Danas Valley

Dana's Valley. Janette Oke, Author, Laurel Oke Logan, Joint Author Bethany House Publishers $ (p) ISBN
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Bestselling novelist Oke is a mainstay in the Christian fiction market but, unfortunately, this newest offering, coauthored with her daughter, falls flat, despite a promising plot. Dana, a young teenager, is diagnosed with a terminal illness and her solidly Christian family deals with the resulting turmoil. Oke and Logan make a noble attempt to show that Christian families don't always enjoy rosy lives in the midst of suffering and affliction. A teen son strays, a younger child feels neglected and a sister struggles with bitterness toward God.

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Yet despite chapters of narration describing the family's daily life before the cancer wreaks its havoc, there is little character development. The book is wooden where it has the chance to evoke deep emotions. For example, when the siblings wait at the house for the call telling them Dana's bone-marrow transplant surgery is completed, sister Erin notes, "We were all a bit anxious. There are a few sweet moments, including one in which Dana's little brother, Corey, chooses a spot for his tree where she can see it from her window.

However, everything is wrapped up quickly, neatly and unbelievably in the end. After pages of bitterness over her sister's disease, we see the younger sister's attitude toward God changed in a few paragraphs. This passionless story falls short of other titles in Christian domestic fiction, including Oke's own work.

Dana's valley

Oke's books have sold more than 20 million copies to date, so this will surely enjoy strong sales among her many fans. New readers, however, will likely be disappointed, and lackluster reviews won't drive many to the book in any case, hobbling the crossover ambitions for this one. Erin Walsh doesn't understand what's happening to her family. First, older sister Dana loses her bubbly personality and wants to stay home all the time. Then, Granddad dies and Grandma comes to live with them, forcing older brother Brett to move into the basement and her youngest brother, Corey, to move in with her and Dana.

Her parents, David and Angela, ask the kids to bear with them as they all adjust to the changes and to pray about their problems. Faith has always been a strong part of the family's life, but after a move to a larger house in the country and a change of school districts, the family starts falling apart. And then Dana is diagnosed with leukemia. While her siblings deal with feelings of rejection and anger as their parents focus on helping Dana, Erin must also deal with her anger toward God for allowing these events to happen.

This emotionally wrenching journey through the devastation that cancer wreaks on a family is particularly suitable for teens. Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc. Would you like to tell us about a lower price? If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Learn more about Amazon Prime. When one grim diagnosis is all it takes to shake her family to the core, she wonders if they can ever go back to they way they were. Erin's attempts to go about life as usual feel empty and as each member of her family seems to struggle alone, she is about ready to give up on God.

However, Erin has yet to learn that God will never give up on her. Read more Read less. Add all three to Cart Add all three to List. These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Buy the selected items together This item: Ships from and sold by cooksbooks. Ships from and sold by Amazon.

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From Publishers Weekly Bestselling novelist Oke is a mainstay in the Christian fiction market but, unfortunately, this newest offering, coauthored with her daughter, falls flat, despite a promising plot. Copyright Cahners Business Information, Inc. Bethany House Publishers; Repackaged ed. Related Video Shorts 0 Upload your video. Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention dana valley janette oke oke and her daughter daughter laurel family member family members highly recommend even though valley of the shadow great book felt like wonderful book book is worth end of the book erin god cancer sister faith struggle.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. This was a wonderful heartbreaking story of God's love and goodness and the family that lived it. Having been through something similar it made me cry. God holds all of our futures and will use it for His glory!

I've always been a fan of Janette Oke, but seriously. Dana's Valley blew every other book she's ever written out of the water and into the desert. I cried, I laughed, I fell so in love with the characters that when something bad happened to them I would tear up. When I was half-way through the book I felt like I'd lived with the characters forever and when I was finished I was crying because I wanted more.

I wanted more of the book but it was over. I had read it all. And it all broke my heart.


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Rea I've always been a fan of Janette Oke, but seriously. You'll love it more than anything else. Feb 09, Shaina added it. It took a while for me to get into this book but I was crying at the end Jan 25, Melody rated it really liked it.

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Don't read this if you don't like to cry; this book made me cry more than any other book I remember reading--I sobbed as I read it. Heartbreaking This was a wonderful heartbreaking story of God's love and goodness and the family that lived it. Having been through something similar it made me cry. But through the tears and sorrow we always have God's blessings. I cried many a tear while reading this book, but the tears were worth it because I was also prompted to have 2 spontaneous worship sessions. I love the eternal perspective of the parents.

The conversations are so realistic that I could see my own family sitting down and having the same ones.

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Aug 17, Ruth rated it it was amazing Shelves: When I started reading this one I had no idea that it would turn out the way it did. I strongly advised to have a box of Kleenex it's close by and you get to the ending. What extreme amount of faith all of these characters had even though at times they felt like they had none. Aug 18, Esther rated it really liked it.

A beautiful example of trusting God through trials of life and seeing his hand even in tragedy. Jul 20, Kathie D rated it liked it. Long and sad did a quick read. Jun 21, Lanette Granger rated it liked it. Checked out at the local public library to read another storyline by this author. A revealing perspective of a Christian family dealing with their oldest daughter's struggle with Leukemia. If you are a family dealing with a loved one dealing with a life threatening illness this book would be a good one to read; especially if you have preteen children.

As in this book one of four children get a diagnosis of cancer. The story is pretty much told from the third child whom is very close to her sister only 14 mths older than she. She is 10 when the story starts but then is 13 or 14 when it ends. It deals with issues with their older brother and their grandmother.

Ms Oke did a very good job at helping the reader understand from each family members view point about how they dealt with their loved ones illness, their relationship with God and with each other. It's very 'sappy' at times, I mean it is about a teenager dying but at times I felt they did 'pull out' the sappiness for a while longer than was necessary at times. I did listen to it on audio and the reader did a very good job at tones, and emotion making it more realistic.

I did listen to it on audio and the reader did a very good job at tones, and emotion making it more realistic Feb 08, Amy rated it liked it. This book was written well. It was very realistic. And yet, in many ways I hated it. But it's my own fault. I picked up this book to read something light after reading another book by Janette Oke which was very light. I didn't bother with reading the description.

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I just jumped right in. I could tell right away that something was going to happen, and I wanted to know how bad it was, so I stayed up later than normal to find out. And then, once I found out, I was spending This book was written well. And then, once I found out, I was spending so much time crying that I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. So, I again stayed up to wait for some sort of resolution or peace.

Well, resolution didn't come until 1 am in the morning and it certainly didn't bring any peace. This book really needed an epilogue. That is the only thing that could have left me feeling better. But it didn't have one. So, in essence, if you need a good cry, maybe you want to read this book. But if you don't like to cry a lot, avoid this one. May 30, LadyCalico rated it it was amazing. Such an excellent book, so real. It was the first Oke book I read, and the sappy Oke romances I read thereafter paled in comparison. This book is not for the faint of heart and really touched me, and devastated me.

I was heartbroken for Dana and her siblings when the sibs' own pain and adjustment difficulties over present and anticipated losses often eclipsed their ability to empathize, love, and relate to their dying sister as is so often true in real life. It is like the dying must carry not o Such an excellent book, so real. It is like the dying must carry not only the weight of their own pain and fears, but also the added weight of the troubles their illness causes their family. Walking with someone through the Valley of Shadow really tests who and what you are and shows you a lot about yourself that you don't want to see--just like the people in this story.

May 20, Barbara rated it really liked it. During the 4 years of Dana's disease Erin and her brother Brett both had to deal with their own feelings and reactions to the disease. They temporarily rejected God and felt bitter at the changes their family had to go through. At the end though, they realized that God had worked in spite of their sister's disease and were able to get their hearts back in tune with God before Dana finished her journey through the valley. Only read the first chapter, but 22 pages was enough time spent.


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The plot was non-existent, the characters bland and privileged, and it was pretty obvious from the getgo that there was going to be some death or sickness to make the boring girl character lose faith in God. Which, really, wasn't the problem. I've read good books with meandering plotlines about people with no personality, no life, a quiet life, etc.

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I Only read the first chapter, but 22 pages was enough time spent. If they're interesting, then it doesn't matter if the plot is predictable. So, this book was pretty mediocre to me, but standard to upper-quality fare for contemporary inspirational fiction. When I first picked up this book I had no clue what it was about.

All I knew was that it was written by the amazing Janette Oke who is one my favorite authors. I had no idea how deeply this book would move me. This is a very raw and realistic look on how sickness can affect a family. And having recently gone through the same thing within my own family, I can say this book was very accurate. I cried so much reading this, in fact it's probably safe to say I nearly sobbed.

I could relate to Erin an When I first picked up this book I had no clue what it was about. I could relate to Erin and all she was feeling so much. This is heartbreaking but amazing and I would definitely recommend it. Sep 03, Danna rated it really liked it. Okay, not so sure I sure have read this on my three day weekend but it certainly was a tear jerker! A quick read, it only took me a few hours but a deep look into what terminal illness does to a family. I suppose I was drawn into it because I have lived it.

Think I will move on to lighter reading for my next selection. As I have said before my mother left me quite the library with each book teaching a lesson. Little did she know or maybe she did that this book would be so prophetic for our famil Okay, not so sure I sure have read this on my three day weekend but it certainly was a tear jerker! Little did she know or maybe she did that this book would be so prophetic for our family. This book brought me to tears so many times. A heart-warming story about a girl who suffers as her sister fights cancer. I read this as a teenager and was able to put myself into story, emotions and all.

Despite the weight of despair carried in this book, it also has an uplifting spirit to capture your heart and help you find an inner strength that'll help you cope with anything life throws your way. May 28, Rebecca Rash rated it it was amazing. I'm rather surprised at the less than four star rating of this book.

This book brings you on the journey of a young girl's cancer through the eyes of her sister. It is as if you are reading the Main Character's personal journal, and it's hard to tell who's hurting more - Dana with the cancer, or Erin having to watch her sister go through it. It was very real, a tear jerker, and a journey.