When Saffy learns that she is adopted, she goes searching for the present that her Grandfather left for her.  It’s the one thing that can tie her to her mother.  A cute book.  Saffy and her siblings are humorous in a Pippi-Longstockings’ type of way.  McKay has written sequels about the other siblings that readers may enjoy as well.

Cornelia and Teo leave the city for the supposed peace of suburban life.  Piper struggles to balance the needs of her terminally ill best friend and her own family, and Dev, a young teenager, tries to find his place in a new town after his mom suddenly uproots him from their California home.  De los Santos skillfully weaves these three separate stories together into a sweet story of family and unexpected friendship.

After devouring These is My Words, I was thrilled to discover 2 sequels.  Sarah Prine is back again, providing for her family, defending her land and caring for the people she loves.  While the sequels don’t have quite the same authentic voice as Turner’s first book, they are still excellent books, and fans of Sarah Prine won’t be disappointed.

When Mackenzie’s daughter Missy disappears on a family camping trip, Mack has some serious questions for God.  Where was God when this tragedy took place?  Why didn’t God stop it from happening?  When will Missy’s abductor be brought to justice?  How can a loving God allow these things to happen?  But Mack never expected God to actually answer his questions.  God’s answers changed Mack’s life forever.

This is a book that Christians should read together.  It would be great for small group study or a book group.  Young’s portrayal of God is thought provoking, to say the least.  He blows away all stereotypes we may hold of an old, grey-bearded “Gandalf-type” God.  I’m not sure I agree with everything that Young says about God.  Certainly, I don’t think he gives the whole picture.  What Young does do well, is illustrate in a vivid way, God’s love for each precious human that He created.

For more info and some book excerpts, visit http://www.theshackbook.com