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Rooms

3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 · rating details · 1,422 ratings · 330 reviews

On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by B&H Books (first published January 1st 2010)

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Jan 05, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

How would you feel if you inherited a house on a beach made just for you? Oddly enough, it reflected your personality? Would you be excited? What about, if this house came from an uncle you never really met, and this uncle was the family weirdo? Still excited? Well... I'd think that I would be ecstatic... until, maybe living there made feel like I was losing my sanity.

Micah Taylor, inherits a home from his long been dead Uncle Archie. An uncle he has never met. Micah is the owner of his own soft...more How would you feel if you inherited a house on a beach made just for you? Oddly enough, it reflected your personality? Would you be excited? What about, if this house came from an uncle you never really met, and this uncle was the family weirdo? Still excited? Well... I'd think that I would be ecstatic... until, maybe living there made feel like I was losing my sanity.

Micah Taylor, inherits a home from his long been dead Uncle Archie. An uncle he has never met. Micah is the owner of his own soft ware company and a multi- millionaire. His life revolves around work and his upscale lifestyle. At first he is not sure he wants to go visit the home in Cannon Beach, where he put his past to rest. But curiosity gets the best of him. He is determined to see it and put it up for sale. But God's plan is different. Micah feels drawn to the home, and Cannon Beach. He meets some amazing people there. Slowly he begins to see his life in a different light. The longer he stays in Cannon Beach, the more his life in Seattle changes. Some days he feels like he is loosing his sanity. The house is a reflection of his soul. Every now and then a new room just shows up. Micah has to make a choice. Will he choose God, and his new life in Cannon Beach, or will he choose to go back to Seattle where he seems to be on top of the world and in control.

Matthew 16:26
What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

This book is INTENSE! There were times I just had to put it down. Micah had so many decisions to make. Sometimes his life was going fine, other times he felt like he was losing it. God tells us there is nothing we can gain that is worth more than our life or our relationship with God. That should always come first. One of the parts of the book that really got to me was the room with the Voice. Micah thought it was his own voice and he would go in and consult the voice, discuss things that were happening etc. The voice would at times confuse him. It would quote Scripture to him but many times with a twist that confused him more than helped. Sometimes he would listen to the voice, other times he wouldn't. I know there have been times in my life, I can relate to that situation. What to do or not to do.... Every decision Micah made affected his life in Cannon Beach or in Seattle. I know I want to always choose GOD, but at times it seems the choice is not always black and white.

I picked this book up at my local library and am being compensated in no way for this review. I just really like this book.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 Johnny Virgil rated it 2 of 5 stars

Holy crap! No, that's not a two word review, but it could be. This book was not at all what I was expecting. As a "non-religious" person, I found this book to be a little too over the top with the holy-roller stuff. If you're a confirmed believer in all things God/Savior/Sin, you will probably love it. If you are turned off by televangelists or Jehovah's Witnesses, you will probably hate it. I had the distinct feeling that if the author met me, he would tell me I was going to burn in hell.

The Ch...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Ionia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I love this book. I think I am officially hooked on this author. I read "The Chair" recently and fell in love with it so I had to read this and see if it was just as great. I am so glad I did.

The setting of this book is what first captivated me. I spend as much time as possible hiking the Pacific Northwest and have a special place in my heart for the area of Oregon that the author uses as the setting for the mysterious house. This pulled me into the story right away. His descriptions were...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars

The main character of the book Micah inherits a beautiful house by the ocean from a somewhat eccentric uncle that he never met. (Don't we all wish to be so lucky...or do we?)The book is a page turner but difficult to review. So much goes on in the story related to how Micah's life changes after he inherits the house, so many personal battles he will endure, it's the type of book you just have to read it for yourself. I didn't know the book was categorized as a Christian fiction read until I had...more

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May 03, 2012 Kelly Schuknecht rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Micah Taylor has it all (in the eyes of the world) - he's an entrepreneur in the software industry, a millionaire living in a penthouse apartment in Seattle, dating his business partner. His mother died when he was young and he has a rocky relationship with his father, but he inherits a beach house from a deceased uncle he barely knew. Although he plans to sell the beach house, Micah spends some time there and begins having very strange experiences, including the discovery of new rooms that were...more Micah Taylor has it all (in the eyes of the world) - he's an entrepreneur in the software industry, a millionaire living in a penthouse apartment in Seattle, dating his business partner. His mother died when he was young and he has a rocky relationship with his father, but he inherits a beach house from a deceased uncle he barely knew. Although he plans to sell the beach house, Micah spends some time there and begins having very strange experiences, including the discovery of new rooms that weren't there before, an unfinished painting that becomes more complete each time he sees it and a stack of letters written to him years ago by his uncle. When Micah returns to Seattle, things get even stranger as he runs into people who don't remember meeting him and his apartment changes floors. In the end Micah must choose between his extravagant penthouse lifestyle or his relationship with God.

Micah's shifting realities became a little bit too much to try to keep straight, but I also had concerns about some of the themes in the book:

Personally, I feel like it's too easy to use a rich, successful person as an example of someone who has "lost their focus on God" because very few of us are millionaires living in penthouse apartments (right?). And because most of us can't really relate with the main character in that way, some of the message gets lost. I also feel there was a theme here that if you trust in God and give up all of your money and success, your life will be perfect (SPOILER ALERT: you'll get to keep a 9,000 sq. ft. beach house, do the work that you love and still get the girl!).
As soon as Micah went back to Seattle and back to work he didn't feel God's presence any more. I'm not sure what message Rubart was trying to convey here - that if you are a dedicated business person, you cannot also have faith in God? I strongly disagree with this message. God uses people in all different fields and calls people for different purposes.

My high school youth pastor recommended this book to me about a year ago. It happened to be free in the Kindle store for a short period of time and I was able to snag a copy, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I have to be honest, it took me almost an entire year to read - not because it's that long, but because I would get bored and read other books for awhile in between chapters. Overall the storyline is okay, but I just found it to be lacking in suspense and some of the detail necessary to get the point across. If you really like Christian fiction, though, you would probably enjoy this book more than me.(less)

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Jan 06, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I was in Jr. High my Sunday school class decided to study the book of “Job”. Up until this point I had never done any extensive studying of a particular book, just stand alone versus, so the fact that I shook with the anticipation of learning what would happen next (to this poor soul – as I liked to refer to him at the time) floored me. Over the years I have continued to study the bible, reading scripture and trying (sometimes is vain) to make it make sense to me. Sometimes I fail horribly,...more When I was in Jr. High my Sunday school class decided to study the book of “Job”. Up until this point I had never done any extensive studying of a particular book, just stand alone versus, so the fact that I shook with the anticipation of learning what would happen next (to this poor soul – as I liked to refer to him at the time) floored me. Over the years I have continued to study the bible, reading scripture and trying (sometimes is vain) to make it make sense to me. Sometimes I fail horribly, while other times the message I read sparks like a lightning bolt to my brain, I get it instantly. Now, after all these years one fact remains… I remember the book of “Job” more than any other book I have ever read. Why am I telling you all of this you may ask? Because “Job” has just come back to life in James L Rubarts’ novel “Rooms”

We all travel through our lives with a set plan, some are significantly more ambitious than others, but regardless if your “plan” is to eat that 1 lb tub of gummy bears before next Monday, or become a millionaire by the time you are 30… the fact remains that you have a plan. For Micah the plan was to put a house up for sale and go back to his corporate life in Seattle, but when the house (that his deceased uncle left him) starts to sprout extra rooms that speak to his soul, calling Caldwell Banker doesn’t seem all that simple anymore. LIFE doesn’t seem all that simple anymore. With daily assaults of horrendous childhood memories and a slew of possibilities Micah is forced to make a choice, walk the path that God has forged for him, or walk the path that he forged for himself. Both choices have their ups and downs, and the art of choosing is the most difficult of all. Would you give up everything for a slim chance of happiness or would giving up everything make you unhappy?

Writing a spiritual novel is a quest all on its own, for the author (more often than not) they are slaves to the voice inside their heart vs. the voices of the publishing Gods, but when an author can merge a life lesson into a genuinely intriguing plot, what’s left is simply beautiful. Here is a novel that was captivating from the 1st chapter, reaching out to grab it’s audience with the reality of inner confliction. Which way do I go? To whom do I turn? The “lesson” was blatantly obvious (as it rightfully should have been) but the way in which it was expressed was refreshing and thought provoking. Rubart posed questions many of us would feel uncomfortable asking ourselves, but he did it in a way that left you unable to avoid the answers.

I nod my head in a sincere kudos to the man that chose to write a beautiful piece of literature, “because he had something to say.” And I encourage those of you that are wandering the path of uncertainty to join in the journey Rubart has created.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: we are all tightly wound balls of yarn, and it’s not until we start to unravel that we see what can be made out of a few tiny strings.(less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-netgalley

Micah, the founder of RimSoft company receives a fully furnished 9,000 square foot home on Canyon Beach built for him by his uncle Archie. His only thought was to sell it and make a profit from the sale. Reluctantly he stays there and strange things start happening in the house. While in a romantic relationship with his business partner, Julie he meets Sarah who works at Osborn's icecream shop he visited in Canyon Beach. Sarah along with his best friend Rick offer advice and guidance to Micah. B...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Wow, not sure what I want to say about this book that I just finished up? I guess I will start with my first anticipation....

Rooms was toted as being similar to "The Shack". I loved "The Shack"! In fact I think during the time that book was in my hands all I wanted to do was read it and nothing else. It was fantastical (fantastic, fantasy, mystical - all rolled into one word). When I happened across Rooms at the bookstore, it was the cover that first drew me in. Yes, I am one of those people who...more

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May 09, 2011 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: ROOMS
Author: James L. Rubart
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
April 2010
ISBN 978-0-8054-4888-7
Genre: Christian Fiction

This book will change you. You’ve been warned. Author Robert Liparulo comments that this is “Part The Screwtape Letters, part The Shack.” I agree, but I would also add another comparison. Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a cassette tape of a wonderful sermon-story entitled, My Heart, Christ’s Home. This book is that sermon-story, in print.

Micah Taylor seems to have it...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Heatheraine rated it 2 of 5 stars

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

The main character, Micah, in ROOMS by James L. Rubart is pushed into a journey of spiritual discovery. I didn’t like this book. It had a great premise: A house that represents his soul. I liked the idea of the house and dealing with the hidden parts of his soul.

The major theme of the story is giving up worldly things for things of the spirit: Choosing God over money. I was happy with this concept until the guy is losing things as he advances his relationship with God in a sci-...more **SPOILER ALERT**

The main character, Micah, in ROOMS by James L. Rubart is pushed into a journey of spiritual discovery. I didn’t like this book. It had a great premise: A house that represents his soul. I liked the idea of the house and dealing with the hidden parts of his soul.

The major theme of the story is giving up worldly things for things of the spirit: Choosing God over money. I was happy with this concept until the guy is losing things as he advances his relationship with God in a sci-fi way, not in a "turning from it" sort of way. It made the whole story ridiculous. None of this book seemed like Micah had a choice at all. To me, God gives us a choice to seek him or not. God gives us the choice to lay aside the things of this world.

If a good Christian guy has a fab idea and sells it to the world, does that mean he has a bad relationship with God? This is a trite generalization. It makes this character seem contrived for the sake of making this lesson plain to people. Micah gets to know God and therefore loses things in his life. They are mysteriously changing (for the worse.) He doesn’t intentionally decide to leave certain things behind. They are TAKEN from him. It feels more like a punishment for knowing God than the changing of a man’s heart. I’m sad that it appears that way. It really could have been a good demonstration of how to live our own lives.

Needless to say, it is simply cruel to say that God would do that. God gives us a choice to lay the things of this world aside. It would have made for a more practical story to see Micah do it intentionally. So, BIG strike one!

Strike Two: Holy preach-fest! It's hard to read a novel that has almost as much bible verse quotes as it does pros. People don't go around talking like that. I don't think even God's angels would quote scripture like the one in this book does. (Do you quote your friends from what they've written, or by what you talk about with them?)

Strike Three: There is no such thing as self-deliverance. Maybe I’ll pretend it was fiction based on fiction, OR I’ll say that I work in deliverance ministry and there’s no way a demon will leave just because you get worked up into a religious frenzy and tell it to leave. Ain’t happ’nin’! No one has ever, or will ever see the middle of their own back with their own eyes. Only where two or more are gathered and the full name/authority of Jesus will this ever occur.

Also, watching rated “R” movies isn’t Christian? (I thought they told us not to watch them in Christian college, just to control us! I never thought it meant you’d go to hell.) Ridiculous.

Is it worth it to read this book? I’d rate this book at a 2: Not quite worth the time. (I won’t say it was “Totally not worth it” because I liked the mysterious house and the IDEA of it all!)

HYPE-BUSTER: They say this book is like THE SHACK by William Young. Let me sum up with one word: NOPE! The Shack actually has truth in it without being preachy. So it can be done… Christian Fiction without preachy-ness—what a novel idea!
(less)

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Oct 28, 2010 Chibineko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Some reviewers have been comparing this to The Shack, a book that is also religiously oriented & set around a mysterious domicile. Since I've not yet read The Shack, I can't really say whether or not the two are similar. However, the descriptions seem to be different enough that people should go into this read with an open mind.

Micah seems to have it all: a successful business, a beautiful girlfriend/business partner, & a keen mind. When he learns that he's inherited a beach house from a...more Some reviewers have been comparing this to The Shack, a book that is also religiously oriented & set around a mysterious domicile. Since I've not yet read The Shack, I can't really say whether or not the two are similar. However, the descriptions seem to be different enough that people should go into this read with an open mind.

Micah seems to have it all: a successful business, a beautiful girlfriend/business partner, & a keen mind. When he learns that he's inherited a beach house from an eccentric uncle he barely knew, Micah's first instinct is to sell the beach house & move on with his life. After all, he never really knew his uncle & his memories of that beach are all terrible. All of those plans seem to fade away when Micah sets his eyes on the beautiful beach house despite all of the strange things that seem to be happening to him. Rooms that weren't there before suddenly appear. Business contacts claim to never have spoke to him even though Micah knows the talk took place. As the days pass, Micah finds himself becoming more & more involved with this mysterious house & more intrigued by the intriguing inhabitants of the surrounding town. But can Micah figure out what is going on? Is it possible for eternal salvation to be found through a beach house?

There are two warnings people should heed about this book, one of which would seem to be obvious. The first is that this book is very slow to start. The second is that this book is very heavy on the religious themes. While some might read the synopsis on the book jacket & know that it is religious in tone, some have been surprised at how much of the book is religious. Pretty much everything that happens in the book has a religious sense to it. This might alienate some readers who like their religious reads a little lighter.

Rooms does start off incredibly slowly, to the point where some might lose heart within the first 100 pages or so. Those readers should keep reading because even though the book does start off incredibly slow, eventually the pace does pick up & becomes an interesting enough read. The writing is a little green, but overall it is a fine first novel. The character of Micah is a suitable enough "Everyman", but the book truly shines when the secondary characters (mechanic Rick & uncle Archie) come into play. These characters are intriguing to read about & the reader might find themselves wishing for a book about these two characters & their interactions with each other.

Overall this book was an entertaining read, although it might find itself in stiff competition with some of the other religious themed books on the market. There's enough in Rooms to like though & there seems to be an fanbase growing for this book, so hopefully Rubart will be recognized in the future.

(ARC provided by Netgalley) (less)

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Oct 20, 2010 Mary Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a shocker to me. Shocker in a way that the book was not what I thought it was. It was intriguing, it included a mysterious cover, it had a captivating plot. Like some people, I downloaded this book by mistake because I was thinking of Room by Donoghue but it was not a total waste of time to read the book.

The book talks about Micah who lost faith growing and living life and gaining it back again through a journey set in a mysterious house given by a relative who died. With the first...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Keiki Hendrix rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-christian

"A wonderful fictional portrayal of the mysterious, adventurous, and amazing workings of God in the life of a believer on his way to his hearts desire.”

Are you a believer? Or, are you on your way to walking with God? If so, you are going to find the events in this novel right up your alley.

Micah Taylor, the twenty-something founder of a multi-million dollar software company finds himself finds himself summoned to a journey of fulfillment like he has never known before which will take him through...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good Starter Book for Seekers

Mr Rubart is a colorful and talented new (?) writer. He needs quite a bit more experience building suspense and developing his conclusions logically. I'd recommend that he read the works of Orson Scott Card. This story has an emphatic and unabashed Christian agenda, and Card has always been a pure genius at avoiding that kind of parochialism whilst creating fictional realities where his worldview both works and makes a wonderful sense. I'd never have begun "Rooms" ha...more

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Jun 07, 2010 Michelle Rayburn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved Rooms! I purchased it as a gift but snuck a peak when I got it home, and then I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I liked the simplicity of the description combined with the complexity of the surreal fantasty of a house that keeps changing. It’s a journey of personal healing, of finding what really matters, and of letting go of that which hinders God from something better than we expected. Although wealth doesn’t mutually exclude a relationship with Jesus. For Micah Taylor, his p...more

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May 23, 2010 Wyndy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, this was a great Christian suspense novel. Plus it also elicited many personal questions with the theme, what would I do if I was presented with those revelations and choices? The writing was consistently smooth, interesting, descriptive, and thoughtful. The main character displayed all the insecurities that would show up in the situations and the author followed through on the character's thought reasoning in a believable manner. The book is basically about how life on the outside doesn't...more

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May 21, 2010 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: FIRST

Shelves: book-review

OH.MY.GOODNESS. How on earth do I start this review? How do I put it into words what I feel about this book? There are so many things I'm feeling right now! That was ABSOLUTELY amazing. God truly spoke to me through James L. Rubart's words. I enjoy nearly every book I read, but few are so powerful that they leave me speechless and raw afterward. But, boy, did this one sure do that!

The plot line of facing your past, no matter how horrible or rough it maybe, forgiving yourself, others and your pa...more

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May 18, 2010 Virginia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Software magnate Micah Taylor receives a mystifying letter from a long-dead uncle he never met, informing him that a house has been built for him on the Oregon coast. Sounds perfect, except the location is one that haunts his past, and Micah has vowed never to go there again. But the house draws him, and continues to draw him back again and again. Something is happening in that house, something strange and compelling and frightening. Something Micah can’t walk away from, even though staying may...more

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May 11, 2010 Cori rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I don’t read a ton of Christian fiction, so I don’t have a range of books to compare this one to. One of my favorite authors, though, is Ted Dekker, and I think I expected something more along the lines of his work — creepier and darker. Instead, this was lighter than I expected, especially with that (fantastic) cover. The story was interesting — guy inherits a house that turns out to be way more than he expected. I loved how the house changed as Micah grew as a character, and how he was both dr...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Timothy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-reviewed-in-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What would happen if you could take, or could take a loved one on, a trip through your very soul? Everything about you is literally, not just figuratively on display. What if you could live two parallel lives simultaneously? What if you could choose two different paths, knowing that one has fame, fortune, and worldly success, and the other has love, peace, and freedom, if a bit less “success” as the world calls it? What would you do?

This is the question at the heart of the novel *Rooms* by Jam...more

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Apr 04, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Micah Taylor has the good life. He is rich, has a girlfriend, and is the boss of his own company. What more could he ask for? One day Micah receives a letter written by is Uncle Archie. His uncle tells Micah that five months ago he built a home on the Oregon coast especially for Micah. The home is to bring Micah resolve and restoration. Micah first thinks it is a joke…a home built for him. Micah has never really known his uncle. Also Micah has not been back to Oregon since the accident.

Micah dec...more

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Sep 24, 2009 Glenda Bixler rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: christian, reviewed-books

Rooms
By James Rubart
B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 9780805449785
405 Pages (Galley)

DUE OUT IN APRIL - YOU CAN PRE-ORDER THOUGH...

Wow... Really...Wow!

James Rubart hooked me immediately in his fascinating, awesome novel, Rooms!

Micah Taylor is an energetic, innovative leader of a software company at which he has hired many creative staff. The company has not only been successful but has moved into the forefront, winning awards and receiving much publicity in trade and business magazines.

But then Mica...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-too-bad, not-too-good-either, christian

Let me start out by saying that I feel bad giving this book three stars. Not because the book deserves more--I think three stars is just about right--but because the author is such a nice guy.

I met James Rubart at a Christian writer's conference several years ago. Back then, I was a teenager still in college, struggling to write even a short story that I was happy with, wondering if I was meant to be a writer or if I should just quit while I was ahead. Rubart was the keynote speaker at a local...more

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Jun 28, 2010 Lola4 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this book even if it was kind of baked from a recipe by stirring together dollops of The Shack(with much better theology), It's a Wonderful Life, Job, Ted Dekker's House, and Dorian Gray, but it took a lot of thought and talent to bake all these disparate ingredients together into a pastry tasting like Matthew 16:26. There were a lot of places were it was difficult to follow, and I am not sure the author succeeded in making everything comprehensible and non-contradictory, but his...more

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Jun 13, 2010 David Pyle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Praised as an alternative to the New Age Jesus presented in The Shack by W.P. Young, Rooms gives us another perspective of the relationship with the Divine.
Our main character, Micah Taylor, has inherited a mysterious house build just for him on the Oregon coast. The announcement comes posthumously in the form of a letter from his long deceased great uncle Archie, that he barely remembers.
Micah is presented as a self-made man with personal assets in the multi-millions, in the limelight, admired...more Praised as an alternative to the New Age Jesus presented in The Shack by W.P. Young, Rooms gives us another perspective of the relationship with the Divine.
Our main character, Micah Taylor, has inherited a mysterious house build just for him on the Oregon coast. The announcement comes posthumously in the form of a letter from his long deceased great uncle Archie, that he barely remembers.
Micah is presented as a self-made man with personal assets in the multi-millions, in the limelight, admired, respected, and sought after for his elite cutting edge software. After a begrudged conversation with his father, Micah decides to visit his new asset and quickly sell it. Upon his first visit, he finds a 9000 sq/ft ocean view mansion that takes his breath away, and puts off turning the property over to a Realtor for dissolution.
Immediately, strange events begin to happen in the house that at first glance would be considered an extreme haunting. So strange that Micah seeks out local help for answers, and by chance meets Rick, a man with uncommon wisdom and a friendly disposition.
Other characters assemble and join with the house in attacking Micah's sanity and life choices.
Rooms then begins to present an image of God, Jesus, and His Spirit based on relationship instead of religion.
The next view of this relationship displays the Creator as one that allows us to suffer the consequences of our bad decisions. One theme religiously driven home was the parable of "The Pearl of Great Price" admonishing Micah to give up all to purchase a better life, or face rejection from the relationship with God he so desperately seeks. This theme seemed to ignore the fact that no worldly possession, no matter how vast can purchase the free gift of that relationship. The intention of the parable was to show how a Savior gave up his heavenly estate to purchase us, His pearl of great price.
Finally, Rooms will make the reader think and is highly recommended as well-written, heart felt, Christian fiction.(less)

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Jun 09, 2010 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good book.

First and foremost, it must be said that Cannon Beach itself is a character in this story. And a beautiful character at that. Having lived in the Northwest and frequented this little seaside town, I can say with conviction that Rubart has captured the Oregon Coast with gusto, and passed it along to those of us fortunate enough to read his pages.

The other characters, too, were very well developed. Particularly Micah and Rick. Rubart's writing flows naturally and Micah is an easy charact...more

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May 27, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Absolutely Brilliant! Mystical and Magical! Brought both tears of joy, as well as tears of sorrow while reading this. Not just for the characters, but, from my own heart as well. Ironically, I had befriended someone over two years ago. We instantly bonded and had a great connection. I often called him my "Angel on Earth" because of the timing he came into my life. He helped me through some personal issues and I like to think I helped boost his self esteem, as well. Just over 6 months ago we said...more

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May 19, 2010 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Going into this book, I had certain expectations. I thought this was going to be a scary, suspenseful story about a “haunted” house, but much to my temporary disappointment, this book is quite different. Once I realized this book was going to be different than I thought, I opened my mind and let my imagination go wild and quickly found myself engrossed in this story. Micah is just a regular person like all of us who has to make difficult decisions like the rest of us. We all face the same battle...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Jennifer Jensen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having it all is almost never what it sounds like. In this book, Micah Taylor, the main character comes to discover that what he has and what he really wants are two entirely different things. When he receives a house as his inheritance, he begins a journey that will change him and those around him in unexpected ways.

The book covers a lot of territory, in terms of time and faith, and it does it in a pretty compelling way. I would say that while I enjoyed the story for the most part, I was disap...more

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Dec 21, 2010 aobibliophile™ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to Me and I will answer you." - Jeremiah 29:11-12 (Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals Today's English Version 1992)

Micah Taylor has everything. he is the President of a successful Seattle-based software company, has a penthouse condo and owns stocks worth millions of dollars. he lives a life only a few could ever hope to achieve or experienc...more "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to Me and I will answer you." - Jeremiah 29:11-12 (Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals Today's English Version 1992)

Micah Taylor has everything. he is the President of a successful Seattle-based software company, has a penthouse condo and owns stocks worth millions of dollars. he lives a life only a few could ever hope to achieve or experience. one day, he receives a 25-year old letter from an uncle he never knew. it says that he has inherited a 9,000 square foot house on the Oregon Coast. driven with curiosity as much as skepticism, he goes to Cannon Beach to find out the truth. in no time, his life - his perfect life - or so he thought begins to change in ways he never thought possible.
reading this book was such a coincidence or should i say a God-incidence. as a Catholic, i had no difficulty understanding and embracing the themes of sacrifice, redemption and salvation in the story. nor was it hard for me to relate with what Micah had to go through.
for the past couple of years, i have experienced so many losses in my professional and personal life. it is only lately that i can admit to myself and to the world that i am beginning to smile again. i have learned to accept with pain and difficulty that there are really things i cannot control and there are those that i can. i still feel pain occasionally but i have learned to manage my emotions well so far. perhaps the time for healing which has eluded me for quite some time has finally begun. now i am slowly reaping its bounty.
author James L. Rubart explores in this book how our choices affect everything in our lives. he also reminds the reader that all is not lost. as long as one breathes, there is hope because God is always in control and that nothing is impossible with Him.
Rooms contains spiritual and supernatural elements geared towards Christian readers but i believe its message is for everyone. one has only to read it with an open mind and heart.

Disclosure of Material Connection: i received an Advance Reader's Edition of Rooms from the B&H Publishing Group through NetGalley.com i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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About James L. Rubart

I'm a husband, dad, author, marketing guy--in that order, and live in the Pacific Northwest.

First novel, ROOMS, released April 2010. Second, BOOK OF DAYS, hits shelves January 2011.

Third, THE CHAIR will release fall of 2011.

The dream came true."

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Quotes from Rooms

“Utterly engulfed,
And wanting more.
Buried,
Drowned,
Intoxicated,
With the vastness of love.
Losing myself as the waves wash over me,
Through me,
Surrounding me,
Caught up in the a hurricane of overwhelming peace,
I have let go,
And He has found me.” — 13 people liked it

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