Customer Reviews

Home Another Way

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The loss of her mother at the hand of her father shattered Sarah Graham's childhood. Raised by her embittered Grandmother and starved for love, Sarah only expresses her deepest emotions through her beloved violin. When tragedy once again visits her, any seed of hope is destroyed and Sarah pursues a life littered with poor choices and destructive relationships.

Penniless when her estranged father dies leaving her a small inheritance, Sarah has no choice but to meet the stipulation in her father's will that she stay for six months in Jonah, New York, an isolated mountain community.

With their simple ways and tragedies of their own to overcome, Sarah is both repelled and intrigued as the townsfolk reach out to her hardened heart.

Christa Parrish has written a stellar debut novel in Home Another Way, reminiscent of Nicole Baart and as her publisher states, Lisa Samson. With beautiful prose, authentic dialogue and exceptional storytelling Home Another Way is emotive, challenging and eminently readable.

Sarah's bitterness and hatred toward her father is reflected in her rude and unkind manner, self serving behaviour and inability to love, all ably shown by Christa's honest hand. That Christa still invokes great sympathy for the wounded Sarah is a true indication of her talent. Wonderful characterisation marks each of the Jonah townsfolk from Reverend Jack, his disfigured sister Beth to the devoted mother, Memory Jones. The revelation of their struggles is confronting and often painful to read yet touched my heart in many ways.

Subtly woven into each chapter is Sarah's unwilling and tentative investigation of faith, portrayed with an authenticity that was a joy to read. With a courageous and satisfying conclusion you can be sure I will be reading any of Christa's future tales.

This book is a real page turner and definitely not your average Christian fiction. From the first to the last page it captivates the reader with its real to life characters. I usually don't find the time to read fiction but this book is one that I simply was not able to put down. Sarah Graham, the main character, as well as all the other people seem so real that you feel like you are in the middle of the plot. This book is not at all preachy. On the contrary, I think that the characters are so life like that Christian and non Christian readers will find it interesting to read even though Sarah is definitely confronted with a world view that's new to her. I recommend this book highly, not just for yourself but it makes also an excellent gift.

I'm a slow reader, so when I say I read this book quickly, you can take that to mean: It was good!

Home Another Way is comical where it needs to be, heartwarming where it should be, and entertaining all the way through. My heart hurt for Sarah and, at the same time, I wanted to shake her.

Characters were real! Anguish was true to humanity.

Ending left me a bit sad, but I don't think the author could have gone any other way.

Eva Marie Everson
The Potluck Club booksThe Secret's in the Sauce (The Potluck Catering Club, Book 1)

From the back cover: Sarah Graham is living life hard and fast - and she is flat broke. When her estranged father dies, she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, New York, to claim her inheritance. Once there, however, she learns that her plans for the future - and her memories of the past - are about to change forever.

I loved the way this is written. Sarah's point of view is presented in first person. Each chapter changes to another character's point of view but they are presented in third person. Sarah reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son. She wants life her way and no one can tell her how to live it. She is embittered and, like many people, substitutes everything available in the place of love and forgiveness. When she meets the people of Jonah, she begins to discover what true Christianity looks like.

I enjoyed the book and would like to read more by Christa Parrish. My main complaint is the abruptness of the ending. When I read the last sentence, I expected to turn the page to the next chapter. Not all books need a feel-good ending, but this one left me feeling as if the story hadn't finished.

Sarah Graham goes to claim her inheritance from a father she hated. The people she encounters in the town, really make the story. I enjoyed the story yet I felt the end came way too quickly and I felt that too much was left not finished. Although it is an easy book to read, it wasn't the best book I have read and I am not sure where all the five star reviews come from?

I'm not going to bother writing a summary or synopsis or anything of that nature because it's been done. What I will say are the best and worst parts about this book.
Best: The author doesn't shy away from the main character's flaws. Really, the only good thing Sarah has going for her is her wit and sarcasm, which makes this a fun read. She's a self-centered 20-something who has never really grown past 16. Her interaction with the varied - if not sometimes stereotypical - small town folk, is both funny and heartwarming. The "love story" is sweet, but ultimately disappointing, which leads me to the worst.
Worst: The story ends abruptly and without full resolution for me. I am not criticizing the writer here, but for me, I like a story wrapped up nicely with a bow on top. I want to know where the main character ends up, who's around her, and what she accomplishes. I felt a little let down by the ending, and the numerous loose ends, but that's probably just a taste issue.
Ultimately, I would say its a good read. It's fun, smart, and encouraging. She manages to write a coming-to-Christ story without being preachy and I find that refreshing.

I became absolutely absorbed in this story... to the point that I read it in one day! I literally could not put it down. The characters were rich with life, the story was woven wonderfully pulling you further and further, until you feel you're right there living on the mountain with them.
The ending, however, was a bit of a disappointment. It was sort of like there was more waiting to be said and lived through these people, but then it was just over.
Overall, I'd recommend this book though. I originally logged onto this website to see if possibly there was a sequel out there so I could follow-up. I look forward to reading more of this new author's works.

A young woman, flat broke and steeped in anger, resentment, and fear travels to a small village--Jonah, New York--to claim her inheritance when her father dies. He is the anti-hero who stole her childhood when he killed her mother and then went to prison. He owes her, which is why she feels driven to collect.

But she doesn't anticipate the stipulations her father has placed on the inheritance. In order to claim the modest estate that seems huge to this girl who has nothing, she must live in Jonah for the next six months. Furious, yet compelled to do so nonetheless, Sarah Graham moves into her father's cabin and begins to count down the days until she can leave.

As she meets each of the townsfolk, all with their quirky characteristics and homespun charms, Sarah is both appalled and drawn to them, but the walls she has built around herself only gradually begin to diminish. Each villager offers a view of her father--Luke Petersen-- that she has never seen before, and as she grows to see other dimensions to him, she also begins to expand her version of herself.

Even though I was somewhat reluctant to read a book dubbed "Christian fiction," for the possible moralistic posturing I would find, I soon forgot about labels as the author described and brought each character to life through her vivid descriptions and multi-layered characterizations. Soon I could see and feel the individuals who people this story.

However, I was disappointed that, at the end, the plot seemed to flatten, with the primary character sent off to continue her self-discovery "back in the city." This did not ring true for me, which was why I deducted one star. Overall, however, Home Another Way was a worthwhile read, just for the lively and unique characters and the world the author painted for them.

If you are someone that thinks that Christian fiction is always positive, with sunny, happy characters who are willing to drop everything to help out whoever walks by, you need to read this book. It will definitely change your mind about the genre. This book isn't your typical Christian fiction book. The town of Jonah, New York has been a safe haven for Sarah Graham's father and now after his death, it has become hers. I enjoyed reading about her becoming acquainted with the small town and its cast of characters. Also the discovery about the truth of the situation involving her parents is painful yet life changing for her. The chemistry between Sarah and Jack is really excellent, and I really liked his character.

Sarah is an extremely prickly character. Throughout almost the entire book, she is nothing but mean, snippy, rude and always trying to get a rise out of a person just for the fun of it. I understand where her hostility comes from. If I had to live the life she went through, with a mother killed by your father who then abandons you with a grandmother who tells you everyday you are worthless, I'd be angry and sullen too. However her attitude continues throughout the entire book and her continual rebuffs at those who try to help her make it very difficult to actually like her as a character. I found myself several times in the book wanting to yell at her to just listen to what the other person had to say before making snap judgments about them.

I did feel that the ending was rather abrupt and leaves the reader with a sense of incompleteness. I honestly felt that there could have been more, not necessarily a neat and tidy ending, but at least a little bit more closure than what we were given. It made me almost feel as if the time I invested in the book seem to have vanished almost immediately. I really liked the entire Watson family and would have liked more closure with them as well. That being said though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is not preachy at all and the storyline sucks you and keeps you wanting to read more. This is an absolutely wonderful debut novel and I am looking forward to reading future works from Christa Parrish. HIGHLY recommended.

Home Another Way is populated with an eccentric cast of characters. The people of Jonah are overwhelmingly Christian and downright unusual. Each has experienced some degree of pain in their lives, difficult circumstances, sin. Yet they all look for the light, the silver lining, and worse - they all speak well of Sarah's deceased father, whom she is determined to hate.

Debut novelist Christa Parrish breathes new life into Christian fiction that focuses on interpersonal relationships. Home Another Way sparkles with crisp, cutting descriptive prose and veritably oozes angst. Convinced that everyone else is to blame for her destructive downward spiral, Sarah's life is an open wound that she aggressively defends with sharp words, angry offensives, and seductive wiles. Her attempts to staunch its flow of blood include junk food, strange men, and impassioned, solitary violin solos.

Short chapters and rapid scene changes propel the reader through the novel. When it seems that Sarah's self pity and anger will never end, glimpses of the joy and peace in the lives of those around her shine through the darkness to save the story from descending into pure depression. The contrast between her life as an unbeliever and those of the Christians she knows is stark, yet believable due to their foibles and realistic lives. These characters are so authentic in their quirks and qualities that they linger in the memory long after the story is over. From the obese Memory, her heart for hospitality and grown invalid son to young Beth with her disfiguring scars and pure heart - their unremitting hope and faith is a beacon to all who will encounter them.

Parrish swerves to avoid clichés and predictable, tidy endings to provide readers with an authentic, satisfying conclusion. Not everything is as it seems for Sarah, or for the reader. Those seeking a refreshing change of pace from the glut of repetitive Christian romance titles will be pleasantly surprised.

As Sarah comes to know the villagers, their gritty brand of tough love combined with genuine compassion and concern bring her to a new place in her life; a place where she can start over. Ultimately Home Another Way details the birth of a new beginning, the start of healing and of redemption.