Judging a Book By Its Cover

I admit, I do this. Literally.

I should have been a little more restrictive the last time I was at the library, however.

Our public library is so small that I've been through the fiction shelves twice in the last two months, which means I'm stuck for books to read. I decided this last time, I wanted something lighter to read. Lately, I've been reading books that, while they're not all serious or heavy reads, they're more substantive than the one I read Saturday.

I really should not have picked up this book. In fact, I'd picked it up once and put it back but, for lack of anything else, ended up taking it home with me. Usually, if books have stupid pictures or titles or are neon in color, I leave them be. But not this time.

The book was just so...Christian. I have nothing against God. I like God. I go to church. My brother thinks my mom actually has a direct line to God. But this book (3 "novellas" actually), made sure to point out every couple of words how important God is. In the first story, the characters kept praying. Like seriously praying. In the second, they kept talking about faith and being "God-fearing". In the third, we actually got to read God's voice, as he told the main characters to get married.

I think it was mostly just overkill. I was like, I get it. You like God. Yay, God. I would have had a problem with the books had they had some sort of circus theme, pointing out every couple lines that this particular adventure was more exciting than sticking one's head in a lion's mouth. The first story also went overboard and made absolute sure I knew it took place in Traverse City, MI ("her eyes were like the Michigan sky and Grand Traverse Bay combined" or "you can't go anywhere in Michigan without encountering cherry cobbler!").

Again, I wasn't anti-God. It was just too much. I can't believe I actually finished the book. But I had nothing else to read.