8 Heart Review: The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

The First Phone Call from Heaven
Mitch Albom
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Page Count: 272
Release Date: November 21st 2013
Publisher: HarperLuxe (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

One autumn day, in the small northern town of Coldwater, Michigan, the phones begin ringing. The people calling are all deceased. They talk about heaven. They say they are safe and happy. Each call is greeted differently—some with relief, some with love, some with religious zeal, some with fear.

On that same day, Sully Harding is released from jail for a crime he may not have committed. During his time behind bars, his wife, Giselle, passed away, leaving him a single father filled with heartbreak and regret. He returns to his hometown of Coldwater, hoping to rebuild his life. Instead, he finds a community increasingly gripped by miracle fever. As the mysterious phone calls become more frequent, outsiders begin flocking from all over the world to be part of the blessing, changing the small town indelibly, and turning local citizens into worshiped heroes.

When his own son begins to carry a toy cell phone awaiting word from his mother, Sully has had enough. He sets out to prove that the Coldwater phenomenon is a hoax. But is it? Or could this be the world's greatest miracle? Do the calls give people hope or do they imprison the receivers in a never-ending cycle of grief?

The story follows several Coldwater residents whose lives are irrevocably touched when they are confronted with evidence that heaven exists. This remarkable novel takes us on a journey both of individual healing and society's response to the question of life after life.

Albom's work has never been so moving and unexpected. Readers of The Five People You Meet in Heaven will recognize the warmth and emotion so redolent of Albom's writing, and those who haven't yet enjoyed the power of his storytelling will thrill at the discovery of one of the best-loved writers of our time.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | Sony eStore | Kobo | Publisher

Review

"God wants people to know... not to be afraid... Dad, I was so scared when I was fighting... Every day, afraid for my life, afraid I might lose my life... But now I know. Fear is how you lose your life... a little bit at a time... What we give to fear, we take away from... faith."

Mitch Albom is one of those authors who could write about any topic under the sun and make it drop-dead amazing. He captivated readers in the past with his original stories, stunning attention to personal detail, and an unembellished, but deeply poignant style, and in his newest novel, he once again works his rare magic, reclaiming his title as my most cherished inspirational and literary fiction writer.

The First Phone Call from Heaven intimately follows the lives of the chosen children, parents, and spouses of Coldwater whose lives are forever altered when they receive phone calls from those they are mourning... their dead loved ones. Sparking extreme media interest and frenzied support, as well as protest from those who cannot let go of the controversy of divine voices coming through man-made technology, these phone calls become the world's biggest spectacle—except to Sully Harding, who is past skepticism, and now is just downright angry with the nonsense. The sudden "miracle" is giving his young son false hope, and it's making it impossible for a non-believer like him to come to terms with his wife's tragic death; through town resources and the cooperation of his community members, he is determined to expose the phone calls as an utter hoax.

But in the end, we beg to ask: Does it really matter whether the phone calls are actually a miracle from up above, or if they're a worldly intervention? After all, they are the best thing that's happened to Coldwater, and better yet, they're giving lost souls on Earth a chance to reconnect with the lost souls in heaven, and accept the notion of death.

Through the intertwined stories of various personal losses and varying levels of religiosity, Albom gives readers a glimpse of miraculous healing even when the source isn't necessarily a miracle, as well as emphasizes what it truly means to believe. The First Phone Call from Heaven contains one of Albom's characteristic fantasy worlds, so vividly illustrated in a precious literary tone and through a contemporary community.

Regardless of whether your belief is placed in a higher power or just in yourself, I guarantee you will find this an affecting novel about coping, reminiscing, and living—because all these can happen, even if you lose someone you love. It isn't a religious novel if you don't make it out to be. Albom's message isn't about God or prayer or anything remotely affiliated; it's about the importance of healing and keeping faith in our lives.

As Sully begins to accept the loss of his beautiful wife, and as he begins to crack down on the mystery of the heavenly communication, he discovers shattering secrets and an unsettling realization that, although having never received one, he is undeniably connected to these phone calls. Readers will root for Sully on his difficult path to letting go of his anger over what he considers his life's greatest injustice: forgiving those responsible, forgiving the God he's so weary of hearing about, and most of all, forgiving himself.

Pros

Albom does not disappoint // Smooth, simple, but incredibly powerful style // Fast-paced; does not drag // Beautiful inspirational message about loss, love, and life // Well-fleshed characters // Contemporary novel with an almost allegorical, fantastical tone

Cons

Obviously not extremely realistic // Keeping track of all the townsmembers' names gets a little confusing

Love

Sometimes, love brings you together even as life keeps you apart.

Verdict

Mitch Albom's newest and most anticipated book reminds individuals of the omnipresence of heaven and the impossibility of any human soul ever being forgotten, even after death. With the same seamless, heartfelt writing we all fell in love with in his previous works, as well as the kind of fresh, enlightening plot that is unique to his stories, Albom's The First Phone Call in Heaven is a breathtakingly inspirational and deeply meaningful novel about living without fear—which is to say, having faith 

8 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended (x)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher

Betrayal (Where the Heart Lives #2)
Robin Lee Hatcher

Page Count: 255
Release Date: 13 November 2012
Publisher: Zondervan
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Can two wounded hearts find a way to trust again?

It's the turn of the twentieth century and drifter Hugh Brennan is a man well acquainted with betrayal. Hugh finds himself drawn to the attractive widow, Julia, yet when he looks into her eyes, he recognizes the same hurt that haunts him. 

Julia Grace has little reason to trust men, but she's going to have to trust someone if she's to keep her ranch from the clutches of her dead husband's half-brother. Is it possible God had a hand in bringing Hugh to her door? 

The latest historical romance from award-winning author Robin Lee Hatcher and the second book in the Where the Heart Lives series, Betrayal will take you to the high desert of western Wyoming, through the crags of the Rocky Mountains, and into the hearts of two seekers learning to trust God's love no matter the circumstances.

Review

On the small farm of Sage-hen, off of Pine Creek, Wyoming, God tests the bonds of love on two broken, desperate individuals: Hugh Brennan and Julia Grace. Both have troublesome pasts that still haunt them, and both are clinging onto their faiths as tightly as they can... because they know that if they don't, they just might let go.

Hugh is burdened by an unjust accusation of a crime; he served the sentence he didn't deserve, and now he wants a fresh start. By fate, he meets Julia, who can both give and accept the help Hugh needs and has, allowing the two to slowly, steadily depend on each other. In a stormy battle between desire and committal to God, painful, unfair pasts are slowly and elaborately unraveled. I loved being able to get each Hugh and Julia's backstories little by little; it definitely kept me reading. I found it very admirable how both characters' faiths remained solid even after all they went through. They're strong people—good people—and for sticking with the Lord even when betrayed by those they loved most, they deserve each other in every aspect.

Julia is not likable. Her work offer to Hugh very generous, considering the financial situation she is in her late husband, Angus's, wake, but she's unaffectionate, which I think transpires largely due to the stiff, unfeeling dialogue. I found this to be the case in the first book in this series, Belonging; all the conversations are weak, often one-worded, and sometimes just plain unfriendly. 

Hugh, on the other hand, I liked. He's charming and the perfect gentleman, though not much of a swoon-worthy masculine hero. He's kind and virtuous, though, so I couldn't ask for a better protagonist. Through all of the characters—minor ones included—and especially through Hatcher's gorgeous, literary voice, I really felt an emotional resonance from all the relationships. Unfortunately, Julia and Hugh's "romance" was a little lacking because it's very chaste and there's no specific indication of more-than-friends feelings until the last few pages, but as a Christian novel, it successfully portrays love from all perspectives. Love isn't about being sexual or romantic; it's about finding oneself, and better yet, finding a better self within another person. In each other, Hugh and Julia find an escape from lonely childhoods, abusive pasts, and the pain of loss—an escape from the normal; such abnormality is absolutely wonderful.

My main issue with the book is the central conflicts: they're too stale. They revolve around the impending threat of Julia losing Sage-hen due to an uncertain investment, as well as the relationship with her mother that she still has the power—but not the courage—to repair. There is plenty of rising tension, but both are resolved way to quickly, way too easily; essentially, there is no climax, which is something I feel every story needs. I would have liked to see a bit of suspense, a bit of a struggle!

Betrayal makes the perfect stand-alone novel because there are no recurring situations or main characters from the first book in the series, but readers of Belonging will rejoice Hugh's reunion with his sister, Felicia, whom he has not seen since their separation upon being orphaned. This part was heartwarming, but very brief and hasted. There's no jubilant meeting scene, only a few sentences describing how Hugh finds her in Frenchman's Bluff, Idaho. I wish their reunion would have been elaborated upon.

Pros

Beautiful writing style and flow // Grounded, moral characters // Hugh is good-natured and a great character // Great cast of secondary characters // Livable, breathable historical setting // Strong Christian undertone // Not preachy // Tragic pasts are slowly revealed, which makes the reader holding on // Hugh reunites with his long-lost sister, Felicia

Cons

Passive conflicts // Julia lacks compassion // Very little romance // Said "romance" isn't very believable // Dialogue is too cool and clipped

Love

[Julia] swallowed the questions. She would let [Hugh] keep his secrets so she could keep hers.

Verdict

While the main conflicts are weakly resolved and the dialogue tends to flatten out, the emotional turmoil, unfaltering faith, and wild determination in Betrayal will strengthen readers' trust and warm their hearts. This is a story about renewal, about redemption, about leaving the things of the past in the past, and focusing on God and on the future; Hatcher's silky, glimmering prose leads it on seamlessly.

7 hearts: Not without flaws, but overall enjoyable. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Snow by Kathryn Hewitt Promo and Giveaway!

Brought to you by Virtual Book Tour Café...

Snow by Kathryn Hewitt

From WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson...

How do you know, at fifteen, what love and affection really mean? Ruth learned all too soon that love is commitment, and affection has a price. But who will ultimately make the commitment, and who will pay the price? At fifteen, Ruth thought she had her life planned out. That is until she met Luke, a charming new cadet from the local military school. After entering into a seemingly harmless teenage romance, Luke's possessive attitude and subtle remarks begin to undermine Ruth's confidence, sending her into an emotional tailspin. A beautiful young girl is suddenly lost in a grown-up world, trying desperately to hang on to a love she thought would last forever. Shattered dreams and hopeless tears become the bricks that build walls around Ruth; yet just below her broken heart, a beautiful vessel is being formed. Join Ruth on her wedding day, five years later, as her childhood friend helps her journey back to face the demons of her past.

Snow is a fiction novel, based on true events, about the struggles of a teenage girl and the consequences of a devastating mistake. Whether readers are young adults, exploring their sexuality for the first time, or an older adult, struggling to understand their teenage daughter, everyone will have a character in which to relate.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Remember Why You Play by David Thomas

Remember Why You Play
David Thomas

Page Count: 262
Release Date: Tyndale House Publishers
Publisher: 1 October, 2010
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher (Tyndale Media Center) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

If you enjoyed Friday Night Lights, this book is a must-read. Remember Why You Play documents the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the players and coaches of Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas.

Sports columnist and author David Thomas followed the team for a full season, recording a story that will inspire readers to understand that relationships are more important than winning.

One of the key events was a game that Faith Christian played against the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a school for convicted juvenile offenders. The story of this spectacular game is being made into a movie, titled One Heart, with an anticipated release in November 2010. Reminiscent of Hoosiers and Remember the Titans, this true story makes a strong statement about the impact of compassion and sportsmanship.

Remember Why You Play  is one of the few books I've read that really make me stop and think about my life and count my blessings. David Thomas's page-turning prose has the ability to both make me cry, but also keep me at the edge of my seat. As a lover of football, I really sympathized with all of the players in this unbelievable memoir.

With a smooth, journalistic style and shocking reverberations instilled with tender emotional discoveries, Remember Why You Play is an important read. If you like sports reads with strong Christian values, be sure to pick this one up. 

Stephanie Loves: "He cried on the field as he waited for the cart that would take him to an ambulance. That night he lay in his hospital bed, asking God, 'Why me? Why would You do that to me?' He later recalled, 'I was distraught because I felt like everything had worked out and God had just slammed me back to reality. I guess I had been getting too big of a head. God tends to do that.'"

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥: What I Learned Under the Sun by Kyle L. Coon

What I Learned Under the Sun
Kyle L. Coon

Page Count: 234
Release Date: 10 June, 2010
Publisher: self-published
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, via LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

People go through life and wonder, what if I had? What if I opened that door? What if I had gone right instead of left? What if I had more time? Where would my journey have taken me if I had made another decision?
Is it a mystery or is our journey all part of God's plan that will lead you to your final destination under the sun? In What I Learned Under the Sun, the only requirement is to have faith even against seemingly insurmountable odds.
So many things happened in my life where the odds of them happening were inconceivable, virtually impossibly; my journey could have come only from a Higher Power, because my life is truly unbelievable. I learned Under the Sun you have to live by faith and when the Lord opens doors for you and gives you a sign... walk through it! That door will change your life forever.

What Stephanie Thought: Kyle L. Coon presents an incredibly touching and simply unbelievable memoir in What I Learned Under the Sun. In exquisite precision and detail, he describes the things he has done—and hasn't done—in his lifetime, and in the end, shows the reader how blessed he is to have a life under the sun that he has grown to love through thick and thin, warts and all.

Beginning from his early adulthood, Coon displays the young and carefree innocence exhibited within himself. Living in sin with his then-girlfriend, Brenda, he realizes that not always are two perfectly nice people meant to be together. He then goes on explaining marriage to his beautiful wife, Marlene, and details the success and happiness he achieves then.

However, that's the end of the happy-go-lucky story in Coon's life. Soon, he discovers even under God, Satan will always find its way to shine through, when it is revealed that Marlene becomes irresponsible, going to bars at night, and randomly hooks up with other men. It's all turmoil from there, including severe bankruptcy and divorce conflicts. For three years, he describes how he was unable to see his two daughters, due to Marlene's false accusations that he was an abusive dad. Battling custody rights, Coon is able to hold his head high without ever giving up, because he knows the Lord's power is by his side.

The inconsistency of grammar and spelling is heavy, which made reading dreadful. I could not go a sentence without finding some sort of mistake, including "your/you're", missing punctuation, unnecessary punctuation, random symbols like ~ and ,,, and THIS that should never be seen in a book of text, and incorrect usage of quotation marks, bold, and italics. It was extremely annoying that Coon did not bother to edit the text. The story itself was very profound and had potential, but its illegibility made it just impossible. 

I found myself rooting for Kyle because he seems like such a kind, generous man, which I am sure he is. His life is an amazing one, and I really enjoyed reading about his struggles—and what he went through to overcome them. However, he seriously needs an editor. I know he has a follow-up memoir coming out called What I Did Under the Sun, that will detail on what happened after he gained custody of his daughters from his malicious ex-wife, so I look forward to reading that.

Stephanie Loves: "What I Learned Under the Sun is people come into your life [and] leave a lot of happy memories that last forever."
 
Radical Rating: 4 hearts: So-so; reading this book may cause wrinkles (from frowning so much). ♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor by Chuck Black

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor
Chuck Black

Page Count: 208
Release Date: 5 October, 2010
Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah (Random House)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Two friends face the  Dark Knight's deadliest scheme, but only one knight has the courage to overcome. Sir Quinlan leaves his boyhood friend to serve the Prince, fighting a battle darker and more intense than any he's ever known. The mysterious Sir Baylor recruits him into the ranks of an elite unit of knights known as the Swords of Valor, but when tragedy strikes and everyone blames Quinlan, the Swords of Valor disband, ending a legacy of heroic deeds.

Alone and despairing, Quinlan wanders the kingdom, fleeing his past. His providential encounter with Taras, a mysterious Silent Warrior and former trainer of Valor Knights, offers Quinlan a chance to redeem himself and learn the ways of the secret warriors.

The training is grueling, and just when Quinlan seems to have left his failures behind, he receives an impossible challenge from the Prince—one that will force him to face his past... and the mighty men who blame him for the tragedy that ruined them.
Can Quinlan reunite the Valor Knights in time to save the people from the Dark Knight's evil plot to rule the Kingdom off Arrethtrae, or will the Valor Knights lose the most important battle of all?

What Stephanie Thought: As a middle-age children's novel, Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor was exceptional. Kids are normally reluctant to read bible stories. However, this one didn't shove biblical references down the reader's throat and instead, used many creative gestures and characters to symbolize the ultimate figure of Christ. The reading guide at the end was extremely helpful, as it cleared up many of the connections the reader was supposed to make. 

In the land of Burkfield, Quinlan, nicknamed "Twitch" for the uncontrollable facial spasms he experiences, is not much a hero. In fact, the story starts off portraying him as sort of a sidekick to his longtime friend: the more confident, handsome, and warrior-like Tav. However, when Tav makes the decision not to serve the Prince (who is the Jesus Christ figure), it becomes clear Twitch is the true fighter.

I found many of the symbols fascinating. For instance, there was a scene where the knights of Burkfield were seduced by cute little critters called paythas. The creatures seemed adorable and harmless at first, but soon, Quinlan learned, that they were deadly monsters that were trying to rid the people of their belief for Him, the Prince. Rearrange the letters in "paytha" and you get "apathy", which is a state of indifference and lack of caring or concern. Thus, Black makes the point that apathy is one of the deadliest, contagious sins that makes mankind more vulnerable than anything. 

Another thing I liked was how action-packed this book was, but in a awing, age-appropriate way. There was mild blood and gore, but nothing you want to keep away from your kids. A couple battle scenes may be frightening for younger children, but conclusively, the knights are fighting for their love for the Prince (Christ), and good always overpowers evil.

Summing the entire book up sums the Bible up too: the Knights of Valor (Christians) fight the dark knights (evil). Lucius (Satan) is the main enemy and his Shadow Warriors (demons) are the corrupt forces attempting to overthrow Arrethtrae (Earth—Earth and Terra combined and spelled backwards). It's a good thing the Silent Warriors (angels) always come to the rescue, saving the day. The ultimate message of Black's middle grade novel through simple, youth-friendly prose, is that good will always win, as long as faith is kept strong, and love for Him is honest and eternal.

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Living Life in the Zone by Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

Living Life in the Zone
Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

Page Count: 352
Release Date: 29 December, 2009
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: Complimentary copy provided by BookSneeze in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

Power. Grace. Strength. Fearlessness. That's living life in The Zone. For many men, there's nothing more exciting than seeing an athlete elevate his game to another realm. Quarterbacks thread passes through impossibly tight creases. Golfers sink pressure-packed putts. Sluggers park baseballs ten rows deep in the cheap seats. Afterward, these athletes all say one thing: The dominance was easy. Everything came into focus. Against all reason, time slowed down.

If only we mortals were so lucky. Between the stresses of work and the pressures of parenthood and marriage, our time—our life—flies by faster than a major league heater. Can we hope to elevate our game and enter The Zone?

Living Life in The Zone is a 40-day spiritual journey for discovering abundant life. Filled with inspirational scriptures and real-life stories of playmakers such as Tony Dungy, Allan Houston, Kurt Warner, and John Wooden, this game plan will teach you what God has in store for men living In His Zone.

This is the book for men. Not just a book, but the book. Though I am not a man by any means, I was able to get through it and enjoy it immensely—I honestly cannot say I've ever read a book quite like it. It captures forty days of a man's life—your life—connecting one to both God and sports.

Starting from Day One, it accounts you to your spiritual and mental well-being. Included, are uplifting quotes and scriptures to help you through your own self-identity and self-preservation, and fantastic stories from athletes we all know and look up to. The connection to the celebrity sports figures is really want helped me realize the potential of the motive of this book: to discover "The Secret" for happiness in life, and to lead a successful one.

What I found difficult is some of the concepts used—naturally, I didn't completely comprehend the "male" aspects of the narrations. But the overall message was universal and it was this: You can be greater than you think you are; you can aspire and attain higher goals thank you think to be; and the world around you can be helped to achieve a higher degree of perfection.

Rote uses a combination of inspiring words and concepts that are easily related to, to advocate spending more time with God and finding connections within oneself in sports. The 40-day game plan is very step-by-step and self-explanatory; it doesn't feel like reading an overwhelming self-help book... it feels like reading your own journal. It is not one of those books where you can read it and voilà, your life is perfect; it's one of those books you read over and over again to tweak and orient your life as you know it until you achieve that satisfying perfection. Keep this one close to your heart because the more you read it, the more improvement you'll see. 

Radical Rating: 7 hearts: Not without flaws, but overall enjoyable. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥