In Circles: Diaries of an Inside Outsider by Victoria Knight, as a young child, Victoria never felt that she was anything like the women in her family. She felt trapped inside her own body and didn’t think anyone around her understood anything about her. Even with all of the abuse going on around her, Victoria and her family made their way to church. After hearing the preacher say that homosexuality was a sin, she wanted to be baptized so she could go to heaven. She battled breast cancer and other medical issues with Noelle by her side. As she tries to move forward with her life, Victoria begins to wonder if the way she felt wasn’t so wrong after all. Could she have a relationship with God and keep Noelle in her life?

Circles: Diaries of an Inside Outsider is a highly inspiring story that was a roller coaster of emotions for me. My heart broke for the pain and abuse Victoria faced as a child and the aftereffects that followed her throughout her life. The way she moved forward with her life and did her best to find love, happiness, and personal balance is nothing short of inspiring. This memoir kept my attention from beginning to end. I love the way this story shows how learning to love yourself is more important than what others claim to be right or wrong. I recommend Circles by Victoria Knight to anyone who enjoys a moving memoir that will help them find some extra insight that comes from personal experiences.

Circles: Diaries of an Inside Outsider by Victoria Knight is a poignant memoir about a queer woman's struggle with finding love and acceptance. Victoria's sexuality is only one of the things she had to worry about while growing up. Everyone thought she had forgotten watching her mother get physically abused by her father as a child, but the awful memory lingered long. When she noticed that she liked girls, she tried her best to convince herself that she had changed since she was told it was a sin. Unfortunately, Victoria had to leave home hurriedly and struggled to find her feet while working physically tedious jobs and attending school. Being free to be herself and no longer under her mother's roof, she experienced both exciting sparks and sad heartbreaks with lovers while trying to create a love story that would weather the storm and all imperfections.

The author's unfiltered and deeply immersive story filled me with strong emotions and profound thoughts about acceptance and love. No one should be subjected to the terrible things Victoria had to go through with her family. The book introduces us to many amazing characters, such as the psychology degree holder who was working on a master's and enjoyed talking to people while working in a bar. Circles: Diaries of an Inside Outsider's timing is just perfect as it combines different themes: abuse, online dating, heartbreak, bartending, homophobia, Christianity, childhood, education, and more. I'm glad Victoria was guided by biblical teachings even though she felt guilty about her sexuality. Circles is a must-read for Christians in the LGBTQ community and readers who struggle with feeling accepted. Parents refusing to accept their children's sexuality will have a change of heart when they read this book.