Archive | March 2022

The Keeper Of Stories by Sally Page

Mar7

A Fabulous Debut

The Keeper Of Stories by Sally Page is a delightful contemporary debut novel that enchanted me from the start.

We all have a story to tell. Some we want to share, others we want to keep hidden. As an excellent cleaner, Janice, goes about her job collecting stories along the way. People take her into their confidences and open up to her. Janice has a likable, trustworthy personality that invites people to share their stories – but Janice has a secret and doesn’t want to share it.

Sally Page has written a book that is not only charming and entertaining but full of pathos as we witness lives that are lonely; put upon; or drowning in grief. By sharing their stories, they learn to live again.

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The One Who Sees Me by Melanie Tillman

Mar4

Unconditional Love

The One Who Sees Me by Melanie Tillman is a powerful Christian contemporary novel. It is the second book in The Front Row series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The novel has alternating chapters between 1998 moving forwards and 2000 moving forwards as we follow some teens through their formative years. The leading characters come from two families – one with two boys, the other with two girls. We witness the pressures of being a pastor’s kid as their actions reflect onto their parents as some in church judge the family.

Within both families there is the ‘good’ sibling and the wilder one. Both experience pressure and bullying from their peers.

There are always the temptations of alcohol and dating for the young people. At times the consequences are disastrous.

God is our rescuer. He rescues us from harmful situations if we let Him. Within the novel we witness a rescuer stepping in twice to prevent harm. This creates shared secrets which also weigh a character down. Some things are heavy burdens that we were never meant to carry alone.

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The Report by Julie Thomas and Kristi Grigsby

Mar3

Powerful Testimony And Faith

The Report by Julie Thomas and Kristi Grigsby is a powerful book detailing Julie Thomas’ journey through breast cancer. Her experiences show her unwavering faith in a God who is faithful and present.

We hear a little of Julie Thomas’ backstory before her cancer diagnosis. “The one person who never failed me, Jesus.” Through it all, Julie Thomas kept her focus on Jesus. She believed His promises and knew that He was good even when circumstances were not. As she fully surrendered to God, she experienced opportunities for her faith to grow.

There are many scriptures included in the book. There are scriptures to meditate on as we fix our eyes on Jesus and lift them from our diagnosis. The list is not exhaustive so you may well find that God speaks to you through different scriptures.

When facing cancer, as well as standing on the Word of God, we must do as the medical professionals recommend. As one of my pastors, Allison Evans says, it is miracles and medicine working together.

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Stolen Ones by Angela Marsons

Mar2

Totally Gripping

Stolen Ones by Angela Marsons is a totally gripping contemporary crime novel. It is the fifteenth book in the D.I. Kim Stone series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Once more I became totally immersed in the world of Kim Stone. She is a likable, realistic and tenacious police officer who will leave no stone unturned in her pursuit of the truth.

As with previous novels, the action is set in the Black Country and surrounding areas. I have my family roots firmly planted there and it was wonderful to be able to picture exactly where the scenes took place – I have been many times to the Nimmings Road car park at Clent.

We witness how our upbringings shape the adults we become. We must also own our choices. Characters born in the same deprived area made very different life choices and ended up in very different circumstances as adults.

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