Paper Angels by Jimmy Wayne and Travis Thrasher

This book needs to be noted as a life-changing fiction book  that everyone should read before Christmas.  The principles of this book obviously reach far beyond Christmas time, but the setting is Christmas which is perfect for this time of year.  It's not often that I read a fiction book that challenges me.  Several times I would set the book aside to go finish cleaning or something and I would find myself thinking about how much I lack in giving.  I wasn't prepeared for this book to challenge me.

Written from experience, Jimmy Wayne knows what it means to be a recipient of the Angel Tree program from the Salvation Army.  I imagine that Thomas is a character patterned after Wayne in some ways.  I had never heard of Jimmy Wayne or Travis Thrasher but now I want to read more about them.  The writing of this book was excellent and was a story that was beautifully told in a challenging way.

My heart broke reading about the challenges that both Kevin, the one who chose to take Thomas' name off the tree, and Thomas' families faced.  I hated to hear of the conditions that Thomas lived in, but loved seeing the generosity and answered prayers that each family received.  Thomas had such a sweet spirit and was able to turn seemingly bad things, like bullying, into a blessing for someone else.  I couldn't believe the ending when I read about Thomas' presents.  I was amazed and kept wondering if I would have done that.  In my selfishness, I'm sure I wouldn't have. 

I'm really glad that I read this book.  I tend to be a bit on the stubborn side and like it when messages are subtle in a story not directly telling me how I need to change.  It made me see for myself that I still have a long way to go to be what I really want to be.  In all honesty, I thought I was a giving person.  I know now that materialism has seeped it's way into our families without us really knowing it.  I'm very appreciative for this eye-opening fact and this thought-provoking, hopefully life-changing book.

___________________

I received this book free from Howard Publishers, a division of SimonandSchuster Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.