From the Wreckage (Michele G Miller) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

22. From the Wreckage by Michele G Miller

Synopsis:

“In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed.”

"Minutes - that’s all it takes to change your entire life. How do you deal with that?”

For high school senior Jules Blacklin surviving the storm is only the beginning. Faced with the new reality of her life, she must find a way to rise From The Wreckage and answer the question - how do you get back to normal, when everything that was normal is gone?

My Review:

For most high school students, Friday nights means going to football games, cheering on their respective schools, and then going out to eat/celebrate/hang out at a local pizza place, or wherever it might be, after the game. And for Jules and her friends, that Friday night was no exception. Like any other teen, they didn't think anything bad would happen, except for maybe the occasional fight with their rivals.

Jules and her friends were celebrating their football team's win when they heard something that no one wants to hear: a tornado siren. Unfortunately for them, there was not much time to run for cover and before they knew it, a tornado ripped through the town. Afterwards, while the teens are taken to the hospital for treatment, their parents have to navigate through the devastation to see if their children made it out alive.

From the Wreckage is told in a video format as Jules tells her story of survival in front of a camera for a college admissions project. As she takes us through her experience, we also experience it right along with her. It provides an accurate depiction of what it's like to go through a traumatic event, no matter what it may be. Jules tells of her grief and the healing process of not only herself, but her family, friends, and town as well. She goes on her own personal journey of discovery, growth, love, etc, as anyone would when they go through something like this. It's through the hard times that we learn the most about ourselves.

While From the Wreckage was well-written and told of the many emotions one experiences in tragedy, there were only a couple things that bothered me. It went back and forth between the past, as she was telling her story of that fateful night, and the present, as she struggles to move forward and accept the new normal. It was hard to differentiate between the two at times, but it also kept you wanting to keep reading. And even though her friends were also experiencing the same things as she was, there were times where it felt like only she was going through it. She acted like no one understood, when in fact, there were her classmates who did in fact understand, as well.

How do we move on from tragedy or loss or any rough time in our life? How do we accept having a new normal when everything that we know changed forever? From the Wreckage does a good job at trying to explain and show that. The answer is that there is no easy answer. It becomes a day by day process, taking things one step at a time. While time may make things easier, better, and more acceptable as everyday life starts returning back to "normal", the fear, grief, anger, and any other emotion doesn't ever truly go away; we just don't deal with those emotions as much as when it first happened. Nothing stays the same forever and change is hard for anyone to overcome, but it is possible. And it's important to remember that the grieving process can take any length of time; while it might take a month or so for one for example, it could take a year for another. We all grieve differently, in our own time and place and no matter how long it takes, it's okay. There is no definitive answer as to when it is acceptable to move on.

While I am writing this, our country is once again dealing with a mass shooting tragedy with the school shooting in Parkland, FL. While things need to change, like banning assault weapons, I can only offer prayers to those dealing with loss and fear. I know it's not enough, but I think about it like this. Right now, they're dealing with grief of losing friends, children, teachers, etc, and even if there would be a gun control change, those seventeen people still lost their lives and their friends and loved ones will still have to deal with their loss.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Set Change (T'Gracie and Joe Reese) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

21. Set Change by T'Gracie and Joe Reese

Synopsis:

The residents of sleepy little Bay St. Lucy are thrilled to learn that a world class production of Shakespeare's Hamlet is to be done in their town. They are shocked, on the other hand, to experience the leading actor's vicious personality.
Murder will out--and it takes all of Nina Bannister's sleuthing ability to put it back in again.

My Review:

First off, I got this book because I like theatre and have acted in shows before. I am also familiar with Hamlet. 

Set in a small town, everyone is excited that there will be a professional production of Hamlet done in their community. After the production, the lead actor and celebrity is murdered and it's up to amateur sleuth Nina to figure out the case.

It was interesting to see a small community get recognition for once because they are often overlooked by big cities. Unfortunately, it got off to a slow start and I was still left unimpressed throughout the course of the book. There were several times in which I wanted to stop reading it altogether, but I like to finish what I start.

Nina definitely knew her Hamlet and a lot of the lines were used throughout the story. Honestly, I think that was overdone a little bit. I felt it took away from the premise. What I did like about this book was the ending. And not just because it meant I didn't have to read the book anymore. The pace picked up near the end of the story and it became an unexpected finish.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Love Comes Softly (Janette Oke) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

20. Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

Synopsis:

Marty and Clem set out for the pioneer West full of hopes and dreams. They would stake a claim of their own on the new frontier, and build a home for themselves and their family.
But just after they'd arrived and Clem had chosen the perfect setting for their new home, an accident took his life...leaving Marty alone and pregnant. Then, on the day of his funeral, Clark Davis came along...and asked Marty to marry him!
Marty was infuriated -- but with no money, no shelter, and a baby on the way, what choice did she have? Besides, Clark said he only wanted her to be a mama to his baby girl, Missie. If Marty was still unhappy come spring, he would pay for her ticket back East.
Determined not to be a burden to Clark, and intending only to earn her keep. Marty threw herself into her new role of "Mama." But she had never been anyone's mama before, and she didn't even know how to keep a house! If only she could do right by this lonely man and his daughter just long enough to earn her train fare back home...
Now, Marty must learn wholeness and love through patience and faith.

My Review:

This story takes you back to the pioneer days. When Marty's husband dies in an accident right after making it out west, Clark just happens to show up on the day of his funeral. And to her surprise, Clark asked her to marry him and be a mother to his daughter. Marty had no other option but to accept his offer. It was agreed that it would be for a trial period and if she still wasn't happy after a few months, then Clark would pay her way back east. Things got off to a rough start, as Marty was inexperienced in housework, like cooking, and didn't know how to take care of a baby/child. She learned all that she could as she worked toward her goal of doing enough to earn her way back home. It took some time, but as the days and weeks went on, Clark and Marty grew accustomed to each other and their ways, as well as Missie getting to know Marty as a mother. During this whole time, Marty was still grieving the loss of her husband, but was also starting to get used to letting another man into her life and by the end of the story, they have a romance brewing. Both also grow in their faith, especially Marty, who exhibited a transformation throughout the course of the book. They come to the realization that they both needed each other in their lives.

Love Comes Softly was a good hearted story of romance and what it was like, especially for women, in the pioneer times. Marty was a strong female character who, despite her grief and struggles, strived to be the best at what she was given. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone and that showed when she married Clark. She didn't settle for nothing less than trying and being the best, as I've already stated.

Although I have read a couple of Janette Oke's books before, this one did move slow at times. The only main issue with Love Comes Softly was the dialogue between Clark and Marty. Both spoke with strong accents, which was hard in the beginning to understand a little bit, but became easier once I became accustomed to their accents.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Missing Kylie (Mark Myers) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

19. Missing Kylie by Mark Myers
      Prompt: a book about a difficult topic

Synopsis:

None of us like to hear the word no – especially as an answer to prayer. So how does a father reconcile a lifelong faith in God when confronted with the word no regarding something as critical as the healing of his youngest child?
This book is a two year journey through that wilderness of no. It contains few answers and many questions, but ultimately a faith that there is a loving God who chose a path we will never understand on this side of heaven.
When Kylie was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2014, her father believed that she would be completely healed and become a living testimony to God’s faithfulness and goodness. That is not the story that God wrote. A writer and blogger, Mark began posting about his struggles of heart and faith with a unique ability to mix humor and heartache. His genuine and often raw style seemed to resonate with many hurting people and his words were shared on many platforms.
Upon Kylie’s death in February 2015, he began a journey to find purpose among the ruins heaped on him, his family, and his faith – documenting both progress and set-backs. With several never-before published writings including an especially poignant letter written by Kylie just days before her death, this book is a compilation of blog posts and journal entries that allows you to walk alongside him for this season. It will bring both smiles and tears. You will feel his hope and faith while he faces the struggle, endures the pain of devastating loss, then embarks on a desperate search for meaning, while always: Missing Kylie.

My Review:

No one wants to hear the word cancer, especially when it's a child. But that's what happened to Mark and his family. His daughter Kylie was diagnosed with cancer and Mark only wanted to believe that she would survive. But it was an aggressive form of cancer that ultimately led to her death ten months later. Mark writes about the effects his daughter's cancer journey had on not only Kylie, but the rest of his family, before and after her death. The most poignant writing came on his journey of searching for purpose and meaning after Kylie died. There's no book out there that tells you how to grieve after someone dies because everyone is different and everyone deals with loss and heartbreak differently. Mark's struggles with hope and faith is understandable as it's real and genuine, but he also mixed it with a touch of humor which actually worked in an unique writing style. What I particularly enjoyed was the letters that Mark, his wife, and his other daughters wrote to Kylie around a year after her death.

Final Note: It's okay to question faith and God during hard times. But it's also important to remember that He's always with you and He will get you through it. It won't happen overnight, but with time and prayer, we, with God's support and grace, have the power to overcome those hard times.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

An Unforgivable Secret (J. E. B. Spredemann) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

18. An Unforgivable Secret by J. E. B. Spredemann

Synopsis:

Hannah has a good life. A beautiful home, a loving husband, and a wonderful Amish community are only a few of her daily blessings. But she has carried a heavy burden for years: a secret that no one must know. When tragedy strikes, her secret threatens to be revealed, jeopardizing everything she’s ever loved. Will Hannah be able to face her greatest fear and find God's purpose for her life?

My Review:

Hannah, Christian, and Samuel have all grown up together and throughout the story, you get glimpses of that through the years. Just like anybody else, the Amish have their secrets, but the consequences are even worse if those secrets are found out about. It is incredible in how the choices we make can impact us (and those around us in some cases) for the rest of our lives. The author did a great job of keeping it real and authentic. This is a story about love, forgiveness, and healing. It deals with heartbreak and tragedy, which turns into triumph. It reminded me of a saying that goes like this: when one door opens, another one opens. God blesses us in mysterious ways and sometimes we have to go through times of sadness and tragedy to receive a gift or blessing that's even better, that is more special and rewarding.

This was really hard to write without giving away spoilers. It deals with issues that can be hard to write about or even think about.

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Amazing Grace (Danielle Steel) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

17. Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel

Synopsis:

On a warm May night in San Francisco, the Ritz-Carlton ballroom shimmers with crystal and silver as a glittering, celebrity-studded crowd gathers for a charity dinner dance. The evening is perfect–until, just minutes before midnight, the room begins to sway. Glass shatters. And as the lights go out, people begin to scream….

In the earthquake’s aftermath, the lives of four strangers will converge.… Sarah Sloane, the beautiful wife of a financial whiz, watches her perfect world fall to pieces…. Grammy-winning singer Melanie Free, the event’s headliner, comes to a turning point in her life and career…. Photographer Everett Carson, a former war correspondent whose personal demons have demoted him to covering society parties, finds new purpose amid the carnage…and Sister Maggie Kent, a nun who normally works in jeans and high-tops with the homeless, searches through the rubble–and knows instantly that there is much work to be done….

As the city staggers back to life, a chain reaction of extraordinary events will touch each of the survivors.… For Sarah, it begins with the discovery of a crime and a betrayal, then a strength she never knew she had. For Melanie, volunteering at a refugee camp will open new worlds of possibility. And Everett will be shaken by the unlikely relationship he forges with Maggie, who helps him rebuild his shattered life–and upends her own in the process. But as a year passes, and the anniversary of the earthquake approaches, more surprises are in store–as each discovers the unexpected gifts in a tragedy’s wake…and the amazing grace of new beginnings.

My Review:
Danielle Steel delivered once again. Amazing Grace follows the lives of four people who come together in an unexpected way. When Sarah planned the annual charity event for work, she didn't expect the evening to end with tragedy as an earthquake strikes and shatters everything. Each of the four characters brought something unique to the story as they learn more about themselves during the aftermath. For Sarah, her life was perfect and her husband treated her well with whatever she wanted. She didn't know that he lived a private life as an embezzler and once he can't finish a transaction, the world as she knew it crumbles beneath her. Sarah discovers an impeccable strength in herself as she deals with his court case played out in public, the sentencing, and deciding to file for divorce because she can't look behind his betrayal. For Melanie, a pop singer who had it all, her life was controlled by her stage mom manager. She was the most sweetest and humble person. As she volunteers with a field hospital/refugee camp type of thing, Melanie finds out that there's more reward in helping others than there is in the power of money, no matter how much a person makes. She comes of age as she realizes she has free choice and can speak up and control her own life as a celebrity and incorporate her other dreams at the same time. For Everett, as a recovering alcoholic, he was back to covering celebrity and society parties for photography instead of what he really wanted to photograph. Through Maggie's help. Everett starts to rebuild all he lost from his past mistakes, including trying to reconnect with his son. He may have hit rock bottom, but he also finds a strength he never knew he had and learns that it's never too late to start over. And then there's Maggie, a nun who honors her life and work to the vow she made to God. She gives from the heart and enjoys helping people as she also provides medical assistance to everyone injured in the earthquake. As an unexpected relationship starts to form with Everett, she questions everything she gave up to become a nun and explores other options in a way.

All four characters grow and realize how much they got out of going through a tragedy during the aftermath throughout the course of a year. They each get their own amazing grace as they embark on new beginnings.

In this story, the earthquake they experience is said to be the biggest earthquake that San Francisco ever had. Since it's fiction, that's not true, but San Francisco did experience one of the biggest earthquakes in the world with the 1906 earthquake. Some of the things incorporated in the story comes from that.

As this book is called Amazing Grace, it has special meaning to me as Amazing Grace is my favorite hymn and song of all time. I just love the meaning behind it and how God is always there for you in times of struggle.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Daniel (Robin Merrill) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

16. Daniel by Robin Merrill

Synopsis:

Open Door Church has served as a homeless shelter for more than a decade, but when their pastor dies unexpectedly, those who remain struggle to take up the reins to keep the ministry going. And then there’s young Daniel, who seems to be working miracles in their midst, which of course, isn’t possible. Or is it?

My Review:

When a pastor started up a church, he also opened it up as a homeless shelter. Everything was going well for quite awhile, but it's thrown into disarray after the pastor dies suddenly and unexpectedly. Then it becomes a story of survival as there was no one left in charge in the event of his passing. I believe that those who took in the church for shelter had to attend the services, in addition to pitching in around the church as well. Since there was no protocol, they decide to sort of vote on who gets to lead them and it's someone who has been a crucial help to the church, although not homeless. While some good-hearted parishioners attempt to follow in the footsteps of the former pastor, there's a group of men who believe that they are supposed to be in charge and wants to ruin all the hard work put into the church and shelter by turning it into everything that it's not supposed to be.

At the heart of this novel (as it's aptly named after him) is Daniel, a little boy who can perform miracles by healing people. But only those he's supposed to heal. While his mom tries to keep it hidden, his secret comes out and all of a sudden he's supposed to heal everyone. Daniel doesn't know why he has this ability, but he also has a strong faith in God. Since he's only a kid, he can't put up with the pressure. And he's in further deep water when his taking about God and his faith gets them thrown out. Daniel was my favorite character because even though he has this special gift, he's just a sweet kid. He's one of the few people who believe that that church and shelter will go back to what it was supposed to be.

Daniel was definitely a page-turner. I enjoyed getting to know the families and parishioners of the church and shelter. There will be ones you love and ones you just love to hate. 

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~