Winner The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

And the winner of The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner is

Tara!

Congratulations. :)



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Timestamp: 2008-10-22 01:11:09 UTC

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner (And Giveaway)

***Leave a comment on this post until Monday October 20 to be entered to win a copy.***

Summary:

Lauren Durough is a college student longing to break free of family expectations when she stumbles into a project for eighty year old Abigail Boyles—transcribing the journals of Mercy Hayworth, a seventeenth-century victim of the Massachusetts witch trials. Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with the mysterious Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to discovering the candid truth, Lauren must earnestly ask if she is playing the role of helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and recognize who she really is?

In our high-pressure, success-oriented culture, readers will identify with Lauren’s struggle to forge her own identity separate from the plan her family designed for her. Offering intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking drama, this contemporary novel with a historical twist conveys the intense beauty that emerges when we see how our stories affect the lives of others.

My Review: I loved this book. This is a story that will stay with you. Susan is one of my favorite authors. She is an awesome storyteller. The main portion of the book is present day with journal entries of Mercy Hayworth into the 1600s in Salem, MA. It is not overtly religious so fans of Christian fiction or not would like it. I highly recommend this book. It is going on my 2008 favorites list.

I have listed some links to others' reviews below.

http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com/2008/09/shape-of-mercy-by-susan-meissner.html

http://rjsbooklady.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/book-review-giveaway-the-shape-of-mercy-by-susan-meissner/

http://marloschalesky.blogspot.com/2008/09/shape-of-mercy-by-susan-meissner.html

http://robinlee.typepad.com/i_was_just_thinking_/2008/10/the-shape-of-mercy.html

To buy a copy go here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074568

Author Bio:
From early school-day projects to becoming editor of a local newspaper in Minnesota, Susan Meissner’s love for writing has been apparent her entire life. The Shape of Mercy is her latest novel in a string of books that delve into the deeper issues of life. She is the author of nine novels and lives with her family in San Diego , California . Find out more about her at http://www.susanmeissner.com/.

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner Coming Soon

***Coming Soon From One of My Favorite Authors: Susan Meissner.***

Publishers Weekly, 7/7/2008

The Shape of Mercy Susan Meissner. WaterBrook, $13.99 paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-4000-7456-3

Meissner's newest novel is potentially life-changing, the kind of inspirational fiction that prompts readers to call up old friends, lost loves or fallen-away family members to tell them that all is forgiven and that life is too short for holding grudges. Achingly romantic, the novel features the legacy of Mercy Hayworth—a young woman convicted during the Salem witch trials—whose words reach out from the past to forever transform the lives of two present-day women. These book lovers—Abigail Boyles, elderly, bitter and frail, and Lauren “Lars” Durough, wealthy, earnest and young—become unlikely friends, drawn together over the untimely death of Mercy, whose precious diary is all that remains of her too short life. And what a diary! Mercy's words not only beguile but help Abigail and Lars together face life's hardest struggles about where true meaning is found, which dreams are worth chasing and which only lead to emptiness, and why faith and hope are essential on life's difficult path. Meissner's prose is exquisite and she is a stunning storyteller. This is a novel to be shared with friends. (Sept. 16)

***Can't wait! Don't miss her other 2008 release: "Blue Heart Blessed", it is on my favorites of 2008 list. ***