S.E.C.R.E.T.S. OF THE FIRST LADIES, VOLUME II

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S.E.C.R.E.T.S. OF THE FIRST LADIES, VOLUME II

Name: S.E.C.R.E.T.S. OF THE FIRST LADIES, VOLUME II
Author: Pastor Shirley

by Pastor Shirley ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2012

Church gossip without much guilt or guidance.

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Lurid tales of several pastors’ scandalous behavior, from the point of view of their quietly suffering wives.

Shirley’s tell-all confessional from the dark side of church leaders seems to scream out, “This happened to me, it could happen to you!” The explicit goal of the book is to educate the public on marital abuses, while inspiring silent First Ladies—aka church leaders’ wives—to speak out and do something to improve their lives. The last part of the book supports this goal with level-headed advice for recognizing abuse, seeking forgiveness and finding a good therapist. But in reality, the soap opera narratives of adultery, incest, drunkenness, financial indiscretion and psychological manipulation—among other sinful behaviors—are the core of its telling. Shirley delivers these with an engagingly readable, attention-grabbing, almost gossipy voice, fictionalized enough to make the stories feel individual, authentic yet common. Bible-supported advice asserts that keeping secrets for others is wrong, which helps ground the book in its ministry, although the oddly placed clip-art, singsong poetic reflections and uneven line drawings that portray the women described—inexplicably marked with street addresses—add little value. But ultimately, the stories offered here are juicy, well-told emotional tragedies; for those who find a secret pleasure in hearing about the veiled misery of lives that look perfect from the outside, this collection will unquestionably satisfy that urge. Every story is an unfinished cliffhanger to be completed in the separate, forthcoming third volume of the series, which speaks to profits rather than profundities.

Church gossip without much guilt or guidance.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Red Pig Media

Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

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BETWEEN SISTERS

by Kristin Hannah ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2003

Briskly written soap with down-to-earth types, mostly without the lachrymose contrivances of Hannah’s previous titles...

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Sisters in and out of love.

Meghann Dontess is a high-powered matrimonial lawyer in Seattle who prefers sex with strangers to emotional intimacy: a strategy bound to backfire sooner or later, warns her tough-talking shrink. It’s advice Meghann decides to ignore, along with the memories of her difficult childhood, neglectful mother, and younger sister. Though she managed to reunite Claire with Sam Cavenaugh (her father but not Meghann’s) when her mother abandoned both girls long ago, Meghann still feels guilty that her sister’s life doesn’t measure up, at least on her terms. Never married, Claire ekes out a living running a country campground with her dad and is raising her six-year-old daughter on her own. When she falls in love for the first time with an up-and-coming country musician, Meghann is appalled: Bobby Austin is a three-time loser at marriage—how on earth can Claire be so blind? Bobby’s blunt explanation doesn’t exactly satisfy the concerned big sister, who busies herself planning Claire’s dream wedding anyway. And, to relieve the stress, she beds various guys she picks up in bars, including Dr. Joe Wyatt, a neurosurgeon turned homeless drifter after the demise of his beloved wife Diane (whom he euthanized). When Claire’s awful headache turns out to be a kind of brain tumor known among neurologists as a “terminator,” Joe rallies. Turns out that Claire had befriended his wife on her deathbed, and now in turn he must try to save her. Is it too late? Will Meghann find true love at last?

Briskly written soap with down-to-earth types, mostly without the lachrymose contrivances of Hannah’s previous titles (Distant Shores, 2002, etc.). Kudos for skipping the snifflefest this time around.

Pub Date: May 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-345-45073-6

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Ballantine

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2003

Categories:

GENERAL FICTION

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THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS

by C.S. Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1942

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These letters from some important executive Down Below, to one of the junior devils here on earth, whose job is to corrupt mortals, are witty and written in a breezy style seldom found in religious literature. The author quotes Luther, who said: "The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." This the author does most successfully, for by presenting some of our modern and not-so-modern beliefs as emanating from the devil's headquarters, he succeeds in making his reader feel like an ass for ever having believed in such ideas. This kind of presentation gives the author a tremendous advantage over the reader, however, for the more timid reader may feel a sense of guilt after putting down this book. It is a clever book, and for the clever reader, rather than the too-earnest soul.