Authentic Beauty: The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman [Tapa blanda]

This book is more for younger girls who are in middle school or high school, especially girls who find it difficult and confusing to avoid listening to the world's perspective of their beauty, their relationship with God and their interactions with guys. Or it would be a very helpful book to read in a discipleship or mentorship with such a young woman (or a group of them).

Though the prose is often flowery and verbose (pleasant to some and not others), Leslie gracefully and powerfully presents the importance of knowing God before you're ready to think about dating. She often uses her own experiences too much and too repeatedly instead of cutting to the chase, but they are usually helpful. It's nice to have a young, real author who's gone through the struggles herself, rather than an old, angelic writer harping on the younger generation.

All in all, this is an extremely helpful book to start up discussion and provide ideas for building one's intimicy with Christ above all and through all.

In "Authentic Beauty," Leslie Ludy does a magnificent job at convincing young women that they are beautiful just the way God made them. She stresses the importance of falling in love with our "true Prince" (Jesus) before being able to fall in love with another man. Ludy assumes a very approachable style as she writes, and even tells her readers that she wants to speak to them as though they are best friends talking in a coffee shop. Ludy uses allusion, anecdotes, and listing to make her purpose of teaching women to love themselves clear and appealing to the reader. The basis of the book is a woman's relationship with God and how that affects her life; therefore, allusions to the Bible and Christ are sprinkled generously throughout the book. Every one of the 4 parts of the book begins with a Scripture quote such as: "My beloved is mine and I am his; he delights in the lilies(111)." These quotes help to tie the theme of the book together: to be lily white (pure for God). Ludy also tells many stories from her personal life such as when she was in elementary school and boys would tease her and her friends because they hadn't "developed" yet. These brief anecdotes help the reader to relate to the author and believe that the author is someone the reader can trust for advice, like a friend. Finally, Ludy uses lists to make it easier for the reader to look at and understand the information being presented. She lists questions young women should ask themselves about how they relate to the opposite sex in order to see if the young women themselves are "set apart" for their future husbands. She also lists the assumptions girls live under such as "[t]o have a successful future, a young woman must carefully follow society's pattern for success," and why they are examples of unhealthy thinking(85). These lists help young women to evaluate what is truly important in life and apply those concepts in real life situations. I greatly enjoyed this book and believe it is absolutely not a one-time kind of read. This book helped me to realize my own self-worth and that the "perfect guy" will come around when God, he, and I are ready.

This book is a must-read for any christian young woman. Leslie Ludy shines above most christian authors for young women as she shares her own story and how she has grown in her personal relationship with Jesus. I love this book more than any other "chritian living" book because you don't feel like you're being preached to, but instead that you're sitting down and having a heart to heart with a best friend. But be prepared to really study this book if you purchase it! There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained, it has been a totally awesome inspiration in my life.
Also, if you purchase this book, buy a spiral or make a place in your journal for notes and things....you will have the urge to write about what you've learned!