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Resurrection Man
Bad enough Elijah Colter’s life of comfort comes to an abrupt end when he’s seventeen and his family discovers he’s gay. Bad enough he must live out of his car and turn tricks. But when his perfect boyfriend, Alonzo, becomes the victim of a drive-by shooting, Elijah plummets into suicidal depression. The concepts of trust and hope become more alien to him than ever.
All that keeps Elijah going is a promise he that he would look after Alonzo’s stepdad, Dizzy, who’s on the verge of losing his house.
Diz and Elijah become companions in homelessness—until Elijah discovers a program for throwaway LGBT youth. Through it he secures an apartment… then loses it after a year. He’s kept his promise, though, and until he can get back on his feet, he’s resigned to joining Dizzy in the abandoned factory the older man calls home.
One fall day, a pair of new presences in Elijah’s life promise to shape his Michael, an outreach volunteer, and Alonzo’s ghost. Both prompt Elijah to decide which of his dreams to pursue, which to cast aside, and just how much he can dare to believe in love, and in himself, again.
All that keeps Elijah going is a promise he that he would look after Alonzo’s stepdad, Dizzy, who’s on the verge of losing his house.
Diz and Elijah become companions in homelessness—until Elijah discovers a program for throwaway LGBT youth. Through it he secures an apartment… then loses it after a year. He’s kept his promise, though, and until he can get back on his feet, he’s resigned to joining Dizzy in the abandoned factory the older man calls home.
One fall day, a pair of new presences in Elijah’s life promise to shape his Michael, an outreach volunteer, and Alonzo’s ghost. Both prompt Elijah to decide which of his dreams to pursue, which to cast aside, and just how much he can dare to believe in love, and in himself, again.
178 pages, ebook
First published August 5, 2014
About the author
K.Z. Snow
52 books274 followersThis says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH7rt4...
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 9, 2014
Resurrection Man is the story of Elijah, who faces the loss of someone he loves so much...
The way he deals with all that...
The way he rises...
...to what he'd been looking for all along, and the way that the author handles the grief matter is wonderful. A great book! The writing is very intense, and this is a truly a fantastic story!
I love the analogy of the difference between a "psychic vampire and a resurrection man".
And the title is so so perfect! There is also a point in the book that blown me away, never ever expected that!
I will read more by this author and I highly recommend it.
The way he deals with all that...
The way he rises...
...to what he'd been looking for all along, and the way that the author handles the grief matter is wonderful. A great book! The writing is very intense, and this is a truly a fantastic story!
I love the analogy of the difference between a "psychic vampire and a resurrection man".
And the title is so so perfect! There is also a point in the book that blown me away, never ever expected that!
I will read more by this author and I highly recommend it.
August 26, 2014
4.5 stars
Despair is life with the love sucked out of it.
But never forget:
Love is our greatest renewable resource.
Whenever I pick up a K.Z. Snow’s story, I don’t even care about the synopsis anymore. With K.Z. Snow, I know that I will be offered more than just a story but also the artistry of storytelling that makes her one of the few authors who, for me, is in a class of her own. She has tackled important topics before, with a high respect to the issue and sensitivity that leaves no place for formulaic plots.
But of course, it also often leaves me with a dilemma of my own. How can I write a review that will do ANY of her books a justice? Especially when I become unable to form coherent opinion — except for sighing, “Gosh I LOVED this” — about it. I’ll give it a try, but forgive me if it doesn’t even come close to what I intended.
Resurrection Man is a story of a young man, Elijah Colter, twenty years old, blond hair, fair skin and more than the average male’s ration of cuteness who finds the strength within to arise from realities and specter of his past and reach for a better version of himself.
For the past two years, Elijah has been living with a hole in his soul, right after his boyfriend Alonzo Morales-Barry is shot in a drive-by. Elijah is only able to live his day-to-day life because he has promised Alonzo that he will take care of Alonzo’s stepfather, Dizzy. Elijah reaches out to a program that helps LGBT homeless youth so he can find a way to support Dizzy. But Elijah’s never feels like he’s complete without his Alonzo.
Now, after having difficulty keeping a job, Elijah is on the brink of losing the apartment that is part of the program, and becoming homeless as well. Enter Michael Hanlan, an outreach volunteer with the Milwaukee Coalition for the Homeless. Michael meets Elijah and Dizzy when he visits the factory where Dizzy is currently staying (and where Elijah is in prospect of staying). Michael is caring and kind … and he sees the full potential within Elijah. He knows that Elijah has the right experience and compassion that other homeless people, especially LGBT youth need.
This is where K.Z. Snow’s magic works. Instead of making Michael the gallant white knight in shining armor, Ms. Snow makes Elijah take charge of his own life — through a retrospective view coming from a ‘ghost’ of his past and the realities of his present. Through his resurrection man, Elijah can now evaluate what Alonzo meant to him, what Dizzy means to him, what Michael means to him, and what HIMSELF, Elijah Colter, means to all these people around him. The people in his life and the people who might be part of his life and the people he will reach out to.
And what is wonderful about it is that Ms. Snow still gives Elijah room to grow, to stand on his own two feet and become an equal partner for Michael. She doesn’t end this story like a beautiful Christmas present-box with a neat bow on it. She ends it more like a small Christmas tree that is ready to reach its fullest height. If I had a small niggle that stopped me from giving this 5-stars was that the part with Alonzo’s true character felt slightly too black-and-white in the end. I guess I wanted it more to be shades of grey, to make it a more complex situation.
Again, this review might not do the book a justice. Some of my words might not even make any sense. I wish I could say a lot more, write a poetic review, full with thoughtful insights that could help readers to know what the book meant for me. But in the end, I could only say that this book was a beauty and joy to read. Yes, it’s that simple.
Despair is life with the love sucked out of it.
But never forget:
Love is our greatest renewable resource.
Whenever I pick up a K.Z. Snow’s story, I don’t even care about the synopsis anymore. With K.Z. Snow, I know that I will be offered more than just a story but also the artistry of storytelling that makes her one of the few authors who, for me, is in a class of her own. She has tackled important topics before, with a high respect to the issue and sensitivity that leaves no place for formulaic plots.
But of course, it also often leaves me with a dilemma of my own. How can I write a review that will do ANY of her books a justice? Especially when I become unable to form coherent opinion — except for sighing, “Gosh I LOVED this” — about it. I’ll give it a try, but forgive me if it doesn’t even come close to what I intended.
Resurrection Man is a story of a young man, Elijah Colter, twenty years old, blond hair, fair skin and more than the average male’s ration of cuteness who finds the strength within to arise from realities and specter of his past and reach for a better version of himself.
For the past two years, Elijah has been living with a hole in his soul, right after his boyfriend Alonzo Morales-Barry is shot in a drive-by. Elijah is only able to live his day-to-day life because he has promised Alonzo that he will take care of Alonzo’s stepfather, Dizzy. Elijah reaches out to a program that helps LGBT homeless youth so he can find a way to support Dizzy. But Elijah’s never feels like he’s complete without his Alonzo.
SO WHAT form does the haint of a ruined life take? Maybe this form, blotchy-ink and smeared-pencil scrawls on mismatched pieces of paper. But they’re better than nothing. They’re better than the hole in my soul, and better than oblivion.
Now, after having difficulty keeping a job, Elijah is on the brink of losing the apartment that is part of the program, and becoming homeless as well. Enter Michael Hanlan, an outreach volunteer with the Milwaukee Coalition for the Homeless. Michael meets Elijah and Dizzy when he visits the factory where Dizzy is currently staying (and where Elijah is in prospect of staying). Michael is caring and kind … and he sees the full potential within Elijah. He knows that Elijah has the right experience and compassion that other homeless people, especially LGBT youth need.
This is where K.Z. Snow’s magic works. Instead of making Michael the gallant white knight in shining armor, Ms. Snow makes Elijah take charge of his own life — through a retrospective view coming from a ‘ghost’ of his past and the realities of his present. Through his resurrection man, Elijah can now evaluate what Alonzo meant to him, what Dizzy means to him, what Michael means to him, and what HIMSELF, Elijah Colter, means to all these people around him. The people in his life and the people who might be part of his life and the people he will reach out to.
And what is wonderful about it is that Ms. Snow still gives Elijah room to grow, to stand on his own two feet and become an equal partner for Michael. She doesn’t end this story like a beautiful Christmas present-box with a neat bow on it. She ends it more like a small Christmas tree that is ready to reach its fullest height. If I had a small niggle that stopped me from giving this 5-stars was that the part with Alonzo’s true character felt slightly too black-and-white in the end. I guess I wanted it more to be shades of grey, to make it a more complex situation.
Again, this review might not do the book a justice. Some of my words might not even make any sense. I wish I could say a lot more, write a poetic review, full with thoughtful insights that could help readers to know what the book meant for me. But in the end, I could only say that this book was a beauty and joy to read. Yes, it’s that simple.
August 6, 2014
Good Lord, this book. I make no qualms about the fact KZ Snow is one of my all time favorites. she has a mastery for not only words but true fucking emotion. I am always left in awe. I can honestly say this is one of her best. It's a little gritty and a little bleak but the underlying message about love is just fabulous. Hard to read, Elijah's struggles and hurts and mourning and anger and hope are palpable. and God will you be pissed more than once at developments. But the growth Elijah goes through and gah did I just love Michael (the title is brilliant). Oh and Dizzy. No way can I forget Dizzy.
This one will stay with me for a long time.
This one will stay with me for a long time.
September 12, 2014
I can, intellectually, empathize with homelessness and living on the streets. I don't, however, know or understand, truly, what that life is like or how I would deal with it. I was never a throwaway to my parents, regardless of what I did, whom I dated, or how many times I failed and picked myself back up. It wasn't until I was in my midtwenties that I really began to appreciate the concept of unconditional love. 'Resurrection Man' by KZ Snow is the story of one young man's faith, and despair, when his unconditional love is thrown away and ripped from his hands. How do you ever come back from that and learn to trust and love again?
To say that Elijah hasn't had an easy life since he was seventeen, is to say that Mt. Rushmore is just some stone carvings. His parents threw him out when they found out he was gay, unless, of course, he was willing to repent and speak with their priest. Apparently the first sixteen years of their love was only true as long as Elijah was who they wanted him to be. He lived on the streets, out of his car, often selling himself, and then he met Alonzo. They were together for fourteen months, living together for almost a year, when, on a visit to Chicago to see Dizzy, Alonzo's stepdad, Alonzo was shot and killed on the street in a drive-by. Alonzo died in Elijah's arms. Elijah was nineteen. One year later, Dizzy is now in Milwaukee, living in an abandoned factory, Elijah is about to lose his little apartment because he can't get a job that pays enough, and he's started seeing Alonzo's ghost. Elijah is fairly certain he's losing his mind.
As Elijah is visiting Dizzy one day, he meets Michael, a volunteer street liaison for a homeless agency. Elijah is drawn to this compassionate and caring man, and his guilt at even looking at another man slowly dissipates. Elija and Michael's growing friendship helps Elijah recognize that hiding from people and being stuck in the past isn't a healthy way to live. He begins to understand that he can't move forward until he reconciles the past. When Elijah and Michael finally tumble into bed together, Elijah gets something he's never had before, even with Alonzo. Elijah gets gentleness and long, slow foreplay. But, just having sex doesn't pave the way towards happy ever after, for either of them. They both have guilt, for different reasons, and Michael tries to get Elijah to promise he won't sell himself for money. Elijah can't make that promise though, he's doing everything possible to get a job, but there's nothing out there with his limited skills. He's going to have to move to the factory with Dizzy.
Oh. My. What. The. Hell? I can't believe the curveball the author threw at me. Well, at Elijah, actually. Up until this point, I was liking the book, but I hadn't been blown away. After that? Consider me blown. And Elijah's trust in people, is again significantly damaged. This was a really tough lesson for Elijah to learn, but I'm so glad he finally got it. Rose colored glasses can really skew your perception and it was time for Elijah to grow up. He did. And, in the process, he found what he'd been looking for all along. His own resurrection man.
A wonderful book! The writing is intense, the characters are strong, including the secondary ones, and overall, this is a truly fantastic story. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author and I highly recommend this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
To say that Elijah hasn't had an easy life since he was seventeen, is to say that Mt. Rushmore is just some stone carvings. His parents threw him out when they found out he was gay, unless, of course, he was willing to repent and speak with their priest. Apparently the first sixteen years of their love was only true as long as Elijah was who they wanted him to be. He lived on the streets, out of his car, often selling himself, and then he met Alonzo. They were together for fourteen months, living together for almost a year, when, on a visit to Chicago to see Dizzy, Alonzo's stepdad, Alonzo was shot and killed on the street in a drive-by. Alonzo died in Elijah's arms. Elijah was nineteen. One year later, Dizzy is now in Milwaukee, living in an abandoned factory, Elijah is about to lose his little apartment because he can't get a job that pays enough, and he's started seeing Alonzo's ghost. Elijah is fairly certain he's losing his mind.
As Elijah is visiting Dizzy one day, he meets Michael, a volunteer street liaison for a homeless agency. Elijah is drawn to this compassionate and caring man, and his guilt at even looking at another man slowly dissipates. Elija and Michael's growing friendship helps Elijah recognize that hiding from people and being stuck in the past isn't a healthy way to live. He begins to understand that he can't move forward until he reconciles the past. When Elijah and Michael finally tumble into bed together, Elijah gets something he's never had before, even with Alonzo. Elijah gets gentleness and long, slow foreplay. But, just having sex doesn't pave the way towards happy ever after, for either of them. They both have guilt, for different reasons, and Michael tries to get Elijah to promise he won't sell himself for money. Elijah can't make that promise though, he's doing everything possible to get a job, but there's nothing out there with his limited skills. He's going to have to move to the factory with Dizzy.
Oh. My. What. The. Hell? I can't believe the curveball the author threw at me. Well, at Elijah, actually. Up until this point, I was liking the book, but I hadn't been blown away. After that? Consider me blown. And Elijah's trust in people, is again significantly damaged. This was a really tough lesson for Elijah to learn, but I'm so glad he finally got it. Rose colored glasses can really skew your perception and it was time for Elijah to grow up. He did. And, in the process, he found what he'd been looking for all along. His own resurrection man.
A wonderful book! The writing is intense, the characters are strong, including the secondary ones, and overall, this is a truly fantastic story. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author and I highly recommend this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 12, 2014
“What form does the haint of a ruined life take?” — K.Z. Snow
What form does the haint of an extraordinary novel take? Is it the obsessive need that lingers and makes you want to read the book again, long before the final words have had the chance to grow cold in your memory? Is it the inability to move on to the next book because you know it wouldn’t be fair, as everything else is sure to pale in comparison, at least until you’ve slaked your obsession? This is the haint of K.Z. Snow’s Resurrection Man, a book so absorbing in its simplicity and haunting in its emotional complexity that I could neither put it down nor put it behind me until I’d read it again, some passages multiple times, over the course of several days.
Resurrection Man is a story of the human condition. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? It’s a story we’ve all read in contemporary genre romance before, because that’s what all the books in this genre are, really—the stories we relate to because they encompass what it means to be human. Elijah Colter is the every-boy in this novel, who’s been thrown away for the sin of being gay and does what he has to do in order to survive.
Alonzo Morales-Barry is the every-man in this novel, who’s seen a throw away teenager doing what he must do to keep food in his belly and a dry place to sleep in his sights. He manages to do the right thing for the wrong reason—giving the homeless boy a roof over his head because the man likes what he sees, though he never bothers to look beyond the surface to encourage all the untapped potential lurking just beneath that boy’s beautiful skin, leaving Elijah little more than the husk of a human after he, Alonzo, is shot in a drive-by.
Michael Hanlan is the everyday hero in this novel, who comes along and works his small miracles simply by caring, by being kind and encouraging, by seeing all the worth and promise in a young man whose single biggest flaw in his twenty brief years was to fall in love. Michael is the man for whom promises are more than words, he’s the man who knows when to walk away and when to stay and fight for what he believes in, and he’s the man who not only sees but wants to mine all that untapped potential Elijah possesses.
But here is where Resurrection Man transcends so many others of its kind in the romance genre. Resurrection Man is not the story of the knight in shining armor who storms the gates of Elijah’s castle to rescue him from his own demons. This is the story of a man who quietly enters Elijah’s life and simply by being there, makes Elijah want to rescue himself. This is where K.Z. Snow takes a novel that could have been filled with overworked stereotypes and tired clichés, and transforms it into the story of a young man who has faced some of the worst life has to offer, and gives him the courage and strength and power to rise from the wreckage of his circumstances and, yes, his own choices, to want to live for himself, to be the sort of man who can stand on his own two feet while standing beside Michael as his partner, and to live for the sake of lifting up those who are even less fortunate than himself.
If there is anything at all typical about this book, it’s only that it’s written in a style that’s quintessentially K.Z. Snow. Every sentence brings the story to life, there’s not a superfluous word or scene throughout the narrative, nor is there a single moment in Resurrection Man that feels gratuitous or disingenuous. Although, I won’t lie—there were moments amongst the falling in love with these characters that Elijah didn’t make it easy and Michael made the heartbreak nearly unbearable, but those small bits of torture amongst all the beauty that is this book were so much more than worth the journey to see these two men reach a happy ending that worked for them.
Up until this moment, I could have made a short list of my favorite K.Z. Snow books, and any one of them could have come in at number one. That spot now, however, is held by Resurrection Man. It may not fully eclipse them all, but this novel most definitely stands in a class by itself.
August 26, 2014
When I read the blurb I was worried this might be a depressing read. It is not. Of course it addresses some problems, but that's life: not always as smooth as we would like it.
Elijah is a very believable twenty years old, I loved Michael, and Dizzy is a great secondary character. Alonzo's story is also interesting, although I agree with the little niggle expressed in Ami's great review. Another heartfelt review is the one by Lisa.
The writing is excellent, and I love the fact that the book is compact, there are no bits when one wonders ''why this detour?'' or feels like jumping forward out of boredom. Of course there is a message in the story, but the author is not preaching. I really loved this book and I warmly recommend it to my friends.
Elijah is a very believable twenty years old, I loved Michael, and Dizzy is a great secondary character. Alonzo's story is also interesting, although I agree with the little niggle expressed in Ami's great review. Another heartfelt review is the one by Lisa.
The writing is excellent, and I love the fact that the book is compact, there are no bits when one wonders ''why this detour?'' or feels like jumping forward out of boredom. Of course there is a message in the story, but the author is not preaching. I really loved this book and I warmly recommend it to my friends.
September 6, 2014
This has two things I dislike: the MC tells us all his own woes and the former love-of-his-life is disparaged once the MC meets the new man. That second issue is a special case here, which I can’t say more about or I’d give away a major (and hard to believe) plot point. But I feel like my emotions were manipulated; I was deliberately misled about a character and a situation that turned out to be false. And there was so much focus on the past that there wasn’t enough development between Elijah and Michael. I didn’t totally like Elijah who seemed too idle for someone trying to avoid homelessness and Michael was too one-dimensional, a saintly savior.
January 31, 2018
Wow. This was some book. So good but a harsh reminder of what life can really be like. Especially for kids. And LGBT kids. And a reminder to love. No matter what, love. Kids especially, LGBT kids, all kids. No matter what they deserve love
October 14, 2014
3 stars
Honestly I don't know really what to think.
I went through the tags and made sure this wasn't any paranormal tags available. I feel like I got mind-f*&%$#@ big time.
We start off with Elijah and Alonzo walking from the store to Dizzy's house. (<-- Lonzo's stepfather and best man in the entire book IMO) while walking Lonzo gets shot during a drive-by. It happens so suddenly that Elijah doesn't know how to respond or react. He immediately goes into shock and the only thing he is able to do is catch Lonzo's head before it hits the pavement.
It's not the beginning actually. It's some weird hocus pocus that talked about dirt and rain in the 1920's before the story started. I didn't see a reason for this. I was like huh, why? Anyways we after the shooting we get glimpses of Elijah's past leading up to the shooting. From him figuring out he was gay, him repenting to the lord because of his faith, to his acceptance, and the betrayal from his parents by kicking him out and not supporting him financially. I mean at this point, I'm so sick and tired of MOTHERS going along with their husband's and kicking their children out of their homes because of a sexual orientation. I'm still confounded on why; what someone does in their bedroom/bathroom/back alley is your concern. As a mother shouldn't you be supporting them and giving guidance, safe sex talks and things. I just couldn't deal with those idiots, and thankfully it wasn't a big part. We see him sell his body for money, we see him seek comfort in an older parental figure who owns a bar were he feels safe. At this point in the story 18 yr old Elijah meets 25 yr old ALonzo at The Abbey a gar bar in Milwaukee(<--DaFuq??? Who chooses to write about Milwaukee, sorry I just couldn't get pass the setting! Really *shrugs shoulders and moves on*) We don't see much of them together really, except Elijah loses his virginity to Lonzo 2 days after meeting him. Alonzo is supposedly this beautiful man with green eyes, and tanned skin. I guess, fast forward to the shooting.
This is where I started to lose faith in this book. Elijah who says he loved Alonzo so much couldn't stay after he got shot. He caught a bus back to Milwaukee, called Dizzy and checked in every few days. Finds out it isn't a funeral and Dizzy scatters Alonzo ashes in Lake Michigan. In under a damn week. No sir, no way.
So 16 months later, because that's how long Elijah has been dealing with this grief of the love of his life. He signed up for a LGBT program for homeless youth. Got an apartment, but isn't able to pay the rent, doesn't have a steady job so he is getting evicted. Blah, Blah, stuff happens. He meets Michael who is volunteering for a homesless center and helping people. The attraction is there instantly.
The fuckery happens when Dizzy drops a BOMB SHELL,
At the end of the day, this is what I'm left with feeling. The anger that K.Z. has instilled in me is ridiculous.
Honestly I don't know really what to think.
I went through the tags and made sure this wasn't any paranormal tags available. I feel like I got mind-f*&%$#@ big time.
We start off with Elijah and Alonzo walking from the store to Dizzy's house. (<-- Lonzo's stepfather and best man in the entire book IMO) while walking Lonzo gets shot during a drive-by. It happens so suddenly that Elijah doesn't know how to respond or react. He immediately goes into shock and the only thing he is able to do is catch Lonzo's head before it hits the pavement.
It's not the beginning actually. It's some weird hocus pocus that talked about dirt and rain in the 1920's before the story started. I didn't see a reason for this. I was like huh, why? Anyways we after the shooting we get glimpses of Elijah's past leading up to the shooting. From him figuring out he was gay, him repenting to the lord because of his faith, to his acceptance, and the betrayal from his parents by kicking him out and not supporting him financially. I mean at this point, I'm so sick and tired of MOTHERS going along with their husband's and kicking their children out of their homes because of a sexual orientation. I'm still confounded on why; what someone does in their bedroom/bathroom/back alley is your concern. As a mother shouldn't you be supporting them and giving guidance, safe sex talks and things. I just couldn't deal with those idiots, and thankfully it wasn't a big part. We see him sell his body for money, we see him seek comfort in an older parental figure who owns a bar were he feels safe. At this point in the story 18 yr old Elijah meets 25 yr old ALonzo at The Abbey a gar bar in Milwaukee(<--DaFuq??? Who chooses to write about Milwaukee, sorry I just couldn't get pass the setting! Really *shrugs shoulders and moves on*) We don't see much of them together really, except Elijah loses his virginity to Lonzo 2 days after meeting him. Alonzo is supposedly this beautiful man with green eyes, and tanned skin. I guess, fast forward to the shooting.
This is where I started to lose faith in this book. Elijah who says he loved Alonzo so much couldn't stay after he got shot. He caught a bus back to Milwaukee, called Dizzy and checked in every few days. Finds out it isn't a funeral and Dizzy scatters Alonzo ashes in Lake Michigan. In under a damn week. No sir, no way.
So 16 months later, because that's how long Elijah has been dealing with this grief of the love of his life. He signed up for a LGBT program for homeless youth. Got an apartment, but isn't able to pay the rent, doesn't have a steady job so he is getting evicted. Blah, Blah, stuff happens. He meets Michael who is volunteering for a homesless center and helping people. The attraction is there instantly.
The fuckery happens when Dizzy drops a BOMB SHELL,
At the end of the day, this is what I'm left with feeling. The anger that K.Z. has instilled in me is ridiculous.
September 27, 2015
“Souls reconstructed with faith transform agony into peace.”~ Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams
Dictionary.com defines a resurrection man as: a person who brings something to life or view again. Elijah, of KZ Snow's 'Resurrection Man' is a young man who is thrown out of his house at seventeen, by his heartless parents for being gay. Elijah is a smart young man, mature for his age, but still plagued by the wistful dreams of youth and is inexperienced enough to make bad choices based on those beliefs. Elijah could have been lost in the shuffle, brought down by bad circumstances; but he never gives up. Even though he has his demons to fight, he also has his human guardian angels there to support him. Between Elijah's indomitable spirit and the help of those who cared about him, he succeeds.
Even though Elijah makes mistakes, he still does far better than I would have at that age. I admire his loyalty and bravery. When his lover, Alonzo is shot in a drive-by shooting, Elijah thinks his life is over. He spends years grieving over him, letting his past hold him back. Even though he is disheartened, Elijah doesn't give up. He keeps struggling on, surviving, hoping for better days ahead. The main thing that gives him purpose, is his promise to take care of Dizzy, his lover's step-father; Elijah takes his obligation to Dizzy seriously. Even though he barely has enough for himself, he helps Dizzy, or anyone else for that matter, however, he can. As Elijah gets closer to homelessness himself, he still checks up on Dizzy frequently. Everyone loves Elijah and hopes for the best for him because they can see his intelligence, good heart, and compassionate soul.
Michael, a volunteer for a homeless program, is strongly taken with him and senses that Elijah is out of his element. Onn one of his rounds to place where Dizzy lives, offering assistance, Michael meets Elijah. Michael has just come out of a bad breakup and his hesitant to become involved, because he knows Elijah is still mourning over Alonzo. When circumstances change drastically, it becomes obvious that Elijah can't commit, Michael and Elijah continue to be friends ,but hat's not the way Michael wants it; but he has to protect his heart. Michael is a wonderful, compassionate, young man who is so guileless, so pure in heart he practically glows. He shows an incredible amount of patience when he has to stand by silently; and watch Elijah make, what is undoubtable a bad decision. Even though Michael loves Elijah, he knows that the young man has to come to his own conclusions for them to be meaningful.
This is an awesome, well-written love story, with characters so real they jumped out at me. I fell in love with almost every one of them, especially Elijah. It's theme is renewal, resurrection, a new start, making that which was used up, viable again. Elijah goes from a street kid to a mature adult during the process of leaving the past behind and going on to a more positive, productive future. Elijah clearly demonstrates that without love, there is no real joy in life. I recommend this story to everyone who wants to be reminded that, no matter how dim things may seem, that with enough persistence and support, there's always the possibility of a better tomorrow. Thank you, KZ, this one's a keeper!
Dictionary.com defines a resurrection man as: a person who brings something to life or view again. Elijah, of KZ Snow's 'Resurrection Man' is a young man who is thrown out of his house at seventeen, by his heartless parents for being gay. Elijah is a smart young man, mature for his age, but still plagued by the wistful dreams of youth and is inexperienced enough to make bad choices based on those beliefs. Elijah could have been lost in the shuffle, brought down by bad circumstances; but he never gives up. Even though he has his demons to fight, he also has his human guardian angels there to support him. Between Elijah's indomitable spirit and the help of those who cared about him, he succeeds.
Even though Elijah makes mistakes, he still does far better than I would have at that age. I admire his loyalty and bravery. When his lover, Alonzo is shot in a drive-by shooting, Elijah thinks his life is over. He spends years grieving over him, letting his past hold him back. Even though he is disheartened, Elijah doesn't give up. He keeps struggling on, surviving, hoping for better days ahead. The main thing that gives him purpose, is his promise to take care of Dizzy, his lover's step-father; Elijah takes his obligation to Dizzy seriously. Even though he barely has enough for himself, he helps Dizzy, or anyone else for that matter, however, he can. As Elijah gets closer to homelessness himself, he still checks up on Dizzy frequently. Everyone loves Elijah and hopes for the best for him because they can see his intelligence, good heart, and compassionate soul.
Michael, a volunteer for a homeless program, is strongly taken with him and senses that Elijah is out of his element. Onn one of his rounds to place where Dizzy lives, offering assistance, Michael meets Elijah. Michael has just come out of a bad breakup and his hesitant to become involved, because he knows Elijah is still mourning over Alonzo. When circumstances change drastically, it becomes obvious that Elijah can't commit, Michael and Elijah continue to be friends ,but hat's not the way Michael wants it; but he has to protect his heart. Michael is a wonderful, compassionate, young man who is so guileless, so pure in heart he practically glows. He shows an incredible amount of patience when he has to stand by silently; and watch Elijah make, what is undoubtable a bad decision. Even though Michael loves Elijah, he knows that the young man has to come to his own conclusions for them to be meaningful.
This is an awesome, well-written love story, with characters so real they jumped out at me. I fell in love with almost every one of them, especially Elijah. It's theme is renewal, resurrection, a new start, making that which was used up, viable again. Elijah goes from a street kid to a mature adult during the process of leaving the past behind and going on to a more positive, productive future. Elijah clearly demonstrates that without love, there is no real joy in life. I recommend this story to everyone who wants to be reminded that, no matter how dim things may seem, that with enough persistence and support, there's always the possibility of a better tomorrow. Thank you, KZ, this one's a keeper!
August 12, 2014
The less you know about this book going in, the better. Once again, this author has written a unique, non-formulatic story that I couldn't put down.
The cover, the title, MICHAEL...just.... *sighs.* Loved it.
The cover, the title, MICHAEL...just.... *sighs.* Loved it.
October 8, 2014
Review later!
May 30, 2016
Once again a book from this author has really hit home for me on a personal level. The way she handles sensitive and heartbreaking subject matter is amazing. She doesn't make anything over the top dramatic nor does she dismiss any feelings by making them seem unnecessary or trivial. The characters were believable and I found myself wanting rooting for Elijah and then wanting to slap some sense into him and finally feeling relieved that he figured out the difference between a "psychic vampire and a resurrection man." I so love that analogy. This is a definite must read in my opinion.
June 18, 2016
3.5 stars.
September 12, 2014
4.5 stars
October 2, 2014
Wonderful, just wonderful book
December 6, 2015
2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
November 13, 2014
I enjoyed this beautifully written story.
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