Customer Reviews

Between Sundays

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In Between Sunday's, Karen Kingsbury takes you into the world of the NFL, specifically the San Francisco 49ers. While the players are fictional, the stadiums and games are come across as accurate and genuine. The novel mainly focuses on three players. Derrick Anderson, an older, seasoned quarterback who comes to the 49ers to mentor and encourage the other players; Aaron Hill, a younger quarterback with several seasons under his belt, and Jay Ryder, a rookie punter and wannabe quarterback.

This is Derrick's last season and he wants desperately to win another championship ring to fulfill a promise he made. He already has two rings, but needs a third for a reason only he and his wife know. Derrick is a family man, deeply rooted in his faith, living his life by God's grace.

Aaron is an arrogant playboy, king of the hill, living only for the moment and the adoration of the fans and media, with no time for God. Aaron has a couple championship rings and thinks that winning this season would be great, but it's not something he is overly concerned about. After all, he has his whole life ahead of him to win Super Bowls, right?

Jay is young and a little shy, this being his first season in the NFL. He wants to fit in with the team and is awe struck by Derrick and Aaron. He has some faith, but is not completely committed.

San Francisco has a large contingent of foster kids. Megan Gunn volunteers at the Youth Center as well. She is a single foster mom to Cory. Amy, Cory's mother, had been a close friend to Megan before she died tragically. Cory is a big fan of the 49ers. Derrick is a very compassionate person and tries to reach out to the kids. In the off season, he hosts pizza parties at a Youth Center. Derrick gives away five game tickets each week at the pizza party. Cory wants desperately to win a ticket and attend a game because Cory has a secret - he believes he is the son of one of the 49er players. Megan, of course, doesn't believe him, attributing his belief to the fact that he so wants a father. She thinks this is just his fantasy and tries to discourage him, but Cory insists his mother told him and his mother did not lie.

Kingsbury takes you through the hopes, dreams, injuries, disappointments and trials of the coach and his players in the NFL. Will they make it to the Super Bowl, and if so, what are their chances of a win? The novel clearly points out that we are not defined by what we do on Sunday, but what we do Monday through Saturday. Between Sundays is a novel for all ages, and especially NFL and 49ers fans.

Note: In real life, Alex Smith, the current 49er quarterback founded the Alex Smith Foundation for foster children. His foundation provides provides support, funding, and a chance at a fuller life.

I thoroughly enjoyed Karen's latest treasure - I couldn't put it down. Although I do not know anythting about football, I felt myself being pulled into the NFL world and was comfortable with the terms used. The lessons of faith, redemption, forgiveness and determination to change one's heart to live for God were readily apparent, without the reader feeling it was "shoved down their throat." The hard work that foster families endeavor to make a difference for foster kids was not something I often thought about and I appreciated Karen's obvious love and commitment to foster children. I highly recommend this book and plan to pass it around to many friends and family!

I've been reading Karen Kingsbury books for a few years now and must say that I do enjoy reading them. I was unsure of what this was really about when I started reading and knew that it would be faith filled I just think the story was not as layered as some other books. There were times the story actually iritated me, in particular when the DNA test arrives. There is no way in reality that a father would not check them out. At other times I thought the story laboured but others it really worked. I will continue to read her books I'm just hoping I wont be let down again. I'm a massive fan of the redemption series so I recommend that. Happy reading.

What I love best about Karen's newest book is the theme. Life has a way of getting in front of the focus of our faith. Our faith in God shouldn't be centered around events - Sunday church services, Christmas, Easter - but on the everyday things we do that make a difference to others. Truly life is to be lived 'between Sundays'. For many churches, the people who attend there only show up on Sundays to make them feel like they're acting out their faith. However, they are empty inside when it comes to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If we could just stop and think of what we're good at doing that would make a difference in someone else's life...and then do it! Once again, her book captured my attention and kept it the entire time. I have the habit of picking up Karen's book and then I keep reading until I'm done. I'm blessed and enriched and challenged and uplifted and encouraged every time I read a 'Life Changing Fiction' book written by Karen. I love passing them on, as well, to others.

I do not generally enjoy this genre of writing but engaged the book as part of a book club. I did not like the book from the first but want to keep my thoughts balanced and rational. First of all the writing was weak. Characters were flat, people were judged either good or bad, the plot was predictable, and the reader had little opportunity to indentify with the characters. Secondly, there were many technical errors. The effort of taking on a dead woman's child, adoption, proving paternity, and acting as a foster parent are all regulated by the state. The author assumed a situation that people who have been in the foster child/adoption process could never swallow. Insight and depth of knowledge was lacking. Finally, the thick sentimentality felt like an old Shirley Temple movie. For example, winning a Superbowl ring to keep a promise to a dead child who is tuning in while sitting on the knees of Jesus just doesn't ring right with me. That brings me to my final point. The theology of the book was dangerously elementary. The author presents God as the divine puppeteer who will make everything right if you just ask and pray. The characters were so righteous that their prayers were demands on God's time and talent to make life work out according to their wishes. There seemed to be a fundamental error in dictating God's will rather than seeking it.

I had this book for awhile and did not want to read it because I am not a football fan. The first time I started reading this book, I could not put it down. It is one of the best books I have read. Every time I read one of Karen's books I say this is the best one yet. Well, This was this best one, I could not stop reading because I wanted to know about these people. Sweet love story!

"Between Sundays" is an enjoyable story that takes you into the world of professional football, and also into the world of foster care. The characters are compelling and interesting. The little boy in the story, Cory, will especially steal your heart. You'll be pleased with the ending.
There were, however, three parts of the story which were quite unrealistic. They are...
1. Just like in the movie "Facing the Giants," as soon as the hero gets right with God, his team starts miraculously winning. It usually doesn't work that way.
2. When the hero realizes that this boy believes the hero is his father, he never asks the very obvious question, "Who was your mother?" Anyone in real life would have thought to ask that!
3. What the hero does with the paternity test results was unrealistic.
Oh, I'll keep reading Karen Kingsbury, but I just needed to sound off on those three things.

I've never been a fan of Christian fiction but as an avid sports fan, this book caught my eye. Little did I know that I would be hooked after a few short chapters. The little boy in the story captures your heart and his foster mom does the same. Kingsbury exposes some of the harsh realities of life within the foster care system while portraying one family trying to get through it. Set in the chaos of the NFL world, this book is one that you won't be able to put down. Thanks for a great novel Karen!

I just finished reading Between Sundays. This book has really impacted me and my life. I am now reminded that everyday there are thousands of kids coming out of the foster care system with no where to go. I applaud Kingsbury and Smith for bringing this issue so close to home and in such a real way. This book is wonderful, anyone who loves a child should read it.

I love Karen Kingsbury books. I was hooked from the shocking first pages of Waiting for Morning and have read every women's fiction book she's written. I would recommend her to anyone without reservation, and aside from a couple of 3-stars and a couple of 4-stars, I would give her 5-stars across the board. She delves where most writers won't go- into the real pain of real life- and this book is no exception.

All that said, this is not one of my favorites. Well worth reading, but not one I would go out of my way to tell friends about.