The Shack by WM. Paul Young

Synopsis:

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!

This is way out of my normal genre of book. If you thought yolo came out of nowhere, hold on to your seats, because this one is even more outside of my bubble. But, it was referred by a good friend, so here we are.

Even though it’s different from my tastes, I went in with a completely open mind and I didn’t dislike it.

It took me awhile to get over how many times “God” is written on each page. I mean, I get it, that’s what the book is about. But WOW. Mix it up with “Him” at least. Not to be confused with he band HIM of course.

The Shack is quite the journey from start to finish tackling all sorts of tough topics along the way leading Mack to question God and want justification for all of the pain and evil in the world. Spending time with the Holy Trinity does a number on his state of mind, and he comes out the way I believe most people wish to feel.

The Shack raises a lot of questions and makes you ponder your own life along the way. Every person who reads it will look at it differently depending on what they’re dealing with in their lives. I, myself, wanted to rip it in half and burn it a few times.

Id like to have a conversation like this with God. I’ve got a bone to pick.

4/5 Stars. Definitely worth the read. If for nothing else than a different take on what God is like.

Memorable Quotes: “Each relationship between two persons is absolutely unique. That is why you cannot love two people the same. It simply is not possible. You love each person differently because of who they are and the uniqueness that they draw out of you. And the more you know another, the richer the colors of that relationship.”

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Remember Patience by Shawn Sandhurst

First off, I enjoyed that this book was written by someone close to home here in Illinois!

Now for the review:

When faced with the worst terrorist attack the United States has ever faced, what would you do?

For a small group of high schoolers from Ridgewood, Illinois, their plan is to travel to Turkey and join the Peace Corps to try to spread the word of God and the Bible to the terrorists.

Redemption.

Does redemption work on those whose souls are black and dead inside? Simon and his Little Js can only hope so, otherwise they could end up dead by the hands of a highly dangerous terrorist organization.

This novel reads sort of like a movie. It seems like a YA/teen movie where the young characters are the hero of a story. I believe it is written this way because it is not a 100% serious book, which is first seen through the different personalities of the characters.

If you like movies/books with young powerful lead characters, I believe this would be a good read for you.

What I really enjoyed about it was the short chapters, that will stand out to me in any book I read. I love that writing style, and I feel it helps keep my interest. I finished the whole thing in two sittings, it went pretty quick, and it wasn’t dull.

And don’t forget, Remember Patience.

5/5 stars. The writing style was great, and the story certainly takes you on a journey. 

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Dog Park by Deena Marie Kaylee

Dog Park is a book to read if you want a feel-good story.

It is all centered around the love of pets and the importance of pets in life. And more than that, it is also a religious story as well.

As an animal lover myself, I really it make it enjoyed how the dogs took the main stage at different parts in this book, and it made it fun to read.

Bamboo and Brutus were the stars of this books just as love was in the stars for their owners.

It is a cute love story where two members and workers of a church come together by chance at a dog park, and their lives are never the same after that.

It brings comedy to the notion that first impressions are very important, but also shows how relationships can change when two people get to know eachother.

5/5 stars. It was short and sweet, and there were plenty of adorable doggy scenes!

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Branded Faith by Nick Wisseman

Book One:

A stranger alone in a bar. A mysterious scar around his eye. The ability to heal or to harm. A religious connection.

That is all we get out of this story. Yet, it is remarkably well rounded and interesting.

From what I described above, you may feel as if you leave the story feeling as though there is something missing, but there isn’t.

Branded Faith is the first story in a series of short stories titled Outcasts.

It leaves you wanting more, and I cannot wait to see what the next story holds.

5/5 It doesn’t give you much detail, but if it gave you any more it would ruin the story. Very intriguing way to start a collection

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Read ahead for spoilers

A Boy Named Ray by Marissa Marchan

A Boy Named ray is a story about Ray, of course, and his parents Theo and Mary.

The beginning of the story is a perfect set up for tone and flow of the story. It sheds background light on Theo and Mary’s lives together and apart. From the start, I thought that the story would be one filled with sadness. Once the story picked up however, it took on a different tone. It became happy.

After many years of wanting; Theo and Mary are blessed with a son. What they don’t know at first is that Ray is a gifted child. They were afraid that because they are disfigured, that their child would be as well. But, that wasn’t the case. Instead, he was an angel. A true gift from God. 

A Boy Named Ray teaches you to never judge someone by how they appear on the outside. They could be the most disturbing looking person, but have the kindest heart and be the most loyal person you will know. This ideal is often lost in our world and people are judged based upon their appearance every day.

This story also teaches us that we should really value our family.  They are the ones who will help you and guide you through the rough times in life. You have to accept that they may not always be perfect. But they love you and want you to be happy. Life is complicated. But, if you can set issues aside, your family will be there for you the majority of the time.

A Boy Named Ray was a very nice story, and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t expect to finish it in one day – even though it’s pretty short, but I did.

There was one thing that was wrong throughout the story and that was the tense of some of the words. Some words were in the past tense where it made no sense for them to be. I would just suggest a quick read-through and fix of those words. It isn’t too big of a deal, but it was just one thing that bothered me while reading.

4/5 stars for me. The tense needs to be looked at. 

The Ark by Kenneth Newman

As per the title, one is able to assume that this novel is about God along with Noah and the ark – which is correct. But, in this novel, Newman puts a modern spin on the whole story. Usually with religious novels, they are either hit or miss. I was a bit interested and also a bit nervous to start this book because of that. I must say, The Ark is a hit!

I thought it would take me awhile to get through this, honestly. But, it hasn’t at all. From the first page, there hasn’t been a dull moment. It is full of action.

There is the classic theme of Good vs. Evil. God vs Satan. The Humans vs The Giants. They are present throughout the whole novel.

In The Ark, Noah is cast aside by many members of the community and also his own family for his beliefs. They think he is crazy for believing so much in God and trusting Him to guide him through life. When God appears before him telling him that the world is going to end, and tells Noah that he needs to build an ark to keep him and the animals safe, everything takes a turn for the worse. The family starts falling apart, and a huge target is put onto Noah and The House of Seth from the outsiders.

Then at the end – my favorite, there is a huge twist! I never saw it coming which made me super excited.

Overall, The Ark is an easy, fun read. I, myself, am a Christian so it was especially entertaining for me to read. The chapters were short, so it makes the book seem not as long. And Newman never leaves you with a dull moment.

It is a great modernized retelling of Noah and The Ark, and I would recommend anyone who has some interest in the Bible and God to pick it up. Even non-believers could be entertained. Very well written.

5/5 Stars from me!

To purchase this novel visit 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ark-ken-newman/1111560066
or
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ark-ebook/dp/B008BTYF62
it is available for ebook and paperback!

Read ahead for spoilers