Tag Archive | Rachels Random Resources

A Disappearance In Fiji by Nilima Rao

Sep11

Horrifying

A Disappearance In Fiji by Nilima Rao is an absolutely marvellous historical debut novel that I just could not put down.

The action is set in Fiji as we follow an Indian police sergeant, sent from Hong Kong, to help set up a working police force in Fiji. Unfortunately, at the police force’s head is a racist white man. The year is 1914 and it is white men who rule. Their word is law, it comes above the truth, as he would rather reports be rewritten than the truth to reign.

We witness a character having a crisis of conscience – tell the truth? Or toe the line? He must be able to live with his decision and to hold his head up high.

There is much racial prejudice and injustice within the novel. This should make us angry at the terrible conditions and treatment dished out to the Indian people – whether they were police officers or indentured servants. Everyone was judged on the colour of their skin and their gender. Very few saw the hearts that beat beneath the skin.

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The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar

Sep8

Nostalgic

The Gingerbread Christmas Village by Kiley Dunbar is an absolutely charming contemporary Christmas book that makes you feel festive in September.

It is a nostalgic look back on Christmas gone by as well as creating new memories in present day, and also projecting forward to future Christmases’.

This is the essence of Christmas captured in a book. Christmas is not always perfectly presented. There may be unforeseen mishaps but Christmas is a time for love, miracles and people pulling together.

The idea of a gingerbread Christmas village has passed down through a family. Traditionally it is a village activity but seems to be dying off in the modern age until… Read the book and find out what happens.

Love is not just for the young. The lead character is sixty five years young but can still experience weak knees and a heart that flutters.

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The Pumpkin Pact by Charlie Dean

Sep7

Promo Blitz

The Pumpkin Pact

Welcome to The Pumpkin Patch at Pickle Grove.

Andi is worried that her relationship with Drew has become dull and boring. They never do anything exciting these days, in or out of the bedroom. So when a swoon-worthy stranger appears she is instantly swept off her feet.

When they unexpectedly meet again, they realise they have more in common than they thought possible so draw up a pact to spice up their lives! The plan they conjure up while working together at The Pumpkin Patch, to make their partners jealous, brings them closer than ever.

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One Christmas Eve by Shari Low

Sep3

Joining The Dots

One Christmas Eve by Shari Low is a delightful novel set over twenty four hours in three different time periods – 1968, 1993, 2023.

The years are linked by the female line in a family going down through the grandmother, mother and granddaughter. We follow them alternately in two hour blocks as we drop in on one Christmas Eve.

There is a beautiful bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter, partly created by the mother being a workaholic, even on Christmas Eve. “Her mum was making it clear that her other option was work, yet she was still choosing that instead of spending time with them.” We only have one life and we need to choose wisely. No-one ever said on their deathbed ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’ We need to get our priorities right.

We witness the love to last a lifetime. There may be other loves but that one big love will never die. Love has the ability to send us back to feeling like teenagers – no matter how old we are.

We see the special place in hearts for over fifty years. It is a place that one will return to again and again in order to relive a moment.

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