Archives

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness

Mar13

The Heart Of Everything

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness is a fabulous conclusion to the Orphans Of St Agnes trilogy. Although you could read this as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the books in numerical order as the books follow on in time. This is the story of three orphans during World War II in Paris – Jossette, Lucie and Margot.

In this book, we are approaching the end of the war and all the orphans have found their way back to Paris. They all want to fight with the resistance in order to disrupt the Nazi war machine, and one particularly nasty and cruel officer.

All the female characters are loyal and gutsy. Each one thinks of self-sacrifice for the good of the group. Together they are stronger.

The men of the resistance fight for justice. They support the women in attempting to bring down the evil Nazi officer.

Within war, love still blossoms. We see those who try to fight their feelings. In a previous book, we saw forbidden love – we hear what happened next in this book. The fruits of love bring hope for the next generation.

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The Last Train Home by Marion Kummerow

Mar9

Loving Bonds

The Last Train Home by Marion Kummerow is a powerful historical novel that consumed me from the start.

The action is set in Germany at the start of World War II. This book is all about the disgusting treatment of the Roma people following on from the Nuremburg race laws of 1938. The “gypsy had lost their citizenship and had effectively become a people without civil rights.”

We follow two characters from two different families. One is an orphaned teenage girl, and the other is a father separated from his wife and son by war. Bit by bit their civil liberties are eroded – and still, there are characters who are believing that something better will happen next.

There were some very difficult to read scenes, especially where the Roma were being ‘examined’ by the doctors who were brutal. “The doctors… rose like lions circling their prey.” The people felt vulnerable and exposed.

Eventually the Roma end up in the camps. Every action by the Nazis is designed for maximum cruelty. Newcomers are given a “survival strategy: avoid trouble, don’t stand out, don’t be remembered, and never be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

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Meet Me At The Starlight by Rachel Hauck

Mar8

Immanuel God With Us

Meet Me At The Starlight by Rachel Hauck is a powerful and beautiful Christian dual timeline novel that I adored from the start.

The novel is set during the Depression of the 1930’s and in 1987 in Sea Blue Beach as we follow lead character Tuesday Knight in both periods – as a young mother, and then an old grandmother. She is the owner of the Starlight skating rink.

The Starlight skating rink is very much a character in its’ own right. It is the place where life happens from the 1880’s when Prince Blue encountered Immanuel after a shipwreck on Sea Blue Beach. Prince Blue had the rink built and had a giant mural of Immanuel painted on a wall, looking down over the people.

Immanuel is not just a painting. He meets people just when they need Him. “He was more alive than anyone she’d ever known.” He breaks bread, cooks fish, and imparts His Presence into hearts. “You saw God and He left you a piece of heaven.”

Lead character, Tuesday, was shown kindness by Prince Blue when she was down on her luck. She now helps others in need, with the one request – that they pay-it-forward when they can.

When the Starlight is threatened with demolition, people step forward as they want to save it. Tuesday believes “I know I can trust Him [God]. If He doesn’t save us, He must have a better plan.” Sometimes we have to trust God in the dark. Hold on, hope is coming. “We’ve seen what man can do, now let’s see what God can do.” God’s best is more than we could ever hope for.

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The Girl With The List by Shari J Ryan

Mar6

A Promise To Time

The Girl With The List by Shari J Ryan is a powerful historical novel that I read in just one sitting. It is a story of love in the darkest of times.

The tale starts in Poland during World War II, quickly progressing to Auschwitz as we follow the two lead characters, Rosalie, a gentile; Stefan a Jew. Within their small village, no distinctions are made between people – until the Nazis move in, spreading fear and hatred as they commit evil acts against the innocent.

A traumatic event in Rosalie’s childhood, saw he becoming a competent midwife by the age of sixteen. Her services find her ending up in the household of an officer serving in Auschwitz. It is just a small step to her becoming an enforced list maker in the camp.

It is here, against all the odds that Rosalie and Stefan find each other. They both cling to love and have hope to survive. “You know you can’t escape. We must survive.” Their wars are similar but different. Both face traumatic times.

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