Liz Peterson's mother is brutally murdered-and then her son is arrested for the crime, devastating their family to the point that Liz wonders if any of them will be left standing when it's all over. Can God's love and grace reach even to the deepest agony of the soul and bring, if not a meeting of the minds, a meeting of the hearts-and healing to a family torn apart by murder and betrayal?
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Yvonne Ortega (York County, VA), August 30, 2009
Kathi Macias has done it again. She's written a book the reader can't bear to put down until the last page has been read. Macias powerfully depicts the emotional roller coaster ride a mother and her family face when her mother is brutally murdered. Every mother wants the best for her children. How can she survive the devastation she faces when the murderer is her own son? Macias delves into the heart of this mother as she struggles to hang on to her faith and forgive her son. Kathi Macias not only understands the anguish of a mother as she visits her son behind bars, but also the shame and guilt of the son in need of forgiveness.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Melody Earle (Arlington TX), August 18, 2009
My Son John is a very gripping and probing book that forces the reader to explore their inner most thoughts about where God fits in their life. As the story unravels, I think the writer reveals that this family had a God of convenience, and not one that they could draw strength from during times of trouble. I would recommend this book to anyone that is struggling with having faith in God, and forgiveness.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Erin K. Brown (Corvallis, MT), June 17, 2009
My Son, John by Kathi Macias is a story of Liz’s struggle amid the horror of the brutal murder of her mother at the hand of her son. In one act of viciousness, her idyllic life is turned upside down and shaken to the core. Her life is now measured by “before—before her son, John, killed his grandmother, before their lives were shattered and shredded by the mother/grandmother’s murder and John’s subsequent arrest and confession. Each day brings greater and deeper pain. Each day feels more hopeless than the one before.
But when Liz’s fractured world collides with God’s grace, she encounters the power of God to unconditionally love her son.
Though this is a novel, if you’ve ever had a prodigal son or daughter and you are standing at the gait awaiting his or her return, this story takes on a realism that touches the soul and long-held pain a parent experiences. But Macias doesn’t leave her readers there. We learn with Liz that though the troubles and solutions are beyond our ability to cope with much less solve, they are not beyond the heart and control of our heavenly Father.
Journey with the Peterson family through their nightmare as they find forgiveness and hope.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Kelly Kiggins-Lund (Altavista, VA), May 02, 2009
My Son, John, by Kathi Macias is a remarkable tale of God’s immeasurable love and limitless forgiveness. Trying to deal with an almost unbearable pain and impenetrable grief brought upon by the brutal death of a loved one, Liz Peterson and her family members are nearly torn apart when another tragedy befalls them. Author Kathi Macias captures the raw emotions of her characters and weaves them into this poignant story that shows how we can overcome tragedy with God’s strength and how powerfully healing His forgiveness is for all of us. Furthermore, Kathi Macias humanizes the offender of these brutal crimes and reminds us how God sees each of us as lambs gone astray. Lambs that need to be forgiven, loved and brought back into the fold not stigmatized, made to feel unworthy, or constantly bludgeoned for past sins. Jesus died for us all for we are all sinners who need God’s immeasurable love and limitless forgiveness!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lucy Neeley Adams (Lake Junaluska, NC), April 28, 2009
The beauty and love in this story comes from God's love that flows in a supernatural way through an entire family . But they learned through horrible grief that God tells us all have sinned and fallen short of His glory.
We are not all physical murderers of course, but we all hurt and cripple friends and foe with words and thoughts. So I turned each page identifying with the pain and grief of a broken hearted mom, dad and sister. I am blessed to know the beautiful author, Kathi Macias, and see the love of God that flows into all of her writings. She has written a masterpiece that we could see in the headlines any day in our confused society.
Ten being the highest rating for a book, I give this a ten plus! Go get it!
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Janna Ryan (North Platte, NE), April 17, 2009
What would you do if the most unthinkable horror happened to your family? Could you forgive the person that savagely murdered your mother? Is forgiveness even humanly possible in that situation? Now, what if the cops arrested your son for the murder? Will they stop searching for the real killer? Will the truth come out?
These are the questions that Kathi Macias masterfully answers in "My Son, John". It is a heart wrenching story that takes forgiveness to a new level. It will leave you speechless as you ponder what you might do if it were you going through the unthinkable.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Diane Moody (Kingston Springs, TN), April 17, 2009
Horrible things happen to good people all the time. But when one family’s tragedy is compounded by a second heartbreaking blow, their faith is brutally tested. Liz Peterson experiences not one, but two nightmares within her family and finds herself slipping into an abyss of disbelief, depression, and doubt. As a mother, I ached for Liz as she faced unspeakable challenges and especially as she struggled to hang on to her faith. My Son, John is a compelling story that offers hope when hope is humanly impossible to find, and reminds us how to love unconditionally—“no matter what.” A beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness written by a gifted author.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Sherilyn (Texas), April 15, 2009
My Son John was an absolute wonderful read. I was captured by it from the first page all the way to the end. Although the content was difficult to read, the author did a great job in depicting all the emotions of the nightmare in losing a mother to murder, and then finding out it was the son who committed the crime. The story showed forgiveness, grace, mercy, and unconditional love in what would be the most difficult of circumstances.
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