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11th out of 92 books
—
55 voters
Home Another Way
After he mother's death and her father's abandonment, tiny infant Sarah Graham was left to be raised by her emotionally distant grandmother. As a child she turned to music for solace and even gained entrance to Juilliard. But her potentially brilliant music career ended with an unplanned pregnancy and the stillborn birth of her child.In an attempt to escape the past, Sarah...more
Paperback, 350 pages
Published
October 1st 2008
by Bethany House Publishers
(first published 2008)
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This is the story of Sarah Graham, a young woman, mad at the world, full of resentment, is promiscuous, vindictive and bitter. She has been raised by her equally mean and bitter grandmother who refused to show Sarah any approval. Sarah with plenty of emotional scars: she says no one has ever loved her, and as a result she has never loved anyone.
Her father dies and has left an inheritance for her in a small town called Jonah, New York. She hates the father she never knew and feels that he owes h...more
Her father dies and has left an inheritance for her in a small town called Jonah, New York. She hates the father she never knew and feels that he owes h...more
Home Another Way is unlike many of the other Christian novels I've read, and that's what I liked best about it. There are many themes within the book, such as forgiveness, adultery, abortion, divorce, and premarital sex, and Parrish is never preachy. Best of all, Sarah is unlike any character I've seen in Christian fiction (granted, I haven't read all that much) because she's not really religious. She's promiscuous, vindictive, and angry, but also vulnerable and caring. She's far from perfect......more
Home Another Way is the story of Sarah Graham, a woman consumed by bitterness, anger, and a troubled past, who finds herself relunctantly spending six months in a small mountain community in order to collect an inheritance left to her by a father she never really knew.[return][return]As you would expect, Sarah's stay in Jonah starts out rocky and gets quite a bit worse before it gets better. I would have liked to see more detail about Sarah's past brought out much earlier in the novel. She's not...more
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (6/08)
Sarah Graham travels to the small town of Jonah, which isn’t even on the map, with nothing to her name besides twenty-three dollars and the deed to her deceased father Luke’s house in her pocket. She is incensed to learn that there is a stipulation she must meet before being given the home and the money left by her father. She must live in the house in Jonah, which might as well be the middle of the Sahara Desert for someone from New York City, fo...more
Sarah Graham travels to the small town of Jonah, which isn’t even on the map, with nothing to her name besides twenty-three dollars and the deed to her deceased father Luke’s house in her pocket. She is incensed to learn that there is a stipulation she must meet before being given the home and the money left by her father. She must live in the house in Jonah, which might as well be the middle of the Sahara Desert for someone from New York City, fo...more
This debut novel blew me away! Written largely from the first person perspective of Sarah, a young lady who has never known love, the tone of the novel is often harsh and gritty but it is very believable. Sarah was raised by her malicious extended family after her father murdered her mother and was sent to prison. Never reunited with him after his release, Sarah comes to the mountain town to Jonah to claim what he left her after his death. There's one catch, however: she has to live in Jonah for...more
A young woman, flat broke and steeped in anger, resentment, and fear travels to a small village—Jonah, New York—to claim her inheritance when her father dies. He is the anti-hero who stole her childhood when he killed her mother and then went to prison. He owes her, which is why she feels driven to collect.
But she doesn't anticipate the stipulations her father has placed on the inheritance. In order to claim the modest estate that seems huge to this girl who has nothing, she must live in Jonah...more
But she doesn't anticipate the stipulations her father has placed on the inheritance. In order to claim the modest estate that seems huge to this girl who has nothing, she must live in Jonah...more
I started reading inspirational fiction and romance as a teenager and, while I have discovered some wonderful books, I find myself sticking primarily to secular fiction and romance because so many of the characters in inspirationals, particularly in contemporary inspies, seem too goody-goody to be true - or likable. In Home Another Way, debut author Christa Parrish manages the rare accomplishment of telling a very good story peopled with flawed and very human characters. Though the tale of a cit...more
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Christa Parrish is a relatively new young writer who in my opinion, shows great potential. Home Another Way is her first published novel and a definite success at that. Her genre is Christian Fiction, but what I truly appreciate about her style of writing, is that she isn't at all preachy in what she has to say. I'm a very spiritual person, and I feel strongly about what I believe, but I simply cannot abide being "preached at", whether it's through the books that I choose to read, or in my day t...more
I thought this was just another Christian Romance novel. It seems to follow that genre. The main character, Sarah, was raised by a grandmother who did not love her and her father had been in jail for killing her mother. Sarah blames her father for her loveless life and after a failed marriage and miscarriage, she goes to the mountains to get her father's inheritance after his death. Her father has stated in his will that she must live in his house there for 6 months in order to inherit his money...more
After thinking about it, I did like the ending. Sarah needs to make her new found faith her own. She will do this by going back out to the world she knew before and testing herself. She also needs to make amends with David. She did treat him badly. Remember, luring and getting men for validation was just something she did. Jack's attraction was partly related to that and also maybe to the fact she actually failed to snag him.
Sarah Graham travels to the small town of Jonah, New York to claim her inheritance from a father she hardly knew. She learns the will stipulates that she must remain in Jonah for six months. Sarah arrives in town an angry, bitter woman and reluctantly stays to collect her money. I loved the warm but quirky residents of Jonah, and enjoyed watching Sarah grow as she was forced to interact with them.
definitely a different book, as in a 'religious' book...I get so tired of the Christian genre. the people are usually entirely too perfect to be real. This book was NOT like that. Sarah slept around, both while married and after, she was bitter, angry and as prickly as a cactus. Yet Gods grace still found her. I didn't like how it ended though :( definitely needs a book 2.
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Home Another Way by Christa Parrish is the kind of book that sticks to your heart. Beautiful, lyrical writing, real, breathing characters and a plot with surprising twists, Parrish makes me want to find this town, hang out with the people there, and engage. A rare, gutsy book for a new generation of readers.
Mary E. DeMuth
Author, Watching the Tree Limbs, Daisy Chain
Mary E. DeMuth
Author, Watching the Tree Limbs, Daisy Chain
One review compared this book by a local author to The Secret Life of Bees, which I loved. I am excited to read something by a local author and encouraged to read the Christian message. I love summer reading!!!!!!
Now that I finished, after I cried from completely connecting with the authentic characters and their struggles, I see the parallels with ...Bees. Christa Parrish is an amazing writer, and her book nudged me closer to God (again) by reminding me of what life without Him is missing.
Now that I finished, after I cried from completely connecting with the authentic characters and their struggles, I see the parallels with ...Bees. Christa Parrish is an amazing writer, and her book nudged me closer to God (again) by reminding me of what life without Him is missing.
Get ready to fall in love with these characters. Christa has skillfully weaved a complex background for each character so that the reader senses the history, the depth. I think it works because these characters have flaws, that makes them so human. I would write more, but I'm afraid to spoil something. Just pick up this book and read it.
I liked this book, I really did, I just didn't like it as much as The Air We Breathe by the same author. I felt that this story did have a good storyline and complex characters, I just didn't get pulled into the story as much as I did the other book by this author. I also was really let down by the ending of this book. I simply want to know more!!! I felt like I was left hanging with the ending and that there is more to tell!! Or at least, like I said, I want to know more!
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I love the characters and the setting of this book. Ms. Parrish has a talent for putting the reader right there. I enjoyed her use of the literary device of switching back & forth from 1st person to 3rd person. The story kept my attention, and I'm glad it didn't end the way I might have expected.
I was blown away by Christa's spectacular writing. Her characters step out of her book and right into your life. This is a real story about real people--anyway it feels that way.
I will be reading a lot more books by this author. I'll be watching for her next one to release.
Thanks Christa for this most excellent read--and my favorite this year.
I will be reading a lot more books by this author. I'll be watching for her next one to release.
Thanks Christa for this most excellent read--and my favorite this year.
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I thought I had already added this book but apparently not. I wanted to read because the author is a relative of my closest friend. I liked it and the author reminded me a little of Karen Kingsbury. I am currently reading her second book and think I will like it even more.
I disliked the way the stereotypes of the mountain people were never refuted in conversation or in general. I disliked the main character immensely. I strongly disliked the ending. If I hadn't read her second book first, I wouldn't have read it at all.
I randomly grabbed this book at the library, and it was lovely! It has a theme of deep life pain and Christianity in it, but also a good plot with interesting characters(all unexpected to me, but I didn't even read the back cover before I finished the book).
I couldn't put this book down... it was very touching and the characters were really complex and interesting. I couldn't help feeling unfulfilled at the end, though, but it was still a very good book.
I didn't realize when I picked it up at the library that it was a Christian lit book. Although it wasn't too bad, the ending was unsatisfying. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.
After reading "The Air We Breathe", I went back to find other Christa Parrish books. This one does not disappoint. By the end, I felt like the characters were friends. The plot did drag in a few places, but the story was beautiful.
Aug 03, 2011
Meghan
added it
I enjoyed getting to know the main character and was pleasantly surprised by a couple of the plot twists. Ending with several unanswered questions was refreshing.
I really enjoyed it. At first I thought it would be just another boy meets girl with troubles, but it turned out to be way more. I liked the twists of the end.
Not the typical "wrap everything up into a nice, happy ending" kind of story, but the main character makes satisfying progress in the end. Would like a sequel.
So far so good. The author uses the environment for tension and it works really well. I finished it: good book, enjoyed the characters but mostly enjoyed that it was not fluff! Had real life issues and makes me want to know what happens to the main characters.
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