Official Review: Last Call by Pj Parisi

[debo9967]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Last Call" by Pj Parisi.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Last Call by PJ Parisi is a novel in the horror genre, though it will appeal to the readers of thriller genre as well. It follows the story of James and Danny, whose choices will determine the fate of the never ending war between God and the Devil.

James Ryan has it all: a loving wife, a son he is proud of and financial stability, but all this is going to be snatched from him cruelly. Danny Saletop has always been the kid no one took notice of. A good student, an obedient son and a seventeen year old who spent quality time with his younger sister because he had no friends to hang out with. His boring existence is going to change soon as he is about to find himself admitted to the coolest gang in the small town of West Alexander. What is the thread that is connecting James and Danny? The Devil claims that people’s belief in God is dwindling, and what better way to prove it than to wager on James’s faith in God. To prove their point, God takes the form of an old woman named Verna and the Devil takes the form of a suave bar owner who calls himself Ethan. While Verna trusts that James will pass the test of faith, Ethan uses Danny as a pawn to prove his case. Who will win this wager?

The author has written the book from multiple perspectives and the story goes back and forth in time. This writing technique of the author makes the book an engaging read, for example, one of the major crime scenes in the book is told from James’s perspective in the beginning and from Danny’s perspective towards the end, and the result is impactful. The characters are well constructed and the idea of characterizing God as a female is something I have not come across often, which I found quite impressive.

Does God really care for her believers? Does everything, including the tragic death of a loved one, happen for a reason? The book promotes itself as a Christian thriller, and rightly so, because the main theme of the book is retaining faith in God in the face of tragedy. Along with this theme, there are also other issues the author touches upon like adolescent vulnerability. The author focuses on the need for acceptance among teenagers which often clouds their conscience. The story focuses on questions of morality and how one wrong choice can have grave, irreversible repercussions.

The author cooks a moral thriller, replete with a dark sense of humor, teenage drama and a supernatural bet. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for being an engrossing read.

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Last Call
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Like debo9967's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Rachaelamb1]

Nice review! Sounds like a good book. The storyline reminds me of Job. I wonder if that is where the author drew their inspiration from.

[debo9967]

Thanks:-) Yeah the story is inspired by Job and the author makes quite a few references to it.

[ananya92]

Interesting storyline. Nice review.

[pauljparisi]

First and foremost Debo thank you so much for the incredibly detailed review! It means a lot. Secondly I would like to introduce myself as i am brand new to onlinebookclub. I am really excited to be an active part in the onlinebookclub forum and loom forward to meeting you all. Secondly debo if you want to give the read another skim through , there are seven hidden anagrams through out the novel. Can you find them?

[debo9967]

Thanks

-- 05 May 2015, 13:16 --

@pauljparisi: I saw your reply now (stupid me). I found the book quite engrossing.
Hmm it seems like an interesting activity, I'll try it, however being from a different culture, I don't know how I will fare.