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Customer Reviews for Sheaf House Publishers #1: It's Not About Me
Sheaf House Publishers #1: It's Not About Me
DUE TO MATURE CONTENT, RECOMMENDED FOR MATURE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS.
Annie has it all. But one night her safe world is destroyed. As she fights to put the pieces of her shattered life back together, she is caught in a war between two brothers who both claim to have her best interests at heart.
Who will Annie choose? And will she finally come to know the One whose love will never fail, even in her darkest hour? Will she learn the truth about life-that it's not about "me"?
Average Customer Rating:
(55 Reviews) 55
Rating Snapshot (55 reviews)
5 stars
43
4 stars
12
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
1 out of 1100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for #1: It's Not About Me
Review 1 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Fabulous Book
Date:November 5, 2010
Tarasview
Location:Ontario, Canada
Age:25-34
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I loved this book. I really enjoyed Michelle's writing style and how easily the story line flowed. I loved how Michelle addressed the VERY real temptations young people face today through a very compelling storyline. This was not your typical Christian romance book which makes it even better.
I really enjoyed the main characters. I appreciated that they were portrayed as REAL people, imperfect and in need of God's grace. I think this story will be one most young people can relate to and learn from.
I would highly recommend this book to teen girls and young women especially, but honestly I think it is a great story for all of us to read! You parents of teens out there could probably learn a lot from it. Go check it out! Personally I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
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Review 2 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:September 30, 2010
Tom Lutz
Bought this for my 13 year old daughter and she ended up reading it in two days...lol.
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Review 3 for #1: It's Not About Me
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Date:July 16, 2009
Carman Boley
I think this is a very good book for young adults or older teens. It deals with sex before marriage, the temptation, and peer pressure teens face today. So deffinently not for younger kids. Michelle really deals with issues like that instead of just saying, "This is wrong, don't do it". She shows you the consequences, the pain that kind of stuff can cause. I loved it and can't wait for her next book.
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Review 4 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:July 8, 2009
Lucie
Here is a book that calls it like it is. While so many of the Christian books you read try and soften things in life with the "Christian-ease" way of talking, Michelle writes it as true to life as possible. There are some who will find it uncomfortable to read, but I would say to them...keep reading until the end because it all comes together. Teenagers today live in a culture that accepts sexual promiscuity, whether being raised in the church or not. And that is only one of the topics covered in this book! Selfishness, respect, love, sacrifice, and alcoholism (and one very shocking attack scene) are a few of the other things covered in Its Not About Me. Michelle delves deeper as we find out what a real relationship with God is; its more than going-to-church and looking good on the outside.I had a hard time putting this book down. Some of the situations were difficult to read through, but it took me to a place where I had to think, What would I do if I were in that situation? Or What would I want my daughter to do in that situation? I do think that she overdid the descriptions at a few points, but all in all a good read and a great book to discuss as a book club or with your friends.
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Review 5 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:April 22, 2009
Caroline Friday
This is a great read for mature teens and young adults waging the war of staying sexually pure until marriage. As an adult and mother of three teenage children, it brought home the terrific pressure the world puts on young people to give way to the momentary pleasures of sin, particularly Christian teens and young adults, some of whom are children of pastors and bible study teachers! In this story, sweet and innocent Annie fights off the advances of her high school love, Tony, who is also an avid churchgoer and son of the local pastor. Tony is handsome and dreamy, but has succumbed to the worldly idea that waiting isnt realistic, particularly with the girl he loves and plans to marry. Sound familiar? Despite Annies resistance, she caves under the pressure of an enormous diamond engagement ring one owned by his grandmother. But, as fate would have it, the night Annie plans to give herself to him, she is brutally attacked and maimed and left for dead a victim of robbery (you guessed it over that precious ring!) Tonys guilt for not having been there to protect her will not allow him to forgive himself or face her in her time of need; he instead turns to alcohol to assuage the pain in his heart. Enter Tonys older brother, Dan, who is equally handsome and dreamy and who has loved Annie from afar for several years. With Tony going AWOL, he now becomes the friend she needs and helps her recover from her injuries, both physically and spiritually. Dan tells her she is beautiful and treats her with tenderness and affection without the pressure of a sexual relationship looming in the background. Of course, when Tony comes to his senses and wants to resume his romance with Annie, she is torn. Was what they had real love? Or has Dan showed her something far deeper and richer: a love that comes only by first having a love relationship with the Savior, Jesus?
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Review 6 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:April 20, 2009
Sarah Salter
Ive consistently heard Michelle Sutton's writing described as edgy. So, I read Its NOT About ME with an expectation that it might be teetering on the brink of gratuitous. But what I found was not that, at all!In this first book, Sutton introduces us to Annie, Tony, and Dan. Annie has just graduated high school and is somewhat nervously looking forward to the future. She has grown up in church,sheltered and protected from much of the ugliness of the world. Currently, her biggest problem is how to deal with the sudden pressure for intimacy from her boyfriend, Tony. Tony is a little late to pick her up on the night when she meets evil and tragedy face-to-face. Hurt, alone, and confused, Annie turns to Tony for comfort only to find that he isnt there. While Tony turns to alcohol to cope with his guilt, his brother, Dan steps in to give Annie the friendship that she desperately needs. As her friendship with Dan brings her closer to God, it threatens to destroy the relationship that shes tried so hard to build with Tony. What I really appreciated about this book was that the characters were people that I could identify with. They were very real to me. Anniethe sheltered girl, looking into the future and wanting a man to protect her as she walks into the unknown. Tony and Danthe pastors sons, living life under a microscopetrying to figure out who they really are while simultaneously trying to please their parents and the rest of the world. I can understand these characters and found myself cheering for them, scolding them, and sympathizing with them as I read. Michelle Sutton has given us an edgy book here, but not gratuitous. Its realistic and hopeful. While it shows us some of the real pain and ugliness that todays teenagers are facing, it also leads us to the remedy to that pain and uglinessGod. Overall, this is a skillful, gripping, and entertaining book. I am looking forward to the sequel!
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Review 7 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:April 1, 2009
tracy
It is good to see real Christians placed in real situations. I love how Michelle captures your attention and never lets it go. I fell in love, got angry, got excited and almost cried with Annie as she learns the difference between friendship, a crush, and real love. I look forward to her next book. I have read other first novels and this reads more like the work of a seasoned writer. I expect as she continues to write she will get even better as she tackles more taboo subjects. I highly recommend this novel to young adults as well as adults.
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Review 8 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:March 26, 2009
Michelle Renee Kidwell
Not often does a book keep me up till four thirty a.m not wanting to let me go, but this one manged to do just that Michelle Sutton brilliantly weaves a story together, that nearly everyone can relate to, and for a Christian book it may seem a bit edgy, but I wish I had this book when I was teen. It shows that many young adults go through struggles of faith, questions of love, and life changing moments. I can't wait to read her secondIn Christs LoveMichelle~
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Review 9 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:March 1, 2009
allison pittman
Great escape for teen-age girls! Annie is a strong heroine, grounded in her faith, but realistically touched by temptation.I can imagine hordes of teen-age Christian girls passing this book around, giggling at those sweet, sexy spots, lost in the fantasy of having two gorgeous Christian boys fighting over them. I love the fact that this story shows those stirrings to be natural and--above all--controllable. Girls don't need to succumb to the pressures of their adorable boyfriends, or their own desire.
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Review 10 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:February 17, 2009
Jen Stephens
It's about time Christian fiction embraces real life issues. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME is a compelling, rivoting tale of two brothers and one very brave yet fragile young lady. Each of these characters has issues to cope with - drinking, sexual pressure, self esteem, shaky faith. The issue that spoke so deeply to my heart was Annie's battle with her self image - both outwardly and inwardly. Ms. Sutton eloquently incorporated Bible truths such as 1 Samuel 16:7 illustrating that the Word clearly applies to our world today. As Annie, Tony, and Dan learn that they find their roads merging and parting in ways they never expected, which is often the case when one discovers that it's NOT about her or him.
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Review 11 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:December 18, 2008
Lots of smooching! That was my first thought when I read this book. This book has more kissing in it than half my Christian fiction collection! However it's kissing that pertains to the story which I got drawn in very quickly. This is a fast easy read but it leaves a major imprint on you that you will think about for days to come. I could relate with Annie throughout the book, it sounded quite a bit like my reckless teen days. I think a lot of girls could place herself in Annie's shoes. This book shows that even Christian girls go through the exact same temptations as everyone else even if they don't want to admit it. While the book is very edgy for a Christian fiction novel, it didn't blow my socks off. I think the problem was because I had just read an It Girl book right before and this book was practically tame compared to this one. Which is good, as Christian fiction should include all that sordid stuff, lol. I would recommend this book for older teens because of the kissing and "other things" in this book. Nothing graphic but not something you would want a tween to see. And that's the wonderful part of the book, that it's a Christian fiction novel that you want to hide from young kids! Who would ever think you could say that about the genre?I really did enjoy this story. These topics are ones that tend to stay on the back burner and are only hinted at in most Christian fiction. It's a great book to give to mature teens who are ready for the subject matter, and also for college students as well. I enjoyed reading this and I think that Michelle has written an excellent debut novel. I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series!
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Review 12 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:December 10, 2008
This is a fantastic story for young adults. Its edgy and real and doesnt shy away from the issues that teens deal with today sex, violence, rape, substance abuse, even teenage pregnancy. And for parents, just because your child isnt talking about the issues doesnt mean theyre not dealing with them one way or another. It also clearly deals with the fact that just because a child grows up in a Christian home, does not mean that they know Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior. This book has a lot of twists and turns, pain and joy, and betrayal and forgiveness. The characters are real and likeable. It makes for a great read for anyone, but more specifically for the target audience of young adults.
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Review 13 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:November 20, 2008
Bonnie S. Calhoun
Michelle gives you a thought provoking bird's eye view of the inner workings of teenage minds. The often gritty, but always true to life portayal of these teens may make a few adults a little squeamish, but teenagers will totally identify with their plights.The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I'm an action/adventure/murder/suspense person and I like more gore! :-)
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Review 14 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:November 7, 2008
I enjoyed reading the book. It has action, suspense and danger. I don't want to give away the ending but the relationship of these three young people surprised me, pleased me, and was realistic because of Michelle's superb writing.A good read for both adults and young adults.
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Review 15 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:November 1, 2008
I had been wanting to read Michelle Sutton's debut novel and had been hearing really good things about it. Well, it did not disappoint. I actually started it at 12:30 am one night as I went to bed - I put it down at 4:01 am when I finished - it just kept me flipping the pages to see what would happen next. It is compelling and very thought provoking with an excellent plot to drive the storyline. My daughter is 12 and too young to read it but I would say that most teens are ready for it, especially if they are in the public school system (we homeschool). I am looking forward to the sequel when it comes out!
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Review 16 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:October 30, 2008
Bonnie Leon
This was a great first book. The story of Annie who seems to have it all--looks, respect, great friends and family and a bright future, but who is lacking in the one thing she needs most--Jesus Christ is real and down to earth. It's written for teens but as an adult reader I truly enjoyed it. Michelle's writing style captured my interest right away and carried me through the book. The characters were real--irritating, irrational, emotional teens who are hungry for more than what the world offers. As I read I remembered my own youthful days. I highly recommend this for teen readers and for anyone who would enjoy being carried back to the "good" old days. Michelle also did a great job of sharing a clear gospel message. It was great to see it presented without pretense or conditions. Thanks Michelle. Bonnie
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Review 17 for #1: It's Not About Me
Overall Rating:
Date:October 27, 2008
Christa Banister
For anyone who has dismissed fiction with the word "Christian" in front of it, Michelle Sutton's winning debut will change your mind in a hurry.Not only does she create believable dialogue and a story so captivating that you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough, but the redemption found in the lives of Annie and those around her will really resonate with you for the long haul. Plus, there's a reason Sutton has garnered a reputation for being an "edgy" Christian writer...but I'll leave that for the reader to discover when he/she picks up a copy.
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Review 18 for #1: It's Not About Me
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Date:October 21, 2008
Sharlene MacLaren
Its Not About Me is a heart-gripping tale about a series of tragedies not found in your everyday Christian novel. Why? Because Michelle Sutton ventures into topics not many authors of mainline Christian fiction dare go, and she does it with openness, clarity, and believability. Rape, sexual promiscuity, pregnancy, illegal drinking, and irresponsibility all play key roles in this intensely engaging story, but the power of Christ to change hearts and lives plays the biggest part of all. This is not your everyday insipidly sweet romance; no, this is rife with rich characters delivering a strong message of faith and forgiveness to a struggling, sin-sick world. Truly inspiring, highly recommended!
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Review 19 for #1: It's Not About Me
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Date:October 18, 2008
Lia
"It's Not About Me" will guide you through many difficult questions and warm your heart. Fantastically written. You just can't put this one down!
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Review 20 for #1: It's Not About Me
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Date:October 17, 2008
Dawn Kinzer
Its Not About Me, is an edgy novel that deals with difficult, but real-life issues of self-esteem, sexuality, alcoholism, and sibling rivalry. Michelle Sutton doesnt hold back in tackling difficult subjects and delivers a touching story in which the characters learn to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Readers will embrace Annie, Tony, and Dan with open arms as they join them on a journey of twists and turns. Five stars for Michelle Sutton!
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