Ocean's Apart - Karen Kingsbury

Avon

ISBN: 0061456713

April 2008 (Reissue)

Contemporary Romance

www.karenkingsbury.com

Kiahna Siefert just cannot shake the feeling—God must be telling her something, but what? Later that day, the airplane on which she is a stewardess, unexpectedly dives into the ocean killing everyone onboard.

Max, Kiahna’s son, knows something is wrong when his neighbor, Ramey Aialea, meets his school bus. Ramey never brings Buddy, Max’s dog, when she meets the bus but today she does. Ramey tells Max that his mother has gone to live with Jesus.

Later, Ramey receives a phone call from an attorney who has a letter written by Kiahna to be given to Max. In it Kiahna tells Max of her friend, Connor Evans, an airline pilot but doesn’t mention her earlier relationship with Connor. Knowing that Ramey is unable to care for Max on a permanent basis, she would like Max to visit Connor, a married man who is Max's real father.

OCEANS APART is a wonderful story of a boy whose life has been disrupted, but who never loses his trust in God, and Connor, who now finds he has a son. Connor’s wife, Michelle, cannot handle the news that her husband was unfaithful and threatens to split the family. OCEANS APART will have the reader in tears so keep a box of tissues handy.

Originally released in 2004, OCEANS APART is an award-winning Christian fiction novel.

The Shack - William P. Young

Released December 2007

www.theshackbook.com


THE SHACK is a success story in its own right. Originally self-published, the novel has gained quite a following. Enough of one that Warner is partnering with Windblown Media to make sure the book reaches people throughout the world.

When his young daughter, Missy, is kidnapped and murdered by a serial killer, Mackenzie Allen Philips slips into an understandable depression. In desperation, he returns to the shack where Missy's bloody clothing was found. It is there that he meets God and is able to discover just why God allows him and others to suffer from such a horrific event.

THE SHACK is an inspirational novel, yet the events are covered with a realism I wasn't expecting. This made it hard to put down. Though, as I read the novel, something happened in this state that made the novel harder to take. A young girl went missing. At first, her connection to a MySpace account was blamed, but the outcome was far more horrific. Her uncle and former stepfather kidnapped her with plans of forcing her into their lurid child sex ring. Instead, she ended up dead and buried in a shallow grave. I'd like to say that things of that nature never happen in my state, but obviously that's not true. Because of these events, I found THE SHACK a little harder to read.

Sadly, tragedy strikes far too often and whatever God's intentions. I always find myself questioning, just as Mackenzie did, why He would allow a young child to be raped and murdered. THE SHACK covers a lot of possible answers to this question and is worthwhile reading.

Flesh & Blood by Dan Russ

Released July 2008
Christian Non-Fiction

www.bakerbooks.com

First, I'll start by saying that I was slightly turned off with the subtitle "Learning to Be Fully Human from the Son of Man." The first thought that went through my head was that some of us are not "Fully Human." Nitpick aside, once I started reading, I actually understood what the author meant.

FLESH-AND-BLOOD is not going to appeal to the masses. Those who are highly interested in examining the life Jesus led will enjoy this offering. It links the lessons and trials that Jesus faced with the life of any man and woman today. Topics range from sex to violence to death. In fact, it covered more than I figured I'd find. Sex is often overlooked in Christian books, but it's a fact of life and ignoring that humans are sexually driven creatures is wrong. Dan Russ covers this topic with honesty, something I appreciate.