Book Review: The Roadshow by Braden Bell

I am a Reader...
I will read just about anything--
if you could peek at my bookcase
you would see that I have books about
nearly every topic.
Parenting Books --which I wish so much I could memorize.
Gospel Books--that have highlighted and folded-down pages.
Poetry from Shakespeare to Shel Silverstein.
Gardening, Home Staging, Doula and Midwifery manuals
to
Dog training books--which, I must say, are nearly useless with
every dog I've ever had.
And then there's the few novels I've read--
most are actually memoirs,
my favorite kind of books:
"The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio",
"Change Me into Zeus' Daughter"
are good ones,
but so is
"I Love You, Ronnie: the Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan".


I'm not crazy about fictional novels...
I read the Twilight series in a weekend
and then
forgot 99% of it...
totally forgettable to me.
I prefer fact over fiction most days.
But I'd heard alot of  great buzz about this:

So, when author Braden Bell asked me if I'd be interested in reading and reviewing his creative baby,
"The Roadshow",
I jumped at the chance!
This isn't just a novel...which is today enjoyed and tomorrow shelved or donated in a stack of
paperbacks to Goodwill.
This is so much more than that.
It was more than I expected.
Better than I expected...
each page was important to the story,
there was no
skimming over sentences,
jumping pages,
contrived phrases or out-of-ordinary characters.
I read each page as though it was out of a
personal journal that
each of the five main characters
had written themselves.
The words were as authentic
as the emotions.
I saw myself
and people I love
in black letters
between lines and pages.
I found myself echoing what I read:
"I know that. I've been there."
It's not about flamboyant, ridiculous characters
in a fantasy setting.
It's about real people in real life
and you will see your own reflection through
Braden Bell's eyes.
"The Roadshow" helps to inspire me
to look beyond the outward appearance
of my neighbor,
and serve them with a more purposeful attitude;
to see them with loving eyes
as I hope my Savior looks upon me.

Braden Bell was inspired to write this,
and it will be a favorite on my bookshelf
for years to come!
It is available on thru Amazon  Books.

Thanks to Braden Bell for asking me to participate in his blog book tour.
A total privilege and blessing for me.