First of all, I’m not really offering a chicken dinner.

The shipping on that would be fairly high. And the greasy mess that the mailman would have to deal with is unfair.

Come rain, sleet, snow, or ….. fried chicken legs?

Don’t think so.

Anyways, the purpose of this post [which I have yet to reach until now] is that there is a winner over at the GIVEAWAYS page! Someone is gonna have a little package of awesome including Mary DeMuth’s novel Daisy Chain.

I love a good giveaway. This has been a pleasure.

Now that the fancy announcement has come and gone, I wish you a great weekend.

I mean that. That’s not just the right thing to say. Sincerely.

Have a great weekend.

Amen.

Oh y’all.

Y’all.

This book. I’m at a coffee shop [read: in public], so I really can’t get too emotional about it, but trust me. I want to.

My friend Mary DeMuth wrote Daisy Chain. I heard mention of it long before I read it myself.

Shame on me.

Here’s the official description of the book:

“The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance haunts the small town of Defiance, Texas. Fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper searches for answers in this gritty and compelling story of love and sorrow, revealing God’s hand of redemption in impossible situations.”

I started the book and finished it about six days later. And for about the last four nights I was reading, way too late into the night, I wept. Like, put the book down and feel the moment kind of crying. Maybe it’s because I’m the oldest child and I have major issues with feeling responsible for my siblings. Maybe it’s because at points, I felt like I was literally standing there and experiencing the moment with the characters. Or maybe this story is just real enough to affect my heart.

I didn’t laugh a lot while reading this book. That’s not the purpose of it. I felt the book, that’s for sure. It’s deep. It’s beautiful. It’s absolutely heartbreaking and yet it gives redemption like a deep breath after being under water too long. I had to pray as I read- not for the characters [though I've done it before without realizing it], but for what God revealed to me about my life and my heart within the story.

I think you should read it.

You can buy Daisy Chain here. The second of this trilogy, A Slow Burn, is also out, but I haven’t read it yet. I will. Don’t you worry about that.

I received a free copy of Daisy Chain at a writer’s conference recently, so I thought that one of you might like that. I have a nifty new GIVEAWAYS page, so head over there and you can enter to win this copy.

Have you read it already? What did you think? Have you read Mary DeMuth before? I’d love to hear other things by her you think I should read.

Have a great weekend.

[PSA: Hey. I want you to know something. Mary didn't pay me or ask me or encourage me to blog about her book, or giveaway a copy. I just feel that this series of books is written beautifully and tells a redemption story is such a unique fashion that I can't help but tell you about it. So know that this post isn't an advertisement- I'll tell you when I run a commercial. I promise. This isn't one. I just love the book. Okay? Okay. Now, carry on with your weekend.]