The Secret Lives of Church LadiesThe Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Score Modern
What it's about
Deesha Philyaw's debut story collection explores the hidden desires and inner lives of Black women and girls raised in the church, as they navigate faith, sex, love and family, often in defiance of what's expected of them.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist. It's sharp, funny and tender.
You'll love it if you liked
Sabrina & Corina
The Color Purple
Interpreter of MaladiesGood to know
It's short and the stories stand alone.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #775 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1452 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Secret Lives of Church Ladies worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist. It ranks #1,452 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Secret Lives of Church Ladies about?
Deesha Philyaw's debut story collection explores the hidden desires and inner lives of Black women and girls raised in the church, as they navigate faith, sex, love and family, often in defiance of what's expected of them.
How long does it take to read The Secret Lives of Church Ladies?
About 4 hours (179 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Secret Lives of Church Ladies?
If you liked it, try Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine, The Color Purple by Alice Walker or Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri.