CFBA - Home Another Way

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Home Another Way by Christa Parrish - Bethany House (October 1, 2008)

After her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment, tiny infant Sarah Graham was left to be raised by her emotionally distant grandmother. As a child she turned to music for solace and even gained entrance to Juilliard. But her potentially brilliant music career ended with an unplanned pregnancy and the stillborn birth of her child.

In an attempt to escape the past, Sarah, now twenty-seven, is living life hard and fast–and she is flat broke. When her estranged father dies, she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, New York to claim her inheritance. Once there, she learns her father’s will stipulates a six-month stay before she can recieve the money. Fueled by hate and desperation, Sarah settles in for the bitter mountain winter, and as the weeks pass, she finds her life intertwining with the lives of the simple, gracious townsfolk. Can these strangers teach Sarah how to forgive and find peace?

A story of grace, of God’s never-ceasing love and the sometimes flawed, faithful people He uses to bring His purpose to pass.

If you would like to see a video book trailer of Home Another Way, go HERE.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Home Another Way, go HERE



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christa Parrish graduated high school at 16, with every intention of becoming a surgeon. After college, however, her love of all things creative led her in another direction, and she worked in both theatre and journalism.

A winner of Associated Press awards for her reporting, Christa gave up her career after the birth of her son, Jacob. She continued to write from home, doing pro bono work for the New York Family Policy Council, where her articles appeared in Focus on the Family’s Citizen magazine. She was also a finalist in World magazine’s WORLDview short story contest, sponsored by WestBow press. She now teaches literature and writing to high school students, is a homeschool mom, and lives with her family in upstate New York, where she is at work on her second novel.



MY REVIEW:

Home Another Way was one of those books that I didn't want to end. And when it did I still thought about Sarah quite a bit. This is a character that tries so hard to be unlikable and disagreeable. She has a hard time trusting people and an even hard time loving them. And yet she is met with love from the people of Jonah.

One thing I came away with after reading this book is a sense that not all people are really what they seem. I think most of us have met a Sarah that pushes back every time we try to befriend them. Now after having "walked a mile in Sarah's shoes" perhaps I can be more tolerant and realize that there might be a reason a person is responding the way they are.

Lessons aside, this book just reads so well. I was fortunate to be reading this book on a weekend when we were not as busy as we usually are. I got up on a Saturday morning, got a cup of coffee and curled up under the covers to read for just a minute. I ended up finishing the book because really there is nothing cozier than curling up with a good book.

I'll be waiting for the author's next book with anticipation. She creates realistic and likable characters and combines them with scenes that make you want to be there.