A Collision of Lies - Tom Threadgill

This is the first novel by Tom Threadgill which I've read and he's a definite 'must read' author for me now!

Collision of Lies is a fantastic read, completely engrossing and genuinely page-turning!  

Three years before the story's start, there is a tragic accident between a school bus and a train, causing tearing grief throughout a community.  But then a message is received from one of the children long thought dead...  and Detective Amara Alvarez must find out if everything about the accident was really as it seemed.  And if any of the children are really still alive, where are they and why have they been taken?

This is a true suspense novel, fast-paced, gritty, and with several 'hold your breath' moments.

If you like your mysteries a bit darker and tenser than the 'cosy mystery' kind, then this is for you!

9780800736507, Revell

For transparency I read a pre-publication copy, but the views above are entirely mine. I was not required to write any review.

Springtime at Hope Hall - Pam Rhodes

In mid-winter, especially this year(!), we could all do with a bit of light relief and this is a perfect book for escaping the winter and the pandemic...  In Springtime at Hope Hall, the latest of Pam Rhodes’ novels, her ability to capture people and their quirks is perfectly demonstrated.  We meet Ray and his terminally ill wife Sara, the irrepressible Shirley, the ladies from the Grown-up’s lunch club who include the formidable and cantankerous Ida and the members of the Can’t Sing Singers, a group thrown out of St Mark’s choir by the new musical director as not being good enough!  We learn about Kath, the manager of Hope Hall and Maggie, the catering manager whose soon to be ex-husband is the villain of the story. 

Throughout, the characterisation is brilliant. I think any reader would recognise some of the folk portrayed in this enchanting novel.  There were a number of moments where I laughed out loud, and some which made me angry!  Then there was the tension of what would happen with Claire and Gary.  

 

An easy and highly enjoyable read which nonetheless has depth and meaning.  I’m already looking forward to the next book about Hope Hall.

 

The Promised Land - Elizabeth Musser

You'd be surprised at what gets through when everything else is taken away.

Abbie Jowett is a hyper-energetic person who likes to be in control to the point where it is suffocating her husband and sons.  When her oldest son says he is taking a gap year in Europe, and her husband announces that he is ‘taking a break’ and leaves for Chicago, the smart new apartment she had so many plans for remains full of untouched boxes while she tries to work out what to do.  

She makes the decision to follow her son Bobby to walk the Camino de Santiago, and heads to Europe.  Bobby is initially very unenthusiastic about his mother’s pending arrival, but the Camino is going to be a place of change for both of them, as well as for a number of people they meet along the way.

 

This is another beautifully told story from Elizabeth Musser.  Abbie is a complex person whose nature grew from neat and organising into ever more controlling behaviour as a result of events in her past.  Her transformative experience on the Camino is believably written – and I wonder how many readers will be mentally shouting at her at points along the way!  Bobby, meanwhile, is finding his gap year is bringing pressures of increasing responsibility rather than the escape he’d hoped it would be.  The captivating Rasa, and Caroline, a journalist struggling with a bitter loss, round out the cast of wonderful characters. 

A perfect escapist yet thoughtful read for a chilly winter evening.

 

9780764234453, Bethany House

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Map of the Sky - Claire Wong

Pulled out of school a week before the end of term, and abruptly arriving at the remote B&B Askfeld with his highly stressed mother Catherine and his sister Juliet who is five years Kit’s elder, Kit struggles to settle into his new surroundings.  A fan of superheroes and adventures, he sets out to find a quest to follow and discovers it in the map being created by B&B owner Beth for her unborn child.  

Beth is co-owner of the B&B, chronically ill, and Kit is confused by her illness and worried by snatches of overheard conversation.  Often finding himself told to stay put while his mother works he also befriends elderly ornithologist Bert, and meets the mysterious and unpredictably angry Maddie.  With his mother and sister keeping secrets about the move and why his dad had stayed behind, Kit has lots of time to draw his own conclusions…

 

This is a wonderful story, suitable for readers from ‘youth’ readers upwards.  The comments or questions at the start of each chapter work really well, and Claire’s writing is beautiful.  As Kit finds a lookout spot over the sea, she writes: ‘He turned his back on the sea, pivoting on the ball of one foot in a perfect spin. But the ground between the grasses was softer than it looked, and betrayed him.’

Kit’s thoughts and emotions are very well outlined, the ‘supporting cast’ are all wonderfully written in their own right and the story is engrossing from cover to cover.  It wraps up with a very satisfying (and surprisingly emotional, for this reader at least) ending.  This is another fabulous novel from Claire, whose debut novel The Runaway I've also reviewed, and I look forward to more books from her.

The Restless Wave - Sarah Meyrick

The Restless Wave is told from the perspectives of teacher Nell, her complicated mother Hope and her D-Day Army Chaplain grandfather Edward. 

Nell’s part in the story begins when she makes a BIG mistake by posting a social media comment which rapidly wrecks her life.  (I’m not sure I’d have realised that a child’s name of Kar-ian would be pronounced ‘Kardashian’ rather than ‘Carrie-Anne’ either!)  

We first meet Hope in 1945, an evacuee child about to be torn from the Dorset countryside she loves, to move to Birmingham with a father she barely knows and who is scarred both physically and mentally by the war.  

Meanwhile, Edward’s story is woven in and out of both Nell and Hope’s.  We follow him from childhood in colonial India to his ordination training which will lead from an Oxford curacy to the French beaches of D-Day, and beyond.  

 

This is a complex, multi-layered book. The story (‘stories’?) is engrossing and I was eager to find out what happened next for each of the characters, and to find out the resolution of the mystery of the letter and photograph Nell finds in an old desk.  There is some swearing, and a rather nasty incident at Edward’s school.  The latter is a pity as I couldn’t see that it added anything to the rest of the story.  However, it’s a couple of paragraphs in what is otherwise an excellent book.

The Runaway - Claire Wong

I'm catching up on posting some reviews for books published in the last couple of years, and this one is a corker!

Rhiannon lives in a Welsh village with her aunt, who is the backbone of the village but the bane of Rhiannon’s life.   After yet another row Rhiannon runs away. 

This isn’t a well planned departure.  As she says in the story: “I didn’t technically plan or pack for this outcome. As I left, I grabbed the bag on the landing because I figured that if you storm out without taking anything with you, you’re just an angry person going for a walk; but if you’re carrying some kind of luggage, then you’re someone who is leaving for good.”  However Rhiannon is a stubborn and capable young woman who manages to hide away in a derelict house in the nearby Dyrys Wood.  

The story is told from her perspective and those from the village, where her disappearance is causing cracks to appear in the day to day lives of the locals. Cracks which are put under more strain than ever when two strangers arrive and uncomfortable truths from the past begin to emerge. 

This is a beautifully created and written story.  It’s one of those books where the pleasure is in the actual writing as much as in the story.  I love mysteries and ancient stories, and both are woven seamlessly into this wonderful debut novel.  

Shades of Light - Sharon Garlough Brown

Wren is a young woman struggling with mental health issues exacerbated by her work as a social worker.  When her depression and anxiety escalates to the point where she is hospitalised, she struggles to find a way forward, and finds chinks of light in art.  

When she is discharged, she can no longer pick up where she left off and has to make major changes to her life, but with the help of her friend Kit (whose own story comes to light more in Remember Me) she begins to make good progress. But then a troubled figure from her past reappears.

 

This is another book with strong writing and a story which draws you in.  Wren’s struggles are graphically described without overpowering the story.  I loved the way her family is portrayed too, with the effects of Wren’s mental health issues on them well outlined, especially in the case of her mother.  

 

The mentions of the Van Gogh paintings throughout are clever and make for extra interest, and there are some lovely artistic descriptions and symbolism.  This is not a light read, but it is one which picks up on some very difficult issues and explores them well, and I would particularly recommend it to anyone who knows or loves someone struggling with serious mental illness.

Courting Mr Emerson - Melody Carlson

Melody Carlson has written a staggering 200 books, with sales of over seven million copies. Well known for her Christmas novellas and youth fiction, this is a gentle contemporary grown-up read.  The Mr Emerson of the title is George Emerson, mid-fifties and about to retire from his teaching job.  He lives a reserved life rather like someone about twenty years older than he actually is.  He spends a lot of time trying to avoid his over-interested neighbour Lorna, but his life suddenly becomes very complicated when he meets the free spirited artist Willow, the grandmother of one of his students, Collin.

This is a delightful story.  George and Willow’s growing friendship is very entertainingly written, as are the details of what happens when Willow’s estranged daughter Josie arrives back on the scene, much to the disgust of Collin, the son she abandoned as a toddler. There’s plenty of character interaction, and the story is energetic and engaging reading.  Just complicated enough to keep you concentrating, but not too hard!

The Prayer Box - Lisa Wingate

Do you remember those books which as a child totally immersed you? I would sit with my back against my bedroom radiator, book on my knees, lost in the adventures within the pages.  This book has a similar pull.

 

The Prayer Box was originally published in 2013 but Tyndale House have reissued it. An excellent decision! It tells the story of Tandi Reese, a young mother fleeing with 9 year old T.J. and 14 year old Zoey from her abusive and criminal ex. They set up home in a rental cottage in the grounds of a grand historic house in the small town of Fairhope on Hatteras Island but when Tandi finds her 91 year old landlady dead in bed before the end of page 10, her life becomes more complicated than ever. (By the way, this is not a crime novel, so this death is peaceful and from natural causes!) Tasked with cleaning out Iola’s house, she finds 81 prayer boxes, one for each year. Within the boxes is the story of Iola’s life – her hopes, dreams and fears, and the secrets she had kept to her death, written on scraps of paper to ‘Father’ and signed ‘your loving daughter, Iola Anne’.  It is soon clear that these letters are Iola’s prayers.  As Tandi and her family bumpily become part of the Fairhope community, she discovers that love does not always come with conditions, and that family does not always look the way you expect it to.

 

Although set solidly in the present day, Iola’s letters go right back to her childhood.  And the letters are absolutely beautifully written.  There are books in which much of the joy is in the way the prose flows, and this book scores a double whammy: the story is wonderfully told and compelling, and the actual writing is lyrical, especially the letters.  I loved the simple yet not always easy faith of Iola Anne’s letters, and I also loved the development of Tandi’s relationship with her children.  The community is so well described that I could almost feel myself stepping into Sandy’s Seashell Shop.  I can highly recommend spending a few hours in Fairhope.

Whose Waves These Are - Amanda Dykes

Whose Waves These Are is a debut novel which has very deservedly just won the Christy Award Book of the Year 2020. It's written in such a way that you would think the author had years of novel writing experience behind her.  It begins with two brothers over whom the spectre of war looms large.  After the war, a grieving Robert writes a poem and sends it to a local newspaper. In it, he asks people to send rocks out of which he will build a memorial.  When the poem spreads far and wide, the small harbour village of Ansel-by-the-Sea is inundated with rocks, but the building of the memorial does not run smoothly.  

 

Decades later, Annie Sawyer is summoned back to Ansel and her Great-Uncle Bob by another message in a newspaper:

“‘Come home, Annie. Bess.’  There was only one reason Bess would write to her this way. The only reason Bob himself would not write. Something had happened that made it so he couldn’t.”

 

And so Annie heads back to Maine, where she meets the enigmatic harbour postman Jeremiah, tries to work out why Bob has boxes and boxes of rocks, and yearns to heal the rift in her family.

 

The themes of family, secrets, forgiveness and love are woven throughout this story. The characters are so well described that you feel invested in their stories, and there are a number of stories within this book. They’re each carefully and convincingly told – no ‘bit part’ characters here, but rather demonstrations of how grief, love, and hope can cross years and even countries and result in something beautiful.

To the Fourth Generation - Chick Yuill

In this novel, we meet Zander Bennings, a man with a secret which leads him to search through three previous generations of the first-born sons of his family.  We meet Zander’s great-grandfather Sandie Binnie whose simple and happy faith is broken by his experiences during WWI.  Suffering from PTSD, then known as ‘shell shock’, the effects impact his entire family.  

Despite Sandie’s disapproval his son Alec becomes a miner, a job Sandie felt didn’t live up to Alec’s potential.  A lifelong member of the Salvation Army, Alec’s faith was a solid but strict.  His son Ecky was a late born only child and the father-son bond was deep until Ecky’s passion for football became an issue which drove them apart.  When his father’s fears for him come to fruition, Ecky is even angrier and more determined to sever all ties with his family.  Yet despite Ecky’s fall-out with his father over his career hopes, he himself is not supportive of his own son Zander’s hopes to become a writer.  And Zander’s path to publication is long and rocky.

 

Although this is a story – or stories – of a family bloodline, there are important other characters too.  Key to events are the very wonderful Mr Potter and his wife  who show throughout that family is not necessarily only about blood ties.  Though this is a book about four generations of sons and fathers, the women in the book are significant too, strongly and sometimes surprisingly written.  

 

Chick has a wonderful ability to create characters who feel real and are multi-faceted.  His writing makes the reader think, and he also likes to drop some big and jarring surprises and twists into his books and does so in spectacular fashion in this one.

 

I found this book a little slow going at the beginning but as Zander’s own story develops it gathers pace briskly and keeps the momentum right up to the surprising end.  Another top novel from Chick, and the carefully woven in and not at all ‘in your face’ Christian elements make this especially good for anyone wary of too much Christian content in their novels.

9781912726264, Instant Apostle

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

How to Live the Dream: Things Every Van Lifer Needs to Know - Kristine Hudson

I picked this up because I have a campervan, and I think many of us with vans wonder from time to time what it might be to go full-time.

Firstly I'll mention that my campervan and I are in the UK and this book is American.  It's therefore directed at Americans who are contemplating the full-time life, but it still has some interesting points for those of us reading it on the other side of the Atlantic.  Right in the first chapter, for example, there are some useful and just-as-relevant-in-the-UK questions, such as 'What deep, burning need in your life will van living satisfy, and are you prepared to make a significant number of sacrifices to find that lifestyle?'  On the other hand, the author also says 'consider the option of not living in a van'.  And there are elements in the book for those who aren't full-time in their vans, but still have vans and for whom, like me, they're an important part of their lives.

As well as talking about the freedoms of van living, it also talks about some of the limitations, responsibilities and realities.  I like this balance.  The elements on health are sensible too, and not especially US specific, and cover both physical and mental health matters.

The book also points out that living in a van can still be expensive, and it covers breaking down potential budgets both for build and living costs.  It has sections on earning a living while being on the road, and it's definitely realistic and not just rosy in its approach.  There are some nice black and white photos throughout, which help break up the text.

Written by someone who's been there and done it - starting with short trips - the practical sections are interspersed with biographical anecdotes which are interesting and relatable!

I'd say this is a good read for anyone, on either side of the Atlantic, who is considering a long trip, or long term living, in a van.

This review is based on an advance copy which I was sent free.  The opinions above are mine and I was not asked to write a positive review.

Nine - Rachelle Dekker

Nine from Christy award winner Rachelle Dekker is an eerie and uncomfortable story set in a dystopian world and told at a breathless pace with lots of twists and turns which frequently left this reader at least off balance.

 

Zoe Johnson lives a quiet life staying away from inquisitive people and keeping to herself - and keeping her uncomfortable past well distanced.  Until the day amnesiac Lucy walks into the diner where Zoe works.  At first Zoe thinks her biggest concern is to protect the naïve and vulnerable Lucy from the predatory trucker who offers to ‘help’ her, but it is soon clear that the predators hunting Lucy are numerous, ferocious, and closing in fast.  

On the run and desperate, Zoe soon questions who – or what – is Lucy?  And in many ways, Lucy is asking the same thing.  Who is she, what is her purpose, and where does she belong?  

Then there is the mysterious Black Project which Lucy is fleeing.  And can anyone be trusted?

 

For the reader, the book raises questions too:  Who are we, really?  Are we the result of genetics, programming, our own choices, or a mix?  Are we what others say we are?  Can we change, and what gives us the power to do so?  

 

For those who enjoy Ted Dekker’s novels and those who have already discovered Rachelle Dekker’s novels, this will be a compelling read.  Be warned though, you’ll need your wits about you, and this is a graphically told novel with a lot of explicit violence which is not only perpetrated by The Bad Guys.  In fact, knowing who The Bad Guys are is not always as obvious as you might think.  Dekker writes cleverly in a way which keeps you off balance and uncertain as to some of her characters actions and motives.  

FBI Agent Tom Seeley is searching for Lucy - but is he aiming to help her or imprison her?  And what exactly are his feelings for Zoe.  His attraction to Zoe was for me at least was entirely unconvincing and even at times annoyingly so.  

If you're looking for a relaxing read, this isn't it, but if you like complex thrillers with plots and characters you have to concentrate on this is for you.  It's a far from cosy read which will keep you questioning right to the end.

9780800735968, Revell

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Murder, Forgotten - Deb Richardson-Moore

Catalogue Copy: Julianna Burke, bestselling mystery novelist, has a secret that those closest to her are hiding from the world. Julianna is losing her memory, and with it her powerful gift for storytelling that propelled her to fame. 

A further devastating blow comes when Connor, Julianna’s beloved husband, is murdered. Even this is not something Julianna’s mind can hold on to, and every day her assistant has to break the heart-wrenching news all over again. 

Julianna is desperate to know what happened to her husband. As she battles her failing mind to investigate, a detail of the murder surfaces that makes Julianna question everything she’s ever known. Somehow she must fight to find the truth, even though her grip on reality is fading…

* * * * 

I was completely hooked by the premise of this book before I’d even opened it.  Julianne Burke is an internationally successful mystery novelist in the twilight of her career.  Struggling with her failing memory, her life is further devastated by the murder of her husband Connor.  The ebbs and flows of her memory mean that she often wakes up not realising he’s dead, and has to be told again, with all the accompanying distress the news brings.  Juliana is desperate to find out what has happened, and so is her daughter Logan.  But finding out the truth when you can’t trust what you remember is going to be tough.

 

When I started reading, I wasn’t disappointed.  Once started, you won’t want to be interrupted!  There are lots of twists and turns, right from the beginning when Julianna has travelled to Scotland.  There were some elements which I guessed long before the end, but the clever storytelling means that most readers will find plenty of ‘gasp’ moments to enjoy.  The mystery isn’t only confined to Julianna and Connor, either.  There are multiple uncertainties and secrets.  And under it all runs the theme of loss and grieving but without it becoming a depressing read.  Highly recommended.

9781782643111, Lion Fiction, Published September 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Easter Sepulchre - Mel Starr

Catalogue Copy: Keeping watch over the Easter Sepulchre, where the Host and crucifix are stored between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, is considered a privilege. So, it is shocking when it is discovered that Odo, the priest's clerk, has abandoned his post. But as the hours pass and Odo is not found, Hugh de Singleton is called upon.

It is Hugh that finds the dried blood before the alter, and fear grows for the missing man... Will Hugh be called up on to investigate another murder, or will the man be found hale and hearty? But if so, where has the blood come from?

* * * * 

The Easter Sepulchre is the latest in the highly successful The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon series.  It’s quite a feat to establish a lengthy series these days, but Mel Starr has a loyal following and it’s easy to see why.  Each book in the series is the kind you might want to read snuggled into a cosy chair with a ‘do not disturb’ sign!  The place and period is excellently written and researched and although the characters have grown and changed over the years, each book can still be read as a stand-alone novel.  Keen historical mystery readers finding this one are very likely to seek out other books in the series.

The Easter Sepulchre begins with the disappearance of the priest’s clerk, Odo.  When he is found on Easter Sunday, dead, Hugh must set out once again to find a killer.  Before long, a suspect is apprehended but despite the evidence against him Hugh is far from convinced of his guilt.  

If you enjoy a good mystery, with enough dry wit here and there to amuse and a satisfyingly twisting road to the conclusion, look no further.

9781782643067, Lion Fiction, Published September 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Cromwell Enigma - Derek Wilson

In 1540 Nicolas Bourbon is sent as Queen Marguerite of Navarre’s secret envoy to find out what has happened to cause Thomas Cromwell’s fall from grace, and what the ripple effects of his execution might be. 

At first he feels somewhat ambivalent about his task, but he soon finds himself facing powerful opponents of Cromwell and all he stood for, who are keen to portray him as a dangerous man seeking only to fulfil his own ambitions.  

When he is called on to tell others what kind of man Cromwell really was, Nicholas finds he cannot say.  There are too many different versions, and very little information about Cromwell’s life before his meteoric rise. 

Before long he finds himself on a journey to find out who Cromwell really was – and to determine the significance of the broken crucifix found in Cromwell’s possessions, with the note ‘remember always’.

This is a very well written novel and a gripping read, blending fact and fiction seamlessly and believably as it weaves the fictional characters and actions around actual events and people.  The historical detail is helped by extracts from letters and documents of the time and would thrill the soul of serious historians.  Some authors of novels based around real people or events have a tendency to drown the story in the historical detail, but Wilson skilfully avoids this.   Despite occasionally withdrawing from the novel for a little investigation of the facts vs the fiction (helped by the useful ‘Notes on historical characters’ section at the back of the book), I found this book a real page-turner, being both complex and accessible at the same time.  It’s a fascinating insight into the political and religious turmoil of the period after Cromwell’s death.

At the end of the book, Nicholas says ‘If we make no search for truth we abide in windowless mansions, content with what lies within, satisfied with the mental chattels we gather for our amusement. Life is a quest or it is nothing.’  An interesting point on which to close this review.

9781910674529, Marylebone House 

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Ashes - Christopher De Vinck

Ashes is a book which I'd been seeing around for a while, and which I was intrigued by.  So I was very happy to be sent a copy of the manuscript to review, and I wasn't disappointed.

Simone is the daughter of a Belgian General, and Hava the opera-loving daughter of a devout Jewish family.  The two girls meet at the Red Cross in Brussels and become inseparable, but rumours of war are building.  When the Nazis invade in early 1940, Simone and Hava are caught up in the crowds of terrified people trying to escape as tanks shell the city and aircraft strafe the streets.  The girls stick together though despair and hope. Helped by some and rejected by others they manage to stay ahead of the Nazi invaders – until they make a fateful decision in Dunkirk.

This is a book borne out of the author’s own family experiences, and this depth of personal connection shows in the writing which is vivid and powerful.  Both girls and their families feel ‘real’, but it’s the sparkling, vivacious, blonde-haired Hava, who loves dancing, daffodils, stars and John Charles Tillman, who comes across most powerfully.  She is the character whom the author wanted to represent, as does Anne Frank, ALL those sent to their deaths by the Nazis, and reduced to ashes.  He has succeeded.  This is an excellent novel and I hope it reaches a very wide readership indeed.

9780310111986, Harper Inspire, Published August 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Heart of a Hero - Susan May Warren

The Heart of a Hero is the second book in Susan May Warren’s Global Search and Rescue series.  I really liked the first book The Way of the Brave, and this book keeps up the pace.  Although a ‘book two’, this could still be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel, but I’m pretty sure anyone starting here will want to read the others.  I’m now champing at the bit for book three!

 

In the previous book we met Jake Silver, rescue team member and ex Navy SEAL, and Dr Aria Sinclair, the woman he rescued on the Alaskan Denali mountain.  Here, we pick up their story.  All is not going smoothly since returning from Denali and it looks like their relationship is over before it’s begun when Aria sets off for a conference in Florida.  But when Jake receives an unexpected text message from Aria saying she fears she is dying, and he discovers that a category 4 hurricane is bearing down on her location, he sets off to find her. 

 

I really enjoy reading Susan May Warren’s books.  She tells a ‘rattling good yarn’ every time, with lots of depth to her characters and complexity (but not too much!) to her plots.  I also love her descriptive writing.  The Heart of a Hero opens with Jake out sailing with 10 year old Aggie and the descriptions are so vivid that you can almost hear the hiss of the water beneath the hull, the creaking of the lines and the wind in the sails!  

 

The descriptions of being in the midst of the hurricane are also powerfully written.  As well as the book’s environment, the conversations also have depth and raise points for thought or discussion.  Susan May Warren’s books always have strong faith elements which, while woven very well throughout, are prominent in the story.  In this book, a favourite quote is from a character saying ‘Don’t you worry about a thing. God always show up in a storm.’  And as well as saying it, God turning up in this particular storm is also demonstrated in the way the story unfolds.  

 

Elements of dealing with loss, past mistakes, and your own hang ups are key elements in this book.  Jake’s issues with the disappearance of his 6 year old sister Hannah are believably addressed, and Aria’s struggles with the death of her twin sister Kia who became a heart donor for Aria are also significant through the story with a particularly striking comment made to her by a patient: “If we spent our entire lives trying to pay back what we owe, we’d live in a constant state of debt. Always feeling we weren’t enough, always scrambling to make ourselves better, make ourselves more. You are enough.”

 

As well as the main storyline, there is also the matter of elective mute Aggie, and her father Ham, who knew nothing of her existence until he received a life changing phone call from the other side of the globe.  We’ll have to wait until book 3 to find out how their story ends, and I can’t wait! 

 

Overall, this is an excellent read, and you’d better find a good spell of time to absorb yourself in its pages, as you won’t want to put it down!  

9780800735852, Revell

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Khali and the Orb of Xona - Mark Stibbe & Steve Brazier

On a faraway planet called Kel, twelve-year old Khali has just seen his dad disappear on a mission to investigate an energy source called the Arokah. Drawn by a strange light from a cave, his dad runs out of oxygen there and is left for dead. All Khali has left in the world is the birthday gift his dad gave him – a stone tablet with a puzzle on it. Now an orphan, he is sent away to board at a school called the Beacon, where there are many other children like him with special needs. Khali now longs to solve the puzzle on the tablet and return to Kel to look for his father. 

 

With the help of some unusual friends and aliens, Khali solves the enigma and embarks on a covert mission to the sister planet Oxona, drawn by the light of the orb that had mesmerised his dad. However, Khali and his friends live in a world where nothing is as it seems, and they are not alone. There are others who have become aware of the special powers conferred on him by the Arokah. They crave its life-enhancing and healing energy and they are watching the boy, following his every move. Will Khali find the orb before his enemies? And what will he find of his dad in the cave?

I’ve always enjoyed a good fantasy novel, and I like a mystery even more so the opening line of Khali and the Orb of Xona hooked me in right away!  ‘My father disappeared just after my twelfth birthday, while the two of us were visiting our sister planet Xona.’  

This is the latest novel from Mark Stibbe, and this time he’s writing for younger readers.  Xona is aimed at pre-teens upwards.  

 

The story rolls along energetically.  Khali, the 12-year-old ‘hero’ of the story lives on a future world with his scientist father after the death of his mother to a cancer-like illness.  Khali has ‘Rhuba’, a type of autism, but happily his home world is very Rhuba-inclusive.  

 

After being given a mysterious puzzle for his twelfth birthday, Khali’s dad sneaks him on board his Space Ranger and takes him to Xona, a nearby planet whose protective membrane has been breached by a volcanic eruption on the surface.  But what starts out as an exciting trip with his Dad on a research trip will have dramatic consequences both for himself and his father, and the future of his own world.

 

This is a really engaging read and it’s very cleverly written from Khali’s perspective as an autistic child.  I love the numbers, patterns – especially hexagons, and the details of how his view on his world works.  The descriptions of his developing friendships with others in ‘Class 24’, particularly talented pilot Meena who risks her entire future to do what she believes is right, and Loois – otherwise known as Thunder Butt for reasons which will make many a pre-teen reader snigger – are well written and believable, staying true to his autistic tendencies in terms of how he relates to people.  This novel has been highly praised by many with much more qualification to comment on autistic issues than I. There are many other areas this novel touches on: loss, inner strength, hard decisions, environmental issues, and trust.  But they are all wrapped up in what is first and foremost a rattling good yarn which is perfectly suited to the target age group – and plenty like me who are just a few years older!  I’m looking forward to the next in the series already.

 

9781912863457, Malcolm Down Publishing, Published April 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

If I Were You - Lynn Austin

1950. In the wake of the war, Audrey Clarkson leaves her manor house in England for a fresh start in America with her young son. As a widowed war bride, Audrey needs the support of her American in-laws, whom she has never met. But she arrives to find that her longtime friend Eve Dawson has been impersonating her for the past four years. Unraveling this deception will force Audrey and Eve’s secrets—and the complicated history of their friendship—to the surface.

1940. Eve and Audrey have been as different as two friends can be since the day they met at Wellingford Hall, where Eve’s mother served as a lady’s maid for Audrey’s mother. As young women, those differences become a polarizing force . . . until a greater threat—Nazi invasion—reunites them. With London facing relentless bombardment, Audrey and Eve join the fight as ambulance drivers, battling constant danger together. An American stationed in England brings dreams of a brighter future for Audrey, and the collapse of the class system gives Eve hope for a future with Audrey’s brother. But in the wake of devastating loss, both women must make life-altering decisions that will set in motion a web of lies and push them both to the breaking point long after the last bomb has fallen.

* * * * *

 

If I Were You is another book dealing with complicated relationships. It’s a fantastic read and this period is perennially popular.  The story begins with Audrey, a widowed young mother, arriving in America in 1950 to meet her GI husband’s family.  But she is stunned to find her childhood friend Eve is already there and has stolen her identity!  

 

Audrey is a reluctant socialite.  Awkward and introverted, she meets village girl Eve who is her polar opposite, and the girls begin a friendship which will wax and wane through their childhoods and into their adult lives.  We follow their friendship through the 30’s and through the war – which is powerfully described and involving.  The scenes around the returning soldiers from Dunkirk, and in London during bombing raids are particularly memorable.  What happens afterwards, and why, ties directly to the book’s title.

 

Lynn Austen is an expert storyteller and this is a compelling read, dealing with family, friendship, love and loss.  It’s a big book at over 400 pages, but the pace never lets up for a minute, and the story kept me reading well into the small hours!  

 

On the down side, while I understand the use of American words in novels written for a largely US audience, I do find this particularly grates when used in text which is conversation between two English people. I also get irritated by things like references to ‘Westminster Abbey’s spires’, when Westminster Abbey does not have spires.

 

Despite this I would recommend this as a book which has much to offer any reader who likes big and involved stories set in and around the WWII period.

9781496437303, Tyndale House

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

 

Being Known - Robin Jones Gunn

From the bestselling author of Becoming Us comes a novel that asks: What does it mean to be truly known? In a marriage, in a friendship, or by a loving God?

The first few lines of a book can often tell you much.  Being Known starts like this: ‘Whenever I close my eyes and think of my mother, I see her red toenails. Her perfectly manicured toes flaunting her signature nail-polish color, Oh My, Cherry Pie.’  I immediately feel disconnected. I come from a line of women for whom toenail polish has never been important! Yet I am completely engaged by the end of the first page, because the description of ‘alone’ is written so powerfully.  

Jennalyn has a beautiful home, two young children and a husband she loves but who works very long hours leaving the burden of raising their kids more and more heavily on Jennalyn. Struggling with grief over the death of her mother, she unexpectedly meets old flame Garrett, and the two start chatting online. As her connection with Garrett increases she begins to question decisions she’s made in the past. But is she risking her entire future? Meanwhile Jennalyn’s friend Beth has got tangled up in a messy relationship herself. Both women will have to face the truth about what they are doing, but will it be in time?  

This is a great summer read, involving, interesting, and thought-provoking.  The friendship of the five girlfriends is lovely and makes you either long for similar friends or be very thankful for those you have!  This is a straightforward read, but it doesn’t shy away from showing that being a Christian doesn’t always mean you make the right choices.  This is book 2 in the Haven Makers series, and I’ll now read book 1 to find out more about this group of friends.

9780734290778, Waterbrook Press, Published May 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.

The Widow's Secret (Tales from Goswell) - Katharine Swartz

Katharine Swartz’s The Widow’s Secret is the latest in her Tales from Goswell series. Abigail Fenton’s husband James is a ship owner in the 1760s, and they live a comfortable life until the tobacco which is a mainstay of James’ business is all sold to larger companies than his.  Looking for other cargo he makes a fateful decision – to transport slaves.  Abigail is uncomfortable about this, and her life becomes more complicated when James gives her an African child as a present.  A child he expects to be treated as lower than a servant but whom childless Abigail comes to love as a daughter to the consternation and horror of her household staff, family and peers.  Then James sets off on a year-long voyage – and doesn’t come home.  

In 2020, when marine archaeologist Rachel Gardener is summoned to Cumbria to investigate a wreck, a find from the ship makes her suspect the wreck was a slave ship. But why would it be there?  As she investigates, and tries to ignore her crumbling marriage, unfolding events mean she can no longer ignore her estranged mother.  And she must face the secret her mother has been keeping for 30 years.

Katherine Swartz writes engaging stories with characters you really connect with and with plenty of twists and turns. I was intrigued all the way through both timelines by what would happen next.  I’m not sure I’m quite convinced by the way things play out with both Rachel’s marriage and her mother, but both elements worked well for the book.  That said, the links with Abigail and Adelaide are wonderfully told and the Wesley elements work really well.  The descriptions of the slave trade are horrifying and both Abigail and James’ struggles with their involvement are well written and believable.  I highly recommend this book. 

9781782642817, Lion Fiction, Published June 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I was sent the manuscript of this book for review, but I was not required to write a favourable review. All views herein are my own.

Man of Glass - Andrea Sarginson

When Andrea Sarginson began writing Man of Glass, she couldn’t have imagined that 671 years after the setting of her story today’s events worldwide would be so directly connecting the reader to many elements of the story of apprentice glazier Amalric and his family and community.

Amalric’s village has so far escaped the ravages of the Black Death, then known as ‘the pestilence’, but Amalric fears its arrival.  When his father Elias is summoned to Meaux Abbey to discuss the installation of new stained glass windows there it seems like a grand opportunity, but hopes of a bright future become a desperate struggle for survival – and not just from the plague. 

This is a gripping read, full of detail about stained glass creation and mediaeval rural life.  Although fiction, it includes a number of real life places, buildings, and events, clearly identified in interesting footnotes throughout.  The fictional village feels like a real place however, as it and its residents are so well portrayed.  The story is graphically told yet despite the horrors of the Black Death we still see hope, love and Amalric’s desire to create something new with his designs.  I hope we hear more about Amalric, but I also hope we hear more from Andrea Sarginson, who is a bright new addition to Christian fiction.

9781912726189, Instant Apostle, Published February 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I work with Instant Apostle but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own. 

Phoebe - Paula Gooder

Although many would refer to her book as ‘Biblical fiction’, Paula Gooder doesn't consider it a novel, but rather a look at Pauline Christianity through story, bringing to life those referred to in Romans 16 and taking as the key character Phoebe, a deacon in the early church.  Paula aims to encourage the reader to imagine what it would be like to live in an early Christian community, and she does this well.  

The book is in two sections, with the first being the narrative re-telling of phoebe’s life, interweaving her story with those of others we meet in the New Testament.  Paul himself is largely absent, but the impact of his letters is very strikingly portrayed and gives plenty of room for thought, particularly as characters argue over the ‘correct’ interpretation. 

The second section is made up of many reference notes explaining why the settings and people are described the way they are and giving biblical references and details for those about whom Paula writes.  This is, perhaps, a particular strength of the book, and gives it a strong point of difference from most novels, even those containing notes, references and study questions.

Personally, I found this book quite hard going for the first couple of chapters and I didn’t immediately warm to Gooder’s portrayal of Phoebe, but persevering did pay off.  I seem to be in a minority in regards to finding this a more challenging read, owing by the very many glowing reviews it has received!  I would recommend it as a study group read, as there is much to discuss from both the story and the notes.  

Before I Called You Mine - Nicole Deese

Author Nicole Deese's personal experience of adopting her daughter is poured out into her novel Before I Called You Mine and it gives the story a distinct and powerful feeling of authenticity.  (This isn’t a biography, but it IS a story about family, and specifically adopting.)  

Teacher Lauren Baily has a secret. For over a year she has been working through the processes of international adoption, and even her family don’t know. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements only single women or couples married for 2 or more years qualify.  Lauren is single, and happy to remain so if it means her longing to be a mother can be fulfilled.  Naturally, this means that when dinosaur-loving substitute teacher Joshua Avery sweeps into the story Lauren’s life becomes ever more complicated as she finds herself falling in love with him despite her convictions to keep her distance.  In the midst of her emotional turmoil, she receives a life-changing email.

If I could give this book 50 stars I would.  I liked Lauren at once, and Joshua – the type of character I’m easily irritated by in lesser stories – has depth as well as humour.  The text conversations throughout are really well done and several times made me chuckle aloud.  This book, while often being a light and fun read, also raises deep issues of family relationships both blood and adoptive, as well as the importance of friendship.  The people are relatable, the romance very well done with a nice twisty path to the end of the book, and it would be a fantastic book for a book club choice.  I was hooked by the end of the first page, didn’t want to put it down, and finished it longing for more.

If you're curious and would like to read an extract, you can find one here.

9780764234958, Bethany House, Published May 2020 (UK).

For transparency, I work with Revell books in the UK, but I am not required to write any specific review. All views herein are my own.