Customer Reviews

Sacrifice the One (Urban Christian) (Urban Christian)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sacrifice The One, Monica P. Carter's sophomore novel, is a riveting page-turner. I was engrossed in the story from chapter one as I read how one woman, Rose, paid the ultimate sacrifice for her child. Her husband, Robert, idolizes her, but despises his own child, Seta.

Seta grows up yearning for her father's acceptance. When she doesn't get it, she reaches out to anyone who will show her the slightest bit of acceptance and affection. Will Seta realize she's special and does't need someone else's approval or will she continue to seek the love of her father in others?

Read this heart-wrenching tale of Seta's growing pains. Ms. carter takes hte reader on an emotional roller-coaster ride and you'll be surprised at the ending destination. Sacrifice The One opens up the door to conversations about parent/child relationships. It's a must have for your book collection.

Readincolor Reviewers
Shelia Goss

There was nothing more important to Rose Love than being a mother. After several attempts, Rose and her husband, Robert, finally conceive a child. Unknown to Robert, Rose has chosen to carry the child despite health concerns expressed by her doctors. Tragically, Rose loses her life after a difficult childbirth. Robert goes into a deep depression after his wife's death. His depression soon spirals into anger when he finds out his beloved wife had chosen to have the baby despite the potential risks.

In the middle of this tragedy is the beautiful baby girl, Seta Love. Emotionally rejected by her father, Seta is raised by her maternal grandparents. As she grows older, her desperate need for her father's love leads to bad decisions, such as drinking and premarital sex. The only security Seta seems to find is in her love for basketball and a growing faith in God.

Readers will find this novel to be an emotional read! Seta's pain and vulnerability is so raw at times, the reader can easily find herself identifying with the rejection and longing for love. The way Seta's deceased mother is able to reach her daughter beyond the grave is truly a testament to the power of love. While reading Sacrifice the One, be prepared to wipe tears from your eyes not once, but several times.

After years of trying to receive her daddy's love and being pushed away, Seta goes out and search for love the hard way. She is the star player on her shool's basketball team and she is also a straight A student, but that doesn't mean anything to Seta. So Seta starts confusing lust from young men as love and was experiencing heartache after heartache. Seta keeps her head up and eventually becomes a very successful person. This book was different from anything that I have read in a while. It gets you to take a closer look at what it feels like to be neglected by a parent and losing those that are close to you from a child's point of view.

Review given by Vanessa

The story of parent and child is always an interesting one, how much love is desired when the parent doesn't give any back. This story left me with that question. I hope I never have to find out the answer the way this poor child did in this story. It was so well written that I felt as if I was a neighbor watching the everything going on in this household. Ms. Carter is an excellent writer!

In her sophomore offering, SACRIFICE THE ONE, author Monica P. Carter introduces readers to the Armstrong family. Rose Armstrong had almost everything that her heart desired. She had a wonderful marriage with her husband Robert, a nice home, and a good family. The only thing that was missing is a child. After many unsuccessful attempts at having a child, against doctor orders, Rose becomes pregnant and vows to have the baby even if it kills her. Ultimately, Rose succumbs and Robert is left with their baby, Rosetta Love, "Seta."

At first Robert is overly protective and obsessive with the baby, but when he uncovers secrets regarding Rose and her pregnancy, he lashes out at the only person around him, his baby girl. He takes her to live with her grandparents and tries to sever all ties.

Seta grows up trying to be the perfect daughter in order to gain her father's love and attention. She becomes an honor roll student and a star athlete. When she sees that being good is getting her nowhere with her father, she begins to rebel by drinking, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and searching for the love and acceptance she never received from him. Seta soon learns her actions have consequences and that she has to live her life for herself, with or without her father.

Monica P. Carter has crafted an excellent novel that deals with grief, love, lies, and loss. The characters were true to life and the story enthralled me from beginning to end. I recommend SACRIFICE THE ONE to anyone looking for an emotional, family-oriented, quick read.

Rating: 4.25

Sacrifice the One is a poignant story of a pregnant wife, Rose, who dies giving birth. She hides the health risk from her husband who loves her more than life itself. Rose has had difficulty having a child. After several attempts to give birth Rose, is finally pregnant and can have a complete family. But she has complications and loses her life on the day her daughter is born. Her husband, Robert, names his daughter Rosetta Love.

Robert is so grieve stricken that he doesn't want anyone to care for Rosetta.... not even her own grandmother. So, he cares for her and even takes her to work with him daily. Until his supervisor tells him no more. He is forced to let her grandmother & grandfather, Barbara & Philip, care for her while he is at work. And on her first birthday, Robert decides he can no longer care for Seta since it's her fault his wife died.

Seta moves in with Barbara & Philip and they do their very best to raise her on their limited income. Her life goes from good to bad through the book. The story is so realistic and emotional. We went from crying to being angry at the fictional characters in the book. This is one of our best reads so far!

Thank you Monica for a wonderful & touching story!

Portlyn
Founder
Sistas Circle of Thought Literary Club, Los Angeles

Ten year old Seta Love runs home excited about receiving all A's on her report card. After showing it to her Grammy she asks; can I ride my bike to my daddy's house to show him my report card? When Seta arrives at her father's house excited about her A's her excitement diminishes. Robert, her father waves her off and says "don't you always get straight A's?

Monica Carter' sophomore book Sacrifice the One deals with desperation, rejection, family secrets and forgiveness. Sacrifice the One; is the heartfelt story of a child's feelings of rejection and unfulfilled dreams reaching the core of the readers soul. While Sistah Readin Circle (SRC) enjoyed reading Ms. Carter's latest, as avid readers we needed less language and more actions from the characters.

It would make sense that the viewpoint of this book would be directed to the abandoned one. Much of Sacrifice the One was written from a child's point of view, which makes it a wonderful read for young teens. As an adult book club we found the book entertaining.

Sistah Readin Circle

This book was well written and very enjoyable. The author takes you into the mind of Rosetta Love a girl born into so much love and family. Except she is waiting on the love from the one person who she feels hates her.This story takes you on the many different journey's and mistakes that Rosetta has to go through to become a young woman. I think many sisters can relate to this story maybe not having gone through the same things as Rosetta but by having to grow up early to take care of the family. Rosetta reminds me of me when I was a young girl. Having to take on so much but still exceeding in school because I saw a vision for myself.Anyway Big Shout Out's to Monica P. Carter.

I am not normally an overly emotional person but Sacrifice The One stirred emotions in me that I pride myself in controlling. Seta, the main character, has a life nobody would dream of living, but sadly many of us have been in her shoes. This book explores Seta's life and those close to her, especially her grandparent's influence. Grandparents raising their grandchildren because of unfortunate circumstances are an increasing trend.

The longing for a family is a strong desire, resident in each one of us and although we learn to adapt to the environment we're placed in, it still doesn't feel quite right. Seta's birth ended the life of her mother and thus begins a downward spiral in her life. Her father Robert was deeply in love with her mother Rose. His desire was to be with her for eternity and if no child was to come from its union, so be it. Rose on the other hand wanted a child to embody the love she had for their relationship. The devastating loss of Rose changes Robert dramatically. He pours immeasurable love upon Rosetta Love (Seta) while nursing his broken heart until one day something eventually snaps and forever changes him.

Residing with her maternal grandparents, Barbara and Phillip, Seta blossoms into a precocious child. Always aware of her father's presence four blocks away, Seta longs to return home to him and never quite understands why she isn't living with him. She would go visit but he was always so distant. Her grandparents live on a fixed income and provide the best they can for her but she felt that she was a burden to them. Her grandmother insists she follow her dreams and let them worry about the costs, while instilling firm moral and Christian beliefs.

Teenage angst causes Seta problems while growing up. She feels ostracized from the other girls in school but finds an outlet through playing basketball. She misses the love of family so she seeks it from other sources. As she matures, her lack of understanding her father has festered into hatred for him. As Sacrifice the One progresses she changes in countless ways and these changes were heart wrenching.

This coming of age novel highlights the myriad of emotions a child feels while growing up. The degree to which adults influence the mental growth of a child through unconscious, conscious and sometimes selfish motives truly affects the person within. Sacrifice the One is wonderfully written and exposes this metamorphosis between childhood and adulthood, Monica P. Carter has a hit on her hands and on our bookshelves.

As both an author and reader of fiction, I was impressed with "Sacrifice the One". Maybe it is because I have always enjoyed a book that could hold my attention and make me think at the same time. In a nutshell, the characters are believable and yet a little out of the ordinary and the story line unique. Give this book a try. The Christian fiction book that I have written main story line is about ten years in the life of a little girl who was "chosen by God" to be the next Madonna in the second coming of Christ.
Tommy Taylor
Author - The Second Virgin Birth