The God Cookie

by Geoffrey Wood

Would you know if he did, if God really spoke to you– would it be booming from the heavens or just in your head?

If it was in your head, how would you know if it was God or wasn’t ?

Is God speaking right now but we’re just not listening ?

And if God does tell you something…what would you do about it?

Meet Parrish. He’s a regular guy, owns a coffee shop. He happens to be shooting the breeze with his buddies at the neighborhood Chinese buffet, talking about the dents in golf balls and such, when the discussion develops into a debate on whether or not God still speaks to people.

When his friends skip out and he is left alone, Parrish tells God he's “all in.” Ready to listen, do what he’s told, and see what happens. Only moments later, back at his table, he opens his fortune cookie to find a surprise -- instead of a proverbial statement, he reads a directive from God.

“Take the corner.”

God, via cookie, sends him on this first step of a seemingly absurd adventure. His quest sends him to the corner bus stop, where he finds a dropped and forgotten letter, written in a desperate tone, to help those God brings across his path. There, Parrish befriends Audra, a nursing student who rides the bus home. And together they begin to follow the god cookie message, pursuing the random threads of the experiment, tying them together and discovering more about themselves than either ever imagined possible.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Faith, Christian, Humor, Comedy, Romance

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Geoffrey Wood is a writer of fiction, plays and the occasional sonnet.

Reviews

[Lisa Godfrees · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was different, quirky.

From reading the back blurb, I expected the MC to be running from one fortune cookie to the next doing some really crazy things under God's direction, but that's wasn't the case. Less fortune cookie direction, more waiting on God to act. A lot like real life, actually, if you think about it. So parts of the book have great action, but other parts are slow and you're waiting for something to happen. (This is why I gave the book 4 instead of 5 stars).

The best part of this book was the dialog. Geoffrey Wood does a fantastic job of capture the crazy flow of conversations from one random thing (golf balls) to another (God). The book seems to me (a woman) to be a fairly accurate depiction of how guys relate to one another.

I enjoyed it. I think you will enjoy it. If you've read it, I'd love to hear what you thought about it, so please comment!

[Robin Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off meh for me. The main character and his two buddies who work for him engage in what is supposed to be snappy dialog but it's annoying to me. It was at page 92 the real story kicked in and I decided to finish the book. I saw some chances within the plot to develop the story further but they went missing so maybe this would make a series? Some how the buddies should get redeemed. They never are, at least I don't think so. They are comic relief apparently? There is message to the story though. I'm glad I finished.

[Cheryl Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book even more than the author's first. Perhaps it was the romantic storyline that I enjoyed. But as the author does in his first book, Leaper, he manages to give us a story full of humor and intrigue and to challenge the way we view God and our relationship to him. There are also some very beautiful, poignant passages toward the end of the book, moments that make you want to cry. Overall, I think this is his best book yet. Can't wait to see what he writes next.

[Stitch Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one as well. It's different, third person not first, and a romantic comedy subplot, but I like it and it retained the same great humor as Leaper. I would recommend this book...

[Abigail Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very funny, sweet book that helps us understand better how we should live for God. I really did enjoy this and it's one that I can read over and over again!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, fun read. Relatable characters though the two sidekick characters were a little tiring. Really liked the descriptions of hearing God.

[Jennifer]

I wanted to like this book. The book jacket sounded good. The first 28 pages were filled with inane conversation between three 20-something men, interspersed with one of them trying to talk about God, and the other two not listening. I skimmed through several more pages, and it was more of the same. I just couldn't read it. It was like the author was trying to establish that these were three cool friends who had known each other forever and liked to pick on each other. I kind of wanted to keep reading to find out how the revelations Parrish had from his seemingly random decision to start listening for God's voice all of a sudden, but I just couldn't do it.

[Susan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a TV show several years ago called "God Friended Me". If you liked that, you'll like this.

[Paula Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

an unexpected treasure: I stumbled across this book in a thrift store way back in high school, not expecting much, but it turned out to be a surprising find. Its deeply Catholic undertones might not be for everyone, but it brought something unique to the table.
hilarious and unexpectedly profound: At first glance, it’s just a quirky story about a guy and a fortune cookie, but it somehow weaves in humor and moments of deep reflection that caught me off guard. It’s both lighthearted and meaningful.
a simple yet layered premise: The story revolves around a man trying to decipher what God wants from him after a cryptic message in a fortune cookie. It’s a strange, almost absurd starting point that unfolds into a thoughtful exploration of faith and purpose.
faith and self-discovery: Beneath the humor lies a tale of someone grappling with life’s big questions—about belief, doubt, and figuring out what it means to trust in something greater than yourself.
the beauty of simplicity: it’s not a grand, earth-shattering narrative, but its charm lies in its simplicity. It’s about small, strange moments that push you to think differently about life and spirituality.

[Debbie Wentworth Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He'd only been cookie-ing a few days, but in those few, he'd trained himself to look for anything--people strolling down the sidewalk, shoppers fumbling their keys at their cars, angry men sleeping beneath trees, happy St. Bernards--any need at all. The whole world was fair game since the cookie, so he watched with deliberate eyes." p. 227
The God Cookie was a quirky, humorous, delightful book. Although not a lot happens plotwise, a lot happens characterwise. Wood's characterization of ordinary people is great.
When John Parrish decides to accept his friend and employee's challenge to "be all in for God," he believes that God is speaking to him through a fortune cookie that says, "Take the corner." Unsure of what God means, he goes to the corner bus stop and a week's worth of misadventures occur. God opens the door to new friendships, character growth, and love.

[Carol Macdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening to God, whether he speaks through a fortune cookie, or inner voice, or verse of scripture is bound to be as challenging, humorous, surprising and rewarding as Parrish discovered. An interesting and creative approach to following Jesus.

[Jenna L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book when I first took it out from the library. It was sort of on a whim. It was excellent. I finished the book and felt better about humanity and my relationship with God. A must read.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t remember when you why this book was placed on my way to read shelf. I had a difficult time finding a print copy but finally found a used copy on Amazon. This is a light and entertaining story that left me severely disappointed. So much potential left untapped in this one….

[Jennifer H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved this book since it crossed my desk in 2011. The writing makes me laugh, the characters are quirky yet feel real, and the message is heartwarming and balances silliness with real relationships, hardships, and healing. A comfort read for many years that I wish more people knew about!

[Moshe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool story. Simple, deep, touching, and somewhat profound.

[Andrea D · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some meaningful parts and the ending wasn’t bad but the journey was a little tough for me.

[Jessica the **Sexy Book Diva** · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would definitely reccomend this book but I would say that my overall impression of this book is that it is very STRANGE.

[Lisa Diee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a religious person so was looking forward to this book, but there was a disconnect for me with this story. It felt unreal and childish. I didn't finish so have no idea if it improves.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'There it was, Parrish thought. In less than 5 minutes, he'd completely failed at avoiding it, and now he either had to come out with the impossible answer or a credible lie. Very funny, God. And because this whole bit seemed God's, Parrish felt distinctly disinclined to lie, but neither did he want to tell the truth. And what was the truth?'

We often find ourselves in situations where we 'want to do the rich thing'.
The question is, by whom?

Who do we want the 'right' to be done by. By the law? By the avoiding of feeling stupid or exposed? By the keeping people from knowing what we're really thinking? By the not getting fired? By the children behaving in ways that we're not embarrassed about?

Whether you believe in God or Spirit or some other universal (multi-versal) guiding principle that knows more than you, or not, the God Cookie is about where we get our motivation from. It's about where we decide our priorities and how we begin to close in our sense of what is important in order to stay safe, in order to make choices that seem reasonable according to our small circle of experience.

It's hilarious and I loved the friendly-unfair relationships between Parrish and his employees because there's some part of us that looks at other people's lives and dictates the clean, clear lines our distance can dictate but when it comes to our own experience it is much harder to ask people to live up to that picture.

There's really so much going on in this novel, it's hard to say everything I felt-saw-thought.

[Alice Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book by author Geoffrey Wood was just as delightful as the first. Here he has a group of friends who engage in witty banter and not just the main character as in Leaper, but the humor and the poignancy are to be found here too. The premise revolves around a character who gets a fortune cookie from God. Yes, from God. And how Wood sets up the reason why the character believes the cookie fortune to be from God is probably the funniest part of the book. The book then follows the main character as he tries to be faithful to do what God has told him via cookie. He shares his adventures with a young lady he meets and a sweet romantic comedy plays out alongside the cookie quest. All ends happily (I don't think gives away anything) and we get a glimpse of what life might be like if we truly determined to be available to whatever God sends our way. I think it a fine book and an enjoyable read.

[Donald Simms · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit to liking Wood's first novel --Leaper: The Misadventures of a Not-Necessarily-Super Hero-- a tad bit more. It was more outrageously funny and fast paced, whereas the God Cookie moves more slowly at times and its characters are a bit more low-key. But that said, this book is also a wonderful read. Very funny in places and quite beautiful in others. As before, Wood places his main character in a fantastical situation --he receives a fortune Cookie from God-- and by the use of this device, he delves into some very real issues that face each and every Christian. What do we do if God asks of us something unusual and unexplained? This is an issue I face in my own life, and its nice to be able to watch his character's find their answer to that question in a spirited and humorous way. I definitely recommend this book and this author, if you haven't heard of or read him.

[Teresa mcgaha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parrish is the owner of a coffee shop and his 2 best buddies from childhood help out and they eat lunch a few times a week at the all you can eat Chinese Buffet. Well They are having an inane conversation about golf balls that involved into is God real? Parrish excuses himself and while washing up in the bathroom, asks God for a sign. Well he gets one in his fortune cookie and the adventure begins. Along the way he meets many people in many walks of life. He befriends a young woman who seems to have a big chip on her shoulder but quickly signs on to the PARRISH PROJECT. Along the way his 2 buddies provide quite a few LOL moments and Parrish provides many things to think and ponder. I haven't read many books in this genre but I have found a new author.

[John Kallaher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by author Geoffrey Wood. This time a third person story with romantic comedy elements, but the main plot revolves around a character named Parrish who gets a fortune cookie from God telling him to do something very specific. Though slower paced than Leaper, the story moves along and explores the themes of faith and our availability to God's will for our lives even when it seems odd and out of the ordinary. If you got a fortune from God telling you to do something, would you really do it? Parrish does and though he often stumbles his way along he gets points for his willingness to follow through with what God has given him to do despite what others think or say. Lots of great humor and insights. I would also highly recommend this book.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful read, even more than Wood's first book. The dialogue is funny-the three men who work together were often inane/hilarious-but there is a thought-provoking element to the plot as well. Wood takes a serious topic--being "all in" for God--and handles it with humor to get us to see what a difference it can make in one's life. There is a touching element as well, and he handles that nicely, though a bit predictably. I thought the Extra-Bit at the end was a riot, like a "bonus feature" on a dvd.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ended up giving up on this book after about thirty pages. At the same time, it wasn't so awful that it only deserves one star. It just plain didn't capture my attention. The writing seemed very male-centric to me -- not just because the characters are mostly male. The humor itself felt male, somehow. I also was waiting for the characters to develop into something more nuanced, but they remained one-dimensional to me. That said, I've heard from lots of people who loved this book, so maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it this time around. May try again later...

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed through a lot of the beginning because there was too much boring dialogue, which I think was supposed to be witty repartee between some of the characters, but maybe since I am not a guy and not into sports, it just wasn't very interesting to me.

Then I spent most of the rest of the book fearful that it was going to turn out like The Shack - preaching about Christianity - that I couldn't really relax and enjoy it too much.

That said, I did like the story overall and really liked the main character and his mission. I think I would probably like it better the next time I read it.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coffee shop owner John Parrish thinks God is speaking to him through a fortune cookie which leads him on a journey of self-discovery. The dialogue among John and his two friends/slacker employees are funny, meandering musings about everything and nothing. Ultimately, this is a book about personal faith and how to do lead a life of meaning and purpose by learning to listen and by taking opportunities to do the right thing.

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would give this 3.5 stars, so I "rounded up." The premise is good and executed well without being "preachy." It is a nice light read with enough interest developed in the characters to keep the reader turning the pages. I like exploring the idea of what it means to listen to and for God amid everyday life. I also like the exploration of how to be helpful without being intrusive, and how to to take risks to develop relationships.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you find the idiotic batter from the TV show Psych entertaining this book may be for you. Three childhood friends: Parish, Mason, and Duncan, who are 20 something work together in a coffee shop owned by Parish. This story begins with an interesting and possibly heretical conversation about being all in with God. Parish takes the challenge and tells God he is all in. God then invites him on a journey. The journey is the story and invitation.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago. I am rereading it because it is a book I really like. The conversations in it between the young male characters are funny.. . like, why does a golf ball have dents in it.
I used the book recently for my faith-based book club. I noticed this time around the front matter has a quote by my beloved Oswald Chambers, Scottish theologian and chaplain- "Trust God, and do the next thing"
I recommend this book!