Wow, this was one of those books that I couldn’t put down once I started it! It was really that good! The story is told from two perspectives: one that of a young priest, who never expected that one evening a chance would present itself to save a young girl’s life; and a young girl, who found herself sitting in a parking lot in an unfamiliar church with her baby in her arms and thinking about ending her life simply because she saw no other way out.
Abby’s household is deeply religious, more resembling a sect to be truthful. A strong patriarch of the family, Abby’s father, doesn’t think twice about using his belt whenever his daughters dare to defy his authority. Abby’s mother seems to worry more about setting the table on time and attending yet another religious meeting that about her own children’s well-being. The atmosphere in the house was the most depressing as it is; so when Abby announced the news that she got pregnant during the only time that she’d been with a boy the family goes ballistic.
I won’t reveal all the details of the plot but the main idea – the perverted views on Christianity that are unfortunately very much alive today – is dominant throughout this highly compelling narration. Desperation, feeling of inevitability, mistrust, hatred towards the closest people who attack instead of protecting their own child is palpable in every chapter. I got so emotionally attached to Abby that I rooted for her plight to end from page one. This story is so relevant today that it really is a must-read. Highly recommended!

~ "I'm a lot like you so please, hello, I'm here, I'm waiting - I think I'd be good for you and you'd be good for me" ~ or so go the lyrics of a popular rock song. The lyrics are a heart cry. They present a cry to be noticed, recognized, and valued for one's worth in a relationship. In her book, Twisted Faith, Victoria Schwimley, tells the story of a teenage girl named Abigail. Abigail is both noticed and recognized by those who know her, but few see here as able to bring anything of worth into a relationship. To her parents she is the unruly child in need of discipline. To her peers at school she is the strange kid who dresses in unflattering attire. It is not a great leap to imagine how her treatment leads her into the desperate situation in which she finds herself. I don't want to reveal more of the plot for fear of producing spoilers.

Mrs. Schwimley does an excellent job at weaving her tale. It is one that is both plausible and deniable. Surely there are no people that act as those in this book - then again - maybe there are such people(terrifying thought). The story is told from the perspective of both Abigail and a local pastor named David. The chapters alternate between the viewpoints of both.

You will find yourself disagreeing with nearly everyone in this book at some point(Abigail included). There are just so many bad decisions made by so many people in this tale. However, the book should lead us all towards the same conclusion. We should show more compassion and grace to others. This is not a perfect book, but have any perfect books been written in the past five years? It is however, an excellent book and well worth a five star rating. Just like Abigail, this book has value and you will be getting a deal on the value of this book for $2.99. Well worth the price and well worth the read.

From the beginning I was hooked, wondering what would happen to Abby and David. The chapters alternate between the voices of those two characters in a way that's interesting and suspenseful. The villain (s) are believable and the story plausible. While the novel tackles some serious problems, it isn’t heavy-handed, especially given Abby’s wry sense of humor. I won’t give away any more of the plot, but rest assured there are some good twists and turns. Truly enjoyed this book!

Abby turns up outside David's parish and tells him she is suicidal. She then tells him her story about being in a religious family and becoming pregnant in school and outside marriage.
A gripping start that captivated my attention.
I enjoyed the fact that it gives you David and Abbys perspectives, drafting you deeper into the storyline and ensuring you don't miss anything.
I normally start writing about the book as reading but I have been completely drawn in and only now writing notes at 60%
This book tells the story of something that could easily be true life. It shows the most extreme of religion, teenage romance, Love of a sister and teenage pregnancy.
An absolute page Turner from the beginning this story is a roller-coaster of emotions that has kept me on edge throughout
Abby is such a strong character it was like I could feel her pain, struggles, turmoil and rare moments of happiness
Beautifully tragic
Highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone!! Such a highly talented author and I am looking forward to seeing more of her work!! Well done for such a success xx

Twisted Faith is a must read - for all ages, and religions!

Schwimley shows both the darker side of "radical Christianity" (control, condemnation, and humiliation) and what true Christianity should be (love, kindness, and acceptance) in a beautifully thoughtful story about a young girl trapped between the two.

This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster from the first page to the last. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be angry and you'll be ecstatic! You won't want to set Twisted Faith down once you start!

I cannot recommend this highly enough. Do yourself a favor and purchase Twisted Faith today!

I was totally and completely engaged in this book, and I'm an atheist. I have to admit There were a few places where my attitudes towards religion and the author's clashed. I do not believe that sex before marriage is a bad thing. Had I married the man I gave my virginity to, I would never have known real love, or sexual pleasure. But I try and check my prejudices at the door, I base my reviews on how engaging the book is and how well the author achieved what they set out to accomplish, and in both cases the writer did a great job.

This is a powerful tale about a 16 year old fundamentalist Christian, Abby, who unknowingly drinks a spiked punch at a party, has sex for the first time, and gets pregnant. The author does a wonderful job of portraying the abuse she endures at the hands of her crazy evangelical parents, and of the personal transformations this 16 year-old goes through as the life within her grows. The ability of the author to get inside a teenager’s brain is remarkable. She really nails the scorn of the gossipmongers at school, and the well meaning but clueless best friend. The author’s efforts at making the boyfriend into a good guy required a little more stretch of the imagination, but I went along with it. Without giving anything away, my only problem with this book was a certain deus-ex-machina quality to the ending. A very significant piece of information is withheld from Abby in order for the outcome to be a surprise, but the vehicles that the author puts in place in order for that to happen are not quite believable - it would have been fitting had they been as realistic as the rest of the book. The strength of this story lies in its realism, and in the very courageous way which the author approaches the controversies of religion, birth control, and teenage motherhood. I'm not saying it shouldn't have had the happy ending, it's just the details that needed to be work out.

Twisted Faith is not something I would ordinarily pick up on my own, but a like-minded friend recommended it, so I decided to give it a shot. I was surprised that it hooked me so quickly and was pretty much impossible to put down until I finished. I found the protagonist, Abby, to be very relatable, and all of the other characters were strong and helped push the story forward quickly. As for the situation of the teen pregnancy and the strict household, it was entirely believable—eerily so. I’ve never been subjected to such intense discipline (thankfully!) but I didn’t have a bit of trouble believing everything I read. Normally, a book like this might be too depressing for me, but I had such hope that Abby would find a way out of her awful predicament that I had to keep reading to find out. All of the characters awakened intense emotions in me that made it a very powerful read. Also, should mention—I’m not a Christian, which is why I normally steer clear of books like this, but at no time during my reading of it did I feel preached at or put off. This was truly a study in how far overboard people can go with their faith and the things they justify doing in the name of their religion. A disturbing book for this reason, but a great read and I am very glad I decided to give it a chance.

Victoria Schwimley writes Twisted Faith (Volume 2). This is the second book to the Faith Series with Pastor David Owens. Presenting the story of Abby, the pastor has arrived at New Hope Church to revive a struggling congregation. He quickly finds that he has stepped into a pit of snakes, as the congregation is only a bunch of complainers and gossipers. This is not his only problem as pastor of this new church.

One day as he was shutting down his computer, he receives a desperate phone call from Abby. Abby is a teenage single mother who has been relentlessly persecuted from none other than her own household for disobeying God’s commandments. She is at the point of no return and is speaking about suicide and she wants to take her young child with her. Pastor Owen’s skills as a pastor are just about to be put to the test; he never thought he would be called to actually save someone’s life. Can he help? Is there anything that can change Abby’s mind? Will God’s love and grace be enough?

Intriguing and fast-paced, this novel could be your story or someone you know. With a surprising twist at the end, one will find this novel written with compassion, true to its characters, with suspense up until the end. This might be a novel recommended for young teenage mothers, offering hope and encouragement in validating their feelings of rejection, but showing there is hope for another brighter day in Jesus Christ.

If you enjoy reading books about Christianity, you will love this story! It is a beautiful portrayal of the pitfalls and rewards of religion. It speaks of the unfortunate circumstance of religion used to shame and disgrace but also of the beautiful circumstance of religion used to love and edify. This is a well thought out story with a carefully crafted plot. The reader will learn much about love and redemption from this book.

I highly recommend Twisted Faith! To all adult audiences! It is heartfelt and knowledgeable regarding the ways of the wayward souls and of the loving souls which are found in humanity. This book is a tear jerker as it explores the profundities of what really matter in life. For anyone who enjoys pondering upon the human condition, this book is a must read!

Most sequels are not as good as the first, but in my opinion this book was better than the first! I could not put this book down! It is interesting throughout the novel, and provides wonderful twists on turns in the story of Abby's struggle as a teenage mother. What I enjoyed most about this book is that, though it is a Christian novel, it is not written from the point of view of someone who already knows the true love of Jesus Christ. Most of the story is from the perspective of Abby, who has grown up in the household of parents who think it is good to beat their children. With many joys and heartbreak, I sincerely think that this book is amazing and totally worth the read.

This book has all the heart-rending feeling and emotions of a young girl in a very difficult situation. The people who should love and help her most are a very big part of the problem. The authors deliver this tale vividly and this book would be very beneficial for adolescents and their families. The depths of the family dynamics show well-defined and powerful characters that portray a brave Pastor trying hard to do the right thing by his parishioners and his Faith. This second book in the David Owens series leaves the reader waiting anxiously for more. It is a great thing to see Young Adult novels not always written about vampires or werewolves but about the human condition and the very real problems that people of faith face every day.

Great book, but incredibly difficult to read. You're instantly drawn to Abby and her struggle and can't help but feel her pain throughout the book. Growing up in a Christian community where some folks chose to be overly strict with their children, this book definitely hits home for me. Made it a very painful story.