Book Review: The Air We Breathe by Christa Parrish

Back Cover: Molly Fisk Needs the Courage to Face Her Fears. What She Finds Instead is a Most Unexpected Friendship.

Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. For so long she has run away from a moment long in the past, but she's not running anymore, she's hiding. Ruled by anxiety, she can only stare out the window of the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother call home, longing to go outside--to maybe take a walk with the cute boy who works in the pizza place across the street.

Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew years ago changes everything.

Back then, Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she struck up with a little girl--a silent girl who'd only talk to Claire--did she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanished, their house left abandoned.

What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding life anew?

My Review: I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book when I first started, but the back cover sounded interesting. As I opened the book the fist sentence caught my attention ("She wanted to poke out Elvis's eyes.") As I read further the book pulled me into its spell. Each chapter led to more questions that I needed to find the answer to. The characters grew and deepened, and I could not put the book down. Even though I knew I would be regretting it the next day, I stayed up till three in the morning to finish this book. It was worth it. The Air We Breathe is a character driven book, and it is full of deep issues. The characters are interesting, and the details made me feel that I was right in the story with them. Something that I really liked about this book is the lack of emphasis on romance. It was there, but the story wasn't about romance, it was about a teenage girl trying to overcome the trauma of the past. Nicely done, Christa Perrish!
My Rating:

My Recommendation: I recommend this book to readers of contemporary fiction.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

"Head down, he tracked the speckles of blood until they turned to drops, then splotches, leading him along a thin, heat-eaten stream. Something yellow was tucked in the slough grass on the near bank of the muddy pond. He strode forward, needle-and-tread awns snagging his pants, trying to stop him from finding what he knew he'd find. And then he was there, at the pond's edge, staring at a white grocery sack, yellow smiling face printed on it, two tiny feet twisted in the handles." Watch Over Me, page 8.

Deputy Benjamin Patil has changed since his military tour. After losing several toes and his best friend, Ben finds himself back home, unable to connect with his wife Abbi. When the Deputy discovers a discarded baby, only a few hours old, his life is drawn to the child and her case. While the search goes on for the baby’s mother, Ben and Abbi take the child in as foster parents. This little girl brings them closer together, but their marriage still teeters on the brink, when new evidence comes to light.

I was drawn into the story from the first page. Christa Parrish’s characters are so real and believable. Ben and Abbi have distinct character flaws, like all people, and they learn to overcome them through the story. It is a story of hope, and the search for truth. The plot kept the story moving, as new clues and struggles come into the character’s lives. I appreciated the way that Christa let the characters see their own flaws, and then try to fix them. The futile attempts didn’t work until they allowed God to work through them. I wouldn’t classify this as a fast pace suspense, but the story will keep you on your toes. I would recommend this book.

(I received this book as a free review copy.)