Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury

Karen Kingsbury has been a long-time favorite of mine.  I've read all of her books and love every book by her.  I couldn't wait for this book to come out!  I always anticipate a new book by her and than am disappointed that I read it so fast and finish it far too soon.  Not that it's any fault of Karen Kingsbury....I just can't put the book down for long!

Fifteen Minutes is based on a singing contest, kind of like American Idol.  There are several different characters that have a role in this book, but Zach is the major one.  He can sing and has a chance to go all the way in this singing competition.  He joined it so that he could help save his father's farm and keep it in the family.  He has a beautiful girlfriend, Reese, that he'd love to marry one day soon.  Zach is certain he can take part in this show and still bring glory to God.  He never accounted for the many temptations and one girl who won't take "no" for an answer and seems to take the challenge that Zach has a girlfriend.  She wants desperately what she can't have and that would be Zach.

Then there's Chandra, who has been there done that and has the battle scars to prove it.  She has taken on Zach and has helped guide him and keep his focus on what really matters.  I love that she holds him accountable and gets involved.

I felt bad for Kelly Morgan as she navigated through her bad decisions and came to a place of reconciliation with her family and girls.  I was cheering her on as she was making some hard decisions.

Zoey drove me nuts!  I wanted to shake that girl and tell her to leave Zach alone.  I had instantly liked Reese and didn't want anyone to interfere with her and Zach.  When Zach makes a few not-so-smart decisions, I wanted to give him a good talking-to.  I was so mad at him in certain parts of the book!  I could just imagine what Reese would think when she saw all of these things replayed on television.  And those producers were horrid!

This book highlights the pressures of being "in the world and not of the world."  It reminds me of how diligently I need to be aware of Satan's tactics in my own life and just how compromising I can be if I let my relationship with God slip just a little.  I can't do anything in my own power, just as Zach found out.

I'm highly anticipating another book by Karen Kingsbury, hopefully soon!

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I received this book free from Howard Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.