Book Review: Rude Awakening

Rude Awakening

Mark E. Donnelly

271 pages

Engaged Publishing Group

$11.95

Available at All on the Same Page Bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble

“Most of us fall into one of three categories: those still on a quest to please God, those who have given up trying because they realized they cannot accomplish what they’re being told pleases God, and those who don’t even bother trying in the first place because the task seems too daunting. How would each of those groups be affected if we found out those “tasks”—the things we think impress God—actually do the opposite? What if we found out we have the wrong  approach? What if our set of ideals has been tainted? What if our perceived sense of righteousness is all wrong?”

We all know the drill: your religion tells you what to do and not do, how to act, what to say, and so forth. And, if you’re a Christian, those instructions are Bible-based. You live your life, trying your best to follow “the rules,” and sometimes you stumble. Often. A lot. Sometimes very, very seriously. You might even start to wonder “what’s the point?”

Mark Donnelly’s debut work, Rude Awakening, will answer that question. He begins with his own near-death experience, and segues into how that changed him and opened his eyes to what was important. Suspenseful and heartfelt, Mark’s writing puts you squarely in the scene, right there with him as he struggles towards life.

The remainder of the book is divided into three sections: Loving Upward, Loving Outward, and Loving Inward. In these, Mark talks about his Christian faith and the real-time, real-world applications to return to the basics of Christianity.

A very well written book, Mark’s first foray into publishing is a must-read for everyone! He’ll be at All on the Same Page Bookstore on Saturday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m.