Pretty Awesome!

In the Role of Brie Hutchens was not only great because our hero Brie watches All My Children (reruns, the book the set in current times, I am pretty sure) and she uses Bianca's coming out to Erica as an audition monologue, it is SO real and so faith-based and just lovely.  And real and fresh.

Thoughtful

Heretics Anonymous was  very well done and thoughtful look at faith and the lack of it and questioning of it.  It MIGHT be offensive to some people, but I can't really imagine too many people being offended.  Well, on the other hand, I can't really imagine anyone who claims to follow Jesus Christ supporting our current President, but I have been proven wrong over and over again.  So maybe some will be offended.  Great book though, great discussion starter. 

It Only Takes a Second

In an instant life can change.  For the good and the bad.  Of course, as quickly as things can change in an instant, I am not a believer in the idea that things are then set in stone.  The story is never over. Every Single Second is a good example of that.  Here are two instances in which lives were changed in an instant.  But it wasn't the end of the story in either case.  Tricia Springstubb is a new author for me and I want to read another book by her because I really thought this was super well written, I just really didn't like the main character and I really didn't like how the book ended!  Which probably means that it was a super great book because it made me think a lot. This is a very timely book and I think it is well done, I just REALLY didn't like how it ended!  I also like that it is about Roman Catholic schools.  There just aren't a lot of books written about Roman Catholic schools.  I gave it three stars at first, but I am moving it to four, now that I have had a day to think about it.  And I would 100% recommend it.

Brutal

The Chocolate War is a brutal book.  As I've mentioned again recently, as a born and raised Presbyterian, even though I'm a Baptist now, I still believe that human nature is basically evil.  There is no good without God.  We are all, as Calvin said, totally depraved.  The behavior of the students in The Chocolate War, well it isn't surprising.  It is horrifying.  It is just another reminder that we need God and His love in this lost world.

I listened to this book and in this edition, the author, Robert Cormier, gave an introduction.  Not only did the guy have an amazing Boston accent, but he made you really want to read the book!
TCW is gritty and real and heart-breaking.  A bit dated, of course, but it is so good and real that it doesn't matter.