A Stand-Up Guy, by Michael Snyder

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oliver is an amateur comedian moonlighting as a hotel security guard. His less-than-ideal childhood has left him with enough baggage to fill a moving truck, and he can’t quite shut the door on the traumas and move on. His pretty coworker and he get into some fun adventures as he reconciles the craziness of his past and present in order to have the future he’s dreaming of. Along the way, he learns to look behind what he sees and understand the people in his life a little better.

I liked this book a lot because it was a light read. While the issues dealt with were quite serious, the characters were very likeable and fresh, and the story kept moving enough to prevent getting bogged down in any one crisis. The love plot was prevalent but not overbearing. Oliver’s flashbacks were sad but not depressing. The tone was quirky but not disjointed. The life lessons spoke to me but didn’t scream.

Even though I’m sure this was not meant to be a book in a series, I hope the author continues the story he began with Oliver and his mixed-up life. The resolution was enough to close the book, but I wasn’t ready for it to end. This was almost like watching a date movie (chick flick) that didn’t end all wrapped up with a nice red bow on top, but still left me smiling.

NOTE: Zondervan and netGalley provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Night of the Living Dead Christian, by Matt Mikalatos

Night of the Living Dead Christian: One Man's Ferociously Funny Quest to Discover What It Means to Be Truly Transformed by Matt Mikalatos

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This begins as a funny--okay, let's go ahead and say it--a corny story of a self-declared neighborhood watch officer encountering a mad scientist, his android sidekick, and a subdivision full of monsters. Within a few chapters, this silly book becomes a serious look at each and every person who claims to be a Christian. Are we really living what we say we are, or have we stopped part of the way into this abundant life we claim, walking around as half-dead monsters?

Matt Mikalatos uses a ton of goofy humor to make the point that although we may be masquerading as born again and full of life, it's possible that inside hides a spiritual vampire, zombie, werewolf, or worse. An equal-opportunity monster-killer, Mikalatos covers all the bases in Christianity, from conservatives to Catholics to independent "generic" Christians. We learn what makes a monster and then are challenged to look at ourselves and deal with what we find. Night of the Living Dead Christian is a quick, easy read that will leave you thinking about what's lurking inside you for a long time after you finish.

NOTE: NetGalley provided me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

If My Body Is a Temple, Then I Was a Megachurch, by Scott Davis

If My Body Is aTemple, Then I Was a Megachurch, by Scott Davis, is a great blend of inspiration and comedy, detailing one man’s battle with his weight, and how he lost 132 pounds in one year.  The author himself is narrating this audiobook, and his Southern charm adds to the natural feel.  It’s easy to feel like you’re sitting over a (healthy) meal while he tells the stories of his childhood and adult life. 

While sharing the embarrassments, struggles, and emotional turmoil he dealt with, Davis outlines the lies he’d come to believe and how they contributed to his obesity.  He systematically disarms each of these lies using the truth of God’s Word, without coming across as preachy.  Although I’ve never had a weight problem, the life lessons discussed applied to me in various areas, both spiritually and emotionally.  There are practical points about healthy living and eating, but also deeper truths such as allowing God to be the center of every area of life. 

Scott Davis’s honesty touched me, his natural humor made me laugh, and his discoveries made me examine my own spiritual shortcomings.  I’d recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who struggle with their weight and want something more than a fad diet or quick fix. 

**NOTE: Christianaudio.com provided a free copy of this book to me for review purposes.