Stones For Bread

by Christa Parrish

What do you do when the gift you thought was bread turns out to be stones?
Liesl McNamara’s Wild Rise is not only a popular bakehouse and café in Vermont, it’s an extension of herself. Liesl is an artisan bread maker, like her mother and grandmother before her. Even though she lost her mother to suicide when she was eleven, she keeps this maternal bond alive as she bakes.
Liesl prides herself on living an uncomplicated, unattached life. But that changes when Seamus walks through the door of Wild Rise, lugging the large bags of whole wheat flour from the local food co-op. He and his daughter Cecelia have recently moved to the country seeking simplicity. Despite her best effort, Liesl becomes attracted to this teddy bear of a man who laughs easily and eats strange sandwich concoctions—on her bread, much to her dismay.
Her simple life is further complicated when a popular cooking show features her bakery. The publicity increases her business and brings several offers from larger businesses, all of which she turns down. But it also brings a completely unexpected phone call, one from a woman claiming to be her half-sister.
Liesl’s sense of identity dissolves as everything about her relationship with her mother—and the bread that held them together—comes into question. Has she been given stones rather than bread? And how can she ever take these crumbs and make them whole again?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Christian, Adult Fiction, Inspirational

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2013

About the author

Christa Parrish is the award-winning author of five novels and founder of Narratology, a fair trade non-profit social enterprise. She is also a homeschool parent, speaker, and editor. She is currently at work on her sixth - and seventh! - novel.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.
I enjoyed this book despite some initial misgivings because the book starts off narrated by Liesl, who at the time is four years old. This four year old talks like no four year old I have ever met. Despite that less than auspicious beginning, I kept reading. That section is fairly short and so I soon got into it. At times I found it a little confusing as it jumped around in times, as well as giving some history of bread. Not being overly interested in bread I found some of the history aspects rather boring, but maybe that is just me. I was more interested in the story of the only child, Liesl, who inherited her love of bread making from her mother and grandmother. This resulted in her making a choice that saw her open her bakery Wild Rise. I appreciated the way the novel slowly reveals how Liesl’s upbringing has shaped her character. While I liked Liesl as a character, as well as some of the minor characters, I particularly like Tee one of the characters who cooks at Wild Rise. With her personality and background, she adds a bit of bite to the story and stops it from becoming overly sweet. I also like Seamus and his young daughter Cecilia as well as Xavier and other misfit characters that populate this book.
There are some secrets from the past revealed and a romance, though the romance cannot be said to be the main focus of the story, in my opinion. There are also recipes. Not being interested in bread making I skipped over these to read the story.
The Christian message is woven into this story so if you don’t like Christian fiction it may not appeal. But if you do, you will find plenty in the character of Liesl and the plot to engage you. This is another book where I really liked the cover. Over all this was an engaging read and I may read another by this author.

[Aline Kaehler · Rating 1 out of 5]

I chose this book for the plot and the cover. Gorgeous artwork on the cover, and the plot seemed interesting. I read the other reviews and honestly have no idea why it is rated so highly.
I couldn’t get “in” to the book. It seems all over the place to me, trying to be several different things that don’t fit together. For starters, the book is narrated by the main character. That’s not something I enjoy, ever. But to make things worse the first chapter is told by the main character when she is 4 years old and the vocabulary and narrative are so adult, complex and poetic that the author lost me on the first page. A 4 year old would never talk like that.
Added to that I felt like the author was trying too hard. First person narrative + dramatic metaphors + romance + family drama + analogies of Jesus and bread + throwbacks to the past + recipes (yes, recipes!!). It’s just too much. This is a classic case of more is less.
Apparently I’m one of the few who don’t think this is great, so don’t take it from me, read for yourself, and I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I made myself continue reading, but there was nothing that made me want to turn the pages, there was nothing that got me excited to continue reading.

[JoJo Sutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christa Parrish has chosen only the best ingredients for her latest release “Stones For Bread”!
This book is to be savored slowly, enjoyed and shared.
Bread-making and writing are fine arts and they marry well in this story.
From page one, I could smell the rich smell of bread baking and I was hungry for more.
Christa’s writing is so descriptively wonderful, I could only describe it as a feast for the senses!
Main character Liesl reminisced of baking with her mother and grandmother….I couldn’t help but think of the fond memories spent with my own mother and grandmother in the kitchen.

This story is unlike anything I’ve ever read and it is absolutely one of my favorite books of 2013!!!

Many recipes included which may induce major carb cravings!!!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been too long since I’ve picked up a Christa Parrish novel. Her name has become synonymous with that of deep, well thought out women’s fiction and I was not the least bit disappointed in her 2013 release.

“Stones for Bread” is not a light and fluffy read (pun intended), but one much like the sourdough our heroine makes and is known for: thick and more than a bit sour. Leisel is a complicated character and you have to read much of the book before the pieces of her story start to unravel to get a glimpse into who this woman is. I loved how Seamus disrupted her normal routine and nothing was the same. I thought the crafting of these two character’s relationship was absolutely beautiful. It wasn’t rushed or hurried, because that isn’t what Leisel would be able to handle. As the reader, you get to watch her slowly unfurl and rise from the ashes that have too long defined her.

It’s a great question for the reader too: what part of your past do you allow to affect and define who you are right now? This novel would be a fantastic book club read, but there is also so much to enjoy even if read by one’s self.

I’ve loved the previous two titles I’ve read by this author. Her way of seeing the world moves me, while also incredibly thought provoking and deep. Stones for Bread is another fine example of the growth and ability that is rising from this able and worthy talent.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through Litfuse and Netgalley for my copy to review.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stones for Bread is an enchanting, emotional, story about Liesl McNamara.

Written in first person present tense, we get an intimate look at Liesl's introverted personality and the events that led to who she is presently. All this while we watch her change and bloom and overcome her traumatic past. Liesl isn't like the many characters I meet on a weekly basis, she stands out. She loves her routine and likes the amount of control she has over her business. She likes certainty. In this aspect at least, I can relate to her.

This is going to sound strange, but this book reminds me of the movie Chocolat. Not because of the characters or even the setting, but because of the heart and soul of making bread passed down from mother to daughter on Liesl's mother's side. In Chocolat, Vianne and her daughter, Anouk, open a chocolate shop. The recipe Vianne uses has been passed down in her family for ages. Chocolat and Stones for Bread are very different in all other ways, but the familiar legacy is similar. I really liked that.

Throughout the novel, Parrish offers us Liesl's recipes. I loved this! In fact I plan on trying Cecilia's chocolate bread soon. I don't normally say this, but I felt like I learned quite a bit about the art of bread making. Parrish gives us this information without boring us, something that could be a big concern for some people. Will I, personally, put it to use? I'm not sure.

I recommend this book to readers sixteen and older for self-harming and a suicide (I'd say more on this, but... spoilers!). Parrish weaves Christianity into this story in a fabulous, unexpected way; especially because Liesl was never a big church goer at the beginning of the story.


I received this book from Booksneeze in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!!

[Beth Wangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a hard time with a lot of contemporary romance, but I really enjoyed this one. I loved the eclectic cast of characters, enjoyed learning more about bread making (there is sooo much love of bread within these pages, and I appreciate getting to see other's love for things I often overlook), and really appreciated that the emotion was more inferred, not over-dramatized. I related to the protagonist's reluctance where relationships were concerned and felt that I saw myself in her, which I don't often in romance stories.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

From goodreads.com:
What do you do when the gift you thought was bread turns out to be stones?
Liesl McNamara’s Wild Rise is not only a popular bakehouse and café in Vermont, it’s an extension of herself. Liesl is an artisan bread maker, like her mother and grandmother before her. Even though she lost her mother to suicide when she was eleven, she keeps this maternal bond alive as she bakes.
Liesl prides herself on living an uncomplicated, unattached life. But that changes when Seamus walks through the door of Wild Rise, lugging the large bags of whole wheat flour from the local food co-op. He and his daughter Cecelia have recently moved to the country seeking simplicity. Despite her best effort, Liesl becomes attracted to this teddy bear of a man who laughs easily and eats strange sandwich concoctions—on her bread, much to her dismay.
Her simple life is further complicated when a popular cooking show features her bakery. The publicity increases her business and brings several offers from larger businesses, all of which she turns down. But it also brings a completely unexpected phone call, one from a woman claiming to be her half-sister.
Liesl’s sense of identity dissolves as everything about her relationship with her mother—and the bread that held them together—comes into question. Has she been given stones rather than bread? And how can she ever take these crumbs and make them whole again?
Paperback, 326 pages
Published November 5th 2013 by Thomas Nelson Publishers



Leona's Review
Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish
This is the story of Liesl McNamara who has become a baker. Bread is the main staple in her life and I find she is afraid to let people become close to her. The book is told in past tense and goes from the present time to before the death of her mother. Liesl's mother committed suicide when Liesl was only 12 years of age.
I had a hard time reading this book and it took almost a week to do so. I found it emotional and a reminder of how I miss my mother. Liesl owns a bakery, Wild Rise, in a small town. She makes breads of all kinds and there are some wonderful recipes in the book and very detailed.
I loved the characters of Tee and Cecilia the most. All had a place in the book but these grabbed my heart. The other main characters are Xavier, her main baker who also loves the bread making; Gretchen, who works in the bakery; Jude, a drop out who lives with his grandfather, Xavier, and becomes an important part of the story; Seamus, the father of Cecelia; Oma, the dead grandmother of Liesl who is often so part of Liesl and so important; Claudia, the mother of Liesl and Alistair, the father of Liesl.
Liesl is part of a cooking show called Bake- Off. I could almost see Bobby Flay there and especially when the host of the show, Jonathan, says "awesome". Gretchen has signed her up for the show and I will let you read about the outcome.
The book does flow quite well even with the back and forth on the time periods. It is a Christian book and is good for those who have wandered from God and the Church and find they need to re-connect. Lots of sad times so keep the tissues handy. It is one to read about someone who seems lost and needs to open up to people, especially her father. I did like the outcome of the book and will give it a 4 star because of the characters, the feelings I felt for the characters, the history of bread and also the recipes.
Oma's crock with her sourdough in it, which must be fed, is also a very important part of the story of Liesl.
Liesl's bread recipes are for: Barley-Wheat Sourdough, Cecilia's Dark Chocolate Pain au Levain, Claudia's Christstollen, Liesl's Orange Chai Boule, Pumpernickel Onion Sourdough Bread, "Stick to Your Buns" Sticky Buns, Wild Rise Petite Baguette, Wild White Sandwich Bread and Wild Yeast Starter.
The book is dedicated to: For Chris, If I could choose again, I'd choose you.
I received a complimentary copy of Stones for Bread to read and review from Litfuse Publicity . This is published byThomas Nelson Publishers. The opinions are my own.
Leona Olson
http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com
Christa Parrish may be reached at www.christaparrish.com
She is also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christ...

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running her own bakeshop, the Wild Rise, will finally fill the void in 30-something Liesel McNamara’s life—won’t it? She sure has wagered all her dough on it—and the array of artisan sourdough starters, some as old as her history itself.

An artisan bakery in Billingston, Vermont is the setting for Christa Parrish’s latest novel, Stones for Bread. It is a story of a woman seeking to find herself after an adolescent tragedy. A chance to compete on the Good Food Network for $10,000 (enough for Paris!), the revelation of a life-changing secret, and the possibility of the love of a good man are all plot elements that pulled me through this fabulous book way too fast.

The characters were a highlight for me. Besides Liesel there is single father Seamus and his five-year-old daughter Cecilia, Xavier—Liesel’s 71-year-old head baker, Tee—the Ukrainian cook, and lots of others. All are richly drawn, believable and sympathetic. Parrish’s handling of the tiny-bit-spoiled five-year-old Cecilia was, I felt, especially well done.

Parrish weaves her magic in many ways. The story is told solely through Liesel’s eyes. Each chapter begins with a scene from her history, helping us piece together why she is the way the she is. And how is that? Here she sees herself in contrast to co-worker Gretchen: “Perhaps it’s who she is, relaxed and round and fizzy. I have too many angles to get close” – Kindle Location 230.

Parrish also includes lots of information about bread, its lore, its place in history and religion, and actual recipes from Liesel’s notebook, complete with her own notations of how to make it right (bread geek that she is). I’m tempted to try some of these—only using my bread machine (please don’t tell her though).

A Christian worldview foundations and subtly pervades the book throughout. Many wonderful allusions to the bread imagery in the Bible make it all the richer.

The writing is wonderful too. Here are two bits I highlighted:

“…Oma’s (hair) with streaks of soot gray where her youth has burned away” K.L. 333.

“Seamus looks smaller. His size hasn’t changed, but the layer of pride we all have beneath our skin, the one reminding us how well we care for our own, that has lost some of its girth” K.L. 909.

Stones for Bread is a perfect read for a cold winter night by the fire, or consume it as a side with soup and dark pumpernickel.

I received Stones for Bread as a gift from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for the purpose of writing a review.

[Iola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liesl McNamara is the owner of Wild Rise, a specialty bakery in a small town in Vermont. The story is told on three different levels. This should be distracting, but somehow it isn’t (that could be because I’m a fact and history nut). The main story is that of Liesl, an only child who has inherited a love of breadmaking from her German mother and Oma (grandmother).

This main story is interspersed with stories from Liesl’s past—happy stories about her learning the art of breadmaking, and sadder stories of grief and loss. The third story is the place of bread in history—the labour required to produce a single loaf of bread is astounding, as is the role of bread in history. All are written in the first person, from Liesl’s viewpoint. There are also recipes linking to the story.

Our initial impression of Liesl is of a competent professional woman, but as the stories progress, we start to see her as a damaged individual with deep issues. She makes bread, in part, because that’s something she is able to control—unlike life. There are some painful and poignant insights into Liesl, into humanity, and into why we find it difficult to submit to God.

Christian fiction mostly stays within strict genre definitions. A novel might be a romance or romantic suspense or a thriller or Amish, but it’s definable. This is less so, and with a focus more on the internal journey of Liesl. This, combined with the threefold plot, the recipes and the beautiful use of language is why Stones for Bread doesn’t sit comfortably in any genre. It is not romance, although there is a romantic element. It is not action or suspense. The closest definition is women’s fiction, but even that runs the risk of missing something. Sure, this is the story of one woman and there are elements all women will find familiar, but there is something more, and it’s that something that raises this book above average, above what I normally find in Christian fiction.

I didn’t read the recipes. I read the first one and decided to thank God for the fact that I don’t have to put this level of effort into putting bread on the table for my family. Sure, even the fresh baked in-store bread from my local supermarket or bakery doesn’t match up to what Liesl sells at Wild Rise, but I know I’m never going to put that level of effort into baking a loaf of bread. Maybe that’s my loss. Recommended.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Booksneeze for providing a free ebook for review.

[Barb Terpstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I will remember most about this book is how the descriptions of bread making was woven into the story as a whole. In fact, I think I am intrigued enough with the sourdough recipes to try making my own sourdough starter. There is a particular recipe for a chocolate sourdough bread, with actual pieces of dark chocolate baked into it, that is especially appealing.

Liesl owns her own bakery.It seems as though bread and the making of it are an essential part of her nature. Her feelings of family, and grief (after losing her mother tragically at an early age), are all tied into her bread making. She shares her bread with customers and churches more easily than she shares herself. Liesel loves the making of bread and it is a sort of therapy, as well as escape for her life.

Liesl's bakery "Wild Rise" (a reference to sourdough starter) becomes a family place for a variety of societal misfits that come to work for her. She reluctantly loves each of them, and particularly a little girl named Cecilia.

Liesl's grandmother explains to her about sourdough, and how you must feed it with flour and water until it can be made into bread "again and again,every day so the children have brot. Always something is in this pot, waiting to eat". When Liesl says that she didn't know "bread was so hungry all the time", Oma says "We are all hungry all the time. Every living thing." And isn't that the truth. Adding to the family theme, some of Liesel's sourdough starter has been fed through the generations, coming over from the old country with her grandmother.

There is a lot of history about bread and it's role in the lives of the rich and poor woven throughout the book.

Which brings us to another underlying theme of the story, which is that Jesus is the bread of life. If you are a not a Christian, don't let this scare you off, because this theme is just part of who the characters are,and I feel it is really understated. In other words, I don't feel preached at, it's just a part of the character's stories that comes up now and again.

I do like a thought Liesl has on community:

"all of us with pieces missing, all of us starfish, but instead of regenerating our amputated parts we've replaced them with one another".

I borrowed this book from the library on my kindle, but may be tempted to purchase the book itself for the recipes.

[Shelly Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you are a person who runs your own life. You don't really pay
attention to those around you. Until they need you. This book has allot
of good things going on, and tells us that eventually life changes and
not on purpose! Things just happen! Death, adoptions, finding a family,
loosing a friend. Love. Most of all love! Never give up on love when
its there. Good book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bread part of it was really interesting. It made me want to experiment with starters and start making more bread and so on. I didn’t ever feel really connected to the main character so that is why I knocked off a star. I am actually a religious person but I still sometimes find religious themed literature a bit tedious.

[Raelee Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christa Parrish's books are proving a strange phenomenon for me. While I read, I always think of this or that I didn't like about it. When I get to the end, however, I realize everything is as it should be.

[Kathleen E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish, ©2013

Filled with both spiritual and literal nourishment,
Stones for Bread provides a feast for the
senses from award-winning author
Christa Parrish.

Oma takes me on her lap and tells me of Germany, good Lutheran tales because my father is Irish and Catholic and she believes I learn nothing of the things I should.

Wes Brot ich ess, des Lied ich sing.
Whose bread I eat, His song I sing.
--Stones for Bread, 13

Liesl McNamara. My maiden name is Irish too.

Hop on into this book and you will savor it! Like you are there hanging onto every thought, every motion. And the aroma of fresh baked bread ~ there on each and every page. I am the same age as Xavier.

We pull loaves from the oven, Xavier shoveling them onto the peel, me catching them in the baskets and setting them on the racks. The air snaps with cooling crust, a symphony of dried twigs crunching beneath my feet, of cracking knuckles, of Rice Crispies. I'm home within that sound. ... Mastering formulas, not recipes, in the quest for the perfect loaf.
--Ibid., 15-16

Liesl's Orange Chai Boule ~an excellent introduction to cold fermentation~
--Ibid., 17

Everywhere I go, magic! Cold fermentation! I am for that. My trying to get just the right temp on my wrist still my bread loaf has a yeasty smell ~ and... you could bounce it off the counter and it wouldn't break open ~ too thick a crust. I have so much to learn and may finally... begin baking bread again! Exact directions on how to bake Liesl's bread is included on pages 18 and 19. I am in bliss!

Cecelia turns her face to me. It shines with hopefulness, and that part of me that I don't want to exist, the one that needs people, the one that comes awake on these Sundays, drinks in her light. And it says to me. More.
"Sure," I say. "Why not?"
--Ibid., 31

"My mother died when I was young," I tell her. "It still hurts not to have her around."
--Ibid., 33

We meet Cecelia and she says, "Someone gave me a bag to use," holding up a small Ziploc she's filled with pellets. "Take some too, Liesl."
I do, offering the mound to the goat on its back legs right there next to me. I feel its tongue, rough and slick. But my eyes are on Seamus, kneeling behind his daughter, their heads so close they're touching as he holds his hand beneath hers to catch any wayward feed. She pulls her arm back as soon as she's nuzzled, wiping the saliva on her shorts. He kisses her cheek, and she wipes it away before patting his unruly beard. Their silence ritual. Seamus raises his equally wild brows and then tilts his chin into her neck, rubbing it back and forth as she laughs with her entire six-year-old body. And the goat at the fence continues to lick between my fingers, cleaning away every crumb of the old Seamus, the inconsiderate, sloppy, truck-driving oaf who tracked dirt through my bakehouse, leaving only the Seamus who spins wool better than Athena herself and who loves his little girl with abandon.
--Ibid., 37-38

I have been waiting to meet Cecelia again since she first appeared at the bakery with her kindergarten class to poke and prod dough all-by-herself. I am surprised to hear of the introspection about Seamus. I had grown accustomed to her schedule ~*~ baking, sleeping, baking again. Somehow I knew Cecelia was important to this story from her first mention.

Yes, the irony of all ironies; the hearty, dark bread once considered fit only for thieves and livestock is now some of the most prized of all.
--Ibid., 56-57

I love the descriptiveness! ~ And then back to Cecelia. You're going to think that little girl is my favorite (she is!).

We wore dull clothes in dull colors, moths not butterflies.
--Ibid., 58

"Well, then maybe the one there, with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes."
"The chocolate, Daddy. It's right there. And there's only one left."
There's always one left. I keep it aside, just for her, each time I make it.
--Ibid., 59

Another deep breath. A thumbprint of warmth blooms in the cavern beneath my breastbone, a penny on the sidewalk in the sun. The Comforter. The sensation fills my chest and dribbles down my limbs, and a perfect peace comes over me for a moment.
--Ibid., 70

I can so identify with this. Me, too. It is like God saying, "I see you, Kathleen." And, of course, I always pick it up, with a smile on my face.

The Hebrews have freedom. Instead, they want food, their bellies filled with the early comfort they know. And God, the heavenly Comforter, sends bread of a different kind.
What is it?
They call it manna. And it's given to the wandering children of Israel, but not only for them. For us. For all who brush away the veil and will one day lay eyes on the true manna, a child they do not yet know will be born in Beth-lehem, the house of bread.
--Ibid., 72

Micah 5:2, "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity."

Beautiful, beautiful story! I identify with it in innumerable ways! My German grandfather owned a bakery. He died before I was born. He began when he was 15 with the hops from the brewery/bar he was working at. My earliest memory of the bakery is sitting on a water radiator (no snow on the ground) between two stairwells looking out at the old fire station building across the street that was a tall two-story narrow building then. I moved to that city when I was in my beginning thirties and would pass by the building on my way to work; the bakery now a beauty shop. Sweet memories. There is still a fire station across the street, but a modern one now. And my father was an Irish Catholic; marrying my half-Norwegian/half-German mother. She died when I was five, just before my sixth birthday, and I sadly have no memory of her. The trauma of my loss must have wiped it away. Her mother came with her parents and siblings from Norway when she sixteen. Meeting and marrying my German grandfather, not much could be said when my 100% Irish Daddy came on the scene. He was a musician ~ beautifully on a grand piano he stopped playing when my mother died. Favorites ~ Clair de Lune, especially, and Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? They had been to the Mardi Gras shortly before she died following surgery. He went into the Commerce Bank to extend a loan he had on his snazzy automobile. My mother was the teller he chose. On Valentine's Day it was acceptable for a young debutante business college grad to send a valentine. Fancy, she has his address from his bank record. And my mother's name? Cecilia.
♪♫•*Does¨*your•.mother¸¸♥ know ♫¸.•*you're¨*out,•♫Cecilia? ♪ •Does♥��.she¸♪¸.•know♥♫•.that¸•♪♫I'm ♫♪about¸.•*toི♥ྀstealღ •ya'?ღ •♫♪

Christa interweaves Liesl's story remembering the past and moving on in the future in a fine seam at the bottom of the loaf. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction of the bakehouse staff and their unspoken love for each other that came through so vividly ~ being on time, doing what they know to do, being factual with each other, caring. I was totally emerged in the story, possibly because of my generational contact. There is more than bread making as Liesl comes to trusting ~ in her Lord and those He sends her at just the right time.

***Thank you to Litfuse Publishing Group for sending me a copy of Christa Parrish's novel, Stones for Bread, for this blog tour. This review is written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

[Erika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brödbakandet får stort utrymme i den här romanen om Liesl som driver ett litet surdegsbageri i Vermont. Insprängt i varje kapitel finns stycken om brödets betydelse genom historien och 10 recept på mestadels surdegsbakat bröd (och ett par andra bakverk) ingår också. Recept i en roman kan låta udda, men jag gillade det i den här boken – kanske för att jag själv bakat en del med surdeg de senaste åren. Just kärleken till brödbakandet och hur det på många sätt genomsyrar Bröd eller stenar är det som ändå till viss del räddar läsupplevelsen för mig.

Liesl har lärt sig baka av sin mamma och mormor och använder sig av bakandet lite som terapi och ganska mycket som en flykt från det som känns jobbigt i livet. Bit för bit får läsaren veta mer om hennes bakgrund i återblickar samtidigt som nya människor och händelser kommer in i romanens nutid.

Bröd eller stenar har också en ambition att dela kristen uppmuntran, ofta i den där färdigtuggade formen som får mig att skriva lite på mig. Levnadsvisdomar, oavsett om de är religiöst färgade eller inte, behöver åtminstone jag få serverade i en form som utmanar mig snarare än att uppmana mig.

Christa Parrish använder ett språk som ofta känns kantigt i stället för lättflytande. Till viss del kan det här säkert skyllas på den svenska översättningen, men inte helt och hållet. Den svenska utgåvan av boken ger för övrigt inget gott intryck – baksidestexten avslöjar alldeles för mycket och förtar en hel del av spänningen (men så är det kanske i det amerikanska originalet också?) och dessutom innehåller åtminstone recepten en del uppenbara översättningsfel.
Till exempel i glasyren till bullar uppmanas man röra ihop gräddost och smör till en gräddliknande konsistens. Här måste läsaren själv vara vaksam och bekant med engelska terminologi för att räkna ut att det som egentligen menas är färskost, cream cheese. I recepten talas det också om att grädda nötter i stället för att rosta dem i ugn och om att blanda degen till en tovig boll.

[J.S. Nelson]

This book made me really hungry

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a lot I care to say about this book. It was rather boring in my honest opinion. I felt like it was taking me forever to get through it. Around page 220 it finally started getting better. The main character's back story is far more interesting than her present story. I guess if you are a bread enthusiast, you might enjoy this. It does include some real recipes for baking different types of bread. I will conclude by saying that I would not recommend reading this book.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liesl McNamara was a bread maker by trade but it was more than that. Making bread was a family tradition that was passed from generation to generation. She learned to make bread at the hands of her mother and grandmother, Oma, from the time she was a little girl. When she found her mother dead at the age of only thirteen, Liesl closed herself off from the world eventually turning to bread making as an escape from the memories that haunted her. Now, years later, she hides from the past in her bake house, Wild Rise. Because her apprentice sends in an application for the TV show Bake-Off, Liesl sons finds herself in the middle of production with some hard decisions to make. But a little girl and her father have worked their way into her life and heart and Liesl has to decide if she is willing to let go of the past and look toward the future.
Seamus Tate is the new flour delivery man for Wild Rise bake house. After his wife walked out he found himself as a single father trying to raise a six year-old alone. When his daughter, Cecelia, becomes attached to the bakery owner he soon finds himself becoming attached to her as well. Liesl has worked her way into his heart and when his mother becomes ill and needs constant care Seamus has no choice but to return to Tennessee. Is his love enough for Liesl? Can she give up the one thing she has always used as a balm to her wounds? Or will she give up the only true love she has ever known?

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this book. I like for a book to wrap itself around me until I feel like I am a part of the story and I just didn't feel that with this book. I love the traditions ingrained in Liesl's family. The bread making that was passed from generation to generation is something to be admired because it brought a closeness between Liesl, her mother and grandmother. Bread making was their solace and that is a beautiful thing. There are a lot of descriptions on bread and bread making all throughout the story. So much so that I feel like bread makers will be more likely to get the most out of the story. I loved her mix matched "family" though. They are described on page 211 like this, "...odd, growing Wild Rise family of immigrants, high school dropouts, nerdy engineers, flirty artists, fundamentalist farm girls, and everyone else." This is such an accurate description and you can't help but love the characters. Xavier and Tee especially. It also covered an issue that is seldom discussed and that is, self-inflicted pain. Kids often inflict pain upon themselves as a way of dealing with the problems going on in their lives. In Liesl's case she would beat her legs with a hairbrush until she was black and blue. I feel it's a problem that should be addressed more and I give a thumbs up to Christa Parrish for bringing it to light.

I am a romance junkie at heart, though, and I feel like the one thing I love took a backseat to everything else. The romance between Liesl and Seamus was slow in developing and I really like that but I wanted to read more about it. I wish it had been woven into the story more often. Seamus was such a sweet, teddy bear of a man and I would like to have seen more of him. Also, all throughout the book the story would just stop and there would be a section connecting Jesus, the Bread of Life, to the bread we consume daily and then the story would resume where it left off. While I completely agree with this theological concept, it somehow seemed misplaced for me. I'm still struggling with how to classify this book as well. Is it romance, self-help or women's fiction maybe? I'll let you be the judge. I also feel like there was a loose end. I like my books all tied up in neat little packages but I felt like there was a loose thread left hanging. If you are a romance junkie like I am, while you might like the sense of family this book evokes, you may not love the story as a whole quite as much. However, if you are a bread enthusiast I do recommend it as you will most likely love it because it has a lot of references to and instructions on bread and bread making and it also includes several recipes.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions stated are mine and mine alone. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Alexandre Dumas, père, wrote of bakers:

In Paris today millions of pounds of bread are sold daily, made during the previous night by those strange, half-naked beings one glimpses through cellar windows, whose wild-seeming cries floating out of those depths always makes a painful impression. In the morning, one sees these pale men, still white with flour, carrying a loaf under one arm, going off to rest and gather new strength to renew their had and useful labor when night comes again. I have always highly esteemed the brave and humble workers who labor all night to produce those soft but crusty loaves that look more like cake than bread...

It is bread that keeps them alive. Give us this day our daily bread, they pray, and they praise the Almighty for it.

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

So, I pack the bread in bags, like I will for any paying customer. I don't send burnt loaves or stale loaves, or any kitchen experiment I don't believe is quality enough to sell. I will not give to the least of these anything I will not offer to my Lord, should he walk into Wild Rise one afternoon and ask for a little something to eat.

The secrets of baking have, until relatively recently, always been passed from mother to daughter. I was young, eight perhaps, when my own mother tied her apron around my waist and told me it was time for me to show her how much of what she taught me I remembered. It was time for me to make my first loaf without help or instruction. No recipes. Just my senses. And I did. It was a square loaf of wheat bread. A little too dense. A little too brown. But we ate it at supper that night, my father, my mother, and I, with butter and salt, rewarmed in the oven. And my mother said to me, "You're now the keeper of bread." It was my right of passage."

In the novel Stones for Bread, author Christa Parrish takes the readers into much more than a contemporary story about the art of making bread. She touches those warm places within our hearts that sense more to bread than just what we eat. It becomes part of who we are and provides nourishment to both the heart and soul of those we make it for. It is a piece of ourselves.

The story is based around the life of Liesl McNamara, owner and baker at Wild Rise, a bake house in Vermont. Her's is a story of the generations of bread bakers beginning with her grandmother and mother til finally resting within herself. The story winds its way into Liesl's tragic childhood and culminates with her being entered in a reality show called Baked Off by one of her employees. Woven in between are the mouth-watering recipes of 11 Artisan Bread that you will find takes time to make just perfect but well worth the effort. This is simply a story to be experienced and enjoyed from cover to cover and trust me, you'll never look at a loaf of bread the same again. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

I received Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

[extraordinary ordinary whimsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scoring is the act of cutting grooves into dough before it bakes and becomes bread. Liesl's scars run as deep as the scored dough she makes and bakes; therefore, Stones for Bread by Christa Parrish is at times as heavy as it's name implies. Yet it is a fantastic read. A love letter to bread written in a way that makes you want to slow down and taste the words. Allowing them to almost melt on your tongue.

"What is so mystical about bread that superstitions follow from the moment man conceived it to this very day? The wheat, from the ground. The yeast, from the air. The dough, alive, breathing, growing, giving itself up for the people. The gods find it acceptable, the priests use it in their rituals, the magicians want to harness its power. And yet what goes into bread is common, vulgar even, available to anyone who will pick and grind and create fire to bake.

Sacred and profane."

It's also her rocky journey into forgiveness and learning to trust God. The faith aspect is like an ocean current moving organically through the story as it builds force and momentum.

"What is it about this stuff? All of it. The flour, the dough, the loaves. It's like there are magnets in it, and in me. I have to touch it."

I know. When my hands are in dough, something deep and primordial can hear the voice of God, calling me forth from the earth. It is very good. Grain from the ground, made dust. Man from the dust. The kneading reconnects both, bringing me back to Eden in a way I've never encountered at any church service.

"It's like it's -"

"Spiritual," I say."

It's one of those books I could read three times and still find new things to ponder.

"This is what Pastor Ryan means when he preaches on community, all of us with pieces missing, all of us starfish, but instead of regenerating our amputated parts we've replaced them with one another."

Liesl is like focaccia, tough but worth it. Her story like a cinnamon bun, is sticky but good. This particular passage stuck with me.

"Do everything as if unto the Lord. Offer up everything as if for the Lord, including jars of olives to the food pantry or leftover loaves of bread. Years later, that's finally how I make sense of it, where it settles out for me. If Jesus knocks on my door today, will I rummage through my home and give him the food I don't like, the outgrown jackets with stains and a broken zipper, the dirty Crock-Pot in the basement, the one with the chipped lid and mice nesting inside I've yet to find time to toss into the Salvation Army's dumpster?"

Review/thoughts orginally appeared on Tales of Whimsy.com on April 28, 2014.

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a Christian for over 40 years, and it's part of who I am. I've been baking bread even longer, and it's part of how I see myself, too. So, often, when I read books about either I find them not really convincing or too facile. They disappoint me because the details aren't right, the timing's off and they don't feel "real". This book worked for me, as Christian fiction and as the story of a baker of bread. I don't know if the author actually bakes or if she just did her research, but either way this book felt right to me.

There are a couple of potential triggers - The MC's mother was manic-depressive and killed herself when the MC was 12. She found her mother's body.. I also grew up with bi-polar people, as it runs in my family. So I often find those descriptions, if not wrong, at least too limited. In the end I felt the author did a good job showing the reality, and love, of a mother suffering from this disease. And the long, difficult process that grieving can become.

The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. The MC has serious issues with emotions and relationships. I'm afraid the book gives the impression that selling her business and moving across country to marry a man guarantees her a HEA. I foresee lots more misunderstanding, arguments, and heartache. Isn't that how life really works? But I may have become cynical, and it's only a small part of quite a stunning story. I would recommend this to my reading group.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liesl, a successful owner of a bakery, has never quite reconciled herself with her mother having committed suicide when she was but a girl. For generations the gift of baking bread has been passed from mother to daughter. Liesl took this gift and immersed herself in the daily chore of making and perfecting the perfect loaf. But in her passion for bread she has isolated herself from genuine connection with those around her. While Liesl's father sought and found refuge in God and church fellowship, Liesl has been unable to forgive God, nor her mother. She feels abandoned by both. She shares herself the best she can with her fellow baker, Xavier. They are joined by Xavier's grandson, Jude, who's also seeking acceptance and who has a passion for baking bread. But it's when a man, Seamus, and his young daughter, Cecelia, enter her life that she begins to open up the part of her soul she has shut off from the world. As Liesl listens for the voice of God, she finds understanding of what is truly important in life.
I enjoyed the history and meaning of bread, and the love baked into each loaf.

[Tina Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread - love this one.

Christa Parrish is one of my very favorite Christian authors for several reasons: 1)Interesting, well-developed characters who engage with real life struggles 2) The books don't follow the typical we need to get the main character saved plot and then everything gets nicely resolved and they all live happily ever after. Instead, struggles remain and hurt still exists but her characters grow in the process, both in their faith and in community and 3)the woman is a fine writer! Highly recommend any of her books.

[Silvertop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leisl is a young woman who bakes sourdough bread at the bakery she owns called Wild Rise in a small town in Vermont. She learned her craft during the earliest years of her childhood, standing on a chair next to her German grandmother, whom she called Oma, and her mother. The loaves she creates at Wild Rise are all made from a sourdough starter that is a descendant of the same starter her grandmother used. The starter is her most precious possession. Through a series of flashbacks, interspersed with the narrative of Leisl's present life, we learn how Leisl learned bread making in the kitchen with Oma and her mother. With them, and through them, Leisl learned how to work the dough, how to mix it, knead it, form it, bake it, eat it. Bread is Leisl's literal staff of life.

Although she gives so much of herself to her bread baking, Leisl is unable to give any of herself to anyone else. She is single, isolated, insulated. Why? Again through flashbacks we learn the tragedy in her teenage years that created her isolation. How she overcomes this tragedy -- years and years later -- is the story of this book.

I both enjoyed this book and was frustrated by it. I enjoyed the inclusion of a history of bread through the ages. Bread has sustained human life since our earliest attempts to feed ourselves through the work of our own hands -- growing, harvesting, grinding, baking. Having made much of our family's bread over the decades, I appreciate the work, the time, and the commitment required. I also appreciate the satisfaction that comes from making it, and eating it.

I was frustrated by this book for its multi-stranded threads of story line. Is the book about Leisl's love of bread making? Is it about her isolation? Is it about the other characters who work for her at Wild Rise? Is it a story of self-discovery? Is it a love story? Is it about professional development, recognition, and future business opportunities? Is it about anger management? Is it about faith?

The author was ambitious to tackle all these threads simultaneously. The downside, for me, was the constant back and forth -- between time frames, between emotions, between character development -- that made the story more jumbled than it should have been.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book won the Christy Award in 2014 in the contemporary category and that is what brought me to read this book.

This was my first Christa Parrish book and I found her writing style to be very unique. The story itself was very emotionally stirring and I became emotionally attached to Liesl, the main character who owns her own bakery called Wild Rise bake house. I love the concept of the book. I loved all the main characters. The reason I didn't rate it higher was because when her love interest, Seamus, comes on to the scene, I didn't find him to be very appealing (the way his character was written). He kind of appears to be a big, sloppy goof. And she doesn't seem to have an attraction to him. I wasn't sure for a big part of the book if Liesl was just being nice to him because she felt sorry for him and genuinely loved his daughter, who was a real sweetheart, or if she really liked him for him. It kind of seemed like the way he was described at first that he may not be a very good catch. Again, as a result of his early description (described by Liesl), I didn't think he could or would become her love interest. Until he did! Then I was kind of confused, thinking, "did I miss something?" Because the way Liesl described him earlier, it didn't seem like she had any interest in him. But after I got past that, I thought Seamus was sweet and I was rooting for them. Although their romance was kind of odd.

On the positive side, it was an interesting book and kept my attention (minus all the history on bread that I found boring and skipped). I now have a new appreciation for bread and good quality bread! The whole time I was reading it, I wanted to eat her bread!

[The Reading Panda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though there were a number of elements that I felt were weak in the story, the reason why I ultimately enjoyed it was because Liesl is sweet and kind. You find out early on that her mother took her own life. This is extremely traumatic. I cannot imagine the scars and demons that would cause. The trauma causes her to be reclusive, aloof, extremely introverted. Underneath it all, however, Liesl has a heart of gold. She cares for the needy, and she is there for the people she loves. The secondary characters were also fully fleshed out. Seamus is the gentle giant. He's an amazing father, and he knows how to pursue Liesl without scaring her away, not a small feat. Cecelia is the most adorable child I have encountered in fiction. She is talkative and sweet and manages to hold Liesl's heart. I find that authors usually put the kids on the sidelines when writing romances, so I appreciated that Cecialia was truly present in the story.
What retracted from the story was how painful it is. My heart broke for Liesl through it all. Suicide is something none of us should have to endure. At times I had to push myself to pick up the book and continue reading until the end. Liesl's emotional distance did not help the matter. She was cold to Seamus and frequently gave mixed messages. No one but Seamus would have the patience to wait for Liesl. Bless him.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. You get a new found appreciation for bread by the end of it. This is not my cup of tea, but I understand how others might love it.

[Nancy DeValve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is multi-layered and in some ways quite complex. In other ways it's beautifully straightforward and ordinary in a homey sort of way. Leisl runs a bakery/cafe. But as the story unfolds, we learn about her painful childhood and how it affects her present-day relationships. We learn more about each person who works in the bakery. I love that none of the characters are typical romance-fiction characters with their beautiful looks and steamy romances. They are ordinary: grouchy, overweight, slow with words, teasing, flirting, hard-working, and doubtful about their abilities or rights to love. Even the little girl chews on her braid and hides behind her dad. They are such real people whose approach to life is just ordinary and normal. That is one facet of the book. Woven into the story is the history of bread and its spiritual significance. And the third facet are bread recipes (which I skipped since I probably am not going to have a sourdough starter and make bread that way). I really enjoyed this book.

[Joyce Ziebell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stones For Bread is a complex story based on the simple life-sustaining need... Bread. Chapters alternate from past to present, but there's always the connection... Bread. Though this is more than a story it is a journey. Liesl’s journey.

Lisel loves making artisan bread, especially sourdough varieties. The bakery creates a family of sorts among all the workers and slowly Lisel's heart starts healing. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction of the bakehouse staff and their unspoken love for each other.

It's the life of the young woman whose obsession in life has become her own bakery and what she produces there; and journey from girlhood to womanhood; her emotional and spiritual growth.


It's Christian fiction of hurt and healing, grief and grace, and a truly wonderful book to end the year.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a delight -- so much so, that I had to stop partway through and teach my daughter how to make bread, one of my favorite parts of baking. Books like this are so much more enjoyable when there are cinnamon rolls while reading!

The author did an excellent job weaving a story of real-life characters, bread lingo, and the power of relationships in broken people's lives. A young woman pursues her dream of a bakery, motivated by memories of her beloved mother and grandmother. But her mother's suicide left traumatic scars that drive her into the comfort zone of bread and work. A phonecall flips her world upside-down and Liesl is forced to face the past, her insecurities, and faith.

⚠️My only negative is that the author emphasizes a mystical Christianity led by feelings, thoughts, and church relationships, rather than by the sufficiency of Christ and the power of His word to give those things a strong foundation. Though the author included many solid, bread-themed Bible verses and stories as part of the woman's spiritual journey, it was quite post-modern in their application. The main character's "spiritual revival" was marked by letting go and trusting God, which is a good start, but that's where it stopped. No connection to Jesus there.

Other than that, I LOVED this book! It was a beautiful, clean fiction.

[Cricket Muse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christa Parrish has crafted a novel which embraces heritage, artisan craftsmanship, personal discovery, and relationship issues. She also mixes in recipes, spiritual discovery, historical segues, while addressing complicated topics like self harm, adoption, and bipolar disorder. If that sounds like a bit much, in truth it is at times; however, the strength of her writing, often poetical, keeps all those aspects flowing—mostly.

The recipes at the back of the book would have lessened the interruption to the storytelling and maybe one or two of the topics instead of so many would have been more realistic.

Will check out the author’s other books as she does have a way with words.