Cheryl L. ReedReseñas

I have read close to 140 books so far this year which is an impressive if I do say so myself. I don’t think I have come across a book quiet like this one. Poison Girls is a must read for everyone who loves books. Natalie Delaney is a superhero with a pen in my eyes and Ana and Libby are strong girls who you struggle between wanting to hug and wanting to shake for the crazy things that Anna does for the sake of popularity and the cousin who straddles the line of wanting to keep her safe and fitting in. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the story because it kind of reads like one big newspaper but in a way that made it more fun. This book is the story of young girls white girls who are getting killed by fentanyl laced heroin. This story takes an even darker turn when the story that Natalie is trying to write turns her into the prime suspect. I feel as though since this was based on true events it brings a more raw aspect to the story. Politics, Power, Drugs and Popularity should not over shadow that people died. I found myself feeling bad for Natalie because she wanted to save everyone and lost sight of herself getting herself into trouble. Over all this is a strong 4 star read that deserves a few hours of your time to read.
Thanks to Negalley to the author and publisher for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a slow starter that I found it hard to stay with it until the end. It did end up being a good story, once we finally got there.

The cloistered lives of nuns have interested me since I was small—I think it was because I thought they got to sit around and read all day (and I liked the habits). I’ve known for a while now that there’s a bit more involved than reading, but this book was quite an education not only in the different types of orders but also the different types of nuns. Reed’s book covers everything from the strictest closed orders where the sisters beat their bare bottoms as penance for souls in purgatory to the non-denominational pregnancy clinic that leaves little time for prayer; from gun-toting, pro-life nuns to four biological sister sisters who protest war, racism and homophobia.

Very interesting. She reported on several different orders. I was surprised to see the variety of thought within each calling.

Really interesting look at the lives of nuns. Interviews with nuns from all different orders. Fascinating.

As a product of Catholic schools, I thought I knew nuns. Nuns are teachers and sometimes, they work in hospitals, don't they? Well, as I learned in this absolutely fascinating book, I was wrong.

There are conservative nuns, progressive nuns, even radical nuns. In fact, some call nuns the first feminists. Many nuns wear habits and many do not. Some are active and pursue occupations while others are contemplative.

Interestingly, one order of nuns, the Daughters of St Paul (aka the Paulines), specializes in running bookstores and a publishing house, as part of its communications mission. I wish the author had talked to them as part of the 300+ nuns she spoke to.

Despite the title, this isn't some sort of expose but rather, a book that shows that nuns are real people with their own thoughts, feelings, inability to juggle work and life etc. In high school, especially, I learned this to some extent but this book really reinforced that for me.

I thought the author inserted her own views on religion a tad too much but, for me, this wasn't enough to diminish the book.

This interesting and informative book will likely be on my list of favorites for 2010.

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