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Dec 13, 2011

Jinky rated it:

Richard Paul Evans is one of my go to authors when I want to get out of a reading slump (which I am in at the moment). He has a way of telling stories that touch the heart (my kind of book), using melancholy to drive at a moral message. I often find myself emotionally involved with the characters. This book is no exception. A riches-to-rags story through a take on the well known Bible parable The Prodigal Son. Prodigal being the key word in defining the essence of the tale ...<spoiler> More...

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Dec 10, 2011

Ashley rated it:

Seriously, this book was so hard to put down!

I spent the first half of the story incredibly pissed off at the main character. Although its written really well, its not a suspense novel, and you can clearly see what is going on even before the main character, Luke, figures things out.

However, you still feel sort of bad for him, even knowing he's letting these things happen.

But the story has a turn-about halfway through -- he's down on his luck [and a poor economy] More...

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Dec 05, 2011

Jessie rated it:

A typical Richard Paul Evans book. Easy, quick read and enjoyable. It has a message, as all of his do. This wasn't too preachy. It was basically the modern day story of the prodigal son. **stop here for spoilers*** The son of a rich man goes off to get his MBA and gets in with the wrong crowd. They take him for all of his money on a spending spree in Europe. He goes through a million dollars in 40 days. He comes back to Vegas and finds out he is out of money. He is homeless with no frie More...

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Nov 28, 2011

Jodi rated it:

What a wonderful book for all teens and adults to read. This was a story about the prodigal son. The son in the story, Luke has a father who is extremely wealthy. The father owns a chain of businesses and wants his son to take over the whole operation one day. The father wants him to go to get his masters degree and be the first one the family to ever do this. The son was hesitant, but then decides to go. He gets in with the wrong crowd and ends up down a bad path. He tells his father after grad More...

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Nov 11, 2011

Greg rated it:

For years I have looked forward to reading Richard Paul Evans’ latest novel. Unfortunately, this one was a little disappointing. It was oversaturated in melancholy for most of the book, and though it had a positive ending, it almost seemed like an afterthought rather than a satisfying, meaty, tying-up-loose-ends way to finish the book. This one tied up the loose ends in just a couple of pages, much like movies where there is a scrolling “here’s what happened to the characters” sort of way. I did More...

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Nov 29, 2011

Diane rated it:

I have to start off by saying that Richard Paul Evans is not my favorite author. He writes short, neat little packages of books that make decent Christmas gifts, but that's about it. Of course, I haven't read Michael Vey, which seems to be a departure from his norm, but Lost December fits in the first category. I read it for my book club, and finished it in about three hours. The modern day story of a prodigal son who blows his inheritance, and whose father welcomes him back in the end makes More...

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Nov 18, 2011

Lora rated it:

Richard Paul Evans is usually good for a fast "feel-good" story with a message. This book is no exception. Love the story of the prodigal son, which this wasn't, but appreciated it. Had to read it before I gave it to my son as a present and really liked the message. The main moral was, "If it hadn't been for the darkness, I never would have known the light. In life we all take different paths, some more difficult than others, but in the end, all that matters is whether or not More...

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Jan 02, 2012

Gail rated it:

I received this book as a Christmas Gift.This book was awesome! A modern day story of the prodigal son. It is totally amazing. I was so onto the book I had a hard time putting it down. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you think about what is important in life. If you get a chance to get a copy of Lost December by Richard Paul Evans you should you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Linda for recommending this book to me!

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 19, 2011

Crystal rated it:

A neighbor handed this to me and said, "Here, I still have a week left before it's due at the library. it's really good. read it." I was a bit hesitant, to say the least. I don't care for Christmas stories, which the covered made it appear to be. I don't like moralistic stories, where principles, generally Christian, are shoehorned into a story. This book seemed like it was destined to be lame. but I didn't want to hurt my neighbor's feelings, so I took the book.
and I am glad More...

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Jan 08, 2012

Schawn rated it:

The story of the prodigal son has always been an important story to me since the first time I heard it. This is a take from it and was an enjoyable read. As the oldest of 4 and thus the first to leave home I have always kept the biblical story close to my heart. Not that I left and had a birthright to squander but more trying to remember the ones I left behind. My own case was one of my father truly hurting when I left for college as he really missed me. Unfortunately, for him I was not mis More...

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Nov 15, 2011

Afton rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Nov 18, 2011

Mary rated it:

This was a terrific "fast-read" book. There were times that I wanted to shout at the main character to "wise-up", but I knew that like so many of us, he had to learn the hard way. I loved one of his closing thoughts : "If it hadn't been for the darkness, I never would have known the light. In life we all take different paths, some more difficult than others, but in the end, all that matters is whether or not they lead us home."

This is a phrase frought More...

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Jan 18, 2012

Jenn rated it:

This was not my favorite RPE novel. The good thing about his books is that they can be read in no more than a day or two, so the misery ended quickly.

This is a modern-day re-telling of the Prodigal Son, so it made sense to me that the main character, Luke, behaved so poorly, but it really grated on my nerves for the first half of the book. I wanted to shout, "REALLY?!? HOW STUPID ARE YOU?"....and then he would go on and do something even more stupid.

Once More...

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Jan 15, 2012

Nancy rated it:

Lost December is a modern retelling of the story of the Prodigal Son.

Luke Crisp has worked in the family business since he was twelve. When he finishes grad school, his father wants to turn the business over to him. Luke would rather tour Europe with friends from school. He takes his trust fund, refuses his father, and begins his adventure.

His funds run out--so do his friends. He finds himself homeless and loses what little he has left. When Carlos finds him he has just More...

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Nov 29, 2011

Regina rated it:

Luke Crisp is a solid, good guy, close with his father and heir to Crisp's Copy Centers. When his father talks him into continuing his education at a business school across the nation, Luke finds out that most of his new friends like to party and he slowly begins the downhill slide. When one of his best friends, a Christian and a Pastor's son, dies in an accident on graduation night Luke decides to traipse across Europe with the remaining group and live it up while there's still time. When his t More...

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Nov 14, 2011

Ramona rated it:

I love Richard Paul Evans books. Of course, The Christmas Box will always be my favorite book of his. I find myself anticipating what lesson and feel good story he'll share with us each year at the most wonderful season of celebrating the Birth of Christ. One reason I think I gave this book 5 stars was because I began reading it right after church on a Sunday, and tears welled up in my eyes as I read the story of The Prodigal Son on the first page. The story moved me so much because I had ju More...

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Jan 05, 2012

Kimi rated it:

Richard Paul Evans' books tend to be pretty predictable but that is fine with me. Sometimes I need to read a book that is an easy and uplifting read. Lost December didn't disappoint me. Just by reading the blurb on the book flap you willl know most of the plot but the process is enjoyable and Evans includes some nice sentiments along the way.
Luke Crisp is the only child of a very wealthy man and is due to take over the family business when he decides to "live his life". He tak More...

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Nov 20, 2011

Nancy rated it:

The book was rather depressing at first. I knew it was a modern day version of the prodigal son, so I had hope of a happy ending. Luke was a young man, raised by his widowed father. They had a good relationship as he grew up. His father wanted him to get a masters degree in business, and to have Luke go away from home to get it. Luke ran into some other students, who were bad influences, and led him to go through his million dollar trust fund.

I have met people through my life More...

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Dec 08, 2011

Cheri rated it:

Years ago, in the first days of its release, I was given The Christmas Box as a gift by a friend. None of his books since then have measured up to The Christmas Box for me, but it's pretty much been an annual tradition for me to begin the Christmas season with reading one of Richard Paul Evans books.
Is the writing up to the level of some of history's finest authors? Probably not, but it makes for a nice, pleasant break from some of the more intense books I've read lately. Reading Richard More...

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Jan 04, 2012

Missy rated it:

Once again I loved this book. There are two reasons that I did not give it 5 stars. The first is that In the beginning of the book the character told everyone that we would not like him and I thi k the words that he used was despise him. As the story unfolded I found that I mostly felt sorry for him so maybe the author could have made the main character more dispicable I order to get the point across. The second reason is that like.most of Evans books they are fairly predictable. I knew I. More...

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Dec 28, 2011

Karen rated it:

My Mom gives me the new Richard Paul Evans book every year for Christmas (always signed and most of the time stamped from the first signing too). Every year they are good.

This one I very much enjoyed. The main character is a young man,Luke, that makes a very big mistake choosing the wrong friends. It is something I have done and I have watched my children do (we never got to do it with a million dollar trust fund however). I felt sympathy for Luke. He really led a fairly sheltered life More...

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Nov 17, 2011

Sharon rated it:

I have always enjoyed Richard Paul Evans' Christmas stories, ever since his first bestselling novel, "The Christmas Box." He always manages to touch the heart and soul of the reader while imparting a solid moral lesson in the process.

"Lost December" is no exception. His use of the story of the prodigal son from the Bible as the basis for this tale is inspiring. As the mother of sons who can be a bit hard-headed at times, Luke Crisp's story really touched my heart More...

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Nov 25, 2011

Sally rated it:

Let me start by saying that I consider myself to be one of Richard Paul Evans's greatest fans. I've read everything he's written (except children's stories) and have loved them all!This book was a real departure from his usual Christmas season books.

Many people I know either hate or don't understand the Parable of the Prodigal Son. If they truly want to understand it, they should read this book. It is disturbing, upsetting, not-RPE type stuff and spot on!

When I started LOS More...

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Nov 07, 2011

Joanne rated it:

What a wonderful book from beginning to end. This time a riches to rags story and the lessons a young man learns from going against his father's wishes. There was some tears along the way and although I didn't like the man Luke became when he turned his back on his dad and went to Europe after graduation the real Luke surfaced as he faced hardship after hardship but never forgot the lessons he was taught. I've loved all of Richard Paul Evans books and this one didn't disappoint. There is a l More...

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Jan 06, 2012

Mayda rated it:

This story is a retelling and modernization of the prodigal son. In it, author Richard Paul Evans illustrates just how little it is and how quickly one million dollars can evaporate. Well, at least that’s what happened to the protagonist of the story. I suspect this scenario is the exception rather than the rule. But it was interesting to see how one man went from riches to rags and then back again. If you like a feel-good tale not really grounded I reality, except that is was originally ba More...

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Nov 16, 2011

Diane A rated it:

A Parable of Love Unfeigned

Lost December is a powerful, age old tale, set in modern times. It will open your eyes to the stark realities of life. An account of love, life, loss and love again, full of passion and the struggles of the rich and the poor. This story is fictional, but there is deep truth in its telling.

Richard has again created an exceptional work with characters you will learn to love and others to despise. Full of desperate situations, the realities of More...

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Dec 14, 2011

Jody rated it:

Really depressing. First have of the book spent wanting to yell at Luke to tell him how bad that he was screwing his life up. Instead he just keeps digging that hole even deeper. Really don't understand how someone can say "I Love You" in one breath and then turn around and say "I'm leaving." Did not think that Luke could have one more bad thing happen to him, then it did. But when things started going good, they just kept right on going too. Not really sure that his two job More...

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Nov 27, 2011

Cindy rated it:

Every year Richard Paul Evans puts out a Christmas book. This is this years book. I just loved it and would read it again. I wouldn't say that this book has a Christmas theme. Mr. Evans used the story of the prodigal son from the Bible to shape this story of a "prodigal" son. In today's time of course. It was a treat to read this book after reading his last book, "Michael Vey" which is the first book in a series for young adult readers. Which I loved too, just a differ More...

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Nov 14, 2011

Dawn rated it:

I started this modern day prodigal son story just intending to read a few chapter while eating supper. Two and half hours later, I was done with the book. This quick but highly enjoyable book tells the story of a son who takes his money and runs off with his friends totally proving that the saying "Youth is wasted on the Young" is true. The son does remember his father's encouraging words and life lessons that he taught him along the way but is to embarrassed to admit his mistakes a More...

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Jan 27, 2012

Donna rated it:

I almost quit reading this, because it was highly predictable, and painful to read the protagonist spending such lavish amounts on hotels, travel, food. I didn't think it was realistic for a kid that age, no matter how loaded. It was also painful to see Luke hanging out with such a badboy, and paying his friend's way with such flimsy promises. I kept it as my "bathroom" book however, and just read a few pages at a time. It became better, and by the time I finished it, I might even More...

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