Archive | August 2018

When The Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica

Aug27

A Desperate Longing

When The Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica is a marvellous psychological read set in present day and 1996. It is a compulsive read about pain, loss, love and a searching for roots.

Love and loss consume. “I don’t know who I am without her.” The reader ‘feels’ for the character who is drowning in loss. A loss that does not go away. A loss that is more than just a parting, a loss that has stolen an identity.

The roots of a character must be found for them to exist. Without paperwork, a person cannot prove their identity. The search is on.

There are the painful topics of infertility, miscarriage and IVF. Finances and relationships are stretched to breaking.

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Meet Me Under The Clock by Annie Murray

Aug26

Bravery Under Fire

Meet Me Under The Clock by Annie Murray is a marvelous epic World War II novel about the life of two sisters on the home front. Set in Birmingham, I was in for a real treat as I recognized many of the locations, making the book feel familiar to me.

The two sisters were chalk and cheese but had a close bond that nothing could sever. One entered the WAAF and the other worked as a porter on the railway. They both did their bit for the war effort.

The reader is entertained by the eclectic mix of characters. People pull together but there are always those who will take advantage. Close bonds were formed with neighbors. Strangers became friends. People shared what little they had with those who had even less. Death was all around. Fear from air raids and the dreaded telegram from the war office loomed large in lives. The reader witnesses the bravery of the ordinary men and women who carried on their lives no matter what happened.

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Taking God To Work by Steve Reynolds and David L Winters

Aug25

What Will You Do To Take God To Work With You?

Taking God To Work by Steve Reynolds and David L Winters is a powerful book full of godly advice, scripture, practical examples and life lessons for us all to learn as we negotiate the world of work.

Work is nothing new, it’s been around since Adam and Eve. The idea of taking God to work will help us in our daily challenges. If we fix our eyes on Him and apply His Biblical principles, we can achieve a work/life balance that will glorify Him.

The authors identify challenges and pitfalls in our work lives. They offer solutions to problems, backed up with scripture. At the end of each section there are personal testimonies, questions and prayers. These are designed for internal examination, in the aim of becoming the best worker we can be and for us to get the best out of our jobs.

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My Daughter, My Mother by Annie Murray

Aug25

Memory Lane

My Daughter, My Mother by Annie Murray is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for me as the novel is set in 1984 Birmingham following two mothers and their daughters. This familiar landscape meant I ‘walked’ through the action being very familiar with the locations mentioned.

Hardships growing up meant the mothers had their secrets. Some things are just too horrible to talk about. One mother was a five year old evacuee in 1939, she suffered and hid her suffering inside. The other mother witnessed partition in India in 1947. So deep were the scars that silence was kept for years.

There is the difficult theme of domestic and child abuse. The victims kept silent controlled by fear and shame. Abuse is never the victims fault and they must seek help and not suffer in silence.

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