Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry

I ran across this book on Goodreads and requested it from the library. It came in faster than I expected so I picked it up thinking I would get through it to be able to read my Christmas stories. I wish I would have waited!

Almost Heaven is a story about Billy Allman. When I first picked up the book I was intrigued and got through the first half pretty quickly. But at that point it got harder to read, I just kept thinking "How much can one person go through?" And it took me over a week to get through the second half of the book.

In the end the book show shows how one person, like Job, can take so much and still trust God. Maybe that's what the story is to compare to, Job, in modern day.

At the end of the book the author, Chris Fabry, tells how he got a letter about a man actually named Billy Alman from someone in the community that knew him. Chris Fabry says that some of the the characteristics he found out about are added in the book but the story line is completely fiction.

Billy is very eccentric, he is awkward with people but he is very smart.  He is able to build radios even as young as 6 years old! As he grows up he endures a lot of heart ache but holds onto his faith in God.

I just felt there was such an overwhelming amount of things that took place in Billy's life! Even the Angel that had charge over Billy began to question his call to watch over him and the reason why at one time he was called away. During that time, it was the darkest period for Billy. I did not like that the Angel questioned why he was supposed to watch over Billy. I don't feel that angels would question God or question their calling. Maybe that's just me. I didn't feel the story needed so much trama to bring the point across that you can trust God in all things.

The only thing that may grab me to read the next book, June Bug, is that in the last quarter of the book it picks up and has a bright spot. There is a little girl introduced as June Bug. Though there is another cliff point at the end of the book it's actually worth reading and I would be interested in the June Bugs story. I read at the end of the book the first chapter to that book and caught my interest.

The hard part is that I like the first 1/4 and last 1/4 of Almost Heaven, the middle was a little rough...not sure if June Bug would be the same for me.