Closer Than Ever

Sierra felt as if icy fingers had reached down her throat and were trying to yank out her heart. Her father wouldn’t look like this or sound like this unless something was wrong – seriously wrong. Sierra felt her world screeching to a halt as she waited for her father to speak.

Book:Closer Than Ever (The Sierra Jensen Series #11) by Robin Jones Gunn, Bethany House Publishers, 1999

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 14-19

Subjects: Friendships, Relationships with family, Dating relationships, Growing up, Salvation

Summary: Graduation time! Are they really ready for this? Sierra, Randy, Vicki, Amy and the others aren’t sure. On one hand, there’s lots of excitement, but on the other hand it’s scary to think of what all this means. Then Sierra gets a letter that knocks everything else to the back of her mind: Paul is coming for her graduation! The one she’s been writing letters to for two years is coming for her graduation! Amy is planning a big fancy dinner to celebrate their graduation and Paul will be able to come to that. Sierra fills a notebook with possibilities of things they can do while he is here. Then the time comes and instead of Paul she gets news that shatters her world. Is her faith really strong enough for this?

Notes: Sierra Jensen was introduced in the last book of the Christy Miller series and this is the one of twelve books about her story. Eleventh in the Sierra Jensen series, Closer Than Ever shows Sierra getting closer to have dreams come true. Between graduation, acceptance of her and her friends to their first choice of college, and Paul’s visit Sierra’s heart is about to burst with excitement. But when word of a possible tragedy comes, Sierra’s excitement comes crashing down and she has to rely on faith to get by as they wait for word. This book also deals with salvation as Sierra and Vicki start to feel an urgency for Amy and when the disaster hits, it shakes Amy up and she finally makes the choice to put her trust in Christ for her salvation! The author, as usual, does a great job filling the ending with more hopes and dreams so the story doesn’t end on a negative tone.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.