The Gospel According to Sasha Renee

by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts

Set in Chicago, "The Gospel According to Sasha Renee" is the first of four "gospels" chronicling three generations of women in an African American family and reveals the compelling story of a young woman wrestling with her views of herself, love, and spirituality. The feisty and stubborn Sasha Billingsly overcomes seemingly insurmountable circumstances with the help of her soul-mate, Langston Germaine, and the unseen forces of the spirit realm. While many Christian fiction offerings focus on characters that are already Christians, Lewis takes the reader on SashaÂ’s amazing journey to salvation and beyond. "I want to challenge the often peripheral and passive roles in which Christian writers are branded within the African American and arts community at-large. It's time for a revolutionary approach to the message."-Tracey Michae'l Lewis

Genres: Christian Fiction

186 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

As a writer and thought-leader, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts offers those who read her work and hear her speak an authentic experience; an opportunity to explore the intersection of culture, identity and faith/spirituality at the deepest levels. She is the host of the podcast, HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae’l, and founder of HeARTspace, a healing community created to serve those who have experienced trauma of any kind through the use of storytelling and the arts.

As a writer, Tracey has published 25 books including several collaborations with numerous high-profile authors. Calling herself a “literary midwife,” this NY Times Bestselling author is a highly sought-after ghostwriter/collaborator whose work includes Feeding the Soul and I Did a New Thing by Tabitha Brown, Better Not Bitter by Yusef Salaam, Sideshow by Rickey Smiley, and many others.

In 2021, Tracey became one of 20 writers who contributed to the groundbreaking book, You are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience edited by acclaimed researcher, Brene Brown, and founder of the MeToo Movement, Tarana Burke.

In 2022, Tracey’s critically-acclaimed book, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration (Gallery/Simon and Schuster) was published and in 2023 won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Instructional. Black Joy has received rave reviews from celebrities like Kerry Washington, literary authors like Kiese Laymon and Deesha Philyaw, and media outlets like Good Morning America, Essence Magazine, and USA Today.

Tracey’s book, Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence (WJK), examines the source and impact of racial violence against Black people in all its forms and offers a blueprint for the way the Christian Church can help facilitate healing. Then They Came for Mine has won the 2023 Wilbur Award, the highest honor given by the Religion Communicators Council, for excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes, in public media.

Most recently, Tracey’s dynamic journal/daily devotional, The Black Joy Playbook: 30 Days of Intentionally Reclaiming Your Delight released on October 29, 2024.

Tracey has spoken on a number of platforms around the country on topics related to race/social justice, healing, and faith/spirituality. Additionally, her freelance work has been published in print and online publications such as Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, The Chronicle for Higher Education, Ebony Magazine, TheRoot.com, and more.

Reviews

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great novel. It was hard to put down and the author was on target in many respects to identifying how relationships develop and end (friendships, romantically, spiritually etc). We all have our own journey. I'm usually not a Christian fiction reader...but I recommend this and the follow up- INTERRUPTION: The Gospel According to Crystal Justine

[Wondrously Bookish Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought The Gospel According to Sasha Renee had some really powerful moments—especially in how it explored Sasha’s spiritual struggles, her complicated family dynamics, and that unexpected twist at the end. But the pacing felt slow in places, the writing could’ve been tighter, and Sasha herself frustrated me at times. Overall, I liked the book, but I didn’t quite love it

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC.

[Makeba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although an excellent, well written book. It's the first Christian Fiction that I have ever read that didn't have a happy ending. Some might conclude that the enemy had won the battle in the end, but it wasn't the enemy, it was the choice that Sasha(the main character)had made that determined her fate.

[Lashonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. Its been a while since I read it, but the detail was good and the book was engaging. After reading this book I was impelled to read the others.

[Markita_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟|| (4/5)
The Gospel According to Sasha Renee by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts is book 1 in the Grace Women's Trilogy.

Honey, Sasha worked my nerves the entire book. She is very relatable, but man, she made me mad. This book is about Sasha handling tests of faith, Sasha's insecurities toward relationships, and her negative thinking/mind spiraling out of control. I wanted to like her, but every time she did something, she just irritated me. Lol. But I enjoyed this book a lot. I finished it in 1.5 days.

Feisty and stubborn Sasha Billingsly has never had it easy. As a young girl growing up in the shadow of her mother's expectations and the absence of a father's love, she learned early on that she would have to please people to gain love and acceptance…or find ways to make people dislike her so she could prove they were out to get her.

That is, until God intervened profoundly in her life, delivering both the help of a soulmate, Langston Germaine, and the unseen forces of the spirit realm.

The audiobook is narrated by Bahni Turpin, who did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters to life. She was easy to listen to and understand. Listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Ty Beaver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook of this re-release.

Wow! I didn’t expect that ending…like at all! Although this is a Christian romance novel, it didn’t feel very romance driven to me. Most of the book Sasha struggled with her emotions, relationships, self worth and mental health. The MMC tried to love her through it but she made it hard.

I really struggled with Sasha character & I almost DNF’f the book several times. It was tough to get through (slow paced & Sasha was annoying). Then it picked up near the very end and Ieft me shook. Just very unexpected plot twists.

I’m glad it was a audiobook as I’m not sure I would have gotten through it as a book. With that said…The narrator spoke clearly and I loved the inflection in her voice as she narrated other characters than the FMC. While I did feel she spoke clearly the story line drug at times and I had to read it at 1.5x speed for the easiest listening experience.

[Teneisha (Teesbookjourney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to The Gospel According to Sasha Renee by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts, narrated by Bahni Turpin, and I’ve got to say — the audiobook experience really worked for me. Bahni Turpin is always such a strong narrator, and paired with the almost biographical style of the writing, it pulled me in like I was listening to someone unpack their life story right in front of me.

What tripped me up a little were some of Sasha’s choices. I kept finding myself saying, “Sasha, why girl, why?” because a few of her actions felt contradictory. It didn’t ruin the book, but it did pull me out of the flow at times.

Even with that, the story left me feeling a bit out of control in the best way — like being strapped into a ride you can’t quite predict. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, but it’s also got this thread of inspiration woven through it that makes you keep listening.

I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a little drama mixed with inspiration. And for me, it’s a reminder that Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts knows how to keep a story layered and real. I’ll for sure be checking out more of her work.

[Christina Castruita · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an ending

I thought it was a good book. I loved the way the author spoke about the Spirit guiding the characters. We all need a friend like Kara and Cassandra I pray I am that kind of friend. I was so surprised at the ending, what a twist! I never expected it to end the way it did! Langston sure was full of the Holy Spirit to stay with Sasha, loved her mother! The relationship between Benson and Langston was what every man needs.I would recommend this book to everyone I know who reads, and they are missing out if they pass this one up!

[SocialButterfly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sasha Renee got on all my nerves. But I love Langston, definitely added to my Book Baes. Now back to this story, the twists were twisting!!! Good read!!!

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off slow

This book started off pretty slow so I ended up jumping ahead. The beginning reads more like it's being narrated than a dialogue between people which made it slow to me. I jumped ahead to where she meets Langston and glad it started to get interesting because I was about to put it down. Also there was an error in the story where the police named the suspect and then two pages later it said the police had no suspects, huh? The ending will shock you, I didn't even see that coming. If you find it slow at the beginning, it gets better, keep reading.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a page turner!! Loved they way the author set you up for a surprised ending!! At times I found myself rooting for the main character but then saying... “Come on Sistah come you are better than this crap!!

[Dawn Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different kind of Christian fiction; at least for me. Introspective, gritty, mystery, love, and adoration all make fir a gripping story of salvation.