BOOK REVIEW: "Where There's Smoke" by Sarabeth Caplin

Pastor Henry Collins is hailed as a hero after rescuing a teenage girl from a burning church. But the real reason he was at the right place at the right time is known only to him and Hannah Mercer, the teenage girl he rescued: a girl whose faith has more to do with keeping up appearances than anything to do with God. 
Lia Anders is a classmate of Hannah’s: a girl whose coming out as a lesbian resulted in immediate expulsion from the church. As an unlikely friendship develops between the two, Hannah begins to realize the error of her hypocritical ways, and encourages Henry to make a decision that will forever alter the course of their lives. But for Henry, the price of living a lie is easier than owning up to the truth. 
Where There’s Smoke is a story that asks: who are we really? Are we the sum of all our actions? And is the note we finish our lives on the most defining of them all?

Religion. One of the main things that inspires war. One of the main things that causes arguments amongst friends. One of the main things that males you either confident or frightened.
People look towards religious leaders as perfect public figures to look up to, most often undeserving of their attentions. Pastor Henry is the perfect example of a pastor in a bad place. He should be satisfied with his lot in life, but he's not. And many people probably won't blame him.
Hannah is a lonely, kind girl who needs guidance and has questions, something forbidden in this Christian community. But she's a sympathetic character, who makes poor choices but does her best to be good.
Lia is me. Period. When you get to know her, you'll get to know me. She's a white knight in disguise, and though she was kicked out of the church, she's probably the only truly "good" person in the story, one who tries her best to be her best.
You'll meet other characters in Ms. Caplin's novella, many of whom you'll recognize from your own lives: the rude, the hypocritical, and the weak. But each and every character has a story. Some you'll pity, and some you won't, but I can guarantee that your emotions will ride a crazy rollercoaster as you read this tale.
She talks about not just religion, but the effect ot has on all of us, especially those who try to be the stereotypical "good Christian". But I was able to take one constant thing from this, that God doesn't expect perfection from us. He just expects us to be the very best we can.
You don't have to be religious to read this, and I think everyone should take a peek, if only to enjoy Ms. Caplin's simplistic storytelling.

4/5--a great story!

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BOOK REVIEW: "The Purple Robe" by David Dean

Rumors rising out of the Yucatan jungle report healings and miracles attributed to a holy relic. Father Pablo Diego Corellas discovers that even his own parishioners are making secret pilgrimages to the decrepit plantation where it is held. There, Doña Josefa, a mysterious woman who is either mystic or mad, possesses an artifact that she claims is a fragment of the robe worn by Christ at his trial. Guarded by armed Mayan farmers, she holds sway over an ever-growing number of pilgrims desperate for the healing power of the Purple Robe. Much against his own wishes, young Father Pablo is dispatched to the interior to investigate, while a police captain and a vacationing American couple make plans of their own for the robe. But when the relic is stolen, they soon discover that miracles have unforeseen consequences, and that no one is beyond their reach.

The newest novel by David Dean is quite a departure from his previous book, The Thirteenth Child. The Purple Robe is the story of a reluctant priest in Mexico whose flock is straying from the Church to a strange place of healing. He attributes it to his lack of confidence in his own prowess at the pulpit.
The story is not overly religious nor is it blasphemous. No matter your religion, you can read this book with a clear conscience. It mixes modern skepticism, ancient Mayan magic and timeless Catholicism to weave a first-rate tale that enthralls the reader and makes them think.
It has an air of mystery and a very relatable main character, for who among us has not doubted themselves and their life choices? There are also great subplots, like the police chief and the American tourists, and the stories of the parishioners in Father Pablo's church.
Being set in Mexico also gives out a certain appeal and sense of authenticity, as opposed to it being set in America or even Europe. There is a great respect for Catholicism in Mexico not found anywhere else, all while Mexico deals with severe violence on a daily basis (as mentioned in the book).
Mr. Dean took a risk writing this and the risk paid off. This is a great book!

5/5--excellent!

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