This essay collection is a real delight. Kadlec is a smart writer who manages to weave statistics, history, and research into her personal narratives with ease. Her book is particularly timely right now given the ongoing march of anti-queer rhetoric and violence coming from the right-wing; a lot of people simply don't know exactly how and why Evangelicalism is so entwined with politics, and this book breaks it down really well. The book is also tender and moving when it comes to Kadlec's personal life; her marriage to a religious man who abused her, her coming out as a lesbian, and her various relationships and dynamics within queer communities, as well as spiritual communities outside of the church she'd grown up in. Kadlec really nailed this.

As a queer ex-Catholic from New England, I don't share Jeanna Kadlec's exact story. But I *did* connect with her words, page after page. The echo in my heart had me frantically highlighting passages, knowing I'll be desperate to read them again later. This book is honest, empowering, and provides a really nuanced and thoughtful depiction of life after church. I can't help but feel like it's a particularly necessary book for this moment, as well. I was in the middle of this memoir when Roe V. Wade was overturned, and I wanted to shake it at the sky like, yes, see, this is how this happened. This is how this happened. And maybe, maybe, maybe; this is how we take care of each other. Reach for healing. Escape. Dream.

Thank you for this book, Jeanna. And for sharing so much of yourself in it. It matters quite a lot, maybe now more than ever.

Excellently written and very timely topic; both disturbing and helpful to explain a lot of what is going on in the US at this time.

Heretic by Jeanna Kadlec is a memoir of growing up in evangelical Christianity in the United States and how that bleeds into every facet of life. She touches on how her upbringing repressed her sexuality, how it's possible to believe these things while still being an educated person, the ways evangelical Christianity has influenced American culture and politics, what it was like to "deconstruct" these beliefs in young adulthood, and how the brainwashing she went through as a child and teenager will affect her for life, even after her beliefs have changed. A good portion of each essay is dedicated to educating on these issues using statistics and data.

I related to this book so much. I think I highlighted more in this book than I have for any other I've read so far. I honestly wish it had been a little longer, just because I think there's SO MUCH to unpack when you've grown up in the culture that Jeanna Kadlec (and myself, and many many others) have. This is a must read for anyone who has deconstructed and/or considers themselves an "ex-vangelical."

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC for review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this book. The author was raised in an evangelical church, worked hard to be a "good girl" and do everything right, was still criticized by church leaders, fell in love and married an evangelical man . . . and discovered that not only could she not be a submissive wife in this marriage, but that she was also gay. I really enjoyed reading her experiences; many of us who struggle through faith challenges/loss or change of faith can really feel less alone when reading others' struggles. I found the part where she began to work out her life and relationship to faith later on interesting--less directly helpful to me, as it was a personal journey, but still I enjoyed reading about it. This is a courageous book and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it.