Scary, Interesting, with a Touch of Cheese

I love fiction. If more than a few months of my life passes without reading a good novel, I start to get literal physical cravings.

So I was super excited when I saw an email announcing several new fiction books being released to the BookSneeze program. I started off with this title: Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl and Pete Nelson.

For the first few chapters, I was afraid this would be one of those books I wouldn’t be able to finish. (Several months ago, a friend loaned me a Christian romance fiction book that I had to stop reading after a chapter and a half because it was beyond cheesy.) There are definitely some “groan” elements to Waking Hours – the too-perfect Christian guy meets the jaded pseudo-Christian girl and the perfect romance ensues.

But the plot keeps Waking Hours interesting. It’s centered around the supernatural. The main basis of the plot is a forensic psychiatrist and an up-and-coming PI trying to solve a murder that looks ritualistic and cult-related.

While the writing is a bit awkward and intensely cheesy at times, the plot is interesting enough to keep you moving through the book. Some of the more scary scenes were even described well enough to bring some fearful tears to my eyes. I didn’t have nightmares or trouble sleeping from the book, but I wouldn’t recommend it for younger children or teenagers, since there are many disturbing elements to the story. For adults, it is scary at times, but rooted enough in Scripture that the dark supernatural elements aren’t too disturbing. The book does a good job of dealing with the tension between real, tangible scary things in life (people who make bad choices and do bad things) and supernatural influences on evil (the devil made me do it).

All in all, if you love fiction like I do, this is worth your time. If you tolerate only the best fiction or like books with positive messages and inspirational content, you can pass.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”