"When Crickets Cry"

The fact that both my parents devoured "When Crickets Cry" in less than a week is quite an accomplishment; they are avid readers, but tend to stick to the Wall Street Journal and non-fiction. So, knowing how much I love to read, they knew I would love it...and they were right!

"When Crickets Cry" is set in Georgia. Annie is a sweet 7 year old orphan who lives with her aunt in a small town. She has a very serious heart problem, and the doctors don't expect Annie to live much longer unless she gets a transplant. Due to Annie's heart defect, this book may have been particularly interesting to my family, because my dad has serious heart problems, too.

While the title makes this book sound like a sappy, easy read, it is a definitely not your typical feel-good novel. When I was reading it, the plot became so intense a few times that I called my dad and begged him to tell me how it ended (or at least give me a clue!). Of course, he wouldn't reveal the ending, and now I'm glad I read the whole story myself. It's a combination medical thriller/mystery/romance, and the way Mr. Martin weaves the plot & characters in this story from the past and into the present is incredible! Here you can read the prologue and the first chapter.

This was the first book by Charles Martin that I had read, but I just started another book of his, Chasing Fireflies, this weekend. (Yes, it's as good as, if not better than, "When Crickets Cry.") Mr. Martin's stories absolutely touch your heart, which is why he has quickly become one of my new favorite authors!

Same Kind of Different as Me

I finished this incredible book last night! Like its odd title, this is an odd book in the fact that it deals with issues that we don't usually think about such as homelessness and befriending the unlovable. But, despite its unusualness, "Same Kind of Different as Me" is one of those marvelous reads that you absolutely can't put down! I borrowed it from my friend, Lauren, last Friday night, and it was all I could do to stop reading on Sunday night so I could get some sleep before school on Monday!

The chapters alternate between Denver, a homeless man living in Ft. Worth, and Ron, a wealthy art dealer. I don't want to give away too many details, but it's absolutely amazing how their stories intertwine!

The book has powerful, Biblical truths without overloading on "Christianese." The relationship that Denver and Ron forge through overwhelming differences demonstrates true friendship. Their writing is so real that, by the time I had finished the book, I felt as if I had sat down with them face-to-face.

If you're looking for a great read, I promise you won't be disappointed!

(Also, I was especially excited to see on their website that Denver and Ron recently signed a contract with the producer of "Pursuit of Happyness" to make their story into a movie!)