Customer Reviews

Shoot The Wounded

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

5-Stars all the way for this moving yet delightful peek into the life of teenagers Leigh, Ronnie and Jake. The book opens with a funeral and works its way backward from there with ingenious and masterful plot-work arranged carefully so that I was never confused or distracted from the story web that was woven around me.

This book deals with how to live out your faith as a teen, face up to peer pressure, resist temptation, teen pregnancy and the stressful interpersonal relationships among different cliques. All these themes and more are covered, executed in a wonderful prose that I'm confident you'll appreciate.

It is obvious to me that Lynn Dove is an artist, weaving words into a story as few writers can. Christian teens will be greatly encouraged by reading this book and I look forward to seeing more from her as she explores the stories God has given her to share.

As for the title, I asked my husband what it meant because I'd never heard that phrase. He said that he'd heard a preacher once say that Christians are the only people who shoot their own wounded. When asked to clarify, he said that Christians see another believer yanked into despair and sin and they berate and judge them harshly instead of lifting them up and reminding them of the love of God. In that sense, the title is perfect for this story. Well done, Lynn! Amen and amen.

Ellen C Maze

Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales

As a published author of young adult books, I have a great interest in reading what other books are out there. I read Shoot the Wounded in one sitting! It intrigued me from the very first chapter, and kept my interest even after I had finished reading it. The characters Leigh and Jake are very relatable and dynamic. I think any teenager would be able to relate to the struggles they face, especially anyone who has ever lost a friend in a tragic way.

What really rang through within the pages of this novel was the message of the painful consequences of gossip--whether it be in a school, neighborhood, or church. I think anyone who has ever been lied about, gossiped about, or the victim of a vindictive person's sabotage, would find great comfort in this novel. I recommend Shoot the Wounded to teens who are Christians and teens who are not. The messages within this book apply to LIFE. Lynn Dove did a great job capturing the mindset of a teenage boy and a teenage girl, as well as their parents. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the Wounded Trilogy!!!

Wow, a powerful tale. High impact, covers a lot of teenage issues in a nice way. Must read for YA.

Teenage pregnancy is a major problem in our country, what about those who are Christian or in a Christian family? Is the guilt greater within such a family? Lynn Dove handles this issue with compassion and a real feel for teenagers.

What about being falsely accused of being involved with such a young woman? Matters are not always what they appear to be. Would you jump to false conclusions readily? How would you handle an explosive situation like this? Just some of the exciting and life changing questions in "Shoot the Wounded".

When the seeds of doubt or suspicion take root, they become watered with additional thoughts on it and begin to grow, soon becoming fact in our own suspicious little minds. So it goes with "Shoot the Wounded" when things appear a certain way. We are quick to point the finger and "shoot" our own. Christians are just as guilty as non-Christians in their finger-pointing. It quickly worsens when we verbalize our suspicions with others. They then add water to an already growing perceived "truth," feeling free to spread this as fact to others, sometimes disguised as prayer requests. Even when the gossip proves false, the scars remain. There could also remain some thread of doubt among the accusers. Mistrust. Wonder.

Because of the believability of a story, I haven't come across too many really good Christian books but this one hits the spot! While it's true that I almost wrote the ending of this one off as "contrived," the author pulled it together nicely.

Best friends Leigh and Ronnie have grown apart now that they are in high school. But then Jake movies to town and seems to bring them back together. At first. Then the rumors start. And Leigh can't believe that her friends could have done the things people say. Her heart is broken. What is it with people who claim to be Christians but don't live like one?

This was a gripping book. I read through it in one day. What I liked most about it, and what I think makes it different from every other Christian contemporary teen book I've read, is that it deals with assumption. We all do this. We assume we know what's going on everywhere. We hear something--what is truly a rumor or gossip--and we accept it as fact. We jump to what we feel is the obvious conclusion. Then we let it color our opinion of a person. I really enjoyed thinking about this as I read this story and watched what happened as people assumed they knew what was going on. This is a great read for teens.

I thoroughly enjoyed this very emotional, riveting story. It should be read by anyone who works closely with Christian teenagers, and, of course, by teenagers themselves. Lynn Dove creates a very realistic look at teenage relationships, rebellion, the damage of rumor mills, and the contrast between the way Christians are tempted to respond to mistakes made by others and the way we actually should respond. Our response can actually make the difference in whether the person becomes stronger in their faith or turns their back on it altogether. The characters can be seen in any high school or youth group: the insecure friend, the person who thinks they need to rebel and behave differently to be accepted by someone, the jealous, vindictive person, and the person who will do whatever they need to in order to help someone else and often pays a price for it. I can't wait to read the other two books that are planned in this series, and will be telling others who work with youth about this one!

Shoot The Wounded is an incredible, Christian, youth, romance novel. It deals with the many challenges that teenagers face in their high school years in their efforts to be popular and accepted by their peers. This well-written book by Lynn Dove captures the heart of her readers by starting off with the funeral of a sixteen year old girl in the prime of her life. This adds a little mystery to the plot of the story because it takes several chapters to get to the reason for the untimely death of this teenaged girl and the intrigue that leads up to her death.

Jake, a Christian boy, new to the fictional town of Maplewood in southern Alberta, comes with a past that is haunting him as he strives to start a new life with his family. Leigh, the neighbour down the street who has befriended the newcomer finds herself in a perceived love triangle when she introduces him to her best friend Ronnie. The struggles that these three teenagers face are compounded by painful misunderstandings, lack of communication, and the judgement of their small town community.

Lynn Dove has managed to capture the true essence of what many teenagers face in their high school years. She has also reminded us of how easy it is to jump to conclusions and form an incorrect opinion of others based on gossip and innuendo. Shoot The Wounded is a book that would fit well in all high school libraries.

As a contemporary Christian novel for youth, SHOOT THE WOUNDED delivers the gospel with enough angst that it is sure to meet with the approval of today's teen. It delves into relevant topics such as teen pregnancy and family violence, mixed with the usual boy-girl relationships and coming of age themes common to YA fiction. In this book we see that being a Christian isn't easy, and it certainly doesn't mean you are perfect. SHOOT THE WOUNDED is the first in a trilogy by Canadian author Lynn Dove and sets the stage for its equaling engrossing sequel, HEAL THE WOUNDED. This is a set that should be in every school, church and public library.

This is the book you'll want to stuff stockings with, give as a grad gift, a birthday present or "just because." I have given away several copies to teens and adults and still have a few on standby in my "gift box". Lynn Dove's excellent writing and keen understanding of the realities of life for today's teen combine in an unforgettable story. It has a Christian message but is not cookie cutter or preachy. Buy in bunches!

This is a phenomenal book! I would recommend it to everyone with a teenager at home because the issues are so relevant to what our teens go through every day. From teen pregnancy to peer pressure to gossip, this book as it all. If you like Lurlene McDaniels or Melody Carlson then you will love this book. I can't wait for #2 and 3 to come out!