Something In The Air In Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen

Apr2

Awakenings

Something In The Air In Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen is a delightful contemporary novel that will warm your heart. It is the eighth book in the Pelican Crossing series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. Pelican Crossing is just up the coast from Bellbird Bay (another fabulous series by the author). It gives the reader a familiar feeling as businesses and characters from Bellbird Bay are mentioned in passing.

All the characters are delightfully drawn, and are warm and welcoming. The majority of characters are over fifty. It is refreshing to see that growing older does not necessarily mean an ever-increasing sedentary life. Life is for living whatever your age.

The two lead characters are similar but different. Both have been affected by previous life events, and now prefer to life an isolated life. “Why did the name of that boy still have the power to make her feel like this?… He can’t hurt me anymore.” As neighbours, they find their paths often cross. Previously closed lives begin to bud and blossom.

A chance meeting with an upset young woman causes a fifty plus woman to offer love and care. A trauma in both their lives bonds the women. They can help each other to heal.

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Five On Kirrin Island Again by Enid Blyton

Apr1

Derring Do & Loyalty

Five On Kirrin Island Again by Enid Blyton is a thrilling children’s adventure and just perfect for ten years and over. It is the sixth book in the Famous Five series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Once more we join the children and Timmy the dog as they have another adventure on Kirrin Island, foiling the baddies plans.

We hear of derring do and loyalty from Timmy.

Though first written in 1947, there is a timeless appeal to the tale. It will entertain a new generation of children.

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I Did A Bad Thing by Louise Jensen

Apr1

A Mother’s Love

I Did A Bad Thing by Louise Jensen is a totally gripping contemporary psychological thriller that I just could not put down.

This is a book about a mother’s love. It motivates her to do what she does. Some of her choices are questionable. As a mother puts lives on social media, we see that the world is your judge. Lives thrown open to the world, are criticised by the world.

We see the importance of a mother’s instinct. “He might know medicine, but I know my child.” This maternal instinct will save a life, as it is fought for by the mother. “I’m scared she’ll die.”

Our choices are important. Choices bring consequences and we must live with them. We see a life facing the ‘what-if’ questions. Will a conscience choose to do the right thing?

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Secrets Of The Desert Rose by Marilyn Turk

Mar31

The Bonds We Form

Secrets Of The Desert Rose by Marilyn Turk is a powerful Christian dual timeline novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The novel is set in 2019 America and Algeria, and during World War II in Algeria. The time periods are linked by a great grandmother and her great granddaughter as the latter wants to step into her great grandmother’s wartime footsteps.

We see that friendships formed in the early 1930’s between English Audrey and French Monique have strong bonds. They both share a secret which they keep for many years.

The two women are more like sisters than friends. Audrey spent years searching for love from her cold-hearted parents. It is in Monique’s family that she finds love.

Audrey is the more adventurous of the two. Monique prefers to watch from the sidelines. Monique’s family are wealthy. During the 1930’s there were many parties with a common goal “to find a husband.” This changes with the advent of war. Both women fight two very different wars but both are very brave.

In both time periods we hear of the archaeological digs and the landscape of Algeria. It is vibrant and comes to life under the author’s descriptive pen.

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