Chosen as an Oprah's Book Club selection in April 1997.

Adolescent Ninah lives in a strict fundamentalist Christian community (The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind) led by her grandfather Herman. The community is governed by a series of strict rules covering everything from drinking to speaking to people outside of the community, with punishments ranging from sleeping on nettles to spending a night in a grave.

Despite the rules, Ninah cannot stop herself from falling in love with James, a boy her own age who is also her nephew by marriage. The community allows Ninah and James to become "prayer partners" in order that they can spend time with one another in the hopes of a future marriage. James and Ninah pray for Jesus to speak through them in order to help them defeat their attraction for one another, but eventually their physical attraction is too strong, and Ninah becomes pregnant, James, fearing punishment from the community, commits suicide. Ninah's insists that Jesus, rather than James, is the father of the baby.

Will be left on the bookshelves in the Rotunda.

I found this book at SFU in 2011 and I remember it was a beautiful story. I'm embarrassed and sorry to say that I forgot it on my bookshelf until now, but I am going to the Vancouver International Airport today so that's where the book will be left next :)