Today’s book review is a very, very special one because it’s a review of the upcoming book of Addie Zierman, one of my friends and a member of my local writing group.  She had, however, written her memoir before she joined our group, so while I see drafts of her newer projects, I actually had not yet read much of When We Were on Fire.

At our last writing group meeting, Addie said, “I have an extra ARC [advance reader copy] here in my purse, if anyone wants it.”

I called dibbs before anyone else had even processed her sentence.  (Too bad that’s not an athletic event.  I could gold medal in Calling Dibbs.)

I tore through her book, friends, and you will too.

When We Were on Fire is Addie’s story of growing up in and embracing an all-consuming evangelical culture that was sometimes abuse masked as spiritual fervor.  It’s a story about becoming disillusioned with the evangelical church, swimming(/sinking) in the darkness of depression, and then clawing her way back into the light.

For those of us whose histories are full of high school mission trips, WWJD bracelets, and Christian rock, Addie’s memoir is like listening to someone else tell our own stories.

But better.

Addie is terrifically honest and vulnerable, and her writing is deep, moving, and lyrical.  I kept texting her as I read, pulling out sentences that hit my heart like truth.

Simply put, this is a must-read for those of us in the evangelical community.  It comes out October 15th, one month from today, and you can pre-order it from these places:

• Barnes and Noble
• Amazon
• IndieBound
• Books-A-Million

Read the Prologue and First Chapter HERE.