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Family Honor #1
Shattered Justice
Deputy’s Sense of Justice Destroyed
There’s no way sheriff’s deputy Dan Justice could have prepared for this. He spent a lifetime ensuring his actions and faith live up to the meaning of his name—Avidan: “God is just.” Then injustice invades his world, ripping away what matters most, forever robbing him of the life he once knew. Can his sisters and small-town community—especially one woman who loves Dan—help him overcome the horrors he’s facing? Or will bitterness and anger shatter him forever?
What happens when justice fails the lawman?
Sanctuary, Oregon . A town where the local diner owner makes you drink your milk—no matter how old you are. Where juvenile delinquency means blowing up outhouses. Where folks not only know their neighbors, but care about them. For widowed sheriff’s deputy Dan Justice, it’s a place where he and his kids can heal and grow.
Shelby Wilson loves Sanctuary and her work with troubled teens. Like Jayce Dalton. Sure, he’s as troubled as they come, but Shelby knows Dan is exactly what Jayce needs. She just didn’t expect that Dan might be what she’s always needed, too.
But sleepy little Sanctuary has a dark side, steeped in pain and secrets. Secrets that could destroy everything Dan holds dear. Secrets that will one day have Dan groping through the fog toward a lifeless body—and faith-shattering grief.
Can Dan find sanctuary in the light of God’s justice?
“A surefire hit!”— Karen Kingsbury , bestselling author of Beyond Tuesday Morning
“Shattered Justice is for anyone who has ever known grief or asked God, “Why me?”— Terri Blackstock , bestselling author of River’s Edge
Story Behind the Book
“The idea for Shattered Justice came out of an article I read in the newspaper. This very thing happened to a police officer. As I read the article, I kept wondering how anyone who spent his life serving others could ever come back from such a horrific, unjust loss. Of course the details in this book differ from the event that inspired it, but the story unfolds from a similar life-shattering event and follows Dan as he struggles with grief and anger.”
There’s no way sheriff’s deputy Dan Justice could have prepared for this. He spent a lifetime ensuring his actions and faith live up to the meaning of his name—Avidan: “God is just.” Then injustice invades his world, ripping away what matters most, forever robbing him of the life he once knew. Can his sisters and small-town community—especially one woman who loves Dan—help him overcome the horrors he’s facing? Or will bitterness and anger shatter him forever?
What happens when justice fails the lawman?
Sanctuary, Oregon . A town where the local diner owner makes you drink your milk—no matter how old you are. Where juvenile delinquency means blowing up outhouses. Where folks not only know their neighbors, but care about them. For widowed sheriff’s deputy Dan Justice, it’s a place where he and his kids can heal and grow.
Shelby Wilson loves Sanctuary and her work with troubled teens. Like Jayce Dalton. Sure, he’s as troubled as they come, but Shelby knows Dan is exactly what Jayce needs. She just didn’t expect that Dan might be what she’s always needed, too.
But sleepy little Sanctuary has a dark side, steeped in pain and secrets. Secrets that could destroy everything Dan holds dear. Secrets that will one day have Dan groping through the fog toward a lifeless body—and faith-shattering grief.
Can Dan find sanctuary in the light of God’s justice?
“A surefire hit!”— Karen Kingsbury , bestselling author of Beyond Tuesday Morning
“Shattered Justice is for anyone who has ever known grief or asked God, “Why me?”— Terri Blackstock , bestselling author of River’s Edge
Story Behind the Book
“The idea for Shattered Justice came out of an article I read in the newspaper. This very thing happened to a police officer. As I read the article, I kept wondering how anyone who spent his life serving others could ever come back from such a horrific, unjust loss. Of course the details in this book differ from the event that inspired it, but the story unfolds from a similar life-shattering event and follows Dan as he struggles with grief and anger.”
362 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
20 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Karen Ball
19 books49 followersKaren's latest full-length novel, What Lies Within, has been nominated as the Best Inspirational Novel of the Year. Readers regularly call Karen's writing powerful, uplifting, and fun. She writes from her home in Oregon, where she lives with her husband, Don, and their two "kids": Dasha, a mischievous 4-month-old Siberian husky, and Dakota, an Aussie-Terrier mix that should have been named Psycho.
Next to working with words, Karen's greatest joys are playing with her dogs, laughing, savoring nature and wildlife, and finding wonder in everyday life.
Next to working with words, Karen's greatest joys are playing with her dogs, laughing, savoring nature and wildlife, and finding wonder in everyday life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 1, 2008
If you're in the mood to read something that will pull you through the absolute worse grief by introducing you to multiple characters and then brutally killing them off one by one, then by all means read this book immediately. Once again, I have to say that the reason that I read Christian fiction is for the uplifting joy of realizing again and again that God is there. I guess I'm weak and need an escape and that is what I need fiction for, but I can not handle books like this. Shattered Justice is real life in a fictious story. Real things like this happen, life like this happens. This story does have some terrible turn of events and God does get to show his love and it does end on a wonderfully happy note. It's just not my cup of tea and make-believe. But with that said, I will be reading the other two books in the series to find out what else can happen in the lives of the Justice siblings. All of that said about the context of the book, let me tell you that Karen Ball is a great author. Her writing makes you feel the realistic-ness of the story, and truly feel a part of it. She can rip your heart out and make you cry, but also giggle and laugh with the biggest grin. Even if it is not your favorite cup of tea, give her a chance, every once in a while you need some reality and see it take grief into healing.
April 28, 2009
I resisted reading this book for quite awhile because it didn't seem like my cup of tea. That was a mistake and is more proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. The storyline and writing is exquisite and moving. The mystery plot is kind of weak, but it doesn't matter because of the skillfully woven story, richly drawn characters, and beautiful scenery. I knew who the bad guy was halfway through the book. This usually bugs me to no end. In this book it didn't really bother me that much. I had to know how the story would end, how the characters would cope, and whether pain or love would win. There's something about the way this author sees the world that has me hooked and captivated. She got me to care about the characters, all of them. I liked this book well enough that I'm well into the second book in this series already. :)
June 22, 2014
I was just introduced to this author from a three author set of novellas (Three Weddings & A Giggle). This is the first of a series that seems to be getting strong reviews. Although not at my local library, I was able to get it on inter-library loan!
At first I was a bit sidetracked by the behaviors of the children. The son and daughter sit on their dad's lap at 12 and 14? It just didn't seem that the kids were being painted in realistic ways and I was distracted by it. There were other things in the storyline that didn't make sense, as well. It's a town of 650 people, yet some kids don't know others??
These minor flaws were easily forgiven for its strengths. Like any good book, the action was well paced. There were some dramatic highs and lows. The main character experiences horrible losses. But I mostly just enjoyed getting to know the people. As our family moves to a new town, we learn a bit about the residents...the newspaper man, the motherly owner of the diner, the little old ladies sitting on the rocking chairs on main street. There's some romantic undertones, but they're not the focus. Instead, we watch an evil teenager become more evil and his accomplice attempt to find the straight and narrow.
At points, I applauded the author for some strong verbal illustrations: "He didn't so much sit on the chair as subdue it." (p. 131) "His tone skittered over her like spiders in the darkness." (p. 138). I also enjoyed the literary and biblical quotes that started each chapter. They were well selected. Among my favorites:
-The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives. (Albert Schweitzer)
-There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. (Louis L'Amour)
-The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart. (Josiah G. Holland)
In summary, this is a story of understandable emotions that we all experience. Through the character's lives, we see good and evil. We see love and loss. We see bitterness and joy. But, this story was uniquely refreshing as well. It was nice to read a book with two very strong, very faithful women, one young and one old. Kudos to the author on that!!
I'm headed to the library to hunt down book #2.
At first I was a bit sidetracked by the behaviors of the children. The son and daughter sit on their dad's lap at 12 and 14? It just didn't seem that the kids were being painted in realistic ways and I was distracted by it. There were other things in the storyline that didn't make sense, as well. It's a town of 650 people, yet some kids don't know others??
These minor flaws were easily forgiven for its strengths. Like any good book, the action was well paced. There were some dramatic highs and lows. The main character experiences horrible losses. But I mostly just enjoyed getting to know the people. As our family moves to a new town, we learn a bit about the residents...the newspaper man, the motherly owner of the diner, the little old ladies sitting on the rocking chairs on main street. There's some romantic undertones, but they're not the focus. Instead, we watch an evil teenager become more evil and his accomplice attempt to find the straight and narrow.
At points, I applauded the author for some strong verbal illustrations: "He didn't so much sit on the chair as subdue it." (p. 131) "His tone skittered over her like spiders in the darkness." (p. 138). I also enjoyed the literary and biblical quotes that started each chapter. They were well selected. Among my favorites:
-The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives. (Albert Schweitzer)
-There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. (Louis L'Amour)
-The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart. (Josiah G. Holland)
In summary, this is a story of understandable emotions that we all experience. Through the character's lives, we see good and evil. We see love and loss. We see bitterness and joy. But, this story was uniquely refreshing as well. It was nice to read a book with two very strong, very faithful women, one young and one old. Kudos to the author on that!!
I'm headed to the library to hunt down book #2.
July 15, 2008
It was a very moving book. It was about a Deputy who had lost his wife. It covers living in a small town with his two children. He works with troubled children, that's where He meet a woman who shares his interests. The town called Sanctuary, is steeped in pain and secrets, that could destroy everything he holds dear. It really held my interest.
September 9, 2010
Read this after Kaleidoscope Eyes when I did not know it was part of a trilogy. It was wonderful even when I knew some bad news that I guessed would be coming based on what I had already read. I hope to give full reviews sometime in the future, but trust me, all I've read by Karen so far has been wonderful.
March 19, 2008
I like this author. I enjoyed this book - however, it was heartbreaking in sections. Cant imagine grief like this. It does show that Christ is there, always there, with you - you just need to seek Him out.
March 20, 2017
-Review for, "Shattered Justice," by Karen Ball.
Terror is found in life, but so is God's justice, and although it may not be like we would see it, it is right, and it heals!
That is the theme of this 362 page book. A very well illustrated theme, which is a message that will most definitely stay with you, even after placing the book on your overwhelmed shelves.
I bought this book a while back, on sale, drawn in by the cover and back cover images (they are quite intriguing, no doubt!). However, as I read reviews on it, as well as flipped through the pages, I began to think this book just wasn't for me, not liking to cry me. I was wrong, and I'm not afraid to state it. This book was AMAZING, and the writing here was stunning! This book reached out to grab me, pull me in, push me almost into panic attacks, made me cry and cover my face, though I must also include the fact it brought me a smile (or many), stayed in mind, and brought me great peace and enjoyment. This book is a keeper!
(And that's saying something--I'm a hard critic to please!)
So Positive I Cried:
(The Positive List...)
#1. I know that character! Really, I feel as though each character mentioned was drawn beautifully within my mind. With a permanent marker. Forever. And ever.
In fact, I believe this book helped me gain better insight on writing characters in my own stories. They were stand out, believable, real life characters. A character's thoughts as well as the actions following helped to explain what was going on, and not only who a person seemed to be, but what really went on in their mind. Characters--spot on extraordinary! If only other books had such grand of personalities!
#2. Quotes and verses all around to help explain makes me glad. It truly does. When I write, I always seek to find some facts to back up and help explain my motivation to the chapters and stories; it seems creative, clever, and unique because not many authors do that. Karen Ball is my future self. The quotes and verses that started every chapter was elegant and thought provoking.
Two of my favorites:
"Noble souls through dust and heat, rise from disaster and defeat the stronger."
Psalms 90:12
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
#3. Theologically correct, may I add? This book was based upon Christ, His justice, and His care for us in hard times. Every chapter made my mind turn to God, and I adored that! This is a true Christian author, of which we don't see many of; I know from the true facts taken from the Word that Mrs.Ball is quite a follower of the Lord, and I am glad to be a new fan! God will be there to help, and I'm so glad of it!
#4. Into the Word we go! The many verse references shown kept me with my Bible by my side. We need that. This world needs that. Any book that draws us to the Bible is a book worth reading (maybe even over and over again).
#5. Format perfection. I'm a nut for beauty, and when I say beauty, I mean beautiful paragraphs, crafted and graced with a random touch of sentence fragment, or a sentence in italics at just the right point, or the simple yet profound sentences that make you want to read them again, or the font that just sings to your tired eyes. This book is so beautiful. Perfect!
Sorrowful Negatives With My Tissue:
(The sad negatives list, but a list that's not very long this time. Shocking, right?)
#1. Wrong Bible. I know, I add this to every review it seems, but it's important to me, although it's not too important to many people at all now. The KJV is the true Word of God. Sadly, the NIV was used here in every verse, and I had to re-read these references in my Bible to understand what it really said; other versions corrupt the wording, and change important meanings. Can I get a KJV author? Anyone?
#2. Sad. Sad. Sad.
I used to write stories with a lot of death, and my Mother would scold me telling me everything didn't need to be so sad--since then, my stories are a little dark, but I usually don't need tissues. This book... well, just get the tissues, okay? There's a lot of death here, and not only that, but a lot of pain as a result. Although, the good thing about this bad thing is that she had a point in adding such trouble; no pain was not for a purpose. While reading you may cry, exclaim, "No! No! No!", as well as shake, and tell yourself you won't read any more of this ever again, but trust me when I say that after an hour or two, you'll go back, pick it up again, and find yourself feeling every shake of the plot, and will smile in victory at the end, just like Dan. It's worth it.
This was not a waste of my time, and I was shocked to find myself finishing this in one week. One week! (Even in a busy schedule.)
I'll definitely be reading Karen Ball's other books, and definitely carrying a box of tissues with me. This book was really grand, and shockingly enough, just as good as the cover! How often can you say that? Huh?
I feel this writer is someone I can gain insight from, as she seems to write with the same inspiration I do--Jesus and His love!
Read this book! It may bring you to tears, but you won't stay there.
Psalms 30:5 - For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.
Jesus is there for you, for Jesus loves you!
~M.K.
www.forjesusfirstlovedme.wordpress.com
†
Terror is found in life, but so is God's justice, and although it may not be like we would see it, it is right, and it heals!
That is the theme of this 362 page book. A very well illustrated theme, which is a message that will most definitely stay with you, even after placing the book on your overwhelmed shelves.
I bought this book a while back, on sale, drawn in by the cover and back cover images (they are quite intriguing, no doubt!). However, as I read reviews on it, as well as flipped through the pages, I began to think this book just wasn't for me, not liking to cry me. I was wrong, and I'm not afraid to state it. This book was AMAZING, and the writing here was stunning! This book reached out to grab me, pull me in, push me almost into panic attacks, made me cry and cover my face, though I must also include the fact it brought me a smile (or many), stayed in mind, and brought me great peace and enjoyment. This book is a keeper!
(And that's saying something--I'm a hard critic to please!)
So Positive I Cried:
(The Positive List...)
#1. I know that character! Really, I feel as though each character mentioned was drawn beautifully within my mind. With a permanent marker. Forever. And ever.
In fact, I believe this book helped me gain better insight on writing characters in my own stories. They were stand out, believable, real life characters. A character's thoughts as well as the actions following helped to explain what was going on, and not only who a person seemed to be, but what really went on in their mind. Characters--spot on extraordinary! If only other books had such grand of personalities!
#2. Quotes and verses all around to help explain makes me glad. It truly does. When I write, I always seek to find some facts to back up and help explain my motivation to the chapters and stories; it seems creative, clever, and unique because not many authors do that. Karen Ball is my future self. The quotes and verses that started every chapter was elegant and thought provoking.
Two of my favorites:
"Noble souls through dust and heat, rise from disaster and defeat the stronger."
Psalms 90:12
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
#3. Theologically correct, may I add? This book was based upon Christ, His justice, and His care for us in hard times. Every chapter made my mind turn to God, and I adored that! This is a true Christian author, of which we don't see many of; I know from the true facts taken from the Word that Mrs.Ball is quite a follower of the Lord, and I am glad to be a new fan! God will be there to help, and I'm so glad of it!
#4. Into the Word we go! The many verse references shown kept me with my Bible by my side. We need that. This world needs that. Any book that draws us to the Bible is a book worth reading (maybe even over and over again).
#5. Format perfection. I'm a nut for beauty, and when I say beauty, I mean beautiful paragraphs, crafted and graced with a random touch of sentence fragment, or a sentence in italics at just the right point, or the simple yet profound sentences that make you want to read them again, or the font that just sings to your tired eyes. This book is so beautiful. Perfect!
Sorrowful Negatives With My Tissue:
(The sad negatives list, but a list that's not very long this time. Shocking, right?)
#1. Wrong Bible. I know, I add this to every review it seems, but it's important to me, although it's not too important to many people at all now. The KJV is the true Word of God. Sadly, the NIV was used here in every verse, and I had to re-read these references in my Bible to understand what it really said; other versions corrupt the wording, and change important meanings. Can I get a KJV author? Anyone?
#2. Sad. Sad. Sad.
I used to write stories with a lot of death, and my Mother would scold me telling me everything didn't need to be so sad--since then, my stories are a little dark, but I usually don't need tissues. This book... well, just get the tissues, okay? There's a lot of death here, and not only that, but a lot of pain as a result. Although, the good thing about this bad thing is that she had a point in adding such trouble; no pain was not for a purpose. While reading you may cry, exclaim, "No! No! No!", as well as shake, and tell yourself you won't read any more of this ever again, but trust me when I say that after an hour or two, you'll go back, pick it up again, and find yourself feeling every shake of the plot, and will smile in victory at the end, just like Dan. It's worth it.
This was not a waste of my time, and I was shocked to find myself finishing this in one week. One week! (Even in a busy schedule.)
I'll definitely be reading Karen Ball's other books, and definitely carrying a box of tissues with me. This book was really grand, and shockingly enough, just as good as the cover! How often can you say that? Huh?
I feel this writer is someone I can gain insight from, as she seems to write with the same inspiration I do--Jesus and His love!
Read this book! It may bring you to tears, but you won't stay there.
Psalms 30:5 - For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.
Jesus is there for you, for Jesus loves you!
~M.K.
www.forjesusfirstlovedme.wordpress.com
†
July 15, 2019
My morning walks always lend themselves to a riveting suspense audiobook. I often choose books I have missed or authors I haven’t read yet. A few weeks back I listened to Shattered Justice by seasoned, but new-to-me, author Karen Ball. While this book was published some years back, it still was a fresh and relevant read, due mostly to the questions that it generated about how Christians live their faith, especially in times of hard testing. Main character Dan Justice can be likened to a modern day Job — he suffers loss after loss and begins to question the goodness of God. Ball made him so very real! I liked his very realistic and relatable struggling — glad he is only fictional! The novel is suspense all the way and helped to pass the miles away. I also liked the reader very much. One of the best parts of this book? More to come from other characters introduced in this novel! Two more books in the Family Honor series are available.
A great choice for fans of suspense and for book club discussions, Shattered Justice is a recommended read.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(I purchased this book from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
A great choice for fans of suspense and for book club discussions, Shattered Justice is a recommended read.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(I purchased this book from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
September 20, 2023
Good story. I like the characters a lot especially the two children of the main character. As far as the crime goes it's a bit dramatic not unlike an NCIS, CSI, or any other crime show.
📚my ratings:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved it. Couldn't put it down. I will probably read it again and it has a place in my library.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Enjoyed it. Good characters, great story. if nonfiction, great information, interesting topic.
⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Glad I read it, but won't read again.
⭐⭐: okay, I won't read it again, it will not be kept for my library.
⭐: I didn't like it, don't recommend it.
📚my ratings:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved it. Couldn't put it down. I will probably read it again and it has a place in my library.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Enjoyed it. Good characters, great story. if nonfiction, great information, interesting topic.
⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Glad I read it, but won't read again.
⭐⭐: okay, I won't read it again, it will not be kept for my library.
⭐: I didn't like it, don't recommend it.
August 27, 2019
This was an okay book - not great, not terrible ... just okay. I felt like it could have started a lot later than it did, and it still would have been an effective story. Plus, the romance scenes were tediously corny, and the ending was completely predictable - not thoroughly unpleasant, just predictable.
Still, I'm looking forward to reading Kaleidoscope Eyes. I feel like Annie's story will be much more compelling than that of her big brother.
Still, I'm looking forward to reading Kaleidoscope Eyes. I feel like Annie's story will be much more compelling than that of her big brother.
June 14, 2018
Wonderful Christian fiction
I gave this book a five star rating because it held my attention, and I didn't want to put it down. I really liked the way that the author showed how God can take you through the rough times of life if you trust Him. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fiction thrillers.
I gave this book a five star rating because it held my attention, and I didn't want to put it down. I really liked the way that the author showed how God can take you through the rough times of life if you trust Him. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fiction thrillers.
November 8, 2020
Through the power of story Karen Ball takes on the tough question we may all grapple at some time or another ... why me, God? Faith shattering grief, questions with no answers, sprinkled with a romance and mystery keep you enthralled in the story. Karen has a powerful writing voice that blends humor, tragedy, and the stuggles of life, with the honesty of God's truth.
June 28, 2018
If you want to read a tear jerker, this is the book. Actually not my thing at all. I did care enough about the characters to finish the book, although, truth to tell, I skimmed over the sad parts. I hate to cry. But I won't read any more of the sereis.
January 13, 2026
I re-read this series from when I was a teen and I just enjoy them a lot. This is by far the heaviest book in the series but I love a good cry and I really appreciate the way they used Asian from Narnia as a tool and children’s faith as such a huge part of the storyline.
February 23, 2018
Loved this book. Couldn't put it down.
July 31, 2019
Definitely tragic but ultimately hopeful. Karen Ball writes very engaging stories.
April 2, 2021
Enjoyed how this author drew you into the storyline.
October 25, 2024
Good read although I thought it was a lot of suffering. But the message of hope and God's provision is good.
December 3, 2013
I'm not really sure what book I was reading the last time I read this book because the book I just read in no way was good enough for four stars. In fact, it was one of the most cliché books I've read recently.
The characters were flat. The conversions unbelievable. The plot stretched over too much time stretching it beyond the limited plausibility it already had. Put simply, this book lacked depth of any kind. I kept reading hoping that it would get better towards the end but ended up disappointed. If anything it got worse as it progressed.
This plot had so much potential. If Ms. Ball had tightened the time frame and worked on exploring the depth of emotions possible for her main character this could have been an amazing book. Unfortunately, she did not so the book ends up being an almost but far from good enough effort.
I do not recommend this book. It's not worth the time and effort of a simple reading.
The characters were flat. The conversions unbelievable. The plot stretched over too much time stretching it beyond the limited plausibility it already had. Put simply, this book lacked depth of any kind. I kept reading hoping that it would get better towards the end but ended up disappointed. If anything it got worse as it progressed.
This plot had so much potential. If Ms. Ball had tightened the time frame and worked on exploring the depth of emotions possible for her main character this could have been an amazing book. Unfortunately, she did not so the book ends up being an almost but far from good enough effort.
I do not recommend this book. It's not worth the time and effort of a simple reading.
December 31, 2009
This book is the cheesiest thing I have ever read. But the thing that bothers me the most about this book are the kids. No self respecting 12 and 14 year old would act the way these kids do. I have never seen a 7th grader who would ask her daddy to make her a unicorn pancake and then can't eat it "because it looks like the real thing". The part about her daddy taking it to a field of flowers for the rabbits to eat pushed me over the top. The grief and death seem a little forced. The mother dies early on from bee stings (an allergy she didn't know she had even though she is supposed to have loved the outdoors). I'm about a third of the way through this book. I usually don't give up on books but this one...I don't know.
December 3, 2013
A review from my old blog...
I have to admit that I accidentally read the second book in the series first so I knew the outcome of the story at the outset.
While Ball creates a compelling story with moving characters I think that the time span of the story makes it a bit unbelievable. For instance, Ball starts the story when Dan was married to his first wife Sarah and sets up the "perfect family" situation. That in itself necessitates an added two years to the time line.
Other than that I loved the book and felt for the characters. I almost didn't want the story to end and know that I would have felt that way had I not known the ultimate outcome for the characters.
I definitely recommend this book and this series.
I have to admit that I accidentally read the second book in the series first so I knew the outcome of the story at the outset.
While Ball creates a compelling story with moving characters I think that the time span of the story makes it a bit unbelievable. For instance, Ball starts the story when Dan was married to his first wife Sarah and sets up the "perfect family" situation. That in itself necessitates an added two years to the time line.
Other than that I loved the book and felt for the characters. I almost didn't want the story to end and know that I would have felt that way had I not known the ultimate outcome for the characters.
I definitely recommend this book and this series.
July 12, 2010
What happens when Justice fails the lawman?
This book starts with tragedy, and you're still reeling from that when more tragedy strikes. And it never really stops. It's a heart-pounding read.
I would have given it more stars but for a couple of issues:
1. the character's last name is Justice. Given that he's a deputy sheriff, the choice of name comes across more as cheesy than meaningful.
2. There's no clear timeline. Flashbacks are written without being announced as such. Then there are gaps in time so you don't know how much time has passed between scenes and/or chapters. It all makes it a little confusing.
This book starts with tragedy, and you're still reeling from that when more tragedy strikes. And it never really stops. It's a heart-pounding read.
I would have given it more stars but for a couple of issues:
1. the character's last name is Justice. Given that he's a deputy sheriff, the choice of name comes across more as cheesy than meaningful.
2. There's no clear timeline. Flashbacks are written without being announced as such. Then there are gaps in time so you don't know how much time has passed between scenes and/or chapters. It all makes it a little confusing.
September 4, 2016
A hard book for me to read. My rating is actually 3.5 stars but I upped it due to the short chapters, good (moving) plot and great chapter headings.
Suffering is not a popular topic and it's heavy throughout this story. Kudos to KB for tackling it. I liked the writing style; it worked well.
I am intrigued by Dan's sisters jobs and their strong faith and look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
Suffering is not a popular topic and it's heavy throughout this story. Kudos to KB for tackling it. I liked the writing style; it worked well.
I am intrigued by Dan's sisters jobs and their strong faith and look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
April 8, 2009
Okay, so I really, really wanted to read this book. My library didn't have it, so I borrowed it on interlibrary loan. I was soooo excited when I saw that it was at the library !!! And then .... I read it. It is the saddest book I have ever even held in my hands !!! I will never read this book again ... even if it was well-written ....
October 15, 2008
Christian fiction with a lot of drama. Get the tissue if you plan on reading this one. It brings a lot of the Word to life in the main characters. Inspiring and a very good read.
One man's loss brings him and the others around him closer to God.
One man's loss brings him and the others around him closer to God.
November 19, 2008
I really enjoyed this book and I am going to start reading the second book in the series. This book was an emotional ride and Dan Justice's reaction to tragedy is probably how most of us would react. The questions he asks are what go through our minds whenever we hear of such events.
August 27, 2016
I didn't agree with/appreciate every theological point--such as having an innate goodness, or the overly romantic parts--but there were some good themes, such as trusting God even in the hardest times, loving others selflessly, and praying for your enemies.
December 7, 2016
It was good I actually cried during the tragedy in the beginning, but then it got ridiculously unrealistic where he would have to be cursed to have that many misfortunes happen one after the other.So it did get to the point you were saying come on!!!
November 15, 2008
This was a great book about faith. How one fines God during tragic times. How one person could lift up another after they have lost so much.
May 22, 2009
not my cup of tea
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