Archive | May 2019

A Painful Kind Of Holy: Experiencing God’s Tender Mercies And Faithful Presence Before, During And After Miscarriage by Holly Joy Clemente

May21

Praise You In The Storm

A Painful Kind Of Holy: Experiencing God’s Tender Mercies And Faithful Presence Before, During And After Miscarriage by Holly Joy Clemente is a powerful and heart breaking read surrounding her sixth pregnancy that ended in miscarriage. It is also about her faith in a God who never left her but walked through the valley with her. Holly Joy Clemente describes the pain of loss as, “It is always too soon. And it hurts in the way nothing else can ever hurt.”

Not once did Holly Joy Clemente lose sight of God. She gave Him her tears, her confusion and her anger. In return, she received His love. “God is good… I didn’t understand it, but I knew God was there, and I knew I could trust Him even as I felt I was drowning.” She describes the experience as holy because “Holy is anywhere that God is “ and God was right beside her. Like David in the Psalms, Holly Joy Clemente urges us to be real with God. “God can take our pain.” Nothing we ever experience comes as a surprise to God.

Continue reading →

Have You Seen Her? by Lisa Hall

May21

Gripped And Guessing

Have You Seen Her? By Lisa Hall is the most marvellous contemporary psychological thriller that had me hooked from the start. A very cleverly constructed plotline ensured I was drawn into the action and consumed by events until the jaw dropping conclusion.

Written in the first person enabled me to ‘walk’ through the novel. Suspicion lurked around every corner. I was gripped, as were the characters, by “the dark hand of fear.”

The novel is about consuming passions – passions that will dictate actions. The reader is never quite sure who to believe as passions drive people to do ever more desperate things.

Continue reading →

Redemption Bay by RaeAnne Thayne

May17

The Perfect Choice

Redemption Bay by RaeAnne Thayne is the most delightful feel-good contemporary novel. It is about family and community.

Small town living has its advantages. Welcome to Haven Point, the town that lives together and pulls together. A wonderful warm community atmosphere oozes from the pages. The town looks out for everyone from the young to the old.

The novel is full of unique characters exchanging banter. I loved the eighty two and eighty three old sisters who still have a twinkle in their eye. The inclusion of two dogs added to the family feel of the novel. The main characters were delightful. The reader could ‘feel’ their chemistry.

Continue reading →

The Start Of Us by T.K. Chapin

May13

The Power of Love

The Start Of Us by T.K. Chapin is a powerful contemporary Christian novel about love. Love comes in many different forms but we have only one word for it, ‘love.’ The best way to love is to love like Jesus – whether it’s our parents, friends, work colleagues or spouse. We need to see people as Jesus sees them – imperfect human beings in need of love and grace.

Our past may have been hard but we cannot let it define us. If we measure everything by the yardstick of the past, we will miss out on the present.

Continue reading →