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One Day & Forever by Shari Low

Jan13

Twenty Four Hours In Connecting Lives

One Day And Forever by Shari Low is a most delightful contemporary novel that is set over just one day.

The story is broken up into two-hour slots as it follows a number of characters throughout the day. Many of them are due to fly out of Glasgow airport but are grounded due to adverse weather conditions.

Readers of previous novels by Shari Low will enjoy meeting up with familiar faces. It was good to catch up and see what happened next. 

We join characters who have previously lived squashed lives. It is good to see them now blossoming and living in freedom and encouraging others who need help.

Old friendships are re-built at a funeral. An old photograph throws up questions as characters long to know the answers.

As we journey through the day with the characters, we become invested in their lives. We care what happens to the eclectic mix of characters who are all likable and believable.

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I Am A Cat: Manga Edition by Soseki Natume

Jan11

Beautiful Illustrations Of The Cat

I Am A Cat: The Manga Edition by Soseki Natsume is a beautifully illustrated version of a Japanese classic, the original being written over a hundred years ago.

The book contains pearls of Japanese wisdom as a cat walks among the people of Tokyo.

The whole book is beautifully illustrated by Chiroru Kobato. The cats are stunning.

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Murder At Raven’s Hollow by Louise Marley

Jan11

Entertaining

Murder At Raven’s Hollow by Louise Marley is a contemporary cosy crime novel that I enjoyed. It is the third book in An English Village Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The village is a close-knit community with an eclectic mix of characters. They are realistic and provoke a variety of emotional responses from the reader – many are liked, one I decidedly did not (but this was a guided response by the author).

A normal autumnal day soon takes a mysterious turn as human bones are found under a glass house floor. Whose could they be? And how long have they been there? There appears to be three likely candidates from years ago. The police must work out just who it is.

We see that characters are not wholly black or white but a blend of grey. However, one character definitely has a black heart and has been manipulating others for years and without remorse.

A village community throws up some interesting relationships as characters find themselves sharing DNA which they were unaware of!

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Because Of You by Dawn French

Jan10

A Bit Of Wawa

Because Of You by Dawn French is a compelling contemporary novel that I read in just two sittings.

It is about love and loss. These twin themes are intertwined with the character’s lives.

We witness the unfailing love of two mothers. Birth should be the best of times but as we follow the two mothers, both are totally shell-shocked. We follow the pair throughout eighteen years and a mother’s love is never diminished. If anything, it goes deeper as the years progress and we witness sacrificial love in action.

In contrast to the mothers love we also witness two very different fathers. The one has a deep love that is sacrificial. The other one is very superficial. The only person he really loves is the face in the mirror.

We learn about what constitutes a home. “Home is people, not a place.” We witness characters caring for those they love.

We also see that every child is a gift from God not matter how they were conceived. “A life can’t be a fault. God makes life so it can’t be wrong.” There are no accidents in God’s world.

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