Drift, by Sharon Carter Rogers

Sharon Carter Rogers' latest heart-pounder is reminiscent of John B. Olson's Shade or TL Hines' The Unseen, or even the old Jimmy Stewart movie Harvey, yet it remains a unique story all its own. What if there was a being that no one could see, feel, or even experience? What if these beings existed, anyway? ...What if one of them chose to come to your aid?

Baby Doll is the adopted daughter of Lehigh's most notorious crime lord, Charlie Murphy. However, Charlie has just died, throwing the crime underworld into chaos. And Baby Doll may know more about it than she lets on.

Boy is a Drifter, a “forgotten” creation of God, left to wander the sands of time. When he spots Baby Doll at the cemetery—or, rather, when she spots him, because Drifters are invisible to most humans—an instant bond begins to form between the pair. This Tether forces Boy to remain within a certain proximity to Baby Doll at all times.

What follows is a rich and emotional tale as the two struggle to cope with each other's plight in the face of their own lonely existences. Through various obstacles, Baby Doll and Boy come to discover their true purpose in this world; but will they be able to fulfill them in time?

This book is a haunting and absorbing supernatural thriller that does more than just entertain; it forces the reader to look at the world in a new way. I loved the way the author chose to tell the story, using both characters' points of view and incorporating flashback, as well. A deep understanding of these characters develops throughout the story, bringing both of them fully to life in the mind of the reader, and remaining there long after the book has been put down. The story is well-crafted and well-written, and would be an excellent addition to anyone's bookshelf.

I give it between 4 and 5 stars. There were some parts that I thought worked really well, and some that didn't quite do it for me, but in the end, it's definitely a novel worth reading. Sharon Rogers deserves a bigger following than she has. I'm definitely waiting for her next novel.

First Off, The Basics

I like Christian-friendly books, mainly in the mystery/action/suspense/thriller departments. (Note: I say Christian-friendly because for most people the term "Christian fiction" invokes a sense of some sort of Amish romance, which is decidedly NOT what I'm doing here.) I also still very much enjoy YA books in the same genre.

Let me just share with you a list of some of my favorites.

CHRISTIAN-FRIENDLY FICTION:
Ted Dekker (Thr3e, Blink, When Heaven Weeps, Circle Trilogy)
Robert Liparulo (Comes a Horseman, Germ, Deadfall, Dreamhouse Kings)
Eric Wilson (Dark to Mortal Eyes, The Best of Evil, Jerusalem's Undead)
Steven James (The Pawn, The Rook, The Knight)
Robin Parrish (Relentless, Offworld)
TL Hines (The Dead Whisper On, The Unseen)
Tim Downs (The Bugman series, Head Games, Plague Maker)
Randall Ingermanson (Double Vision)
...and many others in this same vein.

YA FICTION:
Brian Jacques (Redwall series)
William Nicholson (The Wind Singer, Slaves of the Mastery)
Marianne Curley (The Named, The Dark, The Key)
Scott Westerfeld (The Midnighters Trilogy)
Kenneth Oppel (Airborn)
Roland Smith (Cryptid Hunters)
Robert Liparulo (Dreamhouse Kings)
Jeanne DuPrau (The City of Ember)
...and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

My taste in music is strongly filtered through the Christian worldview. If I had to pick genres here, I would say I listen to mostly rock; hard rock, punk rock, alternative, etc. Again, I would have to say that I listen to Christian-friendly stuff. I don't think that all music has to glorify God directly, nor do I think we should listen to worship music all the time, because truth be told I DON'T feel like worshiping all the time, and to listen to these songs in those moments would kill their value.

MUSIC:
Red
Relient K
Anberlin
Skillet
Thousand Foot Krutch
Family Force 5
Tobymac
Hawk Nelson
Audio Adrenaline
Jars of Clay
Kids in the Way
MuteMath
Sleeping Giant
Pax217
Switchfoot
...etc.

Movies are a different story. I can find something good in almost any movie, as well as something bad. But I usually don't despise anything I see (Transformers 2 would be the most notable exception). I like most genres of films, whether action, comedy, drama, mystery, whatever. I don't do horror movies, and would prefer to stay away from chick flicks, although I have seen a few. I really don't have a favorite movie--or if I do, there are too many to name. But here are a few I enjoy, in no particular order:

MOVIES:
Star Wars
Lord of the Rings
Narnia
Pirates of the Caribbean
Memento
The Prestige
Italian Job
Sahara
Disturbia
Minority Report
Casino Royale
I Am Legend
Emperor's New Groove (and pretty much any Disney movie)