Book Review: For Such a Time

Some wounds cannot be seen outwardly. Rescued from certain death by SS Kommandant Aric VonSchmidt, Hadassah Benjamin, who hides her Jewish identity with the name of Stella Muller, is apprehensive about becoming his secretary. Aric, weary of war, must manage the transit camp of Thereseinstadt in Czechoslovakia since he is no longer fit for combat.

Hadassah finds a strange mix of compassion and duty in the Kommandant. She appeals to his kindness on behalf of her people in the camp. Yet since she was forced into her position, her influence has limitations. She must stand by and watch many of them become destined for Auschwitz.

While there are some inmates who believe that Hadassah is there “for such a time” and will somehow be their rescuer, all hope seems lost and she must choose whether to turn to the God who made her and placed her there for help, sacrificing her own safety.

For Such a Time is an unlikely, tender love story, but more than that, it is an unique retelling of the story of Esther. Kate Breslin does an amazing job setting the story in the 20^th century. Much like Haman, Adolf Hitler and his followers singled out the Jews for ultimate destruction, forgetting the God of Israel is a force to be reckoned with. This World War II setting in a detainment camp is a fitting, parallel backdrop.

Breslin’s characters live on the pages, touching heart and soul. We can watch Hadassah having to make choices we’re thankful we're not faced with and feel for her in her circumstances. Though an SS Kommandant, Aric has deep hurts and is disillusioned about the glory of war, yet he is trapped. Both of them must face the truth, the lies and the consequences of choices made.

More than a wonderful debut novel, For Such a Time, is a beautiful tale of love and heartache during a desperate time in our world. You won’t want to put this one down.

My kitty, Lilybits, who often helps with the book reviews, is under the weather this week. She’ll tell you more about that next week. She did want me to share that she is glad there were no kitties in this book, since it was set in such a dreadful, dangerous place, but said it's an important story to tell. She gives For Such a Time four paws up!

Wednesday Whimsy - The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots - Book Review

Lilybits--not large, but in charge. I'm baaack!


The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots by Karla Akins

The Pastor’s Wife Wears Biker Boots made Mom and me laugh a lot. It also had some sad and tense moments, which made me lick my paws and do cat yoga to relax. I think Mom just ate chocolate, but you didn't hear that from me.

The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots is about Pastor Aaron Donovan’s wife, Kirstie, and her desire to find a way to get away and relax sometimes. She has a busy and challenging family life. Her oldest son, Timmy, is autistic and Kirstie shows him much love and patience. And so does her tough redneck friend, Reba, who helps her out with him. The middle teen son, Patrick, is struggling to figure life out and test boundaries. (I know all about testing boundaries!)   

With judgmental church members calling board meetings and looking for issues to stir up, Kirstie has her plate full. The one thing she wants to do is ride a motorcycle—her own—and feel the wind in her face on the open road. I’d like to feel the wind in my fur, but Mom won’t even let me out the patio door, let alone the open road!

When Kirstie is able to buy her own motorcycle with a small inheritance, her friends Reba, Opal and Lily join her with their own rides, and the adventure starts. People may talk, but that’s just the beginning . . .

Mom says and I concur that The Pastor’s Wife Wears Biker Boots is a great read, filled with honest emotions and humor, making you examine your own preconceived notions about people (and other cats, in my case). It touches your heart as Karla Akins deftly weaves a page turning, contemporary story with lifelike characters that deal with real life situations. It’s a fun, but not sugar-coated read. Mom and I highly recommend it. (Despite the fact that the family in
the book have a dog named Goliath and not a cat.
I'll let this one detail go.) Four paws up!  

Leave a comment and follow, if you haven't yet, to be entered
in this week's drawing on Friday morning for a copy of 
The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots.

Next week, I'm moving out of my comfort zone and interviewing
a dog! Karla Akins dog, Jakearoo, will be my guest next Wednesday.

MONDAY MOTIVATION

CHARACTER EXPLORATION

Have fun with your characters. When you get stuck, try a little exercise. I start by praying for God’s leading. Close your eyes and see your character. Where is he/she? Think about the sights, sounds and smells around them, putting yourself in their shoes. Now, what is your character doing? Talking to someone? Looking for something? Painting a picture or just a wall? Playing a musical instrument? Running down a road?

You may find new things out about your character you never thought of before. I had a character, who had a lost love she hadn’t told me about before. He returned to her life. I wound up with a whole new twist to my plot. My character actually winds up marrying this lost love, who becomes a stepfather to her son. This complicates family relationships and holds her back for a time from making important decisions she needs to make about her commitment to God.

It’s funny how a simple five or ten minute exercise of the imagination can help breathe new life into a story, give more depth to a character and guide them down paths we hadn’t originally planned.

Do you have a “stuck” two-dimensional character that needs to have more depth of “life” breathed into them? 

Last week's prompt

I took about five minutes to write about last week's prompt,

which was fresh-baked bread. It led me to reminisce about

my bread baking days, when my sons were younger. Here are

my results, with little editing:

I miss baking bread. When the boys were little, I ground my own white wheat berries in a grain mill, making it into flour. Then I used my mixer with the dough hook to create lovely, pliable dough. The dough had a grainy texture and a nutty taste.

As the dough sat in a warm spot to rise, you could smell the yeast. Then as each loaf baked and was removed from the oven, the scent of honey and wheat blended with the yeasty goodness. I couldn’t wait until it cooled enough to slice and slather with butter. And my boys, big and little lined up for a chance to sample the golden-brown bread. 

Did you use last week's prompt and find it helpful? Here's a new prompt--write

about: Sunshine

WE HAVE A WINNER FOR LAST WEEK'S DRAWING!

Davalynn Spencer is the winner of the Amazon Gift Card! Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who participated!

This week, please leave a comment for a chance to win an ebook edition

of Linda Glaz's Miss Fishfly, which Lily will be reviewing on Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY WHIMSY

Lilybits (photo courtesy of
my nephew, John Hensel)

I told Mom that I thought this should be called Lily’s Literary Corner, but she complained about the fact that it would limit her creativity and asked me, “What about people who don’t like cats?” As if! Who wouldn’t adore six pounds of gray tabby with big green eyes and a sweet purr? Besides, I try to say things like “mom” and “no”. I’m really good at the second one. Anyway, when Mom told me that I could do book reviews and author interviews sometimes, but she reserved the right to decide what gets posted, I found a discreet place on the living room couch to sharpen my claws.

I need to find something to do while Mom and Dad aren’t here to annoy, so I read. My first book review will be for Hearts Crossing by Marianne Evans.

Landscape architect, Daveny Montgomery, and high school English teacher, Collin Edwards, meet when he helps out during the landscaping around Woodland Church of Christ. Daveny wonders why he doesn’t go to church with his family. Collin is intrigued by the talented and hardworking Daveny.

Collin has been running from God, but the more time he spends with Daveny, the more he realizes he must face the bitterness a tragedy caused. Will Daveny wait on God and give Collin a chance? Will Collin open up to Daveny and look to God for healing? It’s a great story of hope for those who care about prodigals, at least that’s what Mom said.

The hero and heroine were compelling. I mean, I could almost feel their humanness. Ms. Evans gives her characters real depth and both Mom and I really enjoyed this novella. Even though cats weren’t integral to the plot and there’s no mention of eating grass as a delicacy, rather than just planting it, I give this story four paws up! (Since I don’t have opposable thumbs. Rats!)

Leave a comment or follow if you want to be entered into a drawing for an Amazon gift card this week!