It is Risen

Jessica Christ #5

by H. Claire Taylor

Let there be adulting. Post-collegiate life in Austin, Texas, is going as well as Jessica McCloud had expected, meaning it’s exhausting and lonely and she’s mega broke. If she’s ever going to get her business off the ground, though, she needs to get her ass in gear. After all, groceries don’t pay for themselves. But that’s what credit cards are for, right? Same could be said for winning scratch-off tickets, except Jessica is done accepting her heavenly father’s help. If she’s going to make something of herself, she’ll accomplish it on her own, sans divine intervention. In the meantime, there’s a book of enigmatic half-truths making the rounds that she’s long overdue for reading. No, not the Bible, but the official memoirs of Reverend Jimmy Dean, for which she definitely didn’t write the foreword, regardless of what Jimmy claims. She may not know what’s between the covers, but she does know it’s part of a plot he’s hatching … though how his scheming will manifest this time is anyone’s guess. Can Jessica get traction with her bakery before the other pearly white boot drops on Jimmy’s latest power grab? And is there even a point to making something of her life when a smarter, wealthier, more charismatic force is set on twisting whatever she achieves to his own advantage? It is Risen is the fifth book in the Jessica Christ series of comedy satire masterpieces. If you like snarky humor, fresh takes on feminism, and adult hijinks, then you’ll love H. Claire Taylor’s divine comedy.Buy It is Risen today and prepare for an ungodly amount of laughter.

Genres: Fiction, Ebooks, Humor

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2017

About the author

Reader, PMS survivor, Texan, satirist, author of the Jessica Christ series and the Kilhaven Police series, podcaster, blogger and oversharer.

Send me book recommendations for humor, psychology/sociology (criminal is the most fun), indie publishing, artificial intelligence (not too technical; I'm an English major FFS), or marketing. Bonus points if you recommend something that's all of the above.

I read fantasy, sci-fi, and lit fic unless someone pushes it on me, at which point I rebel and make sure to never read that title. I don't understand it either.

Reviews

[NoSanninWa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided a review copy of this book and am glad to review it in hopes that others will enjoy it as much as I did.

I have read too many series that slowly taper off in quality or inspiration after the third or fourth volume. Jessica Christ is exactly the opposite. With each volume the author's writing is funnier, wittier, and more clearly focused. Now in volume 5 I feel that the series is really hitting its stride!

Probably the key to why this series is getting better is that it is getting much more relatable to me as an adult. Now Jessica has found a goal, but real life is cruelly getting in the way of letting her accomplish it. I can really emphasize with that, but with Jessica being the daughter of God, she has even more trouble with "real life" than I have had to deal. And definitely stranger trouble with life's reality. Much stranger. If the writing wasn't so incredibly funny, it might be upsetting.

Impressively Jessica Christ can be this fun without seeing nearly as much of the series' standard antagonists of Jimmy and Eugene Thornton. Until now a lot of the conflict and humor has boiled around those two figures. In this volume the author proves she doesn't need them to make me laugh or gasp.

Unfortunately now that I've finished reading the pun-ishingly titled, "It is Risen" I am going to have to wait for H. Claire Taylor to finish writing volume six. It is going to be a dark time until I can read the next volume.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like this installment of the JC series was a little less well-paced than the others, and it dragged. I understand the need in the narrative for the excerpts from Jimmy Dean's book, and that was part of the issue, but also, quite plainly, the whole bakery plot line simply isn't that interesting to me, and I was left disappointed that still, even with the necessity of it being a plot point in the book, that Jessica McCloud still has not figured out her philosophy of sorts. I hope to see that in the next novel, but if the protagonist is still being as indecisive and without principles after that, I worry that the series will drift into soap opera-esque serial writing, far from the original, funny, satirical social commentary I'd come to love and expect from the author. Only 3 stars, but am holding out hope that the next book will be back on track. Every series has to have one dud, right?

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved loved loved everything that H. has written, so when I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy I jumped at it. JUMPED AT IT, I SAY.

I think this is probably my favorite of the series. Not as much Jimmy as I want (I always want more Jimmy), I think the story, the writing, and Jessica's growth as a character have continued to get better with each installment. If you've read through book 4 and are wondering about picking up 5, absolutely do so.

Super duper good.

[Arin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues with the same humor and irreverence that it began with. I love this author's imagination, creativity, and fearless exploration of religion through an unwilling heroine. H. Claire Taylor creates masterful insights into the modern world and how we all struggle to find our place in it. Read this book, read the series, heck, read it twice!

[Abi Luftig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so annoyed because I thought this was the final book in the series and we'd finally find out who the Devil is (even tho I'm like 97% sure I already know) but it's not and now I gotta wait for the author to finish the next one.

Also, Jess is starting to get a little whiny. And I don't like her indecision about Chris. Break up or commit.

[Beth Peccarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story continues and Jessica still is trying to figure life out.

Jessica is closer to being a miracle bakery owner, angels continue to reveal themselves for the good of Jessica and the bad. Jesus comes to earth, Jameson Fractal returns, and Chris may have a future in the NFL. Can't wait to see how it all works out.

[C I KESZEI · Rating 4 out of 5]

The previous 4 have been truly excellent and it was always going to be a high bar to keep it going. I struggled to enjoy the Jimmy extracts in this but perhaps that was due to my rush to finish the book and get onto number 6.
It was still well written and a much needed part to fill in some gaps and ultimately build up to book 6.

[Wanda Siesicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome read!

As usual, I loved this book. As Jessica and her friends get a little older, other problems read their ugly heads. But, this time Jessica finds herself surrounded with Angels. Do they make her life any easier? Your going to have to read this book to find out. Plus, the author has a nice surprise for you at the end of the book.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. I enjoyed the first book of the series but it just got dumber with each book. I had a difficult time finishing it. I thought there would be a finale that would make it worth the time but that didn’t happen.

[Veena D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldnt finish this book. It all seemed inane and pointless - a lot of confusion from Jessica, Jesus making an appearance as human being and ….just a lot of blah.
I feel like the author kept stretching the books along so she could get to the magic number 7 to close off the series.

[Lisa Norvell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love

This is a Cracker Jack™ of a series and book 5 is the example. Jessica is growing up and gets some unexpected help.

[Amber Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

I tore through this whole series in a week. If you're super religious, this isn't for you, but if you have a healthy sense of humor and scepticism, you'll love it.

[Richard Andryszewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concept well executed!

[Michelle Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny

[Kim Gasparini · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t think this one was as good as the first 4.

[PlatoonPapa]

This series started out strong, but the main character grows up from a smart young woman into a dumber more naive girl. I guess the author just doesn't know how to end the series so believes she needs to stop the character from maturing. Very disappointing. I loved the first two, liked the next two and decided 5 would be the last I'll read.

[John Georgiou · Rating 2 out of 5]

After somehow managing to get through 5 books, I think I'm going to stop here. Were it not for Goodreads, I don't think I would have got through books 4 or 5 either. I get that this book takes a satirical view of the bible, and that the main character (Jessica) is a kid, then a teen, followed by a young adult, along with all the issues youngsters obsess about, but the lack of self confidence, and the self doubt that seems central to this series has gotten unbearable. I've found myself skipping multiple pages to get past all the whining.

The idea of God having a daughter in modern day America, is genius, the way the series plods along however is not. So much more could have been done with this idea. I feel that each book in the series is worse than the one before and is getting mired in endless whining and self doubt when it could have been so much more inspirational. The author seems fixated on the idea of Jessica being an anti-hero.