Archive | November 2016

The Runaway Family by Diney Costeloe

Nov15

Broken Glass, Broken Lives, Broken Hearts

runawayThe Runaway Family by Diney Costeloe is a gut wrenching historical read. It is set in 1936 Nazi Germany and follows the fortunes of a Jewish family up to the outbreak of war in September 1939.

Diney Costeloe always writes stories that educate and inform as well as being compulsive reads. Fact most definitely meets fiction in The Runaway Family. The topic covered, the persecution of the Jewish people means there are some difficult scenes to read as Diney Costeloe has written with remarkable accuracy. Focusing on the plight of just one family means the reader’s attention to the horrors is intensified and not diluted in any way.

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A Year And A Day by Isabelle Broom

Nov14

The Place Where Wishes Come True

a-yearA Year And A Day by Isabelle Broom is a contemporary love story set in Prague just before Christmas. The book can be read on two levels – it can be just an escapist read or delve deeper and experience true love in action.

The true love presented is very raw, very honest and very ‘real,’ It really spoke to my heart. True love is not about clasping on tightly. True love is about being open, being honest and being real.

A Year And A Day at the most basic level is the three stories of different people whose lives intertwine inspite of being total strangers. The characters are all unique. Isabelle Broom has cleverly constructed them all to bring out very different emotions in the reader. I found myself being drawn to some characters whilst mentally shunning (as the writing led me to) others. I drew my own conclusions, added two plus two and came up with five! Isabelle Broom masterfully manipulated my responses as a reader and I fell for it! She really is an amazing author.

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Love’s Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason

Nov13

The Power Of Healing And Prayer

lovesLove’s Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason is a wonderful historical romance set in 1922. It is the third book in the Courage To Dream series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I just adored the book. It was a book that just oozed with warmth, family and the presence of God. God’s hand could clearly be seen when viewing the past from a point in the future. Although at the time He was not always visible. “If the woman wanted to waste her time praying, he wouldn’t stop her.”

Matthew fought in World War I. He saw many horrors. He failed to see God. “Where was God when thousands of men died in that infernal war?” War fractured relationships with God.

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One Monday Prayer by T.K. Chapin

Nov10

Dancing With Jesus

mondayOne Monday Prayer by T.K. Chapin is the latest in the Diamond Lake series but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a contemporary Christian romance and just perfect to read in the weeks leading up to the festive season as it is set in the weeks following Thanksgiving. It would be great to read at any time of year too.

The main theme is that of dealing with grief and loss. People all handle grief differently. Even though as Christians we know our loved one is “dancing with Jesus,” we still miss them. Grief can be all consuming. “It’s about learning to continue living when you don’t want to anymore.” You have to get used to a new type of normal.

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