In the vein of Grown and The Poet X, a searing and defiant novel
in verse about reclaiming agency after a sexual assault within the
church community
Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh has always believed in using her tongue
as her weapon—even when it gets her into trouble. After cursing at
a classmate, her father forces her to volunteer at their church with
Pastor Johnson.
But Pastor Johnson isn’t the holy man everyone thinks he is.
The same voice Amina uses to fight falls quiet the night she is
sexually assaulted by Pastor Johnson. After that, her life starts to
unravel: her father is frustrated that her grades are slipping, and
her best friend and boyfriend don’t understand why the once loud
and proud girl is now quiet and distant. In a world that claims to
support survivors, Amina wonders who will support her when her
attacker is everyone's favorite community leader.
When Pastor Johnson is arrested for a different crime, the community
is shaken and divided; some call him a monster and others defend him.
But Amina is secretly relieved. She no longer has to speak because
Pastor Johnson can't hurt her anymore–or so she believes.
To regain her voice and sense of self, Amina must find the power to
confront her abuser—in the courtroom and her heart—and learn to
use all the fighting parts within her.