#weread2016: All the Pretty Things Review

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Ok y'all. I have been a reading fiend the last couple months. There is just something so soothing and calming about curling up with a good book. Lately I have loved taking long hot baths with a couple drops of essential oils at night to unwind. It is THE BEST. But I digress.

Friends, I randomly stumbled across Edie Wadsworth's Instagram profile a few months back and was intrigued. Not only does she have a beautiful feed, but she is just an amazing individual. I could tell that she had something valuable to say to the world.

Imagine my delight when we were able to get a free copy of her new book, All the Pretty Things via the Influence Network for our book clubs! I was so super pumped. Friends, this book will not disappoint. It is so harrowingly beautiful. As I read, I kept shaking my head in disbelief. The entire work read like a novel, but it was her life's story, a memoir unlike any other I have read. This story was one of trials, extreme adversity, heartache, and strife. But it was also one of triumph, hope, and love.

Edie beautifully and gracefully tells the story of her life with an alcoholic father as she grew up in the foothills of Appalachia in Tennessee. She shares details of her growing up years and the family situations she witnessed, and she explains the impact her teachers and other adults had in her life. She later describes how she came to know Christ and how He changed everything in her life.

Above all, this is the story of my homecoming; the demons that are always holding me back and the legions of angels that keep me safe along the way; the way everything was always falling apart and the beautiful ways God has been piecing it back together; the dark and lonely parts where God dazzled me with His light shining deep into my heart; the way I was always trying to hid and the way He never stopped finding me. 

Her love for her father is unconditional, and as she tells their story, you find yourself rooting for her and for him. This memoir is one that will stay with me for a while as I am constantly reminded of the fact that God can use anyone for anything for the glory of His name. When I reflect on Edie's story, yes, I am impressed by her fortitude. But even more so, I'm amazed at our good God and encouraged to share my story to encourage others.