serves as a crucial conversation starter on the lasting effects of racial violence and the urgent need for healing. Lewis-Giggetts' work is not only a personal journey but a call to action, encouraging readers to confront the painful realities of our collective history while fostering empathy and understanding. This book is a powerful testament to resilience, courage, and the possibility of transformative healing in the face of racial trauma.

I've had this book for a while. And truthfully, it took me a while to finish it, which is not the norm for me. This book deals with a lot of heavy topics that affect the black community, and due to the fact that things like this still happen, it can take a toll on a black person. But that shouldn't stop us from reading this book because it's very important, especially those that consider themselves "Christian". If you're someone who is looking to be an accomplice to the black community, this is one of the many resources you'll need to have.

Very heavy/emotional reading but well worth it. During these trying times in our world today this book can speak to all humans sense of humanity and the belief that all are created by God. It took a little time but I did enjoy the insight and ideas.

Then They Came for Mine is one of the best nonfiction books I’ve read in recent years. The author uses personal experiences and histories to guide us through a history of oppressive; racist systems that preserve to this day. More than that, though, this narrative offers a blueprint of sorts for reconciliation and awakening as a society. I’ve recommended it to dozens of people so far and no one has been disappointed. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance e-arc!

My sincere apologies. I hadn't realized that you no longer enable Kindle downloads on NetGalley and Edelweiss. I'm vision-impaired and do all my reading on a Kindle Paperwhite because it offers me the best resultion for my needs.

I'm in the process of training myself to look at whether books offer Kindle download before I request them and will try not to request books from John Knox Press in the future.

Thought provoking , necessary and a must read if you are about racial reconciliation. When will this world come to turns that even God believes Black Lives Matter. Thank you for written this book as it is needed in these times.

Then They Came For Mine, is a book that will break your heart and make you aware of many injustices that continues to happen over and over again in this age. a story of racism and trauma.

A hard story to read but very necessary to understand and assimilate.
as many have stated this is a story that needs to be shared and I know is not an easy one but we need to speak more about the fact this keeps happening.

This is a book on Trauma and injustice.

Thank you, NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press, for the advanced copy of Then They Came For Mine in exchange for my honest review.

I think this book is a must read! The author writes about her journey of healing and hope while dealing with racism and the race motivated murder of her cousin. Unlike other books of this kind, this book is not repetitive. She talks about the ways others can help, while focusing on reasoning based on the Bible. Which is apt because many racist people use the Bible to back their hate, and people who think they are "good Christians" but still fall into racist practices can use this information.

Then They Came for Mine is a beautifully written story about a very ugly experience. The author describes the heart-wrenching aftermath her family endured after losing a loved one to a racially motivated attack. While I have never found myself as part of horrific a news story such as this, I had great empathy as I read her account. As a Black woman in America, I felt a kinship to all those impacted. I know that there have been more murders since the book was published, but I ended with an understanding that this is wrong and something needs to happen so that this senseless violence does not continue. May we all do our part in racial reconciliation and promoting common sense gun laws.

This is from the book but I believe it sums up well what needs to happen to heal from racial trauma. "Empathy means having the ability to acknowledge another's pain, understand where a person is coming from, or at the very least, being able to sit with someone in their hurt. and pain and connect with that person as another human being."

So, I somehow missed the fact that this work talks about Christians healing spiritually. As a nonChristian, I am obviously going to read those messages differently than a Christian. Overall, this reads like her personal meditation through personal healing in the trauma inflicted, reinflicted, and awakened in the aftermath of her relative losing her life to a racist gunman. The chapters nearly flow through the stages of grief.

While this is a short book it is anything but a quick read. There is a LOT of emotion here and if you heed her writing at all then you need time to process those emotions, your emotions, and think through the various calls to action. These were all things that happened in the background. I wouldn't conciously be thinking of the book or her words, but coming back to the book later would show me how I had been mulling it over.

Rating this one was difficult. I can't think of anyone who I would actually recommend this book to. But it has helped me reflect on how I should approach some current questions in my own life. So I will take a hint from her last chapter and say that if youre thinking about reading it, go ahead because it is probably the right time for you to do so.

This is one of the most important reads I have ever read--I cannot overstate how important I think this particular body of work is to our society, especially given that it speaks directly to those who need to read it most. This was a read I found myself taking screenshots and notes to reference and discuss later with people and it's one I would absolutely recommend to literally everyone. I will 100% be getting a personal copy along with putting in a request for our library to purchase a copy or two. I genuinely think everyone should read this book--it puts to words what many of us feel and the framing of it being a call to action particularly for the biggest challenger to many societal changes--Christianity--is arguably the most important part of it.

Sincerely, I cannot recommend this book enough, even for the most well-versed in racial studies.

This book does an excellent job portraying the personal affects racially-motivated violence has on a victim's entire family. It also connects the collective trauma of the United States' racial history to the current state of our nation's declining mental health.
I enjoyed reading how the author handles her continued challenge to establish mental health in these trying times via her faith. Her testimony is a healing balm to all those who have endured hate crimes in their family of origin and beyond. Very inspiring!

Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary reviewer's copy.

Then They Came for Mine is a brilliant and insightful story of nationalism, double-standards, and a journey aimed at healing. I am hopeful the readers will recognize where they can participate in reconciliation, their role (intentional or otherwise) in harm, and how we as individuals can create compassionate healing for all.

This is a personal and insightful meditation on trauma and the impact of micro-aggressions and epigenetics - the study of trauma that can be passed across generations. The impetus of this book is the tragic murder of her cousin. By about chapter 6, she takes a pause to talk about the goal of this book to center around healing. While I did gain some good insights and self reflection, this book did not speak to me because of all the scripture and Christian references. The book reads more like a long essay rather than having any call to action.

Thanks to Netgalley and John Knox Westminster for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Then They Came for Mine by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts is a must read for anyone who wants to increase their understanding or gain more insight into racial violence and it’s effects. Written from her personal perspective she shares her journey of healing from trauma following the racially motivated murder of a family member. Covering racially hot topics that often cause division among Americans she brings a balanced, well researched perspective.
As she explains the generational trauma, she also covers how systems perpetuate violence against Black and Brown skinned people. Drawing from biblical examples and various studies the author highlights how the roots of racial inequalities are knit into the very fabric of our nation and what is needed to bring healing. She calls for a willingness to unearth all the trauma, to tell the whole story, facing it, acknowledging it, so that healing can come.
I hope that people will read this book with a desire to grow in their understanding of “the Black experience”. I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the advance copy. #ThenTheyCameForMine

Like others, I did not realize that this was a book with infused religion, but I didn't mind at all. The book sheds a light on the toll that racial trauma can take and how Jesus can provide the necessary healing. It reminds me of the religious teachings during the Civil Rights Movement, with a more modern take. All in all, I would recommend this book to others.

Then They Came for Mine is a book which everyone of us should read. It's the story of every person of color who knows what racism looks like. This book is an excellent read if you want to know how culture and marginalization play a vital role in our trauma. And how faith plays a role in that healing.
The author has gone deep into her healing with the help of faith and as a trauma recovery coach I have nodded my head quite a few times throughout the book. As a non Christian, I do not have lot of knowledge on the contexts of the Scriptures but I can co-relate these with my own religious texts. The concept is the same that as humans we have made the rules and its high time we realize it that those rules need to be changed.
With her own trauma healing, the author has delved deeper with the issues of intersectionality, the burdens we carry from our ancestors and ultimately why are we judged on how we look? Why should a human being be scared to live their own life because someone else thinks that he doesn't like their skin color? Important questions but unfortunately this is the world we live in.
It's not an easy book by no means. But this book should be read.
Thank you Westminster John Knox Press and Netgalley.
⚠️CW: Gun Violence, Mentions of Sexual Assault, Racial Trauma, PTSD⚠️

I didn’t do my research to realize this was written from a religious perspective, so this review will reflect that. There is so much urgent information in little nuggets within this book! As a non-religious woman of color, I had moments of wishing we could move past scripture and just discuss the trauma and healing, but still felt there was a significant amount of insight!

I'll be honest here, if I had realized the publisher was religious based, I probably would not have requested an advanced copy to review. But, having been granted access to a copy, I was committed to reading and reviewing. I enjoyed this combination of memoir, discussion of racism, and how religion (or Jesus) can play a part in healing, for both Black and white Americans even though reading it was hard at times. But I recognize that this is an important part of the book, especially for a white reader. The author begins by placing herself in the picture. Her cousin was murdered at the Kroger supermarket shooting in 2018. Don't confuse this with the Kroger shooting in 2021 or the Tops shooting in 2022. (All racially motivated.) Her and her family's personal reflections are placed throughout the book to ground the author's points. Despite not being very religious myself, I appreciated the vulnerability and thought put in to the book. I do wonder, however, why a basic premise was not explored. At no time did the author discuss the issue of whether the Christians she is trying to speak to are acting Christian-like. For myself, I find many Christians do not behave as though they are following the tenets of the Bible. For the author's points to be usable, this must take place. And, in my opinion, this currently doesn't take place. That problem needs to be corrected before bringing the author's words in to play. But again, this book is a lot more than just reminding Christians how to be better Christians. It has a lot to offer any reader who is interested in healing the trauma of racism, Black or white.