BOOKS

A girl’s gotta have faith, right? Well, maybe. That’s just one of the issues 16-year-old Lacey Anne Byer is struggling with (along with the typical teen stuff, like whether or not she’ll get her license) in author Melissa Walker’s latest must-read, Small Town Sinners. Lacey’s a good girl through and through—she’s the daughter of a pastor, always makes it home for curfew and wears a True Love Waits ring. Even though her BFF might try to distract her in church, she truly finds peace and comfort in God’s presence.

But, as its title implies, this book gets more than a little dramatic and everything Lacey believes and trusts is questioned. The first sign that things are a-changing? A cute boy shows up at the DMV, seemingly out of nowhere. In a small town like Lacey’s, a boy with gorgeous blue eyes and a pink polo shirt is going to get some attention. He certainly catches her eye...

And while mysterious Ty might be a total vision, turns out, he’s not going to let Lacey keep her tight grasp on the worldview that’s been handed down to her. As they begin to bond, Lacey finds herself questioning not only her faith, but her own character as well:

“I wonder when I became the kind of girl who leaves the town limits to lie out on a sleeping bag with a boy she hardly knows. But then I chastise myself for that thought. I know him—he’s Tyson Davis!”

When she’s not contemplating their relationship (is it even a relationship? Will he ever kiss her?) or comforting her BFFs as they deal with their own struggles, Lacey Anne has a major responsibility to handle: She’s participating in Hell House, the church’s annual outreach where they act out sins in hopes of recruiting outsiders. The Hell House isn’t like any haunted house I’ve been to and it’s far from tame—there are Demon Tour Guides, fake blood, real terror and the star of the show, Abortion Girl, who screams and cries as she shoulders her burden. This year, though, the sins aren’t as black and white as they used to be and Lacey starts to see eerie similarities between what’s on set and her own, very real life.

I’d say Halloween is the perf time to read Small Town Sinners but, like the apple on the book’s cover, it’s just too juicy to wait.

Grab the book here and let us know what you think.

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