Tag Archive | Penguin Random House

An Orphan’s Christmas by Katie Flynn

Dec19

Growing Through The War Years

An Orphan’s Christmas by Katie Flynn is an historical novel that I read in just one sitting.

The action begins in 1936 as we follow the lead character through the orphanage to a wooden dwelling and through the war years.

Molly is a plucky girl. It is her personality and her strength of character that get her through some very tough circumstances from the age of eleven when we first meet her.

The orphanage is stifling. It is a place of ‘less than’ with little heating and little to eat. An older girl bullies Molly, forcing her to make choices she did not anticipate.

Bonds formed in childhood persist into adulthood until the rose-tinted spectacles are removed.

A character who is on the sidelines proves to be more loyal than one who takes centre stage.

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Love Untold by Ruth Jones

Sep22

Full Circle

Love Untold by Ruth Jones is a beautiful love story set over the years and one that I just could not put down.

It is also a book that had me reaching for the tissues as the ending approached. If the book was heartfelt and beautiful (which it was), the ending was absolutely superb. The love which simmered underneath the whole book came full circle.

This is a book about four generations of women within the same family. It is about their love and relationships with each other and with those around them.

Mistakes are made over the years. Absences happen. There seems no way back – but love binds everything together.

We see the fierce, protective and loyal love of a mother. Mothers want the best for their children, even if they are wayward. A mother’s love never dies.

Grandma Grace is the matriarch of the family. Her love is deep and wide. Her love has no boundaries. Those who are hurting will always find that her arms are open wide.

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Christmas At Battersea, with foreword by Paul O’Grady

Dec5

Heart Warming

Christmas At Battersea is a delightful collection of fourteen stories of animal rescue and rehoming. The foreword is written by the late, great, compassionate Paul O’Grady.

Each story is heart warming and heart breaking – dogs and cats in desperate need of rescue. We see the terrible conditions some are found in, as hearts and homes are opened to the animals in need.

The dogs and cats need rescuing but often they are the rescuers too. We hear of both human and animal hearts broken by loss, as new animals help to heal those sad souls. Animals give out unconditional love.

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Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Apr7

Girl Power

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes is a powerful contemporary novel that I just could not put down.

The novel is about riches. We see the values that different characters have. The poorest people are those who value power, status and possessions, who don’t care who they trample on in order to get to the top.

In contrast, the richest people are those who invest in others. People are priceless. We witness some beautiful friendships between people who are materially poor but have the hugest hearts. A character lends another £20, making the difference between sinking or swimming. This reminded me of the widow’s mitre in the Bible.

The women in the story are all a blend of strong yet weak. As their friendships develop, they use their talents and skillsets to help and encourage each other. Alone they are weak, together they are strong.

We see the male characters who are paralysed by trying to do it alone. One is blinded by greed. Another is carrying a terrible burden of guilt, grief and hurt. It breaks the reader’s heart as we hear of the source of this pain.

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