Official Review: Mustard Seed Baby Doll by F. J. Schurr

[sybil1reader]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mustard Seed Baby Doll" by F. J. Schurr.]

Mustard See Baby Doll (a novella), by F. J. Schurr is an extremely thought provoking read that made me realize that everyone has a story, whether they want to admit it or not. The characters may be fictional, but the truths they bring out hit very close to home.

Maudelyn and retired husband Jim barely exist day after day as they mourn for Jenny, their little girl who ran away. Jim watched old Bogart movies with Jenny, and Maudelyn blames him for the fact that their baby girl is gone. She accuses him of putting ideas into Jenny’s little head that she too could be an actress and in her mind that is the reason that her baby ran away. Samson is a bodybuilder following his dream of becoming an actor. A series of events occur that lead him to realize that he is chasing someone else’s dream…someone he knew when he was seventeen years old. Rachel is an eleven year old girl living beneath a subway waiting until the day that she can fulfill her dream of being an actress. Her mother was an actress before when died, and she believes that she knows her father. Rachael wants to desperately follow in her mother’s footsteps. Travel with Rachael as she forfeits her innocence while wandering down her road of discovery, touching and binding lives together along the way. Add a cast of prostitutes, grave diggers, and other captivating characters and this story becomes addictive.

I started reading and did not stop until the end. It made me happy, sad, and reflective all at the same time. I was a bit confused at the beginning, but I kept reading and slowly everything fell into place as I began to see connections flow between people and places. All of the players bear individual crosses, but in the end humanity prevails.

I loved this book because it made me think about who we really are as people. I saw real emotions, with love, desperation, forgiveness, faith, and hope being just a few. I also realized that we are connected to people in ways that we never imagine as the merry-go-round of life makes its circle. All we need is a mustard seed of faith and situations can resolve themselves when we admit the truth to ourselves that all human beings make mistakes. The author brings home the point that the decisions we make affect other people as well as ourselves, sometimes for the good and sometimes with results that are less than pleasing.

Prepare to be surprised and touched when you read this book. The ending touched me deeply as I hope it will you. I highly recommend it to every reader; I just wish that it had been longer!

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

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Buy "Mustard Seed Baby Doll" on Amazon

[Mikasha]

Yes, beautiful and well supported review! Mustard Seed Baby Doll is a must-have for today's reader! Exceptional novella to pick up for your next flight or a lazy day curled with with a new favorite. This isn't the run of the mill, superficial feel-good fantasy; rather the author integrates thought provoking story lines which challenge us to confront our personal biases and which we may draw personal reference to whether they are situational, circumstantial, emotional, or spiritual. I especially love F.J. Schurr's witty humor (A.F.T.A.R. support group- Association for Those Affected by Runaways), illustrative descriptions of Buffalo NY, and delineating connections among the disconnected; all of which are done without insulting the reader's intelligence or minimizing the realities that many of us and our loved ones face daily. Excellent-- kudos!

[Margjohns51]

Your review makes me want to read this story, as it seems to be based on human connection and emotion with a strong story. Just the sort of book I like. I like that that you praise the book and recommend it, but rated the book 3 out of 4 stars. That tells me that you hold your authors to a very high standard. I love your conclusion "Prepare to be surprised and touched when you read this book. The ending touched me deeply as I hope it will you. I highly recommend it to every reader; I just wish that it had been longer!" I am going to add this to my "books I want to read" list.

[Stephen Pokoo]

That's a well-considered and engaging review, shedding light on the book's strengths and weaknesses.

[kwamemeloy]

This review is an immersive experience, where your words act as a portal to the book's world, enabling readers to wander through its landscapes and engage with its characters.