I read and watch TV/movies as an escape. I'd say a lot of folks do. It's a way to unwind, let my mind wander and imagination run off. I immerse myself in the make-believe world, whether it's life on another planet or hitting a grand slam in the World Series or being swept off my feet by a gazillionaire who also happens to be a good listener and devilishly handsome. But once in a blue moon, I dive into a world that is uniquely suited to my reality, my own truth, my very existence and feel like the writer is actually just transcribing a home video. That was very much the case with Melissa Walker's recent release Small Town Sinners.
The book follows Lacey Anne, a junior in her small town high school and active member of the local church where her father is the children's pastor. Lacey Anne is a good girl, always has been, and has a close relationship with God. She feels passionately about the teachings of Jesus and turns to her parents for guidance and the Bible for wisdom. Her best friends are also members of the youth group and they are all excited to try out for Hell House, the annual haunted house of sin her church holds every year.
But then smart, handsome, and thought-provoking Ty Davis comes into her world and all the things she always knew to be absolutely black and white start to gray a little. She comes face to face with big issues like gay marriage, abortion, and drunk driving and for the first time, she searches her heart for how she really feels about them versus what she's always been told to feel. (click read more to expand this post)
I love the exploration of faith in this book. I remember high school also being a turning point for me. I was at church at least three times a week because it was the center of my social life. I loved youth group and church camp and the choir (although, unlike Lacey, I've actually never heard of Hell Houses). And I remember leaving school and going to the church, praying alone on my knees at the altar in the unlit sanctuary when one of the most popular boys in school committed suicide. I needed comfort and turned to God. Much like how Lacey spontaneously prays, this is just one moment in my life where I was glad to have an honest relationship with God; and by honest, I mean that I could be mad at Him, question Him, and try to understand how He could let this happen. And I also had to take a stance on suicide, because unlike so many in my town who were quick to judge, I chose to believe that it is not an unforgivable sin.
One of the great lines in Walker's book is "Love is the answer, now what was the question?" She also quotes, "Hate the sin, not the sinner," but I like the line about love better. It's so easy to sit back and judge when folks are going through hard times, but it's not at all what Jesus would do. And hey, He actually could judge if He wanted.
Whoa, so my blog just went a little "me" didn't it?
So back to the book. The characters will draw you in from the start. Lacey Anne and her friends are quite the motley crew, each of them trying to find their own way. Her best friend Dean is a touch goth and is constantly bullied at school, even by fellow Christians. Her other best friend Starla Joy is going through some crazy issues at home after her abusive father hits the road and her super popular sister Tessa gets into some trouble. And then there's Ty, the new boy at school who turns heads not only because of his good looks, but also because of the gossip about his recently troubled past.
Near the end, I was worried that things would take a sinister turn, but found myself relieved that Walker didn't take things there. (Don't want to spoil it, but have to note that she saved me from angst-filled nightmares.) I love the arc Lacey Anne follows in Small Town Sinners -- where she goes and who she becomes. I love that just because she has doubts doesn't mean that she stops believing. I love that she is not embarrassed by her faith, and that by the end, she is also not blinded by it. I love the few sprinkles of scripture throughout, a brilliant way to take readers like myself back to their adolescence, and a genuine way to anchor Lacey's faith to her everyday existence.
I'm not sure if this rambling blog is doing Melissa Walker any favors. My thoughts are so jumbled, which is maybe another boon to this novel. Much like the main character, Walker has me thinking.
This wonderful book is on sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as your independent bookstores. You can follow Melissa Walker on Twitter or on Facebook. Be sure to wish her congratulations on the birth of her new baby girl while you visit!
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