Wow, I really liked the beginning of this book. I thought I was actually in the van for a while and then at times, I thought I personally knew one of the kids in the story for when I was growing up, I was church rat. While many of my friends were out in the street playing, or doing sports after school, or having sleepovers on Saturday night or sleeping in on Sunday mornings, I was at church. I spent a lot of time at church and at church functions. I didn’t realize what “things” I was missing out on until I was in my teens and then I started to whine, so when I started to read this novel, I thought for sure this book was written for me. Abigail and her brother Aaron are headed to California with their parents for the world was coming to an end, according to Brother John. All their worldly possessions were in the van and their parents are committed to God’s plan and Brother John’s ways. Abigail knows her family is not normal and that is what she likes about them. Immediately, I love the tension between this family. The parents are committed to the church, their love of God and they have their path set on what Brother John says. Aaron is Abigail’s older brother and he is not buying any of it, he is secretly committed to getting back home and hopefully taking his little sister Abigail with him. Abigail is torn between her love of her parents, her brother and God. Abigail feels that perhaps God is watching and testing them, these fears are plaguing her and tearing her up inside. The author’s writing style is smooth and lucid and the words flow right off the page. There are times when I am transported back to the church pews of my childhood and I am listening to Brother John talk of salvation and as the words scroll in black across the white pages, I can feel the energy of the congregation and the anticipation as they await he words he feels in his heart.  As the story progressed, I felt that the story lost its momentum, the energy died and with me, I was left disappointed as I loved the beginning so much.  

You choose if you are happy. Only you can let somebody take it away from you Abigail.”

A lot here to think about when it comes to parents, privilege & religion.

Yes, I don't like it, but I'm doing it: reading 3 books at once.

Here's how it works:

- the nonfiction to go to sleep

- because Outlander and No Parking At The End Times kept me up LATE

- Outlander, though, I can only read when the mister isn't using his Nook, because though I own a copy, it's in storage while we remodel and I couldn't RESIST buying the e-version so I could read along while watching the television series

- the nonfiction is due in like two minutes

- that is why I'm juggling all three

- this is like some kind of logic problem on the GRE

Lucky lucky me! Thank you, Bryan Bliss!