The Book of Essie

I made a conscious decision not to read this book: I didn't think a novel about a Christian reality tv star sounded like the right book for me. But then I recorded a podcast episode with bookstore owner Annie Jones, and she said she wanted me to read it so we could talk about it, and since I was visiting Annie's store .... I read it. And it GREATLY exceeded my expectations. Seventeen-year-old Esther Anne Hicks is the youngest daughter of an Evangelical family that stars in their own reality show called Six for Hicks. When her appearance-conscious mother discovers Essie is pregnant, it's not a parenting issue. Instead, it's all about the optics. But Essie is determined to finally take control of her own life and find a way out of her high-profile world. For me, this was a perfect beach read.