Esther: another example of an ordinary person being used for an extraordinary purpose

Esther is a major hero of the Bible. Her story is one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman (the other book is Ruth). The Jews were exiled from Judah a hundred years earlier as Jerusalem fell in 587 BC by Babylon. When Babylon fell to Persia, Jews became under Persian power. Esther was an orphan, raised by her cousin, in a foreign land. With great beauty, she captured the eye of the most powerful man in Persia. She shows great courage in a crisis. As she faced a situation that could risk her life, she fasted as she sought God’s guidance and wisdom. Her story and actions helped create the festival of Purim. What is her story? Why is fasting important? Esther is an example of God using ordinary people for his purpose. What other examples to we have to see the power of the impossible? 

Her story begins with Vashti, the queen of Persia. When Xerxes, the king of Persia, ordered Vashti to appear before a gathering of his nobles, she refused and she was forever banished. Xerxes sought a new  queen to take Vashti’s place. Esther was among the women gathered and Mordecai urged her to keep her Jewish origins a secret. When her turn came, Xerxes was very pleased with Esther that he made her queen. After some time, a man named Haman rose to power, so powerful that others knelt before him. Everyone except Mordecai. Haman became so angry that he plotted to eliminate not just Mordecai but all Jews. When Mordecai discovered the plot, he pleaded with Esther to intervene but she knew she needed to tread lightly. In order to prepare herself for her intervention, she fasted for three days. After her fast, she sought the king. In his presence, he extends his scepter, a symbol that the audience is acceptable, and asks her for her request. This is where Esther was smart, instead of coming out and telling Xerxes about the plot, she invites the king and Haman to a series of banquets. As she gets Haman comfortable and confident, she exposes his plot to Xerxes. The king becomes furious and orders Haman’s death. A situation that could have been the death of the Jews became the celebration of Purim which is celebrated annually on the 14th and 15th days of Adar (February/March). 

Fasting is a period of time when no food is eaten and can be a tool to devote extra time in meditation and prayer. It was used in special circumstances when we seek extra consideration from God with our petitions. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, fasting has been used as a call for deeper reflection on sins and repentance. In 2 Chronicles 20:3, King Jehoshaphat called for Judah to fast in order to demonstrate their change of heart, repentance from sin and their true devotion. In Ezra 8:23, he fasted and prayed and God answered his prayer. In Joel 1:14, there’s a call to declare a holy fast as a cry out to God. However, do not use fasting as a manipulation or show how much more righteous or holy you: are compared to others. Jesus taught to fast in secret unlike the Pharisees who used it to show how holy they were (Matthew 6:16-17, Mark 2:18). They twisted the purpose of fasting. They fasted to impress others and not to please God. Isaiah 58 discusses two types of fast. First, the wicked fast (verses 3-5) is displeasing to God, filled with bitterness, strife, and deceit. This fast is the one the Pharisees embarked in because everyone knew they were fasting. They were gloomy, unapproachable and religious. Second, the purifying fast (verses 6-7) is pleasing to God as it is filled with kindness, loving your neighbor as yourself and bringing yourself closer to God. 

Esther is another example of God using the ordinary for extraordinary. She was an orphan who became queen of an empire. She was a nobody who became somebody. She risked her life to take a stand for herself and for others. The Bible is filled with the most unlikely, ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary feats for His divine purpose. He had Noah, a drunk, to build the Ark (Genesis 6-9). He took Abraham and Sarah, an older couple, and used them to build a nation (Genesis 11-25). God took Joseph, a spoiled teen, to save nations from a famine (Genesis 37-50). He took Moses, a stuttering man and and murderer, and made him a leader (Exodus 3-4). God used Rahab, a prostitute, to conquer a city (Joshua 2). He used David, a shepherd boy, to kill a giant (1 Samuel 17) and made him a king (2 Samuel 5). He took twelve ordinary men and made his disciples. God took a man who was an avowed enemy and turned him into the most prolific Christian writer in the New Testament (Acts 9:1-19). He’s not looking for people who are perfect, talented or influential. He’s looking for people who are willing and He’ll provide the rest. He is seeking someone to say “Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8). God sees all our faults, our flaws and sees our heart. For what is impossible with men is possible with God (Zechariah 8:6, Luke 18:27). 

In conclusion, as a Jewish woman, Esther was weakest among the weak and God took her and placed her in a position to save His people. Earthly powers will seek to kill and destroy but heavenly powers will save and preserve. The Jews faced elimination. Their sorrow was turned into joy. Fasting is a tool we can use to give more time to meditation and prayer. It is a tool which requires humility and urgent prayer. It is not to appear more religious or holy to others but to draw closer to God and his divine purpose. Esther used fasting to prepare herself to stand up for her people, risking her life in the process. The Bible is filled with examples of God using the ordinary for the extraordinary. God can still use us, the ordinary, for his glory. We just need to be willing and he will help us become able. 

The Hope Chest: family drama about love, hope and healing

The Hope Chest by Carolyn Brown is a family drama about finding love, hope and family. Three estranged cousins, Nessa, Flynn and April, gather in Blossom, Texas for the finalization of their grandmother’s will. After a year in court when Nessa’s father, Isaac, tries to contest the will on the grounds that his mother was not in her right mind, the cousins set out to fulfill her final wishes. The cousins share the inheritance of her house as well as a hope chest that was to be unlocked when they complete a special task. They must finish her cherished quilt. As they set out to hand stitch the quilt, Nessa, Flynn and April work on piecing together their own lives. For Nessa, the house was an escape from her strict parents. Flynn is determined to end the lifestyle that his father raised him on and April returns to Blossom looking for answers to her troubled childhood. Thread by thread, memory by memory, the three cousins piece together their grandmother’s troubled past, the secrets she held tight against her chest and their own healing toward a brighter future.

My mom had a hope chest that sat at the end of her bed when I was growing up. It was filled with pictures and mementoes. When I came across this book, I was intrigued by what the cousins would find inside their hope chest. The Hope Chest is a good family drama dealing with many deep issues. From past hurts, life changing decisions, mental illness, parental expectations and forging one’s own path, The Hope Chest is a slower moving novel as Nessa, Flynn and April come together, each with their own hurts, desires, and hopes. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “Failure doesn’t have to define us. It can be the turning point in our lives that leads us to something better.” There is a bit of romance but it doesn’t overshadow the family drama and healing these three go through. My only real complaint is that Flynn is often teased for being short. He’s described as 5’8” which isn’t overly tall for a man but is above the average height for men (which is 5’6”). Overall, I enjoyed The Hope Chest and highly recommend it. 

The Hope Chest is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Scene of the Grind: small town, coffee and murder

Scene of the Grind is the first book in the Killer Coffee Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Roxanne “Roxy” Bloom has returned to Honey Springs, Kentucky after her bitter divorce. She opens the first coffee house, The Bean Hive, in the tourist lakefront town. There is excitement in the air as the town is updating its boardwalk businesses in order to increase tourism. Excitement turns to suspicions when Roxy discovers Alexis Roarke dead in her shop, the Crooked Cat Bookstore. Roxy’s Aunt Maxi is an immediate suspect as she owns the building and Maxi had a very public argument with Alexis over the rent. As the gossip heats up, Roxy decides to uncover the killer’s identity to prove that her aunt is not the perpetrator but will her investigation risk her life too? 

Scene of the Grind was an enjoyable cozy mystery that kept me guessing until the end. It also had an element of a second chance romance between Roxy and her boyfriend from her teens, Patrick. As with most mystery stories, the first obvious suspect isn’t always the real killer, but I wouldn’t always bank on that because mystery authors like to throw curve balls. The identity of the killer in Scene of the Grind wasn’t on my radar at all. When I looked back on the clues, there was one that jumped out at me as an “aha moment” after the killer was revealed. Overall, I enjoyed Scene of the Grind and look forward to reading more of this series. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend Scene of the Grind. 

Scene of the Grind is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Careful What You Wish: another addition to The Wishing Tree series

Careful What You Wish by Ashley Farley is the seventh book in The Wishing Tree series. Mary May has been adrift. Her husband left her, she has no children and she’s on the verge of losing her home. Now she has lost her housekeeping job. With no income, she has lost all hope that she can repair her family’s dilapidated home. As a sarcastic joke, she ties a wish to the town’s famous wishing tree. She never expected her wish to come true and come true in an amazing fashion! All of a sudden her maple tree sprouts hundred dollar bills resulting in thousands of dollars. As she makes the necessary repairs, she begins to go on a spending spree and gives herself a much needed makeover. Soon she realizes that it wasn’t money she truly needs but friends. As her wish becomes a blessing and a curse, she must discover the true meaning behind her wish fulfillment. 

I have been enjoying The Wishing Tree immensely which is why it hurts to not enjoy Careful What You Wish. The story didn’t seem to fit with the others. Despite being from the town, no one seems to know or recognize Mary which doesn’t jive with the small town atmosphere. While the other books had small overlap with each other, Careful What Your Wish doesn’t have a single character that I recognize from the other books. Not even Neva, the Curator of Wishes, fails to make an appearance. Even the magic of the tree seems to be out of place with the previous books. The wish fulfillment in this story had more of a supernatural/divine intervention feel than the others. Mary was a hard character to care for and sympathize with. Sadly, I was highly disappointed in Careful What Your Wish and only recommend it as a part of The Wishing Tree series. I wonder how this story will fit with the remaining stories. 

Careful What You Wish is available in paperback and eBook

Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries: a fun cozy mystery

Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries is the first book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Thirty-one year old Mae West finds herself homeless, friendless and penniless after her husband, Paul, is imprisoned for a Ponzi scheme. The only thing to her name is a tourist campground, Happy Trails, in Normal, Kentucky, and an RV to live in. By the looks of the brochure, the campground is a paradise with plush Kentucky bluegrass and a crystal clear lake. She forms a plan to take a little vacation while she finds a buyer. When she arrives, it is clear the campground is nothing like the brochure with the bluegrass dried up and the lake is murky with green slime. To make matters worse Mae discovers that many of the residents’ invested with Paul and lost their savings. The reception she gets is less than warm. But when Paul has escaped from prison and found dead, murdered, in the Happy Trails lake, Mae becomes suspect number one! Can she clear her name, find the real killer and prove to the residents of Normal that she is not like her husband? 

Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is a fun, fast read. I’m still fairly new to the cozy mystery genre, I would say it is a mystery that one reads for fun and not to take too seriously. I read many criticisms of this book, especially how things were too outrageous to be real. I don’t know about you, but one of the reasons I read is to have fun and suspend reality for a time and this book did that for me. I enjoyed the quirky residents of Normal as they welcome and then “unwelcome” Mae once they realize who she is. Mae works hard to convince them she is not like her husband. Overall, I enjoyed Mae and her desire to right the wrongs her husband did regardless if she was at fault or not. Although the constant references to the famous actress Mae shares her name did get tiresome. I enjoyed Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries and I look forward to reading the rest of the Campers and Criminals series. If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery, I recommend Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries. 

Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Rewrite the Stars: marriage, PTSD, and finding happiness

Rewrite the Stars by Christina Consolino is a story of Sadie Rollins-Lancaster, a mom of three who is struggling with her crumbling marriage. Her husband, Theo, had initiated a divorced but wishes to try and salvage their marriage as he struggles with PTSD. Though they are still married, they live together and yet live apart. When a chance encounter with a handsome stranger ignites feelings she never expected to feel again, Sadie finds her world turned upside down once again. She is torn between Theo, wanting the man he once was, and the man who keeps her awake at night. Will Sadie fight for the future she wants? Will Theo defeat his demons and win Sadie back?

Rewrite the Stars was touted as “an honest, moving portrayal of life and love that reminds us how much of our happiness lies within our own grasp.” While it is a brutally honest portrayal of PTSD and how it affects the individual and their families, the rest of the story fell horribly flat for me. I didn’t care for most of the characters, especially Sadie. The only character I had any sympathy for was Theo. Sadie was unlikable and selfish as she complained about how much she did and took care of and yet the children were constantly being handed off with a babysitter. What exactly did she do? Unfortunately, it was not the story I was expecting. I do not recommend Rewrite the Stars. 

Rewrite the Stars is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba: three women and the Cuban War of Independence

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton is the story of three very different women whose lives are to be connected to the story of a lifetime. Eighteen year old Evangelina dreamed of a Cuba free from Spanish oppression. When she is falsely imprisoned in the Casa de Recogidas, a notorious Havana women’s jail, her story reaches New York. and fuels the feud between two of the biggest newspaper tycoons of the Gilded Age: William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Grace Harrington lands a job at Hearst’s newspaper in 1896, she realizes that journalism is a cutthroat world where one story, one scoop can make or break your career. She’s about to get a story that will change her life forever. When Hearst learns about the beautiful young woman imprisoned, she runs her story and picture, dubbing her “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.” Evangelina becomes the poster child for the rallying cry for American intervention in Cuban independence. Marina Perez works as a secret courier for the Cuban revolutionaries, hoping for freedom and the return to the life she knew with her husband and daughter. 

Ms. Cleeton was inspired by her ancestor’s story in the Cuban fight for independence as well as the true story of Evangelina Cisneros. The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba was a bit slow in the beginning but picks up speed as tensions between the US and Spain lead to the Spanish American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898). As I read, I was reminded of the conflict and the events leading to American involvement from my high school and college world history classes. The three women, Evangelina, Grace and Marina, give the voices to the conflict but it was Marina’s story that held my attention as she is relocated from her farm to an impoverished and disease riddled camp. Overall, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba highlights a part of history that many do not remember; however, it is not a book I would read again. It was a book that was highly praised but fell flat for me. I liked it but I wasn’t wowed by it. This book was my first by Ms. Cleeton and I may or may not read her other books.  

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Paws & Pastries: a sweet, heartwarming story of second chances

Paws and Pastries by Barbara Hinske is the first book in the Paws and Pastries series. Clara Conway has had it with her cheating husband! After discovering he never ended his affair, she packs up her belongings and starts driving. She doesn’t need him and the heartache. Her plan is to find a new city that is large enough to support a patisserie she has dreamed of opening. Her plan is derailed when she has car trouble in the small town of Pinewood. While the town is charming with friendly and welcoming residents, she feels the town's too small for her dream. As another delay keeps her in town, she grows fonder and fonder of her new friends and the town. Will she recognize that her fate can survive in the small town? Will she realize that fate has placed her where she needs to be? 

Paws and Pastries is a sweet, heartwarming story of second chances. I easily fell in love with Clara and the residents of Pinewood. Paws and Pastries is a flowing story that pulls the reader in from the opening line. I could have easily read it in one day if I had the time. It is the type of story that just draws you in. I love Clara’s strength to declare “I’m done” and walk away. I loved that her journey was fueled by the “he-done-me wrong” songs that played on the radio. I loved how the residents welcomed Clara with open arms. I look forward to the rest of the series as book 2, Sweets and Treats was released this year. I can’t wait to read more of Clara’s adventures and misadventures as she still must deal with her devious soon-to-be ex-husband. What tricks will he pull? I highly recommend Paws and Pastries. 

Paws and Pastries is available in paperback and eBook

A Soldier's Wife: turbulent and turning point in Irish history

A Soldier’s Wife is the first book in The Devereux Family Trilogy by Marion Reynolds featuring a turbulent and turning point in Irish history. Ellen Ainsworth is a romantic and naïve as she falls in love with James Devereux, a member of the British army. As she has always dreamed of traveling, his post to India is a dream come true. After seven years of heartache and joy with a luxurious life, they return to Ireland as James ends his enlistment. They settle in Dublin, an impoverished city with political and civil unrest. When war is declared, James re-enlists and Ellen is left in a city which views the wives of British soldiers with suspicion. Ellen longs for James but worries that if he survives, what Ireland would he return to? 

Inspired by her grandfather’s World War I stories and her grandmother’s experiences on the homefront, Marion Reynolds writes a story which covers the Easter Rising of 1916, World War I and the beginnings of the Irish Civil War in 1922. I expected a story filled with historical events of the time, and it was; however, I was surprised and disappointed that instead of seeing the events and seeing the characters’ reactions to them, the story simply retold the events. Long periods of time would be covered in a chapter. The story was more retelling than showing the events which made for a very dry and difficult read. Overall, I did not enjoy A Soldier’s Wife and most likely will not continue the series. 

A Soldier’s Wife is available in paperback and eBook

The Ex Between Us: what if your best friend turns on you?

The Ex Between Us by Nicola Marsh is a psychological thriller of two best friends with the deadliest secrets. Abi and Jo have been best friends since junior high school, ever since Abi came to Jo’s rescue from a bully. They went through everything together. They’ve hit their rough spots especially when Abi committed a terrible mistake and betrayed Jo. But she found a way to forgive Abi and they became closer than ever. After Abi’s son goes off to college and Abi tries to find a new life as an empty-nester, a strange series of events start to unravel. Abi and Jo begin to experience terrifying events that lead them to believe someone is out to harm them. And they seem to be escalating. From property destruction to threatening messages, who could be behind it all? Is it someone watching from the shadows? Or is it someone a little closer to home? 

The Ex Between Us is a slow burn thriller that turns into a fiery inferno toward the end. The story will leave the reader guessing with characters who aren’t what they seem. With no shortage of suspects from high school frenemies back in town to the exes that never seem to let go. At one point, Abi has a new man in her life and Jo is not pleased. But is he who he says he is? Like the moving pieces on a chessboard, no one knows who’s playing who. Both Abi and Jo were likable and unlikable at times as the reader tries to figure out who was after who and who was only acting as a friend. The characters’ motives and secrets kept me guessing and I wasn’t sure who was after who until the last third of the book. A great mystery with building suspense and tension. I highly recommend The Ex Between Us. 

The Ex Between Us is available in paperback and eBook

The Library of Legends: a mix of history and supernatural

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang is a story of a convoy of student refugees who travel across China to escape the hostilities during a war with Japan while protecting ancient texts of legends and myths. In 1937, as Japenese bombs drop on the city of Nanking, nineteen-year-old Hu Lian and her classmates from the Minghua University are ordered to flee and seek safety in the western provinces. Not only do the students and staff need to worry about the constant threat of air raids, they are entrusted with the safety of the Library of Legends, a -year-old collection of myths and folklore. During the journey, she forms an unlikely friendship with Liu Shaoming, a handsome and wealthy classmate, and his maidservant, Sparrow. As their friendship grows, she learns the connection with her companions and the tale of The Willow Star and the Prince from the Library of Legends. Is there more truth to the myths than she realized? Will they make it to safety? 

A mix of history and mystical and supernatural characters, The Library of Legends is an engaging story of love, war and survival. Ms Chang was influenced by the historical evacuations of the Chinese universities in the 1930s and the political intrigue as the rise of Communism in China is fueled by a few students and the attempts to squash its uprising. I thoroughly enjoyed the intertwining of the historical and supernatural elements of the story. It reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods (2001) as the gods and creatures of the myths and legends were alive and well in our world, we just don’t notice them. But would they be there for long? As more and more humans forget them, what’s their reasoning to stay? I enjoyed the idea that once the guardian spirits of these areas left, the horrors of war followed. This book was my first by Ms. Chang and I look forward to reading her other works in the future. I enjoyed and recommend The Library of Legends. 

The Library of Legends is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Stay Awake: a murder suspect with no memory of the crime

Stay Awake  by Megan Goldin is a psychological thriller as Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no clue how she got there or where she was. When she is dropped off at her New York City brownstone, a stranger answers and informs her she no longer lives there. As she leaves, she realizes she doesn’t have her phone and her hands are covered in black ink. Messages scribbled like graffiti telling her to STAY  AWAKE.  Her last memory is from two years ago when she was living with her best friend, Dr. Amy Decker, dating a new man, Marco, and has a thriving career as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now she’s lost, disoriented and unsure where to turn and who to trust. At the same time, police detectives are investigating the brutal murder of an unknown man and their lone clue is the fuzzy security camera image of a woman leaving the building. Is Liv connected to the murder? Is there someone who is trying to make sure she doesn't remember anything? 

After reading Ms. Goldin’s The Night Swim (2020), I was excited at the chance to read Stay Awake. Right away, Stay Awake reminded me of Christopher Nolan’s cult classic movie, Memento (2000) and the memory loss of 50 First Dates (2004). Told between the present and the events from two years ago, the reader is taken on a roller coaster of twists and turns. It was a fast paced story as Liv is an unreliable narrator as she can’t remember anything from the last two years and she is afraid to fall asleep. I enjoyed Detective Darcy Halliday who wasn't ready to make snap judgments. She knows there’s something about the evidence that doesn’t make sense. Stay Awake wasn’t as thought provoking as The Night Swim but it was as attention gripping. About two-thirds into the story, I had a feeling about who the killer was and even though I had a clue, the reveal was thrilling. Overall, I enjoyed Stay Awake and look forward to future books by Megan Goldin. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, I recommend Stay Awake. 

Stay Awake is available August 9, 2022 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

The Last Rose of Shanghai: a story of love and redemption

The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel is a story of love and redemption in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II. Two very different people from very different cultures are drawn together through the freedom of music. In 1940, Aiyi Shao was a young heiress and the owner of a nightclub. A nightclub she wants to bring back its popularity and glamor. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany. He is an outsider in a community wary of outsiders. Aiyi hires Ernest to play piano at her club, defying customs and the wishes of her family and fiancé. He becomes a sensation and the club becomes the hot spot once again. Soon Aiyi and Ernest share more than just a passion for jazz. As the war escalates, they find themselves torn apart time and time again as their choices between love and survival grow desperate. Will they find a way to be together? Or will the war keep them apart forever? 

I enjoyed that The Last Rose of Shanghai presents a story of World War II from another part of the world other than Europe. It is easily forgotten that the world was at war other than the European front. Unfortunately, the story was way too long with 92 chapters and alternating points of view between Aiyi and Ernest. Granted the chapters were short but the story dragged at points. The ending was a bit far-fetched. Ms. Randel’s descriptions of the music were so wonderful and lyrical that I could almost hear the music in my head as Ernest played. I saved quite a few great quotes. One of my favorites was “There is a kind of love that strikes like a thunderbolt; it blinds you, yet opens your eyes to see the world anew.” Overall, I enjoyed The Last Rose of Shanghai. If you enjoy World War II stories and are looking for new stories about the era, I recommend The Last Rose of Shanghai. 

The Last Rose of Shanghai is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Home for Wounded Hearts: a place for hope and renewal

Home for Wounded Hearts by Ashley Farley is a story of hope and renewal. Faith Neilson is a survivor of an abusive marriage. Her new passion in life is to help other women in dangerous and hopeless situations. She opens a women’s shelter, Lovie’s Home. A home not just for abused women but women dealing with addiction, grief, homelessness, any woman who wants to mend their broken hearts and find a new meaning in life. There’s Tilda who is convinced she has Alzheimer’s. Molly, a street-smart homeless woman with a childlike quality and a deeply wounded heart. Caroline who has hidden her grief in her gardening hobby. As they find the will to live life day-to-day, the future of the shelter and their bonds of friendship are threatened. Can they find the strength to protect their new home and themselves? 

Spinning off of her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series, Ms Farley attempts to write a story with a strong message and very deep situations. While I was intrigued by the opening chapter, I was quickly bored as it was slow with none of the depth I expected from the situations each woman experiences. I found myself dozing off as I tried to read. Everyone seemed to fall in line with the shelter’s routine with very little conflict. Faith was a bit unbelievable as a character. She is an abuse survivor but what about experiencing an abusive relationship gives her the insight that certain residents as roommates would help “heal” each other. Maybe I’m missing something from not reading the original series. Overall, I did not enjoy it. However, if you are a fan of Ms Farley’s Sweeney Sisters series, you may enjoy Home for Wounded Hearts. 

Home for Wounded Hearts is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy: can trauma be passed down through DNA?

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford is a story that spans generations and across time. Dorothy Moy channels her dissociative episodes and mental health struggles into her poetry. When her daughter, Annabel, begins to exhibit the same behaviors and starts to remember the lives of their ancestors, Dorothy decides to seek radical help. Not wanting her daughter to suffer from the same depression she does, Dorothy agrees to an experimental treatment designed to weaken inherited trauma. Through this treatment, she connects with past generations of women in her family. From Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers, to Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during a plague epidemic to Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America. She also discovers that in each time period, someone is looking for her. Someone who has loved her through her genetic memories. Can she break the cycle of pain and find peace for herself and her daughter? 

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is a very difficult book to read. Jumping back and forth through time from 1836 to 2085 and five different points of view, the main theme of the story is the idea of epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of heritable phenotype changes that occur but do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence. In simple terms, it is the study of how behaviors and environment change the way genes work. Even simpler, it is trauma that is passed on like a physical trait. I understand the concept but I feel that it is more family dynamics and behaviors are altered and then passed down rather than through DNA itself. I’ve read other books that use this idea. The jumping back and forth was confusing and disorientating. There was very little opportunity to get an understanding of a character before it was off to another. Overall, I did not enjoy The Many Daughters of Afong Moy even though the premise intrigued me. I do not recommend The Many Daughters of Afong Moy. 

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook