Here is a review of Milk Money.
Milk Money – A Review
3 Replies
Category Archives: Book Talk
John’s Quest Book Review
Well, this is a unique review…the reader uses McDonald’s as a comparison point about my novel. Read about it here.
New Christian Fiction
Here’s a listing of the new Christian Fiction titles released in January 2009! Be sure to run out to your favorite bookstore, or go online to purchase these wonderful titles!
1. Milk Money by Cecelia Dowdy from Barbour Publishing (Heartsong Presents). Can Frank find faith in Jesus, while battling alcoholism, as he seeks the love of Emily Cooper?
2. Be Strong and Curvaceous, All About Us #3 by Shelley Adina from Hachette FaithWords. Carly Aragon’s faith is tested when she takes on a crush crasher who comes accessorized with a stalker.
3. Before the Season Ends, Lights of London, Book One by Linore Rose Burkard from Harvest House. A Christian young woman must make her way through the treacherous waters of a Regency Season in London; while her worldly, wealthy aunt tries to marry her off for money.
4. Cursebreaker, Book One of The Order of the Scrolls Series by Nancy Wentz from Whitaker House. Author Nancy Wentz’s drama unfolds in both the physical and spiritual realms, treating the reader to a thrilling tale of mystery, passion, and historical intrigue.
5. Fireflies In December by Jennifer Erin Valent from Tyndale House. A young girl comes of age amidst the racial prejudice of Depression-era Virginia.
6. Hannah Grace, The Daughters of Jacob Kane by Sharlene MacLaren from Whitaker House. A new century, a new sheriff, a new love…many things are about to change in the town of Sandy Shores.
7. Kiriath’s Quest by Rick Barry from JourneyForth Books (a division of BJU Press). A YA Christian fantasy adventure that reaffirms the value of faith, family, love and loyalty.
8. Bayou Betrayal, Book 5 of the Bayou series by Robin Caroll from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. When a woman arrives in town to meet her relatives, an arsonist doesn’t want her to stay!
9. Mommy’s Hometown Hero, Dalton Brothers Book 2 by Merrillee Whren from Steeple Hill. Ex-soldier Matt Dalton wants to bring his friend Rachel Charbonneau back to the Lord and win her heart as well.
10. No Place For A Lady, Heart Of The West Book One by Maggie Brendan from Revell. Can a Southern belle tame the heart of a rugged cowboy?
11. Paper Roses, Texas Dreams #1 by Amanda Cabot from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. There’s only one problem when mail-order bride Sarah Dobbs arrives in Texas to greet her groom: he’s been murdered.
12. Sweetwater Gap, (Women of Faith Fiction) by Denise Hunter from Thomas Nelson. A woman returns home to help save her family’s apple orchard and must face the ghosts that chased her away so many years ago.
13. The Edge of Light, Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove Series by Ann Shorey from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. It’s 1838 on the Missouri frontier–how will Molly McGarvie keep her young family together after her husband’s sudden death?
14. What Sarah Saw, Book One, Without a Trace Love Inspired Suspense continuity series by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. The tragic conclusion to a kidnapping case broke Sam and Jocelyn apart, but for a child’s sake they must join forces to uncover what Sarah saw.
I hope you purchase these books! Enjoy!
The Shack by William P. Young – A Review
The Shack by William P. Young
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Windblown Media; 1st edition (July 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0964729237
ISBN-13: 978-0964729230
From Amazon.com:
Product Description
Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant “The Shack” wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
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WARNING: SPOILER
It’s hard for me to talk about this book without giving a spoiler. I had mixed feelings about this novel for several reasons. First off, it just seemed weird for the author to make God, the Father, an African American woman. William P. Young (the author) also portrayed the Holy Spirit as an Asian woman and Jesus as a Middle Eastern man. A few people commented on this blog post that they either didn’t want to read the book because of what they’d heard about it, or didn’t want to finish reading the book.
I felt strangest when reading the scenes with Mack and Papa (the African-American woman). I guess because when I think of God personified, I automatically think of Jesus. I just can’t imagine being in the kitchen with God, The Father, as an African-American woman, asking questions about suffering while she bakes a pie!
Reading about the Asian Holy Spirit felt a little bit “off” too. It’s hard to explain why, but it just felt a little strange. My being in the garden with the female Asian Holy Spirit, while helping to plant flowers while I ask her questions about mankind and suffering is just a little bit hard to imagine.
I believe that’s where some of the controversy arises with this novel. By having the African-American woman and the female Asian Holy Spirit, the author MAY be trying to explain the trinity in an understandable way to Mack and to the reader as well?
The scenes that felt more “normal” were the ones where Mack was interacting with Jesus. I guess it’s because we have somewhat of a mental image of Jesus since we know He was here on earth, personified. I’m not sure why the scenes felt more normal when reading about Jesus, but I’m assuming this is why. Also, Jesus was a carpenter on earth, and the author shows Jesus working with tools, making a coffin for Mack’s deceased daughter.
When Mackenzie’s (Mack’s) daughter is abducted and killed, he can’t seem to shake the Great Sadness that has descended upon him. He receives a letter from Papa, asking for a meeting at the shack (where his daughter was taken before she was killed). The letter and the visit from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together, are God’s way of reaching out to Mack, helping him to heal from the grief and bitterness he’s been harboring for the last four years.
He has thought-provoking conversations with all three of his “hosts” for the weekend, demanding answers as to why his innocent daughter was brutally murdered. Papa answers Mack’s question, and in the end, Mack is able to bury his pain, both emotionally and physically. He knows his daughter still lives and is now happy. Jesus allows Mack to get a glimpse of his deceased child, now happily enjoying her afterlife.
Although this book was strange, I do think it MAY help to minister to those who have lost a child. I have a 3 year old, and if something similar were to happen to him, I know I’d suffer from Great Sadness. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit explain why evil things happen to innocent people on this earth.
I also wanted to point out that if I were to write this book, or if I were an acquiring editor, I’d suggest that the author redo the story without the African-American woman Papa and the Asian Holy Spirit in the story. I’d just have Jesus to visit Mack, and have the two of them chat about what had happened with Missy (Mack’s murdered daughter). Of course, several scenes would have to be redone in a different way, but if the book were written the way I’ve suggested, I think it may have been more effective and less controversial.
The concept used in The Shack of Jesus, coming to us directly as a person today, reminded me of a book I read a long time ago called Eli. In Eli, Davis Conrad has an accident, and when he wakes up, it appears he’s in another time and he rushes to escape from the police who are trying to catch him. A man named Eli is born, and Davis is confused because Eli claims to be the Son of God. Also, when Davis looks at the Bible, the New Testament doesn’t exist. But then he flashes back to an alternate time and sees himself hooked up to machines in a hospital (resulting from his accident). This book has science fiction qualities as it tells of a parallel universe. However, it reminded me of The Shack since it uses this scenario: what would happen if Jesus were to come today instead of two thousand years ago?
This same concept was used in Dinner With A Perfect Stranger. In Dinner With A Perfect Stranger, the main character receives an invitation from Jesus, kind of like Mack did in The Shack. This workaholic character with a troubled marriage accepts the invite and dines with Jesus at an Italian restaurant. During this dinner, he asks God about why there is so much pain and suffering in the world, demanding answers, kind of like how Mack confronted God, The Father, and Jesus, and The Holy Spirit in The Shack. However, I felt the way it was done in Dinner With A Perfect Stranger was more realistic than The Shack.
These are the ONLY THINGS in The Shack that reminded me of these two other novels! I’m in no way saying that Eli and Dinner With A Perfect Stranger are as controversial and “strange” as The Shack.
I’d be interested in hearing readers’ thoughts about this book. Leave a comment along with your EMAIL ADDRESS in this post if you’d be interested in winning this novel! If you comment and you are NOT interested in winning, then just say that you DON’T want to be entered into the drawing. I’ve heard so many positive and negative things about this novel for a long time, so I had to read it myself to see what all the fuss was about!
The Flower Of Grass by James E. Robinson
The Flower Of Grass by James Robinson
FICTION / Christian / General
ISBN: 978-0-8254-6286-3
$13.99 paperback
256 pages
JULY 2008 (Available)
I mentioned this book on my blog last August. When the publisher sent me an email with a description of this title, I knew I wanted to read it!
From Kregel:
“John Allen had come back to say goodbye. But he was too late; there would be no atonement.”
John Allen returns to his hometown after the death of his alcoholic, abusive father. He has been gone 16 years and has become a successful writer, but with major addiction problems of his own. Now he struggles to make amends with his careworn sister and dropout younger brother-and, perhaps, to pick up the pieces of his teenage love affair with Jessie.
But Jessie has grown tired of waiting for letters that ceased to come, and has married. At what cost might their love be rekindled.
An exquisitely written, passionate and thoughtful novel, this is a classic love story framing deeper themes of morality and passing time, the true nature of faith, and the delicate balance of human relationships.
I spent my Thanksgiving Day reading this novel. If you want a poetic read, then this book is for you. The author creates wonderful pictures with his words and as you read the scenes, you’ll find that James R. uses his creative imagination to make images that you’ll remember for a long time.
John Allen returns home for his father’s funeral. However, he’s arrived too late, and his dad has already been buried. John, his maimed brother Joey, and his older sister Maggie still suffer from the emotional scars caused by their father’s abuse. John moves into his father’s cabin, hoping the peace and solitude will help him to pen another novel. Instead, he battles with his alcoholism as he struggles with his actions concerning Jessie, his former sweetheart.
Jessie has grown tired of waiting for John over the years, and has since married. When John comes back to town, she struggles with his unexpected meeting invitation. John’s reappearance wreaks havoc in Jessie’s life as her husband, Tuck, feels threatened by John’s homecoming.
This was a beautifully written emotional read. I especially loved the conflicts in this novel.
Karen Kingsbury and Dandi Mackall Christmas Book Giveaway
We Believe In Christmas by Karen Kingsbury
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310712122
ISBN-13: 978-0310712121
From the inside cover:
On Christmas we give and get presents, we sing songs, and we decorate our homes. But what is Christmas really about? Is our happy holiday a Holy Day?
Find out why we place the star on the Christmas tree. Imagine Christmas guests as travelers of long ago. And let the beautiful song “Silent Night” fill your mind with pictures of the night Jesus was born. Because Chrstmas is God’s gift to us – and we look around and remember, we’ll learn to see the real Christmas.
This endearing story by bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury will capture the hearts of children, and parents and grandparents will appreciate the applications they can share.
This was a nice story which showed different aspects of the commercialism of Christmas, and then contrasted those aspects to the religious meaning of Christmas. It’s a nice, fun read to enjoy with your children over the holidays, especially as you discuss different Christmas traditions like placing the star on top of the Christmas tree.
The Gift Of The Christmas Cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310713285
ISBN-13: 978-0310713289
From Amazon.com:
Review
It’s the Depression, and Jack and his mother struggle to get by in their small town. When Jack’s mother begins to bake cookies to give away to others, she explains the history behind the family’s wooden cookie molds and draws Jack into her baking. As they work together, she tells him the story of European woodcarvers and their families in the Middle Ages making cookies in shapes that could be used to tell the story of Christ’s birth. Jack’s only Christmas gift that year is a large angel cookie, which he then gives away to a stranger who arrives on Christmas morning. Jack offers the angel cookie to the man with a few concluding sentences that convey his beliefs, neatly echoing the Biblical concept that any stranger might be an angel and must be given hospitality. The tale is told in an understated way, complemented by Chabrian’s sensitive watercolor illustrations, which convey Jack’s range of emotions.
This was a good story which teaches kids not to be selfish during the holiday season, or any season for that matter. It’s the Depression, and Jack is ecstatic to return home to find his mother baking Christmas cookies. He’s saddened to find out that the cookies are for needy families. His mother then explains how the tradition of giving Christmas cookies started, using the example of Jack’s woodcarving ancestors.
Jack is delighted to awaken and find the large angel cookie as a Christmas present from his mother. However, when a hungry stranger comes to their door, Jack learns the meaning of giving what he cherishes to others.
I enjoyed reading this story, and I’d recommend it as a nice read for youngsters.
I’m giving both of these books away. If you’d like these children’s books, please leave a comment, along with your email address. I will be drawing the names later this week. Also, I will mail out these books quickly so that the winner can enjoy these heartwarming stories with their child(ren) over the holiday season!
If you don’t win, then you can always find these titles at your local bookstore! I’m sure they’d make great early Christmas presents for your little ones!
The Shack
I just finished the controversial book The Shack today. I have mixed feelings about this book. It was definitely different than what I normally read. I’ll post my thoughts about the novel soon.
Riding Through Shadows by Sharon Ewell Foster
Riding Through Shadows by Sharon Ewell Foster
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Multnomah Books (June 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590529006
ISBN-13: 978-1590529003
From the back cover:
It’s the sixties, a time of turbulence and change, of worlds being turned upside down – even in small towns like East St. Louis, Illinois, and Tyler, Texas. And no one feels the times like eight-year-old Shirley Ferris, whose life is propelled by the rhythms of integration and televised war. Though her loving family cocoons her in the face of forces both natural and supernatural, Shirley’s life begins to unravel. All that holds her together is a bicycle, eccentric Mother Johnson, a sweet song. . . and the memories of a friend that she cannot seem to let go. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, Riding Through Shadows is a story of triumph over tragedy.
I believe I purchased this book years ago from Crossings Book Club, probably before I even got married. Since I’m a confessed bookaholic, I have a BAD HABIT of buying too many books, books that I’ll probably never read. However, I’m glad I dug this one out of my shelf recently!
This book is incredible! Shirley is in a world of confusion. As she tries to make sense of all of the racism, war, and turbulence going on in the world, she makes a secret friend in her neighborhood: the little bad girl. Shirley doesn’t know the name of her new friend, but is glad to have this girl to talk to and to confide in. When her father is sent overseas, Shirley’s mother becomes an emotional wreck. Shirley’s twin uncles try to help with the family’s plight, but her mother irrationally pushes them away.
A traumatic event occurs, breaking Shirley’s world apart and after staying in a mental institution she’s taken in by a relative, Mother Johnson. As she recuperates from her ordeal, her new Mother Johnson takes her under her wing, teaching her about God’s grace and forgiveness.
This book grabbed me from the beginning, and I read it pretty quickly. The story jumps from Shirley’s life in the sixties to the eighties. I enjoyed the way the past and present were woven together.
Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins
Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (December 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031027642X
ISBN-13: 978-0310276425
From the Back Cover
“Ever hear the dead knocking?”
Novelist Darell Brooke lived for his title as King of Suspense—until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Two years later, reclusive and bitter, he wants one thing: to plot a new novel and regain his reputation.
Kaitlan Sering, his twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, once lived for drugs. After she stole from Darell, he cut her off. Now she’s rebuilding her life. But in Kaitlan’s town two women have been murdered, and she is about to discover a third. She’s even more shocked to realize the culprit is her boyfriend, Craig, the police chief’s son.
Desperate, Kaitlan flees to her estranged grandfather. For over forty years, Darell Brooke has lived suspense. Surely he’ll devise a plan to trap the cunning Craig.
But can Darell’s muddled mind do it? And—if he tries—with what motivation? For Kaitlan’s plight may be the stunning answer to the elusive plot he seeks . . .
This book was riveting, and as usual of Collins’ style, the main character finds a dead body at the beginning of the story. When Kaitlan sees the dead woman on her bed, she immediately suspects her boyfriend Craig of the murder. She runs to her convalescing grandfather Darell, begging for his help. Kaitlan is shocked when Darell suggests she return to her home and to her murderous boyfriend. When Craig turns abusive, Kaitlan fears for her life, and wonders about her grandfather’s advice. When Craig takes her car keys and cell phone, making it hard for her to leave her secluded apartment, Kaitlin wonders if Craig is planning to kill her next.
Kaitlin calls upon God to help her through this ordeal, and Darell and his housekeeper assist Kaitlin with her recent plight.
I thought this book was riveting, and depending on how fast you read, you can finish the book quickly as each scene leads into the next. This is an intriguing novel and is definitely a page-turner.
Diamond Duo
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602602050
ISBN-13: 978-1602602052
From the back cover:
Bertha Biddle is desperately in love with Thaddeus Bloom….
Trouble is, she’s not sure he returns her affection.
When a stranger named Annie Monroe comes to Jefferson, charming every man in town, Bertha is determined to learn her beguiling secrets. But just how far will she go to win Thad’s heart?
Thad is more than smitten with Bertha. But his father plans to send him away to military school. Will Thad follow his father’s dream at the cost of losing Bertha’s love forever?
When Annie’s unsavory companion enters the scene, foul deeds are afoot, testing faith and hearts. Will a murder provoke a startling twist of fate—in this world and the next?
This was a good story with well-developed characters. The story was intriguing, and, from reading the back cover, I knew a murder was going to happen to one of the characters, and I tensed whenever something happened, wondering if the murder had taken place.
I also thought Marcia did a great job with how she portrayed Sarah and Henry, an African-American couple in the story. Sarah misses her home, and Henry wonders if he’s made a mistake, bringing Sarah so far away from her loved ones. The couple deals with problems faced by a number of marriages, including infertility.
I loved the way the author showed the attraction between Bertha and Thad. I know this is sometimes hard to do, and still keep the story sweet and tender.
Also, as you see Annie suffer from the abuse of her male companion, your heart aches for her, and you’ll find yourself hoping the woman will learn to lean on Jesus to help with her pain.
This story was a love story, and a story of friendships, it is also a story of how we need to embrace God’s grace, especially during times of hardship.
I’d also like to point out that this post is just one part of Marcia Gruver’s blog tour. If interested, here are the rest of the participants of the tour! Be sure to check out their blogs to see what they had to say about Diamond Duo: