The Book of Essie

Overall Rating: LOVED it! ♥️

I selected The Book of Essie as my Book of the Month selection for June and all I can say is WOW!

Nikaleigh’s Synopsis:

Meet Essie: a 17-year-old Christian reality star who’s just found out she’s pregnant. Now, the women she calls Mom (whose focus is more on ratings than dignity) is on damage control; and that damage control doesn’t include Essie’s opinion.

Essie finds her in when she overhears her mother talking to their producers about how they should handle their “problem”. Essie starts pulling strings from the inside – meticulously manipulating her mother’s decisions in order to keep her baby and take down the people who let this happen.

Nikaleigh’s Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. Essie is cunning, smart, and the definition of strong women; and not having a traditional support system makes her even more impressive. I was in awe at the author’s ability to introduce Essie AND her relationship with her family in just the first two sentences:

”On the day I turned seventeen, there is a meeting to decide whether I should have the baby or if sneaking me to a clinic for an abortion is worth the PR risk. I am not invited, which is just as well, since me being there might imply that I have some choice in the matter and I know I have none.”

The Book of Essie is so multifaceted, touching on major issues including how women and gays are viewed in the church and female empowerment.

No doubt, you’ll read it drawing some parallels to the TV show ”19 Kids and Counting” but with an inside look into the life of a child whose expected to live her life in a manner of unobtainable Christian, perfection while lifting the veil on a family that’s really more business than love.

This book is heart-wrenching and empowering all in one. It reads like a light read but it’s content is anything but. The Book of Essie was so different from any other book I’ve read – I would definitely call this a must read.

You can purchase The Book of Essie through my Amazon Storefront: The Book of Essie

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Have you read this book or plan on picking it up? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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