The Masterpiece - Francine Rivers

♥♥♥♥♥

You see that one of your favourite Christian authors has a new book, in a normal world you would say the plot is simple, boy meets girl, they fall in love and life happily ever after. But then you remember this is Francine Rivers and that you are in for the rollercoaster ride of your life.

I listened to the audiobook of this book narrated by Susan Bennett, who I think was a great choice for this book, she really brought a different dimension to the book and made a lasting impression on me.

A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want--money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman's past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn't know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist--an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it's as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship--and both their lives--forever

This was probably one of my favourite books by Francine Rivers, only Redeeming Love will hold a bigger place in my heart. It's one of those stories that stays with you even months after you have read it. It is action packed and has enough added characters to make a well-rounded novel.

As always Rivers knows how to write beautiful stories for her characters, stories that you as a reader can relate to, that can show you a glimmer of hope at the end of your tunnel and teaches you a lesson along with her characters. With Rivers, you can be guaranteed that you will be completely satisfied after she has send you on an emotional rollercoaster.

Sticky Fingers 3 - JT Lawrence

♥♥♥♥♥

JT Lawrence is back with more short stories that are creepier than ever.

You won't be able to get these deliciously twisted tales out of your head...

Grab them while they're hot and sticky.

There is no use denying this, I am a huge Lawrence fan, I have read almost all of her published works, and I can't see this changing anytime soon. This is another well-written collection of short stories. Each story was gripping, and I will always praise Lawrence for her writing.

The collection consists of 12 riveting short stories, some leaving the hairs on the back of your neck standing, others leaving you gasping for air from laughing, all of them keeping you engrossed and hoping there will be more. 

From this collection my favourites were definitely The Shelter, Would you take the noose around your neck if it meant saving everyone you knew? The Children in the Walls, The storm tried to keep her out; she should have listened. And Fenrir, A Viking is called to fulfil his bloody destiny despite his desire to stay home with his love. There is also an old favourite who makes a return in this collection. 

Reviews for the previous books can be found HERE and HERE

You can get your copy here

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

♥♥♥♥♥

As we all know, there are many books about the Holocaust out there, what made this one different?

The author truly knew how to put the true story of Lale Sokolov in such a way that will haunt you, this book made my heart race, I was rooting for Lale, I wanted, no I needed him to survive, I wanted to see him and Gita overcome all the odds. This book kept me up until 1 in the morning, it was beautifully written and so descriptive, I could see everything in my mind's eye. 

It is one thing to know that even in these horrible circumstances, love and hope can overcome anything and a whole different thing to read how this was the case for these people.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.

"To save one is to save the world." 

There will be a lot of people who will tell you that you don't need to read another book about the Holocaust, I don't agree with this. We need to keep reading books like this, books that will show us that this is something that did happen, this is something that can happen again, and if we just sweep it under the rug and try to forget about it, we are contributing to the problem. 

Books like these show the resilience of how humans can work together and overcome anything in their path. Lale was one of these people who made the best out of a bad experience, who saw a way of helping people while doing something that will have survivors look back on it for years to come. 

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

♥♥♥♥♥

We as friends decided this year to try our hands at some classic reads, and of course, this came up. and how happy am I that I finally read this? Sure you can watch the adaptions, but they definitely don't do this any justice. 

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Thandie Newton and she brought it to life, I loved the accents and the pace she set for the book. 

To me the surprise was that even though this book was written in the 1800s, Jane still felt relevant, I could still relate to her. To me, she is a well-rounded character, who although she experienced so much she still held her head high and made the best of a bad situation. Mr. Rochester was the kind of character that you would either hate or love, I just happen to really like him a lot. 

Sure if you want a love story, you might feel a little disappointed, but to read how a young woman became a strong independent woman who stood up for herself, who didn't lie down when the world was against her, then this is definitely the story for you. 

A Life made of Lava – Lissa Del

♥♥♥♥♥

Looking for characters that are instantly likeable? This book is for you. 

A story that will draw you in from the very beginning? This book is for you. 

One that will make you face your worse fears? Jip, you guessed it, this one is for you.

Evie Danvers has three beautiful, if slightly out of control, children; a stray cat named Dr. Moxley and a best friend who drinks unapologetically at 9 a.m. Evie also has stage four bone cancer and a gallows sense of humour that drives her husband, Nick, demented.

I adored Evie’s sense of humour, from making jokes about her own demise to pranking her mother-in-law. Evie hires a nanny, who she ensures will be perfect for the family, especially after she is gone.

As always Lissa Del knows how to spin a story in such a way that it draws you in from the first page, right through to the last, this one is no exception. You are guaranteed to laugh and cry with the characters. 

It is beautifully written and when dealing with a difficult subject such as cancer, I think the author did a wonderful job. 

A special mention also to this cover that is beautiful and just grabs your attention immediately

Sticky Fingers 2: Another 12 Short Stories – JT Lawrence

♥♥♥♥♥

I thoroughly enjoyed the first collection of short stories, craving more the whole time. When I heard that there is a new collection I placed my order and kept willing Lawrence to finish quickly. 

I was not disappointed.

It is fully loaded with stories that are beautifully written and even some that left me thirsting for a full novel.

There is a little of everything, stories that will creep you out, that will make you laugh and even some that will make you doubt your reality.

Of course, no reader can say that when reading these collections, that they can’t pick a favourite. There are some of these stories that will stay with me and I will reread them. 

If you read the previous collection of short stories there is even an old favourite that will make a reappearance and leave you with a stitch in your side from laughing.  

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

♥♥♥♥♥

It’s been a while since a book has knocked me out of the field. What a remarkable book.

I read this book with friends, and let me tell you I wish I read it sooner. We were enthralled from the first page right through to the end, speculating late into the night, coming up with theories, getting frustrated but enjoying every single minute of it.

It does read a little like Australian desperate housewives but do you know what, I loved it. The characters crept into my heart, I wanted to fight for Celeste, I wanted to shake Jane out of her funk, and Madeline was probably my favourite, although I think that in real life she would’ve irritated me.

The plot had me guessing until the big reveal, it was frustrating but at the same time, I couldn’t put the book down, and that is what a great book is to me, I want to be so engrossed in a book that I forget about my life and what I have to actually be doing otherwise. Personally, I appreciate the way the author handled the big issues in this book, tackling domestic abuse, divorce and it’s aftermath and many more.

When an author can write characters like this, that crawls into your life you can’t help falling in love. I can’t wait to read more by Liane Moriarty.

Sticky Fingers - J.T. Lawrence (AUDIOBOOK)

♥♥♥♥♥

When Janita announced that she was releasing an audiobook of this one, I knew I had to get a copy. Luckilly I had some credits saved on Audible and could get it as soon as it was released. 

The Bianca Flanders is an asset to this book, I enjoyed her voice and it definitely brought out the best in each of the stories. 

I already reviewed the book, it can be found here

The book contains the following stories with a short review of each:

Escape follows as suicidal baby, the determination was palpable, and the ending, what a twist.

She did it, a battered woman is found in a pool of her dead husband’s blood, with a detective that didn’t quite trust his gut feeling.

Bridge Gate a series of letters between a young girl and her estranged father. I love these kinds of stories that is written in the form of letters. This one is one that I would love a full novel.

The Itch an itch that just won’t go away, such an intense story that drew me in.

The unsuspecting gold digger a woman finds herself engaged to an extremely wealthy man, this one knocked me out of the park, another one I wouldn’t mind reading more, and that end, what a shock!

Something Borrowed The broken hearted bride. This story had me grabbing tissues.

Pigeon Pair Pigeon’s so many pigeon’s, such a cute start and then the end, damn pigeons.

Grey Magic if you would like a story about a modern witch, and you like this short story, there is a full novel now available, with a second one on its way.

The Little Pink Book A midwife with a twist, couldn’t help but picture Call the Midwife in my head, but the end was definitely not what I expected. This one will stay with me for a while.

Travelling slacks a holiday review gone bad, giggle inducing. Such a wonderful story, in the form of reviews on a website.

Sticky Fingers A kleptomaniac telling her story, how she got started, you will laugh, gasp, and shake your head in disbelieve.

Off the Hinge Such a sad story and definitely a great way to end this wonderful collection. 

What Have we Done – JT Lawrence

♥♥♥♥♥ 

In tomorrow's world where the edges blur between addictive virtual reality and real life, would you hurt your daughter if it was the only way to set her free?

Lawrence strikes again in this action pack final book in the When Tomorrow Calls series. She grabs you from the first page and drags you on a virtual rollercoaster ride until the last full stop.

We meet up with beloved characters with a couple of new characters that will draw you into this epic tale of what can happen in the future. This thrilling heart racing Dystopian-thriller makes you sit back and think and realise what Lawrence has concocted isn’t such a far-fetched idea.

Reaching the end of the story I found myself shocked and cursing Lawrence, the reveal, in the end, blew my mind. The way Lawrence picks up all the loose threads from all the books and brings them all together to weave this intricate story is why I love reading her books. This is exactly what I will always expect from Lawrence. The writing as always is beautiful, and she has now proven that she can pick any genre and I will gladly follow along, well maybe I will draw the line at Horror, please don't write horror. 

For this reader who usually stays away from thrillers, I can guarantee you, this book will keep even the technophobes on their toes or give them new fears of technology, either way, this was a fast-paced read. 

Click for reviews of Why You Were Taken and How We Found You

The Memory of Water - JT Lawrence

♥♥♥♥♥

This settles it, Janita can basically write any genre and I would read it. The way she draws you in no matter what her subject is, just blew my mind. At first, I was a little sceptic about the book, as it doesn’t fall within my normal genre’s but then I read it and she has opened a whole genre for me.

I listened to the audiobook of The Memory of Water, the narrator has a rich, deep voice that lulls you into a false sense of security, and then Janita’s words rocks your world and makes you think twice about what you just listened to. I actually listened to the ending twice, it was just that good.

This story follows Slade Harris, an author whose past catches up with him and he goes through writer’s block. He then come’s up with a dangerous idea, an idea that will be the making of his next best-seller.

There were a lot of characters who played a big part in this book, and they all grabbed your attention, pulling you along with the story. Slade was a well-rounded character and in the end, I couldn’t believe all that he had been through, I felt sorry for him, agitated with him, frustrated for him. The writing is beautiful and just confirms in my mind that Lawrence is one of my favourite writers.

This book has something for everyone, if you like thrillers, this is the book for you. In the mood for something a little bit more steamy than your average book, this one is for you. Looking for a book that is character driven and makes you want to finish it in one sitting, yet still stretch it out as long as possible. This is the book for you.

You can get your copy of either the Audiobook or the Kindle 

Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

♥♥♥♥♥ 

This is one of those books when it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve read it, it still draws me in and I get lost in the tale.

It’s set in 1850’s during the California gold rush. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel has had a hard life and doesn’t expect anything from men that is until she meets Michael Hosea. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly but surely he breaks down Angel’s walls until her frozen heart starts to thaw.

We read this as part of our reading with friends for July. At first, I thought maybe it won’t be the same experience I had when I first read it many years ago. I was right, it wasn’t the same, but in a good way. I drew a different message out of the book and experienced it on a whole different level.

This is one of the most inspiring Christian Fiction books that I’ve read and that just gives more credit to Rivers. The story pulls you in, it’s heart-wrenching, and shows you a different side to the gold rush. Of course it isn’t a straight forward story, there were scenes that really makes you uncomfortable, but in my opinion, Rivers doesn’t just add it in to shock you. Everything in the story has a purpose and will tie up the threads to weave a beautiful story.

The characters are very well written. You can’t help but fall in love with Michael and wish for a love story where a man will go to all that trouble for you. The way Rivers had written Angel and how you can see her grow throughout the book is the inspiration for my own writing. 

Riven - Lissa Del AKA Melissa Delport

♥♥♥♥♥

 After reading Rainfall I thought to myself, don't think this will be just your average contemporary romance, expect the unexpected. Lissa Del AKA Melissa Delport did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat, my phone had a couple of very purposeful flings across my desk, and she had me chocked-up with emotion. Exactly what I want from this author.

One thing that I both hate and love about Riven is that you can't really tell someone what it is about without giving the plot away. The safest I can do is say. It's about a girl who meets a boy, their love story is something that makes you yearn for your own version of it, and then there is a major plot twist that even though I was waiting for it, I did not expect.

This book was angsty with just enough frustration added to leave you gasping for more.

The characters are well written and I fell in love with them all almost right away. The one thing I truly appreciate is that all the characters in the book had a role to play, it wasn't just a reason to fill some pages.

Overall this was another great book by Lissa Del and I would recommend her books in a heartbeat.

Wonder – R.J. Palacio

♥♥♥♥♥

This book was a wonderful eye-opener, something that makes you think, and I hope that more children and adults will read this, especially when the movie comes out.

This book is about August, a boy who was born with a facial birth defect. After several operations to help his live a normal life his parents decide it is time to send him to mainstream school. He is about to start 5^th grade which means he won’t be the only new kid at school. This is the story where Auggie has to show his friends that although his face is different to theirs he is just like them.

Auggie was a great character and I really enjoyed him so much, to be fair all the characters were really likeable. The flow of the book was gripping and it pulled me in from the beginning, with short chapters and a couple of parts through the viewpoint of different characters.

Reading this book has made me remember how mean kids can really be. I by no means had any facial deformities, but as someone who underwent a lot of surgeries that left me with scars on my leg, it reminded me of all the names I was called, and the questions children had about it.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone to read, even though it is a middle-grade book, pick it up and read it. It teaches you compassion, and definitely not to judge someone by the way they look.

How We Found You – J.T. Lawrence

This week we have a local author who I think needs so much more recognition. Her books are a guarantee buy when I see there is a new one one out, I have multiple copies of her books, and I love recommending her books. For those who have been around for a while, you might've noticed I haven't been giving that many Five hearts this year, well it took a JT Lawrence book to break the drought. 

♥♥♥♥♥

Words can’t describe how much I loved this book, but I will try my best.

Usually, with the second book in a series, it feels more like a filler book, one to tide you over for the last one. This sure wasn’t the case, it was action packed, with a storyline that was gripping.

How we Found you is the sequel to Why you were taken, a book set in the not so distant future in South Africa. I love that the futuristic elements weren’t as mind boggling as most authors tend to do. There were a lot of elements were you could actually see this happening. The story follows Kate, 4 years after the events of the previous book (GO READ IT). This book shows the lengths a mother will go to, to save her children.

Another thing that really impressed me was the way Lawrence juggled a couple of characters viewpoints in this book, and I didn’t get confused or lose the thread that she weaved throughout the book. Each character had their moment that made their part in the story vital.

Lawrence had me from the very first page right through to the last one! I needed my inhaler after reading some of the scenes as they were so intense. I adore her writing style and truly think this is an author who definitely needs more recognition.

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery

♥♥♥♥♥

When this book was recently released as an audiobook narrated by Rachel McAdams, this brought back so much nostalgia from reading these books when I was younger. I can probably guarantee that I had a silly grin the whole time.

The fun begins when Anne Shirley arrives in Avonlea, the awaited orphan that siblings, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert had asked for. They were surprised to find the red-headed girl waiting for them. Anne is bright and quick and eager to help, but this somehow ends up landing her into a lot of mischief.

I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series again.

The Trouble with Flying – Rachel Morgan

♥♥♥♥♥

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through this one, it was short, witty and blew me away. The characters were lovable and to me Sarah was relatable.

It follows Sarah, a nineteen-year-old introvert who boards a plane to fly back home after her overseas holiday, on the flight, she meets Aiden, the guy who sits next to her, Sarah goes outside of her comfort zone and spend the flight talking to Aiden for hours.

I enjoyed the twist in the story, Rachel Morgan had me gasping, chuckling at the witty banter between the characters, and doing a quick stop at our local shop as I was craving Zoo Biscuits like there was no tomorrow.

Definitely a great read and will be diving into the rest of the series ASAP.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

♥♥♥♥♥

This brought back so much nostalgia! My teenage years cuddled up with the latest Harry Potter, my sister and I fighting over the copy and giving in that if we read it aloud that both can experience the story at once. Made me really miss her this time around.

Some of our favourite characters are back, there were a couple of heart-wrenching moments, where I couldn’t help but swear at J.K. for putting us through this once again.

You get to experience Harry Potter’s trials and emotions one more time, and it sure doesn’t disappoint.

I can imagine that this is an amazing play, and I hope that we get to see it somehow one day.

A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman

♥♥♥♥♥

This one hit me right in the feels. I adored this story, the writing was captivating, the story pulled me in from the beginning.

“Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbour from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered on his face all the time?”

As with everything in life, there is more than meets the eye. Ove has a lot of issues, and you get to know his back story piece by piece, and those pieces just gives you a punch in the gut. The story of Ove and how he slowly but surely thaws around his neighbours is so enduring.

It is definitely a feel-good story, with an ending that makes you reach for tissues and chocolates, and if I was the wine drinking kind of person, I would down a whole bottle.

This is going to make my top Five for the year, and will pull more of Frederik Backman's book closer