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Title: Never Let You Go
Author: Erin Healy
ISBN: 9781595547507
Publisher: Thomas Nelson/2010
Pages: 352
Molly is all that Lexi has. She can do anything for her daughter. Her husband had left them seven years' ago, without a single word. Even when he was with them, he was a drug addict, involved in seedy stuff, along with some disreputable characters. One day Warden, a drug dealer, comes back into her life, asking her to pay off Grant's old debts. Lexi is not aware of anything like that. She doesn't have that kind of money. Then Grant too re-enters her life, and wishes to see their daughter.
Lexi can't take all this. There is something in her past that she is not proud of and doesn't wish it to come out. But with Grant and Warden back in her life, each wanting a slice of her, she knows, she is in trouble. She doesn't know what to do and whom to turn too. It is not all, she can also feel supernatural elements, playing a part, affecting her equilibrium. And she has to deal with that.
After a while it ceases to matter if her past comes out or not. Only thing important is to save her daughter and for that she has to believe herself and chose the lesser of the two evils, between Grant and Warden.
Never Let You Go is a very well written book. The supernatural part doesn't seem out of place. Lexi doesn't fear anyone for herself but she fears for her daughter. That is a normal part being a parent. The prose is very good and the story line is very engrossing. I have not read anything else by Erin Healy, but I will.
Title: A Summer Secret
Author: Kathleen Fuller
ISBN: 9781400315932
Publisher: Tommy Nelson/2010
Pages: 268
A Summer Secret is targeted for young adults and is the first in a series called The Mysteries of Middlefield. It is based in Middlefield. Ohio and focusses on an Amish family. Mary Beth is a 13-year-old Amish girl, who is sick of her three brothers. She hates their pranks and the way they thrust their responsibilities on her. She also has a lot of chores which includes babysitting her youngest brother, Micah. To escape from all this, she has a hiding place in a dilapidated old barn, where she also writes a journal in the form of sketches and words.
One day she discovers that someone has been coming into her barn. First she thinks it is her twin Johnny but he denies it. So they set out to find out who has been visiting the barn. When they do get to know about that person, they set out to help him in the form of food and clothes. Now both of them are keeping a secret from their Mami and Daed.
Mary Beth and Johnny know that they can't hide the secret for long and have to tell their Mami and Daed. Before they can do that, the barn is struck by lightening and is burnt down. Mary Beth has to tell them the secret. However, the person who had been living there had left it much before the fire as he and Mary Beth had fought before that.
Mary Beth and Johnny are lying to their parents. Even if it was for a good cause, that didn't gel with me. I also found that Mary Beth is given too much chores and she doesn't have any time for herself. But I had all sympathies for the person hiding in the barn. He really had a tough life and had nowhere else to go.
As I have three brothers, I could relate to Mary Beth to a certain extent but truthfully speaking I never had to do so much work in my teenage years. I truly can't comment on the Amish way of life as I don't know much about it. But I do think, kids deserve so much better. Mary Beth and Johnny get closer to each other as twins ought to be and that is a good thing. With simplistic prose, somewhat predictable ending, it is a clean read for young adults.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for my copy.
My son was dead. I knew it the minute I saw the black-and-white car pull to the curb in front of my house.
Title: Leaving Yesterday
Author: Kathryn Cushman
ISBN: 9780764203824
Publisher: Bethany House/2009
Pages: 311
Alisha Stewart has lost her older son in a violent death and the other one Kurt took to drugs after his brother's murder. She hasn't heard from him for the past 18 months and fears the worst when a police officer turns up at her place. But the police is there to question Kurt about a murdered drug dealer. Then Kurt calls from a rehab and Alisha is grateful for being given a second chance. It turns out that he is the murder suspect and Alisha doesn't know how far she can go to protect him.
Leaving Yesterday deals with more than the prodigal son. Alisha and her husband Rick, are separated and now she is struggling being a single mother looking after their 10-year-old daughter, Caroline. She is also involved with church work, spreading the message of right and wrong. When she has to decide between her son and seeking the truth, she is in a dilemma. Here a mother's love weighs against the right path.
Kurt has turned around his life for the better and he deserves a second chance. He doesn't remember his drug-hazed days and is not sure if he killed the drug dealer or not. Everyone is desperate to find out the truth and Alisha leads the way, fully well knowing the consequences, if Kurt is found guilty.
The book tends to deviate at places, dwelling on the separation of Alisha and her husband, Rick. But I liked the bonding between the siblings, Kurt and Caroline. They adore each other. On seeing her brother, Caroline's happiness spills over the pages and the reader can feel the palpable affection between the two.
Title: Plain Pursuit
Author: Beth Wiseman
ISBN: 9781595547194
Publisher: Thomas Nelson/2009
Pages: 336
Carley Marek has a lot of personal issues to deal with. Her boss sends on her forced vacation and she finds herself visiting her friend Lillian, who lives in a farm in a Amish country. Lillian has found love there and has given up old ways and embraced Amish faith fully and is at peace with herself. Carley too wishes for the same kind of peace for herself. She also wants to write about the Amish way of living.
David, Lillian's step son is taken for sick and only man can save him. That man is Noah,who has been shunned from the community, including his own family. Samuel, David's father is not keen to accept Noah's help but Carley knows that there is no other way. Noah too has many demons but he can't simply let David dies and can go to any length to save the boy.
Carley is confused by all this and yet is there for everyone, standing in for anyone who needs her. Including Noah. She is drawn into the midst of their faith, its effect on people. Noah, Samuel and their families have to deal with their griefs, and are in a dillemma about how to care for their own even if he is shunned. Carley knows she has found love in Noah but she doesn't wish to tie him down.
I especially liked the character of Noah. He knows that his calling is healing people and he will do that, no matter how it affects him personally. He misses his family, mostly Samuel, with whom he had a good bonding. His family have written occasional letters to him. Only Samuel is the rigid one who has made no effort to contact his brother. Even when his son, David is sick, Samuel does not want anyting to do with Noah. However, he does get over his dilemma and we see both the brothers make an effort to bond again. Other family members do rally around.
It is book about faith, healing, forgiveness and unexpected blessings. The characters are very real and we can feel their pain as well as pleasure. I also learnt much about Amish people, their faith and beliefs. Thanks to Thomas Nelson for my copy.
