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From the Moon I Watched Her
Named by BuzzFeed as one of Winter 2021's Most Anticipated Historical Fiction Books!
"This poignant story of loss and self-discovery shines by showing the human desires for truth, community, and love under a church’s oppressive control."
--Publishers Weekly
Emily English Medley’s heartbreaking novel From the Moon I Watched Her is filled with secrets and lies both about family and God.
--Foreword Reviews
It’s hot, Texas, and the year 1977. Jimmy Carter is in office.
The Walters are a good, churchgoing family who stand for holiness, purity, grace, and Christian love. Except when they don't.
Family patriarch and fanatic preacher, Victor Black, knows many things for sure, including the fact that abortion is murder and should be punishable by death--a position he defends live in a televised debate. Black’s youngest granddaughter, Stephanie Walters, sits in the front row wearing her frilly Sunday dress, listening carefully to every word.
But it doesn't take long for cracks to appear in the Walters upstanding family facade. Stephanie's mother, Lily, begins telling unsettling stories about having a baby who died, and her story keeps changing. It’s clear Lily has a secret--one that righteous Victor Black would kill her for if he knew. This family secret burns more than the lies . . .
From the Moon I WatchedHer is a coming-of-age tale about the skeletons that lurk under church pews and the little girl who goes looking for and finds them. Amid the dark and quirky terrain of camp revivals, burning crosses, and public shunnings, one child from the Southern Churches of Christ cries out.
"This poignant story of loss and self-discovery shines by showing the human desires for truth, community, and love under a church’s oppressive control."
--Publishers Weekly
Emily English Medley’s heartbreaking novel From the Moon I Watched Her is filled with secrets and lies both about family and God.
--Foreword Reviews
It’s hot, Texas, and the year 1977. Jimmy Carter is in office.
The Walters are a good, churchgoing family who stand for holiness, purity, grace, and Christian love. Except when they don't.
Family patriarch and fanatic preacher, Victor Black, knows many things for sure, including the fact that abortion is murder and should be punishable by death--a position he defends live in a televised debate. Black’s youngest granddaughter, Stephanie Walters, sits in the front row wearing her frilly Sunday dress, listening carefully to every word.
But it doesn't take long for cracks to appear in the Walters upstanding family facade. Stephanie's mother, Lily, begins telling unsettling stories about having a baby who died, and her story keeps changing. It’s clear Lily has a secret--one that righteous Victor Black would kill her for if he knew. This family secret burns more than the lies . . .
From the Moon I WatchedHer is a coming-of-age tale about the skeletons that lurk under church pews and the little girl who goes looking for and finds them. Amid the dark and quirky terrain of camp revivals, burning crosses, and public shunnings, one child from the Southern Churches of Christ cries out.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2021
23 people are currently reading
5209 people want to read
About the author
Emily English Medley
1 book64 followersEmily English Medley, MSN, APRN, FNP-C is a debut author from Houston. She has published several short articles in local newspapers and has one magazine article to her credit. She is a member of The Writers League of Texas and The Houston Writer’s Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
February 9, 2025
From the Moon I Watched Her by Emily English Medley will make most readers uncomfortable. The story viewed through the eyes of a young girl as a member of the Church of Christ. Themes include inappropriate child behavior that will make you as uncomfortable as the The Push by Ashley Audrain, child sexual abuse and grooming like you see in books like Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov & Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough, or cult behavior and mental illness like in books like Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett or Educated by Tara Westover.
While this book had several uncomfortable themes, it was very well written. The audio book was fabulous, and the narrator, the author, did a very good job reflecting the age (6-17) of the main character in her narration.
Thank you Greenleaf Audiobooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
While this book had several uncomfortable themes, it was very well written. The audio book was fabulous, and the narrator, the author, did a very good job reflecting the age (6-17) of the main character in her narration.
Thank you Greenleaf Audiobooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
January 28, 2021
This book is tough for me to review. I have SO many questions, and things I want to bring up/discuss, but obviously cannot without giving away too much of the plot. I definitely think this book lends itself rather well to being a "bookclub" book!
There are heavy topics tackled here (abuse, incest, rape, abortion), just to name a few. There is also A LOT of preaching/religion throughout. I usually steer clear of books that "preach", however, it didn't bother me in this one. I found the story interesting and skillfully written. Most of the characters had a decent amount of fleshing out to them as well.
I probably would have given this 5 stars, but I felt that the ending was rushed, and for "me" a little ambiguous(?) As I mentioned above, it left me with A LOT of questions that I wanted a little more insight on. A little more explanation. I also would have liked a chapter or two farther in the future. Just to have a little more closure. However, that is probably more a "preference" issue than a flaw with the book.
Overall, this was an excellent book, and deserves two strong thumbs up from yours truly.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
There are heavy topics tackled here (abuse, incest, rape, abortion), just to name a few. There is also A LOT of preaching/religion throughout. I usually steer clear of books that "preach", however, it didn't bother me in this one. I found the story interesting and skillfully written. Most of the characters had a decent amount of fleshing out to them as well.
I probably would have given this 5 stars, but I felt that the ending was rushed, and for "me" a little ambiguous(?) As I mentioned above, it left me with A LOT of questions that I wanted a little more insight on. A little more explanation. I also would have liked a chapter or two farther in the future. Just to have a little more closure. However, that is probably more a "preference" issue than a flaw with the book.
Overall, this was an excellent book, and deserves two strong thumbs up from yours truly.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
November 28, 2022
I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
We follow the story of Stephanie and her super religious family, from childhood (at age 6) to her being 17.
The book is written in three parts and the first one is the one with the most religion in it.
Now, I didn’t love the book. I’m not even sure I liked it.
There were a lot of troublesome issues (in the first part) which made me pretty uncomfortable. And then we get some answers in the third part, but overall it was all so confusing and half the time I didn’t know what I was reading. Some things got solved rather quickly and without depth.
Also, I think that Stephanie's voice at six was almost the same throughout the book ad only changed when she was 17.
We follow the story of Stephanie and her super religious family, from childhood (at age 6) to her being 17.
The book is written in three parts and the first one is the one with the most religion in it.
Now, I didn’t love the book. I’m not even sure I liked it.
There were a lot of troublesome issues (in the first part) which made me pretty uncomfortable. And then we get some answers in the third part, but overall it was all so confusing and half the time I didn’t know what I was reading. Some things got solved rather quickly and without depth.
Also, I think that Stephanie's voice at six was almost the same throughout the book ad only changed when she was 17.
February 19, 2023
I decided I couldn't read this book. The plot was just too religious for my tastes.
February 3, 2021
4.5 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“...And just as the sun and the moon took turns and switched places, so did the little girl and woman in me.” - From the Moon I Watched Her.
This book takes place in 1977 in the state of Texas. It follows the Walters who are a good, churchgoing family who stand for holiness, purity, grace, and Christian love. Except when they don’t. Family patriarch and fanatic preacher, Victor Black, knows many things, including that abortion is murder and should be punishable by death. It doesn’t take long for cracks to appear in their upstanding family. Lily Walters, mother to Stephanie and Katherine, starts to tell unsettling stories about having a baby who died, but the story keeps changing. It’s clear she has a secret that Victor Black would kill her for if he knew. The youngest in the family, Stephanie, goes looking for these secrets among the dark and quirky terrain of camp revivals, burning crosses, and public shunnings.
This was another of my 2021 anticipated books and I am glad to say it was amazing. The synopsis above only tells about one portion of this story. There are so many things that happen in this emotional, coming-of-age read, but I think they are best to be discovered while reading it. Throughout the book we follow the perspective of Stephanie from age 5 until her late teenage years. We see her family deteriorate and crumble through her eyes and we see the trauma, abuse, and pain that she goes through. This book is not an easy read, and definitely gave me a fair bit of anxiety while reading it. Topics that are touched on include abortion, incest, rape, abuse, neglect, mental illness and more. Overall, this was an amazing read, and I think it has so much to be discussed within it (the readers guide in the book is fantastic). If this interests you, definitely pick it up!
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“...And just as the sun and the moon took turns and switched places, so did the little girl and woman in me.” - From the Moon I Watched Her.
This book takes place in 1977 in the state of Texas. It follows the Walters who are a good, churchgoing family who stand for holiness, purity, grace, and Christian love. Except when they don’t. Family patriarch and fanatic preacher, Victor Black, knows many things, including that abortion is murder and should be punishable by death. It doesn’t take long for cracks to appear in their upstanding family. Lily Walters, mother to Stephanie and Katherine, starts to tell unsettling stories about having a baby who died, but the story keeps changing. It’s clear she has a secret that Victor Black would kill her for if he knew. The youngest in the family, Stephanie, goes looking for these secrets among the dark and quirky terrain of camp revivals, burning crosses, and public shunnings.
This was another of my 2021 anticipated books and I am glad to say it was amazing. The synopsis above only tells about one portion of this story. There are so many things that happen in this emotional, coming-of-age read, but I think they are best to be discovered while reading it. Throughout the book we follow the perspective of Stephanie from age 5 until her late teenage years. We see her family deteriorate and crumble through her eyes and we see the trauma, abuse, and pain that she goes through. This book is not an easy read, and definitely gave me a fair bit of anxiety while reading it. Topics that are touched on include abortion, incest, rape, abuse, neglect, mental illness and more. Overall, this was an amazing read, and I think it has so much to be discussed within it (the readers guide in the book is fantastic). If this interests you, definitely pick it up!
May 22, 2025
this book was soooo fucked up, but so good. it was a great representation of abuse, family manipulation, rape, hypersexuality, and everything. it covered all the bases of religious trauma, and i hated that i couldn't put it down.
January 1, 2021
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Greenleaf Book Group and Emily English Medley for this opportunity.
Whether you are a usual follower of my book reviews or new to my blog, I just want to emphasize that I very much try to remain unbiased in my book reviews and focus on the book and writing itself. This book was very challenging to try and hold back personal opinions. There are a lot of heavy topics in this book, which I will list, as this book is certainly not for everyone. Before that, I also want to emphasize the fact that this book is very well written (with a few word choices/sentence structure bits that kind of bothered my writer side) and is generally just a very good book. I could not put this one down.
Material that some people may not want to read this book for:
Mental Illness (psychosis)
Father/daughter sexual relationship
Adultery
Sex between a 10-year-old girl and fourteen-year-old boys
Other instances of underage consensual sex
Drugs (okay the one part I am super biased about is giving the cat acid...animal abuse!)
Very VERY religious
Abortion
So what exactly is this book about? I like diving into books without reading too much about them first, so this book wasn't what I expected, but perhaps in a good way? The book starts off with the first-person narrative of a five-year-old Stephanie. The first chapter was very preachy and I was waiting for how the story would evolve beyond religion and politics. Lo and behold Chapter Two really introduces some of the issues Stephanie's family has, though she is far too young to understand. Her mother is psychotic and her father is having sex with her sister (supposedly), who is only two years older than her. The home life is not seen publicly as they paint themselves as the perfect family when at church.
As the reader makes their way through the book, they follow Stephanie as she progressively ages. It can be a bit hard to tell just how old she is in a given chapter, but the author does a great job of keeping the reader informed with a nicely-woven age tossed in every so often. It is interesting to look at the family dynamics and how Stephanie sees and understands things based on her age. Despite the age of the narrator throughout the story, this is an adult novel and should be treated as such. It has heavy topics, but boy are they portrayed well and Stephanie's story is certainly an interesting one.
One aspect I want to point out, but don't want to say too much for spoilers, is the significance of the title. Once you reach the scene where that comes into play, the title can really be felt throughout the rest of the novel in a very symbolic and present way. I absolutely loved this book (despite my biases on a lot of these topics) and already know a few people I would highly recommend it to.
Whether you are a usual follower of my book reviews or new to my blog, I just want to emphasize that I very much try to remain unbiased in my book reviews and focus on the book and writing itself. This book was very challenging to try and hold back personal opinions. There are a lot of heavy topics in this book, which I will list, as this book is certainly not for everyone. Before that, I also want to emphasize the fact that this book is very well written (with a few word choices/sentence structure bits that kind of bothered my writer side) and is generally just a very good book. I could not put this one down.
Material that some people may not want to read this book for:
Mental Illness (psychosis)
Father/daughter sexual relationship
Adultery
Sex between a 10-year-old girl and fourteen-year-old boys
Other instances of underage consensual sex
Drugs (okay the one part I am super biased about is giving the cat acid...animal abuse!)
Very VERY religious
Abortion
So what exactly is this book about? I like diving into books without reading too much about them first, so this book wasn't what I expected, but perhaps in a good way? The book starts off with the first-person narrative of a five-year-old Stephanie. The first chapter was very preachy and I was waiting for how the story would evolve beyond religion and politics. Lo and behold Chapter Two really introduces some of the issues Stephanie's family has, though she is far too young to understand. Her mother is psychotic and her father is having sex with her sister (supposedly), who is only two years older than her. The home life is not seen publicly as they paint themselves as the perfect family when at church.
As the reader makes their way through the book, they follow Stephanie as she progressively ages. It can be a bit hard to tell just how old she is in a given chapter, but the author does a great job of keeping the reader informed with a nicely-woven age tossed in every so often. It is interesting to look at the family dynamics and how Stephanie sees and understands things based on her age. Despite the age of the narrator throughout the story, this is an adult novel and should be treated as such. It has heavy topics, but boy are they portrayed well and Stephanie's story is certainly an interesting one.
One aspect I want to point out, but don't want to say too much for spoilers, is the significance of the title. Once you reach the scene where that comes into play, the title can really be felt throughout the rest of the novel in a very symbolic and present way. I absolutely loved this book (despite my biases on a lot of these topics) and already know a few people I would highly recommend it to.
April 24, 2021
Usually, if I don't finish a book, I don't review or rate it. This book needs some serious warnings and zero stars.
Before I start, I want to be clear that my review is based on the first two chapters (really 1.5). There is every possibility this book is amazing after that.
Chapter one is a debate on abortion between the Pastor grandfather of our 5-year-old narrator and "the devil" atheist. Okay, preparing myself for a fundamental Christian view. Not uncommon and not my favorite but I won this book and I will give it a fair chance.
Chapter two. Mom tells the narrator, the 5-year-old, that Daddy and her 7-year-old sister have been playing naked "hobby horse" and that he's been touching the sister in her private spots. Mom makes it clear this is a secret between herself and the narrator (reminder, she's 5). This is surrounded by our narrator sneaking into dad's bathroom and removing his gun from the back of the toilet so she can steal a couple of his Playboy magazines. She then proceeds to her closet to look at the centerfolds and graphically masturbate. She's five.
and... that is where I stopped. Nothing to spoil here since it's only the first chapter and a half. I have absolutely no idea where this was headed and have zero desire to find out.
Before I start, I want to be clear that my review is based on the first two chapters (really 1.5). There is every possibility this book is amazing after that.
Chapter one is a debate on abortion between the Pastor grandfather of our 5-year-old narrator and "the devil" atheist. Okay, preparing myself for a fundamental Christian view. Not uncommon and not my favorite but I won this book and I will give it a fair chance.
Chapter two. Mom tells the narrator, the 5-year-old, that Daddy and her 7-year-old sister have been playing naked "hobby horse" and that he's been touching the sister in her private spots. Mom makes it clear this is a secret between herself and the narrator (reminder, she's 5). This is surrounded by our narrator sneaking into dad's bathroom and removing his gun from the back of the toilet so she can steal a couple of his Playboy magazines. She then proceeds to her closet to look at the centerfolds and graphically masturbate. She's five.
and... that is where I stopped. Nothing to spoil here since it's only the first chapter and a half. I have absolutely no idea where this was headed and have zero desire to find out.
January 10, 2021
This book was not at all what I was expecting based on the description. I really don’t think the blurb matches the content.
This was a coming of age story of a young girl, Stephanie, raised in a very religious family. Stephanie’s mother is pretty mentally unwell, and the family is divided, Stephanie and her mom vs her dad and sister. This obviously causes problems on it’s own but Stephanie’s mothers mental illness makes it much worse. This is really more a story of family trouble than anything, the blurb made this book sound like it was about abortion in a religious family but it’s really not. The blurb mentions the pastor grandfather like he’s some major player, but he’s a pretty minor character.
I liked the story but it felt like there was a lot cut during the editing process. Like maybe originally the grandfather was a bigger player. Maybe the abortion was a bigger part of it. I don’t know. It was well written, the plot just felt disjointed.
This story has a lot of content that could be triggering to some people.
This was a coming of age story of a young girl, Stephanie, raised in a very religious family. Stephanie’s mother is pretty mentally unwell, and the family is divided, Stephanie and her mom vs her dad and sister. This obviously causes problems on it’s own but Stephanie’s mothers mental illness makes it much worse. This is really more a story of family trouble than anything, the blurb made this book sound like it was about abortion in a religious family but it’s really not. The blurb mentions the pastor grandfather like he’s some major player, but he’s a pretty minor character.
I liked the story but it felt like there was a lot cut during the editing process. Like maybe originally the grandfather was a bigger player. Maybe the abortion was a bigger part of it. I don’t know. It was well written, the plot just felt disjointed.
This story has a lot of content that could be triggering to some people.
January 23, 2021
I received a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I was not able to finish this book. Within the first few chapters, a first grade girl sought out her dad's Playboy magazines and started pleasuring herself.
I was not able to finish this book. Within the first few chapters, a first grade girl sought out her dad's Playboy magazines and started pleasuring herself.
January 30, 2021
'This book reminded me of the movie “Eves Bayou”. Some of the themes in that movie were present in this book. The writing is flawless and drags you in from page one. Some of the subject matter may be a bit much for some readers. The characters are well developed and you can feel their pain. Very well written book about a truly dysfunctional family and the essential it can have. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.
December 20, 2020
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review itself does not contain spoilers or content warnings. For those who consider CW/TW to be spoilers they are listed for the book at the end of the review (so stop reading here if you don’t want to see them!)
I’m still trying to come to terms with how I feel about this book. It’s DARK. It’s HEAVY. It’s definitely a book that requires a specific headspace to read because of the content matter.
I liked how the narration becomes more complex as the main character, Stephanie, grows older. I also liked a lot of the descriptions of her headspace particularly about the more traumatic and emotional events.
I’m finding it hard to articulate what didn’t sit right with me...It’s hard to parse whether I’m uneasy about the book because of the content or because of issues I have with the writing style and literary choices. At this moment I’m sitting at about a 3.65 but rounding up to four.
MAJOR CW/TW: abortion, incest, molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, pedophilia, suicide, drug use, psychosis, psychotic episodes, arson, religious themes, religious upbringing, evangelism
I’m still trying to come to terms with how I feel about this book. It’s DARK. It’s HEAVY. It’s definitely a book that requires a specific headspace to read because of the content matter.
I liked how the narration becomes more complex as the main character, Stephanie, grows older. I also liked a lot of the descriptions of her headspace particularly about the more traumatic and emotional events.
I’m finding it hard to articulate what didn’t sit right with me...It’s hard to parse whether I’m uneasy about the book because of the content or because of issues I have with the writing style and literary choices. At this moment I’m sitting at about a 3.65 but rounding up to four.
MAJOR CW/TW: abortion, incest, molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, pedophilia, suicide, drug use, psychosis, psychotic episodes, arson, religious themes, religious upbringing, evangelism
December 17, 2020
I recieved this free of charge from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
From The Moon I Watched Her was probably one of the saddest books i've read in a long time. Set against the backdrop of an evangelical church, Stephanie tries to navigate a landscape she is much too young and much too naive to understand.
Each character is deeply flawed in their own way and the truth of who they are is slow go unravel. You're never quite sure what the truth is until about 80% of the way through the book. The author wove each plot intricately and didn't patronize the reader.
I got annoyed with the sheer volume of preaching throughout the novel. The scenes could've been much shorter and still had the same effect. Also I dont appreciate being preached to about religious through characters.
Overall, definitely deserving of a 4* rating. I couldn't put this down.
From The Moon I Watched Her was probably one of the saddest books i've read in a long time. Set against the backdrop of an evangelical church, Stephanie tries to navigate a landscape she is much too young and much too naive to understand.
Each character is deeply flawed in their own way and the truth of who they are is slow go unravel. You're never quite sure what the truth is until about 80% of the way through the book. The author wove each plot intricately and didn't patronize the reader.
I got annoyed with the sheer volume of preaching throughout the novel. The scenes could've been much shorter and still had the same effect. Also I dont appreciate being preached to about religious through characters.
Overall, definitely deserving of a 4* rating. I couldn't put this down.
Read
November 18, 2020Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
From the Moon I Watched Her is a deeply unsettling, troubled story that's told well. Stephanie, bound by the culture of ultra-religiousness and warped by the mental illness of her mother, undergoes abuse, neglect, shame, and guilt, without understanding fully how troubling her environment is. It's a hard novel to read because of the abuses that happen to Stephanie and how they are described from her innocent point of view. She doesn't know enough to know what's happening is wrong, but the reader knows. That effect seems to be a major lens on the entire novel. Some people may want to skip this book or those few pages that tell about the events because these events are horrible. I was able to skim/skip over those pages and still understand the story. I would have liked to see more justice come for her by the end of the story. It's like she's okay with sweeping the worst thing under the rug and not seeking accountability from the perpetrator, even though it allows the continuation of the blind system that wronged her.
I grew up in similar Evangelical church environments, and so much of that part of the story resonated with me. A childish love growing to adulthood mistrust. The blindness to wrongs committed by church members. Much of the Church of Christ culture is represented honestly. Everything in the story is shaped by the culture produced by hard-core evangelism, good or bad.
Most of the characters seemed to remain mysteries once the story was done, but Stephanie and her mother were the only ones I wanted to understand. I wanted Stephanie to have her happy ending. Reading about her as she grows up, seeing her vulnerable POV, it made me feel protective of her.
Overall, FtMIWH is a well-written, troubling story that hit home and made me care about the main character.
From the Moon I Watched Her is a deeply unsettling, troubled story that's told well. Stephanie, bound by the culture of ultra-religiousness and warped by the mental illness of her mother, undergoes abuse, neglect, shame, and guilt, without understanding fully how troubling her environment is. It's a hard novel to read because of the abuses that happen to Stephanie and how they are described from her innocent point of view. She doesn't know enough to know what's happening is wrong, but the reader knows. That effect seems to be a major lens on the entire novel. Some people may want to skip this book or those few pages that tell about the events because these events are horrible. I was able to skim/skip over those pages and still understand the story. I would have liked to see more justice come for her by the end of the story. It's like she's okay with sweeping the worst thing under the rug and not seeking accountability from the perpetrator, even though it allows the continuation of the blind system that wronged her.
I grew up in similar Evangelical church environments, and so much of that part of the story resonated with me. A childish love growing to adulthood mistrust. The blindness to wrongs committed by church members. Much of the Church of Christ culture is represented honestly. Everything in the story is shaped by the culture produced by hard-core evangelism, good or bad.
Most of the characters seemed to remain mysteries once the story was done, but Stephanie and her mother were the only ones I wanted to understand. I wanted Stephanie to have her happy ending. Reading about her as she grows up, seeing her vulnerable POV, it made me feel protective of her.
Overall, FtMIWH is a well-written, troubling story that hit home and made me care about the main character.
January 8, 2021
CW: abortion, religion, religious upbringing, sexual content, pedophilia and sexual trauma, drug use, arson, mental illness, death.
I want to thank Greenleaf Book Group Press for the digital NetGalley copy of From The Moon I Watched Her by Emily English Medley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is raw, heartbreaking, and real. The reader sees this coming-of-age from the eyes of a small town Texas girl, including the expectations of her church and the broken dynamic of her family. Stephanie struggles to find truth and develop identity among a cast of unreliable family full of secrets. The author’s depiction of the innocence taken from someone so vulnerable and the trauma ensued is haunting.
I have recently discovered how much I love historical fiction, and the Houston setting (with travels to both Arkansas and Galveston) is particularly impactful and relatable to me. Anyone who grew up around mental illness will find validation and feel seen in this account. My sincere hope is that you don’t relate to several aspects of the story, but I know that many will. I can see this book being read and discussed in college classrooms.
For books with difficult and traumatic themes, it’s hard to say “I love this book”, but it is more appropriate in this instance for me to say “this book means something to me.” My original read was the digital copy as my last read of 2020, but after completion I reached out to the author to buy this signed physical copy. Emily was very kind to me, and I thank her for writing this book. 5/5⭐️
I want to thank Greenleaf Book Group Press for the digital NetGalley copy of From The Moon I Watched Her by Emily English Medley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is raw, heartbreaking, and real. The reader sees this coming-of-age from the eyes of a small town Texas girl, including the expectations of her church and the broken dynamic of her family. Stephanie struggles to find truth and develop identity among a cast of unreliable family full of secrets. The author’s depiction of the innocence taken from someone so vulnerable and the trauma ensued is haunting.
I have recently discovered how much I love historical fiction, and the Houston setting (with travels to both Arkansas and Galveston) is particularly impactful and relatable to me. Anyone who grew up around mental illness will find validation and feel seen in this account. My sincere hope is that you don’t relate to several aspects of the story, but I know that many will. I can see this book being read and discussed in college classrooms.
For books with difficult and traumatic themes, it’s hard to say “I love this book”, but it is more appropriate in this instance for me to say “this book means something to me.” My original read was the digital copy as my last read of 2020, but after completion I reached out to the author to buy this signed physical copy. Emily was very kind to me, and I thank her for writing this book. 5/5⭐️
June 7, 2021
I LOVED this novel!!
January 19, 2021
While poignant and often beautiful, the book isn't unified along one line.
The book opens in Pasadena Texas in 1977 and young Stephanie is in the debate about abortion. Coming from a highly conservative Church of Christ family, she struggles with feelings of guilt and impurity. As she blossoms into a teenager she goes through many trials that split their family apart and Stephanie doesn't know who to turn or who she even is.
The writing style is easy to read. The chapters aren't overly long but contain enough story to move the plot and get to know the characters. The novel isn't overly wordy nor is written in a basic elementary level. This makes the story engulfing as the reader moves easily through the book. The only writing issue is that the story doesn't have a unifying thread. It just seems like a lot of things just happen. And while that is reflective of life, it lives a sense of theme and morality from the story.
Emily English Medley delves into the scene of religious families. While not all religious families are like those in the book, this opens the curtains to the many that are and try to hid it. But beyond that Stephanie goes through so many things sort like a compilation of teenage trauma. The author handles each concept gently with revenue for the tragedy. These threads are more like several skeins embroidered into a project instead of one of a piece of flowing cord.
Once again, the mental issue is used as a villain. While the lack of care and concern for those in the
'70s and '80s are accurate, to continuously make those with mental illness the overall villain is short-sighted and hurtful to those of us with mental illness. It also gives an easy out for the rest of the characters. The majority of the characters have their own issue and needed to be explored more deeply and how they affected the main character.
Overall, this story hits on a lot of traumas and in the lives of teenagers which can trigger some experiences while at the same time showing them they are not alone. From the Moon, I Watched her is a coming of age story that is easy to read even though it doesn't always tie everything together.
I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
The book opens in Pasadena Texas in 1977 and young Stephanie is in the debate about abortion. Coming from a highly conservative Church of Christ family, she struggles with feelings of guilt and impurity. As she blossoms into a teenager she goes through many trials that split their family apart and Stephanie doesn't know who to turn or who she even is.
The writing style is easy to read. The chapters aren't overly long but contain enough story to move the plot and get to know the characters. The novel isn't overly wordy nor is written in a basic elementary level. This makes the story engulfing as the reader moves easily through the book. The only writing issue is that the story doesn't have a unifying thread. It just seems like a lot of things just happen. And while that is reflective of life, it lives a sense of theme and morality from the story.
Emily English Medley delves into the scene of religious families. While not all religious families are like those in the book, this opens the curtains to the many that are and try to hid it. But beyond that Stephanie goes through so many things sort like a compilation of teenage trauma. The author handles each concept gently with revenue for the tragedy. These threads are more like several skeins embroidered into a project instead of one of a piece of flowing cord.
Once again, the mental issue is used as a villain. While the lack of care and concern for those in the
'70s and '80s are accurate, to continuously make those with mental illness the overall villain is short-sighted and hurtful to those of us with mental illness. It also gives an easy out for the rest of the characters. The majority of the characters have their own issue and needed to be explored more deeply and how they affected the main character.
Overall, this story hits on a lot of traumas and in the lives of teenagers which can trigger some experiences while at the same time showing them they are not alone. From the Moon, I Watched her is a coming of age story that is easy to read even though it doesn't always tie everything together.
I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
July 4, 2021
From The Moon I Watched Her labled historical fiction I'm not sure that's the appropriate category. This novel was more literary in style. It's one of those books you read that says so much but nothing really happens.
Told through the eyes of Stephanie from age 5 through high school she tells of the broken family life and struggles and how this affects her. Born into a church going family, her mother is the daughter of the preacher, this family is anything but the holiness they portray.
I should probably say that this novel is NOT for everyone. There are some rather disturbing scenes and the reason I wanted to read it so bad. Controversy? Sign me up!
For one Stephanie's mother is mentally ill. She does some things that will make mothers all over cringe. Daddy's playboy magazines aren't just used by him. Rape scenes, talk of incest, and broken children are topics all included. Don't want to give to much away here
This one also has some religious content, church sermons, and can be a little bit over the top. This is what gave it a loss of 2 stars.
Overall unsettling story of extremely bad parenting by those looked upped to in a church community and it's devastating effects on a child. 3 stars.
Told through the eyes of Stephanie from age 5 through high school she tells of the broken family life and struggles and how this affects her. Born into a church going family, her mother is the daughter of the preacher, this family is anything but the holiness they portray.
I should probably say that this novel is NOT for everyone. There are some rather disturbing scenes and the reason I wanted to read it so bad. Controversy? Sign me up!
For one Stephanie's mother is mentally ill. She does some things that will make mothers all over cringe. Daddy's playboy magazines aren't just used by him. Rape scenes, talk of incest, and broken children are topics all included. Don't want to give to much away here
This one also has some religious content, church sermons, and can be a little bit over the top. This is what gave it a loss of 2 stars.
Overall unsettling story of extremely bad parenting by those looked upped to in a church community and it's devastating effects on a child. 3 stars.
February 5, 2025
Wow. This book was a different genre than I'm used to reading but it was one I'm glad I read. So many emotions came up for me listening to this novel which, I think, says a lot about a book when it can bring out various emotions. I think, unfortunately, a lot of people could relate to this novel in at least some aspect. I would recommend looking up any trigger warnings ahead of time. This novel did have a good pace though, didn't leave much unanswered, and I even listened to it within three timeframes for this almost 10 hour listen. It does have some very heavy aspects to it, but I would recommend it if you're interested in literary fiction, living with/working out trauma (sexual, religious, parental neglect, mental health) but come in cautiously.
June 9, 2021
I received an ARC in exchange for a review. Wow....this is kind of hard for me to review. Lots of info and not sure where to start. When I first starting reading the book I thought I probably wouldn’t finish it. Some of the topics could be uncomfortable, at least not what you would just toss out and discuss. It is sad to think that this is a lifestyle for some people. I do think that the author did a good job but also wish that she had elaborated on some things more. I’m glad I did finish it.
February 24, 2021
Well written and poignant. The book examines the harsh abuse of growing up in a rigid and fundamentalist household in the 1970’s, when much of the cultural progress of today was only hope.
It was hard reading because of rigid mindsets and principles being played out
Still an engaging read.
Thanks for the advanced reader supplied for my unbiased review.
It was hard reading because of rigid mindsets and principles being played out
Still an engaging read.
Thanks for the advanced reader supplied for my unbiased review.
September 28, 2024
3.5 *
This book was a hard read only because it start's with strong Christian beliefs. But you have to push through that, and you start seeing the cracks of the main characters' family. Start opening up the things people don't see behind closed doors.
This book was a hard read only because it start's with strong Christian beliefs. But you have to push through that, and you start seeing the cracks of the main characters' family. Start opening up the things people don't see behind closed doors.
January 15, 2025
This stands out as the only novel I've read set in or around the church of Christ. I hope it's not autobiographical at all. Maybe inspired by that Andrea Yates case c of c woman who drowned her kids. Whatever the case, good story, but not a light one at all.
Want to read
May 20, 2021yike this blurb hits a little too close to home for me on many levels
January 25, 2022
Twisted me up
This novel had me twisted up trying to determine truth from lies, until they were each revealed for what they were.
This novel had me twisted up trying to determine truth from lies, until they were each revealed for what they were.
January 24, 2021
This book was both easy to read and hard. Easy because it was very well written. Each word, phrase and sentence compelled the next. Hard because, while it is a growing up story, it tells of a family fractured from its beginnings through the eyes of one who is least able to understand it. I know for myself, as I got older and gained experience, very often thinking back on something I thought I understood, I would go "Oh, that's what that was about".
Our heroine, Stephanie Walters, is a girl of about 10 when we meet her. She is the youngest child in her family. It's a small family, Mom, Dad and two girls. Her grandfather is a preacher for the Church of Christ church her family attends. Her grandfather said and she believes that people who don't belong to the Church of Christ are going to hell.
Stephanie's mother is mentally ill. She has divided the family into two groups, her and Stephanie are one group, her father and older sister are the other. Eventually, her mother just takes off and won't return. Stephanie sort of knows where her mother is. She visits occasionally. Each time she thinks, because her mother has said so, things will be good and normal, and each time they aren't. Her father remarries, but she will not accept her step-mother. She moves in with one of her friends. She has relationships that are not proper for one as young as she is. She looses people.
We leave Stephanie when she is 15. She has returned home. Her relationship with her grandparents is non-existent. She gently tolerates her step-mother. She rediscovers her feelings for her older sister. She comes to terms with the lies her mother told her. She may not be an old soul, but she has more mileage on her than other girls her age.
I liked the book. It's more of a literary novel that anything else, and I don't favor those. But once I started this book, I could not put it down until I finished the story.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from the publisher, Greenleaf Book Group Press .
Our heroine, Stephanie Walters, is a girl of about 10 when we meet her. She is the youngest child in her family. It's a small family, Mom, Dad and two girls. Her grandfather is a preacher for the Church of Christ church her family attends. Her grandfather said and she believes that people who don't belong to the Church of Christ are going to hell.
Stephanie's mother is mentally ill. She has divided the family into two groups, her and Stephanie are one group, her father and older sister are the other. Eventually, her mother just takes off and won't return. Stephanie sort of knows where her mother is. She visits occasionally. Each time she thinks, because her mother has said so, things will be good and normal, and each time they aren't. Her father remarries, but she will not accept her step-mother. She moves in with one of her friends. She has relationships that are not proper for one as young as she is. She looses people.
We leave Stephanie when she is 15. She has returned home. Her relationship with her grandparents is non-existent. She gently tolerates her step-mother. She rediscovers her feelings for her older sister. She comes to terms with the lies her mother told her. She may not be an old soul, but she has more mileage on her than other girls her age.
I liked the book. It's more of a literary novel that anything else, and I don't favor those. But once I started this book, I could not put it down until I finished the story.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from the publisher, Greenleaf Book Group Press .
March 15, 2021
Thank you Goodreads.com and Emily English Medley I won this book in a Giveway.
This was different for me. Every interesting on how the characters all played a role in Stephanie's
life. A sad story but over all a good read.
This was different for me. Every interesting on how the characters all played a role in Stephanie's
life. A sad story but over all a good read.
January 17, 2025
I got an eARC of this somehow like 3 years after it came out? Thanks net galley! I did not enjoy this book! Opinions are, of course, my own!
December 19, 2020
Stephanie Walters is six-years-old when she first hears her grandfather debate on the topic of abortion. Standing in the pews, enamored with her family’s patriarch, Stephanie would never fathom the abuse his ideals could wield and the destruction it could have on her family.
We watch Stephanie come of age amidst this destruction. Our heart breaks for her as she wrestles the claustrophobia of oppressive ideals & and the emotional abuse of a mother with her own repressed traumas. As she grows, she contends with her own mixed feelings about religion and science, love and hate, lies and truth. She is ultimately forced to reckon with a life of psychological manipulation in order to make peace with herself and her family.
The powerful thing about this novel is how easily it could’ve fallen to cliches, and how precise Medley was in her ability to prevent that. When I walked into the novel, I was expecting an overtly political storyline about a 1970s Southern Christian church and its campaign against abortion. What I received was a thoughtful, if not challenging, story about family dynamics- particularly, the mother/daughter relationship- and the devastating effects of cyclical family trauma. There are some big moments that I felt were rushed into for dramatic effect and then glossed over, but the crux of this story lies in the relationship between Stephanie and her mother, which I though was beautifully developed. I did struggle with the depictions of emotional and sexual abuse, though I felt Medley was careful in her treatment of these sensitive topics. Still, this was my own reading experience, and I would strongly encourage others to consider their ability to handle scenes depicting rape and an aggressive, forced abortion, respectively, before picking this one up.
Overall, I really liked this book. It’s structured into three parts, each with a handful of chapters, and this format made it easy to read quickly despite the whopping 647 pages. I’d like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced ebook edition!
We watch Stephanie come of age amidst this destruction. Our heart breaks for her as she wrestles the claustrophobia of oppressive ideals & and the emotional abuse of a mother with her own repressed traumas. As she grows, she contends with her own mixed feelings about religion and science, love and hate, lies and truth. She is ultimately forced to reckon with a life of psychological manipulation in order to make peace with herself and her family.
The powerful thing about this novel is how easily it could’ve fallen to cliches, and how precise Medley was in her ability to prevent that. When I walked into the novel, I was expecting an overtly political storyline about a 1970s Southern Christian church and its campaign against abortion. What I received was a thoughtful, if not challenging, story about family dynamics- particularly, the mother/daughter relationship- and the devastating effects of cyclical family trauma. There are some big moments that I felt were rushed into for dramatic effect and then glossed over, but the crux of this story lies in the relationship between Stephanie and her mother, which I though was beautifully developed. I did struggle with the depictions of emotional and sexual abuse, though I felt Medley was careful in her treatment of these sensitive topics. Still, this was my own reading experience, and I would strongly encourage others to consider their ability to handle scenes depicting rape and an aggressive, forced abortion, respectively, before picking this one up.
Overall, I really liked this book. It’s structured into three parts, each with a handful of chapters, and this format made it easy to read quickly despite the whopping 647 pages. I’d like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced ebook edition!
June 23, 2021
Can you give a book negative stars? One star is way too generous, so I'm officially giving it negative 3 stars. (Still maybe too generous.) I read a LOT of books in a lot of various genres and styles, and this is easily one of the worst books I have read in years!
First of all, don't read the book synopsis and think that it has anything to do with the actual story. I feel like whoever wrote it up couldn't make it past the first chapter of the book so that's just what they summarized. Honestly, I can't blame them though. This is the first book in a very long time that I almost didn't finish.
The plot itself is all over the place and is just one outrageously rediculous and bizarrely disturbing thing after another. I am NOT a prude when it comes to my books, but this book was just oddly gross.
I would like to know who told this author she could write with any skill? They lied. The dialogue is unrealistic and in a rushed abrupt style. The plot flow is the same. It jumped from one strange event to the next. The whole thing read like someone trying to be a writer...not someone with a published book.
And that brings me to my next question? How the hell did this horribly written piece of crap get published?! If this is evidence of all the talent you need to get a book out there, then why aren't more people doing it? Did the author PAY someone to publish this?
Finally, all of you 4 and 5 star reviewers...did we read the same book? Seriously, did we?
First of all, don't read the book synopsis and think that it has anything to do with the actual story. I feel like whoever wrote it up couldn't make it past the first chapter of the book so that's just what they summarized. Honestly, I can't blame them though. This is the first book in a very long time that I almost didn't finish.
The plot itself is all over the place and is just one outrageously rediculous and bizarrely disturbing thing after another. I am NOT a prude when it comes to my books, but this book was just oddly gross.
I would like to know who told this author she could write with any skill? They lied. The dialogue is unrealistic and in a rushed abrupt style. The plot flow is the same. It jumped from one strange event to the next. The whole thing read like someone trying to be a writer...not someone with a published book.
And that brings me to my next question? How the hell did this horribly written piece of crap get published?! If this is evidence of all the talent you need to get a book out there, then why aren't more people doing it? Did the author PAY someone to publish this?
Finally, all of you 4 and 5 star reviewers...did we read the same book? Seriously, did we?
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