This cross-genre debut mixes elements of thriller, horror, and Christian fiction into an emotionally charged story about a young girl literally facing her inner demons. Beauty, as everyone calls her, has heard voices from a young age. Manifesting like split personalities, the eight "beings" inside of Beauty take over her body at the most inopportune times and wreak havoc in her life. After the tragic loss of a child, her mother experiences a loss in her faith, putting a stop to Beauty attending church with her father—one of the few places she feels at peace when hearing about “the Jesus man.” Throughout her life, Beauty is in a constant struggle to maintain control of her life—and her sanity— while battling these eight "oppressors.”

Hieb shines with memorable character development, crisp prose, and fast-paced storytelling. Slowly pulling back the layers and the personalities of each "voice" allows readers not to be overwhelmed by the multiple "characters" inside Beauty. As she fights to remain the dominant presence in her own mind and body, this struggle has a spiraling effect on her life, getting worse the longer she deals with these "demons" on her own. But after a tragic loss, Beauty learns more about her past, shedding light on why she is experiencing the "voices" yet terrifying her of what it all means and will reveal.

Christian faith and themes of belief are woven with care within Beauty's story—the moments of peace and quiet she finds in prayer, and the slow realization that the "voices" do not like God or Jesus, all aid in foreshadowing how Beauty ultimately will face her persistent internal struggle. A sweeping coming of age story of grappling with self-identity and faith, They Call Me Beauty is haunting and affecting, a story of mystery, loss, and redemption that will resonate with and intrigue fans of tales of spirit possession and the redemptive power of Christian faith.

Takeaway: A haunting story of spirit possession and the redemptive power of faith.

Comparable Titles: Rene Gutteridge, Katie Lowe’s Possession.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A