Archive | February 2018

Stranger No More by Annahita Parsan

Feb12

When God Chooses You

Stranger No More by Annahita Parsan is a harrowing and powerful story of her life as a Muslim woman and her transformation into  a woman of God.

Growing up in Iran in the 1970’s Annahita Parsan remembers her granny who “prayed in fear to an angry God, not out of faith.” The country was in turmoil as the Shah was overthrown and replaced by Khomeini.

Two arranged marriages and two children before the age of twenty. Ironically her second marriage was for safety reasons but he turned out to be a monster who beat her. “It is normal for a woman to be beaten by her husband. That is how women learn.”

Annahita Parsan’s story is not an easy read – an abusive marriage, fleeing a regime and living in four countries. Annahita Parsans believed in an angry God who was punishing her. “I couldn’t escape the belief that God was angry and this was my punishment.” Her husband verbally and physically abused her, giving her the option, “You either live with me or you die.”

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The Key Of All Unknown by K.A. Hitchins

Feb12

Unbelievably Beautiful

The Key Of All Unknown by K.A. Hitchins is a beautiful contemporary novel that I read in just one sitting. I was unable to put it down.

Trapped in her body, Tilda hears everything that is going on. Bit by bit as her memories play out she longs for her body to respond. The words “If you look at me again, you’ll see I’m here” just break the reader’s heart. How many of us are locked inside our bodies, just longing for the world to see the real us?

The book is written in the first person so the reader ‘experiences’ all that Tilda does. We ‘feel’ her frustrations and her pain as she is manhandled by those supposed to care. “I’m a medical condition to be analysed, not a person to be comforted.”

Conflicting opinions reign as Tilda fights for her life. Whose side are you on?

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Where It All Began by Lorana Hoopes

Feb12

Love And The Power Of Prayer

Where It All Began by Lorana Hoopes is a powerful contemporary Christian family novel. At its heart is a God who loves us no matter what we have done. “God meets you where you are and changes you from there.”

God is the God of restoration. He can restore the lost years and give us new hopes and dreams for our futures.

The novel surrounds the painful subject of abortion and its aftermath. The trauma may well have long reaching arms.

Guilt links in. “Would I ever be able to forgive him?… Would I ever be able to forgive myself?” Consumed by guilt, life may spiral downwards. “Will this massive guilt ever go away?” We need to face our guilt and surrender it to the One who can heal us. God can heal via the medical professionals too. We must never be afraid to seek professional help.

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The Ladies Of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen

Feb11

Quintessentially English

The Ladies Of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen is a most delightful Christian historical romance. It is the second book in the Tales From Ivy Hill series but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed reuniting with familiar faces.

The Ladies Of Ivy Cottage is quintessentially English. Set in 1820 near Salisbury, the reader really loses themselves in English village life. With references to Jane Austen, the book had a Pride And Prejudice feel to it – with strong young women and rich young men, the reader cannot help but match-make. There was even a hint of Charles Dickens as one character reminded me of Miss Havisham, frozen in time.

The young women are forward thinkers for their day with philanthropic hearts. Although they already educate a handful of girls, there is the desire to open “a school to educate… regardless of the ability to pay.” With education comes freedom and choice.

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