This month, CFRB presents One Smooth Stone
by Marcia Lee Laycock.About the Book:
Alex Donnelly is trying desperately to hide from his past, the police and especially God. He picks a good place to hide – the wilderness of Canada’s Yukon, but he finds even there he is pursued by all of the above. Confronted with intriguing information and burning to know more about his real parents, Alex returns to his birthplace, Seattle Washington, only to discover that his mother had tried to abort him. The trauma sends him on the run again but God has orchestrated a divine appointment for him back in the Yukon. The story is filled with miraculous healing, struggles with rage and an obsession with revenge. It illustrates that God never gives up, as Alex learns that no matter how far you run, God will find you and no matter what you have done, God will forgive you.
About the Author:
Marcia’s writing began in the attic of her parents’ home where she wrote stories for her dolls. They didn’t complain so she kept it up. God has blessed her with publication in magazines, newspapers, on radio and the web. Her work has garnered praise from notable writers Mark Buchanan, Sigmund Brouwer and Phil Callaway. Her first devotional book, The Spur of the Moment won an Award of Merit at Write Canada and her novel, One Smooth Stone, won the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award in 2006. Marcia writes a weekly devotional column that goes out to over 4,000 people. Her devotionals have been published by The Upper Room and The Quiet Hour, among others, as well as in anthologies compiled by Multnomah and Thomas Nelson. Marcia is currently the Sunday devotional columnist for Novel Journey.com and was a contributor to Hot Apple Cider.
My thoughts:
This book really exceeded my expectations. It was flat-out just a good story that had a little bit of a mystery going on, a little possibility for romance, and a whole lot of God's love. It was so very refreshing to read a story that dealt with real problems that could only be solved by turning to a real God, and also the continual theme that simply was, "You can't run away from God."
Alex is not a perfect person...not by a long shot. He pretty much becomes a loner once he becomes of age because of how badly he was treated in his early years, especially while he was in the foster system. All of a sudden, there is the possibility that he's about to receive a huge inheritance. That is...if he is the Alex Donnelly that's supposed to be receiving it. Alex actually doesn't care one whit about the money. He just wants some answers for why it involves his parents who passed away when he was just a child.
I loved how, in spite of Alex trying to run away from all that was happening to him at once, there were people all around surrounding him with Christian love. Even though the road was long and hard for pretty much everyone that was involved in Alex's life in some way or another, they never gave up on him. Wow...if only all Christians could respond like that on a daily basis, who knows what God might have in store for them?!?!
This is a great book for men and women alike. It deals with some tough issues, including rape, so it's probably best for just adults. Also, there is supposed to be a sequel in the works to One Smooth Stone....well, there's gotta be one because the very last line of the book is a cliffhanger! Hurry, Marcia, hurry! I'm ready to read it! :o)
4 Stars
Alex Donnelly is trying desperately to hide from his past, the police and especially God. He picks a good place to hide – the wilderness of Canada’s Yukon, but he finds even there he is pursued by all of the above. Confronted with intriguing information and burning to know more about his real parents, Alex returns to his birthplace, Seattle Washington, only to discover that his mother had tried to abort him. The trauma sends him on the run again but God has orchestrated a divine appointment for him back in the Yukon. The story is filled with miraculous healing, struggles with rage and an obsession with revenge. It illustrates that God never gives up, as Alex learns that no matter how far you run, God will find you and no matter what you have done, God will forgive you.
About the Author:
Marcia’s writing began in the attic of her parents’ home where she wrote stories for her dolls. They didn’t complain so she kept it up. God has blessed her with publication in magazines, newspapers, on radio and the web. Her work has garnered praise from notable writers Mark Buchanan, Sigmund Brouwer and Phil Callaway. Her first devotional book, The Spur of the Moment won an Award of Merit at Write Canada and her novel, One Smooth Stone, won the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award in 2006. Marcia writes a weekly devotional column that goes out to over 4,000 people. Her devotionals have been published by The Upper Room and The Quiet Hour, among others, as well as in anthologies compiled by Multnomah and Thomas Nelson. Marcia is currently the Sunday devotional columnist for Novel Journey.com and was a contributor to Hot Apple Cider.
My thoughts:
This book really exceeded my expectations. It was flat-out just a good story that had a little bit of a mystery going on, a little possibility for romance, and a whole lot of God's love. It was so very refreshing to read a story that dealt with real problems that could only be solved by turning to a real God, and also the continual theme that simply was, "You can't run away from God."
Alex is not a perfect person...not by a long shot. He pretty much becomes a loner once he becomes of age because of how badly he was treated in his early years, especially while he was in the foster system. All of a sudden, there is the possibility that he's about to receive a huge inheritance. That is...if he is the Alex Donnelly that's supposed to be receiving it. Alex actually doesn't care one whit about the money. He just wants some answers for why it involves his parents who passed away when he was just a child.
I loved how, in spite of Alex trying to run away from all that was happening to him at once, there were people all around surrounding him with Christian love. Even though the road was long and hard for pretty much everyone that was involved in Alex's life in some way or another, they never gave up on him. Wow...if only all Christians could respond like that on a daily basis, who knows what God might have in store for them?!?!
This is a great book for men and women alike. It deals with some tough issues, including rape, so it's probably best for just adults. Also, there is supposed to be a sequel in the works to One Smooth Stone....well, there's gotta be one because the very last line of the book is a cliffhanger! Hurry, Marcia, hurry! I'm ready to read it! :o)
4 Stars
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Great review. It sounds like a really powerful story.
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