I found one you should read.
Seriously.
Go pick up Life After by Katie Ganshert.
Library, hard copy, ebook, whatever. It’s worth it.
Why?
Real struggle. So, yes, it revolves around an act of terrorism which is something that may not be part of your every day life… However, the characters’ struggles are relatable and poignant, applying to many other sort of situations. Their struggles are real, raw, and ones I can pretty much guarantee you’ve encountered among your social circles.
Wrestlings with God. I like my fiction to not ignore the very real wrestlings we have with God when we just don’t get life here in this fallen world. This one embraces the questions that the sinful world introduces. It doesn’t shy away from the questions and also doesn’t give too pert and perfect answers. The whole way through it nods to our very real “need to know” and the very real mysterious God Who often remains at odds with our desire to understand.
Details, details, details. This one came alive in the minute details. Details that made each character quirky and unique in ways that you could recognize here in the real world. I loved seeing lone sentences that mentioned a character detail or quirk I could laugh at — because I’ve witnessed something similar in real life. These details made even secondary characters an essential part of this novel. It used its words effectively, packing beautiful specifics into its prose and dialogue.
Chicago – while this won’t get everyone, I LOVED its details about Chicago and…wait for it…the WHITE SOX! Aside from one poor timing detail (the risk of mentioning current players that may be traded before the book is published), the details about the city and team were SO FUN to read, since I’m originally from Chicagoland.
