torquenator's review
4.0
I enjoyed this, like other reviews said if you like Christopher Moore you'll like Katrina Monroe. I want to check out some of her other work. This story had good pacing, and a good plot twist.
cmcgowan76's review
4.0
Oh. My. God.
Rain Johnson escaped the insanity of her radical environmentalist family, only to end up waitressing for a living. Her scale of success—with her at the bottom—only goes as high as that college degree she never got, until she gets one hell of an epiphany from a Trinity Corporation public-relations guy who calls himself Jude. He tells her she’s the Lamb of God, and it’s time for that whole Second Coming thing. But when her first minor miracle gets her arrested and an ecoterrorist using the name Messiah starts blowing up pesticide plants, Rain and Judas are in for way more apocalypse than either of them expected.
Jude scrambles to save his personal plan for salvation, but Lucy, the devil herself, has her own well-laid plans. It doesn’t matter that Rain’s a conflict-avoiding lesbian and Jude is history’s worst traitor. They’re all that stands between humanity and an end of the world that wasn’t supposed to happen.
The Review - I did not star this because I don't believe in tarnishing an author's ratings on Goodreads just because I didn't love it:
This book falls under the "satire and humor" category, but I confess I did not find it either. Because I believe the writing is sound and the structure of the novel has merit, I'm sharing the review but I want to emphatically note the content was not for me. To me, this is blasphemous. There is a story of redemption in here, but I simply could not get past the cussing disciples (and it's not like I believe Christianity is defined by my use of foul language - in fact, I'm glad it's not) so the redemption was difficult to ferret out. The premise of a modern day Judas seeking the fulfillment of his soul is a plausible idea; the presentation of it simply did not appeal to me.
But I believe all literature has merit and thought so I want to share where you can purchase or read the novel and form your own opinion. Katrina Monroe has witty prose and a sharp-tongue for writing, I just wish the subject had been different. This book would NOT shy me away from other writings by her, but I do hope for a less sensitive concept.
Here are the links where the book is available:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sacrificial-Lamb-Cake-Katrina-Monroe-ebook/dp/B00SHTY020//tag=redadeppubl-20%22
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sacrificial-lamb-cake-katrina-monroe/1121227819?ean=2940151539258
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/sacrificial-lamb-cake
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id961467507
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Katrina_Monroe_Sacrificial_Lamb_Cake?id=U1VnBgAAQBAJ
And to read more about Katrina Monroe:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23352504-sacrificial-lamb-cake
Author page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/#!/Monroe-Katrina/c/12029173/offset=0&sort=normal
Rain Johnson escaped the insanity of her radical environmentalist family, only to end up waitressing for a living. Her scale of success—with her at the bottom—only goes as high as that college degree she never got, until she gets one hell of an epiphany from a Trinity Corporation public-relations guy who calls himself Jude. He tells her she’s the Lamb of God, and it’s time for that whole Second Coming thing. But when her first minor miracle gets her arrested and an ecoterrorist using the name Messiah starts blowing up pesticide plants, Rain and Judas are in for way more apocalypse than either of them expected.
Jude scrambles to save his personal plan for salvation, but Lucy, the devil herself, has her own well-laid plans. It doesn’t matter that Rain’s a conflict-avoiding lesbian and Jude is history’s worst traitor. They’re all that stands between humanity and an end of the world that wasn’t supposed to happen.
The Review - I did not star this because I don't believe in tarnishing an author's ratings on Goodreads just because I didn't love it:
This book falls under the "satire and humor" category, but I confess I did not find it either. Because I believe the writing is sound and the structure of the novel has merit, I'm sharing the review but I want to emphatically note the content was not for me. To me, this is blasphemous. There is a story of redemption in here, but I simply could not get past the cussing disciples (and it's not like I believe Christianity is defined by my use of foul language - in fact, I'm glad it's not) so the redemption was difficult to ferret out. The premise of a modern day Judas seeking the fulfillment of his soul is a plausible idea; the presentation of it simply did not appeal to me.
But I believe all literature has merit and thought so I want to share where you can purchase or read the novel and form your own opinion. Katrina Monroe has witty prose and a sharp-tongue for writing, I just wish the subject had been different. This book would NOT shy me away from other writings by her, but I do hope for a less sensitive concept.
Here are the links where the book is available:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sacrificial-Lamb-Cake-Katrina-Monroe-ebook/dp/B00SHTY020//tag=redadeppubl-20%22
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sacrificial-lamb-cake-katrina-monroe/1121227819?ean=2940151539258
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/sacrificial-lamb-cake
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id961467507
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Katrina_Monroe_Sacrificial_Lamb_Cake?id=U1VnBgAAQBAJ
And to read more about Katrina Monroe:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23352504-sacrificial-lamb-cake
Author page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/#!/Monroe-Katrina/c/12029173/offset=0&sort=normal
shh_reading85's review
4.0
Holy Satire Batman!
I was a little hesitant with the religious connotations in this book but this was awesome.
You didn’t need to be well versed in the Bible to understand the concept behind this story and who the key players were, at all.
Rain is the least likely Messiah or Lamb of God, ever. She is a wild, orange haired, foul mouthed, tattooed lesbian living in sin with another lesbian who has more secrets than hair on her head. Also Rain was raised by rabid Hippie’s to boot! That says a lot there, ha!
Judas played a key role in preparing this new Messiah. Ms. Monroe made him sound so old and creepy. I kind of envisioned the creepy cult leader in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Kane as what Judas might look like. Especially as he was described as being in a body too old to survive half of the stuff it was put through.
I absolutely loved that Lucifer is a chick. It’s so suiting. She was hell bent, pun intended; totally awesome. Totally worth it too. I also enjoyed the twist of who the Anti-Christ was.
This novel has a little bit of everything from steamy shower sex scenes (say that 5 times fast, ha ha), profanity, sarcasm and a ton of humor to keep you interested.
If you enjoyed the movie Dogma, then this book might just fill that void Dogma left. Wink!
Please visit me at Shh, I Am Reading for more reviews like this!
I was a little hesitant with the religious connotations in this book but this was awesome.
You didn’t need to be well versed in the Bible to understand the concept behind this story and who the key players were, at all.
Rain is the least likely Messiah or Lamb of God, ever. She is a wild, orange haired, foul mouthed, tattooed lesbian living in sin with another lesbian who has more secrets than hair on her head. Also Rain was raised by rabid Hippie’s to boot! That says a lot there, ha!
Judas played a key role in preparing this new Messiah. Ms. Monroe made him sound so old and creepy. I kind of envisioned the creepy cult leader in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Kane as what Judas might look like. Especially as he was described as being in a body too old to survive half of the stuff it was put through.
I absolutely loved that Lucifer is a chick. It’s so suiting. She was hell bent, pun intended; totally awesome. Totally worth it too. I also enjoyed the twist of who the Anti-Christ was.
This novel has a little bit of everything from steamy shower sex scenes (say that 5 times fast, ha ha), profanity, sarcasm and a ton of humor to keep you interested.
If you enjoyed the movie Dogma, then this book might just fill that void Dogma left. Wink!
Please visit me at Shh, I Am Reading for more reviews like this!
reviewerlarissa's review
4.0
Going into this story it was not at all what I expected. It was funny, romantic, quirky and action packed. Even though it has a religious theme (and I'm not all religious) it didn't bother me.
The characters are easy to like and not over the top as I was afraid they would be. The plot is engaging and not easily guessed with a good twist.
The characters are easy to like and not over the top as I was afraid they would be. The plot is engaging and not easily guessed with a good twist.
gteal's review
3.0
A fun cross between Christopher Moore's "Lamb" and Chuck Palahniuk's "Damned". If you liked either of those, you'll probably enjoy this one.
triciab04's review
4.0
SACRIFICIAL LAMB CAKE BY: KATRINA MONROE
4.5 Stars
Well, I can definitely say that this story was one HELL of a ride. *Bad pun intended!* I have to admit that when I was asked to read and review this, I was slightly hesitant. I'm not typically keen on heavy religiously themed stories, but honestly, the blurb and the way the author described it won me over. Especially when I started thinking that it sounded vaguely similar, with the modern day comedic based religious theme, to one of my favorite movies...Dogma.
So yeah, that solidified it for me.
Okay, Okay, back to the story. So I went for it, and honestly I am glad I did. The hilarious plot line of a tattooed, orange haired, trucker mouthed, lesbian being the second coming, and the big G and his disciples being the heads of a huge corporation, and Judas as the ultimate anti-hero, I loved every second of all of that!
Even with the comedic awesomeness aside, the characters were compelling, the action scenes were engaging, and the visuals that the author painted were extremely vivid, whether it was the urban setting, an exceedingly grotesque foe, or even a steamy little romp. Monroe seriously knows how to tell a story. The sarcasm, and medium use of profanity were just extra little perks, like the yummy cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae.
I also appreciated that you didn't have to be well versed in the bible to get a lot of what was going on and who key players were. I would say that even a person with very little biblical knowledge would easily be able to follow along and recognize most, if not all the big names.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
Well, I can definitely say that this story was one HELL of a ride. *Bad pun intended!* I have to admit that when I was asked to read and review this, I was slightly hesitant. I'm not typically keen on heavy religiously themed stories, but honestly, the blurb and the way the author described it won me over. Especially when I started thinking that it sounded vaguely similar, with the modern day comedic based religious theme, to one of my favorite movies...Dogma.
So yeah, that solidified it for me.
Okay, Okay, back to the story. So I went for it, and honestly I am glad I did. The hilarious plot line of a tattooed, orange haired, trucker mouthed, lesbian being the second coming, and the big G and his disciples being the heads of a huge corporation, and Judas as the ultimate anti-hero, I loved every second of all of that!
Even with the comedic awesomeness aside, the characters were compelling, the action scenes were engaging, and the visuals that the author painted were extremely vivid, whether it was the urban setting, an exceedingly grotesque foe, or even a steamy little romp. Monroe seriously knows how to tell a story. The sarcasm, and medium use of profanity were just extra little perks, like the yummy cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae.
I also appreciated that you didn't have to be well versed in the bible to get a lot of what was going on and who key players were. I would say that even a person with very little biblical knowledge would easily be able to follow along and recognize most, if not all the big names.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
spinesinaline's review
3.0
Find the full review at http://spinesinaline.wordpress.com
This wasn't really the book for me but it was still funny and I was laughing along with Rain's misadventures. This is a fictional telling of many people from the Bible, much different than what you may have learned in church, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many Christians that are uncomfortable with this book. If the premise is already putting you off, I think you’d be better off avoiding this one. I don’t believe the author is intending this to be read as an alternative way of viewing Christianity. For myself, I was able to separate the two and read this as the satire it is intended as.
The humour in it is quite natural so it was a fun read, even though I was reading about the apocalypse. Somehow the author was able to keep it light even with the horrific events that took place. That’s not to say that she downplayed these events. Our main character, Rain, faces an entire upheaval of her life and this is given significant weight in the book. Still, it doesn’t weigh down the whole book so there’s this nice balance that the author has created.
Even though I didn't really enjoy this book, I'd like to try out some of the author's other books, because I do enjoy her narrative and humour.
This wasn't really the book for me but it was still funny and I was laughing along with Rain's misadventures. This is a fictional telling of many people from the Bible, much different than what you may have learned in church, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many Christians that are uncomfortable with this book. If the premise is already putting you off, I think you’d be better off avoiding this one. I don’t believe the author is intending this to be read as an alternative way of viewing Christianity. For myself, I was able to separate the two and read this as the satire it is intended as.
The humour in it is quite natural so it was a fun read, even though I was reading about the apocalypse. Somehow the author was able to keep it light even with the horrific events that took place. That’s not to say that she downplayed these events. Our main character, Rain, faces an entire upheaval of her life and this is given significant weight in the book. Still, it doesn’t weigh down the whole book so there’s this nice balance that the author has created.
Even though I didn't really enjoy this book, I'd like to try out some of the author's other books, because I do enjoy her narrative and humour.
kelleyand's review
4.0
I honestly couldn't put it down after about the 2nd chapter. The characters were well developed and interesting and plot line was definitely not predictable! Can't wait to read more from Katrina.
melsbookshelf's review
4.0
This was a funny change of pace from what I have been reading lately. I really enjoyed it! If you are a fan of the movie “Dogma” with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, then you should enjoy this satirical version of the second coming. However the more religious readers may take offense, however I really didn’t feel that it was meant to be offensive at all and I am sure both religious and non religious readers will see the funny side.
So Rain has just found out that she is the lamb of God. And she is not happy about it. She is a lesbian raised by hippy parents after all. After performing some miracles with her now sidekick Jude, she resigns to the fact that she is the messiah. However a terrorist is blowing things up disguised as her, and the devil, ie “Lucy” is creating her own havoc. How is Rain going to find and fight the antichrist and save humanity?
I was reluctant to read this book at first, I try to avoid reviewing any sort of religious books. However this was a really enjoyable light fun ride. I really enjoyed her take on all the characters and there were quite a few moments that were hilarious.
It was a quick read and I really enjoyed the big twist near the end. I didn’t see it coming! Despite only a few more serious moments, it was pretty light and fluffy considering it was the end of the world. Loved Rain, Jude and “G”, and loved the adventures they had!
Would I recommend Sacrificial Lamb Cake?
Yes, to anyone who is after a light hearted read and who doesn’t mind the subject matter.
Many thanks to Katrina Monroe for a copy of Sacrificial Lamb Cake in exchange for my honest review.
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
www.twitter.com/BBB_Mel
www.favebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
avoraciousreader68's review
5.0
4.5
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rainfall on the Desert Plains Johnson hightailed it from her insane family at the first possible opportunity. With high hopes of college and then job success Rain ends up waitressing for a living. She’s not the success she thought she’d be and while she’s not unhappy she’s thinking she really needs to get a new life. One night when a weird guy shows up at one of her tables her life changes dramatically. She doesn’t know Jude’s story, but the unbelievable things he’s telling her are coming to pass. Rain is to be the new Messiah. Her. The non-believing, pacifist, lesbian loser in Life’s footnotes. When she had decided she needed to do something with her life, this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.
Delving into religion can be a tricky sell. Preach too much and you put off those who will never believe. Be too irreverent and you put off the hard-core believers. Right off I have to say that I don’t have any interest in religion and my knowledge is limited. That doesn’t matter with this book. Bible-type stuff is explained without boring me to tears and the humor sprinkled liberally throughout made me laugh out loud. In public. *nods* Well played Ms. Monroe. The plot, the writing and the characters are simply divine and I have to admit, as a fan of the expletive, that I found the occasional swearing to be quite amusing and not over the top. And bonus, the snark is strong with this one. Alternating POVs between Rain and Jude give the book a balanced feel and I have to admit the creative plotline as well as the inspired use of the Ultimate Traitor is what really sells this story.
Why, yes. Yes, I was.
*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rainfall on the Desert Plains Johnson hightailed it from her insane family at the first possible opportunity. With high hopes of college and then job success Rain ends up waitressing for a living. She’s not the success she thought she’d be and while she’s not unhappy she’s thinking she really needs to get a new life. One night when a weird guy shows up at one of her tables her life changes dramatically. She doesn’t know Jude’s story, but the unbelievable things he’s telling her are coming to pass. Rain is to be the new Messiah. Her. The non-believing, pacifist, lesbian loser in Life’s footnotes. When she had decided she needed to do something with her life, this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.
Delving into religion can be a tricky sell. Preach too much and you put off those who will never believe. Be too irreverent and you put off the hard-core believers. Right off I have to say that I don’t have any interest in religion and my knowledge is limited. That doesn’t matter with this book. Bible-type stuff is explained without boring me to tears and the humor sprinkled liberally throughout made me laugh out loud. In public. *nods* Well played Ms. Monroe. The plot, the writing and the characters are simply divine and I have to admit, as a fan of the expletive, that I found the occasional swearing to be quite amusing and not over the top. And bonus, the snark is strong with this one. Alternating POVs between Rain and Jude give the book a balanced feel and I have to admit the creative plotline as well as the inspired use of the Ultimate Traitor is what really sells this story.
Why, yes. Yes, I was.