The Garden Of Memories by Amanda James

May21

Stepping Out Of Your Box

The Garden Of Memories by Amanda James is the most beautiful contemporary novel that I adored and never wanted to end.

The novel is about life and how to bloom just where you are planted. You are never too old to have a fresh beginning as you are transplanted from one stage of life to another.

As the title suggests, taking centre stage is the garden of memories. It starts as an ordinary garden but soon becomes the lifeline for so many in the village.

The smell of certain flowers and plants evokes special memories – memories that will not pass this way again but can be forever preserved in the garden of memories and enjoyed again and again.

We see that for some, the look and smell of flowers really is a lifeline, opening the door to the past. This is true of a grandmother, Lily, who has dementia. The smell of the flowers, and sweetpeas in particular, unlocks her mind, enabling her family to get a glimpse of the woman they all knew.

All the characters are well drawn and believable. They are an eclectic mix, many seeking their own identity.

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Fairest Of Heart by Karen Witemeyer

May21

Faithful & True

Fairest Of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is a wonderful Christian historical novel that I read in just two sittings. It is the first book in the Texas Ever After series which is fabulous.

This is a story based loosely on Snow White. It has been re-imagined by Karen Witemeyer whilst retaining the bare bones and putting God in the mix. It is all very cleverly done and enchants the reader from the start.

We see the importance of knowing God. “She wasn’t alone. She had a Father who would never leave her or forsake her.” We can count on God to see us through even if all others abandon us. God is faithful and true.

God rescues us from our situations. “God had seen her through the darkest night… He’d see her through the realities of the day.” Whatever we face, God is already there. God loves each and everyone of us as if we were the only person on planet earth.

Sometimes the person God needs to rescue us from is ourselves. “The destructive power of self-blame.” We can be our own worst critic. God doesn’t want anyone, including ourselves, to bring us down. He wants us to live free and live loved.

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Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett

May20

Gripping

Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett is a fabulous contemporary crime suspense that I just could not put down. It is the seventh book in the Detectives Roy & Roscoe series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. Easy banter flowed between the regular police officers. We see the tenacity of the law to solve the case as we drop in on the detectives.

Present day murder is investigated alongside a cold case. The law enforcement officers are relentless in their pursuit of justice and the reader applauds their commitment.

The action is set in the Midlands with a murder in Worcester, and chasing criminals around Birmingham and the Black Country. As a Black Country wench living in Worcestershire, the locations were incredibly familiar to me. This helped me to really bed down into the book.

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Unfiltered by Guenther Steiner

May19

Perfect For The F1 Fan

Unfiltered by Guenther Steiner is an entertaining look at the ten years that the author was at the helm of the F1 team Haas.

From its’ inception to the end of 2023 the reader is immersed in the life of the Haas team. We see the drive of Guenther Steiner to bring the F1 team to life, and his no-nonsense attitude to running the team.

There were certain ups and downs – with driver rivalries, COVID, and the sponsorship of by a Russian institution and therefore a Russian driver as Russia invaded Ukraine. Whatever life threw at Guenther Steiner; he always found a solution.

Guenther Steiner is very down to earth. He has the right attitude. “I don’t have time to worry about things I cannot change.” He is a very big personality and extremely likable, a real people-person.

Guenther Steiner believes that life is for living. “Just chill out, do the best you can, keep your eyes open and enjoy the ride.” And that is just what the reader does throughout the book.

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