There tends to be very little rhyme or reason to the books I pick up to read. I like Young Adult, Children's, Adult, fiction, non-fiction. I like to read and chances are, if a book is recommended to me, I will eventually read it. A month or so ago, I saw/ heard no less than five people recommend Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo in one week. I immediately put it on reserve at the library and waited.
Basic premise of the book is that Burpo's son had a near-death experience when he was three or four years old and slowly reveals details to his parents about who and what he saw in heaven. Hey, you know what? I like reading about near-death experiences, I like reading things kids say, I'm curious about heaven. All that should make for a definite "I recommend this book. Run, buy, and read this! I'm buying 20 copies and giving it as a gift to everyone I know." But it didn't.
The meat of the story had a lot of potential, but I felt like I was listening to the longest sermon/ homily in the world. Burpo is a preacher though and not an author, so I understand why it sounded like that. I just think having someone else help them tell their story and make it more of a story, with details and feeling, would have made for a better book. The book got 4.5 stars on Amazon right now though so I may be the only one thinking that.
The breakdown, I wouldn't not recommend Heaven is for Real, but I won't be purchasing my own copy. I think I had just set too high of expectations for it.
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