Tag Archive | book review

The Last Orphan by Carly Schabowski

Nov13

Butterflies

The Last Orphan by Carl Schabowski is a powerful dual timeline novel that consumed me from the start.

The action is set in 1982 and during World War II. Nazi-occupied Europe was a dangerous place to be. We follow a young man and a Jewish boy as together, and with a support network, they try to rescue and hide as many Jewish children as they could. The action is grounded in facts. Their wartime experiences never leave them. They are forever haunted by guilt over what they did and didn’t do.

In 1982 we meet the daughter of the young boy who is also suffering over things she couldn’t change. Alcohol and drug misuse have been her way of coping as she tries to escape her memories. She needs to face the past before substance abuse kills her.

People had different moral codes during World War II. Actions done in order to save the self, would forever haunt a life.

Carl Schabowski has captured the fear of the children and the desperation of the parents with her dialogue and description. There were some hard to read scenes.

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Step Father Christmas by L.D. Lapinski

Nov12

A Fun Read

Step Father Christmas by L.D. Lapinski is a charming Christmas novel and suitable for ages eight years and over.

There are just twenty-five chapters making the book the perfect read, alongside an advent calendar in December.

The storyline is familiar but different. It is familiar because there are the usual Christmas activities – gingerbread houses, school fayres, the nativity etc – but different because not everyone has a step Father Christmas!

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Kringle’s Emporium by Jemma Hatt

Nov12

Enchanting

Kringle’s Emporium by Jemma Hatt is an enchanting Christmas tale that is just perfect for ages eight years and over.

Children living ordinary lives are suddenly caught up in an extraordinary situation when they are called to help Kris Kringle in his search for the three missing stars that are needed in order for his sleigh to fly.

Through magical means the children travel to New York City and the Taj Mahal in India. Both settings come to life under Jemma Hatt’s descriptive pen.

There are also bullies to confront. A character has a decision to make – stay safe or befriend the bullies’ victim?

The whole novel is very enchanting. We see that goodness alone is not the only thing that is required. “It’s not enough to not be horrible to other people. To be a good person, you have to try to stop horrible things from happening to people.”

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The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

Nov12

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox is a powerful and heartfelt dual timeline Christian novel that I never wanted to end.

The action is set in present day and 1959. The young girls in the earlier period are now old ladies. For almost a lifetime they have been estranged. Guilt and secrets have weighed heavy. Instead of building a treasured friendship, they chose to tear it down.

In contrast to their daughters, we witness fathers who practice sacrificial love. Family first, no matter the personal cost. Outsiders may judge motives but God knows their hearts. Silence is kept in order to preserve and protect the innocent.

Characters are struggling with guilt that they were never meant to carry. “I need to step outside the walls I’ve built and remember who God created me to be.” When we erect walls around our hearts for protection, they have the opposite effect and they imprison us. We then lose sight of who we were created to be.

We see that a character who is actually behind physical walls, is living in greater freedom because his heart belongs to God and he, therefore, knows just whose he is.

Characters have huge hearts for people, and go where God calls them to be. “Lord willing, I’ll pastor a church someday and play a small role in bringing hope to weary souls.” We all need hope. Without hope, the people perish.

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