A review by jess_mango
Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing: Essays by Lauren Hough

4.0

Lauren Hough grew up as a part of the infamous cult, The Children of God, where she as a child and teen was expected to do her part to make sure the males in the group were satisfied. As part of the cult she moved around the world. As an adult, she joined the military and dealt with the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy as a lesbian. She's held many jobs such as bouncer and "cable guy" and even did a stint in prison. In this collection of raw, honest essays, Hough shares her experiences reckoning with her life as a child who grew up in a cult and being a working-class lesbian in the south. I found the essays to be engrossing and well-written. I recommend this one to fans of #ownvoices essays, telling the real life experiences of people that are outside main stream America.

I know this book's average rating has experienced some fallout from one of the author's tweets, however I am reviewing this book without taking that into consideration. This doesn't mean I condone that tweet.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.