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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Should You Really Judge This Book by Its Cover?

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

It had an outdoor checkerboard with autumn trees in the background—a skyscraper.  I paid a lot of money for that photo—clueless that it was a picture of Central Park in New York City.

Oops.

In the place of an O in the title, I used a checker piece.  I thought I was so clever.

Look, I wouldn’t have said it was an amazing cover.  Its faults glared and blared at me, but it did what I wanted.  It showcased an element of the book instead of a person.  I did not want a person.

Later, I realized that the cover was a mistake, as most first-time authors did back then.  We early indies didn’t have the resources back then that there are now.  So, I went for a theme this time—a cover that focused on the kind of life that one of the characters wanted.

With a hideous font that totally didn’t work. I can be a slow learner at times.

Still, some people gave the book a chance.  Some even loved it with all its glaring outward and inward faults.  But I learned a lesson in all that.  People, even people predisposed to like something, still do judge books by their covers.

I do it all the time.

Total honesty here?  I don’t even remember requesting a review copy for this book, but it arrived in my email with a date for when I should post a review on my blog.  I must have been sleep-requesting that night.

I stared at the cover, wondering what had prompted me to give it a second glance.

Look, I’m not trying to be unkind, but I don’t like the cover.  It doesn’t appeal to me at all, and usually, when I dislike a cover, I don’t bother with the book unless someone recommends it to me.  See, every time I have?  Every time I have said, “Oh, what’s inside is what counts,” I’ve ended up with a book I didn’t like.

And that’s just not fair to the author.

However, once you do agree to read a book, you need to honor that agreement.  So, Sunday night I pulled out my Kindle and started reading, hoping that this would be one of those rare surprises.

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Additionally, I requested a review copy of this book and chose to share what I thought of it.

Should You Really Judge This Book by Its Cover?

Yes and no.  That’s my answer.

Look, in my opinion, the cover is cluttered.  It feels as if it’s trying to show every nuance of a book instead of setting a tone for the book.  And, that’s why I say yes.  You should judge this book by its cover because the interior is cluttered at times as well.

There are places where it feels like the author is trying to load up everything in one book—political corruption, family problems, friendship woes, a new faith in Christ, coming to saving faith in Christ, the homeless situation, relationship issues, and on and on.

But there comes the no.  Because despite that plot clutter, most of it works.  Fay Lamb creates interesting characters that you care about. I would have guessed the opposite by that cover.  In that respect, I would have missed out if I hadn’t read the book.

Now I want to say, “And then again…”

So instead, I’m going to give you the things I think are the strongest reasons to read and not to read the book.

The best thing about the book is the characterization.  Despite caveats I’ll give below, the characters feel real and authentic.  I want to know them better, and the author made me feel as if I knew Delilah and her friends.  Considering this is a second book, that’s pretty impressive.  Additionally, while this wasn’t my favorite book of the year, I care enough about the story and the people in it that despite my problems, I will probably read the other books in the series.

That I want to know what happened and will happen says something for Ms. Lamb’s storytelling ability.

Additionally, I really did enjoy the legal elements of Delilah. The author wrote them well and kept me cheering and booing in all the best ways.  Seriously, I think she could probably write an entire book that takes place as one courtroom case, and I’d be riveted to every word.  She did it that well.

That said,  there are reasons you might not want to read it.

Those characters I really like do show “Mary Sue” qualities at times.  When troubles come, they get over them REALLY easily.  I can expect that there is an element of the idealized to show how Christians should behave in settings, but juxtaposed with the lessons in how people should never behave, there were parts that I found difficult to accept as possible when it happened (not if).

Additionally, and I have to say that this feels mean to put out there, but so many high-drama plots piled in one book did give it a bit of a soap opera feel.  Daddy issues from several sides, long lost people, child abuse on other sides, political corruption from different elements, sabotage… it goes on and on and then convenient conclusions.

Finally, I have one strong spiritual issue that is my biggest objection.

There is no spoiler in mentioning that Delilah is a new Christian and interested in an unsaved man.  That is obvious from almost the first page. However, their stronger, more mature Christian friends and church family is downright fixated on playing matchmaker—between a baby Christian and someone who is barely seeking.

I have no issues with Delilah not seeing the seriousness of not “going there.” 

She’s a baby Christian who has a legal mind. She’ll see things very black and white, and dating an unbeliever isn’t expressly forbidden. Although it is never brought up, I can see her saying, “I will not marry him if he isn’t saved, but I am not forbidden from dating him.”  To her mind, that would be fine.

And like I said.  Her actions don’t bother me.  Fiction is often there to mirror life, and this is likely what would happen. But that not one of their friends even hinted that it wasn’t right to encourage a relationship with an unbeliever—that bothered me a lot.

Especially in a book with quite a bit of sermonizing in other areas.

Recommended for people who enjoy light romance, high drama, legal drama, and a strong conversion element in fiction.

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Comments

  1. Debbie P says

    April 24, 2019 at 2:32 pm

    This book sounds like a really amazing read.

    Reply
  2. James Robert says

    April 23, 2019 at 7:14 am

    The book sounds great and I appreciate getting to hear about it. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Deana Dick says

    April 22, 2019 at 7:23 am

    I always enjoy reading your reviews. You give a perspective that I don’t always see or catch. Thanks for making me see a book in a different light.

    Reply
  4. Vicki Hancock says

    April 22, 2019 at 7:08 am

    I have to admit, I definitely judge books by their cover. I’ve gotten some books that LOOKED great but bombed. I’ve also gotten free books that I got because they were free. Later I may see it on my iPad and look it up and it’s gotten thousands of great reviews but still never read because the cover looked cheap and cheesy. It’s a bad habit and I’m trying to go more by reviews but some habits are hard to break!!!

    Reply
  5. Elissa says

    April 22, 2019 at 6:26 am

    Now I’m curious – what book used your checkerboard cover?
    Also, thanks for all of your book reviews. I have found lots of great new books, thanks to you!

    Reply
  6. Rosalyn says

    April 22, 2019 at 5:12 am

    Thanks for sharing your review!

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 448: A Chat with Nancy Naigle
byChautona Havig

 I fell in love with Nancy’s writing with The Shell Collector. Imagine my joy when I discovered she has a SEQUEL! Eeep! Listen in and discover which characters you’ll find in To Light the Way Forward and what’s coming next for one of America’s favorite authors!

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

It’s been three years since Nancy and I had a chance to talk, and in that time, she’s been BUSY.  So in addition to falling in love with her character, Tug, and wanting to give him his own story, she’s written a small-town duet (and maybe we talked her into a third?) as well as a romcom duo!  Think we can talk her into a third of that series as well?  Because… SPOILER ALERT… we’re getting a third Shell Collector Series book, too! EEEP!

To Light the Way Forward by Nancy Naigle

A novel of overcoming deep loss, taking risks, and learning that life—and love—often surprises you when you least expect it, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Shell Collector. “Bringing to life characters you can’t help but fall in love with, Nancy Naigle goes straight to the heart with this story of tragedy turned to triumph. A poignant reminder to never give up hope.”—Sheila Roberts, author of The Best Life Book Club Feeling adrift after the loss of her husband, Rosemary sets out to visit an old friend on Whelk’s Island, undeterred by the threat of a hurricane. Before the storm hits, she finds herself at Tug’s Diner where she quickly connects with the owner, Tug. But the storm destroys the diner, compounding Tug’s grief from losing his love the previous year. The longer Rosemary stays, the more she sees Tug’s deep sadness and resolves to help him. Together with Tug and friends Amanda and Paul, they all pitch in to help the close-knit community recover and rebuild. As Amanda and Paul reconnect after losing touch during the storm, their plans to take things slow seem increasingly impractical. While Rosemary and Tug help the young couple navigate their relationship, they also find themselves building a friendship that begins to restore them both. But can that friendship convince them that love is possible for anyone who’s willing to take a risk—even those who never hoped they’d find it again?

Learn more about Nancy on her WEBSITEand follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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Episode 448: A Chat with Nancy Naigle
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