Take One by Karen Kingsbury

This week I read "Take One" by Karen Kingsbury. I really enjoyed it, and had to write a review...

From the back cover:

Could they change the world before the world changes them? Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison left the mission field of Indonesia for the mission field of Hollywood with a dream bigger than both of them. Now they have done the impossible: raised enough money to produce a feature film with a message that could change the world. But as Chase and Keith begin shooting, their well-laid plans begin to unravel. With millions of dollars on the line, they make a desperate attempt to keep the film from falling apart, even as a temperamental actress, a botched production schedule, and their own insecurities leave little room for the creative and spiritual passion that once motivated them. Was God really behind this movie after all? A chance meeting and friendship with John Baxter could bring the encouragement they need to stay on mission and produce a movie that will actually change people's lives. In the midst of the questions and the cameras, is it possible to keep things above the line and make a movie unlike anything done before, or is the risk too great for everyone?

Sound interesting? It is. I have enjoyed almost all of Karen Kingsbury's books, and this one was even better than it's predecessors! She dealt with temptation to be unfaithful to your spouse in a very real way, and I really liked how the characters came through the situation. The Baxters are such a dear family, and Karen links the past series revolving around them to this new series. Two girls deal with starting college, boyfriends, friendships, and handling death. While it touches on some deep issues (i.e. date rape), I would still recommend it for teens, college-bound, and adult women. There are good examples of what a boyfriend should be like, which hit home for me as I am starting to get interested in that kind of relationship.

  The only thing that bothered me was Mrs. Kingsbury's using actors and actresses that are popular now. In a few years, readers might not recognize those names, to their annoyance.

  It was very interesting to see how trying making a Christian movie independently can be. This book related to me in some way through each character. Many lessons are skillfully communicated without sounding preachy. "Take One" is a carefully fabricated story that deals with real-life issues in a Christian manner, and balances intensity well, so the reader is not stressed with the characters!

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars, it's definitely worth: (including S&H) (Price may have changed, check link.)

AS LOW AS:

$7 NEW, HARDCOVER; $4.50 NEW, PAPERBACK

$5 USED, HARDCOVER; $4 USED, PAPERBACK

Like I said, it's worth it. Especially if you use Swagbucks and earn 2 $5 Amazon gift cards and get the book completely free, using the gift cards to cover the price and shipping.


Stephanie