The Shack

I don't normally read books on theology but this was on The Great American Read list so I HAD to get to it. It wasn't an awful read, I loved the narrator who really made the whole sad story sound homey and comforting. Mackenzie Phillips isn't in a great place in his life. After the brutal disappearance of his daughter and the strain it placed on his family, he's hardly equipped to deal with religion, he's just going through the motions. One day he receives an odd piece of mail, a note from God telling him to meet him at the shack (the last known place his daughter was at), and against his better judgement he actually goes. What transpires there in that shack changes his outlook on life, his attitude, and his spirituality. This book questions your beliefs on God, Jesus, the Holy Trinity, the afterlife, the what ifs and many other questions, especially the classic; "why do bad things happen to good people?"

The Seed

A profound look at an old tale in a new light. A remarkable journey filled with truth, darkness, fear, and hope. Haunted by a terrible shadow and a fearsome dragon; Tatus, Madeline, and Roark work diligently to create a labyrinth in which to trap the shadow that haunts them. Convinced that God will be pleased with their man-made Labyrinth symbol, they begin to toil on it ceaselessly, never thinking of anything else, only doing that which is familiar to keep the darkness at bay. Brick by brick they build a fortress without realizing that it is the darkness trapping them in, not vice-versa. Faced with the truth and the light, they discover the past and a path to set them free, if only they can accept it. A must read for those interested in theology and hearing God's word in another light.

I received this book for free from Litfuse in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

The Most Well Christian Romance Reader in all of Indiana

In this past year or so I've become one of the most well-read christian romance readers in all of Indiana. Bragging rights? Anyhoo, I grabbed this After All by Deborah Raney because based on the description (and it's genre) I figured it would be a quick read and I need to start zipping through my insanely large "to read" book-pile from Goodreads.

It was as I guessed an insanely fast read, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story follows Susan, the widow of a fallen fire fighter who struggles to deal with her loss, with her family (she has two adult sons), and her homeless shelter. Her husband and five other fire fighters died in a tragic fire the year before when her fledgling homeless shelter caught fire. Many people in the town thought good riddance of the homeless shelter and were aghast when she re-opened it in another location so soon after her husband's death. She faces opposition everywhere she goes, especially from Fire Chief Peter who harbors some blame at the homeless for starting the fire that killed five of his men, including Susan's husband, the year prior. Against his better judgement he starts to help out Susan and they begin to develop feelings for each other. Besides struggling to keep the shelter open, Susan must deal with the fact that her son informed her that her fallen husband had been cheating on her prior to his untimely death, and then she has to deal with the temptress herself as she tries to steal Peter away from her.

Overall, this was a small quick plot that was easy to plow through. Not the most romantic or impactful, but a light breezy beach read that fills the time. Not great, not bad. But alright for a Christian romance.

Disclaimer, this book is the third in a trilogy, although you would never know it by the way the story is set up. It stands easily on it's own, I was never once confused.

I received this book free from Goodreads giveaways in return for my unbiased, honest opinion.