Together at the Table is the third book in Hillary Manton Lodges's Two Blue Door series. I have read (and reviewed) all three and very much
enjoyed all three. The main character in each book, Juliette D'Alisa is
back again. She and her brother, Nico, have successfully launched a new
restaurant, Two Blue Doors--hence the series title. She loves her job
as restaurant manager and is dating the restaurant's sous-chef, Adrian.
Life is mostly good, although she is still mourning the loss of her
mother to cancer.
[spoiler alert] Things are turned upside down
however when Juliette and Adrian run into Juliette's ex boyfriend, Neil,
in the park. It is obvious to Adrian that Neil still loves Juliette
and he questions Juliette's feelings for Neil. Adrian panics and asks
Juliette to marry him in front of her entire family at her birthday
party. Unprepared and unsure of her own heart, Juliette refuses and not
long after the two break up. Juliette soon admits that Neil does still
hold a place in her heart and they start their relationship anew. When a
fire damages Two Blue Doors and Juliette's apartment above the
restaurant, Juliette comes to see that she is in love with Neil and the
two elope just before a family trip to Italy.
I like the fact
that things are nicely wrapped up in this third book.. It's good to see
Juliette happy and in love. In the first book of the Two Blue Door series, A Table by the Window,
Juliette had discovered love letters written by her grandmother. They
revealed a family mystery that Juliette is determined to solve. She
makes a trip to her family's chateau in Italy in each book, attempting
to put the pieces together. In this book, the truth is finally
uncovered. I think the series could continue, but I was pleased that the
author didn't string us along with either Juliette's love life or the
family mystery.
My only complaint with Together at the Table
is that I really wouldn't classify it as Christian fiction. Juliette
goes to church a handful of times and is married by clergy, but that's
about it. It is clean fiction and has good lessons in it about the
value of family and sacrificial love, but barely any reference to God
and none to Scripture.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Monday, May 2, 2016
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
The five days that author Sheri Fink writes about in Five Days at Memorial were
five VERY long days. At first the book was interesting, but after a
while it really started to drag for me. I found myself looking to see
how many more pages I had to read. Honestly, I might not have finished
it if not for my commitment to read and honestly review it for Blogging
for Books. I will also say that I'm glad I received it for free in
exchange for that honest review.
Except for a few main characters, it was very difficult to keep the various doctors, nurses, and patients straight. There were so many of them, on top of relatives of the staff, families of the patients, law enforcement, government officials, helicopter pilots, lawyers and prosecutors, etc. etc. The names became a blur rather quickly.
I did appreciate the questions that the book raised: which patients should be prioritized (during a catastrophic emergency) and can health professionals ever be excused for hastening death? These questions may seem very black and white under ordinary circumstances, but in the midst of a disaster such as a hurricane they become much more gray. Faced with oppressive heat, loss of electricity, the stench of overflowing toilets, the threat of looting and other criminal misbehavior, lack of sleep, water and food shortages, fear and even panic, what would you do? How would I act?
I found that I could see things from both sides. I could imagine how overwhelming it must have been for the hospital staff who undertook the care of so many critically ill patients in such dire conditions. I could also empathize with the families who wanted answers as to how and why their loved ones died. I think the author did a decent job of trying to present circumstances from both groups.
Except for a few main characters, it was very difficult to keep the various doctors, nurses, and patients straight. There were so many of them, on top of relatives of the staff, families of the patients, law enforcement, government officials, helicopter pilots, lawyers and prosecutors, etc. etc. The names became a blur rather quickly.
I did appreciate the questions that the book raised: which patients should be prioritized (during a catastrophic emergency) and can health professionals ever be excused for hastening death? These questions may seem very black and white under ordinary circumstances, but in the midst of a disaster such as a hurricane they become much more gray. Faced with oppressive heat, loss of electricity, the stench of overflowing toilets, the threat of looting and other criminal misbehavior, lack of sleep, water and food shortages, fear and even panic, what would you do? How would I act?
I found that I could see things from both sides. I could imagine how overwhelming it must have been for the hospital staff who undertook the care of so many critically ill patients in such dire conditions. I could also empathize with the families who wanted answers as to how and why their loved ones died. I think the author did a decent job of trying to present circumstances from both groups.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)