Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right & the Real from the start, but she was too caught up in Josh, the eldest son of one of the church’s disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh, the most popular boy at school, was the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But when she began dating Josh, getting her dad involved in a cult and herself kicked out of the house was not part of the plan.
Homeless and scared, Jamie’s life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won’t be easy, especially when her dad gets himself in serious trouble. Will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive?
Publication Date: April 26, 2012
Guest Review: Cheryl
I didn’t read the back of the book before cracking it open. I don’t like when it gives away too much, so I had no idea it where I was going. During the first ten pages, the reader is introduced to Jamie at her father’s wedding. Then, we are introduced to the church and The Teacher (who professes to be Jesus reincarnate). Immediately, I was uncomfortable with the religious topic but decided to keep going. Luckily, this was not a book about religion; it was a book about survival, fortitude, ambition, loyalty, and friendship.
Although Jamie is naïve and gullible, she has inner strength and courage. With only her savings, she finds somewhere to live, gets a job, prioritizes her needs and wants, and makes her own way. I read the entire book in one sitting because I wanted to see what she would do next and if it would work out. Jamie decides to keep her situation secret from her friends, their parents, and her teachers. She makes friends with an ex-con named LeVon who helps her learn how to manage life without her father’s money or support.
Jamie, unfortunately, is the typical teenage heroine. She is spoiled and doesn’t really understand money. She makes bad decisions where boys are concerned. She doesn’t think about who will pay for her cell phone and insurance once she is on her own. Pampered. What makes her likable is that she perseveres and doesn’t give up. What makes her tragic is that she has people that she could turn to and chooses not to tell them. What makes her realistic is that she recognizes hopelessness but doesn’t let it defeat her. In the end, loose ends are tied up a little too nicely but they only open doors to other loose ends, and that was the only thing that I didn’t like about this book.
4 bards.
Moving! 