Archive | November 2024

Storm Deaths by Steve Orme

Nov16

Thrilling & Well Written

Storm Deaths by Steve Orme is a thrilling contemporary crime suspense that gripped me from the start.

The action is mainly set in Derby in the East Midlands. A lot of the focus is on the basketball team, the Derby Storm. The author clearly has a vast knowledge of the sport.

As the novel opens, we ‘hear’ from a victim of crime. This begs the first of many questions – who? Where? And why?

As the novel progresses and the body count rises, the reader who is fully engaged, has many more questions.

We see that not everyone’s character is wholly black or wholly white, many are shades of grey. In even the darkest heart, there is a glimmer of light.

All the characters were well drawn and believable. They were an eclectic mix. Back stories were given to some of the characters. Police woman, Tilly’s, story was heartbreaking. The reader understands her motivation for joining the police. Even a minor character stood out for me – the old man who walks his dog at 5am. I could clearly picture him, showing that Steve Orme really thinks about his characters, even those who have ‘bit’ parts.

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The Unextraordinary Life Of Sophie Simpleton by P.G James

Nov14

Beautiful – Life Lessons For Us All

The Unextraordinary Life Of Sophie Simpleton by P.G James is the most beautiful Christian childrens novel that I adored. It is suitable for ages eight years and over but whatever your age, this is a book that you will enjoy.

As I read the book it reminded me of Milly Molly Mandy (first published in 1925) which I read as a child, I read to my children and I read to my granddaughters. The Unextraordinary Life Of Sophie Simpleton is a book with a timeless appeal. It is a book to read to each generation. It is a book that will last forever in a memory. “Stories are for telling.”

Sophie Simpleton is nearly nine years old. She is small in stature with a huge heart. Her heart connects with the hearts of others. She is pure in spirit, always speaking kind words that bring life, even when others do not deserve her kindness.

Life has had to be overcome for Sophie Simpleton. Her older brother is often ill, meaning she is passed over and ignored. She also has a lazy eye so her good eye is patched (my daughter had the same so I knew what Sophie Simpleton was going through). And she is the victim of many bullies at school. “Sophie’s teacher seemed oblivious to the suffering… Her classroom felt more like a jail than a place of education.”

Sophie Simpleton seems to be invisible but there are those who ‘see’ her. Mrs Templestowe is kindness personified. She teaches Sophie Simpleton many life lessons. The Captain, though he is partially sighted also sees Sophie Simpleton. And Jesus sees her as she has an encounter with the living God. We are reminded that Jesus wants us to be like little children and come to Him.

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Legacy Of Mercy by Lynn Austin

Nov12

Love & Kindness

Legacy Of Mercy by Lynn Austin is a delightful Christian historical novel that I loved. It is the second book in the Waves Of Mercy series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The novel is set in the late nineteenth century America and the chapters alternate between a grandmother and her granddaughter. They are similar but different. The grandmother lives simply in a small country town. The granddaughter lives in a lavish town house with servants, in a sprawling city. Ironically there is far more freedom in the small town where characters can be themselves. There is no show to impress the neighbours.

Both characters love deeply. They have a heart for others and a desire to serve Jesus wherever He leads them. “Other Christians are the only hands and feet Jesus has.” We need to show the world Jesus, by our actions and by the way we live and love.

There are characters who have been hurt and are trying to outrun their past. “God hears you weeping…He longs to comfort you and the only arms He has are mine.” God sees our pain, and He uses others to help to heal us and to show us love.

A character feels useless. “My days feel so meaningless that I can’t help wondering what God’s purpose is for my life.” While we are still breathing, God has a plan for our lives. “God sees the long-range picture.” We see but a small part. God places us where He thinks we will bloom. “God can use even our greatest failures for His glory.” God takes our mess and transforms it into a masterpiece.

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The Lightmaker Of Auschwitz by Nepthali Brezniak

Nov12

Powerful & Harrowing

The Lightmaker Of Auschwitz by Nepthali Brezniak is a powerful true account of the author’s father’s experiences during World War II.

The book has been written “to remember and not to forget” all those who lived and died during the Holocaust.

The author’s father was a Polish Jew. His wartime story is harrowing. We see the best and the worst of humanity. To survive was often a matter of luck.

Nazi-occupied Europe was a terrible place to be. The author’s father was in ghettos, several concentration camps and involved in a death march in 1945 during a terribly cold winter. He needed to have his wits about him, as well as luck, in order to survive. He also had a friend which gave him a reason to survive too. This book tells his story and also that of countless others.

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