Enter
INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS
  • Home
    • About >
      • Fundamental Beliefs
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Award Seals
  • Reviews
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
    • Book Submissions
    • Movie Reviews >
      • Video Book Reviews
  • Team Members Only
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Fiction
    • Inspirational Fiction
    • Memoir
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
    • February Nominations
  • 2020 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
    • 2017 Book of the Year
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Katherine Bartlett >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Nancy J. Brown
    • Cheryl Colwell
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Gee Dixon
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Melissa Glor
    • Abigail Harder >
      • Adriann Harris
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • June McCrary Jacobs >
      • Jill Jones
      • Megan Jones
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Kara Linaburg
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Liz P.
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Kandace Perry
      • Robbie Pink
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Martha Robinson >
      • Lynn Rountree
      • Olivia R.
    • Connie Porter Saunders >
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Amy Smelser
      • Debbie Smith
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Abigail Thomas >
      • Laura Thomas
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Sabrina Wade >
      • Debra Webster
      • Nicole Wegscheider
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Cheryl Wood
  • Miriam Young
  • Home
    • About >
      • Fundamental Beliefs
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Award Seals
  • Reviews
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
    • Book Submissions
    • Movie Reviews >
      • Video Book Reviews
  • Team Members Only
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Contemporary Romance
    • Historical Fiction
    • Inspirational Fiction
    • Memoir
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
    • February Nominations
  • 2020 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
    • 2017 Book of the Year
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Katherine Bartlett >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Nancy J. Brown
    • Cheryl Colwell
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Gee Dixon
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Melissa Glor
    • Abigail Harder >
      • Adriann Harris
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • June McCrary Jacobs >
      • Jill Jones
      • Megan Jones
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Kara Linaburg
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Liz P.
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Kandace Perry
      • Robbie Pink
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Martha Robinson >
      • Lynn Rountree
      • Olivia R.
    • Connie Porter Saunders >
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Amy Smelser
      • Debbie Smith
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Abigail Thomas >
      • Laura Thomas
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Sabrina Wade >
      • Debra Webster
      • Nicole Wegscheider
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Cheryl Wood
  • Miriam Young

Book Reviews​

7/13/2019

0 Comments

Light From Distant Stars

 
Picture
Authors: Shawn Smucker
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Release Date: July 16, 2019


When Cohen Marah steps over his father's body in the basement embalming room of the family's funeral home, he has no idea that he is stepping into a labyrinth of memory. As the last one to see his father, Cohen is the primary suspect.

Over the next week, Cohen's childhood memories come back in living color. The dramatic events that led to his father being asked to leave his pastoral position. The game of baseball that somehow kept them together. And the two children in the forest who became his friends--and enlisted him in a dark and dangerous undertaking. As the lines blur between what was real and what was imaginary, Cohen is faced with the question he's been avoiding: Did he kill his father?

In Light from Distant Stars, master story weaver Shawn Smucker relays a tale both eerie and enchanting, one that will have you questioning reality and reaching out for what is true, good, and genuine.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Reviewer: Laura Thomas

Light from Distant Stars has been described as "eerie and enchanting"—I would concur!

This beautifully written story digs deep into the childhood of the protagonist, Cohen, who is now a middle-aged man in a state of shock after discovering his father's almost-dead body. As readers, we are drawn into Cohen's vivid, fantastical memories as he attempts to make sense of his secret past and the complicated relationship he has with his father. Faith, grief, forgiveness, and hope all play their part in this highly original, well-crafted book. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through NetGalley.


Picture
Reviewer: Beverly Laude

This book was a slow starter for me, but I found myself reading rapidly once I truly got into it. The first chapter finds Cohen Marah in the basement of his father's funeral home, stepping over his father's dead body. Instead of calling for help or telling anyone, Cohen goes about his normal routine.

One thing that I didn't like about the book was the switching between the adult Cohen's story and the story about what happened to him the year he was 14. I found it a little confusing with all of the constant switching.

That being said, Shawn Smucker is a wonderful storyteller and his descriptive prose really paints a picture for the reader. The story unfolds slowly, but keeps the reader engaged throughout. Cohen feels at least partially responsible for his father's death due to a heated argument between them the day before his "accident."

Cohen's guilt drives him to his church frequently to confess his sins. "The more often I come to confession, the more I have to confess." No matter what the priest tells him, he still feels like he has more to confess. But, I also have to say that after several of his trips to confession, I began to feel weary of their repetitive nature. The author repeated the confession ritual each and every time, which I thought was a little much.

This book is also a bit of a conundrum because of Cohen's encounter with "The Beast" when he was 14 years old. During this part of the story, I was reminded of books like "It" and "Stand by Me". A bit of a supernatural feel or is it just evil that Cohen is fighting?

Cohen's family falls apart when his father, who is a pastor, is found to be having an affair with a young woman in his church. At that time, Cohen's strict mother leaves, taking Cohen's older sister, Kaye, to live in another city. Cohen's feelings toward his mother shape much of his life and his father's downward spiral into alcoholism adds to his problems.

As Cohen faces his demons, both real and imagined, he also learns a lot about himself, finds forgiveness and grows closer to those around him. He finally finds peace with his feelings toward his father when the priest tells him, "The one who came to you in the dark and comforted you, held you up, loved you, that was your true father."

There is a lot of Biblical and Christian references in this book, but the author works it into the story seamlessly. In my opinion, one thing that makes a book memorable is the fact that it gets you thinking about things in a different way and sticks in your mind for a long, long time. This book definitely fits that in a big way.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.



Picture
Reviewer: Connie Brown

I found the story of Light from the Distant Stars to be intriguing as far as the current story, but I struggled with back and forth symbolism of the two children in the woods and their meaning and how they correlate to the facts. I quess it’s just not my style. 

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group for the purpose of review.


Picture
Reviewer: Cortney Donelson

Author Shawn Smucker is a gifted storyteller. Light From Distant Stars expertly traverses the past and present of a man whom readers can't help but root for and adore.

The story of Cohen Marah is all at once intriguing, adventurous, and authentic. The author wraps you in a plot thick with suspense; I couldn't put the book down. In a way only skillful writers can do, Shawn Smucker reveals a vast array of emotions, not only in his characters, but he draws those same feelings and virtues out of the readers, too—urgency, caution, bravery, regret, and honesty, to name a few.

If there is one piece of constructive feedback to give, it is the way Cohen and Ava's interactions ended. I wanted more! More closure? More information? More...period. Maybe the author is setting their story up for a sequel. I certainly hope so! This is a fantastic book. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Action/Adventure
    Amish Fiction
    Anthology
    Bible Study
    Biblical Fiction
    Children
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church History
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Devotionals
    Dual Time
    Dual-Time
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Romance
    Inspirational Fiction
    Marketing
    Marriage
    Memoir
    Missions
    Movie Reviews
    Mystery/Suspense
    Poetry
    Prophecy
    Regency Romance
    Romantic Suspense
    Science Fiction
    Self Help
    Self-Help
    Social Issues
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Warfare
    Theology
    Thriller/Suspense
    Time Travel Romance
    Women's Issues
    Young Adult

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016

    We are listed in The Book Reviewers Directory!

Services

Interviews
​Interview Submissions
Reviews
Our Reviewers
Advertise
For Writers
Book Submissions

Support

Contact


© COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Disclaimer
FTC DISCLAIMER: All the books reviewed on this site are given to us for the express purpose of review. They are provided by publishers, publicists, authors and agents. None of our reviewers were required to write positive reviews. All opinions are those of each individual reviewer. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”