1.5 stars

There are some good bits in this book, some truth, but there's also much I didn't like.

For starters, this is supposed to be a book about friendship. So when a point is brought up that our friends cannot ever satisfy or complete us the way Christ can (truth), it would make sense to use an example of when someone expected that of a friend and then learned better. Instead, Baker uses a very long story from her marriage. Over and over again, the author used her husband and children to illustrate points and I began to forget that I was reading a book on friendship, because it seemed so much more like a marriage and parenting read at times.

Baker also contradicted herself several times, as if she wasn't really sure how to say what she wanted to say. For instance, she mentions here and there that we can't be friends with everyone, and that we're not responsible for others' baggage or decisions (which would include their decision to not be friends with us). Then she turns around and says, "whether or not we have close friends is entirely in our own hands." (p 84) That's just not true. Whether or not we choose to be a good friend to others is up to us, but whether or not we have close friends is up to those other friends/non-friends, as well!

The author also falls into the trap of believing that every reader/woman is just like her. If she struggles with something, then we all struggle with it, apparently, and of course only the areas that she struggles with are touched on in the book. The book seems only half-finished, in a way, because of those blinders.

Her writing "style" isn't true style at all, it's just a bunch of fragmented sentences. (In my opinion, anyone who's taken an English class, let alone someone who considers herself a professional writer, should know how to construct a proper sentence.)

At the end of it all, this book just doesn't seem to be about friendship. There's not much here on making friends, or practical (and specific) tips for developing friendships. I don't recommend it. ( )

**I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Introduction
Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Snapchat. There are so many social media platforms available now, it seems easier than ever to keep up with every friend, family member, and acquaintance in our lives. And yet, all of these digital interactions come at a cost - they often end up replacing face-to-face, quality interactions. Then, when we've decided that a relationship is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or even hurtful, we "swipe left," unfriend, and move on with our lives as though that is the end of the story. It's not.

The story
In Unfriended, Lisa-Jo Baker helps her audience take a hard, honest look at modern friendships. Are our expectations too high, or maybe too low? Are we taking the time to truly invest in our friendships? Or are we punching some pixels to "like" their updates while avoiding genuine conversation? Do we "unfriend" to avoid conflict instead of confronting our flaws and fears? These are crucial questions that we need to answer, truths we need to confront if we are to rescue modern friendships from digital doom. This is the purpose of Mrs. Baker's book - to begin the conversation. To pull us away from our phones, laptops, tablets, etc to think seriously about the most important relationships in our lives. As Christians, we have a God-given responsibility to love each other like Christ. We are to extend grace, mercy, compassion, and love. And if - when - a relationship falls apart, as they often do between fallible human beings, we are to give it to God, extend forgiveness (or humbly apologize, or both), and let go. Mrs. Baker's book provides practical advice, real-life anecdotes, and scriptural basis for Christian friendship.

Literary analysis
There were several typos and misspellings, but given that this is an advance copy, I hope they were fixed in the final edits. Mrs. Baker also used the image of "cupping" someone's face quite often. It's a sweet image, just in a little danger of being overused. On the other hand, I enjoyed that Mrs. Baker's voice is warm and conversational, as though she were dispensing this advice over a cup of coffee with a close friend.

Conclusion
I recommend this book to anyone looking to enrich their friendships and ultimately their personal relationship with God, especially if they have had problems in either relationship recently and are looking for advice on how to heal. ( )

I have wanted to read this book for a long time. The thought of God never unfriending us sounded very comforting. But that is not what this is about. It might be helpful for some people and later in the book there might be some helpful tips. But I didn’t appreciate the audio book tone. It might have been read in agreement with the author’s tone, maybe not. I could not finish listening to it. Maybe some day I will look at a hard copy for later chapters . ( )