ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE

Pulication date 1/10/24

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW by MICHELLE SHOCKLEE is a beautifully written novel with unforgettable characters and a  strong Christian message.I particularly like the way the author shows how the Jews were treated by the Nazis, even in the prisoner of war camps in America. With Anti-Semitism so entrenched in society it is important for us who profess to be Christians to stand for the Jews as never before.

The two timelines, 1942 and 1969, flow really well together as we follow the lives of Ava Delaney in 1942 and Mattie Tayler in 1969, both taking place on Delaney’s Horse Farm in Tullahoma.

Mattie is an angry young woman, blaming her father and her brother’s best friend Nate McCullum for not stopping her twin Mark from joining up to fight in Vietnam. She leaves home a week after Mark’s funeral trying drugs and free sex…..

She is called back home by her father when her mother is dying. She finds Nash, who has lost an arm in the war, working with her father on the farm. She finds it hard to get over her anger, although she feels guilty for running away when she should have been there to look after her mother. 

There are a lot of secrets in this family which she is gradually learning - things are definitely not as they seem - especially when she reads the letters in her mother’s shoebox…..

In 1942 Ava Delaney’s husband Richard dies at Pearl Harbour and she is left living on the Delaney farm with his angry and disapproving mother, Gertrude. In order to get out of the house she takes on a job at Camp Forrest working for Dr Colonel Hew Foster. …..

Gunther Schneider, a medical student at Columbia’s Medical School, is arrested and sent to Camp Forrest where he starts out as an orderly in the hospital and is promoted to the clinic when he saves someone’s life…..

We are caught up in the characters’ emotions as the various secrets unfold. I like the hope and unconditional love that comes through so strongly

I specially like the part horses play in the story….

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

THE FORGE by CHRIS FABRY

Publication date 6/8/24

THE FORGE by CHRIS FABRY is a beautiful story of redemption, full of life and Scripture that fits in,  not only with  Cynthia and Isaiah Wright’s problems, but will minister to the readers. I really enjoyed the story and the characters, and was pleased to come across the indomitable prayer warrior, Miss Clara, and the Jordan family from War Room.

Cynthia works hard at her hairdressing salon and keeps her lazy, game playing and drinking husband and their son Isaiah going. She is terrified of Isaiah becomibg like his father,  and when Darren walks out on them it looks like her worst fears are coming true. She tries very hard to be both mother and father to her son…..

Joshua Moore, owner of Moore Fitness, sees something in the angry young man who comes looking for a job and becomes a father figure to Isaiah. Joshua and his friends meet twice a month at The Forge which is a place of discipleship, where the mascot is a sword, bringing to mind the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which destroys rhe works of tge enemy…..

This is a story about choices made, overcoming fear with faith, the importance of forgiveness, dealing with rejection, unconditional love and the importance of never giving up in prayer. In fact it is about living life God’s way.

I cannot recommend this encouraging and inspirational read highly enough.

I was given an ARC copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.