Le's talk books

I just finished reading "The Book of Negros" by Lawerance Hill. I liked it. I liked it a lot. In fact I just put it down and thought I might just read that again right now. It is one of the few non-Christian books I've read in a long time that didn't leave me feeling wrung out when I finished it. Most mainstream books that are "all the rave" have some horrible, terrible wicked thing or multiple things that happen in them. For example, I had heard a number of people recommend "Fall on your Knees" so I read it and when I was finished I needed to debrief but I would never ask anyone to read that book. There is a lot of incest among a large number of other things. When I read a book I don't want to feel sick to the stomach when I am finished. Which leads me to my next problem... Christian books. The phrase "lets be real" comes to mind. When I read Christian books I get frustrated with what I would call fluff. "So our heroine is walking down the street having just lost her job. She is devasted and has a quick prayer and when she is done praying she looks up and sees a help wanted sign. She goes into the establishment (which is owned by and incredibly hansome man) and is hired on the spot." That is chapter one.

I recently read a book by Lori Wick who I believe has missed the mark. I have read a number of her books; most often just after I've read something mainstream that has left me shell shocked. In this particular book, the climax is when the main character realizes she is in love with this man who has recently become a Christian. He is going to break up with her because she is not a Christian but at the last minute she realizes she needs Christ in her life and now they can get married. The truth is her audience is a bunch of women who have been raised in the Chruch and are leading Bible belt Christian lives who will call out Amen's when they read these books. I was raised in the Church but I'm still frustrated with this book. I can't call out Amen because I think if we were real, in a real world they would have got married. One Christian and one non-Christian because in a real world that's more likely to happen. That would be the beginning and the book would be about the struggles of the mixed beliefs and values. If you want to reach people other than the Bible belt women then lets talk about the sins, choices, struggles and the consequences that are real in peoples lives. Which brings me back to mainstream recognized books which I believe are too real to reach most people and don't have a message of hope that Christian books include.

I'd like my list of respected and recommended authors to increase. My recommended book list includes all of Francine Rivers (who isn't scared to write the book all the way through the pain of death, loss, affairs, sin, rape and the other hurts of the world with a message of hope) (Does anyone know the name she wrote under before she became a Christian?), Lynn Austin (who has a taste of fluff but weaves a beautiful story), "The Poisonwood Bible" (that will leave you feeling wrung out) and "The Book of Negros" by Lawance Hill, Sophie Kingsella (who writes fluff but it makes me laugh), "Is there anyone out there?" by Marian Keyes (watchout for the mystism), "Belong to me" by Maria De los Santo's. I'd love some recommendations and I'd like to know what you thought of some of these books.